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Advanced antibacterial technologies are needed to counter the rapid emergence of drug-resistant bacteria. Image-guided therapy is one of the most promising strategies for efficiently and accurately curing bacterial infections. Herein, a chemiluminescence (CL)-dynamic/guided antibacteria (CDGA) with multiple reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capacity and chemiexcited near-infrared emission has been designed for the precise theranostics of bacterial infection by employing near-infrared emissive carbon nanodots (CDs) and peroxalate as CL fuels. Mechanistically, hydrogen peroxide generated in the bacterial microenvironment can trigger the chemically initiated electron exchange between CDs and energy-riched intermediate originated from the oxidized peroxalate, enabling bacterial induced inflammation imaging. Meanwhile, type I/II photochemical ROS production and type III ultrafast charge transfer from CDs under the self-illumination can inhibit the bacteria proliferation efficiently. The potential clinical utility of CDGA is further demonstrated in bacteria infected mice trauma model. The self-illuminating CDGA exhibits an excellent in vivo imaging quality in early detecting wound infections and internal inflammation caused by bacteria, and further are proven as efficient broad-spectrum antibacterial nanomedicines without drug-resistance, whose sterilizing rate is up to 99.99%.

Viral infection can lead to serious illness and death around the world, as exemplified by the spread of COVID-19. Using irradiation rays can inactive virions through ionizing and non-ionizing effect. The application of light in viral inactivation and the underlying mechanisms are reviewed by the research group of Dayong Jin from University of Technology Sydney.

In the hydraulic fracturing process of shale reservoir, proppant will embed and deform under the action of high closure stress. Thus, it is necessary to analyze the mechanical process and influencing factors of proppant embedding in shale. This study reproduced rough fracture surface of real rock slabs based on the reverse reconstruction method and obtained the mechanical parameters of the rock slab and proppant. In this study, a numerical model for the elastoplastic deformation of the proppant embedding in the rough fracture surface, along with mechanical test experiments, is proposed. The reliability of the numerical model is verified by the proppant embedding simulation experiment. Based on this model, the process of proppant embedding in a rough fracture under the action of closing stress and the factors influencing the width of supporting fracture were analyzed. The results show that the embedment degree of the proppant is different in different areas of the rough fracture surface. Furthermore, a stress concentration effect is apparent. The proppant embedment becomes significant after the slab enters the plastic deformation stage under high closure stress. The slabs with high roughness and low Young's modulus or proppants with small particle sizes and high Young's moduli result in a smaller width of the propped fracture.

Increasing evidence has shown that circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in the process of cardiac remodeling. CircRNA circ_0036176 originating from the back-splicing of exon 2 to exon4 of myosin IXA (Myo9a) gene was shown to be increased in the myocardium of patients with heart failure (HF) and riched in exosomes from human AC16 cardiomyocytes with overexpression of circ_0036176. Proliferation activity was inhibited in mCFs subjected to exosomal circ_0036176 treatment and in mCFs with overexpression of circ_0036176. Interestingly, circ_0036176 contains an IRES element and an ORF of 627 nt encoding a 208-amino acid protein (termed as Myo9a-208). Myo9a-208 was shown to mediate the inhibitory effect of circ_0036176 on CFs proliferation, and miR-218-5p could inhibit Myo9a-208 expression by binding to circ_0036176, resulting in abolishing the effect of circ_0036176 on inactivating cyclin/Rb signal and suppressing CFs proliferation. Our findings suggest that circ_0036176 inhibits mCFs proliferation by translating Myo9a-208 protein to suppress cyclin/Rb pathway.

Being capable of sensing broadband infrared (IR) light is vitally important for wide-ranging applications from fundamental science to industrial purposes. Two-dimensional (2D) topological semimetals are being extensively explored for broadband IR detection due to their gapless electronic structure and the linear energy dispersion relation. However, the low charge separation efficiency, high noise level, and on-chip integration difficulty of these semimetals significantly hinder their further technological applications. Here, we demonstrate a facile thermal-assisted tellurization route for the van der Waals (vdW) growth of wafer-scale phase-controlled 2D MoTe2 layers. Importantly, the type-II Weyl semimetal 1T′-MoTe2 features a unique orthorhombic lattice structure with a broken inversion symmetry, which ensures efficient carrier transportation and thus reduces the carrier recombination. This characteristic is a key merit for the well-designed 1T′-MoTe2/Si vertical Schottky junction photodetector to achieve excellent performance with an ultrabroadband detection range of up to 10.6 µm and a large room temperature specific detectivity of over 108 Jones in the mid-infrared (MIR) range. Moreover, the large-area synthesis of 2D MoTe2 layers enables the demonstration of high-resolution uncooled MIR imaging capability by using an integrated device array. This work provides a new approach to assembling uncooled IR photodetectors based on 2D materials.

