Search

A new type of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) hollow fiber membrane (HFM) with five bores was prepared. The effects of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), β-cyclodextrine (β-CD), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polysorbate 80 (Tween 80) and their combinations on the PVDF/PMMA five-bore HFMs were investigated. The performance and fouling characteristics of five-bore HFMs for dyeing wastewater treatment were evaluated. Results indicated that adding 5 wt.% PVP increased the porosity and water flux of the membrane but decreased the bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection rate. Adding 5 wt.% β-CD significantly improved the tensile strength and rejection of the HFMs with no effect on the increase of water flux. The characteristic of the HFMs with different additive combinations proved that the mixture of 5 wt.% PVP and 1 wt.% β-CD gave the best membrane performance, with a pure water flux of 427.9 L/ m2·h, a contact angle of 25°, and a rejection of BSA of 89.7%. The CODcr and UV254 removal rates of dyeing wastewater treatment were 61.10% and 50.41%, respectively. No breakage or leakage points were found after 120 days of operation, showing their reliable mechanical properties. We set the operating flux to 55 L/m2·h and cross-flow rate to 10%, which can effectively control membrane fouling. HIGHLIGHTS PVDF/PMMA five-bore HFMs were prepared by dry-wet spinning.; The addition of PVP and β-CD had significant effects on HFM hydrophilicity and rejection respectively.; The best film properties were obtained by mixing 5 wt% PVP and 1 wt% β-CD.; The laboratory-made membrane module could effectively remove chemical oxygen demand and the turbidity of the dyeing wastewater.; No breakage or leakage points were found after 120 days of operation, showing their reliable mechanical properties.

Background and aim Diallyl disulfide (DADS), a volatile sulfide extracted from garlic, has been suggested as a chemical of anti-atherosclerotic drugs, while its molecular mechanism for this benefit has not fully been understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of DADS on lipid metabolism and its potential mechanisms in HepG2 cells induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Methods and results HepG2 cells were treated with LPS with or without different concentrations of DADS (0, 20, 40, 80, 160 μg/ml) for 24 h. The cell activity was detected by CCK8, and Dil-LDL uptake assay was used to examine the LDL uptake. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of LDLR, PCSK9 SREBP2 and HMGCR. In addition, we examined the effect of the combination of DADS with atorvastatin on PCSK9 expression. The results showed that LPS significantly increased PCSK9 and SREBP2 expressions in a dose-dependent manner in HepG2 cells. DADS attenuated PCSK9, SREBP2 and HMGCR expressions and up-regulated the expression of LDLR. Moreover, DADS reversed the expressions of PCSK9, SREBP2, HMGCR and LDLR induced by LPS and DADS could promote the LDL uptake in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, DADS decreased the expression of PCSK9 by activating the PI3K/Akt-SREBP2 signal pathway. Notably, DADS could reduce PCSK9 expression induced by atorvastatin in HepG2 cells. Conclusion DADS could significantly attenuated PCSK9 expression in a dose-dependent manner induced by LPS and increased the LDLR expression in HepG2 cells, which was associated with the activation of PI3K/Akt-SREBP2 signaling pathway.

Background In rare cases, people living with chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection do not develop antibodies despite demonstrable infection. Delayed or missed diagnosis of HIV infection leads to a lack of timely therapy, resulting in rapid disease progression with opportunistic infections or malignancies. Case Report A 44-year-old Chinese man presented with sore throat, oral leukoplakia, fever, dyspnoea and diffuse ground glass-like lesions in both lungs. Serum cytomegalovirus DNA was detectable, and CD4+ T-cell count was low. The patient was suspected of being a person living with HIV despite of the repeatedly negative HIV antibody tests using enzyme-linked immunsorbent assay and Western blot. Subsequently, high-plasma HIV RNA viral load was found on two repeated tests, while HIV DNA was also positive. Thus, the patient was confirmed as presenting with HIV-seronegative acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The symptoms improved in response to effective anti-fungal and anti-retroviral therapy after diagnosis. Conclusion This is the third reported case of an HIV-seronegative AIDS patient in China, which are also rarely reported globally. HIV nucleic acid testing is important to screen out HIV infection, especially in those who present with severe immunodeficiency but remain HIV serogenative.

