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Inflammatory responses of nucleus pulposus (NP) can induce imbalanced anabolism and catabolism of extracellular matrix, and the cytosolic dsDNA accumulation and STING–NF–κB pathway activation found in NP inflammation are considered as fairly important cause of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. Herein, we constructed a siSTING delivery hydrogel of aldehyde hyaluronic acid (HA-CHO) and poly(amidoamine) PAMAM/siRNA complex to intervene the abnormal STING signal for IVD degeneration treatment, where the formation of dynamic Schiff base bonds in the system (siSTING@HPgel) was able to overcome the shortcomings such as low cellular uptake, short half-life, and rapid degradation of siRNA-based strategy. PAMAM not only formed complexes with siRNA to promote siRNA transfection, but also served as dynamic crosslinker to construct hydrogel, and the injectable and self-healing hydrogel efficiently and steadily silenced STING expression in NP cells. Finally, the siSTING@HPgel significantly eased IVD inflammation and slowed IVD degeneration by prolonging STING knockdown in puncture-induced IVD degeneration rat model, revealing that STING pathway was a therapeutic target for IVD degeneration and such novel hydrogel had great potential for being applied to many other diseases for gene delivery., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • STING-NF-κB pathway activation was identified an important cause of intervertebral disc degeneration. • PAMAM was employed as both linker and gene vector for siRNA delivery. • The injectable self-healing hydrogel could significantly ease the IVD inflammation and degeneration by prolonging STING knockdown. • This novel hydrogel system opened new ways of thinking and had great potential for gene delivery.

Background: The detectable component of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TGRLs), remnant lipoprotein cholesterol (RLP-c), has been proven being correlated with the progression of atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction. However, when taken as a risk predictor, the prognostic and diagnostic potential of RLP-c remains controversial in studies. In this study, we evaluated the hypothesis that atherogenic lipoprotein-cholesterol (AL-c), representing the sum of RLP-c and the sd-LDL-c, to the HDL-c ratio, could represent a better predictive indicator than RLP-c alone in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods: The 316 consecutive patients suffering from persistent chest discomfort admitted to the Shanghai General Hospital between January 2018 and June 2018 were enrolled. 149 STEMI patients (62% men, mean age 69.6 ± 13.3 years) were included as the study cohort. The AL-c/HDL-c ratio was calculated on admission in a cohort of electrocardiogram-confirmed STEMI patients and compared to other lipid profiles as a predictive indicator. Results: The AL-c/HDL-c ratio was significantly increased in STEMI patients compared with apparently healthy adults (0.93; IQR [0.71-1.18] vs 0.70; IQR [0.45-1.04]; p < 0.001). Gender dependency existed, and the male and female patients had median AL-c/HDL-c ratios of 1.01 and 0.79, respectively (p < 0.001). Compared to RLP-c, the AL-c/HDL-c ratio had a better prognostic value to predict STEMI risk in both sexes (AUC of 0.672 with a sensitivity of 0.794 in males and 0.613 with a sensitivity of 0.684 in females). Conclusions: The AL-c/HDL-c ratio could represent a convenient and sensitive biomarker for screening and predicting STEMI risk.

Quantum dots (QDs) are promising materials for various optoelectronic applications. However, the efficiency of QD white light-emitting diodes (QD-white-LEDs) is not at the desired level, particularly when the QD concentration in the silicone matrix is high and the corresponding mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we experimentally and theoretically investigated the aggregation-induced scattering (AIS) effect of QDs in silicone and unraveled the origin of low efficiency for QD-white-LED devices. Three-dimensional finite-difference time domain and ray tracing simulations were carried out to establish the AIS model for QDs. Results indicate that the AIS effect is stronger for higher QD concentrations and leads to a larger effective aggregate size (EAS), which was confirmed by comparing with the experimental results of QD-silicone films. Furthermore, we found that the AIS effect causes a significant reduction in the radiant efficiencies of QD-white-LEDs when the EAS exceeds 50 particles, which is validated by fabricated devices. According to the spectral energy analysis, the low efficiency of QD-white-LEDs can be attributed to a strong AIS effect at high QD concentrations, causing severe backscattering and reabsorption loss. This study is also important for nondestructive testing the degree of aggregation demonstrated by QDs in a silicone matrix and for precisely modeling QD-white-LEDs.

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of Apatinib mesylate in the treatment of metastatic osteosarcoma patients who progressed after standard therapy and the VEGFR2 gene polymorphism analysis.Designed as a retrospective study, a total of 105 metastatic osteosarcoma patients who progressed after standard therapy were included in this study. The metastatic osteosarcoma patients received 500-750 mg Apatinib mesylate according to body surface area until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity with 28 days one cycle. Overall response was evaluated after two cycles Apatinib treatment, then progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated, and safety data were recorded. Additionally. peripheral blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) specimens in the osteosarcoma patients were collected for the genotyping of VEGFR2 genetic variation and mRNA expression, respectively. Analysis on the association between genotype and baseline characteristics and VEGFR2 gene mRNA expression was analyzed. The univariate analysis of genotypes and prognosis was carried out by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and multivariate analysis was adjusted by Cox regression analysis.The objective response rate (ORR) of the 105 metastatic osteosarcoma patients was 37.14%, disease control rate (DCR) was 77.14%, median PFS was 4.1 months, and median OS was 9.0 months. Regarding the VEGFR2 gene polymorphisms analysis, only - 906 T C was of clinical significance. The prevalence of - 906 T C in VEGFR2 among the study population was as follows: TT genotype 62 cases (59.05%), TC genotype 36 cases (34.29%) and CC genotype 7 cases (6.66%), minor allele frequency of - 906 T C was 0.24. Compared with patients with TC/CC genotype, patients with TT genotype showed longer median PFS (5.0 versus 3.1 months, P = 0.011) and median OS (9.8 versus 7.6 months, P = 0.032). There was no correlation between the polymorphism and adverse reactions. Additionally, the mRNA expression in 69 randomly selected sample indicated that the mRNA expression of VEGFR2 of the patients with CC/TC genotypes were significantly higher than those of the TT genotype patients (P 0.001).Apatinib was safe and effective in the treatment of metastatic osteosarcoma patients who progressed after standard therapy. The clinical outcomes of Apatinib may be influenced by the polymorphism - 906 T C of VEGFR2 through mediating the mRNA expression of VEGFR2.

