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A lead-free perovskite/MOF catalyst shows a high CO selectivity of 99.5% for photocatalytic CO2 reduction, stemming from efficient charge separation, formation of *COOH intermediates, and prompt CO desorptionof the catalyst.

Large amount of gelatin can be extracted from the solid waste in leather industry. The advanced application of such gelatin is always desired by the leather industry, but remains challenging. Considering the urgent requirement of biodegradable plastic film, in this study, the gelatin extracted from waste skin scrap in the leather industry was used to fabricate a waste gelatin-based film with a high gelatin content, excellent mechanical performance, and autonomous biodegradability in natural soil. The film was prepared by introducing covalent bonds and metal-ligand bonds to the gelatin matrix. These covalent bonds, metal-ligand bonds, and inherent hydrogen bonds in the gelatin matrix serve as multiple sacrificial bonds for effective energy dissipation giving the waste gelatin-based film excellent mechanical parameters with the highest fracture stress of ≈ 32 MPa, maximum fracture strain of ≈1.25 mm/mm, and a high Young's modulus of ≈ 471 MPa, which are significantly higher than those of the original gelatin film (fracture stress ≈ 4 MPa, fracture strain ≈ 0.70 mm/mm, and Young's modulus ≈ 22 MPa). Owing to the water resistance of covalent bonds and metal-ligand bonds existed in gelatin matrix, the gelatin film possesses good water resistance. Additionally, after use, the fabricated film can completely biodegrade in natural soil in approximately 7 weeks. This strategy not only provides a valuable recycling solution for the gelatin from the unwelcome solid waste of the leather industry, but it also broadens the range of ecofriendly and cost effective biodegradable films available.

Silk as a natural biomaterial is considered as a promising bone substitute in tissue regeneration. Sericin and fibroin are the main components of silk and display unique features for their programmable mechanical properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability and morphological plasticity. It has been reported that sericin recombinant growth factors (GFs) can support cell proliferation and induce stem cell differentiation through cross-talk of signaling pathways during tissue regeneration. The transgenic technology allows the productions of bioactive heterologous GFs as fusion proteins with sericin, which are then fabricated into solid matrix or hydrogel format. Herein, using an injectable hydrogel derived from transgenic platelet-derived GF (PDGF)-BB silk sericin, we demonstrated that the PDGF-BB sericin hydrogel effectively augmented osteogenesis induced by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP9)-stimulated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in vivo and in vitro, while inhibiting adipogenic differentiation. Further gene expression and protein–protein interactions studies demonstrated that BMP9 and PDGF-BB synergistically induced osteogenic differentiation through the cross-talk between Smad and Stat3 pathways in MSCs. Thus, our results provide a novel strategy to encapsulate osteogenic factors and osteoblastic progenitors in transgenic sericin-based hydrogel for robust bone tissue engineering.

As an abundant bioresource of carbon, lignin has the potential to form carbon fibers (CFs), which can then be used as electrode materials in supercapacitors. However, most studies have only focused on the morphology of CFs, such as the specific surface area and pore-size distribution, while ignoring the influence of the carbon structure in CFs. In this study, Ni(acac)2 was used as a graphitization catalyst in CFs preparation and to further modify the morphology of the fibers. Meanwhile, the addition of Ni(acac)2 remarkably shortened the thermostabilization period from 76 h to 2.25 h, which significantly reduced the energy consumption. The resulting lignin-based activated carbon fibers (LACFs) with graphitized structures presented a controllable pore-size distribution and large surface areas up to 582.7 m2 g− 1. These LACFs were then used as electrode materials in supercapacitors, and the assembled devices displayed high energy and power densities of up to 22.1 Wh kg− 1 and 239 kW kg− 1, respectively, using organic electrolytes.