MoS2 nano-films have attracted extensive interest from scientists owing to its unique material properties with adjustable bandgap structure and broad application prospects in electronic and optoelectronic devices. Herein, we report a chemical vapor deposition method based on adjusting the relative position of the molybdenum source and SiO2/Si substrates to control MoO3 concentration adsorbed on the surface of substrate to achieve the controlled growth of monolayer single crystal MoS2 with spatial uniformity and low nucleation density. Moreover, optical microscopy, Raman, photoluminescence, atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscope were employed to characterize the uniformity and crystal quality of the grown monolayer MoS2. The measurement results show that the triangle side length of a single MoS2 film can reach 110 μm. And the I-V switching ratio of the back-gate field effect transistors based on growing MoS2 is 6.3 × 108, which is equivalent or slightly higher than that of other CVD-grown samples. Besides, growth mechanism of MoS2 was further investigated, combining the substrate position with concentration of MoO3 deposited on the surface of substrate. This work is of great benefit to the controlled growth of other two-dimensional materials and uniform performance of multiple electronic array devices.

3D mesh segmentation is a challenging problem in computer graphics, computer vision, and multimedia. In this paper, we cast mesh segmentation as a L0 minimization problem using random walks and L0 norm. In random walks method, the probabilities of random walks change smoothly over the whole model, which may lead to inaccurate segmentation boundaries. To attain a perception-aware result, the changes of probabilities should comply with mesh geometry. That is, the changes of probabilities near region boundaries should be more drastic than those inside the regions. Therefore, we introduce a L0 constraint to reflect the sparsity of probability changes, and identify region boundaries more precisely. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is effective, robust, and outperforms the state-of-the-art methods on various 3D meshes.

Increasing evidence has shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) participate in cardiac fibrosis. We aimed to elucidate the effect of miRNA miR-25-3p on cardiac fibrosis. MiRNA microarray was used to profile miRNAs in the myocardium of angiotensin-II (Ang-II)-infused mice. Effect of miR-25-3p on expression of fibrosis-related genes, including Col1a1, Col3a1, and Acta2, was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. MiR-25-3p was shown increased in the myocardium of Ang-II-infused mice and patients with heart failure. MiR-25-3p enhanced fibrosis-related gene expression in mouse cardiac fibroblasts (mCFs) and in the myocardium of Ang-II-infused mice. Dickkopf 3 (Dkk3) was identified as a target gene of miR-25-3p, and Dkk3 could ameliorate Smad3 activation and fibrosis-related gene expression via enhancing Smad7 expression in mCFs. Additionally, NF-κB signal was proven to mediate upregulation of miR-25-3p in cardiac fibrosis. Our findings suggest that miR-25-3p enhances cardiac fibrosis by suppressing Dkk3 to activate Smad3 and fibrosis-related gene expression.

Phosphorescent carbon nanodots (CNDs) have generated enormous interest recently, and the CND phosphorescence is usually located in the visible region, while ultraviolet (UV) phosphorescent CNDs have not been reported thus far. Herein, the UV phosphorescence of CNDs was achieved by decreasing conjugation size and in-situ spatial confinement in a NaCNO crystal. The electron transition from the px to the sp2 orbit of the N atoms within the CNDs can generate one-unit orbital angular momentum, providing a driving force for the triplet excitons population of the CNDs. The confinement caused by the NaCNO crystal reduces the energy dissipation paths of the generated triplet excitons. By further tailoring the size of the CNDs, the phosphorescence wavelength can be tuned to 348 nm, and the room temperature lifetime of the CNDs can reach 15.8 ms. As a demonstration, the UV phosphorescent CNDs were used for inactivating gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria through the emission of their high-energy photons over a long duration, and the resulting antibacterial efficiency reached over 99.9%. This work provides a rational design strategy for UV phosphorescent CNDs and demonstrates their novel antibacterial applications.

