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The study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of thyroid hormone-responsive (THRSP) and explore its relevant pathways in thyroid carcinoma (THCA). The gene expression data of THRSP were obtained and the prognostic significance of THRSP in THCA was analyzed through various bioinformatics databases. Then, the factors influencing THRSP mRNA expression were explored, and the function of THRSP in predicting the lymph node metastasis (LNM) stage was determined. We further performed the enrichment analysis and constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network to examine potential regulatory pathways associated with THRSP. THRSP gene expression was significantly increased in THCA compared with the normal tissues. High THRSP mRNA expression had a favorable overall survival (OS) in THCA patients (P.05). Additionally, the mRNA expression of THRSP was related to stage, histological subtype, and methylation among THCA patients (all P.05). Besides, THRSP served as a potent predictor in discriminating the LNM stage of thyroid cancer patients. According to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) on THRSP-associated genes, THRSP was positively related to metabolic pathways. The upregulation of THRSP predicted a good OS in THCA patients. Furthermore, THRSP might inhibit THCA progression through positive regulation of metabolism-associated pathways.

Fluorescent probes for H

Examining the physiological responses of mussels to thermal stress is crucial to evaluate their biogeographic distribution and ability to adapt to a changing climate. In the present study, we investigated the effects of acute cold (8 °C and 15 °C) and heat (35 °C and 42 °C) stress on the mortality rate, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and antioxdative responses in the gill tissue of the green mussel species Perna viridis. Our results showed that cold and heat stress induced a temperature-dependent increase in mortality rate. ROS production increased significantly (p < 0.01) after both cold and heat stress. However, the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including SOD, CAT and GSH-Px, were greatly enhanced only after heat stress. In addition, MDA content and MMP increased significantly under both cold and heat stress. The up-regulation of Hsp70 transcripts was only detected after acute stress at 35 °C. However, p38-MAPK phosphorylation levels increased after both cold and heat stress. In addition, a moderate activation of caspase-3 was found after mussels were exposed to 8 °C and 42 °C stress. Our results suggest that both extreme cold and heat stress could induce ROS production in the gill tissue of P. viridis, which might result in lipid peroxidation and mitochondria dysfunction. Antioxidative enzymes and Hsp70 might be important in the heat stress response of animals, whereas p38-MAPK might be crucial in the acute response to both cold and heat stress. However, caspase-3 activation might be very weak under both cold and heat stress.

As crucial signaling transducer in Toll-like receptor (TLR) and interleukin (IL)-1 receptor (IL-1R) signaling pathway, IL-1R-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) mediates downstream signaling cascades and plays important roles in innate and adaptive immune responses. In the present study, an IRAK4 orthologue was characterized from large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea), named Lc-IRAK4, with a conservative N-terminal death domain and a C-terminal protein kinase domain. The genome of Lc-IRAK4 is structured into eleven exons and ten introns. Expression analysis indicated that Lc-IRAK4 was widely expressed in tested tissues, with the highest level in liver and weakest in muscle. Additionally, in the spleen, liver tissues and blood, it could be induced by poly I:C and LPS stimulation, but not be induced by Vibrio parahemolyticus infection. Fluorescence microscopy assays revealed that Lc-IRAK4 localized in the cytoplasm in HEK 293T cells. It was also determined that Lc-IRAK4 could interact with MyD88, whereas MyD88-mediated NF-κB activation was significantly impaired when co-transfected the two in HEK 293T cells. These findings collectively indicated that although Lc-IRAK4 was evolutionarily conserved in vertebrates, the exact function especially the signaling transduction mediated by IRAK4 in fish immune response was different from that in mammals, which impaired MyD88-mediated NF-κB activation.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional inflammatory cytokine which exists in multiple tissues and cell lines. In the present study, the full-length cDNA and the genomic sequence of IL-6 (LcIL-6) were cloned from large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea. The full-length cDNA of LcIL-6 was 1066 base pairs (bp), containing an open reading frame (ORF) of 678 bp encoding for 225 amino acids, a 5' untranslated region (UTR) of 71 bp and a 3' UTR of 317 bp. The predicted LcIL-6 protein included a 24 amino acids (aa) signal peptide and a conserved IL-6 domain. However, the polypeptide sequence identities between LcIL-6 and its counterparts in mammals and other fish are from 12% to 45%. The genome sequence of LcIL-6 gene was composed of 2126 bp, including five exons and four introns. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that LcIL-6 showed a close relationship with the IL-6 from other bony fish. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that LcIL-6 mRNA was expressed in most examined tissues, with the most predominant expression in stomach, followed by blood and very weak expression in other tissues. The expression levels of LcIL-6 after challenged with LPS, poly I:C and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were investigated in spleen, head-kidney and liver. LcIL-6 transcripts were induced significantly after immune challenge, with the peak-value of 33.5 times as much as the control in the head-kidney at 3 h after LPS injection (p < 0.05). Overexpression of LcIL-6 enhanced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α transcripts significantly (p < 0.05) in L. crocea kidney (LCK) cells. Additionally, recombinant LcIL-6 mature peptide was obtained in the supernatant of Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The purified recombinant LcIL-6 fusion protein was also demonstrated to improve the transcriptional expression levels of TNF-α significantly in LCK cells (p < 0.05). However, no significant changes of Mx (myxovirus resistant protein), IL-1β, janus kinase (JAK)2, signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT)3 and STAT5 in LCK cells was detected after LcIL-6 overexpression or recombinant LcIL-6 protein stimulation. Our results indicated that LcIL-6 might be important in large yellow croaker immune response and improve the inflammatory response by through activation TNF-α expression.

