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Rocks with bedding or foliation usually behave as anisotropic body. Understanding the full-field displacement characteristics of anisotropic rocks is of particular interest, since the behaviors of anisotropic rocks vary with the angle between bedding and loading direction, and are thus more difficult to predict than isotropic rocks. By the digital image correlation technique, the two-dimensional displacement fields of a bedded limestone with different bedding angles are obtained in this paper. Displacement field evolution process with loading is described in detail, in which the progressive rotation of principal strains can be identified. The displacement field pattern also varies with loading angle. If some threshold of loading angle is surpassed, the pattern can transit from one to another, which is essentially determined by the tensor transformation rule of compliance matrix. The non-coaxiality between principal strains and stresses with respect to different loading angles are calculated from both test results and numerical simulation, which further confirms the validity of transverse isotropy—a fundamental assumption for rocks exhibiting layered structure.

The common practice in understanding some puzzling geotechnical and geomechanical issues by large-scale three-dimensional physical model tests is recently much improved by the introduction of 3D-printing technology which can realize the reconstruction of complex geological structures. However, during 3D printing process, the regular rock-like material suffers from some general problems such as short initial setting time, water segregation, decreasing fluidity induced by chemical reaction, and some other unclear influencing factors. To promote further development of physical model via 3D printing method and to fabricate large-scale high-precision 3D geological models, in this paper, the flow characteristics of rock-like materials were first investigated using a new fluidity testing apparatus. Based on the test results, a novel 3D-printing technology of geological material was formulated. Then, the technologies of fabricating the desired structural specimens, acquiring samples with mechanical properties and cracking behaviors similar to natural rock, printing large-scale complex geological models were formulated. The results show that the 3D-printing technology of geological materials had a principle: no losing fluidity during printing time. The parameters of print head diameter, line width, line span, and line slump were the four key factors affecting desired structural samples. From the enlightenment of printing small-scale sample, the printing methods of complex large-scale geological models including decreasing printing time, acquiring heterogeneous geological model with inner structures, desired density, and surrounding smooth surface were proposed.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a worldwide problem, and there is no effective drug to eliminate AKI. The death of renal cells is an important pathological basis of intrinsic AKI. At present, targeted therapy for TEC death is a research hotspot in AKI therapy. There are many ways of cell death involved in the occurrence and development of AKI, such as apoptosis, necrosis, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis. This article mainly focuses on the role of pyroptosis in AKI. The assembly and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome is a key event in the occurrence of pyroptosis, which is affected by many factors, such as the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, mitochondrial instability and excessive endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The activation of NLRP3 inflammasome can trigger its downstream inflammatory cytokines, which will lead to pyroptosis and eventually induce AKI. In this paper, we reviewed the possible mechanism of pyroptosis in AKI and the potential effective inhibitors of various key targets in this process. It may provide potential therapeutic targets for novel intrinsic AKI therapies based on pyroptosis, so as to develop better therapeutic strategies.

In this work, influences of mechanical damage and water saturation on the distributed thermal conductivity of granite were experimentally investigated. The samples were artificially damaged using uniaxial cyclic loading and unloading tests, with acoustic emission activity monitored simultaneously. 2D thermal conductivity images were obtained using optical scanning method for both undamaged and damaged samples in dry and saturated conditions. The results indicate that the overall thermal conductivity of the samples decreased after mechanical damage treatment, while the thermal inhomogeneity factor increased. The thermal conductivity difference distribution matched well with the spatial distribution of acoustic emission events. The overall thermal conductivity values increased after water saturation in vacuum condition for both undamaged and damaged samples. Thermal inhomogeneity factor didn’t change significantly when undamaged samples were saturated, while thermal inhomogeneity factor of damaged samples decreased to a certain extent when samples were saturated. Research results in this work can provide better knowledge to the evolution mechanism of distributed thermal conductivity of engineering rock masses.

