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This study reports two cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid (SCCT) presenting as the thyroid goiter, involving one case of primary squamous cell carcinoma originating from the thyroid (PSCCT) and the other case of secondary SCCT of the thyroid. A retrospective analysis of the clinical and pathological findings was done in this study report. In case 1, the thyroid ultrasound showed multi-hypoechoic well-defined nodules, labeled as 3 using Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System, measuring 34.1 mm × 28.9 mm × 30.3 mm and 26.5 mm × 22.2 mm × 23.9 mm in the left in the right lobar thyroid, respectively. The patient underwent surgery and was histologically diagnosed with PSCCT. In case 2, the thyroid ultrasound showed a 25.2 mm × 22.2 mm × 18.8 mm hypoechoic nodule in the right lobar thyroid. The patient underwent a frozen biopsy, the results of which increased suspicion of squamous cell carcinoma. A frozen biopsy was followed by an endoscopic evaluation that detected an ulcerative mass measuring 3.0 cm within the mucosa of esophagus. Due to a scarcity of cases, SCCT is a great challenge for the pathologists and the managing team to come up with the best treatment strategy for the patients.

Cortical tremor/myoclonus is the hallmark feature of benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy (BAFME), the mechanism of which remains elusive. A hypothesis is that a defective control in the preexisting cerebellar-motor loop drives cortical tremor. Meanwhile, the basal ganglia system might also participate in BAFME. This study aimed to discover the structural basis of cortical tremor/myoclonus in BAFME.Nineteen patients with BAFME type 1 (BAFME1) and 30 matched healthy controls underwent T1-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging scans. FreeSurfer and spatially unbiased infratentorial template (SUIT) toolboxes were utilized to assess the motor cortex and the cerebellum. Probabilistic tractography was generated for two fibers to test the hypothesis: the dentato-thalamo-(M1) (primary motor cortex) and globus pallidus internus (GPi)-thalamic projections. Average fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), mean diffusivity (MD), and radial diffusivity (RD) of each tract were extracted.Cerebellar atrophy and dentate nucleus alteration were observed in the patients. In addition, patients with BAFME1 exhibited reduced AD and FA in the left and right dentato-thalamo-M1 nondecussating fibers, respectively false discovery rate (FDR) correction q .05. Cerebellar projections showed negative correlations with somatosensory-evoked potential P25-N33 amplitude and were independent of disease duration and medication. BAFME1 patients also had increased FA and decreased MD in the left GPi-thalamic projection. Higher FA and lower RD in the right GPi-thalamic projection were also observed (FDR q .05).The present findings support the hypothesis that the cerebello-thalamo-M1 loop might be the structural basis of cortical tremor in BAFME1. The basal ganglia system also participates in BAFME1 and probably serves a regulatory role.

Pathogens and mycotoxins are serious public health risks for humans and food safety in milk. This study concentrated on detecting

To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the behaviours, mental health and seizure control of adult patients with epilepsy (PWE) and to identify the correlation of seizure increase and the COVID-19 outbreak to guide the medical care of individuals with epilepsy during a public health crisis.This study was conducted at 28 centres from February 2020 to April 2020. Participants filled out a 62-item online survey including sociodemographic, COVID-19-related, epilepsy-related and psychological variables and were divided into two groups based on whether their seizure frequency increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chi-square tests and t-tests were used to test differences in significant characteristics. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for seizure worsening.A total of 1,237 adult PWE were enrolled for analysis. Of this sample, 31 (8.33%) patients experienced an increase in seizures during the pandemic. Multivariate logistic regression suggested that feeling nervous about the pandemic (P0.05), poor quality of life (P = 0.001), drug reduction/withdrawal (P = 0.032), moderate anxiety during the COVID-19 outbreak (P = 0.046) and non-seizure free before the COVID-19 outbreak (P0.05) were independently related to seizure increase during the pandemic.During the COVID-19 pandemic, PWE with poor quality of life and mental status, as well as AED reduction/withdrawal, were more likely to experience seizure increase. This observation highlights the importance of early identification of the population at high risk of seizure worsening and implementation of preventive strategies during the pandemic.

Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) of biomacromolecules using large pore size media and long column are usually necessary to obtain a satisfactory separation. However, the SEC separation of inactivated foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) was found to induce some subtle but important conformational changes of FMDV in a pore-size and column length dependent manner. Here three Sephacryl media including S-300 HR, S-400 HR, and S-500 HR were tested, whose pore sizes were smaller than, similar to, and larger than the FMDV particles, respectively. High performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) analyses showed that the FMDV after all these three SEC processes had earlier retention time, compared with that before SEC, but had no detectable difference in particle integrity. Longer SEC column led to more significant peak shifting in subsequent HPSEC analysis of FMDV. Further analyses indicated the SEC using larger pore size media induced more remarkable conformational changes and decrease in thermostability of FMDV, as well as decrease in immunogenicity in animal test. Fluorescence probe diffusion study suggested compared to SEC by S300, the compactness of the viral capsid after SEC by S400 and S500 was decreased, possibly due to more shear-induced FMDV particle rotation and inter-particle collision inside the media pores, as well as their interactions with the pore walls of the media during flowing through the column. Finally, a stabilization strategy by appending 5 mM CaCl

The structural instability of inactivated foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) hinders the development of vaccine industry. Here we found that some transition metal ions like Cu2+ and Ni2+ could specifically bind to FMDV capsids at capacities about 7089 and 3448 metal ions per capsid, respectively. These values are about 33- and 16-folds of the binding capacity of non-transition metal ion Ca2+ (about 214 per capsid). Further thermodynamic studies indicated that all these three metal ions bound to the capsids in spontaneous enthalpy driving manners (ΔG

The structural instability of inactivated foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) hinders the development of the vaccine industry. Here, we found that some transition metal ions like Cu(2+) and Ni(2+) could specifically bind to FMDV capsids at capacities of about 7,089 and 3,448 metal ions per capsid, respectively. These values are about 33- and 16-fold greater than the binding capacity of nontransition metal ion Ca(2+) (about 214 per capsid). Further thermodynamic studies indicated that all of these three metal ions bound to the capsids in spontaneous enthalpy-driving manners (ΔG

Inactivated virus and virus-like particles (VLPs) are important classes of biopharmaceuticals for vaccines, immunotherapy and oncotherapy. Their complex particle structures are easily denatured during processing and storage, leading to loss in their biofunctionality. Ionic liquids (ILs) as stabilizing excipients have garnered interest in protein-based pharmaceutical research, but their stabilizing capacity for inactivated virus antigens remains unknown. Here, three biocompatible choline-based ILs, including [Cho][H2PO4], [Cho][Cl], and [Cho][SO4], were tested as potential stabilizers for the inactivated foot-and-mouth disease virus (iFMDV), which are extremely unstable virus particles easily dissociating into smaller pentamers named 12S. Based on differential scanning fluorimetry technology for thermal stability analysis, together with high-performance size-exclusion chromatography for quantitative determination of 146S, it was found that [Cho][Cl] and [cho][SO4] can improve the thermo- and long-term storage stability of iFMDV particles, while [Cho][H2PO4] showed a destabilizing effect. Animal experiments indicated that the immunogenicity of iFMDV antigens was not attenuated in all three ILs. By monitoring the microenvironmental pH of the virus particles in different ILs, a relatively lower proton intensity was observed in [Cho][Cl] and [Cho][SO4] than in buffers and [Cho][H2PO4]. Therefore, the stabilizing mechanism was supposed to be mainly due to suppression of protonation of histidine residues in the inter-pentamer interface of virus particles in [Cho][Cl] and [Cho][SO4], which is distinct from the mechanism reported for other proteins with relatively simple structures. The results suggest that the choline-based ILs with appropriate anions are promising stabilizing excipients for iFMDV or other vaccine antigens.