Introduction. Osteoporosis (OP) is characterized by microstructural degeneration of bone tissue, low bone mass, bone fragility and even brittle fracture (osteoporotic fracture, OPF). OP and OPF are common and there are many disadvantages to the current medications for OP/OPF. Osteoking is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) originating from the Yi nationality (Yunnan, China) that has been used to treat bone diseases for decades. Hypothesis/Gap Statement. This study will reveal the changes in the intestinal microbiota of OP rats after 70 days of osteoking treatment. Method. With duplication of sham and OP rats, eight groups were established, with six rats in each group. The intestinal microbiotas were analysed by 16S rDNA sequencing. Results. The results showed that osteoking changed the intestinal microbiota of sham rats and OP rats. The mechanism by which osteoking improves OP is related to the functions of the intestinal microbiota. After 70 days of treatment with osteoking, the contents of Pseudonocardia, Pedomicrobium, Variovorax, Niastella and Actinosynnema were decreased in OP rats. The functions of the above intestinal microbiota related to iron metabolism affected calcifediol and 25(OH)D, and measuring these bone metabolic indicators is required for further study. Conclusion. Osteoking changes the intestinal microbiota to improve OP, and further study which reveals these intestinal microbiota and mechanism is needed.

This study aimed to reveal the differences in intestinal microbes in osteoporotic rats. The rats were divided into two groups: the control and OP (osteoporosis) groups (n=6). Days 0 and 70 were set as the time points. The rats in the OP group underwent bilateral ovariectomy (OVX). Differences between the control and OP groups were determined by 16S rDNA analysis. The relative abundances of OTUs and alpha/beta diversities were determined at days 0 days and 70. The abundances of Verrucomicrobia at the phylum level and Aerococcus, Coprobacillus, Veillonella, Anaerobiospirillum, Flavobacterium, Comamonadaceae, Ohtaekwangia, etc., at the genus level were found to be different between the control_70d and OP_70d groups. KEGG ontology analysis showed that the function of lipid metabolism could be related to OP. The 16S rDNA analysis in the OP rats revealed that intestinal microbes take part in the processes of OP and could affect lipid metabolism. Further study of the relationship between OP and intestinal microbes is necessary, and the prospect for intestinal microbes is a potential treatment for OP.

Gelatin (GE), a nontoxic and degradable biomass resource, is a multistage hydrolysate of collagen. However, its application in adhesives was always limited by its brittleness and poor water resista...

Two mononuclear copper(II) compounds, [Cu(HL)2](ClO4)2 · (H2L)ClO4 · 3H2O (1) and [CuL2] (2), where L is the monoanionic form of N′-(1-(pyridin-2-yl)ethylidene)isonicotinohydrazide (HL), have been ...

Mechanically robust protein-based hydrogels are strongly desired but their construction remains a significant challenge. In this work, gelatin, together with methacrylic acid, is used to construct a novel hydrogen-bonded hydrogel through a facile low-temperature polymerization and a subsequent dry-swell process. The obtained gel is extremely stiff and tough with a high Young's modulus and a fracture energy of 11 MPa and 8.5 kJ m-2, respectively, which are comparable to the performance of tough synthetic hydrogels, rubber, cartilage, and skin. These gels also show recovery and healing properties as well as biocompatibility and stability in physiological saline solutions. The gel is easy to prepare and exhibits a wide range of functional properties, making it a promising load-bearing material for medical applications.

Biopolymer-based functional hydrogels with excellent mechanical properties are desired, but their fabrication remains a challenge. Learning from the tofu-making process, we developed a freely formable hydrogel with high toughness and stiffness from the hydrogen bond-rich coacervation of tannic acid and gelatin through a simple hot-pressing process that transforms the coacervate particles into a bulk hydrogel. The mechanical properties of the obtained gelatin/tannic acid hydrogel (G/T gel) can be controlled by tuning the weight ratio of tannic acid to gelatin in the gel. The G/T gel with optimum mechanical properties possesses high Young's modulus, fracture strain, and fracture energy of ∼60 MPa, ∼10, and ∼24 kJ m-2, respectively. These properties arise from the phase-separated structure and high concentration of dynamic hydrogen bonds with widely distributed bond strengths. These dynamic hydrogen bonds also enable multifunctional properties of the gel, such as self-recovery, self-healing, rebuildability and shape memory. The combination of excellent mechanical properties, good biocompatibility, and useful functionalities into one hydrogel that comes from renewable sources demonstrates the great potential of G/T gels.

