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This study was to analyse the risk factors of unstable patella and the incidence of tissue damage (TD) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image under the modified particle swarm optimization (MPSO). In this study, 45 patients with patella instability who visited hospital from 1 November 2018 to 28 September 2020 were selected as the experimental group (group E), and 45 volunteers with healthy knee joints were recruited as the control group (group C). MRI images under MPSO were to evaluate the four groups of related indicators (trochlear groove angle, trochlear groove depth, trochlear surface ratios, and Insall‐Salvati index) of unstable patella in the two groups and count the incidence of TD caused by unstable patella. Comparison of four indicators revealed that there was an obvious difference in the data of the two groups. The abnormal rate of patients with unstable patella in the group E was much higher than that of the group C, and the difference was statistical (p < 0.05). The incidences of trochlea dysplasia and high patella accounted for 88.9% and 57.8% in group E and accounted for 4.4% and 3.2% in the group C, respectively, showing statistically obvious differences (p < 0.05). The incidence of patella cartilage TD, thigh cartilage TD, lateral meniscus TD, medial meniscus TD, patella medial retinaculum TD, patella lateral retinaculum TD, patellar ligament damage, and joint effusions were 14.5%, 11.45%, 50.38%, 49.62%, 10.69%, 16.03%, 9.16%, and 79.39%, respectively in the patients with unstable patella in the group E. In short, trochlear dysplasia and high patella were risk factors for unstable patella, and unstable patella was one of the risk factors for multiple TDs of the knee joint. This study provided a new research basis for the early treatment of unstable patella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was to analyse the denoising ability of low‐rank matrix‐based denoising algorithms for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images, and explore the diagnostic value of MRI for tibial plateau fracture (TPF) with meniscus injury. The Gaussian mixture algorithm was introduced based on low‐rank matrix algorithm, and a new algorithm Gaussian mixture model‐based low‐rank matrix factorization (GLRMF) was established. Then, the root‐mean‐squared error (RMSE) of the GLRMF algorithm under different noise intensities was calculated, and the structural similarity (SSIM) of the GLRMF algorithm, anisotropic diffusion filter (ADF), and nonlocal means (NLM) algorithm was compared. Sixty cases of TPF patients diagnosed in the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology of X Hospital from March 2018 to October 2019 were recruited as the research objects. The results of Schatzker classification of patients were counted, and the results of intraoperative exploration or arthroscopy were used as the standard to analyse the accuracy of MRI in diagnosing TPFs with meniscus injuries. It was found that with the increase of noise intensity, the RMSE of the GLRMF algorithm showed an increasing trend. When the K value was 100, the denoising effect was relatively good. Under the same noise intensity, the SSIM of the GLRMF algorithm was higher than the other two algorithms. Moreover, type VI patients accounted for 55% at most. MRI diagnosed 56 cases (93.33%) of TPF patients with meniscus injury, and 52 cases (86.67%) of meniscus injury were found in intraoperative exploration. The sensitivity of MRI in diagnosing meniscus injury was 94.76%, the accuracy was 93.33%, and the specificity was 89%. It showed that the new GLRMF algorithm based on the low‐rank matrix algorithm had a good noise reduction effect and significantly improved the image quality. The accuracy of knee MRI scanning was significantly improved, it was safe, and it was worthy of clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is crucial to understand the genetic mechanisms and biological pathways underlying the relationship between obesity and serum lipid levels. Structural equation models (SEMs) were constructed to calculate heritability for body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and the genetic connections between BMI and the four classes of lipids using 1197 pairs of twins from the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR). Bivariate genomewide association studies (GWAS) were performed to identify genetic variants associated with BMI and lipids using the records of 457 individuals, and the results were further validated in 289 individuals. The genetic background affecting BMI may differ by gender, and the heritability of males and females was 71% (95% CI [.66,.75]) and 39% (95% CI [.15,.71]) respectively. BMI was positively correlated with TC, TG and LDL-C in phenotypic and genetic correlation, while negatively correlated with HDL-C. There were gender differences in the correlation between BMI and lipids. Bivariate GWAS analysis and validation stage found 7 genes (LOC105378740 , LINC02506 , CSMD1 , MELK , FAM81A , ERAL1 and MIR144) that were possibly related to BMI and lipid levels. The significant biological pathways were the regulation of cholesterol reverse transport and the regulation of high-density lipoprotein particle clearance (p <.001). BMI and blood lipid levels were affected by genetic factors, and they were genetically correlated. There might be gender differences in their genetic correlation. Bivariate GWAS analysis found MIR144 gene and its related biological pathways may influence obesity and lipid levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pathological alterations of the thymus are observed in the majority of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). To explore the potential mechanisms of these alterations, we performed a transcriptome analysis and measured co‐expression of aberrant long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Methods: RNA was extracted from eight patients with thymoma, five of whom had MG. Transcriptome profiles were acquired through mRNA and lncRNA microarray analysis. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to verify the results of the microarray analysis. LncRNAs co‐expressed with mRNA were analyzed with Pearson's coefficient. Next, cis‐regulated and trans‐regulated target genes were predicted. The functions of aberrant lncRNAs were explored on the basis of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of target mRNAs. Results: The comparative microarray analysis identified 4360 lncRNAs and 2545 mRNAs with significant differential expression. The most significant GO enrichment terms were phosphoric ester hydrolase activity, phosphatase activity, and hydrolase activity, which were assigned as molecular functions. Regulation of endosome size was the most significant GO enrichment term assigned as a biological process, and Golgi apparatus was the most significant GO enrichment term assigned as cellular component. The reliability prediction terms of KEGG included calcium signaling pathway, glycosphingolipid biosynthesis, and caffeine metabolism. Conclusion: MG‐positive thymoma is associated with overactive biological processes and molecular functions, especially dephosphorylation and hydrolysis, which may affect thymocyte survival during selection in the thymus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the metabolic differences of calcium requirements between Chinese and Westerners, we examined systematically the characteristics of calcium metabolism in Chinese adults with habitual dietary calcium intakes. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, SinoMed, and National Index to Chinese Newspapers & Periodicals, from inception to March 17, 2015, as well as the bibliographies of any relevant papers and journals, for trials assessing calcium metabolism in healthy Chinese adults within 18-60 years of age on the typical Chinese diet. We extracted a standardized dataset from metabolic studies that reported intake, retention, urinary excretion, faecal excretion and/or fractional absorption of calcium. We pooled data with a random effects meta-analysis. Of 2,046 citations identified by the search strategy, 12 studies (comprising 137 participants, 13 aggregate data deriving from 257 individual data) met the inclusion criteria. Metabolic data with self-chosen or typical Chinese diets were analyzed. Mean daily intakes of calcium ranged between 288 and 948 mg. Mean calcium retentions of each study were between 13 and 294 mg/d. The overall pooled value for dietary intake, urinary excretion, faecal excretion, retention and fractional absorption of calcium were 583 mg/d, 117 mg/d, 381 mg/d, 72 mg/d and 33.3%. Dietary calcium intake and faecal calcium excretion explained almost 85% of the heterogeneity of calcium retention. Chinese adults could maintain a positive calcium balance with plant-based diets at calcium intakes as low as 300 mg/d through increasing fractional calcium absorption and decreasing calcium excretion in urine and faeces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The effect of adding amino acids on wine aroma is largely influenced by nutritional status of grape must. In this study, the effects of linoleic acid (LA) content on the aromatic function of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) addition were investigated in alcoholic fermentation of Cabernet Sauvignon wine. The results showed that initial LA content in must significantly influenced the effect of BCAAs addition on volatiles in final wine. Adding BCAAs (140 mg/L of l -leucine, 117 mg/L of l -isoleucine and 118 mg/L of l -valine) in must with low LA content (12 mg/L) promoted the production of most volatiles, including higher alcohols (isobutanol, 2-phenylethanol), fatty acids (hexanoic acid, octanoic acid, decanoic acid) and esters (ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, 2-phenethyl acetate and ethyl octanoate), which were well consistent with previous literatures. However, this function disappeared or even became inhibition with increasing LA content in must, especially in 120 mg/L LA must, the total contents of higher alcohol, acetate esters and ethyl esters were 33.9%, 18.1% and 54.2% lower than those in the control without BCAAs addition, respectively. The transcriptional data revealed that several major genes including GAP1 , ADH1 , ATF1 , ACC1 , FAS1 and OLE1 were marked repressed by high LA content. Our data indicated that LA can regulate the expressions of related functional genes to efficiently influence the formations of volatiles in BCAAs supplemented wines. Therefore, it is essential to consider initial content of unsaturated fatty acids (LA) in must when using the strategy that supplying amino acids (BCAAs) to modulate aromatic quality of wines. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • LA content in must largely influenced the aromatic effect of BCAAs addition in red wine. • Adding BCAAs in low LA must promoted the productions of most aromatic compounds. • Increasing LA content in must weakened or inhibited BCAAs promotion on volatiles. • High LA content repressed the major functional genes associated with volatiles formation. • UFAs content in must should be considered when adding amino acids to modulate wine aroma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial division requires division of both the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes (IMM and OMM, respectively). Interaction with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) promotes OMM division by recruitment of the dynamin Drp1, but effects on IMM division are not well characterized. We previously showed that actin polymerization through ER-bound inverted formin 2 (INF2) stimulates Drp1 recruitment in mammalian cells. Here, we show that INF2-mediated actin polymerization stimulates a second mitochondrial response independent of Drp1: a rise in mitochondrial matrix calcium through the mitochondrial calcium uniporter. ER stores supply the increased mitochondrial calcium, and the role of actin is to increase ER-mitochondria contact. Myosin IIA is also required for this mitochondrial calcium increase. Elevated mitochondrial calcium in turn activates IMM constriction in a Drp1-independent manner. IMM constriction requires electron transport chain activity. IMM division precedes OMM division. These results demonstrate that actin polymerization independently stimulates the dynamics of both membranes during mitochondrial division: IMM through increased matrix calcium, and OMM through Drp1 recruitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drp1 is a dynamin guanosine triphosphatase important for mitochondrial and peroxisomal division. Drp1 oligomerization and mitochondrial recruitment are regulated by multiple factors, including interaction with mitochondrial receptors such as Mff, MiD49, MiD51, and Fis. In addition, both endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and actin filaments play positive roles in mitochondrial division, but mechanisms for their roles are poorly defined. Here, we find that a population of Drp1 oligomers is associated with ER in mammalian cells and is distinct from mitochondrial or peroxisomal Drp1 populations. Subpopulations of Mff and Fis1, which are tail-anchored proteins, also localize to ER. Drp1 oligomers assemble on ER, from which they can transfer to mitochondria. Suppression of Mff or inhibition of actin polymerization through the formin INF2 significantly reduces all Drp1 oligomer populations (mitochondrial, peroxisomal, and ER bound) and mitochondrial division, whereas Mff targeting to ER has a stimulatory effect on division. Our results suggest that ER can function as a platform for Drp1 oligomerization, and that ER-associated Drp1 contributes to mitochondrial division. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed at identifying the clinical, radiological and pathological characteristics of retroperitoneal paragangliomas, and determining the association between the tumor features and the prognosis of patients following surgery. A total of 34 patients with retroperitoneal paragangliomas, who underwent resection between November 1999 and December 2015, were included in the present retrospective study. The patients' demographics, clinical symptoms and signs, tumor functional status, surgical procedure, intraoperative results, tumor pathology, radiological results, and postoperative survival time were recorded and analyzed. Of the 34 patients, the most common type of presenting symptom was abdominal mass (46%), followed by hypertension (39%) and abdominal pain (32%). Functional tumors occurred in 20 patients (59%). Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging revealed soft-tissue masses, with marked enhancement in the arterial phase, indicative of retroperitoneal paragangliomas. The preoperative CT diagnostic accuracy rate between 2010 and 2015 was markedly improved, compared with that between 1999 and 2009. The tumors were primarily located close to the renal arteries and veins surrounding the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava. With the exception of one malignant paraganglioma, the majority of paragangliomas were positive for chromogranin A, S-100 protein, vimentin and heat-shock protein 90, and exhibited decreased expression of Ki-67 antigen and insulin-like growth factor 2. All tumors were completely removed by surgery. Distant metastasis, but not tumor size, functional status and local invasion, was markedly associated with survival. The preoperative diagnostic accuracy rate of retroperitoneal paragangliomas may be improved by focusing on the predilection sites and CT characteristics. In addition, immunohistochemical markers were useful to determine tumor malignancy. Complete surgical resection was appropriate for all patients and postoperative survival time was identified to be associated with tumor metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The downstream flux of carotenoid metabolism in grape berries includes the biosynthesis of norisoprenoids, a group of important aroma compounds, and the production of ABA, a well-known plant hormone. This study focused on the transcriptional profiling comparison of genes participating in the biosynthesis of carotenoids, norisoprenoids, and ABA in Vitis vinifera ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ grapes at pea size, veraison, and ripening stages. The grapes were obtained from Changli (CL, eastern China) and Gaotai (GT, western China) regions and analyzed using RNA-sequencing technology. The transcripts required for the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway showed a coordinated expression pattern, mainly expressing at green stage for CL and at veraison for GT, respectively. However, the carotenoid content evolution was not coincident with the timing and pattern of related gene expressions, since more carotenoids were accumulated at veraison in CL relative to two weeks before veraison in GT. Interestingly, norisoprenoid content was higher in GT than in CL, particularly at veraison and ripening, while the key gene encoding carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases, VvCCD1 , showed an inverse relationship within the two regions. Higher flux was expected through the carotenoid pathway into ABA production in GT, based on the higher expression level of 9- cis -epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase and drought growing conditions. Most components involved in ABA and ethylene signaling showed distinct expression profiles in the two regions. These results revealed that downstream flux of carotenoid metabolism in grape berries showed regional differences. This study lays a foundation for future research to explore the molecular basis of climatic influences on carotenoid, norisoprenoid, and ABA biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The on-surface Heck reaction of aryl bromides with terminal alkene has been achieved for the first time. With palladium as the catalyst, cross-coupling of porphyrin-derived aryl bromides with terminal alkene proceeds with high selectivity on an Au(111) surface, as determined by scanning tunneling microscopy at the single molecular level. Density functional theory calculations suggest that the on-surface Heck reaction proceeds via debromination of aryl bromide, addition to the C-C bond, and elimination of hydrogen, ultimately affording the cross-coupling product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variants of SNNV (Sr 0.2 Na 0.8 Nb 1−x V x O 3 , X = 0.1–0.3) ceramic oxides were synthesized via wet chemical method. SNNVs show high electronic conductivity of >100 S/cm when reduced in hydrogen at a relatively low temperature of 650 °C. In particular, 30% V-doped SNNV exhibited the highest conductivity of 300 S/cm at 450 °C. In order to investigate the fuel cell performance, Gd 0.1 Ce 0.9 O 2−δ (GDC) based electrolyte-supported fuel cells were prepared to study the anode characteristics. Sr 0.2 Na 0.8 Nb 0.9 V 0.1 O 3 (SNNV10)-GDC composite was used as an anode and La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3−δ (LSCF)–GDC as a cathode. Both electrodes were porous and sintered at 1050 °C for 2 h in air. The anode side of the fuel cell was infiltrated with 10 wt% GDC/Ni-GDC precursor to activate the anode for fuel oxidation. I-V characteristics were determined in gas conditions such as dry/humidified hydrogen and methane at 650 °C. With the infiltration Ni-GDC, peak power density (PPD) of 280 mW/cm 2 and 220 mW/cm 2 in dry H 2 and CH 4 , respectively, were obtained at 650 °C, which is higher than GDC alone as infiltrate. The high resistances in the humidified conditions are attributed to the lower conductivity of SNNV10 in high P O2 atmospheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency of Ullmann reaction of aryl chlorides on an Au(111) surface has been substantially increased by using dosed Cu as a catalyst. The different reactivity of aryl bromides and aryl chlorides has been exploited to design a programmed, on-surface synthesis to form 2D covalent organic frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On-surface Ullmann coupling reaction of aryl chlorides has been achieved on Cu(111), Ag(111), and Au(111), and the mechanism has been investigated on the single molecule level using scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory. The different reactivity of the aryl halides was utilized to design a stepwise on-surface synthesis, which affords a zigzag template and then converts to 2D porous networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the dynamin GTPase Drp1 plays a critical role during mitochondrial fission, mechanisms controlling its recruitment to fission sites are unclear. A current assumption is that cytosolic Drp1 is recruited directly to fission sites immediately prior to fission. Using live-cell microscopy, we find evidence for a different model, progressive maturation of Drp1 oligomers on mitochondria through incorporation of smaller mitochondrially-bound Drp1 units. Maturation of a stable Drp1 oligomer does not forcibly lead to fission. Inhibiting actin polymerization, myosin IIA, or the formin INF2 reduces both un-stimulated and ionomycin-induced Drp1 accumulation and mitochondrial fission. Actin filaments bind purified Drp1 and increase GTPase activity in a manner that is synergistic with the mitochondrial protein Mff, suggesting a role for direct Drp1/actin interaction. We propose that Drp1 is in dynamic equilibrium on mitochondria in a fission-independent manner, and that fission factors such as actin filaments target productive oligomerization to fission sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the anesthesia induction effects of dexmedetomidine combined with ketamine on patients with difficult airway and the incidence of adverse reactions during intubations. Methods 40 patients with difficult airway were admitted into ICU and were randomly divided into two groups. Group A: 20 cases received anesthesia induction intravenously of dexmedetomidine combined ketamine pre-intubation. Group B: 20 cases received anesthesia induction intravenously of midazolam combined with fentanyl pre-intubation. If RASS > -1, additional dexmedetomidine were repeatedly administered for group A, and additional midazolam for group B, until the RASS ≤-1. All patients' spontaneous breathing were kept, tracheal intubation were implemented at once guided by fiberobronchoscopy after successful anesthesia