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We study the thermoelastic problem of an inclusion of general shape surrounded by a foreign elastic matrix under plane deformation and the influence of an in-plane far-field heat flux. The small-scale interface effects, related to not only interface conductivity, interface stretching rigidity and interface thermal expansion but also (residual) interface tension, are incorporated in the corresponding analysis. We establish general boundary value formulations in both heat conduction and thermoelasticity for an arbitrary inclusion shape, allowing for analytic or at least semi-analytic treatment of the problem. Specially, we derive closed-form solutions for the case of circular inclusion and obtain concise expressions for describing the remote heat flux-induced thermal stress near the interface (at both the inclusion side and matrix side). Surprisingly, it is shown that for the case of circular inclusion, interface tension plays the same role as interface stretching rigidity in determining the full thermal stress field, or in other words, the full thermal stress field depends on only the sum of interface tension and interface stretching rigidity but not on the specific value of either of them. Numerical examples are also given to illustrate the influence of interface tension on the von Mises stress distribution in the vicinity of the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic effects of the bidentate ligands play a vital role in the transition metal‐catalyzed conjugate addition reactions. Here, the insertion step (rate‐determining step (RDS) of the conjugate addition) catalyzed by Pd(II)/Rh(I)‐complexes with 26 bipyridine‐type (bpy) ligands linking different substituent groups in the opposite sides (C4, C4′ position) are systematically studied by density functional theory (DFT). It is found that for both Pd(II)‐ and Rh(I)‐catalysis, the stronger the electron‐withdrawing group connecting to both C4 and C4′ positions of bpy ligands can promote the insertion step. The predominance of π‐back donation in Rh(I) and σ‐donation in Pd(II) is the main reason for above different electronic properties of Pd(II) and Rh(I)‐catalysis. This work gives enough theoretical guide to the rational design of the efficient transition metal‐based catalyst for conjugate addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To explore the function of interleukin 1α (IL-1α) in bladder cancer (BCa). Material and methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to test the protein expression of IL-1α in BCa tissues. The relationship between IL-1α and clinical characteristics was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier curve method. The gene and protein expression was tested by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-q-PCR) and western blot, respectively. Colony formation and MTT assays were used to detect the potential of proliferation in vitro, and scratch and transwell chamber assays were used to detect the potential of invasion in vitro. Markers of proliferation such as Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and markers of invasion such as MMP-2 and MMP-9 were detected by western blot. Xenograft study was used for the in vivo experiment. Results: We found that IL-1α was highly expressed in BCa patients while highly expressed IL-1α was significantly related to short overall survival and progression-free survival in BCa as well. Moreover, knockdown of IL-1α might inhibit the ability of cancer cells to proliferate and invade or migrate both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: Our findings suggested that IL-1α might be a therapy target for BCa malignant progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important regulatory roles in multiple human malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we explored the role of circRNA vacuole membrane protein 1 (circVMP1) in NSCLC progression and cisplatin (DDP) resistance. Methods: The DDP resistance, proliferation, sphere formation ability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of NSCLC cells were analyzed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay, 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay, sphere formation assay, wound healing assay, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry. Methylated RIP-qPCR (MeRIP-qPCR) was conducted to analyze the m6A modification level of SRY-box transcription factor 2 (SOX2). Dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay, and RNA-pull down assay were performed to confirm the intermolecular interaction. Exosomes were identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). Results: CircVMP1 expression was markedly elevated in DDP-resistant NSCLC cell lines compared with their parental cell lines. CircVMP1 absence restrained the proliferation, sphere formation, migration, invasion, and DDP resistance and promoted the apoptosis of DDP-resistant NSCLC cells. CircVMP1 acted as microRNA-524-5p (miR-524-5p) sponge to up-regulate the expression of methyltransferase 3, N6-adenosine-methyltransferase complex catalytic subunit (METTL3) and SOX2. CircVMP1 silencing restrained the malignant behaviors and DDP resistance of A549/DDP and H1299/DDP cells by targeting miR-524-5p. Exosomal circVMP1 disseminated the malignant properties and DDP resistance to DDP-sensitive cells. Exosomal circVMP1 elevated the DDP resistance of xenograft tumors in vivo. Exosomal circVMP1 was up-regulated in the serum samples of DDP-resistant NSCLC patients compared with DDP-sensitive patients. Conclusion: Exosome-mediated transmission of circVMP1 promoted NSCLC progression and DDP resistance by targeting miR-524-5p-METTL3/SOX2 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastes and dust discharged from aluminum factory generally result in soil contamination and may cause enrichment of Cadmium (Cd) in local crops. However, the pattern of Cd enrichment in the vegetables by contaminated soil of aluminum factory and their health risk are unclear. In this study, a total of 12 species of vegetables including 163 samples were collected around an abandoned aluminum factory. The results showed that 21% of the leafy vegetables with Cd exceeding Food Safety Standard Limit of China. The Cd in vegetables collected from different distances of four directions from the abandoned aluminum factory had no significant differences (p>0.05). Our results indicate that the highest hazard quotient (HQ) and carcinogenic risk of Cd in vegetables are 1 km and 7-10 km away from abandoned aluminum factory respectively. The HQ values of Cd in vegetables for children and adults are within the safe range, however CR values of Cd in vegetables for both children and adults are higher than the acceptable limit of USEPA (10-6), suggesting potential health risks. The health risks for children aged 2-6 years old are higher than aged 7-17 years old and adults due to the less amount of vegetable intake by children. The intake risks of Cd in different vegetables are spinach>green vegetables>red leafy vegetables>cabbage>radish leafy>stem vegetables>sweet potato leaves>pumpkin leaves>beans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoacoustic (PA) properties of liquid-immersed gold nanoshells (GNSs) with near-infrared optical responses are investigated using the finite element method. We focus on the dependence of the PA signal of the GNS on the geometry, surrounding medium, laser fluence, and laser pulse width. It is found that the PA signal of the GNS is strongly sensitive to the optical absorption of the GNS and can be greatly modulated by changing the geometry. At the wavelength of 800 nm, the maximal PA signal could be obtained for the GNS with the optimized size of the inner radius (r1 = 48.5 nm) and outer radius (r2 = 57 nm). The increased laser fluence enhances the optical absorption and PA signal. The decreased laser pulse width induces the decreased PA pulse width, the increased bandwidth of the PA signal, and the increased PA conversion efficiency, resulting in the enhanced PA signal. In addition, we find that the larger Gruneisen parameter of the embedding medium leads to a stronger PA signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic radiation forces (ARFs) on three-layered micro-shells (TLSs) are investigated using Mie scattering theory. The TLS is proposed to simulate a nucleate cell with nucleus, cytoplasm, and membrane. It is found that the existence of the inner core or outer shell greatly influences ARFs on nucleate cells. We focus on the influences of the geometry, acoustic parameters, and the surrounding medium on ARFs on TLSs. With increasing inner core radius or outer shell thickness, the ARF on the TLS shows a distinct increase. We find that the impedance of each layer of the TLS plays a dominant role with regard to the ARF, while the density and the sound velocity separately provide distinct modulations. In addition, it is found that the higher impedance of the surrounding medium induces larger ARF on the TLS. Our work may be beneficial for the acoustic manipulation of nucleate cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thermal reactivity of core–shell Al@AP and Al@AP/CuO composites were characterized. • The decomposition kinetics and gaseous products of composites were fully identified. • The Al@AP and Al@AP/CuO composites demonstrated better combustion performance. • Mutual interactions of Al@AP embedded with CuO under high temperature were clarified. Conventional solid propellants suffer from undesirable combustion performance due to the poor mass and heat transfer between metal fuels and oxidizers, as well as a lack of catalytic active sites between the catalyst and catalyzed objects. Embedding metal fuels and catalysts within the oxidizer has shown promise in improving the overall combustion performance of HTPB/AP/Al and HTPB/AP/RDX/Al composite solid propellants. