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Background Prognostic biomarkers for patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), particularly those receiving therapy targeting angiogenesis, are not well established. In this study, we examined the correlations of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) and MCT4, 2 critical transporters for glycolytic metabolism, with various clinicopathological parameters as well as survival of patients with ccRCC and those treated with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitors. Methods A cohort of 150 ccRCC patients were recruited into this study. All patients underwent radical or partial nephrectomy as the first-line treatment, and 38 received targeted therapy (sorafenib or sunitinib) after the surgery. Expression levels of MCT1, MCT4, and CD34 were examined by immunohistochemistry. Correlations between MCT1 or MCT4 expression and different clinicopathological parameters or patient survival were analyzed among all as well as patients receiving targeted therapy. Results MCT1 or MCT4 expression did not significantly correlate with sex, age, tumor diameter, microvascular density, tumor staging, pathological Furmann grade, or MSKCC (P>0.05). High expression of either MCT1 or MCT4 significantly correlated with reduced overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) among the total cohort of ccRCC patients. For patients receiving targeted therapy, high expression of either MCT1 or MCT4 significantly correlated with reduced PFS, but not OS. Both conditions were independent prognostic biomarkers for reduced PFS among all patients or those receiving targeted therapy. Conclusion MCT1 and MCT4 are prognostic biomarkers for patients with ccRCC or those receiving targeted therapy. High expression of these 2 proteins predicts reduced PFS in these patients.

Stromal fibroblasts are essential for tumor proliferation and invasion. Here we presented a 3-dimensional (3D) microfluidic co-culture device to reconstruct an in vivo-like tumor microenvironment for investigation of the interactions of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and bladder cancer cells. With this device, we verified that the cytokines secreted by bladder cancer cells T24 effectively transform the fibroblasts into CAFs. Compared to fibroblasts, the CAFs, which undergo the aerobic glycolysis, showed higher ability to produce lactate and provide energy for bladder cancer cell proliferation and invasion. We also demonstrated that this kind of tumor-promoting effect was associated with the upregulation of monocarboxylate anion transporter 1 (MCT1) and MCT4 expression in CAFs. We concluded that MCT1 and MCT4 are involved in bladder cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness. Moreover, this 3D microfluidic co-culture device allows for the assay to characterize various cellular events in a single device sequentially, facilitating a better understanding of the interactions among heterotypic cells in a sophisticated microenvironment.

In this study, superhydrophobic fabric is prepared with a wet-chemical coating technique that uses a coating solution synthesized by the co-hydrolysis and co-condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate and fluoroalkyl silane (tridecafluorooctyl triethoxysilane) under an alkaline condition. The treated fabric shows stable superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle as high as 171°, and a sliding angle as low as 2°. The coated fabric has higher repellency to saline water, and its repellency increases with increases in the salt content in the solution. The contact angle is reduced with increases in liquid temperature. When the water temperature is 90°C, the contact angle on the superhydrophobic fabric is 153°. The superhydrophobic treatment slightly reduces the air permeability, but increases the water vapor permeability of the fabric. The treatment considerably increases the liquid breakthrough pressure, but has little effect on fabric pore size and thermal conductivity. The air gap membrane distillation process is used to evaluate the desalination performance of the superhydrophobic fabric. When the feed and the condenser are kept at 90°C and 20°C, respectively, the membrane distillation (MD) system with the superhydrophobic fabric yields a permeate flux of water up to 13.8 kg m-2 hour-1, which is slightly higher than that with the use of polymer and inorganic MD membranes reported. Superhydrophobic fabrics may thus be considered as effective MD membranes for water desalination applications.

