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The aim of this study was to study the effects of microRNA (miR)-485-3p on the inflammatory response and extracellular matrix deposition of human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). The levels of miR-485-3p and WIF1 in peripheral blood of pediatric asthma (PA) patients and controls were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). miR-485-3p inhibitor and mimic, together with negative control (NC) inhibitor/ mimic, were transfected into HASMCs treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. The levels of eotaxin, interleukin (IL)-8, and IL-6 were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Cellular immunofluorescence analysis of fibronectin was also performed. The target genes of miR-485-3p were predicted and validated using TargetScan and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. The protein levels of IL-6, eotaxin, IL-8, collagen III, collagen I, MMP-9, TIMP-1, MMP-2, axin, β-catenin, phosphorylated β-catenin, GSK3β, p-GSK3β, and WIF1 were tested by Western blot. The level of miR-485-3p was increased, whereas expression of WIF1 was low in PA patients. In TNF-α-induced HASMCs, miR-485-3p overexpression promoted the inflammatory response and the accumulation of extracellular matrix. WIF1 was a direct target of miR-485-3p. Silencing miR-485-3p inhibited activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. The reductions in the inflammatory response and ECM accumulation caused by silencing miR-485-3p were induced by blocking Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Thus, miRNA-485-3p targets WIF1 and activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling, facilitating activation of the inflammatory response and ECM accumulation in HASMCs. more...

Deposition particles can lead to blockage, odor, and corrosion of pipes, and the deposition process of suspended particles is particularly complicated. In order to quantify the deposition process of suspended particles and mastered the critical conditions for the deposition in storm drainage, the process was simulated experimentally, and the deposition states of suspended particles under the different roughness of pipe wall, particle size, and density were analyzed. Two mathematical models of deposition critical velocity and easy deposition velocity were established. Results showed that with the increase of particle size and density, the gravity of particles increased and deposition was more likely to occur. In the rough pipeline, the kinetic energy consumption of water flow increased, the ability to carry particles was weakened, and the deposition rate would increase accordingly. The higher the flow velocity, the lower the deposition rate. The deposition states of particles in the pipeline could be divided into three types according to the deposition rates: "no deposition," "minor deposition," and "bulk deposition." Verification showed that the difference rates between the calculated values and measured values of the deposition critical velocity ranged from - 3.23 to 2.86%, and the difference rates of the easy deposition velocity were - 4.14-4.72%, showing good consistency. more...

BOPPPS teaching fully integrates the advantages of online self-study and offline courses. This kind of teaching has been widely used in college education, and has proved to have a positive effect on improving students’ ability to solve problems. It also has a significant effect on improving students’ sense of self-efficacy, stimulating learning interest and improving their ability to learn independently in practice. During the implementation of the research, the team explored and practiced the online and offline mixed teaching mode of marketing course with the wisdom tree teaching platform, and built teaching resources for students to learn and discuss on their own, which is a reference for future online mixed teaching. more...

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a large class of noncoding RNAs that are emerging as critical regulators of various cellular processes that are involved in the physiopathological mechanism of many human diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and carcinogenesis. Autophagy is a conserved and catabolic cellular process that degrades unfolded, misfolded, or damaged protein aggregates or organelles to maintain cellular homeostasis under physiological and pathological conditions. Increasing evidence has shown a link between circRNAs and autophagy that is closely related to the occurrence and development of human diseases, including cancer. In this review, we highlight recent advances in understanding the functions and mechanisms of circRNAs in the regulation of autophagy in cancer. These autophagy-related circRNAs contribute to cancer development and progression in various types of human cancer by activating or inhibiting autophagy. Cumulative research on the relationship between circRNAs and autophagy regulation provides critical insight into the essential role that circRNAs play in carcinogenesis and suggests new targets for tumor therapy., Graphical abstract, circRNAs serve as oncogenes in the regulation of many biological processes of cancer cells by activating or inhibiting autophagy. In turn, autophagy may be regulated by circRNAs in cancer. The relationship between circRNAs and autophagy provides insight into the role of circRNAs in carcinogenesis, suggesting new targets for anti-cancer therapy. more...