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for this enhancement remain to be further understood. In this study, we investigated the reactivities of core–shell Al@AP and Al@AP/CuO composites using thermal analysis and combustion diagnostic techniques. The results demonstrated that the decomposition of AP was promoted, as evidenced by a lower peak temperature (415.2–334.7 ℃), higher total heat release (116.4–720.8 J·g−1), a transition in the decomposition physical model from the random nucleation and 2D/3D growth of nuclei model to the auto-catalytic model, and increased generation of NO 2. Furthermore, the Al@AP/CuO propellant pellet exhibited a more stable flame without agglomeration, and the condensed combustion products (CCPs) contained a lower amount of unreacted Al compared to that of conventional mixtures. These findings highlighted the potential of core–shell Al@AP and Al@AP/CuO composites as replacements for discrete ingredients of solid propellants, thereby offering improved performance for next-generation propulsion systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gloeostereum incarnatum has edible and medicinal value and was first cultivated and domesticated in China. We sequenced the G. incarnatum monokaryotic strain GiC-126 on an Illumina HiSeq X Ten system and obtained a 34.52-Mb genome assembly sequence that encoded 16,895 predicted genes. We combined the GiC-126 genome with the published genome of G. incarnatum strain CCMJ2665 to construct a genetic linkage map (GiC-126 genome) that had 10 linkage groups (LGs), and the 15 assembly sequences of CCMJ2665 were integrated into 8 LGs. We identified 1912 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci and detected 700 genes containing 768 SSRs in the genome; 65 and 100 of them were annotated with gene ontology (GO) terms and KEGG pathways, respectively. Carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) were identified in 20 fungal genomes and annotated; among them, 144 CAZymes were annotated in the GiC-126 genome. The A mating-type locus (MAT-A) of G. incarnatum was located on scaffold885 at 38.9 cM of LG1 and was flanked by two homeodomain (HD1) genes, mip and beta-fg. Fourteen segregation distortion markers were detected in the genetic linkage map, all of which were skewed toward the parent GiC-126. They formed three segregation distortion regions (SDR1-SDR3), and 22 predictive genes were found in scaffold1920 where three segregation distortion markers were located in SDR1. In this study, we corrected and updated the genomic information of G. incarnatum. Our results will provide a theoretical basis for fine gene mapping, functional gene cloning, and genetic breeding the follow-up of G. incarnatum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammalian heart development relies on cardiomyocyte mitochondrial maturation and metabolism. Embryonic cardiomyocytes make a metabolic shift from anaerobic glycolysis to oxidative metabolism by mid-gestation. VHL-HIF signaling favors anaerobic glycolysis but this process subsides by E14.5. Meanwhile, oxidative metabolism becomes activated but its regulation is largely elusive. Here, we first pinpointed a crucial temporal window for mitochondrial maturation and metabolic shift, and uncovered the pivotal role of the SRCAP chromatin remodeling complex in these processes in mouse. Disruption of this complex massively suppressed the transcription of key genes required for the tricarboxylic acid cycle, fatty acid β-oxidation and ubiquinone biosynthesis, and destroyed respirasome stability. Furthermore, we found that the SRCAP complex functioned through H2A.Z deposition to activate transcription of metabolic genes. These findings have unveiled the important physiological functions of the SRCAP complex in regulating mitochondrial maturation and promoting oxidative metabolism during heart development, and shed new light on the transcriptional regulation of ubiquinone biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, polyoxymethylene dimethyl ether 3 (PODE3) has emerged as a promising fuel additive to mitigate soot emissions in diesel engines, garnering significant research attention. Several detailed kinetic mechanisms of PODE3 have been developed to investigate its reaction pathways and to simulate its combustion process. Typically, these mechanisms employ analogy methods based on rate constants derived primarily from PODE1 sub-mechanisms. However, in this study, we present, for the first time, high-level ab initio quantum chemical calculations directly on PODE3 itself. (1) The bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of all C H and C O bonds in dimethyl ether (DME) and PODEn (n = 1–5) were calculated using combined compound methods (CBS-APNO/G3/G4). (2) The obtained BDE results were then utilized to investigate the unimolecular decomposition reactions of PODE3, demonstrating good agreement with previous Molecular Dynamics simulation results. (3) The rate constants of hydrogen abstraction reactions of PODE3 by H ˙ , C ˙ H 3 , C H 3 O ˙ , O ˙ H , H O ˙ 2 , O 2 were calculated with all possible pre-reaction or post-reaction complexes identified. The rate constants of the H-atom abstraction reactions were found to primarily depend on the energy barriers following the order: O ˙ H > C H 3 O ˙ > H ˙ > C ˙ H 3 > H O ˙ 2 > O 2. However, the abstraction by H ˙ can dominate as temperature increases. (4) The rate constants of β -scission and isomerization reactions of PODE3 radicals were also computed. The calculated β-scission reaction rates supported the suitability of the rate analogy for PODEn, employing the long-chain PODE3. The energy barriers of the isomerization reactions with long chain transition states were comparable to the energy barrier of the β -scission reactions and are much lower than that in the case of PODE1 radicals. (5) The thermochemistry properties of all involved species, including PODE4–5 and their radicals, were calculated with the combined compound methods (CBS-APNO/G3/G4) for further combustion modeling. Considering PODE3′s nature as a long-chain PODEn, the rate constants computed for PODE3 can serve as a solid foundation for developing detailed mechanisms for PODE4–5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tailoring the combustion performance of propellant plays an important role in solid propellant design. Herein, we present that interfacial reaction (thermite reaction on Al surface) could be used for tuning the combustion performance of Al-based propellants. Two interfacial reactions included Al-based core-shell composites Al@PDA@CuO (Al@CuO) and Al@PDA@PVDF (Al@PVDF) were prepared and characterized. It is found that both Al@CuO and Al@PVDF have slightly decreased heat release and density, but significantly promote Al combustion, in comparison to the mechanically mixed ones without interfacial reaction. Experiments on ignition, combustion, agglomeration, and thermal property of those propellants containing core-shell Al-based composites have been carried out. The results show that both Al-CuO and Al-PVDF interfacial reactions could reduce the ignition delay time and improve the burn rate of propellant due to the low initial reaction temperature and generated high heat. In addition, it is also found that the interfacial reaction between Al and CuO could increase the size of condensed combustion products of the propellants due to the formation of AlCu 4. However, average condensed combustion product diameter of the propellant using Al@PVDF as the fuel is 0.47 µm, which is smaller than that of propellant using mechanically mixed Al/PVDF as the fuel (0.61 µm). This is a 23% decrease in agglomerate diameter compared with agglomerates formed from the propellant without interfacial reaction. These results reveal that different interfacial reaction may result in very different oxidation reaction mechanisms of Al that controls the combustion performances of the Al-based propellants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Formulation of PVDF/CuO/Al is optimized on the basis of maximum heat of reaction. • Electrospinning is employed to fabricate high solid-loading MICs based on PVDF. • Electrospinning and doping of GO can improve the density, heat of reaction, etc. Abstract In this paper, the electrospinning