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Avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) occurs following exposure to corticosteroids, and the proliferative capacity of the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) belonging to ANFH was reduced. The previous studies indicate that microRNA (miRNA) has an important regulatory role during proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. Therefore, MSCs were obtained from healthy adults, and were cultured and osteogenically‑induced by different dexamethasone concentrations. The proliferation and osteogenic differentiation capacities were examined through observing cellular morphology, alkaline phosphatase and alizarin red; miRNA expression was investigated using an miRNA gene chip and miRNA of differential expressions were retrieved through a database to analyze its regulatory effect. Dexamethasone at a concentration of 10(‑7) mol/l induced the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs and resulted in evident miRNA expression profile changes. In total, 11 miRNAs were upregulated at 10(‑7) mol/l while 6 were downregulated, and partial miRNA was identified to participate in the regulation of cell proliferation and cell apoptosis, MSC osteogenic differentiation, lipid metabolism and other processes.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning (HBO-PC) on peri-hemorrhagic focal edema and aquaporin-4 (AQP-4) expression in an experimental intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) rat model. Sixty-six Sprague Dawley® rats were divided into three groups: The sham-surgery group (SHG; n=6); the control group (A-ICH; n=30), in which the rats were injected with autologous blood; and the experimental HBO-PC group (P-HBO; n=30). The rats underwent brain edema and AQP-4 detection at 5 postoperative time-points (24, 48 and 72 h and 5 and 7 days). The water content in the brain tissues of the A-ICH animals was higher than that in the brain tissues of the SHG rats at each time-point (P

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/boron nitride (BN) composite films were successfully fabricated by facile vacuum filtration and subsequent thermal treatment. Their morphology, structure and electrochemical performance were systematically characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Importantly, the as-prepared rGO/BN composite film with a 2 wt.% BN content as binder-free anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) exhibited a high reversible capacity of 278 mAh·g−1 at a high current density of 100 mA·g−1, high rate capability, and high capacity retention over the first 200 cycles. The enhanced electrochemical performances of rGO/BN composite film are attributed to the unique structure and the synergistic effects between layered BN and graphene, which favored electrolyte penetration and buffered the volume expansion during the lithiation and delithiation process. In addition, this work not only provides a versatile strategy for fabrication of other graphene-based films, but also shows the potential promise of rGO/BN composite film for other energy storage devices. Accepted version

Molecular beacon (MB) is usually explored as a convenient probe for various bioassays. In an enzymatic polymerization-based biosensing system, primer, and MB, sometimes involving other oligonucleotides, are often required to collaboratively generate an amplified fluorescent signal to detect target molecules with high sensitivity and specificity. In the current study, a multifunctional primer-integrated MB (MP-MB) was developed to detect the p53 tumor suppressor gene. Compared with the traditional MB, our MP-MB can not only selectively identify the target of interest and signal sensitively its hybridization event, but also act as the primer during enzymatic polymerization. Specifically, hybridization of MP-MB to target p53 gene restored the fluorescence intensity and activated the pre-locked primer designed by changing the molecular configuration of MP-MB. Moreover, the p53 gene could be detected down to 1nM with a linear response range of 1×10(-9)-3×10(-7)M, and p53 gene point mutation was readily distinguished from the wild-type one. Its potential application as a primer of replication in enzymatic polymerization-based assay systems was validated by running parallel gel electrophoreses in comparison with the native counterpart of MP-MB without any chemical modification. Owning to its excellent assay characteristics, less species requirement, broad sequence diversity and preserved intrinsic bioactivity, the proof-of-concept of MP-MB exhibits a great potential in various biomedical applications.

Background and Aims A nanometer silicon membrane sandwich cup system was self-designed. It could concentrate the bacilli via 0.45-μm microporous filter membrane and semi-automate the acid-fast bacilli (AFB) by a bacteria-staining machine. The aim of the study was to assess the clinical value of our self-designed system for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB). Methods A total of 1993 sputum specimens obtained from patients with confirmed or suspected TB were subjected to direct or concentrated specimens smear at XiangYa Hospital, Central South University between May 2012 and February 2013. In addition, all the specimens were also inoculated into Lowenstein–Jensen (L-J) media, and culture results were considered as the gold standard for calculating sensitivity and specificity. Results Compared with direct smear examination, an increased density of red stained bacilli was observed in the self-designed nanometer silicon membrane sandwich cup analysis under the microscope. The positive rate of the self-designed analysis was significantly higher than that of direct AFB smear [10.9% (217/1993) vs 6.2% (123/1993), P

A simplified Carba NP test (CNPt), the CNPt-direct, was evaluated for carbapenemase detection using 272 gram-negative bacteria. Compared to the Modified Hodge test, the CNPt-direct had higher sensitivity (98.2% vs. 71.6%). The simplified Carba NP is an accurate, cheap and simple test for rapid carbapenemase detection.