Background T cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (Tim-3) was initially recognized as a pivotal immune checkpoint inhibitor that maintains immune homeostasis and tolerance. Recently, Tim-3 has been demonstrated to play an important role in tumor-associated immune suppression and aberrant Tim-3 expression has been reported in several human malignancies. However, the role of Tim-3 in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BUC) remains largely unknown. The present study aims to investigate Tim-3 expression in BUC and analyze correlations with clinicopathologic outcomes and postoperative survival. Methods Tim-3 protein expressions were detected in paraffin embedded sections from 100 patients with BUC by immunohistochemistry. Expressions were correlated with clinicopathologic outcomes and postoperative survival. Results Tim-3 protein was over-expressed in bladder cancer cells, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and endothelial cells from patients with BUC. The expression levels of Tim-3 were significantly correlated with advanced pathological grade and T stage. Moreover, another immune checkpoint molecule programmed death receptor-1(PD-1) was also over- expressed in BUC tissues and had a significant correlation with Tim-3. Multivariate analysis showed that Tim-3 expression, as well as PD-1 expression was both independent predictors of disease-free survival and overall survival in patients with BUC. Conclusion Tim-3 over-expression implies adverse clinical outcomes for BUC, which suggests it is a potential prognostic biomarker and a novel therapeutic target in BUC. J. Surg. Oncol. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gastric cancer is a common type of cancer worldwide, and has a poor prognosis, in part due to the low rates of early diagnosis and the limited treatment methods available. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is involved in exogenous cholesterol transport and may be important in enabling tumor cells to fulfill their high cholesterol requirements. A number of reports have indicated that ApoE affects the development and prognosis of gastric cancer. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the genes and transcription factors that interact with ApoE during the development of gastric cancer. Using gene expression profiling, the BioGRID database and the transcriptional regulatory element database, gene expression and regulatory networks in gastric cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues were analyzed. The data demonstrated that eight genes associated with ApoE were differentially expressed, with six of these upregulated and two downregulated. Functionally, these genes were involved in the JAK-STAT cascade, acute-phase response, acute inflammatory response, and the steroid hormone response. Among these ApoE-associated genes, expression of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 2 (STAT2) and STAT3 transcription factors was upregulated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the network of ApoE-related genes and transcription factors in gastric cancer. Additional studies are required in order to confirm these data and to translate the results into the identification of clinical biomarkers and novel treatment strategies for gastric cancer.

Nitrogen-functionalized carbon nanofibers (N-CNFs) were prepared by carbonizing polypyrrole (PPy)-coated cellulose NFs, which were obtained by electrospinning, deacetylation of electrospun cellulose acetate NFs, and PPy polymerization. Supercapacitor electrodes prepared from N-CNFs and a mixture of N-CNFs and Ni(OH)2 showed specific capacitances of ∼236 and ∼1045 F g(-1), respectively. An asymmetric supercapacitor was further fabricated using N-CNFs/Ni(OH)2 and N-CNFs as positive and negative electrodes. The supercapacitor device had a working voltage of 1.6 V in aqueous KOH solution (6.0 M) with an energy density as high as ∼51 (W h) kg(-1) and a maximum power density of ∼117 kW kg(-1). The device had excellent cycle lifetime, which retained ∼84% specific capacitance after 5000 cycles of cyclic voltammetry scans. N-CNFs derived from electrospun cellulose may be useful as an electrode material for development of high-performance supercapacitors and other energy storage devices.

The stimulatory and inhibitory coreceptors expressed by T lymphocytes are known to play critical roles in regulating cancer immunity. An array of inhibitory coreceptors involved in the inhibition of T-cell functions and the blockade of immune activation have been discovered in recent years, the most important of which are cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), programmmed death-1 (PD-1), and B7 homolog 1 (B7-H1). Immunotherapies targeting T-cell coinhibitory molecules have proved to be effective in cancer treatment. Several kinds of monoclonal antibodies have been tested in preclinical studies, with better outcomes than conventional therapies in many malignancies. Common urological malignancies including renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer and prostate cancer are supposed to be immunogenic cancer types and not so sensitive to conventional therapies as other malignancies. This review will focus on B7-H1/PD-1 blockade therapy in urological malignancies, summarizing the results of clinical trials as well as the challenges and prospects of this emerging immunotherapy.

A novel fibrous conduit consisting of well-aligned nanofibers with longitudinal nanogrooves on the fiber surface was prepared by electrospinning and was subjected to an in vivo nerve regeneration study on rats using a sciatic nerve injury model. For comparison, a fibrous conduit having a similar fiber alignment structure without surface groove and an autograft were also conducted in the same test. The electrophysiological, walking track, gastrocnemius muscle, triple-immunofluorescence, and immunohistological analyses indicated that grooved fibers effectively improved sciatic nerve regeneration. This is mainly attributed to the highly ordered secondary structure formed by surface grooves and an increase in the specific surface area. Fibrous conduits made of longitudinally aligned nanofibers with longitudinal nanogrooves on the fiber surface may offer a new nerve guidance conduit for peripheral nerve repair and regeneration.

Hydrogel nanofibers with high water-absorption capacity and excellent biocompatibility offer wide use in biomedical areas. In this study, hydrogel nanofibers from polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and PVP/poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) blend were prepared by electrospinning and by subsequent heat treatment. The effects of post-electrospinning heat treatment and PVP/PAA ratio on hydrogel properties of the nanofibers were examined. Heat treatment at a temperature above 180 °C was found to play a key role in forming insoluble and water-absorbent nanofibers. Both PVP and PVP/PAA nanofibers showed high morphology stability in water and excellent water retention capacity. The swelling ratio of PVP/PAA nanofibers declined with increasing heating temperature and decreasing PVP/PAA unit ratio. In comparison with dense casting films, these nanofiber membranes showed nearly doubled swelling ratio.

