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In the field of image segmentation in industrial production. When using depth neural network to extract features from image information. Deep neural network can not effectively use the feature information between different levels. The accuracy of image semantic segmentation is damaged. To solve this problem, we present an image semantic segmentation with hierarchical feature fusion based on deep neural network (ISHF). It can be widely used in image perception and recognition of various living and industrial backgrounds. This algorithm uses convolution structure to extract the shallow low-level features with pixel level and the deep semantic features with image level, fully obtaining the hidden feature information in the shallow low-level features and deep semantic features. Then, after thinning the shallow low-level feature information by up-sampling operation, all feature information is merged and fused. Finally, the image semantic segmentation of hierarchical feature fusion is realised. Experimental results shows that our proposed method not only get better performance of image semantic segmentation, but also achieve faster running speed than SegNet, PSPNet, and DeepLabV3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current ecological study aims to explore the association between dietary factors and hydatidiform mole (HM) incidence in Japan and China. HM incidence in Japan gradually declined from 1970s to 1990s, while the dietary structure also changed during the same period, mainly characterized by a decrease in the consumption of cereals and an increase in the consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products. In China, HM incidence varied by regions, and it positively correlated with the per capita intake of rice, fish and shrimp, and animal fat, as well as the proportion of GDP of primary industry; and negatively correlated with the per capita intake of wheat flour, starch and sugar, protein, and iron, and the proportion of protein in the caloric nutrients and the proportion of nonagricultural population. In partial analysis, the correlations of HM incidence with rice, fish and shrimp, iron, and the proportion of protein in caloric nutrients remained significant. Meanwhile, alcoholic beverage consumption and the proportion of empty calories in caloric food were also found to be positively correlated with HM incidence, while phosphorus consumption was negatively correlated. Our results suggested that HM incidence could be influenced by dietary factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant cancer in the world, which greatly threatens human health. However, the routine treatment strategies for HCC have failed to specifically eradicate the tumorigenic cells, leading to the occurrence of metastasis and recurrence. To improve treatment efficacies, the development of novel effective technologies is urgently required. Recently, nanotechnologies have gained the extensive attention in cancer targeted therapy, which could provide a promising way for HCC clinical practice. However, a successful cancer management depends on accurate diagnosis of the tumour along with precise therapeutic protocol, thereby predicting the tumour response to existing therapies. The synergistic effect of targeted therapeutic systems and imaging approaches (also called 'imaging-guided cancer treatment') may establish a more effective platform for individual cancer care. This review outlines the recent advanced nano-targeted and -traceable therapeutic strategies for HCC management. The multifunctional nano agents that have both diagnosis and therapy abilities are highlighted. Finally, we conclude with our perspectives on the future development and challenges of HCC nanotheranostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel cyclohexanone-monocyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol (C-MPAP) derivatives, named norgarmultinones A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the fruits of Garcinia multiflora. Their structures were clarified by NMR, HRESIMS and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Compound 2 is the first example of naturally occurring C-MPAPs containing tetrahydropyran moiety by the cyclization of an enolic hydroxyl with an isogeranyl side chain. The reasonable biosynthetic routes of 1 and 2 were also put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A risk monitoring method based on normal region estimation (NRE) is systematically proposed for the actual situation of the lack of fault data in the condition identification and monitoring of railway vehicle bearings. First, the basic concept of normal domain theory is expounded, and the formal expression of normal domain is given. Secondly, the academic thoughts and implementation steps of risk monitoring based on NRE are summarized. Then, two algorithms based on convex hull and support vector data description (SVDD) are proposed respectively to solve the core problem of boundary estimation. Finally, the rolling-bearing vibration acceleration data was used for the experiment, and the performance of the two algorithms is compared. The results show that both algorithms are effective. In contrast, the convex hull algorithm is faster, and the SVDD algorithm is smoother and more flexible. In practical applications, the two algorithms can be selected according to different requirements of real time and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a sensitive method for the determination of 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol (3-MCPD) by