The chaperonin-containing T‑complex protein 1 (CCT) has eight subunits, CCT 1-8, which are dysregulated in several types of cancer. To determine how subunit 8 (CCT8) influences the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis were performed on 128 ESCC samples in the present study to measure the expression of CCT8. The prognostic value of CCT8 was analyzed using univariate and multivariate survival analyses. CCT8 knockdown in ESCC cells was performed and subsequently, the migration and invasion of ESCC cells was assessed. The results of immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis of ESCC tissue indicated that the expression of CCT8 in tumor tissues from patients with lymph node metastasis (LNM) was high whereas its expression in tissues from those without LNM was low. In addition, the overall survival rate of patients with high CCT8 expression was poor. It was demonstrated that CCT8 influenced the migration and invasion of ESCC cells by regulating α-actin and β-tubulin. Following CCT8 knockdown, cells were treated with cisplatin; it was demonstrated that α-actin and β-tubulin were downregulated and that cell apoptosis was enhanced. These data confirm that α-actin and β-tubulin are regulated by CCT8, and that increased CCT8 expression is associated with poor patient prognosis and cisplatin resistance in ESCC.

Clostridium difficile toxin B (cdtB) is a critical virulence factor characterized with potential cytotoxicity and pro-inflammatory activity. This study aims to investigate anti-tumor effects of cdtB on breast cancer development. Clostridium difficile strain was cultured and cdtB recombinant protein (rcdtB) was synthesized. Breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, was divided into Normal control, rcdtB 50, 100, 200 and 400 ng/ml group in vitro. Mice were divided into Normal control and rcdtB treatment group (400 ng/ml) in vivo. 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was performed to evaluate inhibitive effects of rcdtB on cell growth. Flow cytometry and transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) were employed to examine apoptosis in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Cell cycle distribution was analyzed by utilizing commercial kit. B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) were examined using western blot. Inflammatory response was detected using haematoxylin and eosin (HE). Erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 2 (C-erbB-2) and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) were examined using immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence assay, respectively. The results indicated that rcdtB significantly induced MDA-MB-231 death, inhibited growth and decreased S-phase cells compared to Normal control group (P < 0.05). rcdtB significantly induced early and late apoptosis, and decreased Bcl-2 levels compared to Normal control group (P < 0.05). rcdtB significantly inhibited cell migration compared to Normal control group (P < 0.05). rcdtB significantly inhibited tumor growth and activated inflammation of breast cancer model compared to Normal control group (P < 0.01). rcdtB significantly reduced C-erbB-2 and Cox-2 in tumor tissues compared to Normal control group (P < 0.01). In conclusion, rcdtB treatment inhibited tumor growth and induced apoptosis through inhibiting Bcl-2 expression, inflammatory responses, and activating C-erbB-2 and Cox-2 expression in breast cancer mouse model.

As a promising candidate seed cell type in regenerative medicine, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have attracted considerable attention. The unique capacity of MSCs to exert a regulatory effect on immunity in an autologous/allergenic manner makes them an attractive therapeutic cell type for immune disorders. In this review, we discussed the current knowledge of and advances in MSCs, including its basic biological properties, i.e., multilineage differentiation, secretome, and immunomodulation. Specifically, on the basis of our previous work, we proposed three new concepts of MSCs, i.e., “subtotipotent stem cell” hypothesis, MSC system, and “Yin and Yang” balance of MSC regulation, which may bring new insights into our understanding of MSCs. Furthermore, we analyzed data from the Clinical Trials database ( http://clinicaltrials.gov ) on registered clinical trials using MSCs to treat a variety of immune diseases, such as graft-versus-host disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and multiple sclerosis. In addition, we highlighted MSC clinical trials in China and discussed the challenges and future directions in the field of MSC clinical application.

Layered transition metal (Ti, Ta, Nb, etc.) dichalcogenides are important prototypes for the study of the collective charge density wave (CDW). Reducing the system dimensionality is expected to lead to novel properties, as exemplified by the discovery of enhanced CDW order in ultrathin TiSe

We demonstrate the thermal conductivity enhancement of the vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays (from ∼15.5 to 29.5 W/mK, ∼90% increase) by encapsulating outer boron nitride nanotube (BNNT, 0.97 nm-thick with ∼3–4 walls). The heat transfer enhancement mechanism of the coaxial C@BNNT was further revealed by molecular dynamics simulations. Because of their highly coherent lattice structures, the outer BNNT serves as additional heat conducting path without impairing the thermal conductance of inner CNT. This work provides deep insights into tailoring the heat transfer of arbitrary CNT arrays and will enable their broader applications as thermal interface material. MOE (Min. of Education, S’pore)