In the end of 2019, the epidemic of a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) occurred in Wuhan and spread rapidly. Changsha, a city located south to the epicenter, was soon impacted. To control the transmission of the coronavirus and avoid nosocomial infection, triage procedures based on epidemiology were implemented in a local hospital of the city. This retrospective study analyzed the data collected during the triage period and found that COVID-19 patients were enriched seven folds into the Section A designated for rapid detection and quarantine. On the other side, roughly triple amounts of visits were received at the Section B for patients without obvious epidemiological history. Eight COVID-19 cases were spotted out of 247 suspected patients. More than 50% of the suspected patients were submitted to multiple rounds of nucleic acid analysis for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of the 239 patients who were diagnosed as negative of the virus infection,188 were successfully revisited and none was reported as a COVID-19 case. Of the eight COVID-19 patients, three were confirmed only after multiple rounds of nucleic acid analysis. Besides comorbidities, delayed sharing of epidemiological history added another layer of complexity to the diagnosis in practice. While SARS-CoV-2 epidemic is being alerted in many countries, our report will be helpful to other colleagues in rapid identification of COVID-19 cases and controlling the transmission of the disease.

Benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy (BAFME) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by adult-onset cortical myoclonus with or without seizures. Recently, it was reported to be associated with intronic TTTTA/TTTCA expansions. To investigate whether these abnormal expansions are involved in our new pedigree from China, whole exome sequencing (WES) and repeat-primed polymerase chain reaction (RP-PCR) analysis were performed to detect potential mutation in pedigree members. Neither causal mutations cosegregated with the disease in the family nor any novel mutation was identified through WES, while an abnormal TTTCA expansion in SAMD12 was identified by RP-PCR and then proved to be cosegregated in the pedigree. All the 12 alive affected individuals (M/F = 4/8; average age = 46.7 years old, range from 27 to 66) showed typical characteristics of BAFME. In addition, maternal clinical anticipation was observed in six mother/child pairs. In conclusion, our study offered the evidence of intronic pentanucleotide expansions in SAMD12 from a new Chinese BAFME pedigree, which further confirmed the association between this expansion and the pathogenesis of BAFME.

Additional file 3: Table S2. The top 11 upregulated circular RNA in CRC tumor tissue samples than normal mucosa tissue samples.

Additional file 2: Table S1. the sequence of primers.

To examine the shared familial contribution to hippocampal and extrahippocampal morphological abnormalities in patients with sporadic temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and their unaffected siblings.We collected clinical, electrophysiological, and T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of 18 sporadic patients with TLE without lesions other than hippocampal sclerosis (12 right, 6 left), their 18 unaffected full siblings, and 18 matched healthy volunteers. We compared between-group differences in cortical thickness and volumes of five subcortical areas (hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, putamen, and pallidum). We determined the subregional extent of hippocampal abnormalities using surface shape analysis. All our imaging results were corrected for multiple comparisons using random field theory.We detected smaller hippocampal volumes in patients (right TLE: median right hippocampus 1.92 mL, interquartile range [IQR] 1.39-2.62, P .001; left TLE: left hippocampus 2.05 mL, IQR 1.99-2.33, P = .01) and their unaffected siblings (right hippocampus 2.65 mL, IQR 2.32-2.80, P .001; left hippocampus 2.39 mL, IQR 2.18-2.53, P .001) compared to healthy controls (right hippocampus 2.94 mL, IQR 2.77-3.24; left hippocampus 2.71 mL, IQR 2.37-2.89). Surface shape analysis showed that patients with TLE had bilateral subregional atrophy in both hippocampi (right left). Similar but less-pronounced subregional atrophy was detected in the right hippocampus of unaffected siblings. Patients with TLE had reduced cortical thickness in bilateral premotor/prefrontal cortices and the right precentral gyrus. Siblings did not show abnormalities in cortical or subcortical areas other than the hippocampus.Our results demonstrate a shared vulnerability of the hippocampus in both patients with TLE and their unaffected siblings, pointing to a contribution of familial factors to hippocampal atrophy. This neuroimaging trait could represent an endophenotype of TLE, which might precede the onset of epilepsy in some individuals.

