Search

Coal fires are a serious environment, health, and safety hazard throughout the world. They damage the environment, threaten the health of people living nearby, burn away non-renewable coal, and result in significant economic losses. In this paper, the characteristics of the ignition and propagation of coal fires are illustrated first. Semi-enclosed environments (loose zones and abandoned roadways) favor the ignition of coal fires. The 'upper fire' is pointed out to be prevalent and difficult to be controlled. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of several commonly used techniques for controlling coal fires are analyzed. The three-phase foam and water mist techniques are believed to be effective in controlling coal fires, especially the 'upper fires' in loose zones and abandoned roadways, respectively. Then, the three-phase foam coal fire extinguishing system is improved, and the water mist coal fire extinguishing system is developed. Finally, these two techniques are applied to control coal fires in the Anjialing Open Pit Mine. The results show that the three-phase foam and water mist techniques control coal fires efficiently and ensure the safe production of the mine as well as the security of personnel and equipments. Most importantly, this study provides a valuable method for the control of other coal fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Medical services are getting automated and intelligent. An emerging medical service is the AI pharmacy intravenous admixture service (PIVAS) that prepares infusions through robots. However, patients may distrust these robots. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the psychological mechanism of patients' trust in AI PIVAS., Methods: We conducted one field study and four experimental studies to test our hypotheses. Study 1 and 2 investigated patients' trust of AI PIVAS. Study 3 and 4 examined the effect of subjective understanding on trust in AI PIVAS. Study 5 examined the moderating effect of informed consent., Results: The results indicated that patients' reluctance to trust AI PIVAS (Studies 1-2) stems from their lack of subjective understanding (Study 3). Particularly, patients have an illusion of understanding humans and difficulty in understanding AI (Study 4). In addition, informed consent emerges as a moderating factor, which improves patients' subjective understanding of AI PIVAS, thereby increasing their trust (Study 5)., Discussion: The study contributes to the literature on algorithm aversion and cognitive psychology by providing insights into the mechanisms and boundary conditions of trust in the context of AI PIVAS. Findings suggest that medical service providers should explain the criteria or process to improve patients' subjective understanding of medical AI, thus increasing the trust in algorithm-based services., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Gong, Tang and Peng.)

Objective: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Methods: The clinical data of RA patients who were hospi-talized in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of Aerospace Center Hospital from May 2015 to September 2021 was retrospectively analyzed, including demographic characteristics, concomitant diseases, laboratory examinations (blood routine, biochemistry, coagulation, inflammatory markers, rheumatoid factor, antiphospholipid antibodies and lupus anticoagulant, etc .) and treatment regimens. The patients were compared according to the presence or absence of DVT, and the t test, Mann-Whitney U test or Chi-square test were applied to screen for relevant factors for DVT, followed by Logistic regression analysis to determine risk factors for DVT in patients with RA., Results: The incidence of DVT in the RA patients was 9.6% (31/322); the median age of RA in DVT group was significantly older than that in non-DVT group [64 (54, 71) years vs . 50 (25, 75) years, P < 0.001]; the level of disease activity score using 28 joints (DAS28)-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in DVT group was higher than that in non-DVT group [5.2 (4.5, 6.7) vs . 4.5(4.5, 5.0), P < 0.001]; the incidence of hypertension, chronic kidney disease, fracture or surgery history within 3 months, and varicose veins of the lower extremities in DVT group was higher than that in non-DVT group ( P < 0.001). The levels of hemoglobin and albumin in DVT group were significantly lower than that in non-DVT group ( P =0.009, P =0.004), while the D-dimer level and rheumatoid factor positive rate in DVT group were significantly higher than that in non-DVT group ( P < 0.001). The use rate of glucocorticoid in DVT group was higher than that in non-DVT group ( P =0.009). Logistic regression analysis showed that the age ( OR =1.093, P < 0.001), chronic kidney disease ( OR =7.955, P =0.005), fracture or surgery history within 3 months ( OR =34.658, P =0.002), DAS28-ESR ( OR =1.475, P =0.009), and the use of glucocorticoid ( OR =5.916, P =0.003) were independent risk factors for DVT in RA patients., Conclusion: The incidence of DVT in hospitalized RA patients was significantly increased, in addition to traditional factors, such as age and chronic kidney disease, increased DAS28-ESR level and the use of glucocorticoid were also independent risk factors for DVT.