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels with tissue-like viscoelasticity, excellent biocompatibility, and high hydrophilicity have been considered as promising cartilage replacement materials. However, lack of sufficient mechanical properties is a critical barrier to their use as load-bearing cartilage substitutes. Herein, we report hydroxylated boron nitride nanosheets (OH-BNNS)/PVA interpenetrating hydrogels by cyclically freezing/thawing the aqueous mixture of PVA and highly hydrophilic OH-BNNS (up to 0.6 mg/mL, two times the highest reported so far). Encouragingly, the resulting OH-BNNS/PVA hydrogels exhibit controllable reinforcements in both mechanical and thermal responses by simply varying the OH-BNNS contents. Impressive 45, 43, and 63% increases in compressive, tensile strengths and Young’s modulus, respectively, can be obtained even with only 0.12 wt% (OH-BNNS:PVA) OH-BNNS addition. Meanwhile, exciting improvements in the thermal diffusivity (15%) and conductivity (5%) can also be successfully achieved. These enhancements are attributed to the synergistic effect of intrinsic superior properties of the as-prepared OH-BNNS and strong hydrogen bonding interactions between the OH-BNNS and PVA chains. In addition, excellent cytocompatibility of the composite hydrogels was verified by cell proliferation and live/dead viability assays. These biocompatible OH-BNNS/PVA hydrogels are promising in addressing the mechanical failure and locally overheating issues as cartilage substitutes and may also have broad utility for biomedical applications, such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, biosensors, and actuators. MOE (Min. of Education, S’pore)

Number of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains in different cities and years. This table describes the numbers of strains in different cities and years. The cities in this table were divided into 3 group based on the annual per capita GDP. (DOCX 16Â kb)

Controlling the composition and structure of boron carbonitride nanotubes (BCNNTs) is the critical factor for tuning their electrical and optical properties, which in turn allows for the broadening of their applications. However, most of the known methods for synthesizing BCNNTs employ toxic precursors at high temperatures (up to 2000 °C) and the achieved BCNNTs usually encounter phase-separation of BN and C. Herein, a facile large-scale synthesis of ternary BCNNTs with controllable composition by a chemical vapor deposition process at a relatively low temperature of 900 °C is reported. By simply adjusting the synthetic parameters, BCNNTs with two different atomic ratios of B : C : N can be successfully synthesized. Their morphologies and ternary structure as well as optical properties are further investigated. Notably, the as-prepared BNCNTs-50 are stable up to 900 °C in air and exhibit an optical band gap of ∼4.36 eV. The results demonstrated in this study will open new avenues for a variety of potential applications of BCNNTs in electronics, photonics, sensors and high temperature lubricants. MOE (Min. of Education, S’pore)

Introduction: This study set out to investigate the molecular epidemiology of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolates collected from Xiang Ya Hospital, Hunan, China. Methodology: The carbapenemase genes from Enterobacteriaceae isolates were determined by PCR and sequencing. Relatedness of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates was evaluated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Results: Twenty-four out of 738 non-repetitive Enterobacteriaceae isolates harbored carbapenemase genes including IMP-38, a novel IMP-type metallo-enzyme. Nine IMP-38-producing isolates were shown to originate from the same clone and caused a small outbreak in the neonatal ward. Conclusions: IMP-38, a novel IMP-type metallo-enzyme, was one of the predominant types of carbapenemase in the clinical carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates in our hospital.

MiRNAs have been identified in various plants and animals where they function in post-transcriptional regulation. Although studies revealed that dexamethasone play a pivotal role in the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs), the identification of specific miRNAs and their regulatory roles in this process remain poorly defined. In this study, microarrays were used to analyze the miRNA expression profile of dexamethasone-induced hBMSCs derived from three donors, and RT-PCRs were used to confirm the microarray results. Nine upregulated miRNAs and seven downregulated miRNAs were identified. The putative target genes of these miRNAs were predicted using bioinformatics analysis. Subsequently, we focused our attention on the functional analysis of an upregulated miRNA, miR-23a. Overexpression of miR-23a inhibited osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs at the cellular, mRNA, and protein levels. The results of our study provide an experimental basis for further research on miRNAs functions during osteogenic differentiation of dexamethasone-induced hBMSCs.

