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In pressurized water reactors, LiOH may be concentrated in some areas, leading to the accelerated corrosion of fuel claddings. Injecting boric acid into primary coolants can mitigate the accelerated corrosion effect of LiOH on Zircaloys, but the effects of boron content on the corrosion behavior of the Zr-Sn-Nb alloy are still unknown. This work focused on the corrosion and hydrogen absorption behavior at 360 °C/18.6 MPa in 100 mg/kg LiOH solutions with 0 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg, and 200 mg/kg boron contents for up to 510 days, aiming to study the effect of boron content on corrosion resistance in LiOH solutions. Corrosion kinetics, microstructures of oxide films, hydrogen absorption concentrations and hydride morphology were obtained after the test. The results show that injecting boron in LiOH solutions can significantly reduce the corrosion weight gain, hydrogen concentration, and hydrogen length of Zr-Sn-Nb alloys, that is, improving corrosion resistance effectively. During the oxidation of the Zr-Sn-Nb alloy, B3+ and Li+ incorporate in oxide films. The incorporation of Li+ may lead to the generation of oxygen vacancies, which can carry oxygen from the solutions to O/M interface, accelerating corrosion. The incorporation of B3+ in oxide films will slow down the oxidation of Zr-Sn-Nb alloys by reducing the oxygen vacancies caused by Li+ aggregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The high-precision segmentation of retinal vessels in fundus images is important for the early diagnosis of ophthalmic diseases. However, the extraction for microvessels is challenging due to their characteristics of low contrast and high structural complexity. Although some works have been developed to improve the segmentation ability in thin vessels, they have only been successful in recognizing small vessels with relatively high contrast. Approach. Therefore, we develop a deep learning (DL) framework with a multi-stage and dual-channel network model (MSDC_NET) to further improve the thin-vessel segmentation with low contrast. Specifically, an adaptive image enhancement strategy combining multiple preprocessing and the DL method is firstly proposed to elevate the contrast of thin vessels; then, a two-channel model with multi-scale perception is developed to implement whole- and thin-vessel segmentation; and finally, a series of post-processing operations are designed to extract more small vessels in the predicted maps from thin-vessel channels. Main results. Experiments on DRIVE, STARE and CHASE_DB1 demonstrate the superiorities of the proposed MSDC_NET in extracting more thin vessels in fundus images, and quantitative evaluations on several parameters based on the advanced ground truth further verify the advantages of our proposed DL model. Compared with the previous multi-branch method, the specificity and F1 score are improved by about 2.18%, 0.68%, 1.73% and 2.91%, 0.24%, 8.38% on the three datasets, respectively. Significance. This work may provide richer information to ophthalmologists for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular-related ophthalmic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The predictive value of allele frequency (AF) of BRAF V600E and TERT mutations in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the AF of BRAF V600E and TERT mutations in intermediate-to-high risk PTC and their association between tumor invasiveness, prognosis, and other mutations. Probe hybridization capture and high-throughput sequencing were used to quantitatively test 40 gene loci in 94 intermediate-to-high recurrence risk PTC patients, combined with clinical characteristics and follow-up for retrospective analysis. BRAF V600E mutation AF was linked to a increased risk of thyroid capsule penetration, recurrence, and concurrent mutations. Concurrent mutations could lead to a worse prognosis and increased invasiveness. TERT promoter mutation frequently accompanied other mutations and resulted in a poorer prognosis. However, there was no clear association between the TERT mutation AF and tumor invasiveness or recurrence. The sensitivity and specificity of predicting recurrence in intermediate-to-high risk PTC with BRAF V600E mutation AF > 28.2% were 60 and 80%. Although genetic alterations in PTC can differ among different ethnicities, the AF of BRAF V600E and TERT mutations may be similar. The AF of BRAF V600E has the potential to be a novel indicator in predicting PTC invasiveness and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determination of malignancy in thyroid nodules remains a major diagnostic challenge. Here we report the feasibility and clinical utility of developing an AI-defined protein-based biomarker panel for diagnostic classification of thyroid nodules: based initially on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), and further refined for fine-needle aspiration (FNA) tissue specimens of minute amounts which pose technical challenges for other methods. We first developed a neural network model of 19 protein biomarkers based on the proteomes of 1724 FFPE thyroid tissue samples from a retrospective cohort. This classifier achieved over 91% accuracy in the discovery set for classifying malignant thyroid nodules. The classifier was externally validated by blinded analyses in a retrospective cohort of 288 nodules (89% accuracy; FFPE) and a prospective cohort of 294 FNA biopsies (85% accuracy) from twelve independent clinical centers. This study shows that integrating high-throughput proteomics and AI technology in multi-center retrospective and prospective clinical cohorts facilitates precise disease diagnosis which is otherwise difficult to achieve by other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determination of malignancy in thyroid nodules remains a major diagnostic challenge. Here we report the feasibility and clinical utility of developing an AI-defined protein-based biomarker panel for diagnostic classification of thyroid nodules: based initially on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), and further refined for fine-needle aspiration (FNA) tissue specimens of minute amounts which pose technical challenges for other methods. We first developed a neural network model of 19 protein biomarkers based on the proteomes