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of the YuWell YE900 oscillometric upper-arm professional office blood pressure monitor in adults and children according to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation/European Society of Hypertension/International Organization for Standardization (AAMI/ESH/ISO) Universal Standard (ISO 81060-2:2018). Methods Subjects were recruited to fulfill the age, sex, blood pressure and cuff distribution criteria of the AAMI/ESH/ISO Universal Standard in adults and children (aged 3-12 years) using the same arm sequential blood pressure measurement method. Three cuffs of the test device were used for arm circumference 18-22 cm (small), 22-32 cm (medium) and 32-42 cm (large). Results Ninety-two subjects were recruited, and 85 (50 adults and 35 children) were analyzed. For validation criterion 1, the mean ± SD of the differences between the test device and reference blood pressure readings was 1.7 ± 6.62/3.1 ± 5.76 mmHg (systolic/diastolic). For validation criterion 2, the SD of the averaged blood pressure differences between the test device and reference blood pressure per subject was 5.25/5.13 mmHg (systolic/diastolic). Conclusion The YuWell YE900 professional electronic blood pressure monitor has passed the requirements of the AAMI/ESH/ISO Universal Standard (ISO 81060-2:2018) in adults and children and can be recommended for clinical use.

Flexible energy storage materials and sensors have become the key equipment of human-machine interface technology. For the preparation of these devices, hydrogel electrodes are relevant because of their unique porous structure, high capacitance, flexibility, small size, and lightweight. In this paper, regular polypyrrole (PPy) is synthesized on a heat-induced phase-separated gel (H-Gel/AS) by the template degradation method, and a gelatin-based PPy hydrogel with high strength, high strain rate, and high conductivity is prepared. Moreover, by adding multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into a gelatin solution according to the H-Gel/AS method, the electrochemical performance of the resulting H-Gel/AS-MWCNTs-PPy electrode is greatly improved. When the H-Gel/AS-MWCNTs-PPy gel is immersed in an ammonium sulfate solution, wrinkles appear on the surface, resulting in further enhancement of the capacitance. On this basis, a flexible sensor and a solid-state supercapacitor are assembled, and their performance is tested. The sensor can detect tensile, bending, and twisting strains with high sensitivity. Meanwhile, as a flexible solid-state supercapacitor, the specific capacitance is 75 F g-1, and the capacitance retention rate after 5000 cycles is 98.1% under bending conditions. More importantly, the gelatin-based hydrogel shows great potential for application in wearable devices.

The aim of this study is to reveal the potential value of dynamin3 (DNM3) in colorectal cancer (CRC) evaluation of clinical diagnosis and prognosis. A total of 100 tissue samples were collected from 50 patients with stages I–IV, CRC tissues (n = 50) paired with non-cancerous adjacent colorectal tissues (n = 50). The expression levels of DNM3 were detected in 50 cases of CRC tissues and 50 cases of non-cancerous adjacent colorectal tissues by real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunohistochemical method (IHC) was conducted to semi-quantify the expression of DNM3 protein. Results showed that the relative expression of DNM3 mRNA in CRC tissues was 0.634-fold of that in non-cancerous adjacent colorectal tissues. The positive rate of DNM3 protein in CRC tissues (42.0%) was much lower than that in non-cancerous adjacent colorectal tissues (66.0%; P < 0.05). The expression level of DNM3 protein in CRC tissues was dependent on tumor size, degree of histological differentiation, and clinical stage (P < 0.05). The expression level of DNM3 mRNA in CRC tissues was significantly correlated with tumor size and pathology classification (P < 0.05). The research shows that detecting the expression of DNM3 helps in analyzing the tumor size, degree of histological differentiation, and clinical stage. Expression of DNM3 may be associated with good outcome in CRC.

Tough triblock copolymer hydrogels with microstructures of sphere, cylinder, and laminae were constructed using a newly developed “drying and swelling” method without changing the chemical structures of their monomeric units. These tough triblock copolymer hydrogels commonly showed high fracture stress of ∼10 MPa but exhibited varied elastic moduli depending on their microstructures. Furthermore, the constructed laminar gel formed pH-sensitive photonic gel at the base conditions, providing the gel application with potential as a sensor. Given their high toughness, biocompatibility, and tunable modulus, this study helps expand the potential application of amphiphilic block copolymer hydrogels for medical and industrial use.

