The imbalance of immune status in cancer microenvironment plays an important role in the development and progression of cancer. Immunotherapy based on this has become an important field of cancer ...research in recent years. Many studies on long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in cancer have focus on its regulation in cancer development and metastasis. Recent studies have suggested that lncRNAs play crucial roles in different phases of cancer immunity, including antigen releasing, antigen presentation, immune activation, immune cells migration, infiltrating into cancer tissues, and killing cancer cells. The functional studies of lncRNAs in cancer immuntity revealed the complicated molecular mechanisms in cancer immunity from a new point of view, which may provide novel potential targets for cancer immunotherapies. Based on the classical cancer‐immunity cycle theory, we review the recent studies on the functions and mechanisms of immune‐related lncRNAs in different stages of cancer immunity, to summarize the relationship between lncRNAs, and cancer immunity and to provide a framework for further research.
The functional studies of lncRNAs in cancer immuntity revealed the complicated molecular mechanisms in cancer immunity from a new point of view, which may provide novel potential targets for cancer immunotherapies. Based on the classical cancer‐immunity cycle theory, we review therecent studies on the functions and mechanisms of immune‐related lncRNAs in different stages of cancer immunity, to summarize the relationship between lncRNAs, and cancer immunity and to provide a framework for further research.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated epithelial cancers, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and approximately 10% of gastric cancers, termed EBVaGC, represent 80% of all EBV-related ...malignancies. However, the exact role of EBV in epithelial cancers remains elusive. Here, we report that EBV functions in vasculogenic mimicry (VM). Epithelial cancer cells infected with EBV develop tumor vascular networks that correlate with tumor growth, which is different from endothelial-derived angiogenic vessels and is VEGF-independent. Mechanistically, activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/HIF-1α signaling cascade, which is partly mediated by LMP2A, is responsible for EBV-induced VM formation. Both xenografts and clinical samples of NPC and EBVaGC exhibit VM histologically, which are correlated with AKT and HIF-1α activation. Furthermore, although anti-VEGF monotherapy shows limited effects, potent synergistic antitumor activities are achieved by combination therapy with VEGF and HIF-1α-targeted agents. Our findings suggest that EBV creates plasticity in epithelial cells to express endothelial phenotype and provides a novel EBV-targeted antitumor strategy.
A polymer fibril assembly can dictate the morphology framework, in forming a network structure, which is highly advantageous in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs). A fundamental ...understanding of how to manipulate such a fibril assembly and its influence on the BHJ morphology and device performance is crucially important. Here, a series of donor–acceptor polymers, PBT1‐O, PBT1‐S, and PBT1‐C, is used to systematically investigate the relationship between molecular structure, morphology, and photovoltaic performance. The subtle atom change in side chains is found to have profound effect on regulating electronic structure and self‐assembly of conjugated polymers. Compared with PBT1‐O and PBT1‐S, PBT1‐C‐based OSCs show much higher photovoltaic performance with a record fill factor (FF) of 80.5%, due to the formation of optimal interpenetrating network morphology. Such a fibril network strategy is further extended to nonfullerene OSCs using a small‐molecular acceptor, which shows a high efficiency of 12.7% and an FF of 78.5%. The results indicate the formation of well‐defined fibrillar structure is a promising approach to achieving a favorable morphology in BHJ OSCs.
Three novel polymers are synthesized to systematically investigate the relationship between molecular structure, morphology, and photovoltaic performance. A favorable fibrillar network morphology with a narrow polymer fibril width in a PBT1‐C:PC71BM blend leads to a record fill factor exceeding 80%, indicating that the formation of a well‐defined fibrillar structure is a promising approach to achieving a favorable morphology in organic solar cells.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Thermoelectric materials can be used to convert waste heat into electrical energy, which is considered to be a cleaner form of energy that reduces carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions. In this ...work, we study the thermoelectric properties of penta-PdX2 (X = S, Se, Te) using first-principles calculations together with Boltzmann transport theory. The dynamic and thermal stability of penta-PdX2 is confirmed based on phonon dispersion and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. The transport coefficients, such as thermal conductivity (kl), power factor (PF) and thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT), exhibit strong anisotropy in both x and y directions. The lower thermal conductivity of penta-PdX2 can be attributed to the lower group velocity and larger phase space. The thermal conductivity of penta-PdX2 along the same direction (x or y direction) adheres to the trend of PdS2 > PdSe2 > PdTe2. The anisotropy of PF and kl of penta-PdX2 monolayers inevitably leads to anisotropy of ZT. The largest ZT values of penta-PdX2 (X = S, Se) for p-type are 0.85 and 1.18, respectively, while the maximum ZT value of penta-PdTe2 reaches 2.42. The predicted ZT values of penta-PdX2 are larger than those of the commercial TE material Bi2Te3 (about 0.8) and some other transition metal di-chalcogenides, indicating that penta-PdX2 (X = S, Se, Te) monolayers are potential anisotropic thermoelectric materials.
