Search

Underwater vs conventional endoscopic mucosal resection in treatment of colorectal polyps: A meta-analysis

Objective Recent studies have demonstrated that sleep not only facilitates memory consolidation but also benefits more complex cognitive skills such as decision-making in young adults. Older adults use different decision strategies compared with young adults, which leaves the role of sleep in older adults' decision-making unclear. We investigated the age-by-sleep effect on decision-making. Methods We recruited 67 young adults (ages 18 to 29 years) and 66 older adults (ages 60 to 79 years) and randomly assigned them into the "sleep" or "wake" study condition. They were given a modified Iowa gambling task to perform before and after a 12-hour interval with sleep or wakefulness. Results Using the typical model-free analysis, we found that young adults' between-session performance improved greater than that of older adults regardless of the sleep/wake condition. Furthermore, older adults with longer total sleep time showed a greater improvement in the selection of one "good" deck. To further examine the sleep effect on age-related differences in cognitive processes underlying decision-making, we conducted computational modelling. This more fine-grained analysis revealed that sleep improved feedback sensitivity for both young and older adults while it increased loss aversion for older adults but not for young adults. Conclusion These findings indicate that sleep promotes learning-based decision-making performance via facilitating value representation, and such modulation is distinct in young compared to older adults.

Background Gastric cancer (GC) is the second most frequent cause of cancer-related mortality in the world, and the five-year survival rate for GC remains very low universally. In recent years, it has become a consensus that genetic changes are associated with carcinogenesis of GC, and precision medicine based on genetic changes is one of the most popular treatments for GC patients. However, the association between some genes and GC-related protein signaling pathways is still not well understood. This study revealed that seven genes were closely related to the survival probability in GC patients. Methods We downloaded the gene expression data of GC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases, and integrated bioinformatic analysis was performed, such as differential gene expression analysis, including Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) pathways analyses, as well as survival analysis. The r package “survival” was used to analyze the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, which showed the associations between specific gene expressions and the outcomes of patients with GC to identify which genes could be potential prognostic biomarkers. Results This study revealed that seven genes: alcohol dehydrogenase 4 (ADH4), histamine receptor H3 (HRH3), neuropeptide Y2 receptor (NPY2R), apolipoprotein AI (APOA1), N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 14 (GALNT14), leucine-rich repeats and IQ motif containing 1 (LRRIQ1), and coiled-coil-domain-containing 57 (CCDC57). These seven genes were closely related to the survival probability of GC patients (P

Three wood-inhabiting fungal species, Xylodon laceratus, X. montanus, and X. tropicus spp. nov., were collected from southern China, here proposed as new taxa based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. Xylodon laceratus is characterized by the resupinate basidiomata with grandinioid hymenophore having cracked hymenial surface, and ellipsoid basidiospores; X. montanus is characterized by the annual basidiomata having the hard, brittle hymenophore with cream hymenial surface, and ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores (3.9–5.3 × 3.2–4.3 µm); and X. tropicus is characterized by its grandinioid hymenophore with buff to a pale brown hymenial surface and subglobose basidiospores measuring 2–4.8 × 1.6–4 µm. Sequences of ITS and nLSU rRNA markers of the studied samples were generated, and phylogenetic analyses were performed with maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian inference methods. The ITS+nLSU analysis of the order Hymenochaetales indicated that the three new species clustered into the family Schizoporaceae, located in genus Xylodon; based on further analysis of ITS dataset, X. laceratus was a sister to X. heterocystidiatus; X. montanus closely grouped with X. subclavatus and X. xinpingensis with high support; while X. tropicus was retrieved as a sister to X. hastifer.

Two new corticioid fungal species, Phanerochaete pruinosa and P. rhizomorpha spp. nov. are proposed based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. Phanerochaete pruinosa is characterized by the resupinate basidiomata with the pruinose hymenial surface, a monomitic hyphal system with simple-septate generative hyphae and subcylindrical basidiospores measuring as 3.5–6.7 × 1.5–2.7 µm. Phanerochaete rhizomorpha is characterized by having a smooth hymenophore covered by orange hymenial surface, the presence of rhizomorphs, subulate cystidia, and narrower ellipsoid to ellipsoid basidiospores. Sequences of ITS+nLSU nrRNA gene regions of the studied specimens were generated and phylogenetic analyses were performed with maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian inference methods. These phylogenetic analyses showed that two new species clustered into genus Phanerochaete, in which P. pruinosa was sister to P. yunnanensis with high supports (100% BS, 100% BT, 1.00 BPP); morphologically differing by a pale orange to greyish orange and densely cracked hymenial surface. Another species P. rhizomorpha was closely grouped with P. citrinosanguinea with lower supports; morphologically having yellow to reddish yellow hymenial surface, and smaller cystidia measuring as 31–48 × 2.3–4.8 µm.