of 1724 FFPE thyroid tissue samples from a retrospective cohort. This classifier achieved over 91% accuracy in the discovery set for classifying malignant thyroid nodules. The classifier was externally validated by blinded analyses in a retrospective cohort of 288 nodules (89% accuracy; FFPE) and a prospective cohort of 294 FNA biopsies (85% accuracy) from twelve independent clinical centers. This study shows that integrating high-throughput proteomics and AI technology in multi-center retrospective and prospective clinical cohorts facilitates precise disease diagnosis which is otherwise difficult to achieve by other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is a rare malignancy, the incidence of which is less than 1/1 million per year. Sarcomatoid parathyroid carcinoma (SaPC) is an extremely peculiar subtype; only three cases have been reported internationally. It consists of both malignant epithelial components and sarcomatoid components (mesenchymal origin) simultaneously. This "confusing" cancer exhibits higher invasiveness, and traditional surgery does not appear to achieve the expectation, which differs significantly from that of general PC. Objective: To characterize the clinicopathologic features of SaPC and explore similarities and differences between SaPC and general PC. Materials and Methods: We collected clinical data of SaPC cases from our center and literature. The SaPC case in our center was presented. To better understand the characteristics of SaPC, we also reviewed clinical information in general PC cases from our center and literature within the last 5 years, and a systematic review was performed for further comparison. Results: A 60-year-old woman was admitted for a neck mass and hoarseness. After the surgery, she was confirmed as SaPC and ultimately developed local recurrence at 3 months. Together with the reported cases from literature, four cases of SaPC (three cases from literature) and 203 cases of general PC (200 cases from literature) were reviewed. Both tumors showed obvious abnormalities in parathormone (PTH) level and gland size. Compared to general PC, SaPC has a later age of onset (60.50 ± 7.42 vs. 51.50 ± 8.29), relatively low levels of PTH (110.28 ± 59.32 vs. 1,156.07 ± 858.18), and a larger tumor size (6.00 ± 1.63 vs. 3.14 ± 0.70). For SaPC, all four cases were initially misdiagnosed as thyroid tumors (4/4). Spindle cell areas or transitional zones were common pathological features in SaPC cases (3/4). Conclusion: SaPC is a very rare pathologic subtype of PC and appears to be much more easily misdiagnosed as a thyroid tumor. Spindle cell areas or transitional zones are highly possible to be pathological features in its sarcomatoid components. Despite many similarities, there are some differences between SaPC and general PC—SaPC does not show the obvious endocrine feature but stronger aggressiveness. Surgical treatment of SaPC does relieve life-threatening symptoms and improve quality of life even with recurrence in the short term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses pollen climate analysis and coexistence analysis to systematically analyze the climatic evolution of the Shahejie Formation in the Chezhen Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, eastern China and discusses the relationship between palaeoclimatic evolution and lake level rise. The results show that the sedimentary period of the Shahejie Formation in the Chezhen Depression had an overall temperature change trend from hot to cold and simultaneously experienced a dry and wet balance-wet-dry and wet balance-wet transition process. The climatic parameters of the Shahejie Formation in the Chezhen Depression include a mean annual temperature of 8.1°C–15.1°C, a mean coldest monthly temperature of −0.1°C–2°C, a mean warmest monthly temperature of 18.6°C–28°C, a mean annual precipitation of 389–1164 mm, a wettest monthly precipitation amount of 215–262 mm, and a driest monthly precipitation amount of 8–48 mm. Climate change is believed to affect the rise and fall of lake levels to some extent. The quantitative reconstruction of these climatic parameters allows researchers to more intuitively understand the geological background of the Chezhen Depression and guide the exploration and development of oil and gas resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sandstone of the third member of the Funing Formation (E1f3) in the northern slope zone of the Gaoyou Sag has the typical characteristics of high porosity and ultralow permeability, which makes it difficult for oil to flow. In this study, the lithological characteristics, sedimentary facies, diagenetic characteristics, pore structure, and seepage ability of this sandstone are characterized in detail. Correlation analysis is used to reveal the reason for the sandstone high porosity-low permeability phenomenon in the study area. The results indicate that this phenomenon is controlled mainly by the following three factors: 1) the sedimentary environment is the initial affecting factor, whereby the deposition of a large number of fine-grained materials reduces the primary pores of sandstone. 2) The Funing Formation has undergone strong compaction and cementation, which have led to the removal of most of the primary pores and a reduction in size of the throat channels. 3) Owing to fluid activity during the later stage of diagenesis, sandstone underwent intense dissolution and a large number of particles (feldspar and lithic debris) formed many dissolution pores (accounting for nearly 60% of the total pore space). Among these factors, dissolution has contributed the most to the development of high porosity-low permeability phenomenon. This is mainly attributed to the inhomogeneous dissolution process, whereby the degree of particle dissolution (e.g. feldspar) exceeds that of cementing minerals (clay and carbonate minerals). The secondary dissolution pores have increased the porosity of sandstone in the study area; however, the pore connectivity (permeability) has not been significantly improved, thus resulting in the special high porosity-low permeability characteristics of this sandstone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, yeast was isolated from cherry wine lees by rose Bengal medium, and its species was identified through three-stage screening, morphological observation and