A multiple resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR‐TADF) molecule with a fused, planar architecture tends to aggregate at high doping ratios, resulting in broad full width at half ...maximum (FWHM), redshifting electroluminescence peaks, and low device efficiency. Herein, we propose a mono‐substituted design strategy by introducing spiro‐9,9′‐bifluorene (SBF) units with different substituted sites into the MR‐TADF system for the first time. As a classic steric group, SBF can hinder interchromophore interactions, leading to high device efficiency (32.2–35.9 %) and narrow‐band emission (≈27 nm). Particularly, the shield‐like molecule, SF1BN, seldom exhibits a broadened FWHM as the doping ratio rises, which differs from the C3‐substituted isomer and unhindered parent emitter. These results manifest an effective method for constructing highly efficient MR‐TADF emitters through a spiro strategy and elucidate the feasibility for steric modulation of the spiro structure in π‐framework.
By incorporating a three‐dimensional spiro unit into multiple resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters, the device efficiency is increased to nearly 1.5 times that of the unhindered emitter. Notably, the linkage pattern with spatial interaction and hindrance can maintain the narrow FWHM and curb unfavorable redshifts at a high doping ratio.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Interventional hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy of infusional fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (HAIC-FO) displayed an encouraging safety profile and antitumor activity in a previous ...phase II trial and a propensity-score-matching study involving patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
In this open-label, phase III trial, patients with advanced HCC, previously untreated with systemic therapy, were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive HAIC-FO or sorafenib. The primary end point was overall survival (OS) in the intention-to-treat population. An exploratory model for predicting the efficacy of HAIC-FO on the basis of genomic sequencing was developed.
Between May 2017 and May 2020, 262 patients were randomly assigned. The median tumor size was 11.2 cm (interquartile range, 8.5-13.7 cm). Macrovascular invasion was present in 65.6%, and the percentage of patients with > 50% tumor volume involvement of the liver and/or Vp-4 portal vein tumor thrombosis was 49.2%. At data cutoff (October 31, 2020), median OS was 13.9 months for HAIC-FO and 8.2 for sorafenib (hazard ratio HR 0.408; 95% CI, 0.301 to 0.552;
< .001). Tumor downstaging occurred in 16 (12.3% of 130) patients receiving HAIC-FO, including 15 receiving curative surgery or ablation, and finally achieving a median OS of 20.8 months, with a 1-year OS rate of 93.8%. In high-risk subpopulations, OS was significantly longer with HAIC-FO than with sorafenib (10.8 months
5.7 months; HR 0.343; 95% CI, 0.219 to 0.538;
< .001). A newly developed 15-mutant-gene prediction model identified 83% of patients with response to HAIC-FO. HAIC-FO responders had longer OS than HAIC-FO nonresponders (19.3 months
10.6 months; HR 0.323; 95% CI, 0.186 to 0.560;
= .002).
HAIC-FO achieved better survival outcomes than sorafenib in advanced HCC, even in association with a high intrahepatic disease burden.
To identify genetic susceptibility loci for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a genome-wide association study was performed using 464,328 autosomal SNPs in 1,583 NPC affected individuals (cases) and ...1,894 controls of southern Chinese descent. The top 49 SNPs from the genome-wide association study were genotyped in 3,507 cases and 3,063 controls of southern Chinese descent from Guangdong and Guangxi. The seven supportive SNPs were further confirmed by transmission disequilibrium test analysis in 279 trios from Guangdong. We identified three new susceptibility loci, TNFRSF19 on 13q12 (rs9510787, Pcombined = 1.53 × 10−9, odds ratio (OR) = 1.20), MDS1-EVI1 on 3q26 (rs6774494, Pcombined = 1.34 × 10−8, OR = 0.84) and the CDKN2A-CDKN2B gene cluster on 9p21 (rs1412829, Pcombined = 4.84 × 10−7, OR = 0.78). Furthermore, we confirmed the role of HLA by revealing independent associations at rs2860580 (Pcombined = 4.88 × 10−67, OR = 0.58), rs2894207 (Pcombined = 3.42 × 10−33, OR = 0.61) and rs28421666 (Pcombined = 2.49 × 10−18, OR = 0.67). Our findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis of NPC by highlighting the involvement of pathways related to TNFRSF19 and MDS1-EVI1 in addition to HLA molecules.