Bone and fat cells share a common progenitor, stromal/mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), that can differentiate into osteoblasts or adipocytes. Osteogenesis and adipogenesis of MSCs maintain homeostasis under physiological conditions. The disruption of this homeostasis leads to bone-related metabolic diseases. For instance, reduction in bone formation, which is usually accompanied by an increase in bone marrow adipogenesis, occurs with aging, immobility, or osteoporosis. Thus, it is crucial to gain an understanding of how osteogenic and adipogenic lineages of MSCs are regulated. Here, we present evidence that let-7 is a positive regulator of bone development. Using gain- and loss-of-function approaches, we demonstrate that let-7 markedly promotes osteogenesis and suppresses adipogenesis of MSCs in vitro. Moreover, let-7 could promote ectopic bone formation of MSCs in vivo. Subsequent studies further demonstrated that let-7's effects are mediated through the repression of high-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) expression. RNAi depletion of HMGA2 could also enhance osteogenesis and repress adipogenesis. Overall, we found a novel role of let-7/HMGA2 axis in regulating the balance of osteogenesis and adipogenesis of MSCs. Thus, let-7 can be used as a novel therapeutic target for disorders that are associated with bone loss and adipocyte accumulation.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to investigate how the myocardial acceleration during isovolumic contraction changed in rats with diabetic cardiomyopathy and a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by using velocity vector imaging. METHODS Velocity vector imaging was performed in 12 control rats and 15 rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetic cardiomyopathy 12 weeks after streptozotocin injection. The segmental radial displacement, velocity, acceleration, and percent wall thickening were measured at the mid-left ventricular (LV) level. RESULTS Compared to control rats, rats with cardiomyopathy had a significant decrease in the peak radial acceleration during isovolumic contraction in most segments of the LV wall (including the anterior, anterolateral, inferolateral, and inferior segments; P < .05) but a similar LVEF, fractional shortening, and segmental displacement. Rats with cardiomyopathy also had a significant increase in LV end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters when corrected for body mass (P < .001; P = .003, respectively) and a significant decrease in the radial peak systolic velocities of the inferolateral and inferior wall segments (P < .05). In addition, rats with cardiomyopathy had a significant decrease in the peak radial diastolic acceleration in most segments of the LV wall (except for the anterolateral one; P< .05) but similar peak radial diastolic velocities in all LV wall segments compared to controls. Pathologic examination in rats with cardiomyopathy revealed ultrastructural impairment of the capillary and cardiocyte without any atherosclerotic lesion in the coronary artery compared to control rats. CONCLUSIONS Myocardial acceleration during isovolumic contraction decreases in rats with diabetic cardiomyopathy and a preserved LVEF, suggesting the presence of regional LV systolic dysfunction.

Hierarchical CoNiO2 polyhedral mesoporous structure using a novel hydrothermal method followed by the microwave carbon bath irradiation annealing process. The nanostructure, morphology, surface area and magnetic properties are characterized and investigated in detail. These results reveal that the regular hexagon mesoporous structures and the large specific surface area of 53.57 m3/g play an essential role in enhanced electrochemical activity. CoNiO2 modified glass carbon electrode with output power of 720 W (CNO-720/GCE) exhibits perfect electrochemical ultratrace detection toward Cu(II) with low detection limit of 3.1 nM and high sensitivity of 7.554 μA/μM under the optimized experimental conditions, and also shows the excellent repeatability, reproducibility, stability and selectivity. The improved electrochemical performance is associated with the specific hierarchical polyhedral structure, abundant mesporous channels, stable crystal surface and strong affinity toward Cu(II). Therefore, the synthesized CNO-720/GCE nanomaterials can be applied for ultratrace detection of heavy metal ions.

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to investigate whether the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) measured by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) could discriminate between aggressive and indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) and correlations between the SUVmax and clinical variables and serum biochemical indicators in adult lymphoma. Methods: A total of 103 patients with lymphoma confirmed by biopsy, pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT scans, and a complete medical record were retrospectively enrolled in the study. Clinical variables that were evaluated included stage, pathological subtype, International Prognostic Index (IPI) score, and Ki-67 index, as well as serum biochemical indicators (e.g., lactate dehydrogenase [LDH] and erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]) and metabolic parameters (e.g., SUVmax of the biopsy site on PET/CT). Correlations between SUVmax and clinical variables and serum biochemical indicators were investigated. Results: Of the 103 patients, 84 had NHL and 19 had Hodgkin lymphoma. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for examining the accuracy of SUVmax with regard to distinguishing between aggressive and indolent NHLs was 0.94 (95% confidence interval: 0.89–0.99), suggesting that SUVmax was a useful predictor of diagnosis. A cutoff value of 8.5 yielded a sensitivity of 76.3% and specificity of 92.0%. The SUVmax mean ± standard deviation of NHL (9.8 ± 6.0, range: 1.8–28.1) was higher than that of HL (7.5 ± 2.8, range: 3.5–13.9) (P = 0.016), but there was no statistically significant difference in SUVmax between NHL and HL (P > 0.05). SUVmax of the biopsy site was strongly positively correlated with Ki-67 index (r = 0.813, P < 0.001) and moderately positively correlated with IPI score (r = 0.332, P = 0.002), but it was not significantly correlated with clinical stage, LDH, or ESR (P > 0.05). Conclusions: 18F-FDG PET/CT may yield reliable measurements of tumor proliferation, and an SUVmax >8.5 may distinguish between aggressive and indolent NHLs. In adults with newly diagnosed lymphoma, SUVmax correlates with Ki-67 index and IPI score.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate into several distinct cell types, including osteoblasts and adipocytes. The balance between osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation is disrupted in several osteogenic-related disorders, such as osteoporosis. So far, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that drive final lineage commitment of MSCs. In this study, we revealed that miR-17-5p and miR-106a have dual functions in the modulation of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs) commitment by gain- and loss-of-function assays. They could promote adipogenesis and inhibit osteogenesis. Luciferase reporter assay, western blot and ELISA suggested BMP2 was a direct target of miR-17-5p and miR-106a. Downregulation of endogeneous BMP2 by RNA interference suppressed osteogenesis and increased adipogenesis, similar to the effect of miR-17-5p and miR-106a upregulation. Moreover, the inhibitory effects of miR-17-5p on osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of hADSCs could be reversed by BMP2 RNA interference. In conclusion, miR-17-5p and miR-106a regulate osteogenic and adipogenic lineage commitment of hADSCs by directly targeting BMP2, and subsequently decreased osteogenic TAZ, MSX2 and Runx2, and increased adipogenic C/EBPα and PPARγ.