high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) was established, in which 9-(2-Hydroxypropyl) adenine (HP-Ade) was selected as the fluorescent derivatization reagent because of its good water solubility and hydrophobicity. The principle of the method lies in the origination of chloroacetaldehyde with the periodate oxidation of 3-MCPD and its' fluorescence derivatization by HP-Ade to produce a strong fluorescent substance, name as 1-N6-vinylidene-9-(2-hydroxypropyl)adenine (ε-HP-Ade), used for quantitative determination of 3-MCPD by HPLC-FLD. Some mobile phase conditions and incubation parameters related with the method features were studied and optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the method shows high sensitivity, good linearity (r2 = 0.999) and good repeatability (RSD% between 1.04% and 2.55%), the detection limit (LOD) and quantification limit (LOQ) were 0.02 ng/mL and 0.06 ng/mL respectively. It has been successfully applied for the determination of various edible vegetable oil samples, the chromatogram shows symmetrical peak shape, perfect separation and very "clean" profiles. In comparison with gas chromatography-mass spectrum (GC-MS), the pretreatment process of the proposed method was totally operated in aqueous phase, the instrument requirements and cost are relatively lower, thus it will provide another choice for the routine analysis of 3-MCPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To respond to new energy efficiency standards and environmentally friendly policies in hot climate regions, it is necessary to develop high-efficiency air conditioners. The environmentally friendly and favorable thermophysical properties of R290 and the high efficiency of rotary compressors have led to the proposal of R290 rotary compressors for use in split-room air conditioners in hot climate regions. The performance of R290 rotary compressor at high temperatures requires in-depth research. In this study, an R290 rotary compressor was experimentally and numerically studied at different ambient temperatures (ta = 35 °C, 46 °C, and 55 °C), using different oils (mineral oil and synthetic oil). The results show that the volumetric efficiency (ηv) and adiabatic efficiency (ηad) of the R290 rotary compressor decrease by only 5% and 6%, respectively, from ta= 35 °C to 55 °C; even at 55 °C, ηv and ηad are 89% and 67%, respectively, while the decrements of the R32 rotary compressor both reached more than 10%. In addition, the R290 rotary compressor performance differs with different oils because of miscibility, solubility, and viscosity influences on leakage and friction losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress is an important factor restricting crop growth. Thus, genes related to plant responses to high salinity at the sprout stage of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) should be identified and characterized. In this study, on the basis of the common bean germination index, 0.4% NaCl and day 5 of the incubation period were selected as the optimal salt concentration and sampling time, respectively. Salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive plant materials suitable for the local region were selected as representative common bean materials with contrasting salt-related phenotypes. A total of 441 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by analyzing the generated RNA-seq data. The enriched Gene Ontology terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways indicated the DEGs were associated with oxidoreductase activities and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Furthermore, the superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities and the lignin content, which are related to oxidoreductase activities and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, were revealed to be significantly associated with common bean salt tolerance. The six DEGs with salt tolerance-related Arabidopsis thaliana homologs may be important candidate genes mediating the salt stress responses of common bean during the sprout stage. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13102818.2021.1954091. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Heavy-ion beams and γ-rays are popular physical mutagenesis to generate mutations in higher plants. It has been found that they show different mutation frequencies and spectrums of phenotype induction, however, the characteristics of heavy-ion beams on genetic polymorphism have not been clarified by comparing with γ-rays. Materials and methods: In the present study, seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana were exposed to carbon-ion beams (with linear energy transfer (LET) of 50 keV/μm) and γ-rays (with average LET of 0.2 keV/μm) irradiation. By using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, the genetic polymorphism of both M1 and M3 plants were investigated, respectively. Results: Carbon-ion beams induced relatively higher polymorphism rate in both M1 and M3 generation than γ-rays: the polymorphism rates of M1 plants derived from carbon-ion beams irradiation are 12.87% (ISSR-C) and 9.01% (RAPD-C), while are 7.67% (ISSR-γ) and 1.45% (RAPD-γ) of plants derived from γ-rays. In M3 generation, the polymorphism rates of ISSR-C, RAPD-C, ISSR-γ, and RAPD-γ are 17.64%, 22.79%, 12.10%, and 2.82%, respectively. Conclusions: In summary, the exposure to carbon-ion beams and γ-rays lead to the change of genomic DNA of A. thaliana, which could be tested in M1 plants and M3 plants by ISSR and RAPD technology. So, both carbon-ion beams and γ-rays can induce variations of genetic