Flexible energy devices with high performance and long-term stability are highly promising for applications in portable electronics, but remain challenging to develop. As an electrode material for pseudo-supercapacitors, conducting polymers typically show higher energy storage ability over carbon materials and larger conductivity than transition-metal oxides. However, conducting polymer-based supercapacitors often have poor cycling stability, attributable to the structural rupture caused by the large volume contrast between doping and de-doping states, which has been the main obstacle to their practical applications. Herein, we report a simple method to prepare a flexible, binder-free, self-supported polypyrrole (PPy) supercapacitor electrode with high cycling stability through using novel, hollow PPy nanofibers with porous capsular walls as a film-forming material. The unique fiber structure and capsular walls provide the PPy film with enough free-space to adapt to volume variation during doping/de-doping, leading to super-high cycling stability (capacitance retention > 90% after 11 000 charge–discharge cycles at a high current density of 10 A g−1) and high rate capability (capacitance retention ∼ 82.1% at a current density in the range of 0.25–10 A g−1).

Precursor fibers with diameters in nanometer scale and highly aligned polymer chains in fibers are highly promising for the preparation of high-performance carbon nanofibers, but are challenging to make. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that a carbon nanofiber precursor can be prepared by the electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile into a nanofiber yarn and by the subsequent drawing treatment of the yarn in dry conditions. The yarn shows excellent drawing performance, which can be drawn evenly up to 6 times of its original length without breaking. The drawing treatment improves the yarn and fiber uniformity, polymer chain orientation within the fibers, as well as yarn tension and modules, but shows decreased yarn and fiber diameter and elongation at break. The drawing temperature and force show influences on the drawing behavior. The highest strength and modules (362 ± 37 MPa and 9.2 ± 1.4 GPa, respectively) are found on the yarn drawn by 5 times its length, which increased by 800% and 1800% when compared to the as-spun yarn. Through un-optimized stabilization and carbonization treatments, we further demonstrate that the carbonized nanofiber yarn shows comparable tensile properties as the commercial carbon fibers. Electrospun nanofiber yarns may form next generation precursors for making high performance carbon fibers.

Liquid marbles exhibit great potential for use as miniature labs for small-scale laboratory operations, such as experiment and measurement. While important progress has been made recently in exploring their applications as microreactions, “on-line“ measurement of the components inside the liquid still remains a challenge. Herein, it is demonstrated that “on-line“ detection can be realized on magnetic liquid marbles by taking advantage of their unique magnetic opening feature. By partially opening the particle shell, electrochemical measurement is carried out with a miniaturized three-electrode probe and the application of this technique for quantitative measurement of dopamine is demonstrated. Fully opened magnetic liquid marble makes it feasible to detect the optical absorbance of the liquid in a transmission mode. With this optical method, a glucose assay is demonstrated. Moreover, when magnetic particle shell contains low melting point material, e.g., wax, the liquid marble shows a unique encapsulation ability to form a rigid shell after heating, which facilitates the storage of the non-volatile ingredients. These unique features, together with the versatile use as microreactors, enable magnetic liquid marbles to function as a miniature lab (or called “lab in a droplet“), which may find applications in clinical diagnostics, biotechnology, chemical synthesis, and analytical chemistry.

With the increasing demand for communication quality, improving the service quality has become the focus and difficulty of the research. The traditional method has its limitations. The cross layer design method can break the barriers between layers, and ensure the quality of service transmission. This article proposes a cross-layer scheme called Ad hoc On-demand Distance Vector Routing Cross-layer Scheme(AODV-CRS) for network layer AODV routing protocol and MAC layer distributed scheduling protocol, which uses the link resource in the process of selecting the best route. In addition, the content used to apply and allocate bandwidth will be put into the routing message. It will accomplish resource allocation while establishing the route. The delivery ratio, time delay and overhead are analyzed using the NS2 simulation platform. Simulation results verify the effectiveness and reliability of AODV-CRS.