Background Foldable capsular vitreous body (FCVB) was designed to treat severe retinal detachment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the implantation of foldable capsular vitreous body in 1-year follow-up. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted for 20 patients with severe ocular trauma or silicone oil (SO) dependent eyes underwent vitrectomy and FCVB implantation in a 1-year follow-up. All treated eyes were peformed clinical examinations involved the visual acuity (VA) examination, Goldmann applanation tonometer, noncontact specular microscopy, fundus photography, B-Scan examination and optical coherence tomography (OCT). The groups were compared with t-test and the McNemar - Bowker test. Results In 1-year follow-up, 20 eyes were evaluated in the study. FCVB well supported the vitreous retina in all treated eyes, and 6 treated eyes achieved retinal reattachment 12 months after FCVB implantation. There were no significant differences in VA before and after FCVB implantation (P = 1.000). In addition, the postoperative IOP markedly elevated from the preoperative IOP of 12.90 ± 7.06 mmHg to 15.15 ± 3.36 mmHg (P = 0.000017). The intraocular pressure (IOP) of 10 eyes maintained at a normal level after surgeries. The other 10 eyes showed slightly lower IOP within the acceptable level. Though two patients developed keratopathy and ocular inflammation respectively, other treated eyes were symmetric with fellow eyes showing satisfactory appearance. Moreover, there was no SO emulsification or leakage happened in the observation. Conclusions FCVB implantation was an effective and safe treatment in the eyes with severe retinal detachment.

The twin-field quantum key distribution (TF-QKD) and its variants can overcome the fundamental rate-distance limit of QKD. However, their physical implementations with the side channels remain the subject of further research. We test the side channel of a type of external intensity modulation that applies a Mach–Zehnder-type electro-optical intensity modulator, which shows the distinguishability of the signal and decoy states in the frequency domain. Based on this security loophole, we propose a side-channel attack, named the passive frequency-shift attack, on the imperfect implementation of the sending or not-sending (SNS) TF-QKD protocol. We analyze the performance of the SNS protocol with the actively odd-parity pairing (AOPP) method under the side-channel attack by giving the formula of the upper bound of the real secret key rate and comparing it with the lower bound of the secret key rate under Alice and Bob’s estimation. The simulation results quantitatively show the effectiveness of the attack on the imperfect devices at a long distance. Our results emphasize the importance of practical security at the light source and might provide a valuable reference for device selection in the practical implementation of the SNS protocol.

An improved quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method combined with ultrapressure liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric method (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed to simultaneously determine 25 pesticides in Zizania latifolia. The samples were extracted with methanol(MeOH) and 0.1% formic acid (80:20, v/v) and cleaned with C18 absorbent and primary-secondary amine (PSA). LC separation was performed on a BEH C18 UPLC column under the condition of gradient elution with the mobile phase consisted of 0.5% formic acid (10 mM ammonium acetate)/MeOH. External standard calibration method with matrix-matched was used for quantification, and good linearity was obtained over a concentration range of 0.5–100 μg/l, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.9901. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) of the 25 pesticides were in the range of 0.2–1.0 µg/kg and 0.5–3.3 µg/kg, respectively. The recoveries ranged from 72% to 118%, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were less than 20%. Thus, the proposed method is suitable for the simultaneous determination of 25 pesticides in Z. latifolia.

SUMMARY The zinc finger transcription factor SALL4 is highly expressed in embryonic stem cells, downregulated in most adult tissues, but reactivated in many aggressive cancers. This unique expression pattern makes SALL4 an attractive therapeutic target. However, whether SALL4 binds DNA directly to regulate gene expression is unclear, and many of its targets in cancer cells remain elusive. Here, through an unbiased screen of protein binding microarray (PBM) and cleavage under targets and release using nuclease (CUT&RUN) experiments, we identify and validate the DNA binding domain of SALL4 and its consensus binding sequence. Combined with RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses after SALL4 knockdown, we discover hundreds of new SALL4 target genes that it directly regulates in aggressive liver cancer cells, including genes encoding a family of histone 3 lysine 9-specific demethylases (KDMs). Taken together, these results elucidate the mechanism of SALL4 DNA binding and reveal pathways and molecules to target in SALL4-dependent tumors., In Brief In this paper, Kong et al. elucidate the DNA binding mechanisms of the transcription factor SALL4 and an epigenetic pathway that it regulates. Due to its important role in driving aggressive cancers, better understanding of SALL4 function will lead to strategies to target this protein in cancer., Graphical Abstract

strongBACKGROUND/strongIntrauterine adhesion (IUA) is a common reproductive system disease in women, characterized by endometrial stromal cell proliferation, increasing fibroblasts and increasing extracellular matrix secretion. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of mitomycin C on reducing endometrial fibrosis for IUA.strongMATERIAL AND METHODS/strongFirstly, a rat IUA model was constructed by intrauterine mechanical injury. The endometrial stromal cells and fibroblasts were isolated and treated with mitomycin C. After that, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to investigate the endometrial stromal cell viability. Furthermore, cell cycle and apoptosis assays of endometrial stromal cells and fibroblasts were performed, respectively. Finally, the cell viability of human endometrial cells or human uterus adhesion fibroblasts treated with mitomycin C was determined using CCK-8 assay with or without estradiol.strongRESULTS/strongEndometrial stromal cells were isolated from a rat IUA model. Cell cycle assay results showed that mitomycin C inhibited cell viability and promoted G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in rat IUA endometrial stromal cells. Fibroblasts were also isolated from the rat IUA model. We found that mitomycin C inhibited the synthesis and secretion of collagen type I by western blotting analysis. Furthermore, mitomycin C promoted G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in IUA rat uterine fibroblasts. We found that estradiol decreased the inhibitory effects of cell viability of human endometrial cells and human uterus adhesion fibroblasts by mitomycin C.strongCONCLUSIONS/strongOur findings revealed that mitomycin C could reduce endometrial fibrosis for intrauterine adhesion.