technique has been employed to fabricate PVDF/CuO/Al nanocomposites, where the formulation was optimized on the basis of maximizing the reaction heat with increased efficiency. The graphene oxide (GO) has also been used as both lubricant and catalyst, which is well dispersed inside the PVDF matrix by the electrospinning process as well. It has been found that the smooth PVDF nano-fibers could be fabricated with GO content of 0.5 wt%, where the Al and CuO nanoparticles are also uniformly loaded. In comparison with the n-CuO/n-Al and PVDF/CuO/Al prepared by conventional mechanical mixing method, the GO-doped PVDF/CuO/Al nanocomposites via electrospinning improved heat of reaction, density as well as anti-oxidation capability. In addition, the electrospinning technique and doping of 0.5 wt% of GO can improve the reaction efficiency of PVDF/CuO/Al nanocomposites since they contribute to dispersion of components and homogeneous structure fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the complex variable method, the decoupled thermoelastic problem of an infinite matrix containing an arbitrarily shaped inclusion subjected to plane deformations and uniform remote heat flux is studied in this paper. The shape of the inclusion is defined by a polynomial conformal mapping. Faber series and Fourier expansion techniques are used to solve the corresponding boundary value problems. Several numerical examples are presented to study the influence of the hardness and the heat conductivity of the inclusion on the concentration of the interfacial Von Mises stress and tangential stress in the matrix for a uniform remote uniaxial heat flux. It is shown that for given thermal expansion coefficients and given heat conductivities of the inclusion–matrix system, the Von Mises stress and the tangential stress in the matrix around the inclusion both increase significantly with increasing hardness of the inclusion whether the inclusion is softer or harder than the matrix. On the other hand, it is found that for given thermal expansion coefficients of the inclusion–matrix system, the Von Mises stress in the matrix around the inclusion decreases significantly with increasing heat conductivity of the inclusion, while the tangential stress concentration first decreases and then increases with increasing heat conductivity of the inclusion whether the inclusion is softer or harder than the matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A CFD model was constructed based on our modified reaction mechanism. • The CFD model presented a better fit to experimental results. • The modified reaction mechanism provided a good approximation to industrial operating conditions. • The distribution pattern of deposition rate in real Siemens reactor was revealed. The Siemens process is the most widely used silicon production routine for photovoltaic applications. However, the complicated chemistry in deposition reactor has not yet been fully understood, although there has been much research on it. In this paper, a modified reaction kinetic model was proposed to represent the gas phase and surface reactions based on the literature. The thermodynamic properties of gas phase components were re-evaluated by density functional theory since the reverse reaction rate of gas phase reaction is highly dependent on Gibbs energy change (Δ G). Most of our efforts were devoted to validating the reaction mechanism. The modified reaction model was analyzed and compared with published experimental data in two different reaction paths, deposition from trichlorosilane and etch from hydrochloride, respectively. The epitaxial growth rate could be predicted by the modified reaction model under a wide range of operating conditions. The results could provide a theoretical basis for possible computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of industrial Siemens reactor in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,1-Diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene (FOX-7 or DADNE) is a promising ingredient of the low-vulnerability propellants. However, one of the major concerns in its further development and applications is the lack of detailed kinetic mechanism for its initial decomposition in the gas phase. In this study, a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism consisting of 38 species and 131 reactions was developed to describe the initial decomposition process of FOX-7. At first, a comprehensive reaction network was established with the aid of reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Then, the potential energy surfaces (PES) for both unimolecular and bimolecular reactions were identified at the QCISD(T)/CBS//M062X/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. The rate coefficients were obtained by solving RRKM/ME, and the thermochemical properties of relevant species were calculated at CBS-APNO/G3/G4 levels with the atomization method. Finally, these kinetic and thermochemistry data were processed into a kinetic mechanism and used to simulate the initial decomposition process of FOX-7. The results demonstrated that the H-atom transfer to the beta carbon atom (enamino-imino isomerization) followed by the nitro group elimination dominates the initial decomposition, and the reaction FOX-7 = R3a + NO 2 becomes the most significant one under high temperatures (Channel C3). Besides, bimolecular reactions also play a role as the decomposition goes on. Overall, this work provides quantitative predictions of the reaction pathways of gas-phase FOX-7 initial decomposition, and it would serve as a solid foundation for the development of a fully detailed combustion kinetic mechanism for FOX-7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective • To investigate the clinical impact of dietary intervention in combination with bismuth potassium citrate in the management of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) caused by Helicobacter pylori. Methods • From April 2019 to October 2022, 160 patients with newly identified Helicobacter pylori-related CAG were treated at our facility. They were split into two groups at random: the bismuth potassium citrate medication group (n = 80) and the diet intervention + bismuth potassium citrate experimental groups (n = 80). The bismuth potassium citrate treatment group was given bismuth potassium citrate capsule treatment only, and the diet intervention + bismuth potassium citrate treatment group was given diet intervention based on bismuth potassium citrate capsule. The diet intervention score, symptom score, and pathological score of the two groups were observed at baseline and after treatment, and the relationship between dietary intervention and symptoms and pathology of Helicobacter pylori-related CAG was analyzed. Results • During the baseline period, there was no discernible difference in the diet intervention score, symptom score, or pathology score between the two groups (P > .05); after the diet intervention combination treatment, the diet intervention score, diet intervention + bismuth potassium citrate experimental groups symptom score, and pathology score were considerably lower than those in the bismuth potassium citrate treated group (P < .05). Conclusions • Dietary intervention combined with bismuth potassium citrate exhibited more effective treatment than bismuth potassium citrate-only treatment in Helicobacter pylori-related CAG, which hinted us proper diet has a positive impact on improving the therapeutic efficacy of bismuth potassium citrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monoterpene alcohol α-terpineol is extensively used as the foaming agent in mineral processing and can be released to environment along with the wastewater. This study evaluated the feasibility of eliminating α-terpineol in water by ultraviolet irradiation (UV) in combination with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Within an H2O2 dose of 10 mg/L and an UV fluence of 64.8 J/cm², more than 95% of the α-terpineol can be removed. The reactions fitted well to pseudo-first-order kinetics, and the apparent rate constant was 0.0678 min-1. The effects of matrix species including various anions and humic acid (HA), were evaluated. The degradation rate decreased significantly with the addition of bicarbonate and HA. Further verification was carried out with three types of real water samples. In the ground water and the surface water, the degradation rate decreased likely due to the presence of natural organic matter. Finally, possible degradation pathways were proposed based on the identification of transformation products, and the occurrence of two main transformation products were monitored. This study demonstrated that the UV/H2O2 is an effective technology for the degradation of α-terpineol in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Die casting process is widely applied in making Al parts. However, due to high speed of liquid metal flow in the die cavity, gases are prone to be entrapped in the filling, resulting in porosity defects. The X-ray computed tomography scanning technique was used to detect the pores