Autophagy is a conserved catabolic process involving the degradation and recycling of damaged biomacromolecules or organelles through lysosomal-dependent pathways and plays a crucial role in maintaining cell homeostasis. Consequently, abnormal autophagy is associated with multiple diseases, such as infectious diseases, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Currently, autophagy is considered to be a dual regulator in cancer, functioning as a suppressor in the early stage while supporting the growth and metastasis of cancer cells in the later stage and may also produce therapeutic resistance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level by silencing targeted mRNA. MiRNAs have great regulatory potential for several fundamental biological processes, including autophagy. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have linked miRNA dysfunction to the growth, metabolism, migration, metastasis, and responses of cancer cells to therapy. Therefore, the study of autophagy-related miRNAs in cancer will provide insights into cancer biology and lead to the development of novel anti-cancer strategies. In the present review, we summarise the current knowledge of miRNA dysregulation during autophagy in cancer, focusing on the relationship between autophagy and miRNAs, and discuss their involvement in cancer biology and cancer treatment. more...

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are abundantly expressed during cardiac hypertrophy. However, their functions and molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we identified a cardiac-hypertrophy-associated piRNA (CHAPIR) that promotes pathological hypertrophy and cardiac remodelling by targeting METTL3-mediated N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation of Parp10 mRNA transcripts. CHAPIR deletion markedly attenuates cardiac hypertrophy and restores heart function, while administration of a CHAPIR mimic enhances the pathological hypertrophic response in pressure-overloaded mice. Mechanistically, CHAPIR-PIWIL4 complexes directly interact with METTL3 and block the m6A methylation of Parp10 mRNA transcripts, which upregulates PARP10 expression. The CHAPIR-dependent increase in PARP10 promotes the mono-ADP-ribosylation of GSK3β and inhibits its kinase activity, which results in the accumulation of nuclear NFATC4 and the progression of pathological hypertrophy. Hence, our findings reveal that a piRNA-mediated RNA epigenetic mechanism is involved in the regulation of cardiac hypertrophy and that the CHAPIR-METTL3-PARP10-NFATC4 signalling axis could be therapeutically targeted for treating pathological hypertrophy and maladaptive cardiac remodelling. more...

Microorganisms transform nitrogen and phosphorus in the sediment of sewage pipelines. When the sediment was scoured by water flow, these elements migrate. This work studied the changes in biofilm morphology and microbial community structure, and focused on the differences in the transformation of nitrogen and phosphorus along the pipeline. The results showed that the nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations varied systematically with time and space (the front, middle, and posterior segments of the pipe). With time, amino acid nitrogen (AAN) concentration in the sediment gradually decreased, NH more...

In this study, a novel chitin based composite hydrogel reinforced by tannic acid modified reduced graphene oxide (TRGO) was prepared via a facile freezing–thawing approach. Epichlorohydrin (ECH) and TRGO sheets were employed as efficient crosslinkers to fabricate dually crosslinked TRGO/chitin composite hydrogels with advanced mechanical and adsorption properties. Results indicated that the TRGO reinforced chitin composites increased the mechanical property remarkably with exhibiting compression strength from 22.7 kPa for neat chitin hydrogel to 72.3 kPa for the hydrogel with loading of 7% TRGO. Multiple interactions such as hydrogen bonding between TRGO and chitin as well as the dually covalent crosslinking bonds were responsible for the extensive improvement in compression strength. Furthermore, the TRGO reinforced hydrogels exhibited an excellent adsorption capacity towards Congo red (CR). The maximum adsorption capacity of CR was 230.5 mg g−1 for chitin hydrogel with loading of 7% TRGO. The adsorption of CR was found following the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order models. Hence, the prepared TRGO/chitin hydrogels provide an easy and efficient way for the removal of CR dye from wastewater. more...

Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular disorders. Although mitochondrial dynamics, including changes in mitochondrial fission and fusion, have been implicated in the development of cardiac hypertrophy, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain mostly unknown. Here, we show that NFATc3, miR-153-3p, and mitofusion-1 (Mfn1) constitute a signaling axis that mediates mitochondrial fragmentation and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Methods: Isoprenaline (ISO) was used to stimulate the hypertrophic response and mitochondrial fragmentation in cultured cardiomyocytes and in vivo. We performed immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, and quantitative real-time PCR to validate the function of Mfn1 in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Bioinformatic analyses, a luciferase reporter assay, and gain- and loss-of-function studies were used to demonstrate the biological function of miR-153-3p, which regulates mitochondrial fragmentation and hypertrophy by targeting Mfn1. Moreover, ChIP-qPCR and a luciferase reporter assay were performed to identify transcription factor NFATc3 as an upstream regulator to control the expression of miR-153-3p. Results: Our results show that ISO promoted mitochondrial fission and enhanced the expression of miR-153-3p in cardiomyocytes. Knockdown of miR-153-3p attenuated ISO-induced mitochondrial fission and hypertrophy in cultured primary cardiomyocytes. miR-153-3p suppression inhibited mitochondrial fragmentation in ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy in a mouse model. We identified direct targeting of Mfn1, a key protein of the mitochondrial fusion process, by miR-153-3p. Also, miR-153-3p promoted ISO-induced mitochondrial fission by suppressing the translation of Mfn1. We further found that NFATc3 activated miR-153-3p expression. Knockdown of NFATc3 inhibited miR-153-3p expression and blocked mitochondrial fission and hypertrophic response in cardiomyocytes. Conclusions: Our data revealed a novel signaling pathway, involving NFATc3, miR-153-3p, and Mfn1, which could be a therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of cardiac hypertrophy. more...

Increasing evidence has indicated the important roles of long noncoding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 7 (SNHG7) in tumourigenesis as a potential oncogene. However, the function of SNHG7 in hepatic carcinoma remains unclear. In the present study, we found that SNHG7 expression was significantly upregulated in hepatic carcinoma tissues, especially in aggressive cases, and it was closely correlated with the poor prognosis. Furthermore, knockdown of SNHG7 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of hepatic carcinoma cell lines in vitro. Mechanistically, SNHG7 directly interacted with miR-425 as a ceRNA. Moreover, knockdown of SNHG7 significantly inhibited the tumorigenic Wnt/β-catenin/EMT pathway. SNHG7 regulated Wnt/β-catenin/EMT pathway through sponging miR-425 and played an oncogenic role in hepatic carcinoma progression. Together, our study elucidated the role of SNHG7 as a ceRNA in hepatic carcinoma, provided new potential diagnosis and therapeutic application in hepatic carcinoma progression. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: SNHG7 could promote proliferation and metastasis of hepatic carcinoma cell in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that SNHG7 exerts tumorigenic role in hepatic carcinoma progression. Further mechanism research revealed that SNHG7 exhibited the tumorigenic role through Wnt/β-catenin/EMT pathway as a miR-425 sponge. These findings provided new cues to understand the molecular signalling network in carcinogenesis of hepatic carcinoma, and it may provide new evidence for therapeutic application in hepatic carcinoma. more...