Background We attempted to clarify the association between dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) 48-bp variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism and Tourette's syndrome. Methods The DRD4 48-bp VNTR polymorphism was genotyped in 291 Tourette's syndrome patients (including 218 trios) and 405 controls. Chi-square and transmission disequilibrium test analysis were used to compare genetic distributions. We retrieved related studies in a meta-analysis to clarify the role of 2-repeat and 4-repeat alleles in the pathogenesis. Results Obvious genotype and allele distribution differences were observed between patients and healthy controls for both 2-repeat and 4-repeat alleles. This was verified using transmission disequilibrium test analysis. Meta-analysis showed strong associations in both the total population and the Asian population. Conclusions The DRD4 48-bp VNTR polymorphism appears to be associated with Tourette's syndrome, with the 2-repeat allele performing a protective role and the 4-repeat allele a nonprotective role in the genesis of the disease. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society

AM14 rheumatoid factor (RF) B cells in the MRL/lpr mice are activated by dual BCR and TLR7/9 ligation and differentiate into plasmablasts via an extrafollicular (EF) route. It was not known whether this mechanism of activation of RF B cells applied to other lupus-prone mouse models. We investigated the mechanisms by which RF B cells break tolerance in the NZM2410-derived B6.Sle1.Sle2.Sle3 (TC) strain in comparison with C57BL/6 (B6) controls, each expressing the AM14 H chain transgene in the presence or absence of the IgG2aa autoantigen. The TC, but not B6, genetic background promotes the differentiation of RF B cells into Ab-forming cells (AFCs) in the presence of the autoantigen. Activated RF B cells preferentially differentiated into plasmablasts in EF zones. Contrary to the MRL/lpr strain, TC RF B cells were also located within germinal centers, but only the formation of EF foci was positively correlated with the production of RF AFCs. Immunization of young TC.AM14 H chain transgenic mice with IgG2aa anti-chromatin immune complexes (ICs) activated RF B cells in a BCR- and TLR9-dependent manner. However, these IC immunizations did not result in the production of RF AFCs. These results show that RF B cells break tolerance with the same general mechanisms in the TC and the MRL/lpr lupus-prone genetic backgrounds, namely the dual activation of the BCR and TLR9 pathways. There are also distinct differences, such as the presence of RF B cells in GCs and the requirement of chronic IgG2aa anti-chromatin ICs for full differentiation of RF AFCs.

Shuo Wang,1 Yonghua Wang,1 Jing Liu,2 Shixiu Shao,1 Xianjun Li,1 Jiannan Gao,1 Haitao Niu,1 Xinsheng Wang1 1Department of Urology, 2Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China Objective: The aim of this study was to examine whether short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expressing lentiviral particles targeting B7-H1 infection could result in B7-H1 knockdown on dendritic cells (DCs) and to investigate whether B7-H1 silencing could augment the immune function of DCs and further elicit a more potent anti-tumor immune effect against bladder cancer cells in vitro. Methods: Monocyte-derived DCs, which were generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, were infected by a recombinant lentivirus containing shRNA sequence aimed at B7-H1. After that, the infected DCs were pulsed by tumor antigens and used to stimulate cytotoxic T lymphocytes-based anti-tumor effect in vitro. Results: The lentivirus-mediated shRNA delivery method efficiently and effectively silenced B7-H1 in DCs. Furthermore, the B7-H1 silencing enhanced the stimulatory capacity and the secretion of interleukin-12, but down-regulated interleukin-10 secretion. And more importantly, the anti-tumor effect of bladder cancer antigen-loaded DC vaccine in vitro was also potentially augmented. Conclusion: This study suggests that a combination of B7-H1 knockdown and target antigen delivery could augment anti-tumor effects in vitro, which potentially provides a novel strategy in the immunotherapy of bladder cancer. Keywords: B7-H1, bladder cancer, dendritic cell, vaccine, immunotherapy

The aim of the present study was to globally characterize the cancer stroma expression profile of muscle-invasive bladder cancer in different metastatic risk groups and to discuss the decisive role of biological pathway change in cancer heterogeneity. Laser capture microdissection was employed to harvest purified muscle-invasive bladder cancer stromal cells derived from 30 clinical samples deriving from 3 different metastatic risk groups. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) and two-dimensional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (2D LC-MS/MS) were used to identify the differentially expressed proteins. Subsequently, the differentially expressed proteins were further analyzed by bioinformatics tools. After completing the above tasks, the proteins of interest were further compared with the published litterature. We identified 1,049 differentially expressed proteins by paired comparison (high risk vs. median, low risk and normal groups; median risk vs. low risk and normal groups, low risk vs. normal group; a total of 6 comparisons). A total of 510,549,548 proteins as significantly altered (ratio fold-change≥1.5 or ≤0.667 between the metastatic potential risk group and the normal group) were presented in the low/median/high metastatic risk group, respectively. Pathway analysis revealed that the differentially expressed proteins were mainly located in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, including focal adhesion pathway, systemic lupus erythematosus pathway and ECM-receptor interaction pathway. In addition, several proteins such as EXOC4, MYH10 and MMP-9 may serve as candidate biomarkers of muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Our study confirmed that stromal cells, an important part of the cancer tissue, are pivotal for regulating the heterogeneity of cancer. Common changes in biological pathways determined the malignant phenotype of muscle-invasive bladder cancer, and biomarker discovery should take into account both neoplastic cells and their corresponding stromata.