Aging involves cognitive decline and prominent alterations in brain activity. Electroacupuncture (EA), a traditional Chinese medicine approach, is demonstrated to be effective in improving cognitive function of older adults. However, the specific neural mechanism underlying this modulation effect remains unclear. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate whether EA could improve cognitive performance of community-dwelling older adults and whether these potential improvements are associated with the EA-induced brain functional connectivity alterations. Thirty healthy older adults were recruited and randomly assigned to the EA group and the control group. Behaviorally, we observed an EA-induced improvement in cognitive performance of older adults in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. On a neural perspective, the EA intervention significantly increased the functional connectivity within the default mode network. Moreover, we found a positive association between the improvement in delayed memory performance and the alterations in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex-hippocampal formation connectivity in the EA group. This study extends previous findings by showing that healthy older adults exhibit neural plasticity manifested as increased functional connectivity after EA sessions, which could induce therapeutic effects in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Objective Recent studies have demonstrated that sleep not only facilitates memory consolidation but also benefits more complex cognitive skills such as decision-making in young adults. Older adults use different decision strategies compared with young adults, which leaves the role of sleep in older adults’ decision-making unclear. We investigated the age-by-sleep effect on decision-making. Methods We recruited 67 young adults (ages 18 to 29 years) and 66 older adults (ages 60 to 79 years) and randomly assigned them into the “sleep” or “wake” study condition. They were given a modified Iowa gambling task to perform before and after a 12-hour interval with sleep or wakefulness. Results Using the typical model-free analysis, we found that young adults’ between-session performance improved greater than that of older adults regardless of the sleep/wake condition. Furthermore, older adults with longer total sleep time showed a greater improvement in the selection of one “good” deck. To further examine the sleep effect on age-related differences in cognitive processes underlying decision-making, we conducted computational modelling. This more fine-grained analysis revealed that sleep improved feedback sensitivity for both young and older adults while it increased loss aversion for older adults but not for young adults. Conclusion These findings indicate that sleep promotes learning-based decision-making performance via facilitating value representation, and such modulation is distinct in young compared to older adults.

BACKGROUND Underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) of colorectal lesions is emerging as an alternative method to conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR); however, it is still controversial whether there is a difference in the effectiveness between UEMR and EMR. AIM To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of UEMR in the treatment of colorectal polyps. METHODS Clinical studies comparing the effectiveness or safety of UEMR in the treatment of colorectal polyps were searched in medical databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and Wanfang Data, monographs, theses, and papers presented at conferences. Statistical analyses were performed using Revman 5.3 software. RESULTS Seven non-randomized controlled trials and one randomized controlled trial met the inclusion criteria. In total, 1382 patients (1511 polyps) were included in the study, including 722 who received UEMR and 789 who received EMR. In the UEMR and EMR groups, the en bloc resection rates were 85.87% and 73.89%, respectively, with a relative risk (RR) value of 1.14 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.30; P < 0.05). In the sub-group analysis, the en bloc resection rate showed no statistically significant difference between the EMR and UEMR groups for polyps less than 20 mm in diameter. However, a statistically significant difference was found between the EMR and UEMR groups for polyps equal to or greater than 20 mm in diameter. The post-endoscopic resection recurrence rates at 3-6 mo of the UEMR and EMR groups were 3.26% and 15.17%, respectively, with an RR value of 0.27 (95%CI: 0.09-0.83; P < 0.05). The post-endoscopic resection recurrence rates of UEMR and EMR at 12 mo were 6.25% and 14.40%, respectively, with an RR value of 0.43 (95%CI: 0.20-0.92; P < 0.05). Additionally, the incidence of adverse events was 8.17% and 6.21%, respectively, with an RR value of 1.07 (95%CI: 0.50-2.30; P > 0.05). CONCLUSION UEMR is an effective technique for colorectal polyps and appears to have some advantages over EMR, particularly with regard to some treatment outcomes.