Bioaccessibility of particle-bound hydrophobic organic contaminants and related particle size effects are significant for assessing the potential human health risk via inhalation exposure, but have not been clearly evaluated. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study developed an in vitro method to estimate the inhalation bioaccessibility of particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using simulated human lung fluids, i.e., a modified Gamble's solution (MGS) and artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF) with Tenax as the absorption media. Assay parameters, namely incubation time (10 d) and influence of filter use, were optimized for establishing the in vitro method. The results showed that the bioaccessibility of PAHs increased with increasing particle size, but other factors, such as total organic carbon and chemical hydrophobicity, also played a large role in the fate of these compounds. The results from this portion of the present study were then used to evaluate human health risk, which showed that the risk of these particle-bound PAHs by incorporating size-dependent PAHs bioaccessibility and deposition efficiency in the human respiratory tract into inhalation exposure risk calculations was reduced by >90% when compared to using total concentration. This suggested that the inhalation bioaccessibility and deposition efficiency of hydrophobic organic chemicals should be included in human health risk assessment. Keywords: Bioaccessibility, In vitro method, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Size-fractionated particles, Human inhalation health risk

Despite the ubiquity and carcinogenicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), their dermal absorption for the general population has not been adequately addressed. Aiming to verify the importance of dermal absorption of PAHs, barbecue (BBQ) in Guangzhou, China was chosen as a case study. Urine samples were collected and analyzed for nine hydroxyl (OH)-PAHs. Air, food, and cotton clothing samples were analyzed for 16 PAHs. Dietary exposure was the dominant exposure route with the greatest amounts of OH-PAH excretion and PAH intake. Dermal intake of low molecular-weight PAHs was greater than inhalation intake from the occurrence of atmospheric PAHs. In addition, the net excreted amounts of OH-naphthalene, OH-fluorene, OH-phenanthrene, and OH-pyrene via dermal absorption were 367, 63, 98, and 28 ng, respectively, upon 2.5-h exposure, comparable to those via combined dermal and inhalation exposure, which were 453, 98, 126, and 38 ng. The ratios of excretion to intake via dermal absorption were 0.11, 0.036, and 0.043 for fluorene, phenanthrene, and pyrene, respectively, lower than the ratios from dietary exposure (0.38, 0.14, and 0.060) but higher than the ratios from inhalation (0.097, 0.016, and 0.025). In the case of BBQ fumes, dermal absorption was a more important pathway for intake of low molecular-weight PAHs than inhalation.

Using medium and low temperature coal tar pitch as raw material, the refined raw material is obtained by solvent extraction with a mixed solvent of n-heptane and toluene, and then different amounts of graphene oxide(GO) are added to the refined raw material for thermal polymerization and calcination to obtain needle coke. The composition of the raw materials was analyzed by element analysis, infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), NMR, XPS and other detection methods, and the scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), polarizing microscope, electrochemical analysis and other methods were used to analyze the structure and electrochemical properties of different needle coke. The experimental results show that the mixed solvent of n-heptane and toluene can refine the raw materials, which can effectively enrich aromatics, optimize the composition of the raw materials, and effectively remove the heteroatoms in the raw materials. In particular, the removal effect of O and S atoms is particularly significant, and the removal rates are 25.21 % and 82.50 %, respectively. Adding 0.01 wt% of GO to the refined raw materials can obtain needle coke products with a regular layered structure and relatively good electrochemical performance.

As one of the most common benthic invertebrates in freshwater, mayflies are very sensitive to changes in water quality and have high requirements for the water environment to allow their nymphs to successfully live and grow. Neonicotinoids, such as imidacloprid, can enter fresh water and pollute the aquatic environment. The present study had two goals: (1) investigate imidacloprid effects on mayfly larvae Choroterpes (Euthralus) yixingensis, and (2) contribute to the phylogenetic status of Ephemeroptera that has always been controversial. Nymphs were collected from Jinhua, China and exposed to different concentrations imidacloprid (5, 10, 20, and 40 μg/L) in the laboratory. Survival of C. yixingensis nymphs decreased as a function of time and imidacloprid concentration with only ~ 55% survival after 72 h exposure to 40 μg/L imidacloprid. After culture under 40 μg/L imidacloprid for 24 h, the steady state transcript levels of mitochondrial COX3, ND4 and ND4L genes were reduced to just 0.07 ± 0.11, 0.30 ± 0.16, and 0.28 ± 0.13 as compared with respective control values (P 0.01). Steady state transcript levels of ND4 and ND4L were also significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner (P 0.05), suggesting that the steady state transcript pattern of these genes in mayfly nymphs can change in response to different levels of environmental contamination. Hence, the mitochondrial protein-coding genes of mayflies could potentially be developed as biomarkers for water ecotoxicity monitoring in the future. In addition, we used the mitochondrial genome sequence of C. yixingensis for an assessment of the phylogenetic tree of Ephemeroptera. The monophyly of Leptophlebiidae was supported and showed that Leptophlebiidae was a sister group to the clade (Baetidae + Caenidae).

Inhalation of size-dependent particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been extensively studied, whereas dermal absorption has not been adequately investigated. To address this knowledge gap, dermal absorption of size-dependent particle-bound PAHs was characterized through the collection of indoor air and forearm wipe samples in the setting of an indoor barbecue. The mass of size-fractioned PAHs associated with particulate matter was greater in fine particles (1.8 μm) than in coarse particles (1.8 μm). Gas-particle distribution of specific PAHs from barbecue fume was ascribed to both adsorption and absorption which would probably be close to equilibrium, while that from background air was dominated by absorption. Forearm-deposited amounts of particulate PAHs suggested that removal of coarse and fine particles could minimize exposure to low and high molecular-weight (MW) PAHs, respectively. Besides, the concentrations of particulate PAHs in forearms wipe were significantly correlated to their dry deposition fluxes with coarse particles, but weakly correlated to those with fine particles. This indicated that particle size would influence dermal absorption efficiency of particle-bound PAHs with fine particles prolonging dermal exposure to PAHs. Overall, higher MW particle-bound PAHs derived from barbecue fume may pose higher risk to human health by dermal absorption than lower MW PAHs.

