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Background: High-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemia, which is associated with gut microbiota disturbances, remains a major public health challenge. Glycerolipid metabolism is responsible for lipid synthesis and is thus involved in the development of hyperlipidemia. However, possible association between the HFD-modulated gut microbiome and the glycerolipid metabolism pathway remains unclear. Methods: Hamsterswere fed a HFD for 4weeks to establish a hyperlipidemiamodel. Fecal, plasma and liver samples collected from hamsters fed a HFD or a normal chow diet (NCD) were used for integrative metagenomic and untargeted metabolomic analyses to explore changes in the composition and functions of the gutmicrobiota, and relevant metabolites. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to explore correlations between gut microbes and circulating glycerolipid metabolites, gut microbes and lipids, and circulating glycerolipid metabolites and lipids. Results: The gut microbial composition of HFD hamsters showed significant alterations at the phylum, genus, and species levels that were skewed toward metabolic disorders compared with that of NCD hamsters. Functional characterization by KEGG analysis identified enrichment of the glycerolipid metabolism pathway in the gut microbiome of HFD hamsters. Plasma and liver metabolomics further indicated the upregulation and enrichment of glycerolipid metabolites in HFD hamsters. The Faecalibaculum, Allobaculum, and Eubacterium genera were positively correlatedwithplasma glycerolipidmetabolites and lipidindices. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest an association between glycerolipid metabolism and the HFD-modulated gut microbiome that is involved in the development of hyperlipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nipah virus (NiV), a highly deadly bat-borne paramyxovirus, poses a substantial threat due to recurrent outbreaks in specific regions, causing severe respiratory and neurological diseases with high morbidity. Two distinct strains, NiV-Malaysia (NiV-M) and NiV-Bangladesh (NiV-B), contribute to outbreaks in different geographical areas. Currently, there are no commercially licensed vaccines or drugs available for prevention or treatment. In response to this urgent need for protection against NiV and related henipaviruses infections, we developed a novel homotypic virus-like nanoparticle (VLP) vaccine co-displaying NiV attachment glycoproteins (G) from both strains, utilizing the self-assembling properties of ferritin protein. In comparison to the NiV G subunit vaccine, our nanoparticle vaccine elicited significantly higher levels of neutralizing antibodies and provided complete protection against a lethal challenge with NiV infection in Syrian hamsters. Remarkably, the nanoparticle vaccine stimulated the production of antibodies that exhibited superior cross-reactivity to homologous or heterologous henipavirus. These findings underscore the potential utility of ferritin-based nanoparticle vaccines in providing both broad-spectrum and long-term protection against NiV and emerging zoonotic henipaviruses challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is a disease characterized by spermatogenesis failure and comprises phenotypes such as hypospermatogenesis,mature arrest, and Sertoli cell-only syndrome. Studies have shown that FA cross-linked anemia (FA) pathway is closely related to the occurrence of NOA. There are FA genemutations in male NOA patients, which cause significant damage to male germ cells. The FA pathway is activated in the presence of DNA interstrand cross-links; the key step in activating this pathway is the mono-ubiquitination of the FANCD2-FANCI complex, and the activation of the FA pathway can repair DNA damage such as DNA doublestrand breaks. Therefore, we believe that the FA pathway affects germ cells during DNA damage repair, resulting in minimal or even disappearance of mature sperm in males. This review summarizes the regulatory mechanisms of FA-related genes in male azoospermia, with the aim of providing a theoretical reference for clinical research and exploration of related genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to cope with the volatile social environment and organisational change, more and more scholars call on leaders to stimulate subordinate effectiveness to a greater extent with inclusive behaviour. Existing studies focus on the positive impact of inclusive leadership, but ignore its potential negative impact. This study integrates Cognition-affection Personality System Theory to explore the double-edged sword mechanism of inclusive leadership on subordinates' work behaviour. Through the data analysis of 518 paired questionnaires collected in three stages, the results are as follows: Inclusive leadership has a positive impact on subordinates' psychological entitlement and state gratitude; Psychological entitlement and state gratitude play mediation roles not only between inclusive leadership and