Ferritin is a ubiquitous iron storage protein that plays an important role in host defence against pathogen infections. In the present study, native ferritin was isolated from the hemolymph of Bombyx mori using native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (native-PAGE) and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The results revealed that ferritin consisted of two subunits, designated as BmFerHCH and BmFerLCH. Previously integrated previous transcriptome and iTRAQ data showed that the two subunits were down-regulated in resistant silkworm strain BC9 and there was no obvious change in the expression levels of the subunits in susceptible silkworm strain P50 after BmNPV infection. Virus overlay assays revealed that B. mori ferritin as the form of heteropolymer had an interaction with B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), but it can't interact with BmNPV after depolymerisation. What's more, reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis suggested that BmFerHCH and BmFerLCH could be induced by bacteria, virus and iron. This is the first study to extract B. mori ferritin successfully and confirms their roles in the process of BmNPV infection. All these results will lay a foundation for further research the function of B. mori ferritin.

Aging associates with sleep dysfunction as well as brain alterations. However, the association between age-related brain alterations and their subjective sleep changes is less understood. To address this issue, we recorded T1 weighted structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging from both young ( n = 62) and older adults ( n = 108). In addition, all participants completed a battery of psychometric tests, including the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index. We found that the age-related atrophy of cerebral gray matter, hippocampal and thalamic volume were associated with subjective sleep decline, and the atrophy of cerebral gray matter mediated the age effect on sleep. In addition, older adults exhibited decreased functional connectivity within the medial temporal lobe subsystem than their young counterparts. Moreover, there is a significant positive association between sleep and functional connectivity in young but not in older adults. In light of our findings, we suggest a neuropathological model in which age-related brain alterations may partially explain the well-documented declines in sleep with aging.

This study aims to explore the associations between FVII gene polymorphisms (R353Q, 5'F7, and -402G/A) and lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (LEDVT) in a Chinese Han population. LEDVT patients (153) and healthy people (174) were, respectively, as case and control groups and evaluated related biochemical indicators. Gene polymorphisms of R353Q, 5'F7, and -402G/A of FVII, serum FVII level, antithrombin activity, plasma fibrinogen content, and plasma D-dimer (D-D) level were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), ELISA, chromogenic substrate assay, coagulating assay, and Immunoturbidimetry assay, respectively. Compared with the control group, the case group had a higher level of body mass index (BMI), glucose, and fibrinogen, and lower level of total cholesterol (TC). Notable differences were found in GG genotype, G and A alleles, as well as distribution of recessive model of -402G/A. The serum FVII level of GG genotype was higher than that of GA and AA genotypes. FIB and D-D had a higher level had a lower level in GG genotype when compared with GA and AA genotypes. Smoking, drinking, serum FVII level, and -402G/A-GG were the independent risk factors for LEDVT. This study demonstrates that -402G/A of FVII may be a risk factor for LEDVT patients in a Chinese Han population.

The phytochemical study of Euphorbia resinifera afforded 18 structurally diverse diterpenoids, including 14 new ingol-type diterpenoids, euphorblins A-N (1-14), a new rhamnofolane diterpenoid, euphorblin O (15), and three known analogues (16-18). The structures of these compounds were deduced using 2D NMR spectroscopy and NOE experiments. The structure of compound 1 was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The abilities of the compounds to enhance lysosomal biosynthesis were evaluated through LysoTracker Red staining. Among the 10 active compounds, compounds 2, 4, and 18 showed remarkable immunofluorescence strength, and their LysoTracker staining intensities were 155.9%, 143.5%, and 140.7%, respectively, greater than that of the control. A series of lysosomal genes were also found to be upregulated by these compounds, which further confirms their ability to induce lysosome biosynthesis and suggests that these diterpenoids have potential as lead compounds for the development of drugs for the treatment of lysosome-related diseases.

A series of limonoids (1–8) were isolated from the whole plant of Munronia henryi and antiviral activities of the compounds were evaluated. The bioassay results demonstrated that Munronin O (1) showed remarkable protective activity and compounds 7 and 8 showed significant inactivating, protective, and curative activities against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). With a 50% effective concentration (EC50) value of 91.5 μg/mL, compound 1 exhibited the best protective activity compared with ningnanmycin (192.3 μg/mL). The potential for these compound of inducing systemic acquired resistance (SAR) was also evaluated, and compound 1 showed excellent induction activities. Furthermore, it was found that potentiation of defense-related enzyme activity and the contents of SA was increased. Compound 1 could also inhibit the expression of TMV CP and up-regulate the expression of defense-related genes. This work revealed that compound 1 can induce resistance and enhance plant tolerance to TMV infection. Hence, compound 1 can be considered as a potential activator for inducing plant resistance.