As an electrical double layer capacitor, dry-spun carbon nanotube yarn possesses relatively low specific capacitance. This can be significantly increased as a result of the pseudocapacitance of functional groups on the carbon nanotubes developed by oxidation using a gamma irradiation treatment in the presence of air. When coated with high-performance polyaniline nanowires, the gamma-irradiated carbon nanotube yarn acts as a high-strength reinforcement and a high-efficiency current collector in two-ply yarn supercapacitors for transporting charges generated along the long electrodes. The resulting supercapacitors demonstrate excellent electrochemical performance, cycle stability, and resistance to folding-unfolding that are required in wearable electronic textiles.

Background/Aim: Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and B7-H1, both normally expressed restricted to immune cells, are found to be aberrantly expressed in a majority of human tumors and may play important roles in regulation of tumor immunity. It has been shown that urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) patients can manifest tumoral immune escape which may be a potential critical factor in tumor pathogenesis and progression. However, so far, the mechanisms of UBC-related immune escape have not been clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TLR4 and B7-H1 on immune escape of UBC. Methods: Bladder cancer T24 cells were pre-incubated with LPS and co-cultured with tumor specific CTLs. CTL cytotoxicity and apoptosis rates were measured by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The effects of an ERK inhibitor on B7-H1 expression and CTL cytotoxicity against T24 cells were also evaluated. In addition, TLR4, B7-H1 and PD-1 protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in 60 UBC specimens and 10 normal urothelia. Results: TLR4 activation protected T24 cells from CTL killing via B7-H1 overexpression. However PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK, enhanced CTL killing of T24 cells by reducing B7-H1 expression. TLR4 expression was generally decreased in UBC specimens, while B7-H1 and PD-1 were greatly overexpressed. Moreover, expression of both B7-H1 and PD-1 was significantly associated with UICC stage and WHO grade classification. Conclusions: TLR4 and B7-H1 may contribute to immune escape of UBC. Targeting B7-H1 or the ERK pathway may offer new immunotherapy strategies for bladder cancer.

STAT5 controls the intestinal epithelial stem cell niche by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and lack of active pYSTAT5 induces Clostridium difficile infection. STAT5 may be a transcription factor that restricts niche cell differentiation., Clostridium difficile impairs Paneth cells, driving intestinal inflammation that exaggerates colitis. Besides secreting bactericidal products to restrain C. difficile, Paneth cells act as guardians that constitute a niche for intestinal epithelial stem cell (IESC) regeneration. However, how IESCs are sustained to specify Paneth-like cells as their niche remains unclear. Cytokine-JAK-STATs are required for IESC regeneration. We investigated how constitutive STAT5 activation (Ca-pYSTAT5) restricts IESC differentiation towards niche cells to restrain C. difficile infection. We generated inducible transgenic mice and organoids to determine the effects of Ca-pYSTAT5-induced IESC lineages on C. difficile colitis. We found that STAT5 absence reduced Paneth cells and predisposed mice to C. difficile ileocolitis. In contrast, Ca-pYSTAT5 enhanced Paneth cell lineage tracing and restricted Lgr5 IESC differentiation towards pYSTAT5+Lgr5−CD24+Lyso+ or cKit+ niche cells, which imprinted Lgr5hiKi67+ IESCs. Mechanistically, pYSTAT5 activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling to determine Paneth cell fate. In conclusion, Ca-pYSTAT5 gradients control niche differentiation. Lack of pYSTAT5 reduces the niche cells to sustain IESC regeneration and induces C. difficile ileocolitis. STAT5 may be a transcription factor that regulates Paneth cells to maintain niche regeneration.