We synthesized a silver nanoparticle/zinc oxide (Ag NP/ZnO) thin film by using spin-coating technology. The treatment solution for Ag NP/ZnO thin film deposition contained zinc acetate (Zn(CH3COO)2), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and silver nitrate (AgNO3) aqueous solutions. The crystalline characteristics, surface morphology, content of elements, and reflectivity of the Ag NPs/ZnO thin film at various concentrations of the AgNO3 aqueous solution were investigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and ultraviolet&ndash, visible&ndash, near infrared spectrophotometry. The results indicated that the crystalline structure, Ag content, and reflectance of Ag NP/ZnO thin films depended on the AgNO3 concentration. Hybrid antireflection coatings (ARCs) composed of SiNx and Ag NPs/ZnO thin films with various AgNO3 concentrations were deposited on GaInP/(In)GaAs/Ge solar cells. We propose that the optimal ARC consists of SiNx and Ag NP/ZnO thin films prepared using a treatment solution of 0.0008 M AgNO3, 0.007 M Zn(CH3COO)2, and 1 M NaOH, followed by post-annealing at 200 &deg, C. GaInP/(Al)GaAs/Ge solar cells with the optimal hybrid ARC and SiNx ARC exhibit a conversion efficiency of 34.1% and 30.2% with Voc = 2.39 and 2.4 V, Jsc = 16.63 and 15.37 mA/cm2, and fill factor = 86.1% and 78.8%.

To express the human recombinant PCGF1 protein and prepare monoclonal antibody (mAb) against it.The recombinant expression plasmid pET32a-His-PCGF1-128/189 was made and transformed into E.coli (BL21), and then the recombinant fusion protein His-PCGF1-128/189 was expressed and purified. The BALB/c mice were immuned with purified protein His-PCGF1-128/189 as antigen. The mAbs against PCGF1 were prepared by using standard hybridoma technique. The hybridoma cell lines were obtained by ELISA and Western blot screening procedure, the isotype of the mAbs were further identified by immune-double diffusion. Ascites were prepared from one propagated hybridoma cell line and mAbs were purified by using the Kit from Millipore. The valence of mAb was detected by Western blot.The recombinant protein His-PCGF1-128/189 was expressed and purified. Two hybfidmas producing antibodies against PCGF1 were obtained, the isotypes of two mAbs were IgG1, Western blot showed that the antibodies were high sensitive(1:6 000) and high specific for PCGF1.The anti-PCGF1 mAb prepared by using recombinant His-PCGF1-128/189 protein as antigen can be used for detecting PCGF1 proteins which are either endogenous or exogenous.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding regulatory RNAs whose aberrant expression may be observed in many malignancies. However, few data are yet available on human primary medulloblastomas. This work aimed to identify that whether miRNAs would be aberrantly expressed in tumor tissues compared with non-tumorous cerebellum tissues from same patients, and to explore a possible role during carcinogenesis.A high throughput microRNA microarray was performed in human primary medulloblastoma specimens to investigate differentially expressed miRNAs, and some miRNAs were validated using real-time quantitative RT-PCR method. In addition, the predicted target genes for the most significantly down- or up-regulated miRNAs were analyzed by using a newly modified ensemble algorithm.Nine miRNA species were differentially expressed in medulloblastoma specimens versus normal non-tumorous cerebellum tissues. Of these, 4 were over expressed and 5 were under expressed. The changes ranged from 0.02-fold to 6.61-fold. These findings were confirmed using real-time quantitative RT-PCR for most significant deregulated miRNAs (miR-17, miR-100, miR-106b, and miR-218) which are novel and have not been previously published. Interestingly, most of the predicted target genes for these miRNAs were involved in medulloblastoma carcinogenesis.MiRNAs are differentially expressed between human medulloblastoma and non-tumorous cerebellum tissue. MiRNAs may play a role in the tumorigenesis of medulloblastoma and maybe serve as potential targets for novel therapeutic strategies in future.

To study the expression pattern of Polycomb gene Nspc1 at the early developmental stage in zebrafish.In situ hybridization probe for Nspc1 was designed according to the GenBank information. Collecting zebrafish embryos at different stages including one cell stage, two-cell stage, bud stage, and somites stage, we hybridized them with the prepared probe. Then the hybridization signals at different intervals were observed and photographed at the right time.Nspc1 was expressed globally at the early stage. Its expression specificity began at the somites stage, mainly in the nervous system of the head.Nspc1 may play essential roles in the early stage development of zebrafish, especially in the nervous system.

To study the regulation role of tumor suppressor NECL1 on the proliferation of glioma cell line.We detected the expression level of NECL1 in human normal brain tissue and glioma cell lines using semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. T98G cell line in which NECL1 was silent and whose transfection efficiency was relatively high as target cell was chosen, and the effect of NECL1 on the proliferation of T98G cell line in vitro was detected by using cell growth curve, flow cytometry, and Hoechst staining.NECL1 was abrogated or markedly reduced in 6 glioma cell lines. When NECL1 was overexpressed in T98G cell line, the cell growth rate obviously decreased and the number of apoptotic cells remarkably increased when compared with the control group.NECL1 may inhibit the proliferation of T98G cells by inducing its apoptosis.