The effects of the preparation procedure on the formation of crystal phases and catalytic performance of the MoVTeNbO mixed metal oxide catalysts in selective oxidation of propane to acrylic acid were investigated. The results show that the preferred drying method is the rotavapor method, which favors the formation of an effective crystal phase and suppresses the formation of impurity phases. The preferred calcination atmosphere is an Ar atmosphere. The MoVTeNb mixed metal oxide catalysts can be obtained by solution method after heat-treatment at 600°C in an Ar atmosphere, via a rotavapor with a warm water bath at 60°C, and a pH value of 4.0. The catalyst with a MoVTeNb molar ratio of 1.0:0.3:0.23:0.12 is the most effective and extremely active.

Nanocrystallite Mg-3Al-Zn alloy was synthesized by ball milling of elemental powders of Mg, Al and Zn under hydrogen atmosphere. The powders of Mg, Al and Zn were mechanical alloying and disproportionated by ball milling under hydrogen and desorption-recombination was then performed. The structural changes due to both the milling in hydrogen and the subsequent desorption-recombination treatment were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The desorption–recombination behavior of the hydrogenation alloy was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The morphology and microstructure of the final alloy powders subject to desorption–recombination treatment were observed by TEM and HRTEM, respectively. The results showed that, by milling in hydrogen for 60 h, the Mg-3Al-Zn alloy was disproportionated into nano-structured with average size of about 60-70 nm, and a subsequent desorption–recombination treatment at 320°C for 30 min alloy didn’t vary the average crystallite size of powders.

The electrochemical deposition technique was applied to achieve porous silicon (PS) surface passivated with Ag deposition for improving the properties of PS photoluminescence. The relation of Ag depositing forms to current density and the effect of PS hydrophilic surface on deposition uniformity were investigated. The experimental results indicated that there were two critical current densities (maximum and minimum) in which Ag was absent and electroplated on PS surface correspondingly, and the range of current density for deposition of Ag on porous silicon was from 50 μA/cm2 to 400 μA/cm2. The process of changing PS surface from hydrophobic into hydrophilic had positive effect on Ag deposition uniformity. Under the same experimental conditions, PS hydrophobic surface presented uneven Ag deposition. However, hydrophilic surface treated with SC-1 solution was even. Finally, the effect of PS surface passivation with Ag even deposition on photoluminescence intensity and stabilization of PS was studied. It was discovered that Ag passivation inhibited the degradation of PL intensity effectively. In addition, excessive Ag deposition had a quenching effect on room-temperature visible photoluminescence of PS.

Nanostructured Mg-3Ni-2MnO 2 was synthesized by ball milling elemental powders of Mg, Ni and MnO 2 in hydrogen atmosphere. The microstructures of the powder prepared at different milling time were analyzed by X-ray diffractometry(XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and high resolution electron microscopy(HREM). The milling time is the most key parameter impacting on the grain size and the microstructure of material. With prolonging the milling time, particle size becomes smaller and smaller. But after the ball milling time reaches about 20 h, reduction of grain size becomes slowly. When the milling time is more than 50 h, nanocrystalline fully forms. When the milling time is more than 80 h, there are more amorphous phases in materials. The average particle diameter of material is about 1 μm and the grain size is 10–30 nm.