in die-cast ADC12 alloys with different intensification pressures. The three-dimensional features of pores including pore size, number, sphericity have been obtained. The effect of different intensification pressures on two different kinds of pores, namely gas-pores and shrinkage pores, was analyzed. The results show that with increasing the pressure, the pore fractions and quantity gradually decrease. When the pressure increased to 85 MPa, the pores from gas entrapment during the mold filling were compressed, leading to a lower porosity fraction. The pressure cannot affect the pores in the samples with a thin wall (2 mm) due to a great solidification rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fruit of Kadsura coccinea (Lem.) A. C. Smith is an ethnomedicine used to treat abnormal menstruation, menopausal syndrome, and female infertility among the Dong Nationality in China. Aim of the study: Our study aimed to identify the volatile oil profiles of the K. coccinea fruit and elucidate their estrogenic activity. The peel volatile oil (PeO), pulp volatile oil (PuO), and seed volatile oil (SeO) of K. coccinea were extracted using hydrodistillation and qualitatively analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Estrogenic activity was evaluated in vitro using cell assay and in vivo using immature female rats. Serum 17β-Estradiol (E2) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were detected using ELISA. In total, 46 PeO, 27 PuO, and 42 SeO components representing 89.96%, 90.19%, and 97% of the total composition, respectively, were identified. The compounds with the highest content in PeO, PuO, and SeO were β-caryophyllene, γ-amorphene, and n-hexadecanoic acid, respectively. PeO induced proliferation of MCF-7 cells with an EC 50 of 7.40 μg/mL. Subcutaneous administration of 10 mg/kg PeO significantly increased the weight of the uteri in immature female rats, with no effect on serum E2 and FSH levels. PeO acted as an agonist of ERα and ERβ. PuO and SeO showed no estrogenic activity. The chemical compositions of PeO, PuO, and SeO of K. coccinea are different. PeO is the main effective fraction for estrogenic activities, providing a new source of phytoestrogen for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fruiting body pattern is an important agronomic trait of the edible fungus Auricularia auricula-judae, and an important breeding target. There are two types of fruiting body pattern: the cluster type and the chrysanthemum type. We identified the fruiting body pattern of 26 test strains, and then constructed two different near-isogenic pools. Then, we developed sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) molecular markers associated with the fruiting body pattern based on sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers. Ten different bands (189-522 bp) were amplified using 153 pairs of SRAP primers. The SCAR marker "SCL-18" consisted of a single 522-bp band amplified from the cluster-type strains, but not the chrysanthemum strains. This SCAR marker was closely associated with the cluster-type fruiting body trait of A. auricula-judae. These results lay the foundation for further research to locate and clone genes controlling the fruiting body pattern of A. auricula-judae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Extragastric manifestations of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection have been reported in many diseases. However, there are still controversies about whether H. pylori infection is associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). This study was aimed at answering the question. Methods. A systematic search of the literature from January 1996 to January 2016 was conducted in PubMed, Embase databases, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Wanfang Data, China national knowledge database, and SinoMed. Published studies reporting H. pylori infection in both DM and non-DM individuals were recruited. Results. 79 studies with 57,397 individuals were included in this meta-analysis. The prevalence of H. pylori infection in DM group (54.9%) was significantly higher than that (47.5%) in non-DM group (OR = 1.69, P<0.001). The difference was significant in comparison between type 2 DM group and non-DM group (OR = 2.05), but not in that between type 1 DM group and non-DM group (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 0.77–1.96, P=0.38). Conclusion. Our meta-analysis suggested that there is significantly higher prevalence of H. pylori infection in DM patients as compared to non-DM individuals. And the difference is associated with type 2 DM but not type 1 DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a shock absorber whose working element includes two magnetic fluid rings around a group of magnets. The damping efficiency of this shock absorber is investigated by the free oscillations of an elastic plate and can be well explained with the classical equations of motion. In the shock absorber, a nonlinear equivalent stiffness is provided by the magnetic repulsion force, which controls the movement of the working element and varies in conformity to a power law. Through the theoretical and experimental study on the magnetic repulsion force, the nonlinear equivalent stiffness is determined and depends on the initial distance between the working element and the repulsion magnet. For an oscillation with the amplitude of 1mm and frequency of 1.1 Hz, the damping efficiency is inversely proportional to the nonlinear equivalent stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, microfluidic dielectrophoresis (DEP) devices, as one of the most promising tools for cell and particle sorting and separation, are facing the bottleneck in the development of practical products due to the high-cost yet low-yield device manufacturing via traditional microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and the challenge of maintaining the cell viability during DEP treatment. In this paper, we demonstrate a facile, low-cost, and high-throughput method of constructing continuous-flow microfluidic DEP devices via screen-printing technology. The new device configuration and operation strategy not only facilitate cell and particle sorting and separation using 3D electrodes as sidewalls of microchannel but also improve cell viability by reducing the exposure time of cells to high electrical-field gradients. Furthermore, we propose and validate a semiempirical formula with which to simplify the complicated calculation and plotting of DEP spectra. As a consequence, the optimal DEP parameters and crossover frequencies can be obtained directly using our devices instead of typical electrorotation method. To evaluate the performance of a screen-printed continuous flow microfluidic DEP device, a suspension containing polystyrene (PS) microspheres and erythrocytes is used as the biosample. Our results show that a high sorting efficiency (ca. 93%) with a high cell viability (hemolysis ratio of <4.8%) can be achieved, indicating the excellent performance and promising application of such devices for cell and particle sorting and separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing evidence that microRNAs (miRs) are implicated in tumor development and progression; however, their specific roles in osteosarcoma are not well understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of miR-506 in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma. The expression levels of miR-506 and astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) mRNA were detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and the protein levels of AEG-1, β-catenin, c-myc and cyclin D1 were determined using western blot analysis. The effects of miR-506 and AEG-1 on cell viability, colony forming ability and apoptosis were assessed using MTT assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. Lucifer reporter assays were used to demonstrate whether AEG-1 is a direct target of miR-506. The present study identified that miR-506 was downregulated in osteosarcoma tissues and cells. Overexpression of miR-506 suppressed the proliferation and induced apoptosis in osteosarcoma cells in vitro and inhibited tumor formation in vivo. Overexpression of miR-506 significantly inhibited the luciferase activity of AEG-1 with a wild-type 3'-untranslated region, providing clear evidence that AEG-1 was a direct and functional downstream target of miR-506. Similar to the overexpression of miR-506, downregulation of AEG-1 lead to an inhibitory effect on osteosarcoma in vitro. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-506 or downregulation of AEG-1 inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and inhibition of this pathway by β-catenin small interfering RNA or CGP049090, a small molecule inhibitor, suppressed cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in vitro. Overall, the present data indicated that miR-506 functions as a tumor suppressor by targeting AEG-1 in osteosarcoma via the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The expression level of T7 RNA polymerase in W3110 correlated with SyCA activity. • Optimal condition for SyCA production required nitrogen rich M9 medium. • The temperature shift from 37 °C to 30 °C post induction increased SyCA activity significantly. • Low-carbon footprint chemical production was obtained by applying SyCA and ALAS. • The biomass doubled and achieved the best CO 2 assimilation of −2.53 g-CO 2 /g-DAP. Sulfurihydrogenibium yellowstonense carbonic anhydrase (SyCA) is a well-known thermophilic CA for carbon mineralization. To broaden the applications of SyCA, the activity of SyCA was improved through stepwise engineering and in different cultural conditions, as well as extended to co-expression with other enzymes. The engineered W3110 strains with 4 different T7 RNA polymerase levels were employed for SyCA production. As a result, the best strain WT7L cultured in modified M9 medium with temperature shifted from 37 to 30 °C after induction increased SyCA activity to 9122 U/mL. The SyCA whole-cell biocatalyst was successfully applied for carbon capture and storage (CCS) of CaCO 3. Furthermore, SyCA was applied for low-carbon footprint synthesis of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) and cadaverine (DAP) by coupling with ALA synthetase (ALAS) and lysine decarboxylase (CadA), suppressing CO 2 release to −6.1 g-CO 2 /g-ALA and −2.53 g-CO 2 /g-DAP, respectively. Harnessing a highly active SyCA offers a complete strategy for CCSU in a green process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PIWI-associated RNAs (piRNAs or piRs), a new-found class of small non-coding RNAs, which are mainly expressed in germline cells and partly in somatic lines, have a vital role in carcinogenesis by maintaining genomic integrity and regulation of epigenetics. The previous studies have confirmed that the expression of piR-651 is upregulated in several cancer tissue and cell lines, including lung cancer. However, the mechanism of carcinogenesis and piR-651 remains to be elucidated. Therefore, the present study assessed the 95-D high metastasis human lung cancer cell line to detect the effect of piR-651 on carcinogenesis. Firstly, piR-651 promoted the high metastasis characteristic of the 95-D cell lines by Transwell and wound-healing assays. The influence of piR-651 on tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis was detected by the MTT assay and flow cytometry. In conclusion, piR-651 may be an oncogene in lung cancer formation and development. Therefore, piR-651 regulated carcinogenesis by influencing cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion, and may be a potential tumor marker and therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immunoregulatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is encoded in a functionally polymorphic locus that is linked to the susceptibility of autoimmune and infectious diseases. The MIF promoter contains a 4-nucleotide microsatellite polymorphism (-794 CATT) that repeats 5 to 8 times in the locus, with greater numbers of repeats associated with higher mRNA levels. Because there is no information about the transcriptional regulation of these common alleles, we used oligonucleotide affinity chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify nuclear proteins that interact with the -794 CATT5-8 site. An analysis of monocyte nuclear lysates revealed that the transcription factor ICBP90 (also known as UHRF1) is the major protein interacting with the MIF microsatellite. We found that ICBP90 is essential for MIF transcription from monocytes/macrophages, B and T lymphocytes, and synovial fibroblasts, and TLR-induced MIF transcription is regulated in an ICBP90- and -794 CATT5-8 length-dependent manner. Whole-genome transcription analysis of ICBP90 shRNA-treated rheumatoid synoviocytes uncovered a subset of proinflammatory and immune response genes that overlapped with those regulated by MIF shRNA. In addition, the expression levels of ICBP90 and MIF were correlated in joint synovia from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These findings identify ICBP90 as a key regulator of MIF transcription and provide functional insight into the regulation of the polymorphic MIF locus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, various long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as key regulators of multiple cancers. However, cancer stem cell (CSC)-related lncRNAs have rarely been reported. In this study, we found an lncRNA that is a promoter upstream transcript of hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α), and we named it "lncRNA-HIF2PUT". The function of HIF-2α is closely connected with "stem cell-like" properties, and the function of PROMPTs is often associated with the adjacent protein-coding transcripts. Herein, we showed that the expression of lncRNA-HIF2PUT was significantly correlated with HIF-2α in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues. Knockdown of lncRNA-HIF2PUT blocked the HIF-2α expression and inhibited the CSC properties in CRC cell lines DLD-1 and HT29. LncRNA-HIF2PUTsmall interfering RNA transfection resulted in decreased stemness genes expression, impaired colony formation, and spheroid formation ability, retarded migration, and invasion of the cells. These data suggest that lncRNA-HIF2PUT may be a regulator of HIF-2α and a mediator of CSCs in CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burning rate modulation is a critical but challenging technology for solid propellants' design. Great efforts have been made to synthesize and utilize catalysts to modify the pressure exponent (n), but poor catalytic efficiency and lower energy level of conventional catalysts limit their further applications. In this research, interfacial control of Al@AP together with precise catalysis of CuO is represented for the purpose of pressure exponent reduction and combustion performance improvement. The core-shell structured Al@AP and Al@AP/CuO composites were prepared and applied into HTPB/Al/AP composite propellants. These prepared propellants have the same formula but different micro-structures of ingredients, leading to varied combustion performance, in terms of the burning rates, combustion wave structures, flame spectra, agglomeration processes of Al particles and condensed combustion products. The investigation results show that by using interfacial control of Al@AP and precise catalysis of CuO, the n of involved propellants over 1–4 MPa can be greatly decreased from 0.42 to 0.21 and the agglomeration of Al could be effectively inhibited. In addition, propellants based on Al@AP and Al@AP/CuO interfacial controls of this research are summarized and compared together with those based on Al@RDX published recently, to present overall characteristics of interfacial control techniques, which could lead to the development of new smart controllable propellants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have recently been identified as novel modulators of malignant tumors. However, the function of lncRNAs in cancer stem cells (CSCs) remains to be elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the regulating role of a novel lncRNA, hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) promoter upstream transcript (HIF2PUT), in osteosarcoma stem cells. The expression levels of HIF2PUT were assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 17 osteosarcoma tissue specimens, and the correlation between the expression of HIF2PUT and its host transcript-HIF-2α was determined. In functional experiments, HIF2PUT expression was knocked down by small interfering RNAs, or overexpressed by transfection with pcDNA-HIF2PUT, in order to evaluate the effects of HIF2PUT on cell proliferation, migration, expression rate of osteosarcoma stem cell marker CD133, and stem sphere-forming ability in MG63 cells. HIF2PUT expression levels were positively correlated with HIF-2α in osteosarcoma tissues. Overexpression of HIF2PUT markedly inhibited cell proliferation and migration, decreased the percentage of CD133 expressing cells, and impaired the osteosarcoma stem sphere-forming ability of the MG63 cells. Whereas, knockdown of HIF2PUT expression had the opposite effect. Furthermore, altering the expression of HIF2PUT resulted in a concomitant change to HIF-2α mRNA expression. These results indicate that the lncRNA HIF2PUT may be a novel regulatory factor of osteosarcoma stem cells, which may exert its function partly by controlling HIF-2α expression. Further studies regarding HIF2PUT may provide a novel therapeutic target of osteosarcoma in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reversion of the Born-Neumann series of the Lippmann-Schwinger equation is one of the standard ways to solve the inverse acoustic scattering problem. One limitation of the current inversion methods based on the reversion of the Born-Neumann series is that the velocity potential should have compact support. However, this assumption cannot be satisfied in certain cases, especially in seismic inversion. Based on the idea of distorted wave scattering, we explore an inverse scattering method for velocity potentials without compact