In order to further promote the optimization of the rural settlement pattern in the plateau and mountainous multi-ethnic gathering areas, and provide a basis for the protection and development of plateau mountainous ethnic settlements in the new period, the landscape pattern index method and ArcGIS spatial analysis method were used to quantitatively analyze the horizontal and vertical spatial distribution characteristics of rural settlements and their influencing factors in the multi-ethnic gathering area of the plateau and mountainous areas based on the 2017 remote sensing digital image data. The results show that: (1) The overall rural settlements in Longyang District on the horizontal space pattern show a small scale. The Han, Yi, Bai and Dai village settlements are mainly small settlements and small settlements. The Bai people are mainly medium-sized settlements. Their present the characteristics of cluster distribution. The Yi ethnic group has the highest degree of aggregation, and the Dai ethnic group has the lowest degree of aggregation. The spatial distribution and aggregation of different ethnic groups have significant differences in the level of spatial distribution. (2) Affected by geographical conditions on the vertical gradient, the settlements have a normal distribution overall, and the Bai settlements are the most obvious. (3) The spatial distribution characteristics of rural settlements in Longyang District are related to terrain, water system, transportation, and urban built-up areas, but there are certain differences between different ethnic groups. The optimization of the rural settlement pattern in the multi-ethnic gathering areas of the plateau and mountains should be based on different terrain conditions and different national cultures to suit local conditions, ensure ecological security, and promote national unity.

While deltas fed by seasonal rivers are common in modern sedimentary environments, their characteristics remain unclear as compared to those fed by perennial rivers. This study identifies a small delta discharged by a seasonal stream flowing into Daihai Lake, in northern China, which is driven by ephemeral and high-energy flood events. Detailed 3D facies architecture was analyzed using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and sedimentary logs from outcrop and trenches. Four types of radar surfaces, including truncations of underlying inclined strata, weak reflections, and depositional surface of downlap and onlap, were identified. Six radar facies (high-angle oblique-tangential, low-angle subparallel, gently plane parallel, plane-parallel, chaotic, and continuous strong reflection) were identified based on distinctive reflections, including amplitude, continuity, dip, and termination patterns. Five depositional units (Unit A to E) were documented from proximal to distal delta. Seasonal discharge signatures include significant grain-size decrease over short distance, abundant Froude supercritical flow sedimentary structures, poorly developed barforms, and small-scale scour and fill structures. Records of lake-level and sediment budget were evaluated over the past 60 years. In highstand stage (1960–1980), amalgamated channel (Units A and B), and delta front (Unit C) were deposited. In slope stage (1980–1996), the lower deposits (Units A, B, C) were eroded by Unit D with a distinct truncation surface. In lowstand stage, most eroded sediments bypassed the incised channel and accumulated in the distal part, in which a new depositional unit was formed (Unit E). The model demonstrates that deltas fed by seasonal rivers tend to accumulate large amounts of sediments carried by high magnitude floods within short periods.

An efficient Cr(VI) adsorbent, mesoporous amine-functionalized silica (NH-SiO2), was successfully synthesized within 2 h by a facile one-step route under room temperature and aqueous solution. The structure properties of the obtained materials were characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm, XRD, TEM, and FT-IR. The Cr(VI) removal performance was investigated by batch experiment. It was found that Cr(VI) removal performance was dependent on solution pH, and the removal efficiency is above 90% for initial pH in the range of 1.0–4.0. The adsorption process was obeyed by pseudo-second-order model, and the equilibrium adsorption data were fitted well by Langmuir model. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacity was 205.76 mg/g at pH 2.0, which was larger than that of traditional two-step tri-amine-functionalized MCM-41. Additionally, high selectivity was exhibited in NH-SiO2 for removal Cr(VI) from co-presence anions Cl−, NO3−, PO43−, SO42−, and SiO32−. Furthermore, the spent NH-SiO2 could be regenerated by 0.005 M NaOH, and Cr(VI) removal is above 92% after NH-SiO2 recycled four. From the analyzed results of adsorption energy, FT-IR, and XPS, the electrostatic attraction between protonated amine group and HCrO4− was the mainly adsorption mechanism. And then some adsorbed Cr(VI) was reduced to low toxicity Cr(III) on the adsorbent surface by electron transfer from nitrogen in –NBr group to Cr(VI).