BACKGROUND: It has been demonstrated that berberine (BBR), a kind of alkaloid derived from Chinese herbal medicine, has multiple pharmacological effects on human’s diseases including anti-atherosclerosis action. However, although the previous studies showed that the beneficial impact of BBR on atherosclerosis might be associated with proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), the exact underlying mechanism are not fully determined. The present study aimed to investigate potential mechanisms of anti-atherosclerosis by BBR using ApoE(-/-) mice. METHODS: The eight-week mice were divided into five groups: group 1 (wild type C57BL/6J mice with normal diet), group 2 (ApoE(-/-) mice with normal diet), group 3 [ApoE(-/-) mice with high-fat diet (HFD)], group 4 (ApoE(-/-) mice with HFD, and treatment with low dose BBR of 50 mg/kg/d), and group 5 (ApoE(-/-) mice with HFD, and treatment with high dose BBR of 100 mg/kg/d). After a 16-week treatment, the blood sample, aorta and liver were collected for lipid analysis, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) or oil red O staining, and Western blotting respectively. Besides, HepG2 Cells were cultured and treated with different concentrations of BBR (0, 5, 25 and 50 µg/mL) for 24 hours. Subsequently, cells were collected for real-time PCR or western blotting assays. Finally, the expression levels of PCSK9, LDL receptor (LDLR), ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), ATP-binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1), and scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) were examined. RESULTS: Fifty mg/kg/d and 100 mg/kg/d of BBR decreased total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (LDL-C), and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level. Moreover, BBR reduced aorta atherosclerotic plaque, and ameliorated lipid deposition in ApoE(-/-) mice fed with HFD. Finally, in vitro study showed that BBR promoted intracellular cholesterol efflux, up-regulated LDLR and down-regulated PCSK9 expression via the ERK1/2 pathway in cultured HepG2 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Data indicated that BBR significantly attenuated lipid disorder, reduced aortic plaque formation, and alleviated hepatic lipid accumulation in ApoE(-/-) mice fed with HFD, which was associated with down-regulation of PCSK9 through ERK1/2 pathway.

To investigate the effects of extracellular matrix stiffness on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based cell culture substrate model.The premolars removed during orthodontic treatment in Changzhou NO.2 People's Hospital were collected for DPSCs culture. PDMS matrix membranes were prepared, and divided into three groups according to the different stiffness degrees, group A (binder/hardener: 10∶1; 135 kPa), group B (binder/hardener: 20∶1; 54 kPa), and group C (binder/hardener: 30∶1; 16 kPa). Group free from PDMS was set as control group. Thereafter, DPSCs cells were cultured on PDMS matrix, and various indexes were detected. The proliferation rate of DPSCs was detected by CCK-8, the osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs was detected by alizarin red staining, and the protein expression levels of osteocalcin(OCN), RUNX2, Wnt1 and β-catenin were detected by Western blot. The data were processed with SPSS 22.0 software package.Alizarin red staining showed that DPSCs cells in group A had obvious morphological changes, and the cell arrangement showed obvious orientation, its morphology gradually changed from polygon and spindle shape to square shape, and calcified nodules were also observed. The number of calcified nodules among four groups were the most in the group A, followed by group B and group C, which was the lowest in control group, with significant difference (P0.05). The cell proliferation rate and the expression of OCN, RUNX2, Wnt1 and β-catenin were the highest in group A, followed by group B and group C, which was the lowest in control group, with significant difference(P0.05).The extracellular matrix with high stiffness may promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which may provide a theoretical basis for periodontal tissue engineering.

Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is widely known for its multiple systems damage, especially neurocognitive deficits in children. Since their discovery, adenosine A

Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is widely known for its multiple systems damage, especially neurocognitive deficits in children. Since their discovery, adenosine A2A receptors (A2ARs) have been considered as key elements in signaling pathways mediating neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's and Alzheimer's, as well as cognitive function regulation. Herein, we investigated A2AR role in cognitive impairment induced by chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). Mice were exposed to CIH 7 h every day for 4 weeks, and intraperitoneally injected with A2AR agonist CGS21680 or A2AR antagonist SCH58261 half an hour before IH exposure daily. The 8-arm radial arm maze was utilized to assess spatial memory after CIH exposures.To validate findings using pharmacology, the impact of intermittent hypoxia was investigated in A2AR knockout mice. CIH-induced memory dysfunction was manifested by increased error rates in the radial arm maze test. The behavioral changes were associated with hippocampal pathology, neuronal apoptosis, and synaptic plasticity impairment. The stimulation of adenosine A2AR exacerbated memory impairment with more serious neuropathological damage, attenuated long-term potentiation (LTP), syntaxin down-regulation, and increased BDNF protein. Moreover, apoptosis-promoting protein cleaved caspase-3 was upregulated while anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was downregulated. Consistent with these findings, A2AR inhibition with SCH58261 and A2AR deletion exhibited the opposite result. Overall, these findings suggest that A2AR plays a critical role in CIH-induced impairment of learning and memory by accelerating hippocampal neuronal apoptosis and reducing synaptic plasticity. Blockade of adenosine A2A receptor alleviates cognitive dysfunction after chronic exposure to intermittent hypoxia in mice.

To explore the variation of mercury in the atmosphere in Suzhou, continuous monitoring of gaseous element mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), and particulate bound mercury (PBM) was conducted from January 1 to December 31, 2018, in Suzhou. The weights trajectory analysis method (CWT) and concentration rose were used to analyze the atmospheric mercury sources and concentration variation. The results showed that during the monitoring period, the concentration ranges of GEM, GOM, and PBM in Suzhou were 0-53.3 ng·m

Background:Berberine (BBR) is a kind of alkaloid derived from Chinese herbal medicine, which has multiple pharmacological activities including anti-atherosclerosis (AS). However, the mechanism underlying the role of BBR in modulating lipid metabolic disorders is not fully clear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the beneficial effects of BBR on AS in ApoE-/- mice and its potential mechanisms.Methods: Eight-week old ApoE-/- mice with high-fat diet (HFD) and wild type mice were administered eitherBBR (50mg/kg/d and 100mg/kg/d, respectively) or equivoluminal saline. After the 16-week treatment, the blood was collected for lipid evaluation, and aorta and liver were obtained from the mice for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, oil red O staining and Western blotting. HepG2 Cells were treated by BBR (0, 5, 25, and 50 μg/ml) for 24 hours. Real-time PCR or Western blotting was used to examine the expression levels of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), LDL receptor (LDLR), ATP-binding cassette transporter A1(ABCA1), ATP-binding cassette transporter G1(ABCG1) and scavenger receptor class B type I(SR-BI).Results: BBR significantly decreased serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (LDL-C) and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level in ApoE-/- mice fed with HFD. Moreover, BBR markedly reduced aorta atheroscleroticplaque, ameliorated lipid deposition in the liver in vivo. BBR could also promote intracellular cholesterol efflux and regulate LDLR and PCSK9 expression via the ERK1/2 pathway in HepG2 cells.Conclusions: BBR could improve lipid metabolism, decrease aorta AS and hepatic lipid accumulation in ApoE-/- mice fed with HFD, which was associated with down-regulation of PCSK9 through ERK1/2 pathway.

Background Loeffler’s endocarditis is an inflammatory cardiac condition of hypereosinophilic syndrome which rarely involves coronary artery. When coronary artery is involved, known as eosinophilic coronary periarteritis, the clinical presentation, electrocardiographic changes and troponin level are extremely nonspecific and may mimic acute coronary syndrome. It is very important to make differential diagnosis for ECPA in order to avoid the unnecessary further invasive coronary angiography. Case presentation We report a case with chest pain, ST-segment depression in electrocardiogram and increased troponin-I mimicking acute non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. However, quick echocardiography showed endomyocardial thickening with normal regional wall motion, which corresponded to the characteristics of Loeffler’s endocarditis. Emergent blood analysis showed marked increase in eosinophils and computed tomography angiography found no significant stenosis of coronary artery. Manifestations of magnetic resonance imaging consisted with findings of echocardiography. Finally, the patient was diagnosed as Loeffler’s endocarditis and possible coronary spasm secondary to eosinophilic coronary periarteritis. Conclusion This case exhibits the crucial use of quick transthoracic echocardiography and the emergent hematological examination for differential diagnosis in such scenarios as often if electrocardiogram change mimicking myocardial infarction.