support. The strategy is to decompose the actual medium as a known single interface reference medium, which has the same asymptotic form as the actual medium and a perturbative scattering potential with compact support. After introducing the method to calculate the Green's function for the known reference potential, the inverse scattering series and Volterra inverse scattering series are derived for the perturbative potential. Analytical and numerical examples demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of this method. Besides, to ensure stability of the numerical computation, the Lanczos averaging method is employed as a filter to reduce the Gibbs oscillations for the truncated discrete inverse Fourier transform of each order. Our method provides a rigorous mathematical framework for inverse acoustic scattering with a non-compact support velocity potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine the current literature on the impact of patients' expectations on treatment outcomes or final patient satisfaction and to identify the theoretical frameworks, study designs and measurement instruments which have been employed to assess patients' expectations within implant dentistry. Methods A structured literature search of four databases Pubmed, Cochrane, Web of Science and PsychINFO was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Any type of literature published in English discussing the topic of 'patients expectations' in oral health were identified and further screened. Studies reporting on expectations regarding dental implants were selected and a narrative review was conducted. Results The initial search yielded 16707 studies, out of which 1051 'potentially effective studies' were further assessed and final 41 'effective studies' were included [Kappa = 0.76]. Ten observational studies, published from 1999 to 2013, dealt specifically with expectations of dental implants. There was a large degree of heterogeneity among studies in terms of assessment instruments. Expectations relating to aesthetics and function were primarily considered. Among the 10 studies, 8 were classified as quantitative research and 2 as qualitative research. The STROBE quality of reporting scores of the studies ranged from 13.5 to 18.0. Three of the 8 quantitative studies employed a before/after study design (prospective studies) and used visual analogue scales (VAS) to measure patient expectations. Conclusions There is a growing interest in patients' expectations of dental implants. Most studies are cross sectional in nature and the quality of reporting varies considerably. Expectations with respect to aesthetics and function are key attributes considered. The use of visual analogue scales (VAS) provides quantitative assessments of patients' expectations but the lack of standardization of measures prohibits meta- analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H0XA10, a homeobox-containing gene involved in definitive haematopoiesis, which implicated in the pathogenesis of AML (acute myeloid leukaemia), has been studied extensively. But the regulatory mechanism that drives H0XA10 expression is still unclear. In the present paper, H0XA10 regulated by MLL1 (mixed lineage leukaemia histone methylase 1) with an epigenetic way has been demonstrated. The H0XA10 promoter contains several EREs (oestrogen response elements), including ERE1 and ERE2, which are close to the transcription start site, and are associated with E2-mediated activation of H0XA10. It has been shown that knockdown of the ERα (oestrogen receptor a) suppresses E2-mediated activation of H0XA10. Similarly, knockdown of MLL1 suppresses activation of H0XA10 and is bound to the ERE of H0XA10 promoter in an E2-dependent manner by forming complex with ERα. Knockdown of ERa affects the E2-dependent binding of MLL1 into H0XA10 EREs, suggesting critical roles of ERα in recruiting MLL on the H0XA10 promoter. More interestingly, the methylation status of histone protein H3K4 (H3 at lysine 4) with E2 is much higher than without E2 treatment in leukaemia cell. 0n the contrary, the methylation status of H0XA10 promoter with E2 treatment is much lower, which elevate the H0XA10 expression. Moreover, with ERα knockdown, the H3K4 methylation level is also decrease in myeloid cell. 0verall, it has been clearly demonstrated that H0XA10 is transcriptionally regulated by MLL1, which, in coordination with ERα, plays a critical role in this process with epigenetic way and suggests a potential anti-E2 treatment of AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: β-Catenin accumulation promotes proliferation. However, the correlation between proliferation of colorectal epithelium and β-catenin in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients remains unclear. Methods: Colorectal epithelium samples from distal ends of colorectal adenocarcinomas without histological aberrances were divided into two groups: DM patients with type 2 DM for more than 1 year (n = 27) and non-DM patients without hyperglycemia (n = 20). Samples from patients without colorectal epithelial disease or hyperglycemia served as a control group (n = 6). Proliferative index was calculated as the percentage of proliferating cell nuclear antigen positive cells. Wnt/β-catenin signaling was assessed immunohistochemically and phosphorylation of β-catenin was assessed by immunofluorescence. Results: Compared with the non-DM or control group, the proliferative index and expression of lactate dehydrogenase A and Wnt/β-catenin signaling were significantly higher in the DM group(all p < 0.01). The proliferative index correlated positively with β-catenin expression (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.55; p < 0.01). Reduced phosphorylation at serine 33/37 and increased phosphorylation at serine 675 of β-catenin were detected in the DM group (all p < 0.01). Conclusions: Enhanced proliferation, accompanied by increased aerobic glycolysis, was detected in colorectal epithelium of patients with diabetes. β-Catenin accumulation with altered phosphorylation correlated with the proliferative changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LPS (lipopolysaccharide), an outer membrane component of Gram-negative bacteria, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of sepsis and lipid A is known to be essential for its toxicity. Therefore it could be an effective measure to prevent sepsis by neutralizing or destroying LPS. Numerous studies have indicated that many traditional Chinese medicines are natural antagonists of LPS in vitro and in vivo. The goal of this study is to develop a rapid method to screen anti-sepsis components from Chinese herbs by use of a direct lipid A-based affinity biosensor technology based on a resonant mirror. The detergent OG (n-octyl β-D-glucopyranoside) was immobilized on a planar non-derivatized cuvette which provided an alternative surface to bind the terminal hydrophilic group of lipid A. A total of 78 herbs were screened based on the affinity biosensor with a target of lipid A. The aqueous extract of PSA (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr) was found to possess the highest capability of binding lipid A. Therefore an aqueous extraction from this plant was investigated further by our affinity biosensor, polyamide chromatography and IEC-HPLC. Finally, we obtained a component (PSA-I-3) from Paeonia suffruticosa Andr that was evaluated with the affinity biosensor. We also studied the biological activities of PSA-I-3 against sepsis in vitro and in vivo to further confirm the component we screened with the biosensor. In vitro, we found that PSA-I-3 could decrease TNFα (tumour necrosis factor α) release from RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo, it increased remarkably the survival of KM (KunMing) mice by challenging both lethal-dose LPS and heat-killed Escherichia coli compared with control groups. Our results suggest that the constructed affinity biosensor can successfully screen the anti-sepsis component from Chinese herbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus suis is a pathogen of zoonotic diseases. Moreover, the emergence of fluoroquinolones (FQs) resistance in this pathogen has severe consequences for pigs and human health. In this study, the molecular mechanism of FQs resistance in S. suis type 2 (SS2) sensitive strains isolated from pigs was assessed after in vitro induction of resistance against the most frequently used FQs: ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and enrofloxacin. Proteome analysis, sequencing and real-time RT-PCR results strongly established an overexpression of an ABC transporter protein (other than SatAB) and topoisomerase mutations in GyrA (Ser81Arg), GyrB (Glu354Lys), and ParC (Ser79Phe) in contributing to high level ciprofloxacin resistance in SS2. Due to the overexpression of the ABC transporter, intracellular ciprofloxacin concentrations were significantly lower in the resistant strains than those of sensitive strains after 20, 35, and 60 min exposures to ciprofloxacin (p < 0.05). It was concluded that improper use of FQs is one of the main causes of the emergence of this zoonotic pathogen as a multiresistant organism against commonly used antibiotics. The existence of an efflux-like protein is an incentive to find new drug targets to avoid the spread of FQs-resistant S. suis isolates in pigs and the human population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the chemopreventive effect of 5-aminosalicylates on patients with ulcerative colitis has been extensively studied, the results remain controversial. This updated review included more recent studies and evaluated the effectiveness of 5-aminosalicylates use on colorectal neoplasia prevention in patients with ulcerative colitis. Methods: Up to July 2013, we searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, and SinoMed of China for all relevant observational studies (case-control and cohort) about the effect of 5-aminosalicylates on the risk of colorectal neoplasia among patients with ulcerative colitis. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of studies. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were extracted from each study. A random-effects model was used to generate pooled ORs and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Publication bias and heterogeneity were assessed. Results: Seventeen studies containing 1,508 cases of colorectal neoplasia and a total of 20,193 subjects published from 1994 to 2012 were analyzed. 5-aminosalicylates use was associated with a reduced risk of colorectal neoplasia in patients with ulcerative colitis (OR 0.63; 95%CI 0.48–0.84). Pooled OR of a higher average daily dose of 5-aminosalicylates (sulfasalazine ≥ 2.0 g/d, mesalamine ≥ 1.2 g/d) was 0.51 [0.35–0.75]. Pooled OR of 5-aminosalicylates use in patients with extensive ulcerative colitis was 1.00 [0.53–1.89]. Conclusion: Our pooled results indicated that 5-aminosalicylates use was associated with a reduced risk of colorectal neoplasia in patients with ulcerative colitis, especially in the cases with a higher average daily dose of 5-aminosalicylates use. However, the chemopreventive benefit of 5-aminosalicylates use in patients with extensive ulcerative colitis was limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are potent suppressors that maintain immune homeostasis. Accumulation of Treg can inhibit effective immune responses in cancer patients, leading to tumor development and progression. Despite direct cytotoxicity, several chemotherapeutic drugs have been reported to deplete Treg cells for better prognosis for cancer patients. Treg cells are a heterogenous population with at least three different subsets, nonsuppressive, resting, and activated Treg cells. However, the characteristics of Treg cell subsets in lung cancer patients and how chemotherapy affects Treg cells remain elusive. In this study, we first analyzed Treg cell subsets in peripheral blood samples from 40 nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and 20 healthy donors. Treg cells, specifically activated Treg cell subset, significantly increased in patients with NSCLC. Compared to nonsuppressive Treg cells, activated Treg cells expressed higher level of CD39 and predominantly produced inhibitory cytokines. In vitro assay showed that docetaxel reduced all three subsets of Treg cells. More importantly, we found docetaxel-based chemotherapy significantly decreased all three Treg subsets after 4 cycles of treatment in 17 NSCLC patients. Taken together, this study revealed dynamic changes of various Treg cell subsets in NSCLC patients before and after chemotherapy, providing activated Treg cells as a potential target for chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel nanoparticles were electrochemically deposited on indium-tin oxide (ITO) coated glass plate in amodified Watt's electrolyte. The surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) effect of the nanoparticles was evaluated by attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) using o-nitroaniline as a probe molecule. Electrodeposition parameters such as deposition time, pH value, and the type of surfactants were investigated. The morphology and the microstructure of the deposits were characterized by the field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and the atomic force microscope (AFM), respectively.The results indicate that the optimum parameters were potential of 1.3V, time of 30 s, and pH of 8.92 in the solution of 0.3756mol/L diethanolamine, 0.1 mol/L nickel sulfate, 0.01mol/L nickel chloride, and 0.05 mol/L boric acid. The FESEMobservation shows that the morphology of nickel nanoparticles with best enhancement effect is spherical and narrowly distributed particles with the average size of 50 nm. SEIRA enhancement factor is about 68. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: How gene positioning to the nuclear periphery regulates transcription remains largely unclear. By cell imaging, we have previously observed the differential compartmentalization of transcription factors and histone modifications at the nuclear periphery in mouse C2C12 myoblasts. Here, we aim to identify DNA sequences associated with the nuclear lamina (NL) and examine this compartmentalization at the genome-wide level. Results: We have integrated high throughput DNA sequencing into the DNA adenine methyltransferase identification (DamID) assay, and have identified ∼15, 000 sequencing-based Lamina-Associated Domains (sLADs) in mouse 3T3 fibroblasts and C2C12 myoblasts. These genomic regions range from a few kb to over 1 Mb and cover ∼30% of the genome, and are spatially proximal to the NL. Active histone modifications such as H3K4me2/3, H3K9Ac and H3K36me3 are distributed predominantly out of sLADs, consistent with observations from cell imaging that they are localized away from the nuclear periphery. Genomic regions around transcription start sites of expressed sLAD genes display reduced association with the NL; additionally, expressed sLAD genes possess lower levels of active histone modifications than expressed non-sLAD genes. Conclusions: Our work has shown that genomic regions associated with the NL are characterized by the paucity of active histone modifications in mammalian cells, and has revealed novel connections between subnuclear gene positioning, histone modifications and gene expression [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Enteral nutrition is increasingly advocated in the treatment of acute pancreatitis, but its timing is still controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to find out the feasibility of early enteral nutrition within 48 hours of admission and its possible advantages. Methods and Findings: We searched PubMed, EMBASE Databases, Web of Science, the Cochrane library, and scholar.google.com for all the relevant articles about the effect of enteral nutrition initiated within 48 hours of admission on the clinical outcomes of acute pancreatitis from inception to December 2012. Eleven studies containing 775 patients with acute pancreatitis were analyzed. Results from a pooled analysis of all the studies demonstrated that early enteral nutrition was associated with significant reductions in all the infections as a whole (OR 0.38; 95%CI 0.21–0.68, P<0.05), in catheter-related septic complications (OR 0.26; 95%CI 0.11–0.58, P<0.05), in pancreatic infection (OR 0.49; 95%CI 0.31–0.78, P<0.05), in hyperglycemia (OR 0.24; 95%CI 0.11–0.52, P<0.05), in the length of hospitalization (mean difference −2.18; 95%CI −3.48−(−0.87); P<0.05), and in mortality (OR 0.31; 95%CI 0.14–0.71, P<0.05), but no difference was found in pulmonary complications (P>0.05). The stratified analysis based on the severity of disease revealed that, even in predicted severe or severe acute pancreatitis patients, early enteral nutrition still showed a protective power against all the infection complications as a whole, catheter-related septic complications, pancreatic infection complications, and organ failure that was only reported in the severe attack of the disease (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Enteral nutrition within 48 hours of admission is feasible and improves the clinical outcomes in acute pancreatitis as well as in predicted severe or severe acute pancreatitis by reducing complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE--To explore whether intensified, multifactorial intervention could prevent macrovascular disease in patients with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS--A total of 150 type 2 diabetic patients, with disease duration of <1 year and without clinical arteriosclerotic disease or subclinical athero- sclerotic signs confirmed by ultrasonographic scanning of three conducting arteries, were randomized into an intensive intervention group and a conventional intervention group. They then received intensive, multifactorial intervention or conventional intervention over 7 years of follow-up. The patients' common carotid intima-media thicknesses (CC-IMTs) were measured every year. The primary outcome was the time to the first occurrence of CC-IMTs ≥1.0mm and/ or development of