Skin cancer is a prevalent form of cancer that necessitates prompt and precise detection. However, current diagnostic methods for skin cancer are either invasive, time-consuming, or unreliable. Consequently, there is a demand for an innovative and efficient approach to diagnose skin cancer that utilizes non-invasive and automated techniques. In this study, a unique method has been proposed for diagnosing skin cancer by employing an Xception neural network that has been optimized using Boosted Dipper Throated Optimization (BDTO) algorithm. The Xception neural network is a deep learning model capable of extracting high-level features from skin dermoscopy images, while the BDTO algorithm is a bio-inspired optimization technique that can determine the optimal parameters and weights for the Xception neural network. To enhance the quality and diversity of the images, the ISIC dataset is utilized, a widely accepted benchmark system for skin cancer diagnosis, and various image preprocessing and data augmentation techniques were implemented. By comparing the method with several contemporary approaches, it has been demonstrated that the method outperforms others in detecting skin cancer. The method achieves an average precision of 94.936%, an average accuracy of 94.206%, and an average recall of 97.092% for skin cancer diagnosis, surpassing the performance of alternative methods. Additionally, the 5-fold ROC curve and error curve have been presented for the data validation to showcase the superiority and robustness of the method., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

The article has been withdrawn at the request of the authors of the journal "Current Drug Delivery", Bentham Science apologizes to the readers of the journal for any inconvenience this may have caused. The Bentham Editorial Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://benthamscience.com/editorial-policies-main.php. BENTHAM SCIENCE DISCLAIMER: It is a condition of publication that manuscripts submitted to this journal have not been published and will not be simultaneously submitted or published elsewhere. Furthermore, any data, illustration, structure or table that has been published elsewhere must be reported, and copyright permission for reproduction must be obtained. Plagiarism is strictly forbidden, and by submitting the article for publication the authors agree that the publishers have the legal right to take appropriate action against the authors, if plagiarism or fabricated information is discovered. By submitting a manuscript the authors agree that the copyright of their article is transferred to the publishers if and when the article is accepted for publication., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Dissolving microneedle (DMN) has been researched as a drug delivery technology that improves drug molecule transportation through the skin with little discomfort. However, the sluggish drug absorption, poor skin dissolution, and lengthy time lags of DMN have limited its potential uses. The aim of this study was to design a novel DMN system for the administration of the poorly water-soluble drug, estradiol (E2), with fast skin penetration and a stable release rate for a long time. DMN containing E2 emulsion (E2-EM-DMN) and traditional DMN (T-DMN) were prepared. Rat skin was used for penetration test and guinea pig skin was used for skin irritation experiment. The drug release profiles and stability properties of these two kinds of DMNs were also investigated. High performance liquid chromatography was employed to determine the E2 content in DMN. The E2 concentration in rat plasma was achieved by a newly developed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method that was fast, reproducible, and specific. The height of E2-EM-DMN and T-DMN was 600 μm. The drug loading of the E2-EM-DMN and T-DMN was 667.30 ± 7.21 μg/patch and 672.56 ± 6.98 μg/patch. E2-EM-DMN possessed enough mechanical strength to penetrate the skin and caused no irritation to the skin. E2-EM-DMN could release the drug more rapidly and more continuously than T-DMN. E2-EM-DMN had good pharmaceutical stability. In summary, the E2-EM-DMN showed reliable quality and superior release performance. Emulsion-embedded DMN is an ideal transdermal delivery system for drugs., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.)