induction. We compared the time consumed during the procedure between the two groups, and the changes of HR and MAP at pre-induction (TO), post-induction (T1) and after 5 minutes of tracheal intubation (T2) . The adverse reactions such as respiratory depression, nausea, bucking and restlessness were observed and recorded during the process of induction and intubation. Results There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics, the time consumed to intubation, and the MAP, HR at T0 between the two groups. Patients' MAP and HR had no obvious changes and kept relatively stable in group A, but decreased obviously in group B at T1 and T2 (P < 0.01). The incidence of adverse reactions during intubations was lower in group A than in group B (P < 0.05). Conclusions The anesthesia induction of dexmedetomidine combined with ketamine can be considered as an excellent alternative for the patients with difficult airway to intubate, which does not result in respiratory depression and has less adverse reactions compared to midazolam combined with fentanyl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the short-term effects aminophylline on bradycardia in adult patients with acute cervical spinal cord injury. Methods Sixty patients (heart rate ≤ 50 bpm) with cervical spinal cord injury were admitted into ICU and randomly divided into two groups. Group A: 30 patients were infused intravenously with 0.5mg atropine firstly, and then atropine 3mg mixed with normal saline to 48ml was given as a 24 hours intravenous infusion continuously at a speed of 2 mL/h via a pump. Group B: 30 patients were infused intravenously with 0.125 g aminophylline, and then aminophylline 0.5 g mixed with normal saline to 48ml was given as a 24 hours intravenous infusion continuously at a speed of 2 mL/h via a pump. At the same time, blood drug concentrations of aminophylline were detected every 2 days. The definition of good effects was heart rate ≥ 60 bpm after administration of drugs. Adverse reactions such as abdominal distension, vomiting and constipation in the two groups were observed and recorded respectively. Results ISS, sex, age, weight, and heart rate baseline when enrolled had no differences between the two groups (P > 0.05). The effective rate of treatment in group B (90.00%) was higher than that of group A (46.67%) (P < 0.01). But the incidence of adverse reactions in group B were lower than those in group A (P < 0.05). Blood drug concentrations of theophylline were 1.55-5.27 mg/L. Conclusion Administration of aminophylline on patients with acute cervical spinal cord injury has good effects for bradycardia, which can improve cure rate effectively, and has fewer adverse reactions than atropine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient visible-light-driven Ag/AgCl/ZnWO 4 photocatalyst was synthesized by a facile ultrasonic-assisted precipitation-photoreduction method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) were employed to characterize the composition, morphology, structure, and optical property of the obtained catalysts. The results indicated that the as-prepared photocatalyst, formed by Ag/AgCl nanoparticles dispersed on the surface of ZnWO 4 nanorods, demonstrated remarkable absorbance in the visible light region. The Ag/AgCl/ZnWO 4 composite displays much superior visible light photocatalytic activity for methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) degradation compared with pure ZnWO 4 and Ag/AgCl nanocrystals, as well as the conventional visible-light photocatalyst N-doped TiO 2 . On the basis of the active species trapping experimental results and band structure analysis, a photocatalytic mechanism is proposed. The predominantly enhanced performance can be ascribed to the surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoparticles and the high separation efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. In addition, the sample of Ag/AgCl/ZnWO 4 also exhibits good stability and durability due to it depicts high photocatalytic activity even after five cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium tert -butoxide ( t -BuOK) was found to be an effective catalyst for the cyclization of aromatic alkynols and alkynylamines. In the presence of 10 mol % t -BuOK, a range of alkynols were converted to the corresponding exo -cyclic enol ethers as pure Z -stereoisomers with 100% selectivity and moderate to excellent yields. Moreover, the cyclization of alkynylamines was also achieved to afford indoles and isoindolin-1-ones in good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kiss-1 and Kiss-1R have been suggested as a novel pair of metastasis suppressors for several human solid tumours, however, their role in colorectal cancer remains largely unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role and signal transduction of Kiss-1 and Kiss-1R in colorectal cancer. Methods: Ribozyme transgenes were used to knockdown high expression of Kiss-1 and Kiss-1R in HT115 and HRT18 cells. The stabilized transfected cells were then used to deduce the influence of Kiss-1 and Kiss-1R on the function of colorectal cancer cells by in vitro assays and ECIS assay. The effect of Kiss-1 on MMPs related to tumour metastasis was also deleted by zymography. The mRNA and protein expression of Kiss-1 and Kiss-1R, and their correlation to the clinical outcome in human colorectal cancer were investigated using real-time PCR and IHC respectively. Results: Knocking down Kiss-1 resulted in increased invasion and migration of colorectal cancer cells. Kisspeptin-10 decreased cellular migration of colorectal cancer cells and required ERK signaling as shown during the ECIS based analyses. Reduction of MMP-9 was caused by Kisspeptin-10 and ERK inhibitor, shown by zymography. In human colorectal cancer tissues, the mRNA expression level of Kiss-1 had a negative correlation with Dukes staging, TNM staging, tumour size and lymph node involvement. Reduction of Kiss-1R was also linked to poor prognosis for the patients. Conclusions: The present study has presented evidence that Kiss-1 may be a putative metastasis suppressor molecule in human colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal-free cascade reactions of alkynols with imines have been achieved using potassium tert-butoxide as catalyst Switching the reaction solvent gives two kinds of products in good yield: isoquinolin-1(2H)-one derivatives and dihydroisobenzofuran derivatives. This approach was used to generate the natural product 8-oxypseudopalrnatine in a two-step procedure from commercially available starting materials. Additionally, multicomponent reactions of alkynols, aldehydes, and amines were also successfully achieved to afford isoquinolin-1(2H)-one derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mammalian small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs) are actively involved in regulating differentiation of different cell types. However, the functional differences between SUMO isoforms and their mechanisms of action remain largely unknown. Using the ocular lens as a model system, we demonstrate that different SUMOs display distinct functions in regulating differentiation of epithelial cells into fiber cells. During lens differentiation, SUMO1 and SUMO2/3 displayed different expression, localization, and targets, suggesting differential functions. Indeed, overexpression of SUMO2/3, but not SUMO1, inhibited basic (b) FGF-induced cell differentiation. In contrast, knockdown of SUMO1, but not SUMO2/3, also