molecular biological identification. Moreover, the tolerance of screened strains was studied. The results showed that 30 strains of yeast were isolated from cherry wine lees, and five strains of yeast were selected, which were named YJN10, YJN16, YJN18, YJN19 and YJN28. After preliminary appraisal, strain YJN10 was Saccharomyces kudriavzevii, strain YJN16 was Saccharomyces paradoxus, and strains YJN18, YJN19, YJN28 were Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the tolerance study, the tolerable sugar concentrations of the five strains were 650, 650, 550, 600 and 600 g/L. The tolerable alcohol volume fractions were 20, 20, 16, 18 and 18%. The tolerable molar concentration of potassium chloride was 1.8, 1.8, 1.5, 1.5 and 1.5 mol/L. Finally, strains YJN10, YJN16, YJN19 and YJN28 showed good tolerance, which laid a foundation for subsequent application in cherry wine fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permeability is difficult to evaluate in reservoir petrophysics property, especially in low porosity–permeability reservoir. The conventional permeability estimation model with establishment of the regression relationship between permeability and porosity is not applicable. This regression hypothesis based on the correlation between porosity and permeability (logarithm) is not available in low porosity–permeability reservoir. It remains a challenging problem in tight and heterogeneous formations' petrophysical interpretation. Feature engineering process, as the most significant procedure in data-driven analytics, indicates that accurate modelling should be based on the main control factor on permeability ignoring its concrete mathematical expression. To select the factors that influence the main function of the model, and use the appropriate model to carry out the model structure, fusion and optimization is the main task to permeability estimation in low porosity–permeability reservoirs. Fuzzy logic, as a widely used approach in estimation of permeability, can be used to estimate the permeability with the advantage of tolerance. Its good adaptation in objective contradictory concepts and false elements in computational processes outweighs the traditional method on permeability estimation which always lies in a wide distribution of orders of magnitude. The research takes the permeability estimation issue in Mesozoic strata, Gaoqing area as example. The area of study mainly contains reservoirs with low-to-ultra-low porosity–permeability. The relationship between porosity and permeability is somewhat certain but insufficient using the regression method to predict. The research combined specialized feature engineering process with the fuzzy logic analysis to predict permeability. First, this paper analyzes that the main control factors of permeability in the region is the homogenization by diagenetic with statistical multivariate variance analysis SNK (Student–Newman–Keuls) method. It can be characterized by Δ φ , the changing degrees of porosity. To characterize the permeability response in well logs, the variables standing for a comprehensive reflection of the formation hydrology, lithology, and diagenesis are selected in the result of the electrofacies, SP, LLS, AC by multivariate variable selection method. The study is trying to combine the logging principle to explain its physical meaning by the statistical results. For discrete variables like electrofacies in modelling, scale quantization should be conducted by the optimal scale analysis considering discrete variables influences on permeability instead of manual labelling by numbers. Finally, the fuzzy logic analysis is carried out to achieve the results. The study makes a comparison of results in three ways to indicate the importance of feature engineering. That is, improved results with optimized model, model without feature engineering, and ordinary regression model. The optimized model with feature engineering predicts the permeability more conformed to the core data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5) is initially identified to recruit neutrophils by interacting with its receptor, C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2). Our prior work demonstrated that the expression levels of CXCL5 and CXCR2 were higher in the papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tumors than that in the non-tumors. This study was performed to further investigate how this axis regulates the growth of PTC cells. B-CPAP cells (BRAFV600E) and TPC-1 cells (RET/PTC rearrangement) expressing CXCR-2 were used as in vitro cell models. Our results showed that the recombinant human CXCL5 (rhCXCL5) promoted the proliferation of PTC cells. rhCXCL5 accelerated the G1/S transition, upregulated the expression of a group of S (DNA synthesis) or M (mitosis)-promoting cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and downregulated CDK inhibitors in PTC cells. The CDS region of homo sapiens CXCL5 gene was inserted into an eukaryotic expression vector to mediate the overexpression of CXCL5 in PTC cells. The phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and p38, and the nuclear translocation of c-Jun were enhanced by CXCL5 overexpression, whereas attenuated by CXCR2 antagonist SB225002. Additionally, CXCL5/CXCR2 axis, JNK and p38 pathway inhibitors, SB225002, SP600125 and SB203580, suppressed the growth of PTC cells overexpressing CXCL5 in nude mice, respectively. Collectively, our study demonstrates a growth-promoting effect of CXCL5-CXCR2 axis in PTC cells in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior and tensile properties of 310S stainless steel were studied by slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) tests, which were carried out in oxygenated supercritical water at the temperature of 400, 550, and 620 °C, respectively. The distribution of chemical composition of oxide, tensile properties, fracture morphology of the materials were analyzed for evaluating the SCC susceptibility of 310S stainless steel, respectively. The results show that both the elongation and tensile strength decreased significantly with the increase of the temperature, implying that a higher temperature may lead to a higher SCC susceptibility. The remarkable changes of the morphology of the fracture surface and gauge surface of 310S stainless steel were observed at different temperatures, that is, from an entire ductile fracture at lower temperature to a brittle fracture at higher temperature. The temperature has significant effects on morphologies and thickness. Oxides with double layer were observed. TEM analysis revealed that the inner oxide layer is composed of Cr and O, and Ni‐enrichment can be observed to segregate at the metal‐oxide interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Ischemic postconditioning (iPoC) represents a promising strategy to mitigate ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of the intestine, yet the mechanisms of this treatment remain to be elucidated. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel class of endogenous non-coding RNAs, have recently been recognized as important regulators of gene expression and pathological processes. Here, we aimed to investigate the expression patterns of circRNAs after intestinal I/R with and without iPoC and, furthermore, to explore the potential mechanisms of iPoC in relation to the differentially expressed circRNAs. Methods: The global circRNA and mRNA expression profiles in mouse intestinal mucosa were initially screened by microarray (n = 3 per group) and quantitative real-time PCR was used to validate the expression pattern of circRNAs and mRNAs. Bioinformatics analysis including Gene ontology, KEGG pathway analysis, microRNA binding sites identification and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network construction were utilized for in-depth mechanism exploration. Results: There were 4 up- and 58 downregulated circRNAs as well as 322 up- and 199 downregulated mRNAs in the intestinal I/R group compared with the sham group, whereas compared with I/R, iPoC treatment significantly upregulated 12 circRNAs and 129 mRNAs and downregulated 21 circRNAs and 174 mRNAs. The expression levels of a randomly selected set of 6 circRNAs and 5 mRNAs were successfully validated by qRT-PCR. Through a systematic comparison of the direction of circRNA expression changes in all groups, we identified two circRNAs, circRNA_012412 and circRNA_016863, that may be closely associated with the protective mechanisms of iPoC. Finally, four possible circRNA_012412/circRNA_016863-miRNA-mRNA pathways were predicted, which may play important roles in endogenous protective signaling in iPoC. Conclusions: This study was the first to comprehensively delineate the expression profiles of circRNAs in a mouse model of intestinal I/R and iPoC and provides novel clues for understanding the mechanisms of iPoC against intestinal I/R injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel modeling strategy is presented for simulating the blast furnace iron making process. Such physical and chemical phenomena are taking place across a wide range of length and time scales, and three models are developed to simulate different regions of the blast furnace, i.e., the tuyere model, the raceway model and the shaft model. This paper focuses on the integration of the three models to predict the entire blast furnace process. Mapping output and input between models and an iterative scheme are developed to establish communications between models. The effects of tuyere operation and burden distribution on blast furnace fuel efficiency are investigated numerically. The integration of different models provides a way to realistically simulate the blast furnace by improving the modeling resolution on local phenomena and minimizing the model assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins produced by different species of fungi may coexist in cereals and feedstuffs, and could be highly toxic for humans and animals. For quantification of multiple mycotoxins in cereals, we developed a paper-based mycotoxin immune-affinity array. First, paper-based microzone arrays were fabricated by photolithography. Then, monoclonal mycotoxin antibodies were added in a copolymerization reaction with a cross-linker to form an immune-affinity monolith on the paper-based microzone array. With use of a competitive immune-response format, paper-based mycotoxin immune-affinity arrays were successfully applied to detect mycotoxins in samples. The detection limits for deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, T-2 toxin, and HT-2 toxin were 62.7, 10.8, 0.36, and 0.23 μg·kg-1, respectively, which meet relevant requirements for these compounds in food. The recovery rates were 81-86% for deoxynivalenol, 89-117% for zearalenone, 79-86% for T-2 toxin, and 78-83% for HT-2 toxin, and showed the paper-based immune-affinity arrays had good reproducibility. In summary, the paper-based mycotoxin immune-affinity array provides a sensitive, rapid, accurate, stable, and convenient platform for detection of multiple mycotoxins in agro-foods.Paper-based immune-affinity monolithic array. DON deoxynivalenol, HT-2 HT-2 toxin, T-2 T-2 toxin, PEGDA polyethylene glycol diacrylate, ZEN zearalenone [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) was decomposed by using gamma irradiation in the presence of different additives such as NO , NO , Cr(VI), 2-propanol, and tert-butanol. The results demonstrated that NO , NO , 2-propanol, and tert-butanol inhibited SMX radiolytic removal. However, there existed a synergetic effect for radiolytic removal of the mixture containing SMX and Cr(VI). At an absorbed dose of 150 Gy, the removal percentages of SMX and Cr(VI) in the mixture were 73.5 and 84.6%, respectively, which was higher than the removal percentages of 70.6 and 4.1% for the single component of SMX and Cr(VI). This provides us an insight into treating the combined pollution in micro-polluted water. The SMX radiolytic removal followed a pseudo first-order reaction kinetic model, and the rate constant ratios of ·OH, e , and H· towards SMX radiolysis were 10.4:1:2.9. In addition, 24-h bio-inhibitory to the macroalgae of SMX solution during gamma irradiation reached the maximum of 0.85 at an adsorbed dose of 100 Gy, then gradually decreased with the increasing adsorbed dose. Based on LC-MS analysis and quantum chemical calculation, the degradation intermediates were determined and concluded that SMX radiolytic removal was mainly via ·OH radical attack and direct decomposition of SMX molecule by gamma ray. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Mycotoxins are produced by fungi as secondary metabolites. They often multi-contaminate food and feed commodities posing a health risk to humans and animals. Fast and easy multiplex screening could be thought as a useful tool for detection of multi-contaminated food and feed commodities. RESULTS A highly sensitive immune-affinity monolithic arrays for detecting the mycotoxins zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, and fumonisin B1 were fabricated using UV induced co-polymerisation. The mycotoxin antibodies firstly reacted with functional monomer to form antibody/functional monomer bio-conjugates. Subsequently, the antibody/functional monomer bio-conjugates co-polymerised with cross-linker to form mycotoxins immune-affinity arrays. With optimal fabrication conditions, all mycotoxin immune-affinity monolithic arrays exhibited a linear response spanning three orders of magnitude. And the immune-affinity monolithic array has a low detection limit and has a good uniformity (intra-assay CV, and inter-assay CV both <8%). CONCLUSION The fabricated mycotoxin immune-affinity monolithic arrays were proved as a sensitive, stable and economical tool in real food samples detection. Moreover, the mycotoxin immune-affinity monolithic arrays would be able to minimise manipulation steps: add samples and enzyme labelled mycotoxins, and detect CL signals. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A composting method was applied to improve the processability of rice straw (RS) and its interfacial interaction with a biodegradable resin, hydrolyzed-soy-protein-modified urea formaldehyde adhesives. The composted RS was characterized by fiber testing, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy. We found that the particle size of RS was reduced from 0.6-2.0 to 0.2-0.6 mm. The cellulose content decreased, and the lignin content increased; unstable bonds were decomposed after composting. All of the results were beneficial for improving the plasticity of RS. Composted RS with inoculant exhibited a higher peak degradation temperature (352 °C) than the untreated RS (347 °C). The porous structure and tissue in RS were destroyed by the microorganism. The best bonding results were obtained by the composted RS with inoculant. Compared with untreated composites, the modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, and tensile strength of the composites were improved by 14.94, 25.36, and 27.21%, respectively. In addition, a mechanism of the structural changes of RS during composting was also proposed. The full biodegradable composites have potential applications in agriculture toward the achievement of sustainable development. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44878. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aberrant sialylation profiles on the cell surface have been recognized for their potential diagnostic value in identifying the regulation of tumor properties in several cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC). Recently, increasing evidence has suggested that the deregulation of micro RNA (mi RNA) is a common feature in human cancers. In this study, we found obvious upregulation of sialyltransferase ST3 GAL6 both in HCC cell lines and in tissue samples. The altered expression of ST3 GAL6 was found to correlate with cell proliferation, migration, and invasion ability in HCC. Further investigation showed that miR-26a negatively regulated ST3 GAL6, inducing the suppression of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. Moreover, we identified the protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (Akt/ mTOR) pathway as the target of ST3 GAL6 based on Western blot analysis. Analysis of a xenograft mouse model showed that miR-26a significantly reduced tumor growth by suppressing activation of the Akt/ mTOR pathway by directly targeting ST3 GAL6. In conclusion, these data indicate that ST3 GAL6 promotes cell growth, migration, and invasion and mediates the effect of miR-26a through the Akt/ mTOR signaling pathway in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carbohydrate sulfotransferases 11-13 (CHST11-13), that catalyze the transfer of sulfate to position 4 of the GalNAc residue of chondroitin, have been implicated in various diseases.Aim: This study aimed to clarify the association of CHST11-13 expression with metastasis and drug sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.Methods: We measured the levels of CHST11 and CHST13 in a series of HCC cells using real-time PCR and Western blotting. After RNAi and forced expression treatment of CHST11 and CHST13 in MHCC97L and MHCC97H cells, metastatic potential and drug sensitivity of the two cells were investigated with ECM invasion assay, drug sensitivity assay, and in vivo antitumor activity assay. By real-time PCR and Western blotting, we explored the possible impacts of these two genes on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathway. MAPK pathway was blocked by PD98059 or SP600125 to elucidate the effects of MAPK pathway on metastasis and chemosensitivity.Results: Significantly reduced levels of CHST11 and CHST13 were observed in highly invasive MHCC97H cells compared with those of MHCC97L cell line with low metastatic potential. Decreased or forced expression of CHST11 and CHST13 altered metastatic potential and drug sensitivity of MHCC97L and MHCC97H cells. Remarkable alteration of MAPK activity was shown in two HCC cells with genetic manipulation. Conversely, pharmacologic inhibition of the MAPK pathway suppressed invasive potential and rescued drug sensitivity of MHCC97H cells.Conclusions: Our results have demonstrated that CHST11 and CHST13 negatively modulate metastasis and drug resistance of HCC cells probably via oncogenic MAPK signal pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate whether the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway mediates myocardial cell injuries in rats under brain death ( BD), and observe the effects and mechanisms of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase ( JNK) inhibitor SP600125 on cell death in the heart. Forty healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomized into four groups: sham group (dural external catheter with no BD); BD group (maintain the induced BD state for 6 hrs); BD + SP600125 group (intraperitoneal injection of SP600125 10 mg/kg 1 hr before inducing BD, and maintain BD for 6 hrs); and BD + Dimethyl Sulphoxide (DMSO) group (intraperitoneal injection of DMSO 1 hr before inducing BD, and maintain BD for 6 hrs). Real-time quantitative PCR was used to evaluate mRNA levels of Cyt-c and caspase-3. Western blot analysis was performed to examine the levels of mitochondrial apoptosis-related proteins p- JNK, Bcl-2, Bax, Cyt-c and Caspase-3. TUNEL assay was employed to evaluate myocardial apoptosis. Compared with the sham group, the BD group exhibited increased mitochondrial apoptosis-related gene expression, accompanied by the elevation of p- JNK expression and myocardial apoptosis. As the vehicle control, DMSO had no treatment effects. The BD + SP600125 group had decreased p- JNK expression, and reduced mitochondrial apoptosis-related gene expression. Furthermore, the apoptosis rate of myocardial cells was reduced. The JNK inhibitor SP600125 could protect myocardial cells under BD through the inhibition of mitochondrial apoptosis-related pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altered sialylation is closely associated with tumor progression and invasiveness. Micro-RNAs endogenous regulators of gene expression have been implicated in human thyroid carcinoma invasiveness. The objective of this study is to examine the alterations of miR-4299 and ST6GALNAC family in human follicular thyroid carcinoma during metastatic process. qRT-PCR showed the differential expressional profiles of miR-4299 and ST6GALNAC family in three kinds of thyroid cell lines (FTC-133,FTC-238, Nthy-ori 3-1) and clinical tissue specimens(malignant and borderline). The altered expression levels of ST6GALNAC4 were corresponding to invasive phenotypes of FTC-133 and FTC-238 cells both in vitro and in vivo. Further date indicated that miR-4299 regulated tumor progression and invasiveness by directly targeting ST6GALNAC4. This study implies the potential therapeutic application of miR-4299 and ST6GALNAC4 in modulating the invasion and tumorigenicity of follicular thyroid carcinoma cell. © 2015 IUBMB Life, 68(2):136-144, 2016 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamma irradiation-induced decomposition of ciprofloxacin (CIP) was elucidated with different additives, such as CO, NO, NO, humic acid, methanol, 2-propanol, and tert-butanol. The results show that low initial concentration and acidic condition were favorable for CIP removal during γ irradiation. By contrast, radiolytic decomposition of CIP was inhibited with the addition of anions and organic additives. As a strong carcinogen, Cr was especially mixed with CIP to produce combined pollution. It is noteworthy that the removal of the mixture of CIP and Cr presented a synergistic effect; the degradation efficiency of the two pollutants was markedly improved compared to that of the single pollutant during γ irradiation. Based on the results of quantum chemical calculations and LC-MS analysis, we determined seven kinds of degradation intermediates and presented the CIP degradation pathways, which were mainly attributed to the oxidation process of hydroxyl radicals OH· and the direct decomposition of CIP molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are sorry for the inconvenience. These authors contributed equally: Yaoting Sun, Sathiyamoorthy Selvarajan, Zelin Zang, Wei Liu, Yi Zhu, Hao Zhang Correction to: I Cell Discovery i (2022) 8:85 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41421-022-00442-x published online 06 September 2022 In this article, the authors have found an error in Data Availability section, the iProX ID is incorrect. [Extracted from the article]

The invasion and chemoresistance are crucial causes of morbidity and death for cancer patients. Axl is closely associated with malignant phenotype of breast tumor cells, including invasiveness and metastasis. Both breast cancer cell line and tissue displayed increased expression of Axl, especially in highly metastatic breast cancer. On the contrary, experimental inhibition of Axl or transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) by RNAi assay could suppress cell invasion ability and chemoresistance. Moreover, the up-regulation of Axl was induced by TGF-β1, further activated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and PAK1 translocation, and resulted in greater cell motility, invasion, and chemoresistance in vitro and in vivo. After the detection and statistics in human breast cancer specimens, we found that the Axl expression was closely correlated with TGF-β1 level, tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and clinical stage ( p < 0.01). Our findings support the possibility that Axl is a significant regulator of invasion and chemosensitivity, and it means by targeting Axl or its related signaling pathways, we can reduce the invasion and chemosensitivity of breast tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phyllodes tumor exhibits an aggressive growth. The expression of many biological markers has been explored to discriminate between different grades of phyllodes tumor and to predict their behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implications of Axl and ST6GalNAcII in phyllodes tumors. Real-time PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemical were used to analyze differential expression of ST6GalNAcII and Axl in phyllodes tumor (PT) cell lines and tissue specimens. RNAi assay, ECM invasion assay, and tumorigenicity assay were used to analyze the altered expression of ST6GalNAcII gene effects on the expression of Axl and invasive ability of phyllodes tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Compared to benign tumors, borderline and malignant ones showed a remarkable increase in mRNA levels of Axl and ST6GalNAcII gene, and it was higher in malignant tumor cells than in borderline tumor cells. When ST6GalNAcII was silenced, compared to the control, the expression level of Axl was significantly reduced in malignant tumor cell transfectants and knockdown of ST6GalNAcII gene significantly inhibited invasive activity in malignant tumor cells. The high expression of ST6GalNAcII and Axl was significantly correlated with tumor grade and distance metastasis by immunohistochemical analysis. Axl and ST6GalNAcII expression increases with increasing tumor grade in mammary phyllodes tumors. ST6GalNAc II might be participated in the glycosylation of Axl, and this Axl glycosylation