Seed oil content is one of the most important quantitative traits in soybean ( Glycine max ) breeding. Here, we constructed a high-density single nucleotide polymorphism linkage map using two genetically similar parents, Heinong 84 and Kenfeng 17, that differ dramatically in their seed oil contents, and performed quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping of seed oil content in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from their cross. We detected five QTL related to seed oil content distributed on five chromosomes. The QTL for seed oil content explained over 10% of the phenotypic variation over two years. This QTL was mapped to an interval containing 20 candidate genes, including a previously reported gene, soybean RING Finger 1a ( RNF1a ) encoding an E3 ubiquitin ligase. Notably, two short sequences were inserted in the GmRNF1a coding region of KF 17 compared to that of HN 84, resulting in a longer protein variant in KF 17. Our results thus provide information for uncovering the genetic mechanisms determining seed oil content in soybean, as well as identifying an additional QTL and highlighting GmRNF1a as candidate gene for modulating seed oil content in soybean., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-023-01384-2., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare no competing interests., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health burden, accounting for approximately 10% of all new cancer cases worldwide. Accumulating evidence suggests that the crosstalk between the host mucins and gut microbiota is associated with the occurrence and development of CRC. Mucins secreted by goblet cells not only protect the intestinal epithelium from microorganisms and invading pathogens but also provide a habitat for commensal bacteria. Conversely, gut dysbiosis results in the dysfunction of mucins, allowing other commensals and their metabolites to pass through the intestinal epithelium, potentially triggering host responses and the subsequent progression of CRC. In this review, we summarize how gut microbiota and bacterial metabolites regulate the function and expression of mucin in CRC and novel treatment strategies for CRC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Gu, Yin, Zhang, Yin, Tang, Ling, Tang, Yin, Wang, Ni, Zhu and Chen.)

Heinong 84 is one of the major soybean varieties growing in Northeast China, and is resistant to the infection of all strains of soybean mosaic virus (SMV) in the region including the most prevalent strain, N3. However, the resistance gene(s) in Heinong 84 and the resistant mechanism are still elusive. In this study, genetic and next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based bulk segregation analysis (BSA) were performed to map the resistance gene using a segregation population from the cross of Heinong 84 and a susceptible cultivar to strain N3, Zhonghuang 13. Results show that the resistance of Heinong 84 is controlled by a dominant gene on chromosome 13. Further analyses suggest that the resistance gene in Heinong 84 is probably an allele of Rsv1 . Finally, two pairs of single-nucleotide-polymorphism (SNP)-based primers that are tightly cosegregated with the resistance gene were designed for rapidly identifying resistant progenies in breeding via the cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) assay.

Background: Vascular dementia is characterized by reduced cognitive function due to chronic cerebral hypoperfusion and has become a significant public health challenge as the global population ages. Recent studies suggested that molar loss, a common problem among the elderly, may trigger the development of cognitive decline. Our previous study found that the molar loss affected cognitive dysfunction, and the astrocytes in the hippocampus of chronic cerebral ischemia rats were affected, but the underlying mechanism is unclear., Methods: In this study, we established the animal model of molar loss with 2-VO rats and the Morris water maze was used to test the cognitive ability of rats in each group. The damage to neurons was observed via Nissl staining, and neuronal apoptosis was analyzed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay in the hippocampus of the rats. Quantitative Real-Time PCR and immunohistochemistry and histology (IHC) were used to detect the expression of p38MAPK, NFκB, caspase 3, and iNOS in the hippocampus. The astrocytes were detected by IHC and Immunofluorescence analysis for GFAP. After 2-VO MO surgery, rats were administered DMSO or p38MAPK inhibitor (SB203580) by intrathecal injection., Results: The Morris water maze test showed that the molar loss aggravated spatial memory learning ability with chronic cerebral ischemia decreased in the rats. The neuronal damage and more apoptotic cells were observed in the hippocampus of 2-VO rats. After the molar loss, the mRNA and protein expression of iNOS, p38MAPK, NFκB, and caspase 3 were further upregulated in 2-VO rats. Molar loss upregulated GFAP expression, and the p38MAPK-positive cells were labeled with the astrocyte marker GFAP. SB203580 reduced cognitive impairment and apoptosis of hippocampal neurons in 2-VO rats following the molar loss., Conclusion: Molar loss can aggravate cognitive impairment in 2-VO rats to a certain extent. The mechanism of molar loss exacerbating the cognitive decline in 2-VO rats may be associated with the activation of the p38MAPK-NFκB-caspase 3 signaling pathway, which induces neuronal apoptosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Lu, Pang, Wu, Luo, Tang and Jiang.)