inhibited bFGF action. Mechanistically, specificity protein 1 (Sp1), a major transcription factor that controls expression of lens-specific genes such as β-crystallins, was positively regulated by SUMO1 but negatively regulated by SUMO2. SUMO2 was found to inhibit Sp1 functions through several mechanisms: sumoylating it at K683 to attenuate DNA binding, and at K16 to increase its turnover. SUMO2 also interfered with the interaction between Sp1 and the coactivator, p300, and recruited a repressor, Sp3 to β-crystallin gene promoters, to negatively regulate their expression. Thus, stable SUMO1, but diminishing SUMO2/3, during lens development is necessary for normal lens differentiation. In support of this conclusion, SUMO1 and Sp1 formed complexes during early and later stages of lens development. In contrast, an interaction between SUMO2/3 and Sp1 was detected only during the initial lens vesicle stage. Together, our results establish distinct roles of different SUMO isoforms and demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that Sp1 acts as a major transcription factor target for SUMO control of cell differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let-7 family microRNAs have been reported to be downregulated in human hepatocellular carcinoma in comparison with normal hepatic tissues. Among them, let-7g was identified as the lowest expression using real-time RT-PCR. However, the mechanism by which let-7g works in hepatocellular carcinoma remains unknown. Here, in our present study, we have had let-7g reexpressed in vitro in hepatocellular carcinoma cell linesMHCC97-H andHCCLM3 via transfection. The proliferation after reexpression of let-7g was assayed usingMTT method; the migration and invasion after restoration were detected by wound-healing and Transwell assay, respectively. We found using Western-blotting that let-7g can regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by downregulating K-Ras and HMGA2A after reexpresssion. Xenografted nude mice were used to observe whether or not reexpression of let-7g could have potential therapeutic ability. In vivo, to observe the association with let-7g expression and overall prognosis, 40 paired cases of hepatocellular carcinoma were analyzed using in situ hybridization (ISH). It was found that reexpression of let-7g can inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion significantly, and that low expression of let-7g was significantly associated with poorer overall survival. Taken together, let-7g could be used as a promising therapeutic agent in vivo in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma at the earlier stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mud crab, swimming crab, and Chinese mitten crab are the most popular economic crabs cultured in China. However, little knowledge is available about the composition of amino acids, fatty acids, and heavy metals in those cultured crabs, despite the large amounts consumed.Scylla paramamosain,Portunus trituberculatus, andEriocheir sinensiswere, respectively, employed for an investigation of these three crabs. The results on the three representative species revealed that muscle, hepatopancreas, and ovary each had its own compositional pattern. The composition of total amino acids in all the crabs was well balanced. The proportion of flavor amino acid in muscles was higher than that in hepatopancreas and ovary. The composition of total fatty acids showed that two functional unsaturated fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n-3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n-3), were both abundant in the three crabs. The ratios of n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in these crabs also showed that they were rich in n-3 PUFA. Among the seven metals explored, zinc, copper, and chromium were the most abundant. It also deserved attention that these crabs were threatened by high accumulation of cadmium in the edible hepatopancreas, which might arise from the pollution of water used for aquaculture. This data could be used as a reference baseline for monitoring the food properties of the three crabs in levels of amino acids, fatty acids, and metals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An interview with Mayor Evan Low, a Chinese American mayor of Campbell, California, is presented. When asked about his motivation in pursuing a career in public service, he mentions that he wants to have a sense of identity by helping those communities that are underserved. Low reveals that it was his dad who played a major role in his political career. He adds that as a representative of the city, he wants to represent a bigger community as a whole.

Abstract: Background: Low success rate of blood glucose in diabetes is an international problem. The endothelia cytotoxicity of hyperglycemia has been widely accepted. However, it has not been seen in reports of the value of concentration of high glucose beginning to produce cytotoxicity and the relationship between hyperglycemia and cytotoxicity as well as how to effectively prevent and control hyperglycemia cytotoxicity. Dan Gua prescription is an effective Chinese herb prescription for diabetic vascular complications. Methods: Dan Gua prescription was contained in Dan Gua liquor utilized in experiments. (1) The cytotoxicity experiment of Dan Gua was carried out with M199 medium whose glucose (Glu) was 5.55 mmol/l to seek for a suitable experimental concentration of Dan Gua. (2) The human vessel endotheliocyte was cultivated for 72 h with mediums containing glucose in different concentrations (Group G1 to Group G11, Glu: 5.5 to 99.9 mmol/l, respectively), and assayed an optical density (OD) value using the 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo(-z-y1)-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide method. (3) Experiment 2 was repeated. However, the medium of each group (Groups Y1 to Y11) contained Dan Gua liquor whose concentration was 1/300. Results: There was a negative correlation between means of cell OD values and glucose concentrations (r=−.927, R 2=.844), and it presented a notable linear correlation (y=0.681−0.002x). Based on the OD value of 5.5-mmol/l glucose concentration (group G1), when glucose concentration reached 22.2 mmol/l (G4), the difference in OD values has a statistical significance. OD values in Y1–Y11 were not less than that of G1. Conclusion: There is a notable linear correlation between the endothelial cytotoxicities of Glu and its concentrations. The spinodal point concentration of statistical significance of hyperglycemia cytotoxicity is 22.2 mmol/l; 1/300 Dan Gua can reverse the endothelia cytotoxicity in different concentrations of hyperglycemia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An interview with Elaine Chao, the 24th U.S. Secretary of Labor, is presented. She emphasizes her inspiration to pursue a career in public service. She says that the Asian Pacific American community is an increasingly important swing vote community. She mentions her efforts to help increase opportunities for such community.