work withdrawal behaviour, but also between inclusive leadership and active behaviour; Subordinate narcissistic personality moderates the positive effect of inclusive leadership on psychological entitlement and state gratitude, and then moderates the indirect effect of inclusive leadership on subordinate work withdrawal behaviour and proactive behaviour through psychological entitlement and state gratitude. The above results expand the research on the action mechanism and boundary conditions of inclusive leadership in Chinese organisational context, and provide practical guidance for organisational managers to effectively conduct inclusive leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of covalent H3 S and clathrate structure LaH10 with excellent superconducting critical temperatures at high pressures has facilitated a multitude of research on compressed hydrides. However, their superconducting pressures are too high (generally above 150 GPa), thereby hindering their application. In addition, making room-temperature superconductivity close to ambient pressure in hydrogen-based superconductors is challenging. In this work, we calculated the chemically "pre-compressed" Be-H by heavy metals Th and Ce to stabilize the superconducting phase near ambient pressure. An unprecedented ThBeH8 (CeBeH8) with a "fluorite-type" structure was predicted to be thermodynamically stable above 69 GPa (76 GPa), yielding a Tc of 113 K (28 K) decompressed to 7 GPa (13 GPa) by solving the anisotropic Migdal-Eliashberg equations. Be-H vibrations play a vital role in electron-phonon coupling and structural stability of these ternary hydrides. Our results will guide further experiments toward synthesizing ternary hydride superconductors at mild pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Medical Biochemistry is the property of Society of Medical Biochemists of Serbia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND: The relative low stability, reusability and activity of enzymes made the industrial production of vitamin E succinate (VES) can only be performed with complex processes and high cost using chemical methods. To address these issues, in the present study, an ionic liquids (ILs) modification strategy was developed to improve the activity and stability of lipases in VES synthesis. RESULTS: The results showed that the [1-butyl-3-methyl imidazole] [N-acetyl-L-proline] ILs modified Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) has the highest modification degree (48.28%), activity (774 U g-1), thermostability and solvent tolerance in three selected modifiers. Additionally, after reaction condition optimization, the highest yield of VES can be improved to 95.18% at 45 °C for 15 h, which was significantly improved compared to some previous studies. CONCLUSION: In the present study, a high-efficiency VES synthesis strategy was successfully developed via modification of lipase. Moreover, the mechanism by which ILs modification can enhance the activity and stability of lipase was investigated via both experimental and computational-aided methods. Molecular dynamics simulation suggested that ILs modification changed the geometry of Phe344 from flat to upright, which significantly reshaped and enhanced the size of substrate binding pocket of CRL. It is also agreement with our circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy results, which suggested that the modification changed the secondary structure of CRL to a certain extent. The larger pocket also endowed the suitable binding pose of succinate, which made the hydrogen bonds between succinate and active site Ser209 become stronger, and thus improving the yield of VES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

So far, most studies have focused on exploring the negative effects of narcissistic leadership. However, little attention has been paid to whether narcissistic leadership also has a positive effect. This study is based on Conservation of Resources Theory and reveals that narcissistic leadership has a double-edged sword effect. By using Mplus7.4 software the analysis of 450 employees and their direct leaders’ pairing data collected in three stages, it is found that: narcissistic leadership has a positive effect on employee’ hostility toward supervisor and psychological availability; hostility toward supervisor mediates the relationship between narcissistic leadership and counterproductive work behavior; psychological availability mediates the relationship between narcissistic leadership and organizational citizenship behavior; in addition, environmental uncertainty enhances the positive effect of narcissistic leadership on employee’ hostility toward supervisor and psychological availability, which in turn moderates the indirect effect of narcissistic leadership on counterproductive work behavior through employee’ hostility toward supervisor and on organizational citizenship behavior through psychological availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Clean Coal Technology is the property of Clean