This paper investigates the strengthening and toughening effects of carbon nanofibres (CNFs) on a self-healing thermoset/thermoplastic blend, i.e. an epoxy/poly (e-caprolactone) (PCL) blend. The self-healing material system was prepared by polymer blending that produced a co-continuous phase-separated structure. The addition of CNFs altered the phase structures, leading to smaller domain sizes or even completely altering the phase separation mechanism, e.g. conversion from a co-continuous phase-separated structure to a particulate phase structure when the CNF content reached a certain level (0.3 wt% in this work). As the content of CNFs increased, the resulting nanocomposite became stronger and tougher, but the self-healing efficiency diminished; the optimal CNF content was found to be 0.2 wt%, which produced the highest strength, toughness and hardness, while achieving around 70% of healing efficiency.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) are a promising class of drugs that act as antiproliferative agents by promoting differentiation and inducing apoptosis. Valproic acid (VPA) is an HDACI that has been widely used as an anti-convulsant and shows promise as a chemotherapeutic drug for a number of tumor cells. The present study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of VPA on the viability of bladder cancer cells and its synergistic effect with chemotherapeutic agents in vitro and in vivo. The cell viability of human bladder cancer cell lines following treatment with VPA and/or VPA in combination with mitomycin C, cisplatin (DDP) and adriamycin were determined using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Hoechst staining was used to observe the morphology of the apoptotic cells. Survivin protein and acetylated histone H3 levels were quantified using western blot analysis. The in vivo tumor growth inhibition of VPA was determined in rats with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced bladder cancer. VPA significantly inhibited the growth of the bladder cancer cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, improved results were achieved for tumor inhibition when VPA was combined with chemotherapeutic agents in vitro and in vivo. Survivin expression decreased and acetylated histone H3 expression increased in the bladder cancer cells following the treatment with VPA. Intravesical injections of VPA were able to inhibit tumor progression when combined with DDP. In conclusion, VPA acts as an HDACI that has a direct anticancer effect and markedly enhances the action of several chemotherapy agents. VPA may sensitize bladder cancer to anticancer drugs by downregulating survivin expression.

In this work, a spinning metal wire collector was employed to continuously collect polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers produced by a disc fiber generator and coil them around a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarn. The obtained composite yarns exhibited a core/shell structure (PET yarn/PAN nanofibers) with nanofibers orderly arranged on the surface of the PET yarn. The electric field analysis showed that the position of metal wire had insignificant effect on the formed electric field and high intensity electric field was formed at the disc circumferential area, which provided a constant electric field for the production of uniform nanofibers. The spinning solution, spinning speed of metal wire, and winding speed were found to play an important role in producing good quality nanofiber yarns, in terms of morphology, strength, and productivity. Pure nanofiber yarns were obtained after dissolving the core yarns in a proper solvent. This method has shown potential for the mass production of nanofiber yarns for industrial applications. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 00:000–000, 2013. V C 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are protected in a metabolically dormant state within the bone marrow stem cell niche. Inflammation has been shown to disrupt HSC dormancy and cause multiple functional changes. Here, we investigated whether HSC functions were altered in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-prone mice and whether this contributed to clinical manifestations of SLE. We found that HSCs were significantly expanded in lupus mice. The increase in HSC cellularity was caused by both genetic lupus risk factors and inflammatory cytokines in lupus mice. In addition, the inflammatory conditions of lupus led to HSC mobilization and lineage-biased hematopoiesis. Strikingly, these functionally altered HSCs possessed robust self-renewal capacity and exhibited repopulating advantages over wild-type HSCs. A single-nucleotide polymorphism in the cdkn2c gene encoding p18(INK4c) within a SLE susceptibility locus was found to account for reduced p18(INK4c) expression and the increase in HSC self-renewal capacity in lupus mice. Lupus HSCs with enhanced self-renewal capacity and resistance to stress may compete out transplanted healthy HSCs, thereby leading to relapses after HSC transplantation.

A robust, electrically conductive, superamphiphobic fabric was prepared by vapour-phase polymerisation of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) on fabric in the presence of fluorinated decyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (FD-POSS) and a fluorinated alkyl silane (FAS). The coated fabric had contact angles of 169° and 156° respectively to water and hexadecane, and a surface resistance in the range of 0.8–1.2 kΩ □−1. The incorporation of FD-POSS and FAS into the PEDOT layer showed a very small influence on the conductivity but improved the washing and abrasion stability considerably. The coated fabric can withstand at least 500 cycles of standard laundry and 10 000 cycles of abrasion without apparently changing the superamphiphobicity, while the conductivity only had a small reduction after the washing and abrasion. More interestingly, the coating had a self-healing ability to auto-repair from chemical damages to restore the liquid repellency.

