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Oxybenzone (OBZ), a widely used sunscreen additive, has damaging effects on corals and plants. This study demonstrated that OBZ significantly inhibited photosynthesis and growth of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings. Combined analyses of chlorophyll fluorescence and 820-nm reflection suggested that OBZ severely inhibited photosynthetic electron transport (PET) from QA to cytochrome b6f (Cyt b6f) complex, restricting the reduction of the reaction center in PSI. Separate measurements of PSI and PSII PET in chloroplasts indicated that OBZ inhibited the PET of neither PSII nor PSI, but it severely inhibited the whole linear PET. We thus confirmed that the inhibition of PET by OBZ was due to the inhibition of plastoquinones (PQs) and/or the Cyt b6f complex between PSI and PSII. PET is essential for producing ATP and NADPH used in CO2 assimilation. Therefore, limiting the use of sunscreens containing OBZ is significant in protection of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and ensuring the safety of agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problems of long time and high cost of emergency evacuation in traditional optimization methods for emergency evacuation path of traffic hub, an optimization method for emergency evacuation path of traffic hub based on fuzzy theory is proposed. According to the sudden and dynamic characteristics of emergency evacuation path of transportation hub, the weight of different paths is solved by using the method of fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP). The corresponding path weight matrix is constructed, and the path weight matrix is introduced into the solution model of state transition probability of ant colony algorithm to obtain the optimal emergency evacuation path of traffic hub. The simulation results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the efficiency of emergency evacuation and reduce the cost of emergency evacuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To test the quality of a tunnel junction, one sometimes fits the bias-dependent differential conductance to a theoretical model, such as Simmons’s formula. Recent experimental work by Åkerman and collaborators, however, has demonstrated that a good fit does not necessarily imply a good junction. Modeling the electrical and thermal properties of a tunnel junction containing a pinhole, we extract an effective barrier height and effective barrier width even when as much as 88% of the current flows through the pinhole short rather than tunneling. A good fit of differential conductance to a tunneling form therefore cannot rule out pinhole defects in normal metal or magnetic tunnel junctions. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the solidification process of eleven tons flat steel ingot is simulated by the finite element analysis software PROCAST, and the solidification state of the ingot with and without chassis is analyzed and compared. The results show that the forced cooling chassis makes low temperature area of the bottom ingot enlarged. And it has little influence on the temperature field and the solidification speed of the upper ingot. For the small flat steel ingot, the forced cooling chassis will deteriorate the shrinkage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of microRNA-155 on cervical cancer and its underlying mechanism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Peripheral blood and cervical cancer tissues were collected. We used quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to detect expressions of microRNA-155, SOCS1, Th17-related genes (RORγt, IL-17A, IL-21, and IL-22), and Treg-related genes (foxp3, TGF-β, IL-10, and IL-35) in peripheral blood and cervical cancer tissues. Western blot was used to detect protein expressions of RORγt and foxp3. The proportions of Th17 and Treg cells in CD4+ T cells were measured by flow cytometry. Moreover, IL-17 expression was detected by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: MicroRNA-155 was overexpressed in peripheral blood and cervical cancer tissues of patients with cervical cancer compared with those of normal controls. Th17-related transcription factors and cytokines in cervical cancer tissues were remarkably elevated than those of normal controls, including RORγt, IL-17, and IL-6. Treg-related transcription factors and cytokines obtained the similar results. Besides, the proportion of Th17 cells in CD4+ T cells was higher in cervical tissues than that of normal controls. In vitro experiments suggested that overexpressed microRNA-155 can inhibit the expression of target gene SOCS1, promote the differentiation of Th17 and increase levels of IL-17, RORγt, and STAT3. CONCLUSIONS: MicroRNA-155 is involved in the occurrence and progression of cervical cancer via inhibiting SOSC1 expression and inducing Th17/Treg imbalance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role and potential mechanism of human serum albumin (hsa)-micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-382-5p in epidural fibrosis formation after laminectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cells were transfected with miR-382-5p mimic or miR-382-5p inhibitor. Then, 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazol (-z-y1)-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) assay was employed to detect the effect of miR-382-5p on proliferation, and Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to examine the expressions of miR-382-5p and fibrosis-related proteins after treatment with transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β). Luciferase assay and immunofluorescent staining were done to confirm whether collagen I A1 is a target of miR-382-5p. RESULTS: MTT assay demonstrated that miR-382-5p had no significant effect on fibroblast proliferation. Expressions of miR-382-5p and fibrosis-related proteins were remarkably increased after TGF-β treatment. Collagen I A1 was acknowledged as a target of miR-382-5p. MiR-382-5p mimic statistically enhanced the level of collagen I A1, and miR-382-5p enhanced the expressions of collagen I A1. CONCLUSIONS: Increased miR-382-5p promotes epidural fibrosis by increasing collagen I A1 expression, and miR-382-5p may be a potential novel molecular target for the treatment of epidural fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of microRNA-409 in spinal cord injury (SCI) recovery and its underlying mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mouse SCI model was first established, and the difference in recovery of grip strength was detected. MicroRNA-409 expressions in mice tissues from sham operation group and SCI group were detected by quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). We further increased microRNA-409 level in mice spinal cord by plasmids transfection. Luciferase activity was detected to verify the direct binding of microRNA-409 and ZNF366. RESULTS: The grip strength in both groups was temporarily decreased after surgery, while the grip strength in SCI group was always remarkably lower than that of the sham operation group since the first week after the surgery, suggesting the successful construction of mouse SCI model. MicroRNA-409 expression in the SCI group was gradually decreased from the postoperative 3rd day, which was remarkably lower than that of the sham group. Additionally, ZNF366 expression in the SCI group began to increase from the first day after the surgery, which was markedly higher than that of the sham group. After injection of exogenous microRNA-409, ZNF366 expression in the SCI group showed a remarkable decrease compared to that of the sham operation group. We also confirmed that ZNF366 was the target gene of microRNA-409 by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase activity assay. CONCLUSIONS: MicroRNA-409 is downregulated after spinal cord injury. Overexpression of microRNA-409 directly targets ZNF366 and promotes the recovery of spinal cord injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]