atherosclerosis plaques in the carotid artery. The secondary outcome was clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease. RESULTS--A total of 70 patients in the intensive group and 68 patients in the conventional group completed the 7-year follow-up. Subclinical macrovascular (primary) outcomes occurred in seven cases in the intensive group and 22 cases in the conventional group for a cumulative prevalence of 10.00 and 32.35%, respectively (P < 0.05). No significant differences between the two groups were observed regarding the secondary outcome. CONCLUSIONS--Primary prevention of macrovascular diseases can be achieved through intensified, multifactorial intervention in patients with short-duration type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetic patients should undergo intensive multifactorial interventions with individual targets for the prevention of macrovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miniaturization of optical cavities has numerous advantages for enhancing light-matter interaction in quantum optical devices, low-threshold lasers with minimal power consumption, and efficient integration of optoelectronic devices at large scale. However, the realization of a truly nanometer-scale optical cavity is hindered by the diffraction limit of the nature materials. In addition, the scaling of the photon life time with the cavity size significantly reduces the quality factor of small cavities. Here we theoretically present an approach to achieve ultrasmall optical cavities using indefinite medium with hyperbolic dispersion, which allows propagation of electromagnetic waves with wave vectors much larger than those in vacuum enabling extremely small 3D cavity down to (λ/20)3. These cavities exhibit size-independent resonance frequencies and anomalous scaling of quality factors in contrast to the conventional cavities, resulting in nanocavities with both high Q/Vm ratio and broad bandwidth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphogenesis of the compound eyes and eyestalks during embryonic development of Macrobrachium rosenbergii was characterized by using histological methods. The expression of moult-inhibiting hormone (MIH) at different stages of embryonic development was determined by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Histological studies showed that compound eye pigment began to assemble and the eyestalk Anlage appeared during the protozoea stage. During the zoea stage, the eyestalk appeared and the structure of the compound eye was similar to that of the adult. RT-PCR results showed that MIH was expressed during both the late protozoea and early zoea stages of development. However, MIH was not expressed in the fertilized egg until the early protozoea stages or during the late zoea stage. MIH expression was detected only after the appearance of the eyestalk. The expression of MIH correlates closely with the morphogenesis of the compound eye and eyestalk. The absence of MIH expression during the zoea stage demonstrates that it regulates the synthesis of ecdysteroids in preparation for the first moult after hatching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have shown that epigenetic regulation of ERs (oestrogen receptors) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of leukaemia. In the present study, it was found that the methylated status of ERα-A might serve as an epigenetic biomarker of leukaemias. In this study, the protein expression and cell apoptosis, cycle, proliferation and viability with and without 5-aza-dC (5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine) were evaluated with Western blotting, 3H-TdR (3H-thymidine) incorporation, propidium iodide staining and Trypan Blue staining respectively. The protein expression of ERα was significantly enhanced in all leukaemic cell lines using treatment with the DNA demethylation reagent 5-aza-dC. However, no obvious change in the protein expression of ERβ takes place with 5-aza-dC. And with 5-aza-dC, cell apoptosis, cell cycle, cell proliferation and viability were all inhibited significantly. We also tracked 40 cases of leukaemias with ERα-A methylation (95%; 38 of 40) to observe the prognosis 1 year after chemotherapy treatment. The patients with ERα-A methylation have no obvious symptomatic relief; however, two patients without ERα-A methylation have obtained effective relief. This result suggested that ERα plays a significant role in leukaemogenesis, and the methylated status of ERα-A not only might serve as an epigenetic biomarker of leukaemias for diagnosis, but also has the potential to serve as a predictor of prognosis in leukaemias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many clinical experiments and studies have demonstrated that traditional Chinese medicines possess the capacity for being used in anti-sepsis. In this paper, we screened 78 herbs based on biosensor technology by targeting of lipid A. Terminaliachebula Retz was found to possess the highest capability of binding lipid A. With CER (cation-exchange resin) and HPLC, we obtained three active components extracted from Terminaliachebula Retz, and named them TCR1, TCR2 and TCR3 respectively. These three components were evaluated with the biosensor, and it was found that the TCR3 was the most capable candidate to bind lipid A. We also studied the biological activities of TCR3 against sepsis in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, TCR3 could significantly inhibit LPS (lipopolysaccharide)-induced LAL (Limulus amoebocyte lysate)) from agglutination and decrease TNFα (tumour necrosis factor α) release from RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo, TCR3 could significantly protect mice against a lethal challenge with LPS and heat-killed Escherichia coli 35218 in a dose-dependent manner. These results demonstrate that Terminaliachebula Retz is an important herb to neutralize LPS and it has the potential to serve as a treatment for sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A model between particle image grayscale features and LOI was investigated. • GA-ELM has higher accuracy, ability, and stability in detecting LOI than ELM. • A new method for LOI detection based on image recognition was investigated. Loss on ignition (LOI) is an essential evaluation index for fly ash triboelectric separation to recover unburned carbon products, and an important basis to regulate the technology parameters of triboelectric separation. Due to the problems of the traditional cauterization method, such as complex process, time-consuming, and error interference, the purpose of the paper is to introduce a new method for rapid detection of fly ash LOI based on image recognition and machine learning. An image recognition technique was applied to extract image grayscale features of unburned carbon particles recycled by triboelectric separation. The extreme learning machine (ELM) and genetic algorithm-optimized extreme learning machine (GA-ELM) neural networks established the relationship between grayscale feature parameters and LOI. Fly ash original samples and electrowinning experimental samples were used to evaluate the feasibility of 2 neural networks. The results showed that the evaluation indexes of GA-ELM network consisted of R2 is 95.218%, MAE is 0.0041546%, RMSE is 0.006709% and MAPE is 0.04213% at different voltages in the triboelectric separation experiments. The detection accuracy and detection ability of GA-ELM network was higher than ELM model. Therefore, the method can quickly and accurately detect the LOI of unburned carbon recovered from fly ash triboelectric separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have suggested an important role of ERs (oestrogen receptors) in the pathogenesis of leukaemias. However, there is no information so far about the epigenetic characteristics of ERα isoforms and ERβ in leukaemias. In the present study, the mRNA expression and promoter CpG methylation of ERα isoforms (i.e. ERα-A, -B and -C) and ERβ in leukaemia cell lines were evaluated using RT-PCR (reverse transcription-PCR) and MSP (methylation-specific PCR) respectively. The methylation of ERs was further analysed in acute leukaemia patients by MSP and direct DNA sequencing. Although all ERα isoforms and ERβ were methylated in all leukaemia cell lines, except for ERα-C, which was unmethylated in HL-60 and K562 cell lines, only the expression of ERα-A was deficient in all cell lines and its expression could be reactivated by DNA demethylation reagents. With regard to the methylation characteristics in acute leukaemia patients, only ERα-A was inactivated and specifically methylated (95%; 38/40) in almost all patients and unmethylated in all healthy controls, whereas ERα-B, -C and ERβ were methylated in both patients and healthy controls. This result suggested that the methylated status of ERα-A might serve as an epigenetic biomarker of leukaemias. The present study is the first report that demonstrates selective inactivation of ERα isoforms through the promoter CpG methylation pathway in leukaemias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]