Background: Accurate assessment of left ventricular (LV) systolic function is important after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). LV ejection fraction (LVEF) is conventionally used to evaluate LV systolic function; deformation parameters can be used to detect subtle LV systolic dysfunction. It is unclear whether an incised pericardium without sutures during CABG could affect LV morphology and function. We investigated the effect of pericardial incision on LV morphology and systolic function during CABG. Methods: Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 27 patients during elective CABG 5 minutes before and after pericardial incision. LV longitudinal and mid-cavity transversal diameters, sphericity index, volumes, and LVEF were measured. LV global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), global radial strain (GRS), and twist obtained by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography were measured simultaneously. Results: LV mid-cavity transversal diameter increased, while the LV sphericity index decreased (PP15% immediately after pericardial incision (PConclusions: Pericardial incision immediately transformed LV morphology from an ellipsoid to sphere, with decreased longitudinal and circumferential strain and twist, and increased radial strain, while LVEF remained unchanged. This should be considered when evaluating LV systolic function in patients after CABG, especially in those with a lower SYNTAX score.

Background Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is an important cardioprotective mechanism and the decrease in cholesterol efflux can result in the dyslipidemia. Although liraglutide, a glucagon like peptide-1 analogue, has mainly impacted blood glucose, recent data has also suggested a beneficial effect on blood lipid. However, the exact mechanism by which liraglutide modulates lipid metabolism, especially its effect on RCT, remain undetermined. Hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate the potential impacts and potential underlying mechanisms of liraglutide on the cholesterol efflux in both db/db mice and HepG2 cells. Methods Six-week old db/db mice with high fat diet (HFD) and wild type mice were administered either liraglutide (200 μg/kg) or equivoluminal saline subcutaneously, twice daily for 8 weeks and body weight was measured every week. After the 8-week treatment, the blood was collected for lipid evaluation and liver was obtained from the mice for hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining, red O staining and Western blotting. Cholesterol efflux was assessed by measuring the radioactivity in the plasma and feces after intraperitoneal injection of 3H-labeled cholesterol. HepG2 Cells were treated with different concentrations of glucose (0, 5, 25, and 50 mmol/L) with or without liraglutide (1000 nmol/L) for 24 h. The intracellular cholesterol efflux was detected by BODIPY-cholesterol fluorescence labeling. Real-time PCR or Western blotting was used to examine the expression levels of ABCA1, ABCG1 and SR-B1. Results Liraglutide significantly decreased blood glucose, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). It also reduced liver lipid deposition in db/db mice fed with HFD. Moreover, the movement of 3H-cholesterol from macrophages to plasma and feces was significantly enhanced in db/db mice fed with HFD after liraglutide adminstration. In vitro study, liraglutide could promote the cholesterol efflux of HepG2 cells under high glucose, and also increase the expression of ABCA1 by activating the ERK1/2 pathway. Conclusions Liraglutide could improve lipid metabolism and hepatic lipid accumulation in db/db mice fed with HFD by promoting reversal of cholesterol transport, which was associated with the up-regulation of ABCA1 mediated by the ERK1/2 phosphorylation.

Background Coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP) is an angiographic entity characterized by delayed coronary opacification in absence of evident obstructive lesion in the epicardial coronary artery. However, whether patients with CSFP exhibit differing responses to exercise is still not known. This study aimed to evaluate results of exercise stress electrocardiography (ExECG) and left ventricular (LV) function during exercise, and study the value of ExECG for stratification of exercise capacity and LV function in patients with CSFP. Methods Thirty patients with CSFP and 24 controls were enrolled in the study. Diagnosis of CSFP was made by Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction frame count. ExECG and LV function measured by echocardiography at rest, during exercise and recovery phase were evaluated. Results Negative ExECG was found in 24 (80%) patients with CSFP. At rest, LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) decreased and mitral average E/e’ increased in patients with CSFP compared with controls; however, there were no differences in these parameters between CSFP patients with negative ExECG and patients with positive ExECG. During exercise, CSFP patients with negative ExECG and controls had significantly increased LV GLS and decreased mitral average E/e’, but CSFP patients with positive ExECG had significantly decreased LV GLS and increased mitral average E/e’. Conclusions About 80% patients with CSFP exhibited negative ExECG. CSFP patients with negative ExECG exhibited improved LV function but CSFP patients with positive ExECG exhibited impaired LV function during exercise. ExECG may aid in the stratification of exercise capacity and LV function in patients with CSFP.

