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The radiation characteristics of circular arc antennas are studied by applying the method of moments (MoM) to solve the electric field integral equation (EFIE). Based on the triangular current distribution of small circular arc antennas, the analytical expression of radiation fields of circular arc antennas is derived. It is found that the circular arc antenna is equivalent to a superposition of an electric dipole and a magnetic dipole, resulting in near isotropic radiation pattern. Finally, both MoM and CST simulations show that the small arc antenna can realize the near isotropic radiation pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To efficiently analyze the electromagnetic scattering from composite perfect electric conductor (PEC)-dielectric objects with coexisting closed-open PEC junctions, a modified hybrid integral equation (HIE) is established as the surface integral equation (SIE) part of the volume surface integral equation (VSIE), which employs the combined field integral equation (CFIE) and the electric field integral equation (EFIE) on the closed and open PEC surfaces, respectively. Different from the traditional HIE modeled for the objects whose closed and open PEC surfaces are strictly separate, the modified HIE can be applied to the objects containing closed-open junctions. A matrix equation is obtained by using the Galerkin's method of moments (MoM), which is augmented with the spherical harmonics expansion-based multilevel fast multipole algorithm (SE-MLFMA), improved by the mixed-potential representation and the triangle/tetrahedron-based grouping scheme. Because in the improved SE-MLFMA, the memory usage for storing the radiation patterns of basis functions is independent of the SIE type in the VSIE, it is highly appropriate for the fast solution of the VSIE that contains the HIE. Various numerical experiments demonstrate that during the calculation of composite objects containing closed-open PEC junctions, the application of the modified HIE in the VSIE can give reliable results with fast convergence speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of the multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA), effective construction of the sparse approximate inverse preconditioner (SAIP) for the volume-surface integral equation (VSIE) is discussed. A high quality SAIP for the entire VSIE matrix is constructed by using the sub-matrix of the nearfield interactions between the surface basis and testing functions arising from the surface integral equation alone. In addition, a simple sparse pattern selection scheme based on the geometrical information of nearby basis functions and octree regrouping strategy is proposed to enhance the efficiency of the SAIP. In contrast to the existing sparse pattern selection schemes, the proposed scheme utilizes the near-field matrix in the MLFMA more effectively with only one tuning parameter. Numerical results indicate that with the proposed scheme, both the memory usage and setup time for constructing an effective SAIP are significantly reduced without compromising the efficiency and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an automatic calibration method using grid-structured light for the full parameter of a camera-projector system, including principal points, equivalent focal length, image distortion coefficients, the rotation matrix, and translation vectors between the camera and projector. Grid-structured light is projected onto a board, camera image intersection points are extracted, and three-dimensional intersection points are computed according to a homography matrix. Finally, the full parameter of a camera-projector system is solved based on stereo vision. No manual intervention is required during image processing, which simplifies the operations and improves efficiency. The image-processing kernel problem involves both automatic detection and intersection point matching. (1) The proposed intersection point detection method utilizes multiscale fusion. At each level of the image pyramid, intersection points are searched according to gray distribution and geometrical characteristics. With the gray-gravity method, coordinates are achieved with subpixel intersection point precision. Therefore, the location precision exceeds 0.5 pixel. (2) The proposed matching method employs belief propagation. Taking intersection points as nodes, a Bayesian network is established according to the Markov random field hypothesis. The image intersection point matching problem between a camera and the projector is then transformed into a maximum a posteriori estimation problem. Ultimately, 15 images are used to calibrate the full parameter of a camera-projector system. The results indicate that the reprojection error exceeds 0.15 pixel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The validity of the use of continuity condition (CC), combined with the volume-surface integral equation (VSIE), is studied when it is explicitly enforced on the closed perfect electric conductor (PEC)-electrical anisotropy interfaces. It is found that if the standard magnetic field integral equation (MFIE) is involved in the VSIE to model the closed PEC surfaces, the solution might be inaccurate, especially when the CC is enforced. The reason for this phenomenon