The human metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) is a long non-coding RNA associated with metastasis, and is a favorable prognostic factor for lung cancer. Recent studies have shown that MALAT1 plays an important role in many malignancies. However, little is known about the role of MALAT1 in glioma. In this study, we determined the expression of MALAT1 and explored its prognostic value in glioma. Further, we investigated the regulatory mechanism of MALAT1 in glioma progression. Our results showed that the expression of MALAT1 was significantly decreased in glioma specimens than in noncancerous brain tissues. In addition, MALAT1 expression was significantly correlated with tumor size, WHO grade and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), and was an independent prognostic factor for survival of glioma patients. The gain- and loss-of-function experiments revealed miR-155 down-regulation by MALAT1, resulting in reciprocal effects. Further, MALAT1 suppresses cell viability by down-regulating miR-155. FBXW7 mRNA was identified as a direct target of miR-155 in glioma. The miR-155-induced tumorigenesis is mediated through FBXW7 function. Finally, we found that MALAT1 positively regulated FBXW7 expression, which was responsible for glioma progression mediated by MALAT1-miR-155 pathway. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that MALAT1 may be a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in glioma. Restoration of MALAT1 levels represents a novel therapeutic strategy against glioma.

The present study aimed to systematically analyze alterations in the expression of mitochondrial-associated proteins in human bladder cancer T24 cells co-cultured with tumor-associated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and to investigate the characteristics of bladder cancer cell energy metabolism. The present study used the following techniques: A co-culture system of T24 cells and HUVECs was constructed using a microfluidic chip as a 3D co-culture system; the concentration of lactic acid in the medium of the cells was determined using an automatic microplate reader; a qualitative analysis of mitochondria-associated protein expression was performed by immunofluorescent staining; and a quantitative analysis of mitochondrial-associated protein expression was conducted using western blotting. The present results revealed that between the control groups (monoculture of T24 cells or HUVECs), the mitochondrial-associated protein fluorescence intensity was increased in the HUVECs compared with the T24 cells. The fluorescence intensity of mitochondrial-associated proteins in the HUVEC control group was increased compared with the HUVECs in the experimental co-culture group. In the T24 cells, the protein fluorescence intensity was increased in the experimental co-culture group compared with the control group. In addition, the expression of mitochondria-associated proteins was increased in HUVECs compared with T24 cells in the control groups, while T24 cells in the experimental co-culture group had an increased expression compared with HUVECs in the experimental group (P

A robust, superamphiphobic fabric with a novel self-healing ability to autorepair from chemical damage is prepared by a two-step wet-chemistry coating technique using an easily available material system consisting of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene), fluoroalkyl silane, and modified silica nanoparticles. The coated fabrics can withstand at least 600 cycles of standard laundry and 8000 cycles of abrasion without apparently changing the superamphiphobicity. The coating is also very stable to strong acid/base, ozone, and boiling treatments. After being damaged chemically, the coating can restore its super liquid-repellent properties by a short-time heating treatment or room temperature ageing. This simple but novel and effective coating system may be useful for the development of robust protective clothing for various applications.

The fibre generator shape and dimension are key factors affecting the needleless electrospinning process and fibre fineness. In this work, cylinder with rounded rim, disc and ball were used as spinnerets to electrospin polyvinyl alcohol and polyacrylonitrile solutions. A finite element method was used to analyse how the spinneret geometry affected the electric field generated during electrospinning and the associated changes in fibre diameter and productivity. For cylinder spinnerets, increasing the rim radius reduced the discrepancy of electric field intensity between the cylinder end and middle area, which affected the fibre productivity. The electrospinning failed to operate when the rim radius was over 20 mm. With decreasing cylinder diameter, the electric field intensity in the middle area increased, improving the fibre productivity. Thinner disc spinnerets increased the electric field intensity, resulting in finer nanofibres and higher productivities. Ball spinnerets produced evenly distributed electric field, but failed to electrospin fibres when the diameters were below 60 mm. It has been found that strong and narrowly distributed electric field in the fibre-generating area can significantly facilitate the mass production of quality nanofibres.

A superhydrophobic fabric coating made of a crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane elastomer, containing well-dispersed hydrophobic silica nanoparticles and fluorinated alkyl silane, shows remarkable durability against repeated machine washes, severe abrasion, strong acid or base, boiling water or beverages and excellent stain resistance.

Interconnected carbon nanofibrous membranes were prepared by conventional electrospinning and bicomponent electrospinning to produce polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) blend nanofibers and PVP/PAN side-by-side bicomponent nanofibers, followed by a direct pyrolysis treatment. The inter-fiber connection was highly affected by the PVP/PAN ratio and electrospinning method. The carbon nanofibers prepared from the side-by-side PVP/PAN nanofibers were found to have higher electrochemical capacitance than those from the PVP/PAN blend nanofibers.