polymorphisms in M1 plants and M3 plants. The genetic polymorphisms of M1 plants and M3 plants induced by carbon-ion beams are higher than γ-rays, indicating that heavy-ion beams irradiations mutation breeding is more advantageous than conventional ionizing radiations. Average molecular polymorphism of M1 plants is lower than M3 mutants, by nearly 4.77% (ISSR-C), 13.78% (RAPD-C), 4.43% (ISSR-γ), and 1.37% (RAPD-γ). We hope our study will provide basic information for understanding the effects of carbon-ion beams and γ-rays for plant mutation breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a large-scale, firm-level dataset from 68 emerging economies for the period of 2002-2006 compiled by the World Bank, we find that legal systems have a positive and significant impact on the provision of trade credit. This result is robust to the inclusion of conventional controls used in the literature, to alternate specifications that address endogeneity and measurement error problems, and to different measures of trade credit and legal systems. Legal systems have a larger impact on trade credit for firms with overdraft facilities than for those without overdraft facilities, and the impact of legal systems on trade credit is significant in more developed countries but not in less developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalyst-free sulfa-Michael addition of pyrimidine-2-thiol to nitroolefins is described. A series of 2-((2-nitro-1-arylethyl)thio)pyrimidines were efficiently synthesized. The protocol has advantages of wide range of substituents tolerance, no catalyst, additives and bases, mild condition, and high yield. The method can also extend to gram scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resonant converters have been developed for commercial power units with the advantages of high circuit efficiency and high power density. However, the main drawback is the wide switching frequency variation. To solve this limitation, the auxiliary windings and switch are used in the proposed converter to provide a high voltage gain at low input voltage case when AC power is turned off. Therefore, the frequency variation is reduced compared to the conventional resonant converter. By using the auxiliary secondary windings, the hold-up time is extended to 40 ms (100% extension compared to the conventional hold-up time 20 ms). The operation principle, circuit characteristics, and design procedure of the adopted circuit are discussed in detail. Experimental verifications are provided to demonstrate the circuit performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Forest structure and function are both closely interconnected and interdependent. It is important to understand forests’ structural characteristics to utilize their functions effectively. In this study, we quantified and compared 112 water conservation forests in the mountainous areas of Beijing, which included 18 different forest types. We performed a holistic analysis, summarizing the forests’ structural characteristics in terms of water conservation and examining aspects of horizontal and vertical structures. The results showed that natural conservation forests had mostly unevenly aged, multilayered, mixed structure, while most artificial conservation forests exhibited even-age, single-story, and homogeneous structures with relatively low biomass. Understanding structural features may provide better insight into how forests affect water conservation and thus improve the sustainable management of forests for water conservation in Beijing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete cp genome of Piuns wangii was 117,014 bp in size, containing a large single copy (LSC, 64,061 bp) region and a small single copy (SSC, 52,007 bp) region separated by two reduced inverted repeats (IRs, 473 bp). A total of 107 genes were predicted, including 73 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Most of the 51 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were mononucleotides motifs of A/T types and were found to be located in non-coding regions. Phylogenetic analysis of Asian Pinus showed P. wangii clustered a strongly-supported clade with Pinus morrisonicola, Pinus sibirica, Pinus wallichiana, and Pinus pumila. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brabybaenid land snail,Cathaica fasciola(Draparnaud, 1801) is widely distributed in China and causes significant damage to economic crops but there have been few ecological studies on this pest species. In the present study, the effects of availability of moisture and its interaction with live weight of dormantC. fasciolawere examined in the laboratory for effects on the length of time that snails required to resume activity. Snail live weight increased with availability of water during transition of dormancy to activity. The amount of water uptake required to break dormancy, proportional to snail live weight, was less for larger snails than for smaller snails. The duration of dormancy breaking was much longer at a water temperature of 5 °C than at 10–30 °C. These results are discussed in relation to prospects for control ofC. fasciolain crops by manipulating dormancy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The complete cp genome of Salvia trijuga Diels was 151,345 bp in length, including a large single-copy region (LSC) of 82,577 bp, a small single-copy region (SSC) of 17,584 bp and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,592 bp. The genome contained 132 genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The overall GC content of this genome was 37.9%, with the corresponding values of LSC, SSC and IR regions being 36.0%, 31.7% and 43.1%, respectively. Further, the phylogenomic analysis strongly supported the sister relationship of Salvia trijuga and Salvia plebeia R. Br. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) has been used to improve the pregnancy rate in women with diminished ovarian reserve(DOR) during in vitro fertilization. We aimed to validate the effects of DHEA and identify the possible mechanisms. We constructed a mice model with DOR and analyzed the hormone parameters and follicle counts. In vivo experiment, FSH and LH concentrations in the serum were significantly elevated in the DOR group. However, the FSH and LH concentrations were partially reversed in the DOR + DHEA group. The E2, AMH and INHB were down-regulated in the DOR group and reversed in the DOR + DHEA group. Our study supported evidences that DHEA might modulate the hormone receptors in the ovary and hormone secretions to the peripheral circulation to regulate the ovary reserve functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eosinophils (EOS) quantity, active state, peroxidase activity (POX), and HLA-DR expression in bone marrow of 176 Auto-Immune-Related Hematocytopenia (AIRH) patients were analyzed. Immunofluorescent staining (IF) is performed to observe the expression of immunizing molecules on EOS. In serum of AIRH patients the levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17, and IFN-γwere increased but there was no significance on IL-2 level. In marrow of AIRH, activated EOS expressed POX, and other molecules, it played various cell-mediated immunity injury roles to hemocyte. EOS might be possessed with multiple immunological fuctions, it playes an important immune effect in AIRH autoimmune pathological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thanks to the various benefits promised by the smart grid, many utilities are considering deployment of smart grid technologies. For such cross-organizational projects to be successful, a concerted effort is needed, requiring a careful roadmap to be developed. However, there is a lack of methodical process in the current literature for describing the development of smart grid deployment roadmaps. This article presents the results of a recently completed project aimed at developing a comprehensive smart grid roadmap for the state of Kentucky, including the methods and processes utilized and the achieved roadmap plan. The project results may benefit roadmap development and smart grid deployment efforts in other states. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a polypeptide member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily of cytokines and performs many cellular functions. Its overexpression may lead to renal fibrosis. Aim: This study planed to investigate the effects of TGF-β1 on the cell cycle and phenotype of mesangial cells. Methods: Rat mesangial cells were cultured together with different concentrations (0, 1, 2, 5, and 10 ng/mL) of TGF-β1 for specified times from 0 min to 72 h. 0 ng/mL TGF-β1 and 0 min served as controls. Cell cycles were assessed by flow cytometry and α-smooth muscle actin expression (α-SMA) protein expression by western blot analysis. All data were presented as Mean ± SD. Statistical analysis was performed by using one-way analysis of variance and correlation analysis. Results were considered significant at p < 0.05. Results: After 15 min of co-culture with different concentrations of TGF-β1, the percentage of mesangial cells in G0/G1 phase was significantly elevated compared to the control ( p < 0.05). 12 h co-culture induced cell hyperplasia, 24 h co-culture obvious up-regulation of α-SMA ( p < 0.01) and one or two cells' myofibroblast phenotype transition, and 36 h co-culture several cells' phenotype transition. Correlation analysis prompted that the TGF-β1-induced premature aging was time-dependent ( p < 0.01). Conclusion: TGF-β1 may induce mesangial cells' premature senescence and myofibroblast-like phenotype transformation time-dependently, which may contribute to the development of early stage of glomerulosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of headquarters–subsidiary interdependencies on performance evaluation and reward systems in multinational enterprises. Headquarters–subsidiary interdependencies refer to the extent to which headquarters and subsidiaries depend on each other to accomplish their tasks. When headquarters–subsidiary interdependencies are present, it becomes more difficult to reward the performance of subsidiary managers because these interdependencies induce noise on subsidiary-level accounting performance measures, while at the same time high levels of goal alignment between headquarters and subsidiary managers are required. Based on survey data from 82 foreign subsidiaries operating in Belgium with headquarters in 14 different countries, our partial least squares path modelling results show that as headquarters–subsidiary interdependencies increase, headquarters use more participative performance evaluation and consider more the effects of uncontrollable factors on subsidiaries' performance when rewarding subsidiary managers. More importantly, while prior research suggests that interdependencies induce noise on unit-level accounting performance measures, our results indicate that participative performance evaluation may mitigate the noise so that headquarters still rely on subsidiary formula-based compensation using accounting measures to reward subsidiary managers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The activities of