Spin-orbital-angular-momentum (SOAM) coupling has been realized in recent experiments of Bose-Einstein condensates [Chen et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 113204 (2018) and Zhang et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 110402 (2019)], where the orbital angular momentum imprinted upon bosons leads to quantized vortices. For fermions, such an exotic synthetic gauge field can provide fertile ground for fascinating pairing schemes and rich superfluid phases, which are yet to be explored. Here we demonstrate how SOAM coupling stabilizes vortices in Fermi superfluids through a unique mechanism that can be viewed as the angular analog to that of the spin-orbit-coupling-induced Fulde-Ferrell state under a Fermi surface deformation. Remarkably, the vortex size is comparable with the beam waist of Raman lasers generating the SOAM coupling, which is typically much larger than previously observed vortices in Fermi superfluids. With tunable size and core structure, these giant vortex states provide unprecedented experimental access to topological defects in Fermi superfluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-crystalline CuS hexagonal nanoplates have been prepared through a facile chemical vapor reaction (CVR) process in which sulfur vapor reacted with copper films in a vacuum chamber at about 450 °C for about 7 h. The parent copper films were obtained on a silicon wafer or glass slide through vacuum evaporation of metal copper. The effects of film thickness, reaction time, and temperature on CuS nanoplates growth were investigated, and the products were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), element analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The CuS hexagonal nanoplates are single crystals with an edge length of 0.2–1.8 µm and a thickness of 20–150 nm. Interestingly, the as-prepared CuS nanoplates are oriented in the direction perpendicular to the substrate surface with the c-axis parallel to the substrate surface. The possible formation mechanism of the CuS nanoplates has been elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of Clostridium autoethanogenum protein (CaP) on intestinal absorption, antioxidant status, and immune response of the genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT: Oreochromis niloticus) juveniles. The fish (initial weight 0.7 ± 0.5 g) were fed with diets containing different levels of CaP: 0% (control), 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% to partially replace soybean meal. After 8 weeks feeding trial, absorption capacity–related sodium/potassium‐ATPase transporter (Na+/K+‐ATP) was increased significantly by CaP levels; alkaline phosphatase (AKP) improved significantly by 5% and 10% CaP levels; while γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase (γ‐GT) was not significantly affected compared with the control diet. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content decreased significantly; glutathione (GSH) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased significantly; while catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GP‐x) activities were not significantly affected by dietary CaP compared with the control. The expression of antioxidant‐related genes: kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1 (Keap1), nuclear factor erythroid‐2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were significantly down‐regulated, up‐regulated by 5% and 10%, and not significantly affected by CaP levels compared with the control diet, respectively. The immune‐related target of rapamycin (TOR), peptide transporter 1β (Pept 1β), complementary component 3 (C3) and interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) were significantly up‐regulated by CaP levels; transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β) was only significantly up‐regulated by 5% and 10% CaP; while interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) was not significantly affected compared with the control. Therefore, our results show that dietary CaP could enhance the intestinal absorption, antioxidant status, and immune response in GIFT juveniles. However, inclusion levels above 10% could harm the intestinal histology of the fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thymoma represents the most common anterior mediastinal compartment neoplasm, originating from the epithelial cell population in the thymus. Various histological types of thymoma feature different clinical characteristics. Furthermore, thymoma is frequently associated with autoimmune disorders, esp. myasthenia gravis (MG). However, the underlying molecular tumourigenesis of thymoma remains largely unknown. The goal of our current study is to demonstrate the underlying genetic abberations in thymoma, so as to understand the possible cause of MG in thymoma patients. By using CapitalBio mRNA microarray analysis, we analyzed 31 cases of thymoma including 5 cases of type AB thymoma, 6 B1-type cases, 12 B2-type cases, 5 B2B3-type cases and 3 type-B3 cases. 6 cases of thymoma were not associated with myasthenia gravis, while 25 cases were with myasthenia gravis. By comparisons between thymoma and the paratumoral tissues, differentially expressed genes were identified preliminarily. Among them, 292 genes increased more than 2-fold, 2 genes more than 5-fold. On the other hand, 596 genes were decreased more than 2-fold, 6 genes more than 20-fold. Interestingly, among these genes upregulated more than 2-fold, 6 driver genes (FANCI, NCAPD3, NCAPG, OXCT1, EPHA1 and MCM2) were formerly reported as driver oncogenes. This microarray results were further confirmed through real-time PCR. 8 most dysregulated genes were verified: E2F2, EPHA1, CCL25 and MCM2 were upregulated; and IL6, FABP4, CD36 and MYOC were downregulated. Supervised clustering heat map analysis of 2-fold upregulated and 2-fold downregulated genes revealed 6 distinct clusters. Strikingly, we found that cluster 1 was composed of two type-B2 thymoma; and cluster 6 was three type-B2/B3 thymoma. KEGG database analysis revealed possible genetic mechanisms of thymoma and functional process. We further compared gene expression pattern between thymoma with and without MG, and found 5 genes were upregulated more than 2-fold, more than 30 genes were downregulated more than 2-fold. KEGG analysis revealed 2 important signaling pathways with more than 2-fold upregulated genes (TGF- beta signaling pathway and HTLV-I signaling pathway) as differially functioning between MG positive and negative thymomas. Real-time PCR analysis confirmed that CCL25 was upregulated; and MYC, GADD45B, TNFRSF12 downregulated in thymoma with MG. Our study thus provided important genetic information on thymoma. It shed light on the molecular bases for analyzing the functional process of thymoma and finding potential biomarkers for pathological categorizing and treatment. Our work may provide important clues in understanding possible causes of MG in thymoma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The aim of the present study was to compare the difference between double tract reconstruction and esophagogastrostomy. Materials and Methods Patients who underwent radical proximal gastrectomy with esophagogastrostomy or double tract reconstruction were included in this study. Results Sixty-four patients were included in this study and divided into two groups according to reconstruction method. The two groups were well balanced in perioperative safety and 3-year overall survival (OS). The rates of postoperative reflux esophagitis in the double tract reconstruction group and esophagogastrostomy group were 8.0% and 30.8%, respectively (p=0.032). Patients in the double tract reconstruction group had a better global health status (p < 0.001) and emotional functioning (p < 0.001), and complained less about nausea and vomiting (p < 0.001), pain (p=0.039), insomnia (p=0.003), and appetite loss (p < 0.001) based on the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Regarding the EORTC QLQ-STO22 questionnaire, patients in the double tract reconstruction group complained less about dysphagia (p=0.030), pain (p=0.008), reflux (p < 0.001), eating (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001), dry mouth (p=0.007), and taste (p=0.001). The multiple linear regression analysis showed that reconstruction method, postoperative complications, reflux esophagitis, and operation duration had a linear relationship with the global health status score. Conclusion Double tract reconstruction could better prevent reflux esophagitis and improve quality of life without scarifying perioperative safety or 3-year OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents chemical equations related to the article "Selective Cyclization of Alkynols and Alkynylamines Catalyzed by Potassium tert-Butoxide" by D.Y. Li and others, published in the periodical "Tetrahedron" in 2014.