Background: The adult mammalian cardiomyocytes lose their proliferative capacity, which is responsible for cardiac dysfunction and heart failure following injury. The molecular mechanisms underlying the attenuation of adult cardiomyocyte proliferation remain largely unknown. Because long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have a critical role in the development of cardiovascular problems, we investigated whether lncRNAs have any role in the regulation of cardiomyocyte proliferation and cardiac repair. Methods: Using bioinformatics and initial analysis, we identified an lncRNA, named CPR (cardiomyocyte proliferation regulator), that has a potential regulatory role in cardiomyocyte proliferation. For in vivo experiments, we generated CPR knockout and cardiac-specific CPR-overexpressing mice. In isolated cardiomyocytes, we used adenovirus for silencing (CPR–small interfering RNA) or overexpressing CPR. To investigate the mechanisms of CPR function in cardiomyocyte proliferation, we performed various analyses including quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, histology, cardiac function (by echocardiography), transcriptome analyses (microarray assay), RNA pull-down assay, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Results: CPR level is comparatively higher in the adult heart than in the fetal stage. The silencing of CPR significantly increased cardiomyocyte proliferation in postnatal and adult hearts. Moreover, CPR deletion restored the heart function after myocardial injury, which was evident from increased cardiomyocyte proliferation, improvement of myocardial function, and reduced scar formation. In contrast, the neonatal cardiomyocyte proliferation and cardiac regeneration were remarkably suppressed in CPR-overexpressing mice or adeno-associated virus serotype 9–CPR—overexpressing heart. These results indicate that CPR acts as a negative regulator of cardiomyocyte proliferation and regeneration. Next, we found that CPR targets minichromosome maintenance 3, an initiator of DNA replication and cell cycle progression, to suppress cardiomyocyte proliferation. CPR silenced minichromosome maintenance 3 expression through directly interacting and recruiting DNMT3A to its promoter cysteine-phosphate-guanine sites, as evident from decreased minichromosome maintenance 3 promoter methylation and increased minichromosome maintenance 3 expression in CPR knocked-down cardiomyocytes and CPR knockout mouse heart. These results were confirmed in CPR-overexpressing cardiomyocytes and CPR-overexpressing mouse heart. Conclusions: Together, our findings identified that CPR is a suppressor of cardiomyocyte proliferation and indicated that lncRNAs take part in the regulation of cardiomyocyte proliferation and cardiac repair. Our study provides an lncRNA-based therapeutic strategy for effective cardiac repair and regeneration. more...

A differential quadrature hierarchical finite element method (DQHFEM) using Fekete points was formulated for triangles and tetrahedrons and applied to structural vibration analyses. First, orthogonal polynomials on triangles and tetrahedrons that can be used as bases of the hierarchical finite element method (HFEM) were derived and simple formulas of transforming one dimensional non-uniform nodes to simplexes were presented. Then the non-uniform nodes were used as initial guesses to solve the Fekete points on simplexes through Newton–Raphson’s method together with the orthogonal polynomials. New differential quadrature (DQ) rules on simplexes were formulated using the HFEM bases and the Fekete points. The numbers of nodes or bases on different edges and faces and inside the body of the new DQ elements do not relate with each other like the HFEM that can freely assign different numbers of bases on different edges and faces and inside the body. So the new DQ method was named as a differential quadrature hierarchical (DQH) method that uses either interpolation functions or orthogonal polynomials as bases inside the element. Its weak form was named as the DQHFEM. Besides the DQH method and its weak form, a simple method of generating high quality linear and high order triangular and tetrahedral meshes from a single NURBS patch was presented. Numerical tests of the DQHFEM through structural vibration analyses showed that high accuracy results can be obtained using only a few nodes even on curvilinear domains using the DQH bases on both physical and geometric fields. It was concluded that wide applications of the DQH method and the DQHFEM to science and engineering are possible and commercial codes based on them are deserved to be developed. more...

