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A fabric can be considered as a porous medium, its porosity size and temperature will greatly affect air/moisture permeability and thermal comfort. This paper studies the effect of temperature on the capillary rise experimentally, the experimental data reveal that a higher temperature results in a higher capillary rise, as a result, a better air/moisture permeability is predicted. This paper elucidates also a higher temperature is favorable for effective washing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon materials are promising candidates for sensors to detect heavy metal ions. This paper reported an effective method of fabricating nanofiber membrane sensor for detection of heavy metal ions by electrospinning with the carbon nanoparticles and PANi (polyaniline) as additives. The results revealed that the PANi/C/PAN nanofiber membrane was the most economical approach to adsorbing and detecting metal ions with highly sensitive property. This paper sheds a light on an economic fabrication of nanofiber membrane sensor with well-defined characteristics in electrical sensors and adsorption applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: RNA-binding protein 38 (RBM38) is a member of the RNA recognition motif (RRM) family of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). RBM38 often exerts its function by forming regulatory loops with relevant genes. c-Myc is an oncogenic transcription factor that is upregulated in one-third of breast cancers and involved in many cellular processes in this malignancy. In our previous study, RBM38 was identified as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the regulation of this tumor suppressor. Methods: Lentivirus transfections, Western blotting analysis, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were employed to study the expression of c-Myc and RBM38. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to investigate the direct relationship between c-Myc protein and the RBM38 gene. RNA immunoprecipitation combined with dual-luciferase reporter assays was conducted to confirm the direct relationship between the RBM38 protein and the c-Myc transcript. Results: Knockdown of c-Myc increased RBM38 expression by binding directly to specific DNA sequences (5'-CACGTG-3'), known as the E-box motif, in the promoter region of RBM38 gene. Additionally, RBM38 destabilized the c-Myc transcript by directly targeting AU-rich elements (AREs) in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of c-Myc mRNA to suppress c-Myc expression. Moreover, specific inhibitors of c-Myc transcriptional activity inhibited RBM38-induced suppression of growth, implying that RBM38 acts as a tumor suppressor via a mechanism that depends, at least partially, on the reduction of c-Myc expression in breast cancer. Conclusions: RBM38 and c-Myc form a unique mutually antagonistic RBM38-c-Myc loop in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS), 11 risk loci were identified in patients with familial and sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD) in different populations. The LRRK2 gene was found to be a mutation hot spot in European and Asian populations. The aim of the present study was to investigate the incidence of G2019S and R1441C mutations in the LRRK2 gene in individuals from the Xinjiang region of China, and to explore the associations between LRRK2 gene single nucleotide mutations and susceptibility to PD in the Uyghur and Han populations of Xinjiang. A case-control study was conducted with a group of 312 patients with PD, including 130 Uyghur and 182 Han individuals. The control group comprised 359 subjects, including 179 Uyghur and 180 Han individuals. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing methods were used to detect the G2019S and R1441C mutations in the LRRK2 gene in the Uyghur and Han populations. No known mutations or new hybrids were found. Thus, there was no evidence that Uyghur and Han patients with PD possess the G2019S or R1441C mutations of the LRRK2 gene. This does not exclude the possibility of the presence other LRRK2 gene mutations that are associated with PD in the Uyghur and Han populations. In the future, the association of the LRRK2 gene with PD development in different regions and populations requires further study, in addition to the regulatory effects of the G2019S and R1441C mutations on gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cl- and O2- co-doped ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized using a low temperature solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy were used to characterize their crystal structure, chemical state, diameter, surface states, and photoluminescence (PL) properties. The effects of Cl- and O2- doping concentration on the crystal structure, the crystallite size, and luminescence properties of ZnS nanoparticles were investigated. The results indicated that the ZnS:Cl, O nanoparticles had a cubic blende structure, and an average crystallite size of about 4.28-5.08 nm. It was found that the PL intensity of the Cl- and O2- co-doped ZnS nanoparticles remarkably increased with the increase of Cl- and O2- doping concentration. The emission intensity of the 7 mol% Cl- and 4 mol% O2- co-doped ZnS nanoparticles was about 4 (10) times stronger than the ZnS doped with Cl- (O2-) nanoparticles. Mechanism for the enhanced luminescence of Cl- and O2- co-doped ZnS nanoparticles was discussed. This work suggests that the low temperature solid-state reaction method can be used to synthesize Cl- and O2- co-doped ZnS nanoparticles with strong PL properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A