Cynatratoside-C, isolated from Cynanchum atratum, is a promising alternative agent for the control of the ecoparasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. However, the pharmacokinetics and residue elimination of cynatratoside-C in fish have yet to be reported. Here, we aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics and residue elimination of cynatratoside-C in grass carp following a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) dose of 2 mg/kg body weight at a water temperature of 23.0 ± 0.3 °C. The concentrations of cynatratoside-C in the serum, liver, kidney, and muscle were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). We found that the pharmacokinetics of cynatratoside-C in the grass carp was described by a two-compartment model. The absorption half-life (t1/2Kα), distribution half-life (t1/2α), and elimination half-life (t1/2β) of cynatratoside-C in the serum were 0.28 h, 1.45 h, and 69.32 h, respectively. The maximum cynatratoside-C concentration (Cmax) in the serum was 123.81 μg/L, with a time to peak concentration (Tmax) of 0.5 h. The post-injection residue concentration of cynatratoside-C (during the elimination period) was highest in the liver and lowest in the muscle. The concentration of cynatratoside-C in the muscle fell below the limit of quantification (1.24 ng/g) 15 days post-administration. Thus, for grass carp, we recommend a withdrawal period of 15 days following a single i.p. dose of 2 mg cynatratoside-C/kg body weight at a water temperature of 23.0 ± 0.3 °C.

High ferrotitanium prepared directly by the thermite method has a disadvantageously high O content (≥ 10 wt%) because of the short slag-metal separation time. In this study, CaO and CaF2 are added to the melt to improve the basicity of the slag and melt separation under heat preservation is performed to strengthen slag-metal separation. The thermodynamics of the step-by-step reduction process of TiO2 in the Ti–Al–Fe–Si–O system whose composition is close to the alloy after melt separation were calculated. Samples of alloys and slags before and after melt separation were systematically analyzed. The result indicates that the reaction that TiO is reduced by Al to Ti is the limited step in the reduction process of TiO2. The O content of the alloys slightly decreases with temperature from 1873 to 2023 K, which agrees with the changes in the law of deoxidation limit. It is mainly attributed to the movement of chemical reactions in the alloy melt at different temperatures and slag-metal interfacial reaction. The addition of Al2O3–CaO–CaF2 slag and high temperature promote the removal of Al2O3 and titanium suboxides. The minimum contents of O and Al in the alloy reach 1.84 wt% and 3.26 wt%, respectively.

Two mononuclear zinc(II) and manganese(II) compounds, [ZnL 2 ] ( 1 ) and [MnL(HL)]ClO 4 ( 2 ), where L is the monoanionic form of N’ -(1-(pyridin-2-yl)ethylidene)isonicotinohydrazide (HL), and HL is the zwitterionic form of HL, have been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray crystallographic determination. Compound 1 contains a neutral [ZnL 2 ] complex molecule. Compound 2 contains a [MnL(HL)] + complex cation and one perchlorate anion. The metal atoms in the complexes are in octahedral coordination. The hydrazone ligands coordinate to the metal atoms through the pyridine N, imine N, and enolate O atoms. The compounds were investigated for their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli , and Candida albicans .

Ferrotitanium is used as a deoxidizer and alloying agent during steelmaking process, which has a high demand for sulfur control. Sulfur was introduced from raw materials in the process of producing ferrotitanium by thermite method, where CaO was used as fluxing agent. At the same time, CaO has a great desulfurization capability. Effects of CaO addition on the distribution of sulfur in high titanium ferroalloy prepared by thermite method were studied in this work. The equilibrium diagram of Ti–Al–Fe–S system was calculated by FactSage 6.4 software package with FactPS and FTmisc database. The alloy and slag samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and high-frequency infrared ray carbon sulfur analyzer. The result indicates that the sulfur in the alloy firstly exists in the form of liquid FeS, thereafter TiS (s) and eventually Ti2S (s) during cooling. The sulfur is mainly distributed in the alloy, and only a small amount of sulfur remains in the slag. Moreover, it is noted that the sulfur in the alloy does not distribute homogeneously, and it exists in the form of solid solution phase, (Ti, Al, Fe)S. S content in the slag, the sulfur capacity of the slag and the sulfur distribution ratio (LS) all increase with the increment of CaO addition, while S content in alloys decreases.