Destruction of assembly structures has been identified as a major cause for activity loss of virus and virus-like particles during their chromatographic process. A deep insight into the denaturation process at the solid-liquid interfaces is important for rational design of purification. In this study, in-situ differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was employed to study the dissociation process of inactivated foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) during ion exchange chromatography (IEC) at different levels of pH. The intact FMDV known as 146S and the dissociation products were quantified by high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) and the thermo-stability of 146S on-column was monitored in-situ by DSC. Serious dissociation was found at pH 7.0 and pH 8.0, leading to low 146S recoveries of 12.3% and 43.7%, respectively. The elution profiles from IEC and HPSEC combined with the thermal transition temperatures of 146S dissociation (Tm1) from DSC suggested two denaturation mechanisms that the 146S dissociation occurred on-column after adsorption at pH 7.0 and during elution step at pH 8.0. By appending different excipients including sucrose, the improvement of 146S recovery and reduced dissociation was found highly correlated to increment of 146S stability on-column detected by DSC. The highest recovery of 99.9% and the highest Tm1 of 54.49 °C were obtained at pH 9.0 with 20% (w/v) sucrose. According to chromatographic behaviors and Tm1, three different dissociation processes in IEC were discussed. The study provides a perspective to understand the denaturation process of assemblies during chromatography, and also supplies a strategy to improve assembly recovery.

Adjuvants are important to enhance the antigens immunogenicity, but may also alter the structures of antigens. Currently off-line methods for adjuvants induced antigen alteration suffer from incomplete release and possible structural alteration of antigens. Here we investigated the differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) as an in-situ and high-throughput strategy to analyze the stability of inactivated foot-and-mouth disease virus (iFMDV), known as 146S, in three representative adjuvants including aluminum hydroxide (AH), oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion, and water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion. Under optimized DSF conditions, the Tm referring to 146S dissociation can be detected in all three adjuvants. Using SYBR Green II as fluorescent dye enables detection of iFMDV as low as 5 μg/mL. By comparing the Tm in different pH, three adjuvants showed different effects on 146S. Screening for excipients was successfully conducted using DSF. Sugars and glycerol increased the Tm of iFMDV in all three adjuvants, but to different degree. The stabilization by 20% (w/v) sucrose and glycerol was further verified by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). DSF is proved also applicative for low-purity iFMDV and pre-adjuvanted iFMDV vaccines. In summary, the DSF can be a powerful tool in formulation study and vaccine quality control for inactivated virus vaccines.

We developed a pre-treatment method to remove interfering substances during quantification of 146S antigens in foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines by high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). Three methods, including ultracentrifugation, PEG precipitation and nuclease digestion, were optimized and compared for removal efficiency of the interfering impurities in FMD vaccines. Under optimized conditions, the 146S contents in two batches of FMD vaccines were determined to be 7.1 and 7.6 μg/mL by ultracentrifugation, 9.7 and 10.4 μg/mL by PEG precipitation, and 10.5 and 10.4 μg/mL by nuclease digestion. The optimal condition for nuclease digestion using Benzonase determined by response surface method was as follows: appending Benzonase into 200 μL of antigen phase to a final concentration of 421 U/mL and incubating at 25.1 °C for 1.29 h. This method has advantages including efficient removal of the interfering impurities, fast processing speed, and mild operating conditions. Then 12 bathes of FMD vaccines with different serotypes produced by 4 manufacturers were tested to verify the established treatment method. Results showed the method was applicable to various FMD vaccines with good reproducibility (RSD5.3%, n=3). The developed method removed interference from impurities during quantification of 146S, and therefore would broaden the application of HPSEC in vaccine quality control and ensure the accuracy and reliability.旨在建立一种口蹄疫灭活病毒疫苗的处理方法，去除尺寸排阻色谱法（HPSEC）检测146S 抗原过程中的杂质干扰，获得最佳的检测信号并实现146S 抗原含量的准确测定。分别考察了超速离心法、PEG 沉淀法、核酸酶消化法对两批疫苗样品中的HPSEC 检测干扰杂质的去除效果。在优化条件下，超速离心法处理后146S 检测结果分别为7.1、7.6 μg/mL，PEG 沉淀法为9.7、10.4 μg/mL；酶消化法处理后的检测值最高，分别为10.5、10.4 μg/mL，且杂质去除完全、处理速度快、操作条件温和。通过响应面法确定最优酶消化处理条件如下：200 μL 水相中添加终浓度421 U/mL 的Benzonase，25.1 ℃下反应1.29 h。在该最优条件下，对4 家企业各3 种不同血清型共12 批疫苗样品进行146S 含量检测，结果表明建立的方法对不同疫苗均有良好适用性，且重复性好（RSD5.3%，n=3）。通过该处理方法，解决了杂质对146S 定量检测的干扰，扩大了HPSEC 检测技术的应用范围，进一步确保了检测结果的准确可靠。.