much "greener" and harmless leaching method for removing impurity aluminum further from industrial quartz sands by very dilute mixed acids has been presented. With the help of supersonic, the percentage of removal aluminum reached up to 52.5%/53%, that is, 17.4 ppm/17.7 ppm at 30 °C/80 °C, respectively. These results are 4.4/4.7 ppm lower than that supplied by a world famous quartz sands supplier, and the leaching conditions are much milder compared with other comparable methods: the concentration of hydrogen chloride in the mixed acid is only 10% of the others, the leaching temperature is much lower; at the same time, the operating time is only 13-20% of the others, thereby pollution of industrial strong acids and thermo-scattering is reduced substantially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (CEPCs) play an important role in the process of atherosclerosis. Most previous studies on CEPC in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients were on their number and some functions and the results were not consistent. No studies on their anti-inflammatory function and integrated status were reported. The purpose of this study was to determine the number, function (including anti-inflammatory function), and the integrated status of CEPCs in active SLE patients. The study was performed in 35 active SLE patients (28 females, 7 males) and 35 age-and gender-matched healthy controls. CEPC number was determined by Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting. Proliferation capacity of CEPC was assessed by PCNA staining. Adhesion capacity of CEPC to fibronectin and adhesion capacity of THP1 cell to CEPC were determined by cell adhesion assay. Migratory capacity of CEPC was measured by transwell chamber assay and the potential to form tubes on Matrigel of CEPC was determined by in vivo tube formation on Matrigel test. The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) assessed by quantitative PCR as well as the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt) assessed by western-blotting were used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory function and cell status of CEPCs. The number of CEPC in SLE patients was not different from that in control ( p > 0.05). Proliferation capacity of CEPC was decreased in active SLE patients ( p = 0.027). Adhesion capacity of CEPC to fibronectin was decreased ( p = 0.04) in SLE patients and adhesion capacity of THP1 cell to CEPC was increased in SLE patients ( p < 0.001). Migratory activity was reduced in patient CEPCs ( p < 0.001). Capacity of CEPCs to form tube on Matrigel was decreased in SLE patients ( p < 0.001). Expression of iNOS and IL-6 ( p < 0.001, p = 0.006, respectively) and ICAM-1 were increased in CEPC of SLE patients and expression of p-Akt was decreased in CEPC of SLE patients. Our data show that CEPC number in active SLE patients was not significantly different from healthy controls, but their functions were partly impaired, including proliferation, adhesion, migration, and tube formation. Bad cell status and increased susceptibility to inflammatory process of CEPCs in active SLE were also observed in our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

6-Alkoxy-3-arylindoles were efficiently prepared from 1,3-cyclohexanedione enol ethers and β-nitrostyrene. Michael addition using the kinetically generated enolate, followed by Zn reduction of a nitro group of the resulting adducts produced the nitrones which were then treated with acetic anhydride to induce aromatization by dehydration and N-acetylation, which furnished the desired indoles by the DDQ oxidation. This methodology provides an easy entry toward various poly-substituted 6-alkoxyindoles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cigarette smoke will cause irreversible damage to human health and living environment. It is especially important to accurately detect and effectively prevent cigarette smoke. This paper fabricates a fiber membrane filmed with carbon nanopowders as a smoke sensor. The experiment reveals that the fabricated membrane is sensitive to the smoke, two laws are proposed to model the current change of the sensor. Fractal calculus is used to exactly predict the current property at the initial stage, and a fractal modification of the current law is proposed. The present technology provides an economic way to mass-production of smoke sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tug of war is a sport known for strength, however a weaker team can also win the game by a suitable team co-operation. A mathematical model is established, showing that the team co-operation or rhythmical frequency plays an important role in victory. A team can win even the rope is pulled to the opposite direction depending upon the rhythmical frequency. A criterion for rhythmical frequency is obtain to guarantee victory when the strength is almost same for both teams. Additionally the rope pulling can be also used for moving a heavy weight object, the principle might be used for building the great pyramids in ancient Egypt. Finally magic ramie ropes with special thermoplastic properties and controllable frequency are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article cites a study on the use of the ccdB lethal gene for constructing a zero background vector in order to clone blunt-end PCR Products. The researchers developed a novel vector in order to directly and efficiently clone blunt end PCR products without producing a nonrecombinant background. The construction of this vector was based on the introduction of a modified ccdB gene sequence that is lethal for the Escherichia coli.