Background & Aims Some oncogenes encode transcription factors, but few drugs have been successfully developed to block their activity specifically in cancer cells. The transcription factor SALL4 is aberrantly expressed in solid tumor and leukemia cells. We developed a screen to identify compounds that reduce the viability of liver cancer cells that express high levels of SALL4, and we investigated their mechanisms. Methods We developed a stringent high-throughput screening platform comprising unmodified SNU-387 and SNU-398 liver cancer cell lines and SNU-387 cell lines engineered to express low and high levels of SALL4. We screened 1597 pharmacologically active small molecules and 21,575 natural product extracts from plant, bacteria, and fungal sources for those that selectively reduce the viability of cells with high levels of SALL4 (SALL4hi cells). We compared gene expression patterns of SALL4hi cells vs SALL4-knockdown cells using RNA sequencing and real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses. Xenograft tumors were grown in NOD/SCID gamma mice from SALL4hi SNU-398 or HCC26.1 cells or from SALL4lo patient-derived xenograft (PDX) cells; mice were given injections of identified compounds or sorafenib, and the effects on tumor growth were measured. Results Our screening identified 1 small molecule (PI-103) and 4 natural compound analogues (oligomycin, efrapeptin, antimycin, and leucinostatin) that selectively reduced viability of SALL4hi cells. We performed validation studies, and 4 of these compounds were found to inhibit oxidative phosphorylation. The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase inhibitor oligomycin reduced the viability of SALL4hi hepatocellular carcinoma and non–small-cell lung cancer cell lines with minimal effects on SALL4lo cells. Oligomycin also reduced the growth of xenograft tumors grown from SALL4hi SNU-398 or HCC26.1 cells to a greater extent than sorafenib, but oligomycin had little effect on tumors grown from SALL4lo PDX cells. Oligomycin was not toxic to mice. Analyses of chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing data showed that SALL4 binds approximately 50% of mitochondrial genes, including many oxidative phosphorylation genes, to activate their transcription. In comparing SALL4hi and SALL4-knockdown cells, we found SALL4 to increase oxidative phosphorylation, oxygen consumption rate, mitochondrial membrane potential, and use of oxidative phosphorylation–related metabolites to generate ATP. Conclusions In a screening for compounds that reduce the viability of cells that express high levels of the transcription factor SALL4, we identified inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation, which slowed the growth of xenograft tumors from SALL4hi cells in mice. SALL4 activates the transcription of genes that regulate oxidative phosphorylation to increase oxygen consumption, mitochondrial membrane potential, and ATP generation in cancer cells. Inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation might be used for the treatment of liver tumors with high levels of SALL4.

Cellulose acetate (CA) is a renewable polymer resource which is used widely due to its unique characteristics which makes it to be a great candidate for various application. A novel approach on the synthesis of pure cellulose acetate (CA) and cellulose acetate/graphene (CA/G) nanofibers has been investigated. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) characterization demonstrated the as-prepared CA nanofiber and CA/G nanofiber with nanofibrous structures. However, the nanofibers shows a major number of beads which categories the nanofibers as “poor” quality fibers. Besides that, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) analyses proves the presence of expected chemical bonding that assembled on the surfaces of the CA nanofibers. Hence, these nanofibers can be improved by carrying out more effective researches to obtain smooth and un-beaded nanofibers that can be utilized for future biosensing applications.

Recent evidence has demonstrated that dengue virus requires active filopodia formation for a successful infection. However, the cellular factor involved in the interaction has not been fully elucidated. We used a combination of virus overlay protein binding assay and LC-MS/MS, and identified annexin II as a dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) interacting protein on Vero cells, upon filopodia induction. Flow cytometry analysis showed annexin II on the Vero cells surface increased when DENV2 was added. The amount of annexin II in the plasma membrane fraction was reduced as the infection progressed. Antibody-mediated inhibition of infection and siRNA-mediated knockdown of annexin II expression significantly reduced DENV2 infection and production levels. Collectively, we demonstrated that annexin II is one of the host factor involved in DENV2 binding on Vero cells.

Pyrolysis characteristics of the corn stalk were investigated at different temperatures and pressures, with focus mainly on the releasing profiles and forming behaviors of gas. The results show that a higher pressure was conducive to the yield of H2 and CH4, and was not conducive to the generation of CO. Combustible gas components increase with the increase temperature. H2 concentration was affected significantly by temperature, was mainly released at higher temperatures (>500 °C). At 700 °C, the combustible gas components are up to 90% and H2 concentration is up to 51.78%. The gas components of corn stalk pyrolysis char steam gasification mainly consisted of CO and H2, 25.7% and 50.7% respectively. The calorific value of gasification gas is up to 9508.9 kJ/M3. A kinetic study of the pyrolysis process of the corn stalk was investigated using a thermogravimetric analyzer. As the heating rate increased, the activity energy reduced. By using the Popescu method to determine that shrinking core model can reflect the pyrolysis process of corn stalk truly at low temperature pyrolysis, and chemical reaction model can reflect the pyrolysis process of corn stalk truly at high temperature pyrolysis. Experimental results showed that values of kinetic parameters can be successfully used to understand the degradation mechanism of solid-state reaction.

A reactor that is able to degrade ethylene efficiently inside a cold humid storehouse was designed for the purpose of extending the shelf-life of horticultural products. The reactor generates non-thermal plasma by corona discharge, improves the ethylene degradation efficiency, and controls the ozone concentration with titanium dioxide-activated carbon fibre (TiO2/ACF). To arrive at a rational reactor design, we investigated the intrinsic kinetics of the reaction process. According to the order of reaction, reactions in which ethylene or ozone are involved in the discharge process could be classified into four categories: non-thermal plasma formation, ethylene degradation, ethylene ozonolysis, and ozone decomposition. Therefore, we present an intrinsic kinetics model, which is in the form of an autonomous first-order ordinary differential equation set, combining two dependent variables, i.e., the concentrations of ethylene and ozone. Experimental data obtained for the corona discharge, the corona discharge coupled with an ACF film, and a corona discharge coupled with a TiO2/ACF film proved that the model is capable of describing the concentrations of ethylene and ozone. The rate constants reveal that the intrinsic kinetics as internal mass transport are accounted for. The corona discharge coupled with the TiO2/ACF film increased the rate constant of ethylene degradation (k2) and decreased the rate constant of ozone formation (k1). However, it did not obviously influence the rate constant of ethylene ozonolysis (k3) and the rate constant of ozone decomposition (k4).