Coal Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Agricultural non-point source pollution is increasingly an important issue affecting surface water quality. Currently, the majority of the studies on nitrogen loss have focused on the agricultural field scale, however, the response of surface water quality at the watershed scale into the nitrogen loss at the field scale is poorly understood. The present study systematically reviewed the critical processes and major factors that nitrogen transport from farm fields to surface water bodies. The critical processes of farmland nitrogen entering surface water bodies involve the processes of nitrogen transport from farmland to ditches and the transformation processes of nitrogen during migration in ditches/rivers. Nitrogen transport from farmland to ditches is one of the prerequisites and critical processes for farmland nitrogen transport to surface water bodies. The transformation of nitrogen forms in ditches/rivers is an intermediate process in the migration of nitrogen from farmland to surface water bodies. Nitrogen loss from farmland is related to soil storage and exogenous inputs. Therefore, nitrogen input management should not only consider the current input, but also the contribution of soil storage due to the historical surpluses. Ditches/rivers have a strong retention capacity for nitrogen, which will significantly affect the process of farmland nitrogen entering surface water bodies. The factors affecting nitrogen transformation in river/ditches can be placed in four categories: (1) factors affecting hydraulic retention time, (2) factors affecting contact area, (3) factors affecting biological activity, and (4) forms and amount of nitrogen loading to river/ditches. Ditch systems are more biologically (including plants and microbes) active than rivers with biological factors having a greater influence on nitrogen transformation. When developing pollution prevention and control strategies, ecological ditches can be constructed to increase biological activity and reduce the amount of surplus nitrogen entering the water body. The present research should be valuable for the evaluation of environment impacts of nitrogen loss and the non-point source pollution control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Lung cancer is a major cause of illness and death worldwide. Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is its most common subtype. Metabolite-mRNA interactions play a crucial role in cancer metabolism. Thus, metabolism-related mRNAs are potential targets for cancer therapy. Methods: This study constructed a network of metabolite-mRNA interactions (MMIs) using four databases. We retrieved mRNAs from the Tumor Genome Atlas (TCGA)-LUAD cohort showing significant expressional changes between tumor and non-tumor tissues and identified metabolism-related differential expression (DE) mRNAs among the MMIs. Candidate mRNAs showing significant contributions to the deep neural network (DNN) model were mined. Using MMIs and the results of function analysis, we created a subnetwork comprising candidate mRNAs and metabolites. Results: Finally, 10 biomarkers were obtained after survival analysis and validation. Their good prognostic value in LUAD was validated in independent datasets. Their effectiveness was confirmed in the TCGA and an independent Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) dataset by comparison with traditional machine-learning models. Conclusion: To summarize, 10 metabolism-related biomarkers were identified, and their prognostic value was confirmed successfully through the MMI network and the DNN model. Our strategy bears implications to pave the way for investigating metabolic biomarkers in other cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to conduct accurate aerosol retrieval over snow, the Remote Sensing of Trace Gases and Aerosol Products (RemoTAP) algorithm developed by SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research is extended with a Bi-directional Reflection Distribution Function (BRDF) for snow surfaces. The capability of the extended algorithm is validated with both synthetic measurements and real satellite measurements from PARASOL and a comparison has been made to retrievals with the baseline RemoTAP (without snow kernel). For retrievals on real PARASOL observations, we use pixels over AERONET stations for validation and we use the MODIS snow cover products to identify pixels over snow. We evaluate the retrieved aerosol optical thickness (AOT) at 550 nm (τ550), single-scattering albedo (SSA) at 550 nm (ω550), and Angstrom exponent (AE) for 440 nm -- 870 nm (AE440-870). Both the experiments with synthetic- and real data show that the extended RemoTAP maintains capability on snow-free pixels and has obvious advantages on accuracy and fraction of successful retrievals for retrieval over snow, especially over surfaces with snow cover > 75%. According to the real data experiment, we find that the retrieval algorithm has difficulty in fitting the PARASOL 1020 nm band, where snow