Background: Previous studies have clearly demonstrated that XueZhiKang (XZK), an extract of cholestin, can decrease low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and cardiovascular events. However, the mechanism of the effects of XZK on atherosclerosis (AS) in humans has been reported less frequently. In the present study, we investigated the impact of XZK on lipoprotein subfractions, oxidized LDL (oxLDL), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Methods: From October 2015 to July 2016, 40 subjects were enrolled in this study. Of them, 20 subjects with dyslipidemia received XZK 1200 mg/day for 8 weeks (XZK group); 20 additional healthy subjects who did not receive therapy acted as controls. The plasma lipoprotein subfractions, oxLDL, and IL-6 were examined at baseline and again at 8 weeks. Results: Data showed that XZK could significantly decrease not only plasma LDL-C levels (87.26 ± 24.45 vs. 123.34 ± 23.99, P

Backgroud/Aims: The biological function of cardiac troponin I-interacting kinase (TNNI3K), a cardiac-specific functional kinase, is largely unknown. We investigated the effect of human TNNI3K (hTNNI3K) on the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) into cardiomyocytes. Methods: First, the time-space expression of endogenous Tnni3k was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blotting at 16 different time-points over a period of 28 days. Further, action potentials and calcium current with/without 5 µM nifedipine were measured by patch clamp for mESC-derived cardiomyocytes. HTNNI3K and mouse-derived siRNA were transfected into mESC using lentivirus vector to induce hTNNI3K overexpression and knock-down, respectively. Results: The number of troponin-T (cTnT) positive cells was greater in the group with TNNI3K overexpression as compared to that in control group, while less such cells were detected in the mTnni3k knock-down group as evaluated on flow cytometry (FCM) and ImageXpress Micro system. After upregulation of connexin43, cardiac troponin-I (Ctni), Ctni, Gata4 were detected in mESCs with TNNI3K overexpression; however, overexpression of α-Actinin and Mlc2v was not detected. Interestingly, Ctnt, connexin40 and connexin45, the markers of ventricular, atrial, and pacemaker cells, respectively, were detected in by real-time PCR in TNNI3K overexpression group. Conclusion: our study indicated that TNNI3K overexpression promoted mESC differentiating into beating cardiomyocytes and induced up-regulating expression of cTnT by PKCε signal pathway, which suggested a modulation of TNNI3K activity as a potential therapeutic approach for ischemic cardiac disease.

Researching the wall sticking characteristics of high water cut crude oil can ensure the safety of gathering and transporting at normal temperatures so as to achieve the purpose of energy saving and consumption reduction. Through a large number of oilfield experiments and the use of visual experimental device, the relationship between the inlet temperatures of oil gathering and the pressure drops was obtained, and wall sticking occurrence temperatures were measured in the paper, in which the methods of stopping the heating of three pipes and reducing the inlet temperature of the oil–water were used. The field experiments of two typical oil wells showed that with the reduction in inlet temperatures of oil gathering, the pipeline pressure drop first increased, then decreased, and rose finally. In this study, the wall sticking occurrence temperatures of high water cut crude oil has been measured under the oilfield condition, and it has been verified that the temperature corresponding to the highest turning point in the pipeline pressure drop was the wall sticking occurrence temperature, which has practice instruction significance for the realization of the gathering and transportation at normal temperatures in the actual production of oilfield.