1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) as a kind of alkaloid has been confirmed that could modulate glycometabolism and has toxicity for the eri-silkworm in our previous research. On the contrary, what is the potentially defensive mechanism when the DNJ enters the eri-silkworm. Based on comparative transcriptome sequencing, we found that ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter genes could be induced significantly by DNJ. In this study, a total of 16 putative ABC transporter genes were identified, which can be classified into seven subfamilies, namely one ABCA, four ABCBs, three ABCCs, two ABCDs, one ABCE, three ABCFs, and two ABCGs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ScABCs had strong conservation with Bombyx mori. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) suggested that 6 ABC transporters had a strong positive correlation between RT-qPCR and transcriptome data. Additionally, S. c. ricini ABC transporter C-subfamily 4 (ScABCC4), S. c. ricini ABC transporter G-subfamily 4 (ScABCG4), S. c. ricini ABC transporter A-subfamily 3 (ScABCA3) and S. c. ricini ABC transporter C-subfamily 10 (ScABCC10) showed different expression pattern in two feed dose (1% and 2% DNJ) and three time points (6h, 12 h, 48 h). This study provides the first study on identification, characterization and expression patterns of ABC transporter genes in S. c. ricini response to DNJ, and lays a foundation for further understanding of their physiological roles response to the alkaloid.

Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) has been identified as a major pathogen responsible for severe economic loss. Most silkworm strains are susceptible to BmNPV, with only a few highly resistant strains thus far identified. Here we investigated the molecular basis of silkworm resistance to BmNPV using susceptible (the recurrent parent P50) and resistant (near-isogenic line BC9) strains and a combination of iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics, reverse-transcription quantitative PCR and Western blotting. By comparing the proteomes of infected and non-infected P50 and BC9 silkworms, we identified 793 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). By gene ontology and KEGG enrichment analyses, we found that these DEPs are preferentially involved in metabolism, catalytic activity, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism and carbon metabolism. 114 (14.38%) DEPs were associated with the cytoskeleton, immune response, apoptosis, ubiquitination, translation, ion transport, endocytosis and endopeptidase activity. After removing the genetic background and individual immune stress response proteins, we identified 84 DEPs were found that are potentially involved in resistance to BmNPV. Further studies showed that a serine protease was down-regulated in P50 and up-regulated in BC9 after BmNPV infection. Taken together, these results provide insights into the molecular mechanism of silkworm response to BmNPV. Biological significance Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is highly pathogenic, causing serious losses in sericulture every year. However, the molecular mechanisms of BmNPV infection and host defence remain unclear. Here we combined quantitative proteomic, bioinformatics, RT-qPCR and Western blotting analyses and found that BmNPV invasion causes complex protein alterations in the larval midgut, and that these changes are related to cytoskeleton, immune response, apoptosis, ubiquitination, translation, ion transport, endocytosis and endopeptidase activity. Five important differentially expression proteins were validation by independent approaches. These finding will help address the molecular mechanisms of silkworm resistance to BmNPV and provide a molecular target for resisting BmNPV.

Four new diterpenoid alkaloids, nagaconitines A-D (1–4), were isolated from the roots of Aconitum nagarum var. heterotrichum. Their structures were elucidated as 8-(4′-hydroxylbutyryl) aconitine (1), 15-oxo-13-deoxyludaconitine (2), 15-hydroxyldelphisine (3), and 14-hydroxyl-2- acetoxyspiradine C (4) based on extensive UV, IR, MS, 1D NMR and 2D NMR analyses. Compounds 3-4 showed inhibition of cancer cell line SK-OV-3 with 31% (IC50 43.78 μmol/L) and 24% (IC50 32.14 μmol/L), respectively.