A new mononuclear dioxomolybdenum(VI) complex, [MoO 2 L 1 ], and a new linear trinuclear nickel(II) complex, [Ni{NiL 2 (μ 1 -η 1 :η 0 -OAc)(μ 2 -η 1 :η 1 -OAc)} 2 ]·H 2 O, where L 1 is the dianionic form of N,N’ -bis(5-fluorosalicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine (H 2 L 1 ), L 2 is the dianionic form of N,N’ -bis(5-fluoro-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-2-hydroxy-1,3-propanediamine (H 2 L 2 ), have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray determination. The Mo atom in the molybdenum complex is coordinated by four donor atoms of the Schiff base ligand, and two oxo groups, forming an octahedral coordination. In the nickel complex, there are three bridges across the Ni-Ni atom pairs, involving two phenolate O atoms of a Schiff base ligand, and an O–C–O moiety of a μ 2 -η 1 :η 1 -OAc group. The central Ni atom is located on an inversion center and has octahedral coordination involving four bridging O atoms from two Schiff base ligands in the equatorial plane and two O atoms from two μ 2 -η 1 :η 1 -OAc ligands in the axial positions. The coordination around the terminal Ni atoms is also octahedral, with two imino N and two phenolate O atoms from a Schiff base ligand defining the equatorial plane, and with two O atoms respectively from a μ 1 -η 1 :η 0 -OAc and a μ 2 -η 1 :η 1 -OAc ligands occupying the axial positions. The molybdenum complex has excellent catalytic property for sulfoxidation reactions.

Developing a paper sizing agent to meet the requirements of low cost, high quality of the paper, and environmental sustainability is significant but remains a challenge. Herein, a novel degradable gelatin-based coating emulsion for paper surface sizing was developed by a simple one-step polymerization and blending process. Poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) was first introduced to a gelatin solution to form gelatin-PMAA emulsion (G-PMAA) through the formation of hydrogen bonds between PMAA and gelatin. The addition of PMAA endowed gelatin with the increased hydrophobicity and the decreased upper critical solution temperature. Then, a relatively small amount of the flexible poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA), which imparted the toughness of the formed film, was blended with the G-PMAA emulsion to form G-PMAA/PBA emulsion. The G-PMAA/PBA emulsion with a high gelatin content of 0.2 g/mL was in the sol state at room temperature, which facilitated the application of the G-PMAA/PBA emulsion. The corrugated papers sized by G-PMAA/PBA emulsion exhibited excellent mechanical properties and water resistance.