Sustained activation of X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1) results in endothelial cell (EC) apoptosis and atherosclerosis development. The present study provides evidence that XBP1 mRNA splicing triggered an autophagic response in ECs by inducing autophagic vesicle formation and markers of autophagy BECLIN-1 and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3β (LC3-βII). Endostatin activated autophagic gene expression through XBP1 mRNA splicing in an inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α)-dependent manner. Knockdown of XBP1 or IRE1α by shRNA in ECs ablated endostatin-induced autophagosome formation. Importantly, data from arterial vessels from XBP1 EC conditional knock-out (XBP1eko) mice demonstrated that XBP1 deficiency in ECs reduced the basal level of LC3β expression and ablated response to endostatin. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays further revealed that the spliced XBP1 isoform bound directly to the BECLIN-1 promoter at the region from nt −537 to −755. BECLIN-1 deficiency in ECs abolished the XBP1-induced autophagy response, whereas spliced XBP1 did not induce transcriptional activation of a truncated BECLIN-1 promoter. These results suggest that XBP1 mRNA splicing triggers an autophagic signal pathway through transcriptional regulation of BECLIN-1. Background: Apoptosis and autophagy are two closely related systems that induce cell death. Results: X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1) mRNA splicing regulates BECLIN-1 transcriptional activation, a fundamental player in the initiation of autophagy. Conclusion: XBP1 splicing induces an autophagic response in endothelial cells. Significance: XBP1 could be used as an important pharmacological target that can regulate the autophagic machinery and endothelial cell death.

Trimercaptotriazine-functionalized polystyrene chelating resin was prepared and employed for the adsorption of Ag(I) from aqueous solution. The adsorbent was characterized according to the following techniques: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy and the Brunauer-Emmet-Teller method. The effects of initial Ag(I) concentration, contact time, solution pH and coexisting ions on the adsorption capacity of Ag(I) were systematically investigated. The maximum adsorption capacity of Ag(I) was up to 187.1 mg/g resin at pH 0.0 and room temperature. The kinetic experiments indicated that the adsorption rate of Ag(I) onto the chelating resin was quite fast in the first 60 min and reached adsorption equilibrium after 360 min. The adsorption process can be well described by the pseudo second-order kinetic model and the equilibrium adsorption isotherm was closely fitted by the Langmuir model. Moreover, the chelating resin could selectively adsorb more Ag(I) ions than other heavy metal ions including: Cu(II), Zn(II), Ni(II), Pb(II) and Cr(III) during competitive adsorption in the binary metal species systems, which indicated that it was a highly selective adsorbent of Ag(I) from aqueous solution.

// Xiaojing Yang 1, * , Hanru Ren 2, * , Yi Sun 1 , Lihua Zhang 1 , Xinmiao Yang 1 , Hongling Li 1 , Yuhui Shao 1 , Jie Fu 1 1 Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China 2 Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University, Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Xiaojing Yang, email: youngshanghai@126.com Keywords: D-dimer, endometrial cancer, prognosis, intensity-modulated radiation therapy Received: November 04, 2016 Accepted: February 08, 2017 Published: February 28, 2017 ABSTRACT Explain the important role of plasma D-dimer in cancers. Plasma D-dimer is increased in various tumors. However, the predictive value of plasma D-dimer is unclear. This study is aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the D-dimer level in patients managed with intensity-modulated radiation for endometrial cancer. The D-dimer levels of forty patients with endometrial cancer were assessed before (D1) and after (D2) intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), respectively. The D-dimer level changes (ΔD) were defined as D2 minus D1. Cox regression and log-rank tests were used to evaluate the D-dimer levels in relation to progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The OS and PFS of patients with a low D1 were significantly longer than those with a high D1 ( P < 0.001, P < 0.001). We saw the similar correlation between D2, PFS and OS ( P < 0.001, P < 0.001). Multivariate survival analyses showed that D-dimer was independently associated with OS and PFS in patients with endometrial cancer. The ΔD level was not related to the OS and PFS in endometrial cancer patients. The levels of D-dimer may be considered as an important predictor of PFS and OS in endometrial cancer patients treated with IMRT.