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DOBA, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Harvesting the narrow bandgap excitons of charge‐transfer (CT) complexes for the achievement of near‐infrared (NIR) emission has attracted intensive attention for its fundamental importance and ...practical application. Herein, the triphenylene (TP)‐2,3,5,6‐tetrafluoro‐7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ) CT organic complex is designed and fabricated via the supramolecular self‐assembly process, which demonstrates the NIR emission with a maximum peak of 770 nm and a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 5.4%. The segregated stacking mode of TP‐F4TCNQ CT complex based on the multiple types of intermolecular interaction has a low CT degree of 0.00103 and a small counter pitch angle of 40° between F4TCNQ and TP molecules, which breaks the forbidden electronic transitions of CT state, resulting in the effective NIR emission. Acting as the promising candidates for the active optical waveguide in the NIR region beyond 760 nm, the self‐assembled TP‐F4TCNQ single‐crystalline organic microwires display an ultralow optical‐loss coefficient of 0.060 dB µm−1. This work holds considerable insights for the exploration of novel NIR‐emissive organic materials via an universal “cocrystal engineering” strategy.
Through changing mixed stacking into segregated stacking mode, triphenylene (TP)‐2,3,5,6‐tetrafluoro‐7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ) charge‐transfer (CT) complex demonstrates a low CT degree and a small counter pitch angle between TP and F4TCNQ molecules, benefiting for breaking the forbidden electronic transitions of CT state for realizing the near‐infrared emission with a maximum peak of 770 nm and a photoluminescence quantum yield of 5.4%.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) pupae are a high‐quality feed ingredient, rich in protein and fat. However, silkworm pupae are prone to oxidative rancidity due to the high content of unsaturated fatty ...acids, which limits its large‐scale use in feed. A 56‐day feeding study was conducted to determine the effects of oxidized silkworm pupae on growth performance, structure and function of the intestine, liver and muscle in genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT, Oreochromis niloticus). Three approximately isonitrogenous (crude protein: 328 g kg−1) and isolipidic (crude lipid: 56 g kg−1) diets were formulated containing 4% fresh silkworm pupae, lightly oxidized silkworm pupae and highly oxidized silkworm pupae, which named FSP, LOSP and HOSP respectively. Three groups of GIFT with an initial weight of (44.22 ± 0.54) g were randomly assigned to each diet. The results showed that the weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate and feed intake decreased with increasing silkworm pupae oxidative levels (p < 0.05). Villus height in LOSP and HOSP significantly decreased with increasing silkworm pupae oxidative levels (p < 0.05), while villus number and muscular thickness of foregut were similar among three groups (p > 0.05). Dietary oxidized silkworm pupae significantly reduced the activity of intestinal Na+–K+–ATPase compared with FSP group (p < 0.05), whereas that was similar in LOSP and HOSP groups (p > 0.05). The activities of intestinal protease, lipase and pepsin in HOSP group were significantly reduced compared with FSP group (p < 0.05), whereas those were similar in LOSP and FSP groups (p > 0.05). Hepatocytes with swelling and nuclear migration occurred in the liver of LOSP and HOSP groups. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content of LOSP and HOSP groups in liver was significantly higher than that in FSP group (p < 0.05). Muscular histological examinations indicated that muscle fibre atrophy occurred in HOSP group. The content of crude protein and crude ash in muscle of HOSP group was significantly reduced compared with FSP and LOSP groups (p < 0.05). ∑n‐3PUFA contents in the muscle of HOSP decreased by 37.28% compared with FSP group (p < 0.05). To sum up, dietary oxidized silkworm pupae inhibited growth, reduced the gastrointestinal digestive and absorptive capacity and hepatic antioxidant capacity, and the negative impacts were increased with the increasing oxidative degree of silkworm pupae. In addition, highly oxidized silkworm pupae have a destructive effect on the histological structure of the foregut, liver and muscle.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Population-based estimates of the incidence and prognosis of brain metastases at diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are lacking. The aim of this study was to characterize the incidence ...proportion and survival of newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma with brain metastases (HCCBM).
Data from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program between 2010 and 2014 was evaluated. Patients with HCCBM were included. Multivariable logistic and Cox regression were performed to identify predictors of the presence of brain metastases at diagnosis and prognostic factors of overall survival (OS). We also built a nomogram based on Cox model to predict prognosis for HCCBM patients.
We identified 97 patients with brain metastases at the time of diagnosis of HCC, representing 0.33% of the entire cohort. Logistic regression showed patients with bone or lung metastases had greater odds of having brain metastases at diagnosis. Median OS for HCCBM was 2.40 months. Cox regression revealed unmarried and bone metastases patients suffered significantly shorter survival time. A nomogram was developed with internal validation concordance index of 0.639.
This study provided population-based estimates of the incidence and prognosis for HCCBM patients. The nomogram could be a convenient individualized predictive tool for prognosis.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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