Soybeans are essential crops that supply protein and oil. The composition and contents of soybean fatty acids are relevant to human health and have a significant relationship with soybean oil processing and applications. Identifying quantitative trait locus (QTL) genes related to palmitic acid could facilitate the development of a range of nutritive soybean cultivars using molecular marker-assisted selection. In this study, we used a cultivar with higher palmitic acid content, 'Dongnong42', and a lower palmitic acid content cultivar, 'Hobbit', to establish F 2:6 recombinant inbred lines. A high-density genetic map containing 9980 SLAF markers was constructed and distributed across 20 soybean chromosomes. The genetic map contained a total genetic distance of 2602.58 cM and an average genetic distance of 0.39 cM between adjacent markers. Two QTLs related to palmitic acid content were mapped using inclusive composite interval mapping, explaining 4.2-10.1% of the phenotypic variance in three different years and environments, including the QTL included in seed palmitic 7-3, which was validated by developing SSR markers. Based on the SNP/Indel and significant differential expression analyses of Dongnong42 and Hobbit, two genes, Glyma.15g119700 and Glyma.15g119800 , were selected as candidate genes. The high-density genetic map, QTLs, and molecular markers will be helpful for the map-based cloning of palmitic acid content genes. These could be used to accelerate breeding for high nutritive value cultivars via molecular marker-assisted breeding.