To investigate the changes of GATA-1 protein expression during erythroid differentiation of K562 cells under hypoxia and how GATA-1 can regulate erythroid differentiation by up-regulating the expression of miR-451a and inhibiting the expression of 14-3-3ζ.K562 cells were divided into 2 groups: the normoxia group and the hypoxia group, after the induction of hemin for 96 h, the positive cells rate of the benzidine staining, the mRNA expression of γ-globin and the expression of CD235a were detected, and the success of the model was verified. The changes of GATA-1 and miR-451a expression in the above-mentioned 2 groups, the changes of miR-451a expression after over-expressed GATA-1 were detected by Western blot and qRT-PCR. The cells in normoxic group and hypoxia group were divided into negative control group (NC group) and miR-451a over-expression group respectively, and the degree of erythroid differentiation in the four groups was judged according to the corresponding erythroid differentiation indexes, and the expression of 14-3-3ζ was detected by Western blot after over-expressed miR-451a.The positive cell rate of benzidine staining, mRNA expression of γ-globin and the expression of CD235a after 96 h induction by K562 cells under hypoxia were significantly higher than 0 h, suggesting that the erythroid differentiation model of K562 cells under hypoxia was replicated successfully. The expression levels of GATA-1 protein and miR-451a in the hypoxic group were significantly higher than that in the normoxic group (P0.05). The expression level of miR-451a in hypoxia group was significantly higher than that in NC group after overexpressed GATA-1 (P0.05). After over-expressed of miR-451a under hypoxia, the positive cell rate of benzidine staining, the mRNA expression level of γ-globin and the expression of CD235a were significantly higher than those in NC group (P0.05). The expression level of 14-3-3ζ protein in miR-451a over-expressed group was lower than that in NC group under hypoxia (P0.05).Hypoxia can significantly increase the expression of GATA-1 protein, and the increase of GATA-1 expression can up-regulate the expression of miR-451a, thereby inhibiting the expression of 14-3-3ζ protein, which hinders the cell proliferation in erythroid differentiation model of K562 cells and plays an important role in promoting erythroid differentiation.低氧下miR-451a对K562细胞向红系分化过程的影响.探讨低氧下K562细胞向红系分化过程中GATA-1蛋白的表达变化及GATA-1如何通过上调miR-451a表达抑制14-3-3ζ的表达调控红系分化.将K562细胞分为常氧组及低氧组, 经氯化血红素（hemin）诱导96 h后, 检测联苯胺染色阳性细胞率、γ-globin的mRNA表达以及CD235a的表达等相应红系分化指标, 验证模型是否复制成功；采用Western blot及qRT-PCR检测GATA-1蛋白和miR-451a在上述2组中的表达变化及过表达GATA-1后miR-451a的表达变化；将常氧组和低氧组细胞分别分为阴性对照组（NC组）及miR-451a过表达组, 结合相应红系分化指标共同判断4组细胞红系分化程度；过表达miR-451a后通过Western blot检测14-3-3ζ的表达变化.低氧下K562细胞诱导96 h后联苯胺染色阳性细胞率、γ-globin的mRNA表达及CD235a的表达均显著高于0 h（P0.05）, 这提示, 低氧下K562细胞红系分化模型复制成功。低氧组GATA-1蛋白及miR-451a 的表达水平均显著高于常氧组（P0.05）。低氧下过表达GATA-1后, miR-451a的表达水平较NC组明显升高（P0.05）。低氧下过表达miR-451a后, 联苯胺染色阳性细胞率、γ-globin的mRNA表达水平及CD235a的表达均明显高于NC组（P0.05）。14-3-3ζ的蛋白表达水平检测结果显示, 低氧下miR-451a过表达组14-3-3ζ的表达水平低于NC组（P0.05）.低氧条件可显著提高GATA-1蛋白的表达水平, GATA-1表达的升高可上调miR-451a, 进而抑制14-3-3ζ的蛋白表达, 阻碍K562细胞红系分化模型中的细胞增殖过程, 发挥促红系分化的作用.

Three-dimensional (3D) tumor cell culture offers a more tissue-recapitulating model in cancer treatment evaluation. However, conventional models based on cell-substrate adhesion deprivation are still of insufficient real tumor mimic. In this work, a novel method is proposed for inducing multicellular spheroids (MCSs) formation based on hydrogel with tunable microenvironmental properties. Colon tumor cells DLD1 cultured on hydrogel substrate with proper physical stimulation form MCSs via self-organization. Chemotherapy based on clinical drug and far-infrared photothermal therapy is evaluated with DLD1 MCSs obtained by this method. The synergism of chemotherapy and noninvasive photothermal therapy based on graphene device is further verified in MCSs model and it is believed this method holds potential in in vitro anti-tumor strategies evaluation for precision medicine.