A novel series of benzo[d]thiazole-2-carboxamide derivatives have been de novo designed based on virtual screening methods. The target compounds were synthesized and evaluated for the cytotoxicity against epidermal growth factor receptor high-expressed cancer cell lines (A549, HeLa, and SW480), epidermal growth factor receptor low-expressed cell line (HepG2) and human liver normal cell line (HL7702). Several target compounds have showed moderate to excellent potency against A549, HeLa, and SW480 and weak cytotoxic effects against HepG2, which implies they are probably epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors. And scarcely did they exhibit any activities against HL7702, which signifies they are likely to overcome the nonspecific toxicity against normal cells. Especially, the compound 6-[2-(diethylamino)-2-oxoethoxy]-N-(furan-2-ylmethyl)benzo[d]thiazole-2-carboxamide (6i) was identified as a promising agent, exhibiting the most potent cytotoxic activities with IC50 values of 4.05, 12.17, 6.76 μM against the A549, HeLa, and SW480 cell lines, respectively.

Sedimentary characteristics and genesis of a sandy, topset-dominated braided river delta from Huangqihai Lake were investigated using trenching and a ground penetrating radar survey. Ten lithofacies types were identified with assistance of grain size distribution to record a broad range of depositional processes within an overall coarsening upward sequence. Four distinct architectural elements, including channel fill, compound bar, sand sheet, and river mouth bar, built up this delta. No obvious foreset can be identified in this braided river delta. A gentle slope (0.2°) and shallow basin (

Background Medical thoracoscopy is considered an overall safe procedure, whereas numbers of studies focus on complications of diagnostic thoracoscopy and talc poudrage pleurodesis. We conduct this study to evaluate the safety of medical thoracoscopy in the management of pleural diseases and to compare complications in different therapeutic thoracoscopic procedures. Methods A retrospective study was performed in 1926 patients, 662 of whom underwent medical thoracoscopy for diagnosis and 1264 of whom for therapeutic interventions of pleural diseases. Data on complications were obtained from the patients, notes on computer system, laboratory and radiographic findings. Chi-square test was performed to compare categorical variables and Fisher’s exact test was used for small samples. Results The mean age was 51 ± 8.4 (range 21–86) years and 1117 (58%) were males. Diagnostic procedure was taken in 662 (34.4%) patients, whereas therapeutic procedure was taken in 1264 (65.6%) patients. Malignant histology was reported in 860 (44.6%) and 986 (51.2%) revealed benign pleural diseases. Eighty patients (4.2%) were not definitely diagnosed and they were considered as unidentified pleural effusion. One patient died during the creation of artificial pneumothorax, and the causes of death were supposed as air embolism or an inhibition of phrenic motoneurons and circulatory system. Complication of lung laceration was found in six patients (0.3%) and reexpansion pulmonary edema was observed in two patients (0.1%). Higher incidence of prolonged air leak was observed in bulla electrocoagulation group, in comparison with pleurodesis group. Moreover, pain and fever were the most frequently complications in pleurodesis group and cutaneous infection in entry site was the most frequently reported complication in pleural decortication of empyema group. Conclusions Medical thoracoscopy is generally a safe and effective method, not only in the diagnosis of undiagnosed pleural effusions, but also in the management of pleural diseases. Mastering medical thoracoscopy well, improving patient management after the procedure and attempts to reduce the occurrence of post-procedural complications are the targets that physicians are supposed to achieve in the future.

Ground-penetrating radar and trenching studies of a barrier spit on the north shore of Huangqihai Lake were made, that reveal important implications for the coastal washover barrier boundary hierarchy and interpretations of this depositional record. A four-fold hierarchy bounding-surface model, representing different levels of impact and genesis, is defined. Each level of the hierarchy is enclosed by a distinct kind of surface characterized by different ground-penetrating radar reflection features, sedimentary characteristics (color, grain size, sorting, rounding and sedimentary structures) and origin. We suggest that this hierarchical model can be applied to any coastal washover barrier deposits.