The competitive displacement of interfacial proteins, including soy protein isolate (SPI), casein, and modified SPIs (heat, sodium sulfite and succinic anhydride treatment), by Tween 20 was investigated. The structural characteristics of the soy proteins, such as the surface hydrophobicity, exposed free sulfhydryl content and ξ-potential, were analyzed to explore their effects on the protein displacement by Tween 20. The sequence of Tween 20 addition significantly affected the displacement of SPI and casein from the interfaces. The highest degrees of displacement of SPI and casein were 91.04% and 90.67%, respectively, when Tween 20 was added before homogenization. However, the corresponding values became 41.29% and 87.70% when Tween 20 was added after homogenization. The lower level of the latter value was mainly attributed to the fact that SPI formed viscoelastic interfacial films, as confirmed by interfacial rheological property measurements. Although both the ξ-potentials of the SPI emulsions and the mechanical strength of the interfacial protein films decreased due to Tween 20 addition, the physical stability of the emulsions was significantly enhanced. In regard to the modified SPIs, although a high surface hydrophobicity and a low content of exposed free sulfhydryl were associated with low degrees of protein displacement in some cases, the protein charge was the dominant factor affecting the displacement by Tween 20. The emulsion stability of both SPI and the modified SPIs was improved by Tween 20, likely because Tween 20 effectively reduced the hydrophobic interactions between the oil droplets by partially displacing proteins or binding to residual interfacial proteins.

Augmented reality application in product assembly can notably improve the operation efficiency of shop floor workers in training or onsite work. The assembly manual system based on augmented reality technology is more complex than paper manual and virtual three-dimensional manual. This research work introduces a general two stages procedure for application of augmented assembly manual system. The relationship of assembly activities is described and the IDEF0 function diagram for augmented assembly application is presented. A detailed system framework for augmented assembly manual application is proposed and two stand alone experimental systems with file transfer mechanism are developed to instruct and assistant labours in assembly work at shop floor workstations.

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) increases the mortality of patients who suffered from liver cirrhosis, especially patients plagued by severe hypoxemia. Gene polymorphisms are reported to be related to the risk of HPS in cirrhotic patients. Thus, our study aims to elucidate the correlation between MMP-2 and MMP-9 gene polymorphisms and HPS in cirrhotic patients. A total of 152 cirrhotic patients suffering from HPS as well as another 152 cirrhotic patients without HPS were recruited. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was performed for MMP-2 and MMP-9 gene polymorphisms and logistic regression analysis for the relationship between clinicopathological features and HPS occurrence in cirrhotic patients. There were significant differences in genotype and allele frequency of MMP-2 rs243865 and MMP-9 rs3918242 polymorphisms between the HPS and control groups. CC/CT genotype and C allele of MMP-2 rs243865 polymorphism as well as CC/TT genotype and T allele of MMP-9 rs3918242 polymorphism increased the risk of HPS in cirrhotic patients. Genotypes of rs243865 and rs3918242 polymorphisms had remarkable correlations with spider nevi, clubbed fingers (toes), transaminase elevation, portal vein width, esophageal varices, Child-Pugh classification and partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2). Logistic regression analysis showed that rs243865 and rs3918242 polymorphisms, spider nevi, clubbed fingers (toes), esophageal varices, and Child-Pugh classification were closely associated with the occurrence of HPS in cirrhotic patients. Our findings demonstrate that MMP-2 rs243865 polymorphism and MMP-9 rs3918242 polymorphism can increase the risk of HPS occurrence in cirrhotic patients, which provides a potential target for prevention of HPS in cirrhotic patients. Keywords: Matrix metalloproteinase-2, Matrix metalloproteinase-9, Gene polymorphism, Hepatopulmonary syndrome, Cirrhosis