Background and Objectives: Oral colon-targeted gel beads containing isoliquiritigenin (ISL) were successfully designed in our study. In order to further explore the targeting of the colon by the gel beads, a systematic study of their in vivo pharmacokinetics and colon targeting was performed in mice., Methods: Eighteen male mice were included in this study. The mice were separated into six groups at random. We collected blood, stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon tissues at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 h after oral administration of gel beads containing isoliquiritigenin at a dose of 20 mg/kg. Gel beads in tissues were recorded and taken out to observe their swelling and erosion. The total ISL concentrations in different tissues and gel beads were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography., Results: All gel beads reached the upper part of the stomach at 2 h with no obvious swelling. Most of the gel beads were still in the lower part of stomach, while a small amount had reached the small intestine at 4 h. A few gel beads reached the colon and swelled at 6 h. Furthermore, the gel beads in the colon were swollen and erosive at 8 h. Meanwhile, the plasma ISL concentration could be detected, which indicated that the ISL in the gel beads was absorbed. At 12 h, the gel beads were almost dissolved and the plasma concentration was 8.33 times that at 8 h. At 24 h, the gel beads had completely disappeared, and the plasma concentration was 2.55 times that at 12 h., Conclusion: The gel beads containing ISL are a sustained, controlled, and colon-targeting delivery system that can alter the ISL distribution in the gastrointestinal tract., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Objective: As a major risk factor for oral leukoplakia (OLK), oxidative stress can induce intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is closely related to autophagy. Ras-related protein 7 (Rab7) is an important molecule involved in autophagy. Peroxiredoxin 1 (Prx1) is a key antioxidant protein, overexpressed in a variety of malignant tumors. We found that the expression of Prx1 in OLK was up-regulated, and Prx1 is associated with autophagy. This study aims to identify mechanisms of Prx1 in oxidative stress associated autophagy in human dysplastic oral keratinocyte (DOK) cells., Design: Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) was used to induce autophagy in DOK cells. CCK8 assay and flow cytometry were conducted to examine cell viability, cell apoptosis and intracellular ROS level. Autophagy-associated proteins were detected by western blot and immunofluorescence. MHY1485 was applied to investigate the role of Prx1 in autophagy. On the basis of online docking tool Zdock, Prx1 interacting with Rab7 was verified by immunofluorescence double-staining, Duolink PLA, and Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP)., Results: H 2 O 2 induced autophagy and ROS increase in DOK cells, and the expression of Prx1 increased gradually according to H 2 O 2 concentration . Prx1 knockdown attenuated the inhibition of MHY1485 on the expressions of autophagy-related proteins and the ratio of LC3 II/LC3 I induced by H 2 O 2 . Moreover, Prx1 interacted with Rab7 in DOK cells., Conclusions: Prx1 was involved in the regulation of H 2 O 2 -induced autophagy in DOK cells partly by physically interacting with Rab7. Prx1 knockdown promoted autophagy maybe by releasing more Rab7 into the autophagy process., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Oral leukoplakia (OLK) is one of the oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) with an increased risk of developing oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). There is no ideal therapeutic drug yet. Our previous study showed azoxystrobin (AZOX) inhibited the viability of OLK cells and the incidence of mouse tongue cancer. However, its specific mechanism has not been clarified. Here, we used network pharmacology with experimental validation to investigate the roles and mechanisms of AZOX in OLK. Methods: The targets of AZOX and OLK were obtained from online databases. The overlapping genes were identified by the Jvenn database. STRING and Cytoscape software were used to construct the PPI network. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were used to analyze the biological function. Molecular docking and CETSA were used to verify the direct binding between AZOX and its key targets. 4NQO induced mouse tongue carcinogenesis model was constructed to clarify the treatment response of AZOX in vivo . TUNEL staining was performed to detect the effect of AZOX on apoptosis in mouse OLK tissues. CCK8 assay, flow cytometry, and western blot were used to detect the effect of AZOX on cell proliferation and apoptosis in DOK cells. The expression of PI3K/AKT and MAPK markers were analyzed by immunohistochemistry in vivo or by western blot in vitro . Results: Venn diagram showed 457 overlapping targets, which were involved in the PI3K/AKT, MAPK, and apoptosis pathways, and the top 5 hub modules were TP53, STAT3, AKT1, MAPK1, and PIK3R1. AZOX was bound with the highest force to AKT and PI3K by AutoDock Vina. PyMOL software visualized that AZOX could fit in the binding pocket of the AKT and PI3K. The carcinogenesis rate of the mouse OLK in the high-dose AZOX group was significantly reduced. AZOX induced apoptosis in the OLK tissues and DOK cells, and the expression of PI3K, AKT, p-ERK was decreased, and the expression of p-p38 and p-JNK was increased. CETSA indicated that AZOX might have a direct binding with AKT and PI3K. Conclusion: AZOX may induce apoptosis via PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways in OLK. This study reveals the potential therapeutic targets of AZOX in OLK., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Li, Li, Chen, Shen, Lu, Zhang and Tang.)

A series of novel pathalide-1,2,4-oxadiazole analogs were synthesized for discovering novel anti-inflammatory agents. After the assessment of their cytotoxicity in vitro, all compounds had been screened for their anti-inflammatory activity by evaluating their inhibitory effect on LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages. SARs had been concluded, and finally compound E13 was found to be the most potent compound. This compound could also significantly decrease the production of iNOS and COX-2. Preliminary mechanism studies indicated that compound E13 could inhibit the TLR4/NF-κB and ERK/p38 signaling pathways. These findings indicate that E13 holds great potential to be a lead compound for discovering novel anti-inflammatory drugs., (© 2022 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

High energy density materials (HEDM) are the subject of an extensive research effort in relation to the use of these compounds as components of rocket propellants, powders, and formulations of high-performance explosives. Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (HNIW, i.e., CL-20) has received much attention in these research fields for its specific impulse, burning rate, ballistics, and detonation velocity. In this paper, the development and performances of the explosives from the first to the fourth generation are briefly summarized, and the synthesis status of the fourth-generation explosive, HNIW, is reviewed. The key issues that restrict the development of industrial amplification synthesis of HNIW are analyzed, and the potential directions of development are proposed. It is pointed out that to synthesize new and efficient catalysts is the key to making the cost-effective manufacturing of CL-20 a reality.