In this study, a novel surface modified and partly reduced graphene oxide (PRGO) induced by mild oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC) was prepared for efficient dye removal. The in situ partial reduction, modification and assembly of GO sheets into OPC-PRGO aerogels were readily realized by a hydrothermal process. Systemically characterizations were performed to confirm the partial reduction and modification of GO by OPC. The OPC-PRGO aerogels exhibited a honeycomb-like structure rather than a snowflake-like structure of GO aerogel. Due to its unique structure, the OPC-PRGO aerogels exhibited an excellent adsorption property towards organic dyes, such as methylene blue (MB), neutral red (NR), amino black (AB) and Congo red (CR). The removal efficiencies of OPC-PRGO towards MB, NR, AB and CR were observed to be 97.5, 94.5, 87.2 and 88.2%, respectively. This study opens a new insight for understanding and preparing partly reduced GO instead of completely reduced GO for hydrophilic polymer/graphene composites. more...

To explore the migration differences of sediments at the front, middle, and end sections of a storm sewer when scoured by water, and further evaluate the pollution load, the scouring process of sediments at different locations of a storm sewer was simulated and mathematical models were built to calculate the scouring rate. Results show that scouring rate is affected by sediment particle size, pipeline slope, sediment thickness, and water flow velocity. As the slope increased, scouring rate at the end section increased more obviously. The scouring rate at the front section slightly decreased with increasing sediment thickness, but opposite trends were observed at the middle and end sections. When the particle size (0.33 mm–0.83 mm) and flow velocity (0.15 m/s–0.65 m/s) increased within their ranges, scouring rate increased across all three locations. Models for calculating scouring rate were established via two data fitting. The calculated values were compared with measured values at a scouring time of 1 min. Under different particle sizes, the difference between the calculated and measured values at front, middle, and end sections were in the ranges of −0.63% to 0.63%, −0.01% to 0.02%, and −0.13% to 0.16%, respectively, all of which showed good consistency. HIGHLIGHTS The increase of scouring rate at end section is more obvious as slope increases.; Scouring rate of all the three locations increases with flow velocity increasing.; Scouring rate is great when particle size is big (d50 = 0.33–0.83 mm).; Scouring rate at different locations in a storm sewer is calculated using models.; Difference between the calculated and measured values is from −0.63% to 0.63%. more...

During rainfall, phosphorus in drainage pipe sediments is easily washed and released. This study investigates the migration of phosphorus between sediments and water in storm and sewage sewers, the microbial community structure in sediments, and phosphorus transformation under biological action. Results showed that when the initial concentration of phosphorus in stormwater (water column) in storm sewer was high (1-2 mg/L), the total phosphorus (TP) level decreased in the water column but increased in the sediments, showing a trend of phosphorus migration from the water column to the sediments. Moreover, under high concentration (2 mg/L), the TP level decreased by 83.19% in the water column within 210 min, which was greater than 64.9% of the medium-concentration stormwater (1 mg/L). In sewage sewer, when the initial concentration of phosphorus in sewage was about 2 mg/L, phosphorus would migrate from the sediments and interstitial water to the water column because of the high concentration of phosphorus in the sediments. In addition, the variation in phosphorus was caused not only by concentration gradient but also by microbial communities. Phosphate accumulating organisms, such as Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Actinobacteria, existed in the storm and sewage sewers, which could ingest dissolved reactive phosphorus in the water column and interstitial water and convert it into phosphorus in organisms. In storm sewers, Acidimicrobiia transferred phosphorus from the water column and interstitial water to the sediments through biochemical reactions and physical adsorption. In sewage sewers, organic acids secreted by Clostridia, Bacteroidia, and Bacilli could dissolve some insoluble phosphorus in sediments and then transfer them to interstitial water. more...