reflectance is significantly lower than that for the visible bands. When we perform a 4-band retrieval (490 nm, 565 nm, 670 nm, 865 nm) with the extended RemoTAP, we obtain a good retrieval result for τ550, ω550 and AE440-870. Therefore, the 4-band retrieval with the extended RemoTAP is recommended for aerosol retrieval over snow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cocaine is a highly addictive drug that is abused due to its excitatory effect on the central nervous system. It is critical to reveal the mechanisms of cocaine addiction and identify key genes that play an important role in addiction. Methods: In this study, we proposed a centrality algorithm integration strategy to identify key genes in a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network constructed by deferential genes from cocaine addiction-related datasets. In order to investigate potential therapeutic drugs for cocaine addiction, a network of targeted relationships between nervous system drugs and key genes was established. Results: Four key genes (JUN, FOS, EGR1, and IL6) were identified and well validated using CTD database correlation analysis, text mining, independent dataset analysis, and enrichment analysis methods, and they might serve as biomarkers of cocaine addiction. A total of seventeen drugs have been identified from the network of targeted relationships between nervous system drugs and key genes, of which five (disulfiram, cannabidiol, dextroamphetamine, diazepam, and melatonin) have been shown in the literature to play a role in the treatment of cocaine addiction. Discussion: This study identified key genes and potential therapeutic drugs for cocaine addiction, which provided new ideas for the research of the mechanism of cocaine addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared (IR) drying is an effective method for the preservation and processing of carmine radish (Raphanus sativus L.). This study aimed to investigate the effects of different IR radiation intensities (2125, 2780, and 3358 W/m²) on the drying properties and flavor components of carmine radish slices. As the IR radiation intensity and the drying temperature increased, the total drying time, the moisture content, and the dehydration rate reduced continuously, while the hardness of carmine radish slices decreased and then increased. Drying at a radiation intensity of 2780 and 3358 W/m² reduced 50% and 70% of the drying time compared to that of 2125 W/m², respectively. Flavor components of carmine radish showed apparent changes during the IR drying process with a radiation intensity of 2125 W/m². IR drying at a lower intensity was beneficial to the retention of volatile flavor components. The retention of volatile substances at an intensity of 2125 W/m2 for 15 min was 1.97 and 1.68 times that for 30 min and control samples, respectively. Consequently, to retain good processing quality and flavor properties of carmine radish slices, the optimal drying parameter of IR within this study was an IR radiation intensity of 2125 W/m² for about 15 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), has affected all countries worldwide. Although some symptoms are relatively mild, others are still associated with severe and even fatal clinical outcomes. Innate and adaptive immunity are important for the control of SARS-CoV-2 infections, whereas a comprehensive characterization of the innate and adaptive immune response to COVID-19 is still lacking and the mechanisms underlying immune pathogenesis and host predisposing factors are still a matter of scientific debate. Here, the specific functions and kinetics of innate and adaptive immunity involved in SARS-CoV-2 recognition and resultant pathogenesis are discussed, as well as their immune memory for vaccinations, viral-mediated immune evasion, and the current and future immunotherapeutic agents. We also highlight host factors that contribute to infection, which may deepen the understanding of viral pathogenesis and help identify targeted therapies that attenuate severe disease and infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a solar photovoltaic power system on a university campus, the electricity generated by the system meets the campus load, and the extra electricity is delivered to the grid. Generally, the price of the photovoltaic system is cheaper than that of the utility power system. The full use of solar electricity can reduce the electricity cost of the school. The deep belief network is used to predict solar photovoltaic generation and electricity load, and the gap is found. According to the gap, the power loads on the campus are adjusted to improve the utilization rate of solar power generation. Through the practical application of Changqing Campus of Qilu University of Technology in China, it is found that the utilization rate of solar photovoltaic power generation effectively improved from 91.24% in 2017 to 98.16% in 2019, and the annual electricity is saved by 68 610 yuan (in 2019). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the safety and efficacy of microwave ablation (MWA) and synchronous transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with or without PD-1 inhibitor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) intolerance. Materials and methods: This study retrospectively enrolled TKI-intolerant HCC patients who underwent MWA-TACE combined with PD-1 inhibitor (MTP) or MWA-TACE (MT) from January 2019 to June 2021. MWA and TACE were performed simultaneously, and PD-1 inhibitor was administered intravenously at a dose of 200 mg once every three weeks after MWA-TACE. Adverse events (AEs) related to treatment were recorded during the follow-up. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 87 patients were included and classified into the MTP group (n =42) and MT group (n=45). Complications related to MWA-TACE in the MTP group were similar to that in the MT group (21.4% vs. 24.4%, P = 0.738). Moreover, 35 (83.3%) patients had eighty-four AEs related to PD-1 inhibitor in the MTP group, and 8 (19.0%) patients developed grade 3. Patients who underwent MWA-TACE combined with PD-1 inhibitor had better PFS (median, 10.0 vs. 4.7 months, P < 0.001) and OS (median, 17.0 vs. 8.5 months, P < 0.001) than those who underwent MWA-TACE alone. Treatment method and Child-Pugh class were independent prognostic factors for survival in the univariate and multivariate analysis. Conclusion: MWA and synchronous TACE combined with PD-1 inhibitor might be a favorable treatment option in TKI-intolerant HCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stomach, liver, and colon cancers are the most common digestive system cancers leading to mortality. Cancer leader genes were identified in the current study as the genes that contribute to tumor initiation and could shed light on the molecular mechanisms in tumorigenesis. An integrated procedure was proposed to identify cancer leader genes based on subcellular location information and cancer-related characteristics considering the effects of nodes on their neighbors in human protein-protein interaction networks. A total of 69, 43, and 64 leader genes were identified for stomach, liver, and colon cancers, respectively. Furthermore, literature reviews and experimental data including protein expression levels and independent datasets from other databases all verified their association with corresponding cancer types. These final leader genes were expected to be used as diagnostic biomarkers and targets for new treatment strategies. The procedure for identifying cancer leader genes could be expanded to open up a window into the mechanisms, early diagnosis, and treatment of other cancer types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface polarization characteristics provide crucial structural information of the Earth's surface. As two key elements of the natural geographical environment, rocks and soils play an important role in the study of surface processes. Inherent surface characteristics, such as surface roughness, composition, and density are critical parameters for the remote monitoring of land surfaces as they affect the polarization characteristics of scattered light waves. In this study, we investigated the relationship between surface roughness, composition, and density, and the polarization spectra of limestone-dolomite series rock. Results reveal a power function relationship between the surface roughness and the degree of polarization peaks among different detection zenith and azimuth angles. The depth and position of the absorbing waveband are significantly correlated with the characteristic component contents. The rock density was determined via the polarized reflection spectra, with the Earth's surface density calculations associated with a 2.6% divergence from the current recognized data. Our results demonstrate the ability of polarized spectra to retrieve surface roughness, composition, and density, with potential for further development in future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have witnessed an exponential increase in the use of mobile and embedded devices. With the great success of deep learning in many fields, there is an emerging trend to deploy deep learning on mobile and embedded devices to better meet the requirement of real-time applications and user privacy protection. However, the limited resources of mobile and embedded devices make it challenging to fulfill the intensive computation and storage demand of deep learning models. In this survey, we conduct a comprehensive review on the related issues for deep learning on mobile and embedded devices. We start with a brief introduction of deep learning and discuss major challenges of implementing deep learning models on mobile and embedded devices. We then conduct an in-depth survey on important compression and acceleration techniques that help adapt deep learning models to mobile and embedded devices, which we specifically classify as pruning, quantization, model distillation, network design strategies, and low-rank factorization. We elaborate on the hardware-based solutions, including