Accurate quantification of effective antigens of different serotypes is crucial for quality control of multivalent vaccines but challenging. A simple and rapid capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method was developed for on-line separation and quantification of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) antigens in monovalent and bivalent FMDV vaccines. The FMDV peak identity in CZE was demonstrated by the study of FMDV dissociation combined with high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) analysis. After optimizing CZE conditions including UV detecting wavelength, injection volume, and separation voltage, both serotype A and O FMDV showed good reproducibility (RSD

Oxidative stress-induced damage of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is a major contributor to retinal degenerative diseases, such as glaucoma. Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) has emerged as a cytoprotective protein against various insults. However, whether SIRT6 exerts a protective effect against oxidative stress-damaged RGCs remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential role and regulatory mechanism of SIRT6 in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative damage of RGCs in vitro. We found that SIRT6 expression was significantly downregulated in RGCs with H2O2 treatment. Functional experiments showed that overexpression of SIRT6 improved survival and reduced apoptosis and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in H2O2-treated RGCs. In contrast, SIRT6 knockdown had the opposite effect. Moreover, we found that SIRT6 overexpression promoted the nuclear accumulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and increased the activity of antioxidant response element (ARE). In addition, we found that the promotional effect of SIRT6 on Nrf2/ARE signaling was associated with inhibition of BTB and CNC homology 1 (Bach1), an inhibitor of Nrf2. However, overexpression of Bach1 or inhibition of Nrf2/ARE signaling partially reversed the SIRT6-mediated protective effect. Taken together, these results demonstrate that SIRT6 protects RGCs from oxidative stress-induced damage by promoting the activation of Nrf2/ARE signaling via inhibition of Bach1, suggesting a potential role of SIRT6 in retinal degenerative diseases.

The aim of this study is to quantify the 146S antigen in foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) inactivated vaccine by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). The analysis was performed on a TSKgel G4000SWXL column (7.8 mm×30 cm), with a pH 7.2 buffer salt system as the mobile phase. The flow rate was 0.6 mL/min, the injection volume was 100 μL and the detection wavelength was 259 nm. The calibration curve was established by using purified inactivated FMDV (serotype O) 146S antigen; 3 batches of vaccine formulated by inactivated antigen solution were tested to verify the accuracy, reproducibility, specificity and tolerability of the method. At last 16 batches of vaccine were determined by the SEC method. Results showed a good linearity between peak area and concentration of 146S antigen in the range between 0.56 and 67.42 μg/mL (R2=0.996, n=10), and the average recovery rate of 146S antigen in the 3 batches of vaccine formulated in lab were 93.6% (RSD=2.7%, n=3), 102.3% (RSD=2.6%, n=3), and 95.5% (RSD=5.1%, n=3). The method was proved accurate and reliable with good reproducibility (RSD=0.5%, n=6), and applied to determine 16 batches of the commercial FMDV vaccine. According to the above results, the SEC method is high effective for 146S antigen quantify in the inactivated FMDV vaccine and would provide strong support for the vaccine quality control.旨在应用体积排阻色谱法测定口蹄疫灭活疫苗中的146S 抗原含量。使用TSKgel G4000SWXL (7.8 mm×30 cm)色谱柱，以pH 7.2 的缓冲盐体系作为流动相，流速为0.6 mL/min，进样量为100 μL，检测波长为259 nm。以口蹄疫病毒 (O 型) 灭活146S 抗原纯化样品建立标准曲线；使用灭活抗原液配制3 份口蹄疫灭活疫苗，并进行精密度、重复性、特异性、耐受性验证；应用该方法快速测定16 批疫苗的146S 含量。结果表明，抗原浓度在0.56–67.42 μg/mL范围内，其峰面积与浓度的线性关系良好 (R2=0.996，n=10)，3 份疫苗146S 抗原测定回收率分别为93.6% (RSD=2.7%，n=3)、102.3% (RSD=2.6%，n=3)、95.5% (RSD=5.1%，n=3)，方法重复性好、准确性强 (RSD=0.5%，n=6)，且操作简便、高效，对16 批疫苗的测定结果较理想。应用该方法有望快速高效地检测口蹄疫灭活疫苗的146S 抗原含量，为疫苗的质量控制提供有力支持。.