The bile acids (BAs) and their conjugates have vascular activities and the serum levels of BAs and their conjugates are increased in liver diseases. In the present study, we examined the in vitro vasoactivities of BAs conjugates taurochenodeoxycholate (TCDC) (5-80 µM), glycochenodeoxycholate (GCDC) (20-150 µM) and tauroursodeoxycholate (TUDC) (20-150 µM) in rat mesenteric arteries and thoracic aorta. The isometric tension of rat mesenteric arteries and thoracic aorta was recorded by using multi-wire myograph systems. TCDC induced significant concentration-dependent relaxation in endothelium-intact but not endothelium-denuded rat mesenteric arteries pre-contracted with phenylephrine (PE). TCDC also showed vasorelaxant effects on high K(+) induced contraction in rat mesenteric arteries. L-NAME treatment inhibited TCDC-induced relaxation in mesenteric arteries pre-contracted with PE. Acute treatment with TCDC increased protein expression of P-eNOS (ser1177) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. GCDC dose-dependently relaxed PE-induced vasoconstriction in both endotheium-intact and endothelium-denuded rat mesenteric arteries, but GCDC showed no effect on high K(+)-induced vasoconstriction. Both GCDC and TCDC showed no apparent relaxation on PE and high K(+)-induced vasoconstriction in rat thoracic aorta. TUDC showed no effect on PE and high K(+)-induced vasoconstriction in rat mesenteric arteries and thoracic aorta. The study demonstrates that TCDC relaxes rat mesenteric arteries through activating eNOS. TCDC might be the major BAs conjugate for vasorelaxation in vivo.

A strengthen circulation anaerobic reactor (SCAR) treating artificial municipal wastewater was investigated under different volumetric loading rate(VLR) and the reactor performance, characteristics of granular sludge and microbial community structure were also tested in this experiment. The results of the experiment demonstrated that the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 6h could be regarded as the key parameter dominating the efficient operation of SCAR reactor, in which condition the COD removal efficiency was above 75%. The coenzyme F

The biodegradation characteristics of the azo disperse dye neocron black (NB) were investigated under aerobic, anaerobic and anaerobic/aerobic conditions separately with the activated sludge system, and the biological degradation process of the dye was analyzed by spectrophotometry and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that the degradation efficiency of NB dye was the highest under fully aerobic conditions, followed by the anaerobic/aerobic conditions, and fully anaerobic condition was the lowest. With the increase of the concentration of NB dye, the dye and the intermediate metabolite greatly decreased the microbial degradation efficiency of NB dye. The addition of carbon source could not only promote the biodegradation of NB dye, but also change the kinetic characteristics of the biodegradation process. The spectrophotometry and GC-MS determination results showed that the chromophore was completely degraded after biodegradation of NB dye. The intermediates metabolites of NB dye included 2,4-Dinitroaniline, 2-cyano-4-nitro aniline

The distinctive cell walls of mycobacteria are characteristic features of these bacteria. Individual cell wall components influence diverse mycobacterial phenotypes, such as colony morphology, virulence and stress resistance. To investigate the role of the hypothetical protein Rv2387, we constructed a Mycobacterium smegmatis strain that heterologously expressed this ORF, and we observed that the M. smegmatis strain expressing Rv2387 exhibited altered colony morphology and cell wall lipid composition, leading to a marked decrease in the resistance against acidic conditions. This study demonstrates that due to its impact on cell wall remodeling, Rv2387 might play an important role in mycobacterial physiology.

Nitrogen balance index (NBI) is one of the important indicators for crop growth. The high and low status of nitrogen can be quickly monitored by measuring NBI, which can provide accurate information of agricultural production and management. The relationship between NBI and original spectrum and derivative spectrum of infrared and near infrared wavelength from flowering to maturity stage was analyzed based on high definition digital image and hyperspectral data on unmanned aerial vehicles. Then, the sensitive bands were selected and the vegetation indexes were calculated. The inversion models of NBI were constructed by empirical model method. The optimal inversion model was obtained by analysing the determination coefficient (R氮平衡指数(NBI)是反映作物长势的重要指标之一.通过测量NBI可以快速监测作物氮肥盈亏状况,为农业生产和管理提供精准信息.本文以无人机高清数码影像和高光谱遥感数据,以及地面实测大豆NBI数据为基础,分析大豆从开花期到成熟期,原始光谱和红外、近红外波段的导数光谱与NBI的相关性,筛选敏感波段并计算植被指数.采用经验模型法构建NBI反演模型,通过分析验证模型的决定系数(