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are differentially expressed in various cardiovascular disease including myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, their functional impact on cardiomyocyte cell death, in particular, in necrotic forms of death remains elusive. In this study, we found that the level of mmu_circ_000338, a cardiac- necroptosis-associated circRNA (CNEACR), was reduced in hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) exposed cardiomyocytes and I/R-injured mice hearts. The enforced expression of CNEACR attenuated the necrotic form of cardiomyocyte death caused by H/R and suppressed of myocardial necrosis in I/R injured mouse heart, which was accompanied by a marked reduction of myocardial infarction size and improved cardiac function. Mechanistically, CNEACR directly binds to histone deacetylase (HDAC7) in the cytoplasm and interferes its nuclear entry. This leads to attenuation of HDAC7-dependent suppression of forkhead box protein A2 (Foxa2) transcription, which can repress receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (Ripk3) gene by binding to its promoter region. In addition, CNEACR-mediated upregulation of FOXA2 inhibited RIPK3-dependent necrotic/necroptotic death of cardiomyocytes. Our study reveals that circRNAs such as CNEACR can regulate the cardiomyocyte necroptosis associated activity of HDACs, promotes cell survival and improves cardiac function in I/R-injured heart. Hence, the CNEACR/HDAC7/Foxa2/ RIPK3 axis could be an efficient target for alleviating myocardial damage caused by necroptotic death in ischemia heart diseases. more...

Background: Osteosarcoma is the most leading primary malignancy of the bone in adolescents all over the world. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) 91 H has been reported to participated in multiple cancers. Meanwhile, lncRNA 91 H has been proved to be upregulated in osteosarcoma. However, the function of 91 H in osteosarcoma remains unclear. Methods: Gene and protein expressions in osteosarcoma cells were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot, respectively. Cell viability was tested by CCK-8 assay. Ki67 staining was used to measure cell proliferation. Cell apoptosis and cycle were assessed by flow cytometry. In addition, transwell assay was used to detect cell migration and invasion. Furthermore, Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was performed to test the methylation of CDK4 promoter. Finally, xenograft mice model was established to explore the role of 91 H in osteosarcoma in vivo. Results: Knockdown of 91 H significantly inhibited the growth of osteosarcoma cells via inducing the cell apoptosis. In addition, 91 H siRNA notably suppressed the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. Meanwhile, knockdown of 91 H inhibited the progression of osteosarcoma via inducing methylation of CDK4 promoter. Furthermore, 91 H knockdown obviously induced G1 arrest in osteosarcoma cells via inhibition of PCNA and Cyclin D1. Finally, knockdown of 91 H notably inhibited the tumor growth of osteosarcoma in vivo. Conclusion: knockdown of 91 H suppressed the tumorigenesis of osteosarcoma via inducing methylation of CDK4 promoter in vitro and in vivo. Thus, 91 H may serve as a new target for the treatment of osteosarcoma. more...

The slow inactivation of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels plays an important role in controlling cellular excitability. Recently, the two hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) formed by W434-D447 and T439-Y445 have been reported to control the slow inactivation in Shaker potassium channels. The four residues are highly conserved among Kv channels. Our objective was to find the roles of the two H-bonds in controlling the slow inactivation of mammalian Kv2.1, Kv2.2, and Kv1.2 channels by point mutation and patch-clamp recording studies. We found that mutations of the residues equivalent to W434 and T439 in Shaker did not change the slow inactivation of the Kv2.1, Kv2.2, and Kv1.2 channels. Surprisingly, breaking of the inter-subunit H-bond formed by W366 and Y376 (Kv2.1 numbering) by various mutations resulted in the complete loss of K+ conductance of the three Kv channels. In conclusion, we found differences in the H-bonds controlling the slow inactivation of the mammalian Kv channels and Shaker channels. Our data provided the first evidence, to our knowledge, that the inter-subunit H-bond formed by W366 and Y376 plays an important role in regulating the K+ conductance of mammalian Kv2.1, Kv2.2, and Kv1.2 channels. more...