In this study, a high-efficiency single-pulsed femtosecond laser assisted with chemical wet etching method has been proposed to obtain large-area concave microlens array (MLA). The quasi-periodic MLA consisting of about two million microlenses with tunable diameter and sag height by adjusting laser scanning speed and etching time is uniformly manufactured on fused silica and sapphire within 30 minutes. Moreover, the fabricated MLA behaves excellent optical focusing and imaging performance, which could be used to sense the change of the liquid refractive index (RI). In addition, it is demonstrated that small period and high RI of MLA could acquire high sensitivity and broad dynamic measurement range, respectively. Furthermore, the theoretical diffraction efficiency is calculated by the finite domain time difference (FDTD) method, which is in good agreement with the experimental results.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), characterized by β-amyloid deposition and neurodegeneration, is the most common cause of dementia worldwide. Emerging evidence suggests that ectopic expression of micro (mi)RNAs is involved in the pathogenesis of AD. There is increasing evidence that miRNAs expressed in the brain are involved in neuronal development, survival and apoptosis. The expression of β-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is regulated by dysregulated miRNAs in the brain. The present study determined the expression levels of the miRNA-29 (miR-29) family in peripheral blood samples of patients with AD and demonstrated a marked decrease in the expression of miR-29c compared with age-matched controls. In addition, a significant increase in the expression of BACE1 was observed in the peripheral blood of patients with AD. Correlation analysis revealed that the expression of miR-29c was negatively correlated with the protein expression of BACE1 in the peripheral blood samples from patients with AD. The present study also investigated the role of miR-29 on hippocampal neurons in vitro and in vivo. The results demonstrated that the upregulation of miR-29c promoted learning and memory behaviors in SAMP8 mice, at least partially, by increasing the activity of protein kinase A/cAMP response element-binding protein, involved in neuroprotection. This evidence suggested that miR-29c may be a promising potential therapeutic target against AD.

The abnormal proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are key pathological factors in the initiation and progression of vascular disorders, including arteriosclerosis and restenosis following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), the main component of the safflower yellow pigments, has widely been used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in traditional Chinese medicine. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies investigating the pharmaceutical effect of HSYA on VSMCs or the underlying molecular mechanism. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of HSYA on platelet‑derived growth factor (PDGF)‑BB‑stimulated VSMC proliferation and migration. HSYA significantly inhibited PDGF‑BB‑stimulated VSMC proliferation and, in response to PDGF‑BB‑stimulation, VSMCs dedifferentiated into a proliferative phenotype. However, HSYA effectively reversed this phenotype switching. In addition, the production of nitrous oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate induced by PDGF‑BB was also suppressed by HSYA, and HSYA markedly inhibited PDGF‑BB‑stimulated VSMC migration. Investigation of the molecular mechanism revealed that HSYA inhibited PDGF‑BB‑induced activation of Akt signaling. In addition, HSYA also suppressed PDGF‑BB‑stimulated upregulation of cell cycle related proteins and heme oxygenase‑1. In conclusion, HSYA was able to inhibit PDGF‑BB‑stimulated VSMC proliferation and migration, partially via suppressing PDGF‑BB‑induced Akt signaling activation. Therefore, HSYA may be useful for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and restenosis following PCI.