Hydrothermal alteration records the effects of fluid-rock interactions and can therefore be used to constrain metal mineralization. Although hydrothermal alteration is widely developed in the hydrothermal vein-type uranium deposit in South China, consideration of the elemental mass changes during alteration is rare. The Xiangyangping uranium deposit in the Miao’ershan uranium orefield is mainly hosted by the Douzhashan granite in South China. Observations made at this deposit are used to address hydrothermal alterations and their relationship with elemental mass change. The Xiangyangping deposit is characterized by seven types of alteration appearances, including K-feldspathization, K-mica/illitization, silicification, carbonatization, chloritization, pyritization, and hematitization. Based on the field characteristics, the altered samples in the Xiangyangping deposit were divided into the red-altered (type 1) and grey- altered (type 2) zones. Whole-rock geochemistry of the altered samples in this deposit indicated that there are varying element concentrations depending on the different altered zones: (1) the altered samples in type 1 had higher molar K/Al and lower (2Ca + Na + K)/Al ratios and the altered samples in type 2 displayed lower molar K/Al and lower (2Ca + Na + K)/Al ratios than the least-altered host granitoids; (2) the altered samples in type 1 showed Si, K, Al, P, and Rb gains and Na loss, whereas the samples in type 2 showed Si, K, Al, P, Rb, and Na losses. Alteration assessment results revealed that the samples in type 1 experience moderate K-H metasomatism and intensive Si-metasomatism, and the samples in type 2 underwent intensive K-H metasomatism and weak Si-metasomatism. The samples in type 1 were dominated by conversion of plagioclase to K-mica/illite and K-feldspar, while the abundant K-feldspar grains in the samples of type 2 were altered to K-mica/illite.

The Longshoushan Metallogenic Belt (northwestern China) is known for its word-class Jinchuan Ni-Cu sulfide (Pt) deposit and is also an important uranium metallogenic belt. The Jiling uranium deposit in this belt is a typical Na-metasomatic uranium deposit, which rarely occurs in China. Mineralization in the Jiling uranium deposit is hosted in granitoids that have suffered a Na-metasomatic alteration. There are three kinds of uranium minerals, including uraninite, pitchblende, and coffinite in the Jiling uranium deposit. Pitchblende is the predominant uranium mineral. Integrating the mineralogy and geochemistry of uranium minerals, and in situ electron microprobe analyzer (EMPA) U-Th-Pb chemical dating, we aimed to unravel the age and nature of the mineralization, to decipher the characteristics of the hydrothermal alteration and the U mineralization process. Based on the microtextural features and compositional variations, primary uraninite was altered to uraninite A and B, and fresh pitchblende was altered to pitchblende A and B. The best-preserved uraninite crystals displayed a euhedral-shape with high Pb and low SiO2, CaO, FeO, and Al2O3 contents, and was interpreted as primary uraninite. The EMPA U-Th-Pb chemical ages revealed that uraninite may have formed at 435.9 &plusmn, 3.3 Ma. High ThO2 + &Sigma, REE2O3 + Y2O3 contents illustrated that the best preserved uraninite crystallized at a high temperature. Altered pitchblende A showed a relatively brighter gray color in backscattered electron (BSE) images and with a lower SiO2 content than B. Three analysis spots of the fresh pitchblende showed low contents of &Sigma, SiO2 + CaO, indicating no obvious alteration. EMPA U-Th-Pb chemical dating gave a mean chemical age of 361 Ma. The low Th + &Sigma, REE2O3 contents indicated that this pitchblende formed at a relatively low temperature. According to the different characteristics of occurrence and chemical composition, the coffinite in the Jiling uranium deposit can be divided into coffinite A and B, respectively. The compositional variation of the fresh and altered uraninite and pitchblende indicated that both uraninite and pitchblende underwent at least two discrete hydrothermal fluid alterations. The U mineralization was divided into two stages, uraninite was formed at a high temperature and possibly from a magmatic-hydrothermal fluid during ore stage I. Then, pitchblende was formed at a low temperature, during ore stage II. According to the petrographic observations and their chemical compositions, coffinite A and B resulted from the alterations of uraninite and pitchblende, respectively.

The non-reducing disaccharide trehalose is widely distributed among various organisms. It plays a crucial role as an instant source of energy, being the major blood sugar in insects. In addition, it helps countering abiotic stresses. Trehalose synthesis in insects and other invertebrates is thought to occur via the trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP) pathways. In many insects, the TPP gene has not been identified, whereas multiple TPS genes that encode proteins harboring TPS/OtsA and TPP/OtsB conserved domains have been found and cloned in the same species. The function of the TPS gene in insects and other invertebrates has not been reviewed in depth, and the available information is quite fragmented. The present review discusses the current understanding of the trehalose synthesis pathway, TPS genetic architecture, biochemistry, physiological function, and potential sensitivity to insecticides. We note the variability in the number of TPS genes in different invertebrate species, consider whether trehalose synthesis may rely only on the TPS gene, and discuss the results of in vitro TPS overexpression experiment. Tissue expression profile and developmental characteristics of the TPS gene indicate that it is important in energy production, growth and development, metamorphosis, stress recovery, chitin synthesis, insect flight, and other biological processes. We highlight the molecular and biochemical properties of insect TPS that make it a suitable target of potential pest control inhibitors. The application of trehalose synthesis inhibitors is a promising direction in insect pest control because vertebrates do not synthesize trehalose; therefore, TPS inhibitors would be relatively safe for humans and higher animals, making them ideal insecticidal agents without off-target effects.

The objective of this paper is to develop, test and characterize the efficient catalyst for carbon dioxide reforming of methane. AC supported C O –Zr bimetallic catalysts for CO 2 reforming of methane were prepared by impregnation method. The influence of impregnation method, impregnation amount, calcination temperature and calcination time on activity and stability of the bimetallic catalyst was studied. The reforming reactions were conducted at 650–950 °C and atmospheric pressure using CO 2 /CH 4 with a feed ratio of 1/1. The catalytic performance was assessed through CH 4 and CO 2 conversions, synthesis gas selectivity (H 2 /CO) and long-term stability. The optimum loading of C O –Zr bimetallic catalysts exhibited superior catalytic performance and presented better coke suppression. TG-DSC, XRD, SEM-EDX, H 2 -TPR, XPS, BET were utilized for surface analysis of these formulations. Structural characterization and reaction results suggest that catalyst has a larger surface area, smaller metal particles and better metal dispersion and therefore gives rise to better catalytic performance. The enhanced stability is due to a strong metal–metal and metal-support interaction in the catalyst. The synergistic effect between Co and Zr facilitated to migrate and form Co–Zr clusters on the AC surface, improved the Co dispersion and surface area. This may be the origin of the activity enhancement in dry reforming.