To study the role of cell adhesion molecules Necl1 in synaptogenesis in primary cultured neurons.Semi-quantitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression pattern of Necl1 in the neuronal differentiation cell model in vitro. Western blot was performed to detect the expression pattern of Necl1 in primary cultured rat neurons and in purified synaptosome. Immunofluoresence was used to detect the synapse formation in primary neurons and in 293 cells co-culture and to detect the density of synapses in primary neuron with ectopic expression of Necl1.Necl1 expression increased after retinoic acid (RA) induction in SH-SY5Y and P19 cells. The increase of Necl1 expression was consistent with the days of primary neurons culture in vitro, and Necl1 partly localized in synaptosome. The overexpression of Necl1 in 293 cells induced the synapse formation between cocultured 293 cells and neurons. Ectopic expression of Necl1 in primary neurons increased the density of synapses.Necl1 plays an important role in neuronal synapse formation.

To detect the expression of CBX7 in human glioma and investigate the potential regulatory effect of abnormally expressed microRNAs on CBX7 expression.Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot were applied to detect the expression pattern of CBX7 in 2 human normal brain tissues, 9 glioma tissues, and 3 glioma cell lines. Miranda algorithm and Ensemble Machine Learning algorithm were combined to predict miRNAs that target human CBX7. The expression of miR-9 in those tissues and cell lines were detected by real-time PCR. After miR-9 overexpression in 293ET and miR-9 knock-down in T98G, luciferase assay and Western blot were used to confirm the effect of miR-9 on CBX7 expression. MTT assay and flow cytometry were applied to detect the effect of miR-9 knock-down on T98G cells.No obvious difference in the CBX7 mRNA level between normal and tumor tissues was observed, while the protein level of CBX7 was abrogated or markedly reduced in glioma tissues and cell lines. Several miRNAs including miR-9 may target CBX7 by bioinformatics prediction. MiR-9 was up-regulated in glioma tissues and cell lines. In 293ET cell, luciferase activity of CBX7-3'UTR reporter was decreased to 24% after miR-9 overexpression. After miR-9 knock-down in T98G cell, the luciferase activity was increased by 1.8 fold and there was no change of CBX7 mRNA, while the protein level of endogenous CBX7 was significantly increased. The number of survival T98G cells increased and cells in G1 phase decreased after miR-9 knock-down.In human glioma, CBX7 is down-regulated by the inhibition of miR-9 at posttranscriptional level.

To generate a sensitive tool for noninvasive monitoring of a therapeutic gene vasostatin.We fused the bioluminescent reporter gene firefly luciferase to the therapeutic transgene vasostatin and ensured that these two proteins would not interrupt each other and kept their own natural character.We therefore examined clones of PC3 cells stably expressing fusion gene and positive controlfluc with bioluminescence. In vivo imaging of PC3-Fluc subcutaneous tumors showed that the mean tumor bioluminescence increased in animals over several weeks.Noninvasive monitoring facilitates the detection of gene expression in vivo and in vitro.

Background The downstream of tyrosine kinase/docking protein (Dok) adaptor protein family has seven members, Dok1 to Dok7, that act as substrates of multiple receptor tyrosine kinase and non-receptor tyrosine kinase. The tropomyosin-related kinase (Trk) receptor family, which has three members (TrkA, TrkB and TrkC), are receptor tyrosine kinases that play pivotal roles in many stages of nervous system development, such as differentiation, migration, axon and dendrite projection and neuron patterning. Upon related neurotrophin growth factor stimulation, dimerisation and autophosphorylation of Trk receptors can occur, recruiting adaptor proteins to mediate signal transduction. Results In this report, by using yeast two-hybrid assays, glutathione S-transferase (GST) precipitation assays and coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) experiments, we demonstrate that Dok6 selectively binds to the NPQY motif of TrkC through its phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain in a kinase activity-dependent manner. We further confirmed their interaction by coimmunoprecipitation and colocalisation in E18.5 mouse cortex neurons, which provided more in vivo evidence. Next, we demonstrated that Dok6 is involved in neurite outgrowth in mouse cortex neurons via the RNAi method. Knockdown of Dok6 decreased neurite outgrowth in cortical neurons upon neurotrophin 3 (NT-3) stimulation. Conclusions We conclude that Dok6 interacts with the NPQY motif of the TrkC receptor through its PTB domain in a kinase activity-dependent manner, and works as a novel substrate of the TrkC receptor involved in NT-3-mediated neurite outgrowth in mouse cortex neurons.