The L-type calcium channel (LCC) plays a regulatory role in various physical and pathological processes. In the vasculature, LCCs mediate agonist-induced vascular smooth muscle contraction. However, whether LCC-mediated vessel responses to certain vasoconstrictors vary among species remains unclear. The coronary arteries were dissected from the hearts of rats and mice. Coronary arterial ring contraction was measured using the Multi Myograph system. High K+ (60 mM)-induced coronary artery contractions were stronger in rats than in mice, whereas CaCl2-induced contraction curves did not differ significantly between the two groups. Endothelin-1, U46619 (thromboxane A2 receptor agonist), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) induced concentration-dependent vasoconstriction of coronary arterial rings in rats and mice. The vessel rings of mice were more sensitive to ET-1 and U46619 and less sensitive to 5-HT than those of rats. The LCC blocker nifedipine significantly inhibited coronary artery contractions induced by ET-1, U46619, and 5-HT. The inhibitory effect of 1 μM nifedipine on ET-1- and 5-HT-induced coronary artery contractions was stronger in mice than in rats, whereas its effect on U46619-induced vessel contractions was weaker in mice than in rats. The 5-HT2A receptor and LCC mRNA levels were higher in the coronary arteries of rats than in those of mice, whereas the expressions of the ETA and TXA2 receptors and Orai1 mRNA levels were comparable between the two groups. LCC plays an important role in coronary arterial contraction. Rats and mice show different responses to vasoconstrictors and LCC blockers, suggesting that the coronary arteries of rats and mice have different biological characteristics.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS), is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system that leads to chronic demyelination with axonal damage and neuronal loss. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a promising therapeutic approach for MS. In the current study, we investigated the effects of MSCs derived from the human umbilical cord (UCMSC) transfected by sphingosine kinase 1 (SPK1) gene. All the results showed that transplantation of UCMSCs gene modified by SPK1 (UCMSC-SPK1) dramatically reduce the severity of neurological deficits of the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice, paralleling by reductions in demyelination, axonal loss, and astrogliosis. UCMSC-SPK1 transplantation also could inhibit the development of natural killer (NK) responses in the spleen of EAE mice, and increase the ratio of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ (Treg) T cells. Furthermore, we described that a shift in the cytokine response from Th1/Th17 to Th2 was an underlying mechanism that suppressed CNS autoimmunity. UCMSCs transfected by SPK1 gene potentially offer a novel mode for the treatment of MS, and the specific mechanism of SPK1 in treating MS/EAE.

The molecular mechanisms underlying anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity have not been well elucidated. MiRNAs were revealed dysregulated in the myocardium and plasma of rats received Dox treatment. MicroRNA-34a-5p (miR-34a-5p) was verified increased in the myocardium and plasma of Dox-treated rats, but was reversed in rats received Dox plus DEX treatments. Human miR-34a-5p was also observed increased in the plasma of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma after 9- and 16-week epirubicin therapy. Up-regulation of miR-34a-5p was observed in Dox-induced rat cardiomyocyte H9c2 cells. MiR-34a-5p could augment Bax expression, but inhibited Bcl-2 expression, along with the increases of the activated caspase-3 and mitochondrial potentials in H9C2 cells. MiR-34a-5p was verified to modulate Sirt1 expression post-transcriptionally. In parallel to Sirt1 siRNA, miR-34a-5p could enhance p66shc expression, accompanied by increases of Bax and the activated caspase-3 and a decrease of Bcl-2 in H9c2 cells. Moreover, enforced expression of Sirt1 alleviated Dox-induced apoptosis of H9c2 cells, with suppressing levels of p66shc, Bax, the activated caspase-3 and miR-34a-5p, and enhancing Bcl-2 expression. Therefore, miR-34a-5p enhances cardiomyocyte apoptosis by targeting Sirt1, activation of miR-34a-5p/Sirt1/p66shc pathway contributes to Dox-induced cardiotoxicity, and blockage of this pathway represents a potential cardioprotective effect against anthracyclines.

Determining the origin of beach ridges in lacustrine basins can often be problematic. The sedimentary processes responsible for formation of beach ridges on the north shore of Huangqihai Lake were investigated by using ground penetrating radar (GPR). A 400 MHz GPR antenna was used to achieve a high vertical resolution of 0.04–0.08 m. The radar stratigraphy was then determined using principles of seismic stratigraphy. The radar facies (RF) were determined by analyzing internal configuration and continuity of reflections, as well as reflection termination patterns.

Thermal decomposition of e-hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (HNIW) was studied by thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry-mass spectrometry-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-DSC-MS-FTIR) simultaneous analysis. It has been shown that there is a crystal transition point for e-HNIW, and only a single decomposition process has been observed for HNIW. The kinetic parameters of thermal decomposition of HNIW were obtained by Kissinger and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa methods, indicating that HNIW has the higher reactivity compared to the other nitramines. The HNIW decomposition mechanism demonstrated by the non-isothermal kinetics conformed to Avrami-Erofeev equation with the factor of nucleus growth of n=1/3 and the conversion degree of α from 0.1 to 0.7. The MS and FTIR analyses indicated that the thermal decomposition of HNIW favors N-N bond cleavage over C-N bond cleavage as the rate determining step.