The solubilities of quaternary system Na2SO4–MgSO4–(NH4)2SO4–H2O at 60 °C were measured by the isothermal method, and the corresponding phase diagram was studied. The analysis of the phase diagram shows that there are five crystalline fields, MgSO4·6H2O, Na2SO4·MgSO4·4H2O, Na2SO4, (NH4)2SO4, and MgSO4·(NH4)2SO4·6H2O, respectively. MgSO4·(NH4)2SO4·6H2O, and Na2SO4 crystalline fields are larger than other crystalline fields, which indicates that MgSO4·(NH4)2SO4·6H2O and Na2SO4 are crystallized out easily. On the basis of the analysis and calculation of the phase diagrams of the quaternary system Na2SO4–MgSO4–(NH4)2SO4–H2O and ternary system Na2SO4–(NH4)2SO4–H2O at 60 °C, a technology was designed to produce Mg–N compound fertilizers and Na2SO4 using (NH4)2SO4 as a salting-out agent to separate bloedite, which is easy to operate, fast to reach phases equilibrium, and can gain anhydrous Na2SO4 directly. On the basis of the Pitzer model of electrolyte solution theory, the solubilities of Na2SO4–MgSO4–(NH4)2SO4...

In our previous study, a liver-targeting peptide CSP I-plus modified recombinant human Endostatin (rEndostatin, endostar) (rES-CSP) was constructed and showed potent antiangiogenic capability and could specifically bind to human hepatocellular carcinoma cells to make a direct inhibition in vitro. In this study, the biological activities of rES-CSP in vivo were evaluated by subcutaneous and orthotopic xenograft nude mice model of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells HepG2. We found that rES-CSP significantly decreased tumor volume to 54.9% in the nude mice with subcutaneous xenograft compared with the control. In orthotopic xenograft model, rES-CSP not only decreased tumor volume (to 39.6% compared with the control) and tumor weight, it also increased its biodistribution in the liver tissue and hepatoma tissue. Moreover, lower microvessel density (MVD) and higher apoptotic index (AI) were also observed in the tumor tissues. It had no significant side-effects on the heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney of mice. Results indicated CSP I-plus modified Endostar may be a potential candidate for a targeting therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma.

Phenanthrene, as a widespread polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contaminant in vitro and in vivo of plant, has the characteristics of carcinogenicity, teratogenicity and mutagenicity. This work aimed to explore the phenanthrene metabolic mechanism by Phomopsis liquidambari in vitro, as well as the bioremediation ability through P. liquidambari-rice combination. This strain was able to use phenanthrene as source of carbon and energy to grow, more than 77% of added 50 mg L−1 phenanthrene was removed after 10 d in MSM. We identified the metabolic products via HPLC-MS and proposed two possible degradation pathways. Phenanthrene was firstly combined with oxygen to become phenanthrene 9,10-oxide, and then degraded to 9-phenanthrol, followed by oxidization to 9,10-dihydroxyphenanthrene. In addition, that epoxide (phenanthrene 9,10-oxide) was also hydrolyzed to phenanthrene trans-9,10-dihydrodiol, and then dehydrogenized to 9,10-dihydroxyphenanthrene, which was further degraded to 9,10-phenanthrenequinone; during this metabolic pathway, the changes of P450 monooxygenase, epoxide hydrolase, dehydrogenase and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase activities and their corresponding gene transcription levels were closely related. What's more, P. liquidambari could combine with rice to eliminate phenanthrene accumulated in vivo of rice seedlings, and the removal rate in inoculation treatment represented a significant difference (increased 25.68%) compared with uninoculation treatment after cultivation 30 d. Therefore, we concluded that P. liquidambari could not only respond to phenanthrene pollution stress in vitro but also exert a mitigation effect on plants accumulated phenanthrene. This work provides a foundation for applying endophytic fungi to PAHs bioremediation in vitro and in vivo.

Fibroblast migration is a central process in skin wound healing, which requires the coordination of several types of growth factors. bFGF, a well-known fibroblast growth factor (FGF), is able to accelerate fibroblast migration; however, the underlying mechanism of bFGF regulation fibroblast migration remains unclear. Through the RNA-seq analysis, we had identified that the hedgehog (Hh) canonical pathway genes including Smoothened (Smo) and Gli1, were regulated by bFGF. Further analysis revealed that activation of the Hh pathway via up-regulation of Smo promoted fibroblast migration, invasion, and skin wound healing, but which significantly reduced by GANT61, a selective antagonist of Gli1/Gli2. Western blot analyses and siRNA transfection assays demonstrated that Smo acted upstream of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-β-catenin to promote cell migration. Moreover, RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analyses revealed that Hh pathway genes including Smo and Gli1 were under control of β-catenin, suggesting that β-catenin turn feedback activates Hh signaling. Taken together, our analyses identified a new bFGF-regulating mechanism by which Hh signaling regulates human fibroblast migration, and the data presented here opens a new avenue for the wound healing therapy.

The roots ofRaphanus sativusL., also called radish, has been used as a traditional anti-migraine drug in China for hundreds of years. However, its bioactive substances and pharmacological mechanism were still not very clear. In this study, two new natural products were isolated from the roots ofRaphanus sativusL.by successive chromatographic procedures, such as open silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and RP-18 column chromatograph. The structures of isolated compounds were elucidated as Cis-(1-methylazetidin-2-yl) methanol and cyclo- (4-methyl-Val-4-methyl-Val) on the basis of spectral data analysis, including MS and NMR (1H-NMR,13C-NMR, NOESY, HSQC and HMBC). The new natural products would be potential candidates for early anti-migraine drug study.