several respiratory metabolism enzymes and ATP concentrations in the roots of four genotypes of rice raised in hydroponic culture and treated with three levels of silicon (Si) (0, 1.25, and 2.00 mM) were studied. ATP concentrations in roots of the four rice cultivars were significantly higher with Si application than in the control. Phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) activity and the combined activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGDH) in roots were also significantly enhanced by Si addition, as was malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activity. PGI and MDH activity increased more than 50% and 25%, respectively, in TN1 roots supplied with Si compared to the control. Among the four genotypes, higher MDH activity and combined activity of G-6-PDH and 6-PGDH were detected in roots of TN1 and Bai Xiang Jing, which had higher Si uptake. ATPase activity and ATP concentrations were inhibited by four metabolic inhibitors: HgCl2, 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP), malonic acid (C3H4O4), and sodium phosphate (Na3PO4). Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity in roots also decreased significantly upon treatment with C3H4O4. In summary, Si application can stimulate activity of key respiratory metabolism enzymes to provide more ATP for energy-dependent processes, including Si uptake, during plant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a collection of hematologic disorders that affect older adults, and whose baseline characteristics and risk factors for evolution to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and death have not been completely defined. We analyzed a large unselected cohort of 214 patients with MDS from the University of Pittsburgh Network Cancer Registry in Western Pennsylvania. Patients' follow-up was 22 months, at the end of which 72.9%% of patients were dead. Overall, the 36-month survival rate was 19.0%% (95%% CI: 14.0--24.5%%); 22.4%% (95%% CI: 16.4--29.0%%) for patients with lower-risk MDS; and 5.0%% (95%% CI: 0.1--14.8%%) for patients with higher-risk MDS ( p == 0.0007). During follow-up, 32.9%% of the patients developed AML. Family history of cancer and having ≥≥5%% blasts at diagnosis were statistically significant predictors for progression to AML. A higher risk of death also was associated with age >70 years and previous diagnosis of another cancer. More than three cycles of chemotherapy sessions and a platelet count of ≥≥50 ×× 103/mm3 were inversely associated with death. This study suggests the need to incorporate laboratory results such as percentage blasts and platelet counts as well as epidemiologic data on family history of cancer in future outcome studies on MDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We, the Editor and Publishers of Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health, are retracting the following article: Abdolmajid Ghasemian, Farshad Nojoomi & Hassan Rajabi-Vardanjani, 'Silicotuberculosis as an occupational infection: rate, risk factors and control strategies,' Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health, 2019, DOI: We are now cognizant of a substantively similar version of this article that had previously been published in the journal New Microbes and New Infections. We have been informed in our decision-making by the guidance of COPE Guidelines on Retractions. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as 'Retracted'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic dysfunction is one of the early features in Alzheimer's disease (AD) affected brain. Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), a major peptide deposited in neuritic plaques, has been considered as an important initiating molecule in the pathogenesis of AD. However, the pathogenic role of Aβ remains to be determined. Here, we review current studies showing that progressive accumulation of Aβ occurs within the mitochondria of both transgenic mice overexpressing mutant Aβ peptide precursor protein and autopsied brains from AD patients. Interaction of Aβ with Aβ-binding alcohol dehydrogenase (ABAD), a short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase in the mitochondrial matrix, leads to mitochondrial dysfunction evidenced by increased reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial membrane permeability formation and caspase-3-like activity induction, and decreased activities of the Krebs cycle. These effects can be blocked by intracellular transduction of the ABAD decoy peptide. We hypothesize that Aβ-induced and mitochondria-dependent cytotoxic pathways might play an important role in AD pathogenesis and could be a potential therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete cp genome of Salvia przewalskii was 152,678 bp in length, including a large single copy region (LSC) of 84,102 bp, a small single copy region (SSC) of 17,638 bp and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,469 bp. The genome contained 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The overall GC content of this genome was 38.0%, with the corresponding values of LSC, SSC, and IR regions being 36.2, 31.9, and 43.2%, respectively. Further, the phylogenomic analysis of Mentheae strongly supported the sister relationship of Salvia przewalskii and Salvia miltiorrhiza. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we determined the complete mitochondrial genome sequence ofSchizothorax davidi. The length of the genome is 16,577 bp, which contains 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, two ribosomal RNAs, and two non-coding regions: control region (D-loop) and origin of light-strand replication (OL). The complete mitochondrial DNA sequence ofS. davidiprovides useful genetic markers for the studies on molecular systematic, population genetics, and phylogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial DNA sequence ofGymnocypris chilianensiswas determined and analyzed. The mitogenome ofG. chilianensisis 16,667 bp long, containing 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes and 2 non-coding regions: control region (D-loop) and origin of light-strand replication (OL). The gene order of mitogenome is identical to that observed in most other vertebrates. The complete mitogenome sequence information ofG. chilianensiscan provide useful data for further studies on molecular systematic, taxonomic status, stock evaluation and conservation genetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelial integrity defects initiate lymphatic metastasis of tumor cells. Low-molecular-weight hyaluronan (LMW-HA) derived from plasma and interstitial fluid was reported to be associated with tumor lymphatic metastasis. In addition, LMW-HA was proved to disrupt lymphatic vessel endothelium integrity, thus promoting lymphatic metastasis of tumor cells. Until now, there are few reports on how LMW-HA modulates lymphatic endothelial cells adhesion junctions and affects cancer cells metastasizing into lymph vessels. The aim of our study is to unravel the novel mechanism of LMW-HA in mediating tumor lymphatic metastasis. Here, we employed a melanoma metastasis model to investigate whether LMW-HA facilitates tumor cells transferring from foci to remote lymph nodes by disrupting the lymphatic endothelial integrity. Our data indicate that LMW-HA significantly induces metastasis of melanoma cells to lymph nodes and accelerates interstitial-lymphatic flowin vivo. Further experiments show that increased migration of melanoma cells across human dermal lymphatic endothelial cell (HDLEC) monolayers is accompanied by impaired lymphatic endothelial barrier function and increased permeability. The mechanism study reveals that VE-cadherin-β-catenin pathway and relevant signals are involved in modulating the interactions between endothelial cells and that a significant inhibition of lymphatic endothelium disruption is observed when antibodies to the LMW-HA receptor (LYVE-1) are present. Thus, our findings demonstrate a disruptive effect of LMW-HA on lymphatic endothelium continuity which leads to a promotion on melanoma lymphatic metastasis and also suggest a cellular signaling mechanism associated with VE-cadherin-mediated lymphatic intercellular junctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microenvironmental signals determine the differentiation types and distinct functions of macrophages. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) constitute major infiltrates around solid tumor cells and accelerate tumor progression due to their immunosuppressive functions. However, the mechanisms through which tumor microenvironment modulates macrophages transition are not completely elucidated. Hyaluronan (HA), a prominent component in tumor microenvironment, is a notable immunoregulator and its high level is often related to poor prognosis. Herein, we found that the number of M2 macrophages was highly correlated with HA expression in tumor tissues from breast cancer patients. Experimental data showed that breast cancer-derived HA stimulated M2-like TAM formation in a mouse model and had multiple effects on macrophages transformationin vitro, including upregulating CD204, CD206, IL-10 and TGF-β, activating STAT3 signal, and suppressing killing capacity. These data indicate that HA derived from breast cancer activates macrophages in an alternative manner. Further mechanism study revealed that HA-CD44-ERK1/2-STAT3 pathway served as an important regulator in M2-like TAM formation. Therefore, targeting TAM by abrogating HA–CD44 interaction may be a potential strategy for breast cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a polypeptide member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily of cytokines and performs many cellular functions. Its overexpression may lead to renal fibrosis. Aim: This study planed to investigate the effects of TGF-β1 on the cell cycle and phenotype of mesangial cells. Methods: Rat mesangial cells were cultured together with different concentrations (0, 1, 2, 5, and 10 ng/mL) of TGF-β1 for specified times from 0 min to 72 h. 0 ng/mL TGF-β1 and 0 min served as controls. Cell cycles were assessed by flow cytometry and α-smooth muscle actin expression (α-SMA) protein expression by western blot analysis. All data were presented as Mean ± SD. Statistical analysis was performed by using one-way analysis of variance and correlation analysis. Results were considered significant at p < 0.05. Results: After 15 min of co-culture with different concentrations of TGF-β1, the percentage of mesangial cells in G0/G1 phase was significantly elevated compared to the control ( p < 0.05). 12 h co-culture induced cell hyperplasia, 24 h co-culture obvious up-regulation of α-SMA ( p < 0.01) and one or two cells' myofibroblast phenotype transition, and 36 h co-culture several cells' phenotype transition. Correlation analysis prompted that the TGF-β1-induced premature aging was time-dependent ( p < 0.01). Conclusion: TGF-β1 may induce mesangial cells' premature senescence and myofibroblast-like phenotype transformation time-dependently, which may contribute to the development of early stage of glomerulosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]