A kind of ceramic slurry was prepared and sprayed onto the surface of 9Ni steel at room temperature. The coating layer will not only reduce the depth of the formed Ni-enriched entanglement at high temperature but also have an excellent ability to resist oxidation of the 9Ni steel. Compared to bare specimen, the depths of the entanglement of the coated 9Ni specimen could be successfully reduced by 74.1% and the oxidation loss be decreased by 62.3% by heating at 1 250 degrees C for 60min. In addition, the coated specimen indicates no trace of oxide pegs. It proves that the coating has outstanding improvement to internal oxidation resistance. Some characterization methods such as metalloscopy, XRD, XPS, SEM and EDX have been used to reveal a possible protective mechanism. The result shows that the coating layer reacts with the iron oxide to form MgFe2O4 on the surface of the coated specimen, which could provide a smaller diffusion coefficient rate of Fe ion. The coating with a low cost and easy implementation is promisingly applicable in the slab-reheating process of the 9Ni steel.

Cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) is an important enzyme with multiple functions in starch utilization. In the present study, a fermentation process for the production of CGTase from Escherichia coli harboring the recombinant plasmid pET28b(+)-CGTase was investigated and optimized. The optimal fermentation and expression conditions were 10.0 g/L glycerol, 20.0 g/L tryptone, and 10.0 g/L yeast extract with an initial pH of 7.0, an IPTG concentration of 0.1 mM and an induction temperature of 28 °C for 10 h. The resulting CGTase activity reached up to 36.4 U/L and was 2.1-fold higher than before optimization. Under these optimal fermentation conditions, the up-scaled fermentation was carried out in a 500-L fermentor, and a CGTase activity of 45.2 U/L was achieved. This study provides a foundation for the industrial production of CGTase.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in regulating gene expression in diverse biological and pathological processes. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism underlying the modulation of circRNA_000203 on expressions of fibrosis-associated genes in cardiac fibroblasts. CircRNA_000203 was shown upregulated in the diabetic mouse myocardium and in Ang-II-induced mouse cardiac fibroblasts. Enforced-expression of circRNA_000203 could increase expressions of Col1a2, Col3a1 and α-SMA in mouse cardiac fibroblasts. RNA pull-down and RT-qPCR assay indicated that circRNA_000203 could specifically sponge miR-26b-5p. Dual luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR-26b-5p interacted with 3′UTRs of Col1a2 and CTGF, and circ_000203 could block the interactions of miR-26b-5p and 3′UTRs of Col1a2 and CTGF. Transfection of miR-26b-5p could post-transcriptionaly inhibit expressions of Col1a2 and CTGF, accompanied with the suppressions of Col3a1 and α-SMA in cardiac fibroblasts. Additionally, over-expression of circRNA_000203 could eliminate the anti-fibrosis effect of miR-26b-5p in cardiac fibroblasts. Together, our results reveal that suppressing the function of miR-26b-5p contributes to the pro-fibrosis effect of circRNA_000203 in cardiac fibroblasts.

Atmospheric turbulence and platform vibration in the space optical communication can cause the offset and jitter of beam, which further result in the fluctuations of received optical power. To resist this effect, a communication system with fine tracking systems in the receiver and transmitter is designed. The system is used in the experiment of laser communication between high-rise buildings over a distance of 3.5 km. After adding a vibration source to the transmitter, the centroids of spots captured by the camera of the transmitter and the optical power of receiver are recorded for the purpose of analysis. When the vibration source works at the designated frequency, a peak appears at the corresponding frequency in the spectrum of the spot centroids and the optical power of receiver. Then the peak disappears once the fine tracking system begins to work. Compared with the condition without the fine tracking system, the minimum value of the optical power of receiver is increased by 5 dB, and the standard deviation is decreased by 30%.

A detailed study of sedimentology and stratigraphic evolution of the fan delta at the Sikeshu section in the southern edge of the Junggar basin was conducted. The fan delta of the Badaowan formation is exposed continuously along the cross section, which shows the stratigraphic and geographic distribution of channel complexes, channel conglomerates and coarse sandstones; flood plain mudstones and thin coal seams, and lacustrine mudstones. Eventually, a fan delta sedimentary model has been established based on the reconstruction of sedimentary characteristics. Based on dissection of the section, channel sand bodies can be divided into three types: amalgamated, transitional, and isolated, which correspond to the origin of braided channels, braided channels transforming into distributary channels (transformation part), and distributary channels respectively. The width (W), thickness (T), and width/thickness ratio (W/T) dimensions of the three types of channel sand bodies were measured in the field. The width, thickness, and width/thickness ratio gradually decrease from amalgamated to isolated sand bodies. The characteristics, sedimentology genesis, and variation of sand bodies are controlled by the variation of base-level cycles and their relevant position. The dimensions of channel sand bodies are proportionate to accommodation/sediment supply (A/S) ratio inversely, which the dimensions decrease with the increase in the A/S ratio. Moreover, the proportion, thickness, connectivity, grain size, and dimensions of channel sand bodies decrease in accompany with the rise of base level.