House fly maggot, Musca domestica (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Muscidae) is one of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In our earlier studies, the anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic functions of the housefly maggot have been found and also the anti-inflammatory effective parts have been acquired. In this study, the effect of housefly maggot anti-inflammatory parts on proliferation and migration of TNF-α-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were investigated. And the results showed that the proliferation index and the migration rates of HUVEC which stimulated by TNF-α were decreased significantly in housefly maggot anti-inflammatory parts treatment group. And also the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was decreased too compared with only TNF-α treatment group. Based on the above, the housefly maggot anti-inflammatory parts could regulate the endothelial cell dysfunction through decreasing cell proliferation and migration and a reduction in VEGF expression might plays a key role in this process.

This paper introduces a set of absorbing equipment used in 3.2GHz band vacuum high and low temperature environment. Through the finite element method modeling, COMSOL Multiphysics multi-physics simulation software analyzes the electromagnetic thermal coupling capability. The simulation results show that the absorbing properties of the silicon carbide pyramidal absorbing material are good. If the loss caused by the electrical conductivity of silicon carbide is considered, the absorbing performance of the silicon carbide pyramid will be greatly improved to -40dB. The simulation calculation model combines the electromagnetic field with the thermal, and gives the temperature curve and the isothermal contour dynamic diagram of the pyramid. It provides theoretical guidance for practical engineering applications.

The spin caloritronics device, because of the characteristics of spintronics and thermoelectronics, plays an important role in human sustainable development. A lot of spin caloritronic devices based carbon materials (such as graphene nanoribbons, carbon nanotubes) have been reported. However, there are few studies of the thermal spin transport properties in a hybrid structure of single-walled carbon nanotubes and zigzag-edge BN nanoribbons, and the thermal spin transport mechanism of this structure is still unclear. In this paper, using the nonequilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) combined with the first principle calculations, the electronic structures and the thermal spin transport properties of the zigzag edge BN nanoribbons functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes are studied. It is shown that the ZBNRs-N-(6, 6)SWCNT is a half-metal, while the nZBNRs-N-(6, 6)SWCNT are magnetic metals (n = 2−8), and the nZBNRs-B-(6, 6)SWCNT are bipolar magnetic semiconductors (n = 1−8). The 4ZBNRs-N-(4, 4)SWCNT and 4ZBNRs-B-(4, 4)SWCNT are half-metals, while the 4ZBNRs-B-(m, m)SWCNT (m = 5−9)are magnetic metals, and the 4ZBNRs-N-(m, m)SWCNT (m = 5−9) are bipolar magnetic semiconductors. Then, some novel spin caloritronicdevices are designed based on nZBNRs-N-(6, 6)SWCNT and nZBNRs-B-(6, 6)SWCNT (n = 1, 8). For the ZBNRs-B-(6, 6)SWCNT, when the temperature of the left electrode is increased above a critical value, the thermal spin-up current then increases remarkably from zero. Meanwhile the thermal spin-down current remains approximately equal to zero in the entire temperature region, thus indicating the formation of a thermal spin filter. For the 8ZBNRs-N-(6, 6)SWCNT and nZBNRs-B-(6, 6)SWCNT (n = 1, 8), when a temperature gradient is produced between two electrodes, the spin-up and spin-down currents are driven in the opposite directions, which indicates that the spin-dependent Seebeck effect (SDSE) appears. In order to obtain the fundamental mechanism of thermal spin filter effect and SDSE, the Landauer-Büttiker formalism is adopted. It is found that the currents (Iup and Idn) mainly depend on two factors: 1)the transport coefficient; 2) the difference between the Fermi-Dirac distributions of the left and right electrode. Additionally, the electron current Ie and the hole current Ih will be generated when a temperature gradient is produced between the left and right lead. Furthermore, the Iup and Idn have the opposite directions for the spin up transmission peaksbelow the Fermi level while they have the opposite directions for the spin down transmission peaks above the Fermi level in the transmission spectrum, which demonstrates the presence of the SDSE in the 8ZBNRs-B-(6, 6)SWCNT and nZBNRs-N-(6, 6)SWCNT (n = 1, 8). Finally, the results indicate that nZBNR-N-(m, m)SWCNT and nZBNR-B-(m, m)SWCNT can have potential applications in thermospin electronic devices.

A simple and reliable method of high-performance liquid chromatography with pre-column derivatization was developed to evaluate the quality of Oriental Latrine Fly Larvina through establishing chromatographic fingerprint. The separation was performed on a welch Ultimate XB-C8 column with a liner gradient elution of acetonitrile and acetate buffer. The developed method was validated by precision, stability and recovery. This study indicated that the chromatographic fingerprint analysis can be readily utilized as a quality control method for oriental latrine fly larvina.

Cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I, and tanshinone IIA were analyzed by High-performance liquid chromatography /electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. MSn spectra were obtained and optimized by energy collision induced dissociation (CID) from [M+H]+ ions, the effect of collision energy on production of fragmental ions were studied and optimal signals were achieved. With the collision energy of 35%, tanshinones have optimal signals of fragmental ions and maximal amounts of product fragment ions respectively. The fragmentation pathways for the compounds were studied, and this information would be helpful for the quantitative and pharmacokinetic analysis of tanshinones.

Objective: To investigate the different effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mediating early and late activated THP-1 macrophages (Mφ) on ECV304 endothelial cell dysfunction: dysregulation of secretion of VEGF and proliferation, and migration of ECV304. Methods: The inflammatory Mφ was divided into early phase (2 h) group and late phase (24 h) group according the different exposure time to LPS. Then the inflammatory Mφ and ECV304 were co-cultured via transwell chambers in both non-contacting and contacting systems. The levels of VEGF were determined by ELISA, and the proliferation index and apoptosis of ECV304 were analyzed by FACSCalibur. The migration of ECV304 was tested by modified Boyden chamber assay. Results: The level of VEGF and the proliferation of ECV304 cell were increased more apparently in early-phase Mφ-treated group. But the proportion of early apoptotic and late apoptotic/necrotic cells in late-phase Mφ-treated group were higher than that of the former. Migration rate of ECV304 was enhanced in early-phase Mφ-treated group. All those effects were more significant in contacting system comparing with no-contacting system. Conclusion: Early-activated macrophages (mediated by LPS) could increase the secretion of VEGF and promote the proliferation and migration of ECV304; while the late-activated macrophages could promote/enhance the apoptosis of ECV304 more significant in contacting system when (it was) compared with no-contacting system.