may mediate the tumorigenicity, invasion, and distant metastasis of PT cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasion and chemoresistance are crucial causes of morbidity and relapse for cancer patients. Axl is implicated in the modulation of cell invasion, cancer metastasis, and chemosensitivity in human breast carcinoma cell lines. Both breast cancer cell lines and tissues displayed increased expression of Axl, and it over expressed in highly metastatic breast cancer. The altered expression level of Axl was corresponding to the changed invasive phenotype and chemosensitivity of MDA-MB-231 cells both in vitro and in vivo. Further data indicated that experimental inhibition of Axl by RNAi assay inhibited phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway, resulted in the decrease of Slug expression, and further suppressed cell invasion properties and chemosensitivity. What is more, after the detection and statistics in human breast cancer specimens, we found the Axl expression was closely correlated with histological grade, lymph node metastasis, and clinical stage ( P < 0.01). Taken together, these findings indicate that Axl exerts the role of tumor metastasis and chemosensitivity through activation of the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway, which is transcriptionally regulated by Slug. Our findings support the possibility that Axl is a novel regulator. It means by targeting Axl or its related signaling pathways, we can reduce the invasion and chemosensitivity of breast tumor. © 2014 IUBMB Life, 66(7):507-518, 2014 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stable skull layer formed on the inner surface of the hearth could effectively protect the lining and extend blast furnace campaign life. This is the first comprehensive work of using integrated heat transfer, fluid flow dynamics and solidification numerical simulation to investigate skull formation phenomena in a blast furnace hearth. The impact of hearth design and furnace operation parameters on skull formation is examined, including lining property and structure, cooling water temperature and flow rate, hot metal production rate, temperature and viscosity, and cast practice. The findings from this study are compared with operating experience of United States Steel blast furnaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to clarify the possible role and mechanism of Axl in the tumorigenicity and metastasis process of hepatocellular carcinoma. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Axl in MHCC97-H and MHCC97-L cell lines were evaluated by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. The key factor of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt-p21-activated kinases-1 (PAK1) signaling pathway was studied after Axl expression was downregulated by shRNA. Finally, we analyzed the expression status of Axl protein expression in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and its relationship with the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Axl was observed to be higher expressed in MHCC97-H cell lines compared to MHCC97-L cell lines. The downregulation of Axl in MHCC97-H cell lines resulted in the inhibition of the invasion ability of MHCC97-H cells both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, blocking PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by LY294002 or Akt siRNA could remarkably inhibit the PAK1 activation and cell invasion. Finally, the Axl protein expression was positively correlated with differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and clinical stage in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma patients (all P < 0.01). These findings suggest that Axl can also regulate the metastasis process of hepatocellular carcinoma and may serve as a new prognostic marker and therapeutic target for treating hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastasis of tumor cells is the most deadly attribute of breast cancer patients. Aberrant sialylation is closely associated with malignant phenotype of tumor cells, including invasiveness and metastasis. The objective of this study is to clarify the possible role and mechanism of ST6GalNAcII in the metastasis process of breast carcinoma. Real-time PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemical were used to analyze differential expression of ST6GalNAc II in breast carcinoma cell lines and tissue specimens. PI3K/AKt signaling pathway was also analyzed. The high expression level of ST6GalNAcII was corresponding to invasive phenotype of breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Further data indicated that manipulation of ST6GalNAcII gene expression led to alter the activity of phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway. Blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway resulted in reduced capacity in invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells. ST6GalNAcII elucidated the unusual properties of invasion in breast cancer cell via modulating the PI3K/AKt signaling pathway. © 2014 IUBMB Life, 66(4):300-308, 2014 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysregulation of Axl receptor tyrosine kinases is implicated in the pathogenesis of several sensitive and refractory cancers. In this study we showed that Axl expression was upregulated in drug-resistant cancer cells, as compared to those in parental cells. Downregulation of Axl expression by RNAi led to a decrease of K562/ADR and MCF-7/ADR cells invasion, proliferation in soft agar, and increased cells chemosensitivity in vitro. In nude mice bearing xenografts, downregulation of Axl in MDR cells enhanced the anticancer activity of intraperitoneally applied chemotherapeutic drugs. Our observations suggest that Axl represents a promising gene for overcoming MDR in cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidrug resistant (MDR) tumor cells over-expressing P-glycoprotein exhibit variation in invasive behavior. To investigate the mechanisms, we analyzed the expression of CD147. The results showed that CD147 expression was increased in HepG2/Adr cells, as compared to HepG2 cells. The MDR cells produced more MMP11 and MDR1, which promoted HepG2/Adr cells invasion and increased resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. On the other hand, CD147 silencing in HepG2/Adr cells by