mobile GPU, FPGA, and ASIC, and describe software frameworks for mobile deep learning models, especially the development of frameworks based on OpenCL and RenderScript. After that, we present the application of mobile deep learning in a variety of areas, such as navigation, health, speech recognition, and information security. Finally, we discuss some future directions for deep learning on mobile and embedded devices to inspire further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the safety and feasibility of endovascular brachytherapy using iodine-125 (125I) seed strand for locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with vascular invasion. Material and methods: From January 2010 to January 2015, 12 patients diagnosed with locally advanced, inoperable PDAC with splenic or superior mesenteric vein invasion were enrolled in the present study and received endovascular brachytherapy combined with regional intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy. Standardized software was used for dose calculation. Procedure-related and radiation complications were documented and assessed. Overall survival was calculated with the Kaplan-Meier approach. Results: The technical success rate of 125I seed strand implantation and stent placement was 100%. During followup with a mean duration of 17.00 ±6.07 months (range, 6~24 months), the mean and median survival times were 12.0 ±2.4 months (95% CI: 7.4~16.6 months) and 10.7 ±1.4 months (95% CI: 8.0~13.5 months), respectively. One month after the treatment, the disease control and objective rates were 83.8% and 58.3%, respectively. The 6-, 12-, and 15-month cumulative survival rates were 66.7%, 47.6%, and 9.5%, respectively. Conclusions: Endovascular brachytherapy using 125I seed strand and stent placement may be a safe and effective treatment option for locally advanced pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma with vascular invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The distribution and use of camphor (Cinnamomum camphora L.) trees are constrained by increasing soil salinity in south-eastern China along the Yangtze River. However, the response mechanism of this species to salinity, especially in team of photosynthesis, are unknown. Methods. Here, we analysed themorphological, physiological, ultrastructural, and proteomic traits of camphor seedlings under NaCl (103.45 mM) treatment in pot experiments for 80 days. Results. The growth was limited because of photosynthetic inhibition, with the most significant disturbance occurring within 50 days. Salinity caused severe reductions in the leaf photosynthetic rate (An), stomatal conductance (gs), maximal chlorophyll fluorescence (Fm), maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm), non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), relative quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry (ΦPSII), photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) and photo-pigment contents (chlorophyll a (Cha), chlorophyll b (Chb), total chlorophyll (Chl)); weakened the antioxidant effects, including those of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD); and injured chloroplasts. The physiologicalresults indicated that the main reason for photo-inhibition was oxidative factors induced by NaCl. The proteomic results based on isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) further confirmedthat photosynthesis was the most significant disrupted process by salinity (P <0:01) and there were 30 downregulated differentially expression proteins (DEPs) and one upregulated DEP related to restraint of the photosynthetic system, which affected photosystem I, photosystem II, the Cytochrome b6/f complex, ATP synthase and the light-harvesting chlorophyll protein complex. In addition, 57 DEPs were related to photo-inhibition by redox effect and 6 downregulated DEPs, including O2 evolving complex 33kD family protein (gi|224094610) and five other predicted proteins (gi|743921083, gi|743840443, gi|743885735, gi|743810316 and gi|743881832) were directly affected. This study provides new proteomic information and explains the possible mechanisms of photo-inhibition caused by salinity on C. camphor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood. Outcome for children with high-risk NB remains unsatisfactory. Accumulating evidence suggests that tripartite motif (TRIM) family proteins express diversely in various human cancers and act as regulators of oncoproteins or tumor suppressor proteins. This review summarizes the TRIM proteins involving in NB and the underlying molecular mechanisms. We expect these new insights will provide important implications for the treatment of NB by targeting TRIM proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Styrax tonkinensis is a great potential biofuel as the species contains seeds with a particularly high oil content. Understanding the nutrient distribution in different parts of the fruit is imperative for the development and enhancement of S. tonkinensis as a biodiesel feedstock. Methods: From 30 to 140 days after flowering (DAF), the development of S. tonkinensis fruit was tracked. The morphology change, nutrient content, and activity of associated enzymes in the continuum of the pericarp, seed coat, and kernel were analyzed. Results: Between 30 and 70 DAF, the main locus of dry matter deposition shifted from the seed coat to the kernel. The water content within the pericarp remained high throughout development, but at the end (130 DAF later) decreased rapidly. The water content within both the seed coat and the kernel consistently declined over the course of the fruit development (30–110 DAF). Between 70 and 80 DAF, the deposition centers for sugar, starch, protein, potassium, and magnesium was transferred to the kernel from either the pericarp or the seed coat. The calcium deposition center was transferred first from pericarp to the seed coat and then to the kernel before it was returned to the pericarp. The sucrose to hexose ratio in the seed coat increased between 30 and 80 DAF, correlating with the accumulation of total soluble sugar, starch, and protein. In the pericarp, the sucrose to hexose ratio peaked at 40 and 100 DAF, correlating with the reserve deposition in the following 20–30 days. After 30 DAF, the chlorophyll concentration of both the pericarp and the seed coat dropped. The maternal unit (the pericarp and the seed coat) in fruit showed a significant positive linear relationship between chlorophyll b/a and the concentration of total soluble sugar. The potassium content had significant positive correlation with starch (ρ = 0.673, p = 0.0164), oil (ρ = 0.915, p = 0.000203), and protein content (ρ = 0.814, p = 0.00128), respectively. The concentration of magnesium had significant positive correlation with starch (ρ = 0.705, p = 0.0104), oil (ρ = 0.913, p = 0.000228), and protein content (ρ = 0.896, p = 0.0000786), respectively. Calcium content had a significant correlation with soluble sugar content (ρ = 0.585, p = 0.0457). Conclusions: During the fruit development of S. tonkinensis, the maternal unit, that is, the pericarp and seed coat, may act a nutrient buffer storage area between the mother tree and the kernel. The stage of 70–80 DAF is an important time in the nutrient distribution in the continuum of the pericarp, seed coat, and kernel. Our results described the metabolic dynamics of the continuum of the pericarp, seed coat, and kernel and the contribution that a seed with high oil content offers to biofuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidences indicate that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a vital role in diverse cancer biology. However, the contributions of circRNAs to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and their underlying mechanism remain largely unknown. The present study aims at investigating the role of circRNA-104718 in HCC progression, which has been observed to be significantly up-regulated in HCC tissues. We found that, higher expression of circRNA-104718 also leds to a poor prognosis in HCC patients. Using luciferase binding assays and RNA immunoprecipitation studies, we identified circRNA-104718 is physically associated and co-expressed with microRNA (miR)-218-5p in HCC. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that circRNA-104718 functions as a competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) and competes with thioredoxin domain-containing protein 5 (TXNDC5) mRNA and directly binds to miR-218-5p. Functionally, we found that ectopically expressed circRNA-104718 accelerated cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and inhibited apoptosis. In vivo studies on a nude mice model showed that circRNA-104718 overexpression could increase the tumor size and the rate of metastasis. Silencing of circRNA-104718 could decrease both the tumor size and metastasis significantly. Conversely, we also observed overexpression of miR-218-5p could in turn decrease the proliferation, migration, invasion, and increase apoptosis. Furthermore, circRNA-104718 could relieve the suppression of miR-218-5p target TXNDC5 and thereby cause an inhibition of miR's functions. In summary, our results indicate that circRNA-104718 acts as a ceRNA and promotes HCC progression through the targeting of miR-218-5p/TXNDC5 signaling pathway. Thus, we propose that circRNA-104718 would be a promising target for HCC diagnosis and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EGFR is required for animal development, and dysregulation of EGFR is critically implicated in malignant transformation. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of EGFR expression remains poorly explored. Here we report that the zinc-finger protein ZNF516 is a transcription repressor. ZNF516 is physically associated with the CtBP/LSD1/CoREST complex and transcriptionally represses a cohort of genes including EGFR that are critically involved in cell proliferation and motility. We demonstrate that the ZNF516-CtBP/LSD1/ CoREST complex inhibits the proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cells in vitro and suppresses breast cancer growth and metastasis in vivo. Significantly, low expression of ZNF516 is positively associated with advanced pathological staging and poor survival of breast carcinomas. Our data indicate that ZNF516 is a transcription repressor and a potential suppressor of EGFR, adding to the understanding of EGFR-related breast carcinogenesis and supporting the pursuit of ZNF516 as a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China, as the world's largest cement producer, accounts for more than 60% of global cement production. With the continuous development of the Chinese economy, resource and environmental constraints are becoming increasingly serious, and energy saving and emission reduction has become one of the choices with which all industries are faced in the process of development. The cement industry is one of the major sources of China's carbon dioxide emissions and its effect on energy saving and emissions' reduction determines the realization of the national goals of energy conservation and emissions reduction. Taking China's cement industry as the main focus, this paper carries out quantitative analysis of the relationship between energy consumption in the cement industry and a number of variables: energy structure, energy prices, energy efficiency and total output value of the cement industry based on a cointegration model. The study further analyzes the energy saving potential of the cement industry by assuming different scenarios. The research results show that the energy saving potential of the cement industry is 19.06% and 33.69%, with medium and high energy efficiency, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bock greenbrier rhizome, also known as Smilax china L. rhizome, induces heat clearing and detoxification and dispels wind dampness. Additionally, this Chinese medicine has been shown to function as an anticancer compound in various types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanism by which Smilax china L.-containing serum suppresses SMMC-7721 human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell growth as well as to determine its effect on the expression of DNA polymerase d catalytic subunit gene 1 (POLD1). SMMC-7721 human HCC cells were cultured with serum containing various amounts of Smilax china L. for 24 h. The cells were also cultured in blank serum or serum containing a drug used in Western medicine (cyclophosphamide; CTX) as a positive control. HCC cell growth and proliferation were determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry, and the expression of POLD1 mRNA was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The number of cells following culture with Smilax china L.-containing serum was observed to be decreased. There was significant growth inhibition in the Smilax china L.-treated cells (shown in the high concentration serum group, volume fraction 30%), which was significantly different from the inhibition observed in the control group (P<0.05). Among the various cell cycle phases following culture, the percentage of cells in the S phase was significantly increased, and the percentage of cells in the G0/G1 phase was decreased; these percentages were significantly different from the percentages of the control cells (P<0.05). The results obtained following quantitative PCR showed a significant reduction in POLD1 expression. Smilax china L.-containing serum directly suppressed cell growth and induced the apoptosis of human HCC cells. However, the number of cells in the S phase was reduced. This mechanism is suggested to be associated with the suppression of POLD1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report the fabrication of a novel photovoltaic device based on CuS nanotubes (CuSNTs) and indium tin oxide (ITO) Schottky junctions. Large-quantity synthesis of CuSNTs was accomplished via a solution-based sacrificial template method under moderate conditions, while ITO Schottky contacts were fabricated via micro-fabrication and pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Upon light illumination, CuSNTs-ITO Schottky junctions exhibited pronounced photovoltaic behavior, giving rise to a power conversion efficiency of 1.17% on a conventional SiO2/Si substrate. Furthermore, by utilizing PET as the substrate, transparent and flexible CuSNTs-ITO solar cells were constructed and showed performance close to their device counterparts on a rigid substrate. Notably, it was found that the flexible devices were robust against tensile strain and could stand a bending angle up to ~95°. To enhance the light absorption of the devices, an Ag mirror layer was deposited on the rear side of the PET substrate so as to allow multiple reflection and absorption of the incident light. As a result, the flexible devices showed a substantial performance improvement, yielding an efficiency of ~2%. Our results demonstrate that low-cost and environmentally friendly CuSNTs-ITO solar cells are promising candidates for new-generation photovoltaic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]