The aim of this study was to evaluate nitrogen pollution risks from distinct materials composting with the discrepancy of component, including chicken manure, municipal solid and straw waste (CM, MSW, SW). Results showed total nitrogen maximum mean concentrations were observed in CM (39.57 g/kg). Pollution risks in CM were continuous, while MSW and SW mainly concentrated during heating phases. Microbial analysis confirmed that pollution risks from ammonification and nitrification were more prevalent in CM. The risks of pollution caused by nitrate reduction accompanied N 2 O were the most serious in MSW. The multifunctional nitrogen-related microbes Pseudomonas and Bacillus were affected by microenvironments and contributed to different pollution risks. Furthermore, PICRUSt analysis identified the "inferred" key genes (pmoC-amoC, nrfH, nifD etc.) related to nitrogen pollution risks. This study evaluated nitrogen pollution risks and proposed the future directions, providing theoretical basis and feasible optimization measures for the mitigation of nitrogen pollution during composting., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Tobacco can induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production extensively in cells, which is a major risk factor for oral leukoplakia (OLK) development. Peroxiredoxin 1 (Prx1) is a key antioxidant protein, upregulated in a variety of malignant tumors. We previously found that nicotine, the main ingredient of tobacco, promotes oral carcinogenesis via regulating Prx1. The aim of the present study was to screen and identify the Prx1 interacting proteins and investigate the mechanisms of nicotine on the development of OLK. Through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry combined with bioinformatics analysis, the candidate Prx1 interacting proteins of cofilin-1 (CFL1), tropomyosin alpha-3 chain (TPM3), and serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 2A 65 kDa regulatory subunit A alpha isoform (PPP2R1A) were screened in human dysplastic oral keratinocyte cells treated with nicotine. CFL1, TPM3, and PPP2R1A were highly expressed in human OLK tissues. The expression of CFL1 increased and the expression of PPP2R1A decreased in OLK of smokers compared to that in OLK of non-smokers. Nicotine upregulated CFL1 and downregulated PPP2R1A in 4-nitro-quinoline-1-oxide (4NQO)-induced OLK tissues in mice in part dependent on Prx1. Furthermore, the in-situ interaction of CFL1, TPM3, and PPP2R1A with Prx1 were validated in human OLK tissues. Our results suggested that tobacco might promote the development of OLK via regulating Prx1 and its interacting proteins CFL1 and PPP2R1A.