Diabetic patients continue to develop inflammation and cardiovascular complication even after achieving glycemic control, suggesting a "metabolic memory". Metabolic memory is a major challenge in the treatment of diabetic complication, and the mechanisms underlying metabolic memory are not clear. Recent studies suggest a link between chromatin histone methylation and metabolic memory. In this study, we tested whether histone 3 lysine-9 tri-methylation (H3K9me3), a key epigenetic chromatin marker, was involved in high glucose (HG)-induced inflammation and metabolic memory. Incubating cardiomyocyte cells in HG resulted in increased levels of inflammatory cytokine IL-6 mRNA when compared with myocytes incubated in normal culture media, whereas mannitol (osmotic control) has no effect. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays showed that H3K9me3 levels were significantly decreased at the promoters of IL-6. Immunoblotting demonstrated that protein levels of the H3K9me3 methyltransferase, Suv39h1, were also reduced after HG treatment. HG-induced apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction and cytochrome-c release were reversible. However, the effects of HG on the expression of IL-6 and the levels of H3K9me3 were irreversible after the removal of HG from the culture. These results suggest that HG-induced sustained inflammatory phenotype and epigenetic histone modification, rather than HG-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis, are main mechanisms responsible for metabolic memory. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that HG increases expression of inflammatory cytokine and decreases the levels of histone-3 methylation at the cytokine promoter, and suggest that modulating histone 3 methylation and inflammatory cytokine expression may be a useful strategy to prevent metabolic memory and cardiomyopathy in diabetic patients.

The pseudo-tumoral expansion of fibroblast-like synoviocytes is a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and targeting rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RAFLSs) may have therapeutic potentials in this disease. Andrographolide, a diterpenoid compound isolated from the herb Andrographis paniculata, has been reported to have potent anti-inflammatory activity. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of andrographolide on human RAFLSs and the underlying molecular mechanism(s). RAFLSs were isolated from patients with RA and treated with or without various concentrations (i.e., 10, 20, and 30 μM) of andrographolide for 48 h. 3-[4,5-Dimethyl-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay revealed that andrographolide treatment decreased the proliferation of RAFLSs in a dose-dependent manner. Cell cycle analysis using propidium iodide (PI) staining showed a G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in andrographolide-treated RAFLSs. Immunoblotting analysis of key cell cycle regulators demonstrated that andrographolide treatment caused a dose-dependent increase in the expression of cell-cycle inhibitors p21 and p27 and a concomitant reduction of cyclin-dependent kinase 4. Exposure to andrographolide-induced apoptosis of RAFLSs measured by annexin V/PI double staining, which was coupled with promotion of cytochrome C release from mitochondria and activation of caspase-3. Moreover, andrographolide-treated RAFLSs displayed a significant decrease in the Bcl-2/Bax ratio compared to untreated cells. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that andrographolide exerts anti-growth and pro-apoptotic effects on RAFLSs, thus may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of RA.

C-kit-positive neonatal cardiomyocytes (NCMs) contribute to myocardial regeneration. However, the myocardium itself cannot give rise to a robust regenerative response owing to the limited numbers of c-kit-positive resident stem cells present in the heart. It has been shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can enhance cardiac repair via the release of paracrine factors such as insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). We investigated whether the increased expression of c-kit in NCMs mediates the beneficial effects of MSCs on cardiac repair. MSCs and NCMs were prepared from Lewis rats and co-cultured in a Transwell system, which allowed the diffusion of secreted factors but prevented cell contact between the two cell types. The proliferation of NCMs was determined by BrdU assay. The expression of c-kit was assessed by real-time PCR and flow cytometry. The apoptosis rate of NCMs in response to hypoxia was determined by flow cytometry. We found that the expression of c-kit in NCMs was increased by paracrine factors released by MSCs. The effect of paracrine factors on c-kit expression was attenuated by IGF-1 receptor-neutralizing antibody. Furthermore, we found that increased c-kit expression requires IGF-1 receptor activation via the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/Akt-mediated pathway. These findings provide a new paradigm for the biological effects of IGF-1 and have significant implications for understanding the beneficial effects of MSCs on myocardial regeneration.