// Liang Jiang 1 , Gao-Le Yuan 1 , Qi-Lian Liang 1 , Hui-Jie Zhang 1 , Jie Huang 1 , Shao-Ang Cheng 1 and Xiao-Xia Peng 1 1 Oncology Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China Correspondence to: Qi-Lian Liang, email: // Keywords : YB-1, NSCLC, IHC, prognosis, meta-analysis Received : October 08, 2016 Accepted : January 10, 2017 Published : January 18, 2017 Abstract Background: Y-box binding protein 1 (YB-1) belongs to the cold shock domain protein family involved in transcription and translation. We conducted a meta-analysis of the association between YB-1 expression and the survival and clinicopathological features in NSCLC. Methods: PubMed and Embase were searched to identify studies that evaluated the YB-1 expression (by immunohistochemistry) and overall survival (OS) in NSCLC. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of OS were pooled. Odds ratios (ORs) of clinicopathological features were computed. Meta-analysis was performed using STATA 12.0 software. Results: Data on 692 NSCLC patients were collected from six eligible studies. Meta-analysis revealed that YB-1 was associated with worse OS (HR = 1.59, 95% CI [1.27, 2.00], P < 0.001, fixed effect), tumor stage (OR = 0.43, 95% CI [0.22-0.82], P = 0.01, random effect), and depth of invasion (OR = 0.37, 95%CI [0.22-0.63], P < 0.001, fixed effect). A subgroup was analyzed by IHC staining to determine the location of YB-1 positive expression. Poor OS was observed in nucleus staining (pooled HR = 1.86, 95% CI [1.41, 2.45], P < 0.001). However, no statistical significance was observed in combined cytoplasmic and nuclear staining (pooled HR = 1.14, 95% CI [0.76, 1.72], P = 0.536). Conclusions: Meta-analysis indicated that YB-1 overexpression is correlated with worse OS and clinicopathological features in NSCLC. Subgroup analysis revealed that the nucleus expression of YB-1 may be more closely associated with NSCLC prognosis than cytoplasmic expression.

Hydrogels derived from lignin are typically weak and contain only a small amount of lignin, which limits their broad application prospects. In the present work, a novel lignin/poly(N,N-dimethylacry...

The quality of traditional Chinese medicine tablets is correlated with clinical efficacy and drug safety, and plays a great role in promoting the development of traditional Chinese medicine. However, the existing traditional artificial identification and modern instrument detection in terms of accuracy and timeliness have both advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, how to quickly and accurately identify the quality of traditional Chinese medicine tablets has become a high-profile issue. The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of the application of electronic eye technology in the study of rapid identification of traditional Chinese medicine quality. A total of 80 batches of samples were collected and tested by Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus for traditional empirical identification(M_1) and modern pharmacopeia(M_2). The optical data was collected from electronic eyes, and the chemical metrology was used to establish suitable discrimination models(M_3). Four authenticity and commodity specification models, namely identification analysis(DA), minimum bidirectional support vector machine(LS-SVM), partial minimum two-multiplier analysis(PLS-DA), main component analysis identification analysis(PCA-DA), were established, respectively. The accuracies of the authenticity identification models were 82.5%, 90.0%, 96.2% and 93.8%, while the accuracies of the commodity specification identification models were 89.3%, 96.0%, 90.7% and 97.3%, respectively. The models were well judged, the authenticity identification was based on the final identification model of PLS-DA, and the commodity specification was based on the final identification model of PCA-DA. There was no significant difference between its accuracy and M_1, and the time of determination was much shorter than M_2(Plt;0.01). Therefore, electronic-eye technology could be used for the rapid identification of the quality of Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus.

Sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs) play a critical role in insect chemosensory system. Previously, three SNMPs were identified, characterized and functionally investigated in a lepidopteran model insect, Bombyx mori. However, whether these results are consistent across other lepidopteran species are unknown. Here genome and transcriptome data analysis, expression profiling, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and the yeast hybridization system were utilized to examine snmp genes of Helicoverpa armigera, one of the most destructive lepidopteran pests in cropping areas. In silico expression and qRT-PCR analyses showed that, just as the B. mori snmp genes, H. armigera snmp1 (Harmsnmp1) is specifically expressed in adult antennae. Harmsnmp2 is broadly expressed in multiple tissues including adult antennae, tarsi, larval antennae and mouthparts. Harmsnmp3 is specifically expressed in larval midguts. Further RNAseq analysis suggested that the expression levels of Harmsnmp2 and Harmsnmp3 differed significantly depending on the plant species on which the larvae fed, indicating they may be involved in plant-feeding behaviours. Yeast hybridization results revealed a protein-protein interaction between HarmSNMP1 and the sex pheromone receptor, HarmOR13. This study demonstrated that SNMPs may share same functions and mechanisms in different lepidopteran species, which improved our understanding of insect snmp genes and their functions in lepidopterans.