Background and Purpose Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is a newly approved drug for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Here, we investigated the effects of DMF and its metabolites mono-methylfumarate (MMF and methanol) on different gastrointestinal cancer cell lines and the underlying molecular mechanisms involved. Experimental Approach Cell viability was measured by the MTT or CCK8 assay. Protein expressions were measured by Western blot analysis. LDH release, live- and dead-cell staining, intracellular GSH levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential were examined by using commercial kits. Key Results DMF but not MMF induced cell necroptosis, as demonstrated by the pharmacological tool necrostatin-1, transmission electron microscopy, LDH and HMGB1 release in CT26 cells. The DMF-induced decrease in cellular GSH levels as well as cell viability and increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) were inhibited by co-treatment with GSH and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in CT26 cells. DMF activated JNK, p38 and ERK MAPKs in CT26 cells and JNK, p38 and ERK inhibitors partially reversed the DMF-induced decrease in cell viability. GSH or NAC treatment inhibited DMF-induced JNK, p38, and ERK activation in CT26 cells. DMF but not MMF increased autophagy responses in SGC-7901, HCT116, HT29 and CT26 cancer cells, but autophagy inhibition did not prevent the DMF-induced decrease in cell viability. Conclusion and Implications DMF but not its metabolite MMF induced necroptosis in colon cancer cells through a mechanism involving the depletion of GSH, an increase in ROS and activation of MAPKs.

The green supply chain consisting of the third party logistics and retailer is as the background.Some factors are considered such as product green degree, carbon tax and consumer preferences. Two kinds of green supply chain game models are set up: Stackelberg game model dominated by the third party logistics,Stackelberg game model dominated by retailer. The game models are compared, and finally the numerical simulation has been carried on.Study shows that in the game models, with the improvement of product green degree, product price, logistics price, profit of the third party logistics, the profits of retailer and the supply chain will increase;With the increase of carbon tax, product price and logistics price also unceasingly increase.

Background on two stages green supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer, considering the degree of risk aversion and product greenness, consumer preferences and other factors, the centralized decision-making game model and manufacturer-leading Stackelberg game model are established.Then two game models are compared. The interaction of product greenness, wholesale price, product price,and risk aversion utility for manufacturers and retailers are also disscussed. Finally, the revenue sharing contract is applied to coordinate the green supply chain . The results show that:(1) In the centralized decision-making model, there is a critical value of the product green degree; (2)In manufacturer-leading Stackelberg game model, the higher the green degree of the product, the higher the manufacturer's wholesale price,and the wholesale price increases as risk aversion degree of manufacturers improves;(3)The revenue sharing contract can coordinate this type of green supply chain under manufacturers risk-averse.

Berberine (BBR), a Chinese medicine extracted from natural plant, has been demonstrated to improve lipid disorders. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), a proatherogenic lipoprotein, has been shown to be involved in vascular endothelial cell dysfunction such as excessive or abnormal proliferation. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impacts of BBR on cell proliferations as well as potential involving signal pathways. HUVECs were stimulated with oxLDL and co-cultured with BBR at a variety of concentrations in different time points. The data showed that oxLDL (10-100 μg/ml) remarkably promoted human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) proliferation assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and EdU assay. The effects were found to be involved in up-regulation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), nuclear factor кB (NF-кB) and oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor 1 (LOX-1) and activation of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt, ERK1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways evaluated by either real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or western blot analysis. Interestingly, HUVECs proliferation was significantly inhibited by BBR (5-25 μg/ml), which down-regulated the expression of PCNA, NF-кB and LOX-1 and reduced the phosphorylation of Akt, ERK1/2 and p38MAPK. Furthermore, the anti-proliferative effect of BBR on HUVECs was effectively abrogated by a PI3K inhibitor LY294002, an ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 and a p38 inhibitor SB202190 partly through the restoration of phosphorylation of Akt, ERK1/2 and p38MAPK. Taken together, our data suggested that BBR inhibited ox-LDL-induced HUVECs proliferation by decreasing the expression of PCNA, NF-кB and LOX-1 and suppressing the activation of PI3K/Akt, ERK1/2 and p38MAPK pathways, indicating a latent candidate for anti-atherosclerosis clinically.