Objective: Tobacco smoking is one of the main risk factors for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and can induce generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In our previous studies, we demonstrated that nicotine, the major ingredient in tobacco, can upregulate an important antioxidant enzyme Peroxiredoxin 1 (Prx1), in oral leukoplakia (OLK), an oral precancerous lesion. The underlying regulatory mechanisms, however, remain unclear. This study aims to identify regulatory mechanisms of nicotine and identify Prx1 interacting proteins in nicotine-associated OLK., Design: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) combined with bioinformatics analysis was conducted to profile Prx1 binding proteins in human dysplastic oral keratinocyte (DOK) cells. Candidate interaction proteins were further verified using Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), Western blot or Duolink assay in 4-nitro-quinoline-1-oxide (4NQO)-induced OLK in mice and human OLK tissues., Results: We identified Thioredoxin (Trx), Nucleolar GTP-binding protein 1 (GTPBP4), GTP-binding protein Di-Ras2 (DIRAS2) and apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) as key Prx1 interacting proteins regulated by nicotine. Our data showed that nicotine upregulated Trx, GTPBP4, DIRAS2, and downregulated ASK1 in 4NQO-induced OLK in mice, at least in part dependent on Prx1. The modulations of Trx, GTPBP4, DIRAS2 and ASK1 by nicotine were also found in OLK smokers compared to OLK non-smokers. The in-situ interaction of Trx, GTPBP4, DIRAS2 and ASK1 with Prx1 were validated in human OLK tissues., Conclusion: Nicotine may promote OLK development via regulating Prx1 binding proteins Trx, GTPBP4, DIRAS2 and ASK1. The results of this study will help to develop therapeutic approaches for OLK in humans targeting Prx1 interacting protein network., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Compound K [C-K; 20- O -(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-20( S )-protopanaxadiol], as a metabolite of ginsenoside, has been verified to have antitumor effects in various cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the detailed mechanisms of C-K in NSCLC remain largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of C-K on apoptosis and autophagy in NSCLC cells as well as its related mechanisms. According to the results, C-K suppressed the proliferation, and led to G1 phase arrest and apoptosis in A549 and H1975 cells. Subsequently, C-K promoted autophagy, as confirmed by the enhanced rate of cells staining positive with acridine orange, increased levels of LC3II and Beclin-1, and with decreased levels of p62 in A549 and H1975 cells. Moreover, 3-methyladenine (3-MA; an inhibitor of autophagy) effectively suppressed the inhibition of proliferation and apoptosis that was induced with C-K. Finally, C-K treatment promoted the activation of the AMPK-mTOR and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways. Treatment with compound C (AMPK inhibitor) or SP600125 (JNK inhibitor) significantly restrained the inhibition of proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy induced with C-K in A549 and H1975 cells. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that C-K promotes autophagy-mediated apoptosis in NSCLC via AMPK-mTOR and JNK signaling pathways.

Background: Alport syndrome is a rare genetic kidney disease, and rheumatoid arthritis as a common autoimmune disease also causes renal lesions in addition to arthritis. The overlap of them has rarely been reported., Case Presentation: A 44-year-old man had a history of multi-joint swelling and pain for more than half a year. His laboratory data with double positive for rheumatoid factor and anticitrullinated protein antibodies further supported the diagnosis of early rheumatoid arthritis. His previous medical history including progressive hearing loss for several years and microhematuria for one year attracted our attention. Renal biopsy showed thin basement membrane nephropathy and lymphocytes infiltration of interstitium. To make a precise diagnosis, targeted Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) of an inherited renal disease panel including Alport syndrome genes was performed, which revealed the missense mutation in COL4A5 (c.1351 T > C, p.Cys451Arg). Further in silico analyses predicted that the p. Cys451Arg mutation is functionally "damaging", so the diagnosis of Alport syndrome was finally proved. The patient has been receiving the treatment of total glucosides of paeony and leflunomide for rheumatoid arthritis, and Cozaar 50 mg for the protection of kidney so far. During the 10-months follow-up, swelling and tenderness of the joints in this patient had been generally relieved, with no obvious improvement in microhematuria and a slight increase in proteinuria., Conclusion: we reported an adult man with the coexistence of rheumatoid arthritis and Alport syndrome with the missense mutation in COL4A5 (c.1351 T > C, p.Cys451Arg). Whether the overlap of them is occasional or has a common pathophysiological mechanism is still unclear.

Cell wall invertase (CWI) and vacuolar invertase (VI) play multiple functions in plant growth. As well as depending on transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, there is growing evidence that CWI and VI are also subject to post-translational control by small inhibitory proteins. Despite the significance of this, genes encoding inhibitors, their molecular and biochemical properties, and their potential roles in regulating seed production have not been well documented in soybean (Glycine max). In this study, two invertase inhibitor isoforms, GmCIF1 and GmC/VIF2, were characterized to possess inhibitory activities in vitro via heterologous expression. Transcript analyses showed that they were predominantly expressed in developing seeds and in response to ABA. In accordance with this, surveys of primary targets showed subcellular localizations to the apoplast in tobacco epidermis after expressing YFP-fusion constructs. Investigations using RNAi transgenic plants demonstrated marked elevations of CWI activities and improvements in seed weight in conjunction with higher accumulations of hexoses, starch, and protein in mature seeds. Further co-expression analyses of GmCIF1 with several putative CWI genes corroborated the notion that GmCIF1 modulation of CWI that affects seed weight is mainly contingent on post-translational mechanisms. Overall, the results suggest that post-translational elevation of CWI by silencing of GmCIF1 expression orchestrates the process of seed maturation through fine-tuning sucrose metabolism and sink strength.