Reported here is the bio-inspired and robust function of underwater superoleophobic, anti-oil metallic surfaces with ultra-broadband enhanced optical absorption obtained through femtosecond laser micromachining. Three distinct surface structures are fabricated using a wide variety of processing parameters. Underwater superoleophobic and anti-oil surfaces containing coral-like microstructures with nanoparticles and mount-like microstructures are achieved. These properties of the as-prepared surfaces exhibit good chemical stability when exposed to various types of oils and when immersed in water with a wide range of pH values. Moreover, coral-like microstructures with nanoparticle surfaces show strongly enhanced optical absorption over a broadband wavelength range from 0.2–25 μm. The potential mechanism for the excellent performance of the coral-like microstructures with a nanoparticle surface is also discussed. This multifunctional surface has potential applications in military submarines, amphibious military aircraft and tanks, and underwater anti-oil optical counter-reconnaissance devices.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia in the aged population, presents an increasing clinical challenge in terms of diagnosis and treatment. Neurodegeneration is one of the hallmarks of AD, which consequently induces cognitive impairment. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neuroprotective factor, has been implicated in neuronal survival and proliferation. The epigenetic mechanism of BDNF methylation may be responsible for the reduced expression of BDNF in patients with AD. DNA methyltransferase may contribute to the methylation of BDNF, which is involved in neuroprotection in AD. In addition, epigenetic modifications, including a combination of microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) and DNA methylation, have been suggested as regulatory mechanisms in the control of neuronal survival. In the present study, the expression of miR-29c was determined in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with AD and of healthy control individuals. A marked decrease in the expression of miR-29c was observed in the AD group compared with the normal control group, accompanied by a decreased in the expression of BDNF. Additionally, a significant increase in the expression of DNA methyltransferase 3 (DNMT3) was observed in the CSF from the patients with AD. Correlation analysis revealed that the expression of miR-29c was positively correlated with BDNF and negatively correlated with DNMT3 protein in the CSF of patients with AD. In addition, the regulatory association between miR-29c, DNMT3 and BDNF were also examined in vitro. It was demonstrated that miR-29c directly targeted DNMT3 and contributed to neuronal proliferation by regulating the expression of BDNF, at least partially, through enhancing the activity of the tyrosine receptor kinase B/extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway. In conclusion, the present study suggested that miR-29c may be a promising potential therapeutic target in the treatment of AD.

Benign familial neonatal convulsions (BFNC, also named benign familial neonatal seizures, BFNS) is a rare autosomal dominant inherited epilepsy syndrome with clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Two voltage-gated potassium channel subunit genes, KCNQ2 and KCNQ3, have been identified to cause BFNC1 and BFNC2, respectively. To date, only three mutations of KCNQ3, all located within exon 5, have been reported. By limited linkage analysis and mutation analysis of KCNQ3 in a Chinese family with BFNC, we identified a novel missense mutation of KCNQ3, c.988C>T located within exon 6. c.988C>T led to the substitution Cys for Arg in amino acid position 330 (p.R330C) in KCNQ3 potassium channel, which possibly impaired the neuronal M-current and altered neuronal excitability. Seizures of all BFNC patients started from day 2 to 3 after birth and remitted during 1 month, and no recurrence was found. One family member who displayed fever-associated seizures for two times at age 5 years and was diagnosed as febrile seizures, however, did not carry this mutation, which suggests that febrile seizures and BFNC have different pathogenesis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of KCNQ3 mutation in Chinese family with BFNC.

After entering the new century, the factors that affect the security and stability of colleges and universities are complex and changeable. The problem of political security in Colleges and universities has become more and more prominent, and the pressure of public security and the construction of security and stability work force should be solved urgently. The new task we are facing is that how to correctly analyze the main problems that affect the safety and stability of colleges and universities to take corresponding countermeasures, and make efforts to promote the construction of safe and stable work of the long-term mechanism.