The RNA interference (RNAi) technique has been widely used in gene function studies. It is typical to screen for effective siRNAs by knocking down targeted genes since a single gene can be suppressed by several siRNAs to varying degrees. The miRNA-based short hairpin RNA (shRNA) is a natural inducer of RNAi and has been used in siRNA expression strategies. We investigated the potential application of multiple putative microRNA-based shRNAs for gene silencing and studied the inhibition effi- ciency of exogenous GFP and firefly luciferase (luc) by triple human mir155-based shRNA expression vectors. A total of three candidate siRNA sequences targeted against GFP or luc were selected based on an online prediction program. Single and triple miRNA-155-based shRNAs targeted against GFP or luc were transfected into HEK293 cells mediated by the pcDNA3 vector with an RNA polymerase II-type CMV (cytomegalovirus) promoter. Comparisons with negative control shRNAs revealed that GFP levels were markedly reduced by the triple miRNA-155-based GFP shRNA by fluorescent microscopy. Consistent results from the dual luciferase assay and real-time quantitative RT-PCR revealed that the triple miRNA-155-based GFP shRNA significantly suppressed GFP expression (P \ 0.01), with- out significant differences from the most effective single miRNA-155-based GFP shRNA (P ( 0.05). Results from the dual luciferase assay and real-time quantitative RT-PCR revealed that the triple miRNA-155-based luc shRNA sig- nificantly suppressed luc expression as the most effective single miRNA-155-based luc shRNA (P \ 0.05). These studies demonstrated the gene silencing efficiency mediated by the triple putative miRNA-155-based shRNAs. This suggested that multiple miRNA-based shRNAs are quick and valuable strategies for gene silencing.

To screen for effective small interference RNA (siRNA), a simple and visualized method was developed using the green fluorescence protein (GFP) as a reporter. Candidate siRNAs targeting macrophage migration inhibition factor genes (MIF) were identified. By using the pEGFP-N3 vector, the MIF-GFP expression plasmid, pEGFP-MIF, was constructed with the same Kozak consensus translation initiation site and start code ATG for the MIF-EGFP coding sequence. Based on the siRNA expression vector pSilencer-4.1, 3 candidate MIF siRNA expression plasmids were constructed and co-transfected with the pEGFP-MIF into the HEK293 cells, respectively. The GFP expression in HEK293 cells could be viewed by fluorescence microscopy and the MIF mRNA expressions were determined by real-time quantitative PCR. The 3 candidate MIF siRNA expression plasmids were also co-transfected with the MIF expression plasmid into the HEK293 cells, respectively, and the MIF mRNA expressions were determined by real-time quantitative PCR. The results show that the down-regulated expression of the MIF mRNA was consistent with the GFP expression and the same effective MIF siRNAs were screened by using the pEGFP-MIF or MIF expression plasmid with the candidate MIF siRNAs expression plasmids. Therefore, by using the GFP as a reporter, a useful method was provided to screen for effective siRNAs targeting specific genes co-expressed with the GFP. This may be a good strategy for screening for effective siRNAs targeting different genes.

High-yield cultivars are characterized by erect leaf canopies that optimize photosynthesis and thus favor increased biomass. Upward curling of the leaf blade (called rolled leaf) can result in enhanced erect-leaf habit, increase erect duration and promote an overall erect leaf canopy. The rice mutant R05, induced through transferred DNA (T-DNA) insertion, had the rolled-leaf trait. The leaves in the wild type demonstrated natural drooping tendencies, resulting in decreasing leaf erection indices (LEIs) during senescence at the 20th day after flowering. Conversely, LEIs of the leaves in R05 remained high, even 20-day post-flowering. We applied T-DNA tagging and isolated a rolled-leaf gene from rice which, when over-expressed, could induce upward curling of the leaf blade. This gene encodes for a protein of 1,048 amino acids including the PAZ and PIWI conserved domains, belonging to the Argonaute (AGO) family. There are at least 18 members of the AGO family in rice. According to high-sequence conservation, the rolled-leaf gene in rice could be orthologous to the Arabidopsis ZIP/Ago7 gene, so we called it OsAGO7. These results provide a possible opportunity for implementing OsAGO7 gene in crop improvement.