Objective: To explore the clinical value of virtual touch tissue quantification (VTQ) technique and the PGA index [prothrombin time (P), γ-glutamyl transpeptadase (GG) and apolipoprotein A1 (ApoAl)] in evaluating the degree of liver fibrosis in alcoholic patients.
, Methods: A total of 64 patients with long-term alcohol history were enrolled for this study. The liver ultrasonography elasticity was examined by VTQ techniques, the VTQ value was assessed in the liver target region, and then the PGA index was calculated. According the liver biopsy biological results, a golden standard, the patients were divided into a non-fibrosis group (n=11), a fibrosis group (n=10), a significant fibrosis group (n=14) and a cirrhosis group (n=29). The diagnostic value of VTQ and PGA index were compared in alcoholic patients following the classification of liver fibrosis.
, Results: The elastography VTQ values were (1.38±0.33), (1.49±0.30), (1.76±0.22) and (2.28±0.53) m/s; while the PGA indexes were 2.09±0.94, 2.30±1.06, 3.57±1.09, and 2.21±1.99 in the non-fibrosis group, the fibrosis group, the significant fibrosis group and the cirrhosis group, respectively. The VTQ value and PGA index were positively correlated with the classification of liver fibrosis (VTG: r=0.719, PGA: r=0.683; both P<0.01).
, Conclusion: The alcoholic liver fibrosis can be assessed by noninvasive VTQ technology and PGA index. As a real-time ultrasound elastography technique, VTQ is more accurate than the PGA index. Combination of the two methods is helpful for early diagnosis and treatment in the patients with alcoholic liver fibrosis.

Purpose: To compare the structural and cellular differences of the periosteum from different parts of the mandible in minipigs by use of histologic and immunohistochemical methods to confirm the areas in which periosteal osteogenesis in situ can be used to treat mandible defects., Materials and Methods: Three minipigs were killed, and the left mandible of each was retrieved with the periosteum remaining and then fixed, decalcified, and embedded. The specimens were cut from the buccal and lingual sides of the ramus, angle, and body of the mandible and the mentum. Sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and antibodies for Stro-1 (stem cell marker) and vWF (endothelial cell marker). For each periosteal area, the thickness and number of positive cells for each antibody were measured and analyzed., Results: The mentum and mandibular angle periostea were thicker than those of the body and ramus. In addition, there were more blood vessels in the periostea of the mentum and mandibular body than the angle and ramus. There were more Stro-1-positive cells in the ramus periosteum than the mentum, body, and angle of the mandibles., Conclusions: The structure and cell populations of the periosteum appear to be site specific. Therefore we suggest periosteal osteogenesis in situ to treat mentum and mandibular body defects. The periosteum should be preserved as much as possible to guarantee a good healing process., (Copyright © 2012 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR) was developed and optimized to simultaneously detect 3 viral pathogens of shrimp. Three sets of specific oligonucleotide primers for Taura syndrome virus (TSV), white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV) were used in the assay. The mRT-PCR DNA products were visualized by gel electrophoresis and consisted of fragments of 231 bp for TSV, 593 bp for WSSV and 356 bp for IHHNV. No specific bands of the same size were amplified from other penaeid shrimp pathogenic viruses or bacteria. As little as 10 pg of TSV RNA and 100 pg of WSSV DNA and IHHNV DNA could be detected using gel electrophoresis. Studies are in progress to further test the specificity and sensitivity of this mRT-PCR method on viral isolates, as well as on clinical samples.