The effects of chemical composition and preparation conditions, especially calcination atmosphere and water content on the catalytic performances of MoVTeNbO mixed oxide catalyst system for the selective oxidation of propane to acrylic acid were investigated. Among the catalysts studied, Mo1.0V0.3Te0.23Nb0.12Ox catalyst calcined in inert atmosphere at 600 °C shows the best performance in terms of propane conversion and selectivity to acrylic acid. The results reveal that proper chemical composition, calcination atmosphere and water content affect greatly the catalysts in many ways including structure, chemical composition, which are related to their catalytic performances; and 51.0% propane conversion and 30.5% one-pass yield to acrylic acid can be achieved at the same time.

Pt catalysts supported on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and activated carbon (AC) were prepared. The structure of the catalysts was characterized using BET, TEM, XPS techniques. The catalytic performance for nitrobenzene hydrogenation was tested. The results show that the mesoporous textures of CNTs make the outer surfaces of CNTs accessible for Pt ion. So Pt particles on CNTs are much smaller, and the proper concentration of surface groups on CNTs makes Pt easy for reducibility. Pt particles on AC are larger due to the microporous texture, and reduction at higher temperature is necessary because of more functional groups on AC. The Pt/CNTs catalysts reduced at lower temperature, exhibit higher activity than the Pt/AC catalysts for nitrobenzene hydrogenation.

Carbon nanotube (CNT)-supported Pt catalysts have been prepared by impregnation and reduction–precipitation method using chloroplatinic acid as metal precursor. The structure of the catalysts has been characterised using TEM, BET and XPS. The catalytic performance for nitrobenzene hydrogenation was evaluated under atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature. The results show that the catalysts, both of low and higher Pt loading, show high activity for nitrobenzene directly hydrogenating to aniline under mild conditions. The highly dispersed Pt and mesoporosity structure of acid-oxidized CNT-supported Pt catalyst are responsible for the extraordinary activity.

This study investigated the impact of transgenic wheat expressing Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA), commonly known as snowdrop lectin, on three wheat aphids: Sitobion avenae (F.), Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), and Rhopalosiphum padi (L.). We compared the feeding behavior and the life-table parameters of aphids reared on GNA transgenic wheat (test group) and those aphids reared on untransformed wheat (control group). The results showed that the feeding behaviors of S. avenae and S. graminum on GNA transgenic wheat were affected. Compared with the control group, they had shorter initial probing period, longer total nonprobing period, shorter initial and total phloem sap ingestion phase (waveform E2), shorter duration of sustained ingestion (E (pd)10 min), and lower percentage of phloem phase of the total observation time. Moreover, S. graminum made more probes and had a longer total duration of extracellular stylet pathway (waveform C). The fecundity and intrinsic rate of natural increase (r(m)) of S. avenae and S. graminum on the transgenic wheat were lowered in the first and second generations, however, the survival and lifespan were not affected. The effects of the GNA expressing wheat on S. graminum and S. avenae were not significant in the third generation, suggesting rapid adaptation by the two aphid species. Despite the impact we found on S. avenae and S. graminum, transgenic GNA expressing wheat did not have any effects on R. padi.

Geostatistis methods were adopted to analyze the spatial pattern of Sitodiplosis mosellana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) at its different development periods and of its egg parasitoids mixed population (Tetrastichus sp. and Platygaster error; Hymoneptera: Eulophidae and Platygastridae). The aggregated spatial arrangements for S. mosellana cocoon, adult, and larva and for egg parasitoids mixed population could be well described by spherical model, spherical-exponential model, linear sill model, and spherical-exponential model, respectively. The spatial dependence range of S. mosellana cocoon, adult at initial emergence period, adult at peak emergence period, and larva, and of egg parasitoids mixed population was 53.6, 190.6, 154.1, 4.2 and 280.3 m, and the aggregation intensity was 30.5%, 95.6%, 96.3%, 14.9% and 95.3%, respectively. The simulated maps of the spatial distribution produced by Kriging model could intuitively analyze the dynamic changes of S. mosellana at its different development periods and of egg parasitoids mixed population from the two aspects of time and space.