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Inflammation is a critical player in the development and progression of colon cancer. Basic leucine zipper transcription factor ATF-like 3 (BATF3) plays an important role in infection and tumor immunity through regulating the development of conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s). However, the function of BATF3 in colitis and colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC) remains unclear. Here, BATF3 wild-type and knockout mice were used to construct an AOM/DSS-induced CAC model. In addition, DSS-induced chronic colitis, bone marrow cross-transfusion (BMT), neutrophil knockout, and other animal models were used for in-depth research. We found that BATF3 deficiency in intestinal epithelial cells rather than in cDC1s inhibited CAC, which was depended on inflammatory stimulation. Mechanistically, BATF3 directly promoted transcription of CXCL5 by forming a heterodimer with JunD, and accelerated the recruitment of neutrophils through the CXCL5-CXCR2 axis, ultimately increasing the occurrence and development of CAC. Tissue microarray and TCGA data also indicated that high expression of BATF3 was positively correlated with poor prognosis of colorectal cancer and other inflammation-related tumors. In summary, our results demonstrate that intestinal epithelial-derived BATF3 relies on inflammatory stimulation to promote CAC, and BATF3 is expected to be a novel diagnostic indicator for colitis and CAC.

Cu doped SiC nanopowders have been prepared via combustion synthesis, using silicon powder and carbon black as the raw materials, copper powder as the doping source and polytetrafluoroethylene as the chemical activator respectively. The microstructure of prepared nanopowders has been characterised by X-ray diffraction and scanning electronic microscope. The electric permittivities of prepared SiC nanopowders in the frequency range of 8·2–12·4 GHz have been determined. Results show that prepared ß-SiC nanopowders have fine spherical particles and narrow particle size distribution, and a quantity of SiC whisker increases with increasing Cu doping content. The Cu3Si impurity has been generated when Cu content is up to 10%. The ß-SiC doped with 10% Cu has the highest real part ?' and dielectric loss tandvalues. The 5% Cu doped SiC nanopowder with matching thickness of 2 or 2·5 mm exhibits the best microwave absorption properties in the frequency range of 8·2–12·4 GHz.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) techniques have been studied in label-free immunosensors for direct detection of bacteria. However, there is a lack of comparative investigations on SPR and QCM immunosensors. In this study, SPR and QCM immunosensors were compared for their applications in bacterial detection using Escherichia coli O157:H7 as a model pathogen. In both immunosensors, affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies were used as capture antibodies and Protein A method was used for antibody immobilization. The stepwise assembly of the immunosensors was characterized by SPR, QCM, and cyclic voltammetry. Both SPR and QCM could detect E. coli O157:H7 in 1 h with detection ranges of 105 to 108 and 106 to 108 CFU/mL, respectively. QCM was more sensitive than SPR in terms of both detection limit and signal-to-noise ratio. For both immunosensors, no significant interference was found from brain heart infusion (BHI) broth or Salmonella Typhimurium. The binding efficiency of the QCM immunosensor at 105 to 108 CFU/mL was found to be 95.9% to 2.9%, decreasing with increasing cell concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary. Taurine has beneficial effects on lipid metabolism in experimental animals fed with high-cholesterol or high fat diets. Whether taurine benefits lipid metabolism in humans has rarely been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of taurine on serum lipids in overweight or obese young adults. Thirty college students (age: 20.3±1.7 years) with a body mass index (BMI) =25.0?kg/m 2, and with no evidence of diabetes mellitus were selected and assigned to either the taurine group (n=15) or the placebo group (n=15) by double-blind randomization. Taurine 3?g/day or placebo was taken orally for 7 weeks. Triacylglycerol (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and plasma glucose were measured before and after supplementation. The atherogenic index (AI) was calculated as (TC-HDL-C)/HDL-C. There were no differences in any baseline parameter between the two groups. Taurine supplementation decreased TG and AI significantly. Body weight also reduced significantly in the taurine group. These results suggest that taurine produces a beneficial effect on lipid metabolism and may have an important role in cardiovascular disease prevention in overweight or obese subjects.