RNAi led to the opposite effect. Treatment of tumor cells with U-0126, an inhibitor of MAPK/Erk, also down-regulated MMP11 and MDR1 expression. Thus, CD147 may functionally mediate tumor cells invasion and MDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of γ-irradiation pretreatment on anaerobic digestibility of sewage sludge was investigated in this paper. Parameters like solid components, soluble components, and biogas production of anaerobic digestion experiment for sewage sludge were measured. The values of these parameters were compared before and after γ-irradiation pretreatment. Total solid (TS), volatile solid (VS), suspended solid (SS), volatile suspended solid (VSS), and average floc size of samples decreased after γ-irradiation treatment. Besides, floc size distribution of sewage sludge shifted from 80–100 μm to 0–40 μm after γ-irradiation treatment at the doses from 0 to 30 kGy, which indicated the disintegration of sewage sludge. Moreover, microbe cells of sewage sludge were ruptured by γ-irradiation treatment, which resulted in the release of cytoplasm and increase of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD). Both sludge disintegration and microbe cells rupture enhanced the subsequent anaerobic digestion process, which was demonstrated by the increase of accumulated biogas production. Compared with digesters fed with none irradiated sludge, the accumulated biogas production increased 44, 98, and 178 mL for digesters fed sludge irradiated at 2.48, 6.51, and 11.24 kGy, respectively. The results indicated that γ-irradiation pretreatment could effectively enhance anaerobic digestibility of sewage sludge, and correspondingly, could accelerate hydrolysis process, shorten sludge retention time of sludge anaerobic digestion process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Upper Jurassic Mengyin Formation sandstones are important targets for petroleum exploration in Dongying Depression of Bohai Bay Basin, Eastern China. Although the current burial depth of the Upper Jurassic Mengyin Formation sandstones is shallow (900–2500 m), the reservoir rocks are characterized by low porosity and low permeability due to the complex diagenetic modifications after deposition. Experimental tests and statistical methods, such as thin section, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cathodoluminescence (CL), high pressure mercury injection (HPMI) and fluid inclusion analysis are conducted to delineate the mineralogical, petrographic and petro-physical characteristics. Results show that physical and chemical processes, including burial depth, burial and thermal history and pore fluid evolution, are both important for the diagenetic modifications that result in a variety changes in pore system and reservoir quality. According to numerical simulation of porosity evolution during lengthy burial and thermal history, porosity loss due to the early deep burial process under the high paleo-geothermal gradient can reach about 20%. Moreover, the burial history (effective stress and temperature) has a better guidance to reservoir quality prediction compared with current burial depth. The extensive compaction in sandstones also resulted in extremely low pore fluid flow during subsequent diagenetic processes, thus, the reaction products of dissolution cannot be removed, which would be precipitated as carbonate cements during stable reburial phase. Dissolution resulted from uncomformity-related meteoric flushing have been the most important porosity-enhancing factor in Mengyin Formation sandstones in spite of low thin section porosity averaged out to 3.22%. Secondary pores derived from dissolution of unstable silicates are more likely to develop in sandstones near the regional unconformity. The oil source fault activities may enhance the heterogeneity of reservoir rocks and control the reservoir quality by inducing micro-fractures and providing the main pathways for hydrocarbon migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The immediate plasma metabolism and development of chemo-resistance (single agent) severely hampers the clinical effectiveness of Sorafenib (SRF) in liver cancer therapy. MicroRNA27a inhibition is a promising biological strategy for breast cancer therapy. Methods: In this study, we aimed to prepare SRF and anti-miRNA27a-loaded anti-GPC3 antibody targeted lipid nanoparticles to enhance the therapeutic efficacy against liver cancers. In this study, we have employed a unique cationic switchable lipid (CSL) as a mean to encapsulate miRNA as well as to confer pH-responsiveness to the nanocarrier system. Results: The G-S27LN was nanosized and offered a pH-responsive release of SRF from the carrier system and we have demonstrated the specific affinity of G-S27LN towards the GPC3-overexpressed HepG2 cancer cells. Anti-microRNA27a significantly increased the protein expression of FOXO1 and PPAR-γ which are crucial components involved in proliferation and apoptosis of tumor cells. Combination of SRF and anti-miRNA27a (G-S27LN) resulted in significantly lower cell viability with a marked increase in the apoptosis cell proportion compared to that of free SRF indicating the synergistic anticancer effect. Animal studies in liver cancer xenograft model demonstrated significant suppression of tumor burden, reduced tumor cell and elevated TUNEL positive apoptosis with no toxicity concerns in animals treated with G-S27LN formulation. Conclusion: The CSL-based G-S27LN efficiently co-delivered anti-microRNA27a and SRF and therefore represents a promising therapy to treat liver cancer. This study also brings forth a platform strategy for the effective treatment of number of other advanced cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The paper was to verify the disinfection effect of ozone on livestock and poultry houses. [Method] The empty chicken house was disinfected by ozone with the help of ozone disinfector. [Result] As the ozone disinfector was worked for 60 min, the average sterilizing rate of air was 85.33%; the average sterilizing rate on the surface of chicken coop was 86.77%; and the average sterilizing rate of wall was 89.13%. The disinfection effect was obvious. [Conclusion] The results will provide references for promotion and application of ozone disinfector in breeding industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]