Downeystiles4773

Differential expression analysis has led to the identification of important biomarkers in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Despite enormous contributions, it has not harnessed the full potential of gene expression data, such as interactions among genes. Differential co-expression analysis has emerged as an effective tool that complements differential expression analysis to provide better insight of dysregulated mechanisms and indicate key driver genes. Here, we analysed the differential co-expression of lncRNAs and protein-coding genes (PCGs) between normal oesophageal tissue and ESCC tissues, and constructed a lncRNA-PCG differential co-expression network (DCN). DCN was characterized as a scale-free, small-world network with modular organization. Focusing on lncRNAs, a total of 107 differential lncRNA-PCG subnetworks were identified from the DCN by integrating both differential expression and differential co-expression. These differential subnetworks provide a valuable source for revealing lncRNA functions and the associated dysfunctional regulatory networks in ESCC. Their consistent discrimination suggests that they may have important roles in ESCC and could serve as robust subnetwork biomarkers. In addition, two tumour suppressor genes (AL121899.1 and ELMO2), identified in the core modules, were validated by functional experiments. The proposed method can be easily used to investigate differential subnetworks of other molecules in other cancers. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.The acceptance of quadrupole mass filters is improved when the alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) fields are developed separately. Physically, this is achieved when a short RF only quadrupole (prefilter) is situated directly ahead of the mass filter. The acceptance gained by a system operating with a prefilter can be observed as an increase in sensitivity over conventional operation. Frequency dynamic duty cycle based rectangular waveform driven (rectangular wave) mass filters, a recent development, currently do not operate with prefilters. Little is known about the influence of duty cycle changes on the acceptance of rectangular wave mass filters. The sensitivity gain seen by conventional systems operating with prefilters indicates that the sensitivity of duty cycle based rectangular wave systems should increase comparably. The objective of this work was to determine prefilter efficacy for nonspecific rectangular wave mass filter systems. In this work, the plane method of acceptance was used to model the change to the acceptance and transmittance of sine and rectangular waveform driven mass filters under different modes of field development. Both systems indicated a fourfold increase in sensitivity when the mass filtering DC or duty cycle was delayed. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Odontocetes are considered ideal sentinel species to monitor environmental trace element concentrations. While frozen tissues are preferable for trace element analysis, often formalin-fixed tissues are the only samples available; however, it is uncertain if formalin fixation alters tissue trace element concentrations. To explore whether formalin-fixed tissues could be utilized for toxicology studies, concentrations of 14 trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sn, V, and Zn) were measured in frozen and formalin-fixed bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) tissues following short-term (6 weeks; tissues blubber, liver, lung) and long-term preservation (3-7 years; tissues blubber, brain, kidney, liver, lung, skin) using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Following both short-term and long-term preservation, there were significant differences in tissue trace element concentrations between preservation methods. Some trace elements were found in greater concentrations in frozen tissues compared to formalin-fixed tissues suggesting leaching (e.g., mean As concentrations were between 1.4 and 7.6-times greater in frozen tissues). In contrast, other trace elements were found in greater concentrations in formalin-fixed tissues compared to frozen tissues suggesting contamination (e.g., mean Zn concentrations were up to 8.7-times higher in some formalin-fixed tissues). Our results suggest that it may be possible to account for the effects of formalin fixation for some trace elements but leaching and contamination should be carefully considered. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.Studies of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) toxicity on amphibians, especially post metamorphosis, are limited. We examined effects of dermal PFAS exposure (30 d) on survival and growth of juvenile American toads (Anaxyrus americanus), eastern tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) and northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens). Exposures included perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) and 62 fluorotelomer sulfonate (62 FTS) at 0, 80, 800, or 8000 ppb on a moss dry weight basis. Exposure to PFAS influenced final snout-vent length (SVL) and scaled mass index (SMI), a measure of relative body condition. Observed effects depended on species and chemical, but not concentration. Anurans exposed to PFOS, PFHxS (frogs only), and 62 FTS reduced SVL versus controls, while salamanders exposed to 62 FTS increased SVL. Frogs exposed to PFHxS and 62 FTS, and toads exposed to PFOS had increased SMI compared to controls, salamanders did not demonstrate effects. Concentrations of 62 FTS in substrate decreased substantially by 30 d, likely driven by microbial action. PFOS had notable biota-sediment accumulation factors, but still less then 1. While a no-observable-effect concentration could not generally be determined, the lowest observable effect concentration was 50 - 120 ppb. Survival was not affected. Our work demonstrates that PFAS bioaccumulation from dermal exposures and sublethal effects are dependent on species, chemical, and focal trait. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.Research into insomnia disorder has pointed to large-scale brain network dysfunctions. Dynamic functional connectivity is instrumental to cognitive functions but has not been investigated in insomnia disorder. This study assessed between-network functional connectivity strength and variability in patients with insomnia disorder as compared with matched controls without sleep complaints. Twelve-minute resting-state functional magnetic resonance images and T1-weighed images were acquired in 65 people diagnosed with insomnia disorder (21-69 years, 48 female) and 65 matched controls without sleep complaints (22-70 years, 42 female). Pairwise correlations between the activity time series of 14 resting-state networks and temporal variability of the correlations were compared between cases and controls. After false discovery rate correction for multiple comparisons, people with insomnia disorder and controls did not differ significantly in terms of mean between-network functional connectivity strength; people with insomnia disorder did, however, show less functional connectivity variability between the anterior salience network and the left executive-control network. The finding suggests less flexible interactions between the networks during the resting state in people with insomnia disorder. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Sleep Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Sleep Research Society.Phthalate (PAE) derivatives with low oestrogenic activity, high infrared spectrum signals, high Raman characteristic vibration spectrum, high fluorescence intensity and high ultraviolet sensitivity were selected as precursors from our previous works, so that the changes in their toxicity and oestrogenic activity during biological metabolism, ozone oxidation, photocatalytic degradation, photodegradation and microbial degradation could be studied.The transformation pathways of these derivatives were simulated, and the reaction energy barriers were calculated. To determine the potential environmental risks of these PAE derivatives, the pharmacophore models of biotoxicity and estrogen activity of PAEs were used to predict the biotoxicity and oestrogen activity of the transformed products. The results showed that the biometabolites, ozonation products, photocatalytic degradation products and microbial degradation products, their biotoxicity and estrogen activity increased; the only products that did not follow this trend were the photodegradation products. Notably, the pathways that produced more potentially toxic compounds were the less favourable path. These results indicated that the transformation products of the designed environmentally friendly PAE derivatives potentially pose environmental risks. Therefore, to avoid these potential environmental risks, the environmental transformation pathway of these derivatives should be simulated to screen for environmentally friendly phthalate molecules. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.Try-in sessions are often performed to check the fit and shape of restorations; however, try-in pastes do not exhibit enough viscosity to keep the restoration in place especially in the case of veneers that keep falling off during try-in. The use of polymerizable soft resins similar to those used as a gingival barrier in bleaching treatment can lock the veneer or crown in place during try-in for dynamic assessment of the restoration, at the same time easy removal of the paste is possible since the resin film is peeled off in one piece leaving no residues for cleanup.BACKGROUND Children with migration background and from low socio-economic status are at higher risk for overweight. To determine appropriate media channels to possibly reach children with targeted health information, it has to be considered that the media and information behavior of children has changed during the last decades. OBJECTIVE We examined the media and information behavior of children in low socio-economic districts, focusing on those with migration background. METHODS Fourteen 3rd grade classes (n=250 children, 68.0% with migration background) completed a questionnaire regarding their media consumption, which was based on existing validated surveys. RESULTS ≥ 50% of the children watched TV and around 40% used both mobile phones and computers/tablets/internet for ≥1 h/day. Books were the most popular analogue media (61.6% of children), whereas magazines/newspapers and radio (18.4 and 16.0% of children, respectively) were used less frequently. Furthermore, they regularly used internet, TV and their teachers (63.0, 48.8 and 44.8% of children, respectively) as information source. learn more Especially children with compared to those without migration background less likely used the radio (P=0.0002) and their family as information source (P=0.0017). CONCLUSIONS Children attending 3rd grade class, especially with migration background, can be addressed through digital media rather than the radio. This may help to sustainably support children outside school with targeted health information. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.