The major challenges associated with skin regeneration can include hindered vascularization and an insufficient degree of epithelization. In view of the complexity of these processes and the control signals on which they depend, one possible solution to these limitations could be simulating normal skin development and wound repair via the exogenous delivery of multiple cytokines. Here, we report the use of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF or FGF-7) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF-2) released chemically modified collagen membranes to facilitate skin wound healing. The results from in vitro studies confirmed that this system resulted in higher cellular proliferation and faster cell migration. After transplanting the biomaterial onto an excisional wound healing model, the dual growth factor group, compared with the single growth factor groups and empty control group, showed more highly developed vascular networks and organized epidermal regeneration in the wounds. As a consequence, this experimental group showed mature epidermal coverage. Overall, this novel approach of releasing growth factors from a collagen membrane opens new avenues for fulfilling unmet clinical needs for wound care.

To evaluate the role of CHADSWe searched for cohort studies that reported risk estimates for incidence of ischaemic stroke/TIA or mortality by levels of CHADSEight cohort studies (7 prospective and 1 retrospective) enrolling 31,509 patients with CAD were included. The pooled RR of mortality was 2.38 (95% CI 1.63-3.47) for CHADSCHADS

To analyze the clinical outcome and complications of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for patients with primary biliary cirrhosis(PBC).Clinical data of 25 patients with PBC who underwent OLT were analyzed retrospectively. The postoperative cumulative survival rate of the patients was calculated. The postoperative recurrence of PBC, de novo diseases and other complications were analyzed.A total of 25 patients were recruited including 22 females and 3 males. The average age was 49.1 years (range from 40 to 64 years). The score of model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) was 21.80±5.49, and the Mayo score 8.01±1.38. Four patients died after liver transplantation. The 1-year, 2-year and 7-year patient cumulative survival rates were 92.0%, 87.8% and 75.3%, respectively. Eight cases (32.0%) developed recurrent PBC based on histological evidence. The median time to recurrence was 17.5 months. One of the eight patients with recurrent PBC was diagnosed with de novo auto-immune hepatitis (AIH) simultaneously, who eventually died. Acute rejection and de novo hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection developed in thirteen (52.0%) patients and five (20.0%) patients, respectively. Two cases (8.0%) of de novo AIH were diagnosed, one of which was fatal.OLT is an effective procedure for end-stage PBC. Much attention needs to be paid to the post-transplantation complications, including recurrence of primary disease, combined de novo HBV infection, de novo AIH, etc.

With the biological significance and important advances of nano-scale DNA devices, scientific activities have been directed toward developing molecular machinery. In this work, we present a novel two-wheel drive-based DNA nanomachine composed of one signaling recognition probe (SRP), one label-free recognition probe (LRP), and one driving primer (DP). Target DNA hybridization can activate LRP-based wheel driving by resorting to DP-mediated polymerization/nicking/displacement cycles. This in turn results in the accumulation of nicked strand 1 (NS1) that can initiate extended SRP-based wheel driving. As a result, the hairpin structure of SRP is stretched and pre-quenched fluorescence is restored. Meanwhile, lots of nicked strand 2 (NS2) are produced, which could hybridize perfectly with SRP and lead to further fluorescence amplification. It is worth noting that, because the nanomachine operation relies strongly on inputted target trigger, the unwanted background is completely eliminated. The detection limit of 1 pM and an excellent capability to recognize the single-base mutation were achieved. Significantly, the interrogating of target trigger extracted from cancer cells is already available, reflecting the potential for practical applications. As a proof-of-concept building, the unique analytical properties would significantly benefit the DNA nanomachines and reveal great promise in biochemical and biomedical studies.

Due to their exceptional chemical and thermal stabilities as well as electrically insulating property, atomically thin hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) films have been identified as a promising class of dielectric substrate and encapsulation material for high-performance two-dimensional (2D) heterostructure devices. Herein, we report a facile chemical vapor deposition synthesis of large-area atomically thin h-BN including monolayer single crystals and C-doped h-BN (h-BCN) films utilizing a relatively low-cost, commercially available trimethylamine borane (TMAB) as a single-source precursor. Importantly, pristine 2D h-BN films with a wide band gap of ∼6.1 eV can be achieved by limiting the sublimation temperature of TMAB at 40 °C, while C dopants are introduced to the h-BN films when the sublimation temperature is further increased. The h-BCN thin films displayed band gap narrowing effects as identified by an additional shoulder at 205 nm observed in their absorbance spectra. Presence of N–C bonds in the h-BCN structures with a doping concentration of ∼2 to 5% is confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The inclusion of low C doping in the h-BN films is expected to result in constructive enhancement to its mechanical properties without significant alteration to its electrically insulating nature. This study provides new insights into the design and fabrication of large-area atomically thin h-BN/h-BCN films toward practical applications and suggests that the range of precursors can be potentially extended to other anime borane complexes as well. ASTAR (Agency for Sci., Tech. and Research, S’pore) MOE (Min. of Education, S’pore)

Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms governing human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) osteogenic differentiation is of great importance for improving the treatment of bone-related diseases. In this study, we examined the role of microRNA (miR)-100 on the osteogenesis of hASCs. Overexpression of miR-100 inhibited osteogenic differentiation of hASCs in vitro, whereas downregulation of miR-100 enhanced the process. Target prediction analysis and dual luciferase report assay confirmed that bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II (BMPR2) was a direct target of miR-100. Furthermore, knockdown of BMPR2 by RNA interference inhibited osteogenic differentiation of hASCs, similar as the effect of upregulation miR-100. Taken together, our findings imply that miR-100 plays a negative role in osteogenic differentiation and might act through targeting BMPR2.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to characterize left ventricular (LV) intracavitary flow during the isovolumic contraction (IVC) period in humans using vector flow mapping. Methods: Color flow Doppler imaging was performed from the apical long-axis view in 61 patients with heart failure and 58 healthy volunteers. Doppler flow data obtained during IVC were analyzed offline with vector flow mapping. Results: A large vortex was formed from the LV inflow toward the outflow during IVC. In normal subjects, the area of the vortex was sustained, but the flow volume decreased significantly during IVC (P < 0.001). A significant apex-to-base flow velocity gradient was shown along the outflow axis on aortic valve opening. However, both the area and flow volume of the vortex decreased more severely during IVC in the patients (P < 0.001). The apex-to-base flow velocity gradient along the outflow axis disappeared and a reversed velocity gradient was observed at the basal-mid level on aortic valve opening. In multivariate models, a decreased LV ejection fraction was the only independent predictor of the percentage decrease in area of the vortex during the IVC (P < 0.001), and a larger QRS width (P = 0.028) and LV end-systolic long diameter (P = 0.002) were independent predictors of the percentage decrease in flow volume of the vortex. Conclusions: The vortex across the LV inflow–outflow region during IVC facilitates the ejection of blood during early systole, and an unsustained vortex may be associated with impaired cardiac function. (Echocardiography 2012;29:579-587)

A practical open channel microfluidic reactor with immobilized palladium complex was built on a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) chip that was fabricated with a very simple hot-embossing technique. Palladium complex was immobilized on a photochemically grafted layer of polymerized N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]methacrylamide. Surface modification and catalyst immobilization onto COC were systematically characterized with streaming potential, surface contact angle, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The reactor was comprised of a single 15 cm long serpentine channel of 120 μm (i.d.) and exhibited high efficiency for the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction of aryl iodides and bromides with arylboronic acids, affording good to excellent yields of the corresponding products. The reactions could be carried out smoothly with reduced reaction time and lower reactant consumption in the microreactor thermostated at 50°C. The proposed system may have great potential for high-throughput screening of catalysts and reaction conditions.

A mesoporous silica SBA-15-supported palladium with spindle-like nitrogen donor groups, 1,4-diaza-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane, has been successfully prepared and applied for homocoupling of terminal alkynes. The catalyst exhibited very high activity for terminal alkynes carrying various substitution groups, yields ranging from 70% to 94%, with a significant advantage that air acted as the oxidant. It also showed good reusability, could be easily recovered through filtration and washing, and reused at least five times with virtually no evident loss of catalytic performance. Furthermore, it was also proved to be an effective and air-stable heterogeneous catalyst for Suzuki coupling of aryl halides (X = I, Br) with arylboronic acids. The catalyst was systematically characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscope, nitrogen physical adsorption, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method and X-ray powder diffraction. The analyses indicated that the mesoporous structure of the materials was retained during the immobilization process.

Nanocrystalline TiO2films were fabricated on titanium substrates by compression method. The CdS quantum dots (QDs) were assembled onto the compressed TiO2layers, which serve as sensitizers. A maximum power conversion efficiency of 4.49% is achieved under 100 mW/cm2illumination. In this paper, we find that the compression can help increase the efficiency of the cell by increasing the absorption of the CdS QDs and improving the transportation of photogenerated electrons.

An amine-functionalized mesoporous silica SBA-15 supported palladium catalyst was prepared and characterized. For the first time, this supported palladium has been used as an efficient phosphine-free and reusable catalyst for the cross-coupling of haloalkynes with terminal alkynes. A variety of haloalkynes and aromatic/aliphatic terminal alkynes were selectively coupled to afford unsymmetrical 1,4-disubstituted 1,3-diynes in good yields.