is discussed, and two previously reported approaches are adopted to improve the accuracy of MFIE. Numerical results show that whether the CC is enforced or not, the improvement of the MFIE will result in more accurate VSIE solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] To explore the impact of land use changes on physical properties of soil in loess hilly region. [Methods] The methods of field sampling and indoor analysis were adopted. Farmland in a small watershed in the middle of the Loess Plateau, grassland that had been abandoned for 7 year, grassland that had been abandoned for 30 years, jujube orchard and ditch were sampled, and the particle composition (clay, silt and sand) and moisture changes of the soil in the top 0 - 100 cm were studied. [Results] In the small watershed, the top 0 - 100 cm of the soil was composed of 14% clay, 70] silt and 16% sand. The contents of clay, silt and sand in the grassland that had been abandoned for 30 years varied greatly, while varied little in the land of other use types. The soil moisture content of grassland that had been abandoned for 30 years, jujube orchard, grassland that had been abandoned for 7 years, farmland and ditch increased with the increase of depth, with means of 10.29%, 11.66%, 10.08%, 11.43% and 11.34%, respectively. [Conclusions] This study provides a theoretical basis for the growth of crops of different land use types in the loess hilly region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming has resulted in substantial glacier retreats in high-elevation areas, exposing deglaciated soils to harsh environmental conditions. Autotrophic microbes are pioneering colonizers in the deglaciated soils and provide nutrients to the extreme ecosystem devoid of vegetation. However, autotrophic communities remain less studied in deglaciated soils. We explored the diversity and succession of the cbbL gene encoding the large subunit of form I RubisCO, a key CO2-fixing enzyme, using molecular methods in deglaciated soils along a 10-year deglaciation chronosequence on the Tibetan Plateau. Our results demonstrated that the abundance of all types of form I cbbL (IA/B, IC and ID) rapidly increased in young soils (0-2.5 years old) and kept stable in old soils. Soil total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) gradually increased along the chronosequence and both demonstrated positive correlations with the abundance of bacteria and autotrophs, indicating that soil TOC and TN originated from autotrophs. Form IA/B autotrophs, affiliated with cyanobacteria, exhibited a substantially higher abundance than IC and ID. Cyanobacterial diversity and evenness increased in young soils (<6 years old) and then remained stable. Our findings suggest that cyabobacteria play an important role in accumulating TOC and TN in the deglaciated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A monocular method to measure the pose of a translation-only one-dimensional (1D) object containing at least two known characteristic points is presented. The position of any other point on the 1D object can be located after the pose measurement. Scene information is not needed to apply the method. If the distance between the characteristic points is unknown, there is a scale factor between the object's real positions and the measurement results. The method can also be used to measure the pose and shape parameters of a parallelogram, prism or cylinder object. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to determine the renoprotective and hepatoprotective effect of lidocaine in septic rats through the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following three groups: control, sepsis model and 10% lidocaine. A model of sepsis was established by injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 5 mg/kg) into the intraperitoneal cavity of rats. The same volume of saline was injected intraperitoneally into rats of the control group instead of LPS. Light microscopy was used to observe structural changes of the hepatic and nephridial tissues. qPCR was used to measure TLR4 mRNA expression levels and the protein expression was detected by flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to measure myocardial nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) protein levels and ELISA was used to measure the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in hepatic and nephridial tissues. The results demonstrated that 10% lidocaine treatment markedly decreased hepatic and nephridial injury in septic rats and inhibited the expression levels of TLR4, NF-κB and IL-6, which were upregulated in the sepsis model. In addition, the results indicated that lidocaine protects against renal and hepatic dysfunction in septic rats, which may be mediated by the downregulation of TLR4 and associated signaling molecules and inhibition of the inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of olfactory ensheathing cell conditioned medium (OECCM) on damaged astrocytes after exposure to HO in vitro. OECCM was used to treat astrocytes after injury, which was induced by exposure to 500 μmol/L HO for 20 min. The cell morphology was then observed under a light microscope, cell viability assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, cell ultrastructure observed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and