The pathogenesis of steroid‐induced avascular necrosis of femoral head (SANFH) is complex, and there is a lack of effective early prevention method. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of dexamethasone (DEX) on the biological behavior of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and to explore the possibility of DEX in the clinical treatment of SANFH. The effect of DEX on the proliferation of BMSCs was evaluated by Counting Kit‐8 assay, western blot assay, and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Flow cytometry and western blot assay were performed to detect the effect of DEX on the apoptosis of BMSCs. Quantitative real‐time PCR and western blot assay were performed to detect the effect of DEX on the expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)‐related genes. Immunoblotting analysis was conducted for detecting the nuclear‐cytoplasmic distribution of Nrf2. DEX could significantly inhibit the proliferation of BMSCs and promote apoptosis of BMSCs. DEX could increase the expression of PERK, ATF6, and IRE1a, and induce nuclear translocation of Nrf2. The addition of ML385 could reverse the effect of DEX on BMSCs. DEX could activate the PERK‐Nrf2 pathway to promote ERS and finally affect the cell proliferation and apoptosis of BMSCs., Dexamethasone (DEX) stimulates PERK in BMSCs, which in turn promotes Nrf2 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation through ATF6 and IRE1a. The above changes promote endoplasmic reticulum stress, leading to inhibition of BMSCs proliferation and aggravation of apoptosis. more...

In the sediment–water system of storm sewers (e.g., sediments, interstitial water, and the water column), the migration of nitrogen and its biological transformation with different dissolved oxygen conditions were investigated. Results showed that in an aerobic segment, γ-proteobacteria, α-proteobacteria, and nitrospira, which are aerobic, grew actively in water column and interstitial water through ammonification and nitrification. In anoxic segment, ammonification depended mainly on clostridia, whereas nitrification was inhibited. Thus, after 20 days, the concentration of NH4+-N in the aerobic segment became noticeably lower (5.97 mg/L) than that in the anoxic segment (18.09 mg/L). In sediments, the biological transformation of organic nitrogen in the anoxic environment was more complete, resulting in elevating amino acid nitrogen and NH4+-N in the anoxic segment compared to the aerobic segment. Furthermore, the concentration gradient of NH4+-N between interstitial water and water column in aerobic and anoxic segments, thereby causing NH4+-N to migrate from interstitial water to the water column. In the sediment–water system, the different forms of nitrogen changes were the common result of biological transformation and material migration. more...

The thermo-elastic behaviour induced by temperature in composite structures has become a significant factor in structural design. In this paper, a three-dimensional thermo-elastic theory for composite cross-ply laminated plates was discretized by a differential quadrature hierarchical finite element method (DQHFEM). The DQHFEM is a weak-form differential quadrature method using hierarchical bases that can provide highly accurate results using only a few sampling points. Flexible and efficient wedge (triangular prism) and hexahedron elements were constructed and applied to three-dimensional (3D) analyses of cross-ply laminated plates and shells for the first time. Compared with various models in literatures, the DQHFEM showed very good agreements with exact solutions based on 3D elastic theory. The thermo-mechanical analyses of cross-ply laminated plates and shells based on 3D theory indicate that the DQHFEM is an effective method for high accuracy analyses with low computational costs, because the DQHFEM can provide results with high accuracy by using only several nodes on the thickness direction. more...

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are a class of reactive molecules that have been implicated in a variety of cardiovascular diseases, accompanied by disorder of multiple signaling events. As cardiomyocytes maintain abundant of mitochondria, which supply the major source of endogenous ROS, oxidative damage to mitochondria often drives apoptotic cell death and initiates cardiac pathology. In recent years, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have received much attention to uncover their roles in regulating gene expression during those pathological events in the heart, such as myocardial infarction, cardiac hypertrophy, and heart failure. Emerging evidences have highlighted that different ROS levels in response to diverse cardiac stresses result in differential expression of ncRNAs, subsequently altering the expression of pathogenetic genes. However, the knowledge about the ncRNA-linked ROS regulatory mechanisms in cardiac pathologies is still largely unexplored. In this review, we summarize the connections that exist among ROS, ncRNAs, and cardiac diseases to understand the interactions among the molecular entities underlying cardiac pathological events in the hopes of guiding novel therapies for heart diseases in the future. more...