Background: PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog gene on chromosome 10), a well-characterized tumor suppressor, is a key regulator of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway involved in cell survival, metastasis and cell renewal. PTEN expression is closely related to the phenotype, prognosis and drug selection in breast cancer. It is mainly regulated by transcriptional and post-transcriptional modifications. RNA binding motif protein 38 (RBM38), an RNA-binding protein (RBP) and a target of P53 family, plays a crucial role in the regulation of cellular processing, especially in post-transcription regulation and gene transcription. In this study, we investigated a new post-transcription regulation mechanism of PTEN expression by RBM38 in breast cancer. Methods: Immunohistochemistry, lentivirus transfections, Western blotting analysis, qRT-PCR and ELISA were used to conduct the relation between RBM38 and PTEN. RNA immunoprecipitation, RNA electrophoretic mobility shift and dual-luciferase reporter assays were employed to identify the direct binding sites of RBM38 with PTEN transcript. Colony formation assay was conducted to confirm the function of PTEN in RBM38-induced growth suppression. Results: PTEN expression was positively associated with the expression of RBM38 in breast cancer tissues and breast cancer cells. Moreover, RBM38 stabilized PTEN transcript to enhance PTEN expression via binding to multiple AU/Urich elements (AREs) in 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of PTEN transcript. Additionally, specific inhibitors of PTEN activity and small interfering (siRNA) of PTEN expression inhibited RBM38-mediated suppression of proliferation, which implied that RBM38 acted as a tumor suppressor partly by enhancing PTEN expression. Conclusion: The present study revealed a new PTEN regulating mechanism that PTEN was positively regulated by RBM38 via stabilizing its transcript stability, which in turn alleviated RBM38-mediated growth suppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level and its association with adiposity, inflammation, and oxidative stress in schoolchildren. Methods: A total of 1488 schoolchildren ages 7 to 11 y were recruited in Harbin, China (latitude: 44°04'N-46°40'N) in May. Serum 25(OH)D, which is an indicator of vitamin D status, was determined. Anthropometric data were collected following general physical examinations. Serum lipids, glucose metabolism indices, inflammatory molecules, and oxidative stress markers were determined. Dietary intake and physical activity also were assessed. Results: The median serum 25(OH)D concentration was 18.4 ng/mL. Of the 1488 schoolchildren included, 839 (56.4%) had vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL]. Children in the vitamin D deficiency group had significantly higher body weight (34.1 ± 3.8 versus 31.5 ± 3.3 kg; P < 0.001), body mass index (18.4 ± 2.2 versus 16.8 ± 1.7 kg/m²; P < 0.001), waist circumference (60.1 ± 8.5 versus 57.2 ± 7.7 cm; P < 0.001), percentage of body fat (20.2% ± 2.6% versus 19.1% ± 2.4%; P < 0.001), and significantly lower concentrations of serum superoxide dismutase (95.38 ± 12.22 versus 127.62 ± 15.98 U/mL; P < 0.001) compared with those in the vitamin D sufficiency group. After adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, and percentage of body fat, a positive association between serum 25(OH)D and superoxide dismutase was found (β = 0.230; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is common in Harbin schoolchildren. Serum 25(OH)D is closely associated with adiposity and superoxide dismutase in schoolchildren, suggesting that vitamin D deficiency potentially increases the risk for diseases caused by higher adiposity and oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, energetic, and electronic properties of gold ions adsorbed methanol, Au3+−(CH3OH)m(m= 1−3) and Au5+−(CH3OH)m(m= 1−5), have been investigated using density functional theory (DFT) within a generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The geometric parameters, vibrational frequencies, adsorption energies, and Mulliken charges are used to analyze the interactions between Au3,5+clusters and methanol molecules. The present calculations show that more than one methanol molecule can be adsorbed onto small clusters of gold ions and that this adsorption is different from that of single-molecule absorption. The red shift of the C−O stretching frequency decreases as the number of methanol molecules, m, increases or as gold cluster size increases. The positive charge on Au3,5+and coordination number of the adsorption sites on the gold cluster are the dominant factors responsible for the strength of the interactions. We obtained C−O stretching frequencies in Au1,2+−(CH3OH) complexes that are below 931 cm−1, which provides theoretical evidence for the experimental observation by Dietrich et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 2000, 112, 752]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]