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. B cell-associated protein 31 (BAP31) was shown to participate in the apoptosis, and to be an immunotherapy target and a, prognostic factor for cancer, but its role in CRC has not been elucidated. In this study, we examined the expression of BAP31 in CRC to evaluate its prognostic values. We investigated the BAP31 expression level in 142 tissues (108 CRC and 17 paired human adjacent normal mucosa, and 17 liver metastatic CRC tissues) from 108 patients, using tissue microarray-based immunohistochemistry. We further investigated the association between BAP31 expression and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in 77 CRC patients using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were applied to evaluate the potential prognostic value of BAP31 in CRC patients. BAP31 expression level was significantly increased in CRC tissues (p = 0.0014) and liver metastatic CRC tissues (p < 0.0001) compared with corresponding adjacent normal mucosa. BAP31 expression was also significantly increased in liver metastatic CRC tissues compared with corresponding primary CRC tissues (p = 0.0116). Kaplan-Meier analyses showed that CRC patients with low BAP31 expression had significantly lower survival rate (p = 0.001) and lower disease-free survival rate (P = 0.009). Furthermore, multivariate Cox analysis showed that BAP31 was an independent prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio = 0.410, 95% confidence interval = 0.195–0.862, p = 0.019). Conclusions Our study demonstrated that BAP31 is a potential prognostic marker for CRC patients after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the need for a higher safety level, autonomous marine surface vehicles have been increasingly applied for various applications in recent years. Nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) has increasingly become a more preferred control technique. However, it has still limited use in industry due to its high computational load which is mainly caused by its complex Newton numerical method and Hessian matrix evaluations. In this study, we have developed a robust multistage NMPC algorithm to accurately control an autonomous marine surface vehicle when model uncertainties or environmental disturbances are present. The robust multistage NMPC is compared with the standard NMPC and perfect information NMPC. Advanced symbolic computation approach has been used to implement all three NMPC programs, where the complex gradient vector, Hessian matrix, and nonlinear dynamic optimization problem are derived analytically and evaluated with machine accuracy. The simulation results reveal that the robust multistage NMPC approach is successfully able to better control an autonomous marine surface vehicle than the standard NMPC method, and impressively is almost as good as the perfect information NMPC when model uncertainties or environmental disturbances are present. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the robust NMPC is also very effective for a large scaled-up prototype system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the properties of ferromagnetic orders on the Lieb lattice and show that a symmetry protected quadratic-flat band crossing point will dramatically affect the magnetic ordering. In the presence of a weak on-site repulsive interaction, the ground state is a nematic ferromagnetic order with simultaneously broken time-reversal and rotational symmetries. When the interaction strength increases, the rotational symmetry will restore at a critical value, and the system enters a conventional ferromagnetic regime. The mean-field transition temperatures for both the nematic and conventional ferromagnetic phases are in the order of interaction. This observation suggests that these magnetic orders have the potential to be realized and detected in cold atomic systems within realistic experimental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ER tubules form and maintain membrane contact sites (MCSs) with late endosomes/lysosomes (LE/lys). The molecular composition and cellular functions of these MCSs are poorly understood. Here, we find that Tex2, an SMP domain-containing lipid transfer protein conserved in metazoan and yeast, is a tubular ER protein and is recruited to ER-LE/lys MCSs by TMEM55, phosphatases that convert PI(4,5)P2 to PI5P on LE/lys. We show that the Tex2-TMEM55 interaction occurs between an N-terminal region of Tex2 and a catalytic motif in the PTase domain of TMEM55. The Tex2-TMEM55 interaction can be regulated by endosome-resident type 2 PI4K activities. Functionally, Tex2 knockout results in defects in lysosomal trafficking, digestive capacity, and lipid composition of LE/lys membranes. Together, our data identify Tex2 as a tubular ER protein that resides at TMEM55-dependent ER-LE/lys MCSs required for lysosomal functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reflects on the potential benefit of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). It is said that the clinical research of Chinese medicine and other CAMs for CVDs faces major challenges. It is also said that more and more clinicians have applied complementary/ alternative medicine (CAM) in CVDs prevention and treatment based on the conventional therapy.

Accurate analysis of the maturity grade of the reference bone in the wrist is critical for bone age assessment. The main difference between the maturity grades of the reference bone in the wrist X‐ray image is the difference in the texture and morphological characteristics of the bone, and the difference in the characteristics between adjacent levels is small, which brings great challenges in bone age assessment. The hamate (the wrist bone in line with the 4th and 5th fingers) is one of the most important reference bones in the standards of skeletal maturity of the hand and wrist for the Chinese (CHN) method. Aiming at the problem of hamate maturity level evaluation, a method of hamate maturity level classification based on feature enhanced residual network and probability joint judgment is proposed. In this method, we propose the enhanced characteristic residual network (ECR‐Net) is proposed to enhance the feature extraction capability of the network and improve the loss function to reduce the impact of cross‐grade errors on the accuracy of bone age assessment. On this basis, multiple convolutional neural networks to make joint probabilistic judgments are relied on to obtain the final hamate maturity grade. The proposed ECR‐Net achieves a macro accuracy of 96.92% on the hamate maturity evaluation, and there are no errors across two levels. Also, this approach achieves a macro accuracy of 97.15% when the probabilistic joint judgment method is employed while avoiding errors that span more than two levels. The network model and method proposed in this paper have good accuracy and practicability for the automatic identification of the hamate maturity level, which is of great significance for the accurate assessment of bone age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous pre-clinical studies showed that Qingda granule (QDG) was effective in treating hypertension. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of QDG in reducing blood pressure among patients with grade 1 hypertension at low-medium risk. Methods: The study is designed as a randomized, multi-center, double-blinded, non-inferiority clinical trial. Five hundred fifty-two patients with grade 1 hypertension at low-medium risk from 13 hospitals will be recruited and randomly assigned to the QDG group (n = 276, treated with valsartan capsule simulation agent and QDG) or control group (n = 276, treated with valsartan capsule and QDG simulation agent). The treatment period will be 4 weeks and the follow-up period will last 4 weeks after treatment. Primary outcome will be a decreased value of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure after treatment. And second outcome will include the decreased value of diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure at the end of follow-up, the percentage of participants achieving normal blood pressure at the end of treatment and follow-up, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and TCM syndrome scores at the end of treatment and follow-up, and levels of hypertensive hormones at end of treatment and follow-up. Discussion: This study will provide initial evidence regarding the clinical efficacy and safety of QDG in treating grade 1 hypertension at low-medium risk. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2000033890. Registered on 15 June 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia oleifera Abel. (C. oleifera), one of the four woody oil-producing plants in the world produces edible oils with high percentage of unsaturated fatty acid content in seeds. The mature C. oleifera seeds continue to undergo a series of physiological changes after harvest. To this end, the dynamic changes in nutrients, oil content, fatty acid composition, and endogenous hormone content in C. oleifera seeds under different natural drying times after harvest were investigated. The content of soluble sugar and soluble protein of C. oleifera seeds increased with the extension of natural drying, especially soluble sugar content increased nearly 2-fold at 30 d after post-harvest natural drying compared with that of the control group. The content of oil reached a peak (23.6%) at 30 d after post-harvest natural drying. During the post-harvest natural drying process, the relative content of palmitic acid and oleic acid increased, while the relative content of palmitic acid and linoleic acid decreased. Furthermore, the levels of unsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid) increased significantly with increasing natural drying time. The overall trend of endogenous hormones SA, SL, and ACC concentrations increased with the post-harvest natural drying process. Furthermore, the concentration of SA, SL, and ACC were positively correlated with oil content. Altogether, post-harvest natural drying for 30 days significantly promoted the anabolism of oil and improved the quality of C. oleifera seeds. These findings provide a scientific basis for reasonable post-harvest treatment to improve Camellia oil yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variety is one of the major factors influencing grape and wine aromatic characteristics. Green leaf volatiles (GLVs), derived from lipoxygenase-hydroperoxides lyase (LOX-HPL) pathway, are important components for the aromatic quality of grapes and wines. However, the varietal difference regarding GLVs accumulation and related gene expression are poorly studied. This work exhibited that the accumulation of various GLVs and the expression of LOX-HPL pathway genes in four Vitis vinifera wine grape cultivars: Syrah, Muscat Tchervine, Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay. The results showed a variety dependence of GLVs profile. Muscat Tchervine harvested grapes contained less C6 aldehydes and the most abundant esters, which corresponded to very low VvLOXA and VvHPL1 expression abundance as well as high VvAAT transcript in this variety. High expression level of both VvLOXA and VvHPL1 paralleled with higher level of C6 aldehydes together with higher alcohols in Syrah grape. Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay grapes had high aldehydes and alcohols as well as low esters, which were resulted from their higher expression level of VvLOXA or VvHPL1 and lower VvAAT. From these above corresponding relations, it is concluded that VvLOXA, VvHPL1 and VvAAT in the LOX-HPL pathway are targets for altering GLVs composition in the grape varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that regulate multiple cell processes during cancer progression. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a malignancy with a poor prognosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the roles of miR-630 in RCC progression.Material and Methods: Expression of miR-630 was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in four renal cancer cell lines (786-O, ACHN, Caki-1, and Caki-2) and one normal human proximal tubule epithelial cell line (HK-2). Next, miR-630 inhibitor was used to inhibit miR-630 expression in 786-O cells. Finally, its effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were evaluated.Results: The expression level of miR-630 was higher in renal cancer cell lines 786-O, ACHN, Caki-1, and Caki-2 than that in the normal renal cell line HK-2 (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a proliferation assay, apoptosis assay, migration assay and invasion assay were performed, and the results showed that down-regulation of miR-630 expression by miR-630 inhibitor significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, which meanwhile induced cell apoptosis of the renal cancer cell line 786-O.Conclusions: This is the first time that miR-630 expression has been shown to be associated with renal cancer progression, and down-regulation of miR-630 can inhibit tumor progression, which provides a potential therapeutic target for renal cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the feasibility and the convenience of localization methods for wireless sensor networks, a localization algorithm RI-MDS (RSSI-based iterative-multidimensional scaling) is proposed. The RI-MDS method is centralized and mainly focuses on improving localization accuracy. It collects RSSI vectors as ranging basis and combines the metric MDS method and the nonmetric MDS method to accomplish the relative localization. Then it uses the maximum likelihood method in affine transformation to transform the relative coordinates to absolute ones. Our method has no need for additional equipment on the WSN nodes. Simulation and field experiments show that the average localization error and the localization error ratio of the RI-MDS method are relatively lower and thus they are more feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]