Three-dimensional modeling and finite element analysis on the diesel engine piston is carried out in the paper. The distribution of temperature, stress and strain within piston at the rated conditions of the engine are obtained from the simulation. The calculated temperature is consistent with the results of the piston surface temperature which is obtained by hardness plug method, thus confirming the model's validity. The calculated maximum temperature is 374 °C and the minimum temperature is 144 °C. The maximum stress is 118MPa located between the piston skirt above the pin hole and the third ring groove. The maximum thermal strain appears at the piston top with the value of 6.29×10-3. Finally, the temperature simulation of the piston adopted oil-splashing cooling is implemented. It is proved that thermal load can be further reduced through cooling measure.

China is developing overseas construction projects, it is necessary for the designers to grasp codes. This paper compares and analyzes Chinese code GB50009-2001, American standard ASCE/SEI7-05 and British standard BS6399-2 about advanced structure. And the writer calculates the empirical projects' wind-loads by Chinese code, American standard and British standard, compares the difference and points out the deficiency of domestic code. So as to improve the designers to master different wind load standards and promote the improvement of inland standard.

As a result of the extensive application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), their potential hazards, once they are released into the natural environment, are of great concern to people. Since silver is very sensitive to light, the toxicity of AgNPs released into the natural environment will be inevitably affected by light. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between light, toxicity, and particle size of AgNPs and deduce the possible mechanism of any interaction. Our study revealed that there was negative correlation between the particle size and the toxicity: small AgNPs (5–10 nm) had higher toxicity than large AgNPs (15–25 nm) to Tetrahymena pyriformis (T. pyriformis) under dark condition. Comparing the size dependent AgNPs toxicity under dark and light conditions, the effect of light to size dependent AgNPs toxicity was ascertained. The results indicated that AgNPs toxicity was decreased by light and the most important discovery was that the change of size dependent AgNPs toxicity had significant difference under light irradiation. The decrease of small AgNPs toxicity induced by light was more notable than large AgNPs. The decreased level of cell toxicity for small AgNPs was 32 ± 0.7%, whereas it was only 10.6 ± 5.2% for large AgNPs kept 24 h under light irradiation. The further investigation indicated that the above changes induced by light can be attributed to the decrease of released silver ions, particle growth and aggregation of AgNPs under light irradiation. The obtained results showed that the light irradiation can promote the rapid growth of small AgNPs and result in the obvious increase of particle size and serious aggregation. These phenomena would induce the decrease of silver ions released from small AgNPs, which is responsible for the remarkable decrease of toxicity for small AgNPs.

A series of magnetically separable photocatalyst TiO2/NiFe2O4(TN) with different mass ratios of NiFe2O4 to TiO2 was prepared by sol-gel method. The X-ray diffraction(XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy(UV-Vis), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET) surface analysis and photoluminescence spectroscopy(PL) were used to characterize the photocatalyst TN. The XRD patterns of TN indicate that adulterating a smidgen of NiFe2O4 into TiO2(about 0.1%, mass ratio) can promote the phase transformation of TiO2, however, when the doped amount of NiFe2O4 surpasses 1%, the introduction of NiFe2O4 can inhibit the growth of TiO2 crystal grain and reduce the size of TiO2 crystal grain. The XPS results of TN indicate that some Fe3+ replace Ti4+ of the TiO2 lattice forming Fe-O-Ti bonds. The PL analysis of TN shows that the NiFe2O4 nanoparticles in photocatalyst TN play the role of the effective recombination centre of the photogenerated electrons and holes, leading to the decrease in photocatalytic activity.

Porous poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blend five-bore hollow fiber membranes are prepared by wet phase inversion methods. In spinning these PVDF hollow fibers, N, N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) are used as the solvent and the non-solvent additive, respectively. The external coagulant uses water. The internal coagulants use water and DMAc-water solutions. The membranes are characterized in terms of water flux and molecular weight cut-off for the wet membranes. The cross-sectional structures are examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of polymer concentration and the internal coagulant on the permeation properties and membrane structures are examined keeping the bore liquid flow and air-gap constants. Relative high flux, rejection and strengh PVDF five-bore hollow fiber membranes could be prepared from the polymer concentration in dope solution at 17% of mass fraction, the air gap distance of 14 cm, and using 10% of mass fraction of DMAc solution as the internal coagulant at 13mL/min of flow.