Polyetherketone cardo (PEK-C) nanofibres containing vapour-grown carbon nanofibres (VGCNFs) were electrospun, and used for toughening and reinforcing a triglycidyl amino phenol (TGAP) epoxy resin. The addition of PEK-C/VGCNF nanofibres to the epoxy resin led to the distribution of VGCNFs primarily within the phase separated PEK-C-rich domains. Synergistic effects of thermoplastic PEK-C and VGCNFs on the mechanical properties, phase morphologies and thermal stability of the resultant epoxy matrix composites were observed when the PEK-C/CNF nanofibres were blended at a low content into the epoxy resin. Strong and tough multifunctional nanocomposites were prepared with the addition of 5 wt.% PEK-C/CNF nanofibres to the epoxy matrix.

The NZM2410-derived Sle2 lupus susceptibility locus induces an abnormal B-cell differentiation, which most prominently leads to the expansion of autoreactive B1a cells. We have mapped the expansion of B1a cells to three Sle2 sub-loci, Sle2a, Sle2b and Sle2c. Sle2 also enhances the breach of B-cell tolerance to nuclear antigens in the 56R anti-DNA immunoglobulin transgenic (Tg) model. This study used the Sle2 sub-congenic strains to map the activation of 56R Tg B cells. Sle2c strongly sustained the breach of tolerance and the activation of anti-DNA B cells. The production of Tg-encoded anti-DNA antibodies was more modest in Sle2a-expressing mice, but Sle2a was responsible for the recruitment for Tg B cells to the marginal zone, a phenotype that has been found for 56R Tg B cells in mice expressing the whole Sle2 interval. In addition, Sle2a promoted the production of endogenously encoded anti-DNA antibodies. Overall, this study showed that at least two Sle2 genes are involved in the activation of anti-DNA B cells, and excluded more than two-thirds of the Sle2 interval from contributing to this phenotype. This constitutes an important step toward the identification of novel genes that have a critical role in B-cell tolerance.

In this study, the morphological evolution of poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) nanofibers during electrospinning was examined via immersion precipitation of newly electrospun filaments in ethanol, and subsequently associating the fiber morphologies with the electrospinning distances (2 to 10 cm). We have observed that an uneven fiber stretching happened throughout the electrospinning process. A massive filament-thinning took place at the initial stage of whipping instability, and fiber stretching at the later whipping stage was mainly concentrated on the bead sections, leading to improved uniformity of the resultant fibers. This work has provided a new insight into the fiber formation mechanism in the electrospinning process. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010

Auxiliary fields have been used to enhance the performance of needle electrospinning. However, much less has been reported on how auxiliary fields affect needleless electrospinning. Herein, we report a novel needleless electrospinning technique that consists of an aerodynamic field and a second electric field. The second electric field is generated by setting two grounded inductive electrodes near the spinneret. The two auxiliary fields have to be applied simultaneously to ensure working of the electrospinning process. A synergistic effect was observed between inductive electrode and airflow. The aerodynamic-electric auxiliary field was found to significantly increase fiber production rate (4.5 g h-1), by 350% in comparison to the setup without auxiliary field (1.0 g h-1), whereas it had little effect on fiber diameter. The auxiliary fields allow running needleless electrospinning at an applied voltage equivalent to that in needle electrospinning (e.g. 10-30 kV). The finite element analyses of electric field and airflow field verify that the inductive electrodes increase electric field strength near the spinneret, and the airflow assists in fiber deposition. This novel needleless electrospinning may be useful for development of high-efficiency, low energy-consumption nanofiber production systems.

There have been many interests in using natural fibers as substitutes for glass fibers to prepare fiber reinforced composites. Flax fibers, due to their specific strength, have been a hot issue in this field. The focus of this research work is to manufacture flax fiber reinforced low melting point PET composites directly from nonwoven mats. No consolidation methods are applied to the carded nonwoven mats before the hot-press molding. The effects of operating parameters like carding method, molding temperature, molding time, etc. on the mechanical properties of composites have been investigated. Results show it is a facile and cost-saving method to produce composites specifically in the application areas like automobile interior ornament and decoration materials, etc.

In this study, we used a facile approach to examine the evolution of fiber morphologies during electrospinning, via solidifying the newly electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers in an ethanol bath at different electrospinning distances ( 2 cm to 10 cm). It has been observed that a massive jet-thinning took place at the initial stage of whipping instability, followed by uneven fiber-stretching. The fiber-stretching at the later whipping stage was mainly concentrated on beaded fiber sections, which improved the uniformity of the resultant fibers.