apoptosis assessed by Annexin V staining followed by cytometry and Western blot. HO induced severe damage to astrocytes as evidenced by decreased cell number, pathological changes in cell morphology, and significantly elevated cell apoptosis. Cells incubated with OECCM displayed significantly improved cell viability and decreased cell apoptotic rate. Under TEM, HO-treated cells showed partially broken plasma membranes, swollen rough endoplasmic reticula, visible vacuoles, and swollen or deformed mitochondria with ruptured cristae. Incubation with OECCM significantly ameliorated these pathological changes in astrocytes. These results suggest that OECCM may protect astrocytes from oxidative damage by promoting cell survival while reducing apoptosis of the damaged cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asymptotic behavior of a class of switched stochastic cellular neural networks (CNNs) with mixed delays (discrete timevarying delays and distributed time-varying delays) is investigated in this paper. Employing the average dwell time approach (ADT), stochastic analysis technology, and linearmatrix inequalities technique (LMI), some novel sufficient conditions on the issue of asymptotic behavior (the mean-square ultimate boundedness, the existence of an attractor, and the mean-square exponential stability) are established. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is an essential cofactor for endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase. Guanosine 5'-triphosphate cyclohydrolase-I (GTPCH-I) is a key limiting enzyme for BH4 synthesis. In the present in vitro study, we investigated whether peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR-α) agonist fenofibrate could recouple eNOS by reversing low-expression of intracellular BH4 in endothelial cells and discussed the potential mechanisms. After human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 24 hours, the levels of cellular eNOS, BH4 and cell supernatant NO were significantly reduced compared to control group. And the fluorescence intensity of intracellular ROS was significantly increased. But pretreated with fenofibrate (10 umol/L) for 2 hours before cells were induced by LPS, the levels of eNOS, NO, and BH4 were significantly raised compared to LPS treatment alone. ROS production was markedly reduced in fenofibrate group than LPS group. In addition, our results showed that the level of intracellular GTPCH-I detected by western blot was increased in a concentration-dependent manner after being treated with fenofibrate. These results suggested that fenofibrate might help protect endothelial function and against atherosclerosis by increasing level of BH4 and decreasing production of ROS through upregulating the level of intracellular GTPCH-I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The variational iteration method is applied to solving an inverse problem of determining an unknown parameter in a linear parabolic equation. This method is based on the use of Lagrange multipliers for identification of optimal values of parameters in a functional. We get a rapid convergent sequence tending to the exact solution of the inverse problem. To show the efficiency of the present method, some interesting examples are presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Small cell has been considered as a promising solution since it can improve coverage and system throughput. When a large number of small cells are overlapped, the limited backhaul capacity of the small cell and serious inter-cell interference become one of the major technical challenges. A clustering-based interference mitigation for dense small cell networks with backhaul constraints is investigated. The optimal problem which maximises the system capacity has been formulated. No-inter cluster and graph-based cluster are proposed, so as to reduce the inter-cell interference. Taking into account the chemical reaction optimisation and backhaul constraints, more interference could be mitigated and guarantee the limited backhaul. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed policy could enhance the system throughput. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Induction of proinflammatory T cell immunity is augmented by innate dendritic cell (DC) maturation commonly initiated by TLR signaling. We demonstrate that ligation of TLR3, TLR4, and TLR9 induces murine DC production of complement components and local production of the anaphylatoxin C5a. In vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo analyses show that TLR-induced DC maturation, as assessed by surface phenotype, expression profiling by gene array, and functional ability to stimulate T cell responses, requires autocrine C3a receptor and C5a receptor (C3ar1/C5ar1) signaling. Studies using bone marrow chimeric animals and Foxp3-GFP/ ERT2-Cre/dTomato fate-mapping mice show that TLR-initiated DC autocrine C3ar1/C5ar1 signaling causes expansion of effector T cells and instability of regulatory T cells and contributes to T cell-dependent transplant rejection. Together, our data position immune cell-derived complement production and autocrine/paracrine C3ar1/C5ar1 signaling as crucial intermediary processes that link TLR stimulation to DC maturation and the subsequent development of effector T cell responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WRKY transcription factors play a role in a variety of biological processes. Several studies have revealed that abiotic stress regulates the transcription of a large number of WRKY genes. In this study, we report the identification of a novel ' SAPK10 - WRKY87 - ABF1 ' biological pathway, through which they harmoniously enhance drought and salinity tolerance. We generated OsWRKY87 -overexpressing transgenic rice and found that the transgenic seedlings exhibited significantly improved drought and salinity stress tolerance. Subcellular localization in rice seedling protoplast revealed that OsWRKY87-GFP fusion protein mostly accumulated in the nucleus, suggesting that OsWRKY87 is a nucleus-localized protein, in line with the predicted function of OsWRKY87 as a transcription factor. In vivo interaction between SAPK10 and WRKY87 was demonstrated by Yeast two-hybrid-assay. In addition, phosphorylation assays showed that SAPK10 exhibits autophosphorylation activity on the 177th serine, enabling it to phosphorylate WRKY87. OsWRKY87 functioned as a transcriptional initiator, according to a yeast one-hybrid assay and a luciferase assay. Remarkably, gel mobility shift assay showed that phosphorylated WRKY87 enhances its DNA-binding ability to the W-box cis-element of ABF1 promoter and activated its transcription, thereby elevating the ABF1 transcription and improving drought and salinity tolerance. Overall, our findings revealed a novel ' SAPK10- WRKY87-ABF1 ' module, which synergistically interacts to improve drought and salt tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa). • A novel SAPK10 - WRKY87 - ABF1 pathway, enhance drought and salt tolerance in rice. • OsWRKY87-GFP fusion protein accumulated mainly in the nucleus • SAPK10 exhibits autophosphorylation, enabling it to phosphorylate WRKY87 • EMSA revealed that phosphorylated WRKY87 enhances its DNA-binding ability • OXWRKY87 plants exhibited enhanced tolerance to drought and salt stresses [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical value of serum cytokeratin-19-fragment (cyfra21-1) as a biomarker in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Sixty-six patients with NSCLC and 48 cases with benign lung disease were retrospectively analyzed in the department of thoracic surgery in our hospital. The serum level of cyfra21-1 was detected in the above patients. The diagnosis sensitivity, specificity and the receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated by using the stata11.0 statistical software to evaluate the clinical diagnosis value of serum Cyfra21-1 as NSCLC serologic biomarker. Results: The mean of serum cyfra21-1 were 8.95 eat. 01./L and 4.28 eat. 89./L in NSCLC patient and control groups respectively, which indicated that the NSCLC group were much higher (P< 0.05). The diagnosis sensitivity and specificity were 77.08% and 63.64% at the threshold of 6.32 yJL respectively. Moreover, the area under the curve was 0.78 (95% confidence interval: 0.70-0.87). Conclusion: Serum cyfra21-1 can be a potential serologic biomarker in evaluation of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a strong risk tfactor for osteosarcopenia. The relationship between musculoskeletal index and β-cell function remains controversial. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of osteosarcopenia and to explore the association between osteosarcopenia and β-cell function, as well as insulin resistance in patients with T2DM. A total of 150 middle-aged and older nonobese patients with T2DM were recruited. Bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition were measured by the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanner. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and Matsuda index were used to evaluate insulin resistance status. β-Cell function was estimated by the area under the curve insulin/glucose (AUC-Ins/Glu) and the area under the curve C-peptide/glucose (AUC-CP/Glu). T2DM patients with osteosarcopenia had lower body mass index, waist circumference, body fat percentage, AUC-Ins/Glu, and AUC-CP/Glu. Both AUC-Ins/Glu (OR = 0.634, P = 0.008) and AUC-CP/Glu (OR = 0.491, P = 0.009) were negatively associated with the presence of osteosarcopenia. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that β-cell function was positively associated with the skeletal muscle mass index, whereas it showed no correlation with lumbar or hip BMD. β-Cell function is associated with osteosarcopenia in middle-aged and older nonobese patients with T2DM. These findings suggest that β-cell function might be a protective factor against osteosarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has become one of the most popular methods for the rapid and cost-effective detection of clinical pathogenic microorganisms. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the diagnostic performance of MALDI-TOF MS with that of conventional approaches for the direct identification of pathogens from urine samples. A systematic review was conducted based on a literature search of relevant databases. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR) and area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve of the combined studies were estimated. Nine studies with a total of 3920 subjects were considered eligible and included in the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity was 0.85 (95% CI 0.79-0.90), and the pooled specificity was 0.93 (95% CI 0.82-0.97). The PLR and NLR were 11.51 (95% CI 4.53-29.26) and 0.16 (95% CI 0.11-0.24), respectively. The area under the SROC curve was 0.93 (95% CI 0.91-0.95). Sensitivity analysis showed that the results of this meta-analysis were stable. MALDI-TOF MS could directly identify microorganisms from urine samples with high sensitivity and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common forms of cancer worldwide. The tumor microenvironment plays a key role in promoting the occurrence of chemoresistance in solid cancers. Effective targets to overcome resistance are necessary to improve the survival and prognosis of CRC patients. This study aimed to evaluate the molecular mechanisms of the tumor microenvironment that might be involved in chemoresistance in patients with CRC. Methods: We evaluated the effects of CCL20 on chemoresistance of CRC by recruitment of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in vitro and in vivo. Results: We found that the level of CCL20 derived from tumor cells was significantly higher in Folfox-resistant patients than in Folfox-sensitive patients. The high level of CCL20 was closely associated with chemoresistance and poor survival in CRC patients. Among the drugs in Folfox chemotherapy, we confirmed that 5-FU increased the expression of CCL20 in CRC. Moreover, CCL20 derived from 5-FU-resistant CRC cells promoted recruitment of Tregs. Tregs further enhanced the chemoresistance of CRC cells to 5-FU. FOXO1/CEBPB/NF-κB signaling was activated in CRC cells after 5-FU treatment and was required for CCL20 upregulation mediated by 5-FU. Furthermore, CCL20 blockade suppressed tumor progression and restored 5-FU sensitivity in CRC. Lastly, the expression of these signaling molecules mediating chemoresistance was closely correlated with poor survival of CRC patients. Conclusions: CRC cell-secreted CCL20 can recruit Tregs to promote chemoresistance via FOXO1/CEBPB/NF-κB signaling, indicating that the FOXO1/CEBPB/NF-κB/CCL20 axis might provide a promising target for CRC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The senescence of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells induced by oxidative stress is one of the important causes of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Herein, we investigated the role and action mechanism of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) in oxidative stress-induced senescence of rat NP cell. Methods: Premature senescence of rat NP cells was induced by sublethal concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (100 µM). SIRT1 was activated with SRT1720 (5 µM) to explore its effect on NP cells senescence. FoxO1 and Akt were inhibited by AS1842856 (0.2 µM) and MK-2206 (5 µM), respectively, to explore the role of Akt-FoxO1-SIRT1 axis in rat NP cells. Pretreatment with the resveratrol (20 µM), a common antioxidant and indirect activator of SIRT1, was done to investigate its role in senescent rat NP cells. Results: The mRNA and protein levels of SIRT1 were decreased in H2O2-induced senescent rat NP cells, and that specific activation of SIRT1 suppresses senescence. And the Akt-FoxO1 pathway, as the upstream of SIRT1, might be involved in the regulation of H2O2-induced senescence of rat NP cells by affecting the expression of SIRT1. In addition, the resveratrol played an anti-senescence role in rat NP cells, which might affect the Akt-FoxO1-SIRT1 axis. Conclusion: SIRT1 ameliorated oxidative stress-induced senescence of rat NP cell which was regulated by Akt-FoxO1 pathway, and resveratrol exerted anti-senescence effects by affecting this signaling axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kinetic processes for the Xe (6p[1/2]0) atoms in Kr, Ar, Ne, and He buffer gases were studied. We found that Kr, Ar, and Ne atoms can be used to switch the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) channel from 3408 nm (6p[1/2]0-6s'1/2]1) to 3680 nm (5d1/2]1-6p1/2]1), while Xe and He atoms do not show such a phenomenon. This ASE channel switch is mainly ascribed to the fast transfer of 6p[1/2]0 → 5d1/2]1. On the basis of the rate equations for two-state coupling (energy-transfer processes between the two states are very rapid), the reason why the ASE channel switch effect normally coincides with a double exponential decay of the spontaneous emission at 828 nm (6p[1/2]0-6s[3/2]1) is explained. The actual situations in Xe, Ar, Ne, and He follow this rule. However, the strictly single exponential decay of the spontaneous emission at 828 nm and strong ASE channel switch effect simultaneously emerge in Kr. This indicates that the transfer of 6p[1/2]0 → 5d1/2]1 in Kr does not occur via two-state coupling, but via two steps of near-resonance collision through the 5s[3/2]2 (Kr) state as the intermediate state (6p[1/2]0 → 5s[3/2]2 (Kr) → 5d1/2]1). In addition, we found Xe (6p[1/2]0) atoms strongly tend to reach the 6p[3/2]2, 6p[3/2]1, and 6p[5/2]2 states through the 5s[3/2]2 (Kr) state as the intermediate state in Kr. The 5s[3/2]2 (Kr) state plays a very important role in the energy-transfer kinetics for the Xe (6p[1/2]0) atoms. Kr is probably an excellent buffer gas for laser systems based on Xe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer (BC) is now the most common malignancy worldwide, with high prevalence and lethality among women. Invasion and metastasis are the major reasons for breast cancer-associated mortality. However, the underlying mechanism of invasion and metastasis has not been entirely elucidated. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a large class of non-coding transcripts that are >200 bases in length and cannot encode proteins. Evidence has indicated that lncRNAs regulate gene expression at the levels of epigenetic modification, transcription and post-transcription. In addition, they are involved in diverse tumor biological processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. The present review focuses on the recent progress of lncRNAs in breast cancer invasion and metastasis, aiming to provide novel strategies for the clinical prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We have reported that the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway mediated Wnt5a-induced osteosarcoma cell migration. However, the signaling pathways regulating Wnt5a/PI3K/Akt-mediated cell migration remains poorly defined in osteosarcoma cells. Methods: We evaluated the activations of RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42 in osteosarcoma MG-63 and U2OS cells with small G-protein activation assay. Boyden chamber assays were used to confirm the migration of cells transfected indicated constructs or siRNA specific against RhoA. A panel of inhibitors of PI3K and Akt treated osteosarcoma cells and blocked kinase activity. Western blotting and RhoA activation assay were employed to measure the effect of kinase inhibitors and activations of RhoA and Akt. Results: We found that Wnt5a had a potent stimulatory effect on RhoA activation, but not on Rac1 and Cdc42 activations. Wnt5a-induced cell migration was largely abolished by siRNA specific against RhoA. DN-RhoA (GFP-RhoA-N19) was also capable of retarding Wnt5a-induced cell migration, but the overexpression of CA-RhoA (GFP-RhoA-V14) was not able to accelerate cell migration. The Wnt5a-induced activation of RhoA was mostly blocked by pretreatment of LY294002 (PI3K inhibitor) and MK-2206 (Akt inhibitor). Furthermore, we found that the Wnt5a-induced activation of RhoA was mostly blocked by pretreatment of HS-173 (PI3Kα inhibitor). Lastly, the phosphorylation of Akt (p-Ser473) was not altered by transfection with siRNA specific against RhoA or DN-RhoA (GFP-RhoA-N19). Conclusions: Taken together, we demonstrate that RhoA acts as the downstream of PI3K/Akt signaling (specific PI3Kα, Akt1 and Akt2 isoforms) and mediated Wnt5a-induced the migration of osteosarcoma cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bzip transcription factors can modulate the transcriptional expressions of target genes by binding specifically to cis-regulatory elements in the promoter region of stress-related genes, hence regulating plant stress resistance. Here, we investigated a stress-responsive transcription factor Osbzip20 under abiotic stresses. The OsbZIP20-GFP fusion protein predominantly aggregated in the nucleus, in accordance with our subcellular localization. OsbZIP20 transcript was observed in all vegetative tissues with highest levels being detected in the seed. Transcription of Osbzip20 was induced by salinity, exsiccation, and abscisic acid. Overexpression of OsbZIP20 in transgenic rice considerably improved tolerance to salt and drought stresses, as well as increased sensitivity to ABA. Furthermore, abiotic stress responsive genes transcript were found to be remarkably elevated in transgenic rice overexpressing OsbZIP20 than in wild-type plants. SAPK10 was discovered to directly interact with and phosphorylate OsbZIP20. Yeast one-hybrid and luciferase assay revealed that OsbZIP20 acted as a transcriptional stimulator. Interestingly, gel shift assay showed that phosphorylated bZIP20 augmented its DNA-binding affinity to the ABRE element of the NHX1 promoter and induced its transcription. In sum, our findings establish a novel signaling pathway associated with the SAPK10-bZIP20-NHX1 synergistic interaction, as well as a new strategy for enhancing rice drought and salt tolerance. • A Novel mechanisms of signaling cascade associated with the SAPK10-bZIP20-NHX1. • OsbZIP20-GFP fusion protein predominantly aggregated in the nucleus. • Transcription of Osbzip20 was induced by salinity, exsiccation, and abscisic acid. • OsbZIP20 Overexpression considerably improved tolerance to salt and drought stresses. • Phosphorylated bZIP20 augmented its DNA-binding affinity to ABRE element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Platelets play a fundamental role in maintaining hemostasis and have been shown to participate in hematogenous dissemination of tumor cells. Abundant platelets were detected in the tumor microenvironment outside of the blood vessel, thus, platelet -tumor cell interaction outside of the bloodstream may play a role in regulating primary tumor growth and metastasis initiation. However, it is unclear that platelet depletion affects tumor vessel structure and dynamics. Methods: Using thrombocytopenia induction in two different tumor-bearing mouse models, tumor tissues were performed by Westernblotting and immunohistochemical staining. Vascular permeability was evaluated by determination of intratumoral Evans blue and Miles vascular permeability assay. Furthermore, microdialysis was used to examining the intratumoral extracellular angiogenic growth factors (VEGF, TGF-ß) by ELISA. Results: Platelet depletion showed no change in tumor growth and reduced lung metastasis. Platelet depletion led to reduced tumor hypoxia and Met receptor activation and was associated with a decreased release of MMP-2, 9, PAI-1, VEGF, and TGF-ß. Tumor vessels in platelet-depleted mice showed impaired vessel density and maturation. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that platelets within the primary tumor microenvironment play a critical role in the induction of vascular permeability and initiation of tumor metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Platelets play a fundamental role in maintaining hemostasis and have been shown to participate in hematogenous dissemination of tumor cells. Abundant platelets were detected in the tumor microenvironment outside of the blood vessel, thus, platelet-tumor cell interaction outside of the bloodstream may play a role in regulating primary tumor growth and metastasis initiation. However, it is unclear that platelet depletion affects tumor vessel structure and dynamics. Methods: Using thrombocytopenia induction in two different tumor-bearing mouse models, tumor tissues were performed by Westernblotting and immunohistochemical staining. Vascular permeability was evaluated by determination of intratumoral Evans blue and Miles vascular permeability assay. Furthermore, microdialysis was used to examining the intratumoral extracellular angiogenic growth factors (VEGF, TGF-β) by ELISA. Results: Platelet depletion showed no change in tumor growth and reduced lung metastasis. Platelet depletion led to reduced tumor hypoxia and Met receptor activation and was associated with a decreased release of MMP-2, 9, PAI-1, VEGF, and TGF-β. Tumor vessels in platelet-depleted mice showed impaired vessel density and maturation. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that platelets within the primary tumor microenvironment play a critical role in the induction of vascular permeability and initiation of tumor metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The authors tested the primary hypothesis that perioperative IV lidocaine administration during spine surgery (and in the postanesthesia care unit for no more than 8 h) decreases pain and/or opioid requirements in the initial 48 postoperative hours. Secondary outcomes included major complications, postoperative nausea and vomiting, duration of hospitalization, and quality of life. Methods: One hundred sixteen adults having complex spine surgery were randomly assigned to perioperative IV lidocaine (2 mg⋅kg-1⋅h-1) or placebo during surgery and in the postanesthesia care unit. Pain was evaluated with a verbal response scale. Quality of life at 1 and 3 months was assessed using the Acute Short-form (SF) 12 health survey. The authors initially evaluated multivariable bidirectional non- inferiority on both outcomes; superiority on either outcome was then evaluated only if noninferiority was established. Results: Lidocaine was significantly superior to placebo on mean verbal response scale pain scores (P < 0.001; adjusted mean [95% CI] of 4.4 [4.2-4.7] and 5.3 [5.0-5.5] points, respectively) and significantly noninferior on mean morphine equivalent dosage (P = 0.011; 55 [36-84] and 74 [49-111] mg, respectively). Postoperative nausea and vomiting and the duration of hospitalization did not differ significantly. Patients given lidocaine had slightly fewer 30-day complica- tions than patients given placebo (odds ratio [95% CI] of 0.91 [0.84-1.00]; P = 0.049). Patients given lidocaine had significantly greater SF-12 physical composite scores than placebo at 1 (38 [31-47] vs. 33 [27-42]; P= 0.002) and 3 (39 [31-49] vs. 34 [28.44]; P = 0.04) months, postoperatively. Conclusion: IV lidocaine significantly improves postopera- tive pain after complex spine surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection can induce the apoptosis of infected cells. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of EV71 infection on apoptosis mechanisms in virus-infected human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells. Methods: The apoptosis of RD cells was examined using annexin V-FITC/PI by flow cytometry and cytokines were detected by ELISA. Cellular RNA was extracted and transcribed to cDNA. PCR array was employed to analyze the expressions of 84 apoptotic genes from EV71-infected RD cells at 8 and 20 h postinfection, respectively. In addition, the expressions of FasL, caspase, AKT2, JNK1/2, c-Jun and NF-κB proteins were detected by western blotting. Results: Flow cytometry demonstrated that the apoptosis or death of EV71-infected RD cells was increased by 37.1% with a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 5 at 20 h postinfection. The production of IL-4, IL-10 and TNF-α was enhanced by the subsequent EV71 infection. PCR array revealed significant changes in the expressions of apoptotic genes. Among 84 genes, 42 genes were down-regulated after EV71 infection at 8 h, whereas 32 genes were up-regulated at 20 h postinfection. Moreover, the ligands of TNF superfamily such as FasL, CD40L and TNF-α were significantly up-regulated and