We studied the effects of TNF-α and Fas-induced death signaling in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) by examining their contributions to the development of bone marrow failure syndromes in Tak1-knockout mice (Tak1−/−). We found that complete inactivation of TNF-α signaling by deleting both of its receptors, 1 and 2 (Tnfr1−/−r2−/−), can prevent the death of 30% to 40% of Tak1−/− HSPCs and partially repress the bone marrow failure phenotype of Tak1−/− mice. Fas deletion can prevent the death of 5% to 10% of Tak1−/− HSPCs but fails to further improve the survival of Tak1−/−Tnfr1−/−r2−/− HSPCs, suggesting that Fas might induce death within a subset of TNF-α-sensitive HSPCs. This TNF-α/Fas-induced cell death is a type of receptor-interacting protein-1 (RIP-1)–dependent programmed necrosis called necroptosis, which can be prevented by necrostatin-1, a specific RIP-1 inhibitor. In addition, we found that the remaining Tak1−/− HSPCs died of apoptosis mediated by the caspase-8–dependent extrinsic apoptotic pathway. This apoptosis can be converted into necroptosis by the inhibition of caspase-8 and prevented by inhibiting both caspase-8 and RIP-1 activities. We concluded that HSPCs are heterogeneous populations in response to death signaling stimulation. Tak1 mediates a critical survival signal, which protects against both TNF-α/Fas-RIP-1–dependent necroptosis and TNF-α/Fas-independent apoptosis in HSPCs.

The carbonylative Suzuki cross-coupling reactions of boronic acids with aryl iodides catalyzed by Pd 2 (dba) 3 as a ligand-free catalyst under atmospheric pressure of carbon monoxide has been firstly developed. Under mild reaction conditions, a broad range of aryl/heteroaryl iodides and aryl/heteroaryl boronic acids were selectively coupled to afford the corresponding diaryl ketones in good to excellent yields at low catalyst loadings (0.05 to 2mol-%). Moreover, the catalyst can also be recycled.

Al2O3 diffusion barriers of various thicknesses have been fabricated by filtered arc ion plating between the NiCrAlY coating and the O-Ti2AlNb alloy. Isothermal oxidation tests and three-point bend tests have been conducted to investigate the influence of the Al2O3 diffusion barriers on the oxidation and interfacial fracture behaviour of the coatings. The results indicate that the Al2O3 diffusion barrier defers interdiffusion and gives oxidation resistance of the NiCrAlY coatings. The thickness of the Al2O3 interlayer not only influences the oxidation behaviour but also affects the interfacial fracture properties. Additionally, thermal exposure affects the critical load in three-point bend tests.

Background: A laboratory investigation was designed to test the hypothesis that acids increase the rate of wear caused by attrition on dentine. Methods: Dentine sections from 10 teeth were polished, cleaned in an ultrasonic bath and divided into 8 equally sized areas. The occlusal tip of a tooth, placed vertically in a wear machine and loaded at 150 N, was moved against each dentine section for 5000 return strokes with artificial saliva acting as a lubricant. Each dentine section was divided into 8 sections and half randomly immersed in a 1% citric acid solution (pH 2.3) for 20 minutes. The wear regime produced 8 wear scars in total per dentine sample. The volume of each wear scar was measured using a contacting digitizing profilometer. Results: A total of 80 wear scars were produced with 40 treated with acid and 40 acting as controls. The mean for wear volume of the dentine scars with acid was 4.84 μm3 (1.38) and for the non-acid surface 2.95 μm3 (0.86). This difference was statistically significant (p

The uniform and dense Al(2)O(3) and Al(2)O(3)/Al coatings were deposited on an orthorhombic Ti(2)AlNb alloy by filtered arc ion plating. The interfacial reactions of the Al(2)O(3)/Ti(2)AlNb and Al(2)O(3)/Al/Ti(2)AlNb specimens after vacuum annealing at 750 degrees C were studied. In the Al(2)O(3)/Ti(2)AlNb specimens, the Al(2)O(3) coating decomposed significantly due to reaction between the Al(2)O(3) coating and the O-Ti(2)AlNb substrate. In the Al(2)O(3)/Al/Ti(2)AlNb specimens, a gamma-TiAl layer and an Nb-rich zone came into being by interdiffusion between the Al layer and the O-Ti(2)AlNb substrate. The gamma-TiAl layer is chemically compatible with Al(2)O(3), with no decomposition of Al(2)O(3) being detected. No internal oxidation or oxygen and nitrogen dissolution zone was observed in the O-Ti(2)AlNb alloy. The Al(2)O(3)/Al/Ti(2)AlNb specimens exhibited excellent oxidation resistance at 750 degrees C. (C) 2010 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

By establishing engine-clutch-vehicle body nonlinear dynamic, the nonlinear dynamic behavior of DDCT is studied with Clutch rigidity. The nonlinear dynamic behavior of the chaotic and bifurcation of the vibration of the clutch system is analyzed. The stability of the system is determined by the maximum Lyapunov index method; And combined with experimental study, the clutch noise and the vibration acceleration of the gearbox during the movement of the car are tested. It shows as follows, Reducing the Clutch stiffness can effectively reduce the noise and vibration acceleration. It is also provide a theoretical basis for solving the noise problem in the starting process.