The study area is located in the north belt of Qingling latitudinal structural belt and contains well developed folds and faults directed EW and the iliceous carbonate sedimentary formations mainly in Lower Paleozoic Group and the sedimentary clastic rocks in Middle-upper Paleozoic Group. Tuyaowa anomaly belt, mainly with Au, As, Sb anomalies, is the favorable target for Au, As, Sb. Zhaizigou-Jianggou-Yujiagou anomaly belt, with Au, Ag, Cu, Zn, Mo anomalie, is the favorable target for Au, Ag, Cu, Zn, Mo. Miaowa-Houling abnomal belt, with Pb, Hg anomalies and Au, Ag, Zn, Mo weak anomalies, is the favorable target looking for Au, Ag, Zn, Mo and Pb. The abnomal belt of Shuigou-Hugou, with Au, Cu, Mo, Pb, V anomalie, is a favorable target for Au, Cu, Mo, Pb and V.

We report the synthesis of a promising carbon nanofiber–titania–cordierite monolith composite, i.e., CNF/TiO2/monolith, and its application as catalyst support in selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde (CAL) to hydrocinnamic aldehyde (HCAL). The composite was synthesized through TiO2 coating on the surface of the monolith and the following CNF growth on it. Synthesized CNF/TiO2/monolith was subsequently employed to prepare its supported palladium catalysts, Pd/CNF/TiO2/monolith. Attachment strength and acid-resistant properties of the composite have been studied to evaluate its structural stability in some severe conditions. In addition, the effects of supported Pd particles, oxygen-containing surface groups, and internal diffusion limitation on catalytic performance over Pd/CNF/TiO2/monolith were further studied. Results revealed that the total BET surface area of the composite was 31 m2/g, and the macro- and mesopore structure dominated the pore space of the material (about 93%). Meanwhile, 94% of th...

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles grafted with hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPG) and conjugated with methotrexate (MTX) (MNP-g-HPG-MTX) were synthesized via a sol–gel reaction followed by thiol-ene click chemistry and esterification reaction. The successful grafting of MTX and HPG onto the nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and UV–visible spectroscopy. The HPG-graft layer confers the magnetic nanoparticles with good dispersibility and stability in aqueous medium and macrophage-evasive property while the MTX acts as a chemotherapeutic drug as well as a tumor targeting ligand. The dose-dependent targeting and anticancer effect of the MNP-g-HPG-MTX nanoparticles were evaluated, and the results showed that depending on the amount of conjugated MTX and the concentration of the incubated nanoparticles, the uptake of MNP-g-HPG-MTX nanoparticles by human head and neck cancer (KB) cells can be eight times or more higher than those by 3T3 fibroblasts and RAW macrophages. As a result, the MNP-g-HPG-MTX nanoparticles are capable of killing ∼50% of the KB cells while at the same time exhibiting low cytotoxicity towards 3T3 fibroblasts and RAW macrophages. Thus, such nanoparticles can potentially be used as active targeting anticancer agents.

The reaction between methyl-hydrazine and Tc(VII) in nitric acid in present of U(VI) was studied in this paper, the influence of acidity, methyl-hydrazine concentration, and temperature on the reaction was investigated meanwhile. Results showed that U(VI) can accelerate this reaction distinctly. When U(VI) concentration is 80 g/l, Tc(VII) can be deoxidized in 1.5 hours, on the contrary, the reaction will last 6 hours if there is no U(VI) in the system. The behavior of technetium in the U/Pu splitting stage was investigated using a multistage mixer-setter. In this experiment about 90% Tc(VII) was deoxidized within 3 stages when contacting with the reducing regent and uranium. Finally nearly 99.9% of technetium went to plutonium stream.

An advanced flue gas conditioning technology was developed through in situ oxidation of SO2 using dielectric barrier discharge and heterogeneous condensation of SO3 on fly ash (FA). Orthogonal experiments were carried out for the design of discharge structure, whereas the optimal condition was achieved at 8 kV of discharge voltage, 2 mm of discharge gap and 56 cm2 of discharge area; single factor experiment was introduced here to investigate impacts of various elements (gas flux, temperature, concentration of SO2 and relative humidity) on oxidation of SO2, results showed that the oxidation of SO2 was in inverse proportion to gas flux and SO2 concentration, whereas in direct proportion to relative humidity, the optimal temperature was detected at 45 °C. Physical and chemical characterizations of treated samples were performed in this work using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Particle coagulation was found in the SEM, and a continuous peak rise of sulfate at 1086 cm−1 was detected by the FTIR analysis, which indicated that SO3 generated by in situ oxidation of SO2 could be successfully absorbed by the surface of FA particles. The specific resistance of conditioning FA showed a remarkable decrease from 1.41 × 1013 to 5.74 × 1011 Ω cm compared with the untreated sample. © 2012 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The overall survival of lung cancer patients remains dismal despite the availability of targeted therapies. Oncofetal protein SALL4 is a novel cancer target. We herein report that SALL4 was aberrantly expressed in a subset of lung cancer patients with poor survival. SALL4 silencing by RNA interference or SALL4 peptide inhibitor treatment led to impaired lung cancer cell growth. Expression profiling of SALL4-knockdown cells demonstrated that both the EGFR and IGF1R signaling pathways were affected. Connectivity Map analysis revealed the HDAC inhibitor entinostat as a potential drug in treating SALL4-expressing cancers, and this was confirmed in 17 lung cancer cell lines. In summary, we report for the first time that entinostat can target SALL4-positive lung cancer. This lays the foundation for future clinical studies evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of entinostat in SALL4-positive lung cancer patients.

Located in Lu-Zong ore concentration area, middle-lower Yangtze metallogenic belt, ShaXi porphyry copper deposit is a typical hydrothermal deposit. To investigate the distribution of deep ore bodies and spatial characteristics of host structures, an AMT survey was conducted in mining area. Eighteen pseudo-2D resistivity sections were constructed through careful processing and inversion. These sections clearly show resistivity difference between the Silurian sandstones formation and quartz diorite porphyry and this porphyry copper formation was controlled by the highly resistive anticlines. Using 3D block Kriging interpolation method and 3D visualization techniques, we constructed a detailed 3D resistivity model of quartz diorite porphyry which shows the shape and spatial distribution of deep ore bodies. This case study can serve as a good example for future ore prospecting in and around this mining area.