The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters belong to a superfamily of genes involved in the transport of specific molecules across lipid membranes, as well as insecticide resistance, present in all living organisms. In this study, we combined the Cnaphalocrocis medinals transcriptome database with a bioinformatics approach to identify four C. medinals ABCs (CmABCs), including CmABCG1, CmABCG4, CmABCC2 and CmABCC3. Tissue expression analysis showed that these genes had a tissue-specific expression pattern. CmABCG1 had significantly higher expression in the haemolymph and head compared to the other tissues. The expression of CmABCG4, CmABCC2 and CmABCC3 was highest in the midgut, followed by expression in the fat body. The developmental stage expression analysis showed that CmABCG1, CmABCG4, CmABCC2 and CmABCC3 were mainly expressed in adults. The transcription of CmABCG1, CmABCG4 and CmABCC2 was significantly induced by chlorpyrifos. Taken together, the results of our study provided useful information for understanding of the detoxification system of C. medinalis.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a widely-used tool to induce neuroplasticity and modulate cortical function by applying weak direct current over the scalp. In this review, we first introduce the underlying mechanism of action, the brief history from discovery to clinical scientific research, electrode positioning and montages, and parameter setup of tDCS. Then, we review tDCS application in clinical samples including people with drug addiction, major depression disorder, Alzheimer's disease, as well as in children. This review covers the typical characteristics and the underlying neural mechanisms of tDCS treatment in such studies. This is followed by a discussion of safety, especially when the current intensity is increased or the stimulation duration is prolonged. Given such concerns, we provide detailed suggestions regarding safety procedures for tDCS operation. Lastly, future research directions are discussed. They include foci on the development of multi-tech combination with tDCS such as with TMS and fMRI; long-term behavioral and morphological changes; possible applications in other research domains, and more animal research to deepen the understanding of the biological and physiological mechanisms of tDCS stimulation.

Two new kaurane-type diterpenoids, 3α-(angeloyloxy)-17-hydroxy-ent-kaur-15-en-19-oic acid (1) and 3α-(tigloyloxy)-17-hydroxy-ent-kaur-15-en-19-oic acid (2), along with 10 known compounds (3–12) were isolated from the whole plant of Wedelia chinensis (Osbeck.) Merr. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses (UV, IR, MS and NMR) and comparison with literature data. Compounds 3 and 4 showed moderate inhibitory activity against the Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC29213 with MIC50 19.35 and 18.31 μg/mL, respectively.

Deregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been associated with a variety of cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we investigated anomalous miR-613 expression and its possible functional consequences in primary NSCLC samples and NSCLC-derived cell lines. The expression of miR-613 was measured by quantitative RT-PCR in 56 primary NSCLC tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues. The effect of miR-613 up- or down-regulation in NSCLC-derived cells was evaluated in vitro by cell viability and colony formation assays and in vivo by growth assays in xenografted nude mice. Using quantitative RT-PCR, we found that miR-613 was down-regulated in 76.8 % (43/56) of the primary NSCLC tissues tested when compared to the adjacent non-tumor tissues. We also found that the miR-613 mimic used reduced in vitro cell viability and colony formation by inducing cell cycle arrest in NSCLC-derived cells, and inhibited in vivo tumor cell growth in xenografted nude mice. Inversely, we found that the miR-613 inhibitor used increased the viability and colony forming capacity of NSCLC-derived cells and tumor cell growth in xenografted nude mice. In addition, we identified CDK4 as a potential target of miR-613 using in silico Miranda predictions. Subsequent dual-luciferase reporter assays revealed that CDK4 acts as a direct target of miR-613. Concordantly, we found that both miR-613 mimics and inhibitors could decrease and increase CDK4 protein levels in NSCLC-derived cells, respectively. From our results we conclude that miR-613 may act as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC and may serve as a tool for miRNA-based NSCLC therapy.

Design of high quality PDC drill bits is necessary to perform MWD directional drilling for underground coal mine. Relatively deepened analysis was carried out here from the structural parameters to the type selection of cutting teeth of PDC drill bits. φ96 mm matrix-body PDC drill bit for directional drilling was developed followed by field tests, for which four branch holes were dilled. The average drilling speed was 4.12m/h and the total drilling footage was 1001.6m. The experimental results indicate that the deflecting effect as well as the service life of the developed drill bit can completely meet the application requirements.

Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is one of the primary pathogens causing severe economic losses in sericulture. However, the molecular mechanism of silkworm resistance to BmNPV remains largely unknown. Here, the recurrent parent P50 (susceptible strain) and the near-isogenic line BC9 (resistance strain) were used in a comparative transcriptome study examining the response to infection with BmNPV. A total of 14,300 unigenes were obtained from two different resistant strains; of these, 869 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified after comparing the four transcriptomes. Many DEGs associated with protein metabolism, cytoskeleton, and apoptosis may be involved in the host response to BmNPV infection. Moreover, some immunity related genes were also altered following BmNPV infection. Specifically, after removing genetic background and individual immune stress response genes, 22 genes were found to be potentially involved in repressing BmNPV infection. These genes were related to transport, virus replication, intracellular innate immune, and apoptosis. Our study provided an overview of the molecular mechanism of silkworm resistance to BmNPV infection and laid a foundation for controlling BmNPV in the future.