enhanced the expressions of apoptosis-related cysteine peptidases, including caspase-10, -8, -7 and -3. In addition, EV71 infection induces the phosphorylation of AKT2, JNK1/2, c-Jun and NF-κB at 20 h postinfection. Conclusion: PCR array for the determination of apoptosis gene expressions is an informative assay in elucidating biological pathways. During the early stage of EV71 infection, the apoptotic process of RD cells is significantly delayed. EV71 infection can also induce the expressions of FasL, TNF-α and CD40L, which contribute to the apoptosis of RD cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) has been associated with impaired vascular endothelial function. Our previous study demonstrated significantly higher secretion of the chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 from monocytes in response to lipopolysaccharide in patients with HHcy. In the present study, we investigated whether coronary endothelial function was damaged in patients with chronic HHcy (plasma level of homocysteine >15 μmol/l) and, if so, whether this impaired endothelial function is induced by the uncoupling of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). When tetrahydrobiopterin levels are inadequate, eNOS is no longer coupled to L-arginine oxidation, which results in reactive oxygen species rather than nitric oxide production, thereby inducing vascular endothelial dysfunction. The 71 participants were divided into two groups, control (n = 50) and HHcy (n = 21). Quantification of coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) was after rest and after adenosine administration done by noninvasive Doppler echocardiography. Plasma levels of nitric oxide and tetrahydrobiopterin were significantly lower in patients with HHcy than in controls (99.54 ± 32.23 vs. 119.50 ± 37.68 μmol/l and 1.43 ± 0.46 vs. 1.73 ± 0.56 pmol/ml, all P < 0.05). Furthermore, CFVR was significantly lower in the HHcy than the control group (2.76 ± 0.49 vs. 3.09 ± 0.52, P < 0.05). In addition, plasma level of homocysteine was negatively correlated with CFVR. Chronic HHcy may contribute to coronary artery disease by inducing dysfunction of the coronary artery endothelium. The uncoupling of eNOS induced by HHcy in patients with chronic HHcy may explain this adverse effect in part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 is caused by autosomal dominant gain-of-function mutations in the RET proto-oncogene, which includes multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A), type 2B (MEN 2B), and familial medullary thyroid carcinoma (FMTC). In this paper we present the phenotype–genotype correlation of 20 unrelated Chinese families with 15 cases of MEN2A and five cases of MEN2B. Design Cross-sectional study. Patients A total of 147 members from the 20 families were included. Among them, 119 family members were from MEN2A pedigrees (including 15 MEN2A probands) and 28 members from MEN2B pedigrees (including five MEN2B probands). Measurements Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leucocytes and was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). DNA analysis for RET mutations in exons 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 16 was performed with specific primers. Results Thirty-seven MEN2A and five MEN2B patients were identified as having RET mutations. The incidence of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), pheochromocytoma (PCC) and hyperparathyroidism (HPT) in the 37 MEN2A patients was 91·9, 56·8 and 10·8%, respectively; the onset of MTC in MEN2A patients was earlier than that of PCC and HPT. Five germline mutations, all located at codon 634 of exon11 in the RET proto-oncogene, were detected in all of the 37 MEN2A patients. The highest frequency of the five germline mutations was C634Y (46·7%), followed by C634R (26·7%), C634W (13·3%), C634F (6·7%) and C634S (6·7%). No statistical significance was found between the incidence of PCC and different genotypes of codon 634 in MEN2A patients, whereas the incidence of HPT was closely associated with C634R and C634Y. The gene mutation (M918T) at exon16 of the RET proto-oncogene was present in five MEN2B probands. Conclusions RET proto-oncogene mutations were restricted to codon 634 and 918 in Chinese families with MEN2A and MEN2B. In general the genetic characteristics of these patients with MEN2A and MEN2B reflect the general pattern around the world and it remains to be determined with larger studies in China whether Chinese patients have a different genetic pattern of mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A coding diffusion metasurface is designed and fabricated for ultra-wideband radar cross-section (RCS) reduction. Two kinds of unit cells based on square ring patch are employed to generate the '0' and '1' elements of the coding metasurface. By precise design of the unit cells, a 180° ± 37° reflection phase difference between these cells is achieved over 8.01-22.76 GHz, leading to dramatically reduce the scattering field level by more than 10 dB. To obtain the diffusion far-field pattern of the metasurface, the optimisation algorithm is utilised to calculate the optimal layout of the digital elements. Both full-wave simulation and measurement results verify the capability of the proposed metasurface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]