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Objective To investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of stress-inducing protein 1(SESN1) in liver gluconeogenesis of fasting mice. Methods RT-qPCR was used to detect mRNA expression of SESN1 in liver tissues of C57BL/6J mice and primary mouse hepatocytes treated with forskolin (Fsk) and dexamethasone(Dex). HepG2 cells were transfected with plasmids and the effects of SESN1 overexpression on mRNA expression of gluconeogenesis related genes PGC-1α, PEPCK and G6Pase was detected by RT-qPCR. The effect of SESN1 on the promoter activity of PGC-1α in HepG2 cells was studied using a dual luciferase reporter system. The effect of SESN1 on PGC-1α deacetylation was detected by overexpression of SESN1 and inhibition of SIRT1 expression.By knocking down SIRT1 expression, we detected whether it mediated the changes in mRNA levels of SESN1 induced gluconeogenesis related genes. Results The mRNA expression of SESN1 was significantly increased in liver tissues of starved C57BL/6J mice and in primary hepatocytes treated with Fsk and Dex(P＜0.001). Over-expression of SESN1 in HepG2 cells promoted mRNA expression of PGC-1α, PEPCK and G6Pase(P＜0.001) and promoter activity of PGC-1α(P＜0.001). Over-expression of SESN1 decreased the acetylation level of PGC-1α in primary hepatocytes.Sirt family inhibitors NAM and shRNA adenovirus interfered with SIRT1 expression respectively, and antagonized the deacetylation effect of SESN1 on PGC-1α. The expression of PGC-1α, PEPCK and G6Pase induced by SIRT1 was also significantly impaired(P＜0.000 1). Conclusions SESN1 regulates liver gluconeogenesis in mice with a SIRT1-dependent mechanism.

Objective To investigate the role of mammalian sterile line 20-like kinas 1(MST1) and its regulatory mechanism in hepatic gluconeogenesis of mouse. Methods The mRNA expression of MST1 in the liver of db/db mice and db/m mice was detected by RT-qPCR. MST1 was overexpressed with adenovirus to detect glucose output capacity in mouse primary hepatocytes. Luciferase reporter assay was adopted to detect the effect of MST1 on phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) promoter activity in HepG2 cells. Forkhead transcription factor O1 (FOXO1) was knocked down by interfering adenovirus in primary mouse liver cells to detect the effect of MST1 overexpression on the mRNA levels of PEPCK. Results The mRNA level of MST1 was significantly upregulated in the liver of db/db mice (P＜0.001). MST1 overexpression enhanced glucose output in mouse primary hepatocytes (P＜0.05). In HepG2 cells, MST1 overexpression increased the mRNA of PEPCK (P＜0.001) and the activity of PEPCK promoter (P＜0.01). Furthermore, MST1-induced increase in PEPCK mRNA was abolished when FOXO1 was knocked down by interfering adenovirus. Conclusions MST1 promotes hepatic gluconeogenesis by regulating the mRNA expression of PEPCK dependent on FOXO1.

One-step metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) was used to fabricate porous silicon nanowire arrays. Also, the effects of doping level, AgNO3 concentration, and HF concentration on the morphology and structure of porous silicon nanowire were investigated. The results show that the higher doping level is beneficial for etching the silicon wafer and forming silicon nanowire arrays. This is because the higher doping level introduces more impurities and defects on the surface of the silicon wafer, and at the same time, the Schottky barrier between the silicon wafer with the higher doping level and the solution is lower. Thus, the silicon wafer is easier to oxidate to form nanowire arrays. The AgNO3 concentration plays a critical role in the fabrication of the porous silicon nanowire arrays during the one-step MACE process. If AgNO3 concentration is too low or too high, corrosion pits and collapsed clusters of nanowires could form on the surface of the silicon wafer. When AgNO3 concentration was 0.02 mol·L-1, silicon nanowires grew and became longer, eventually forming a porous array of silicon nanowire. In the meantime, as silicon nanowires grew, capillary stress between nanowires caused agglomeration at the top of some nanowires. Furthermore, when HF solution concentration exceeded 4.6 mol·L-1, the length of silicon nanowire increased with increasing HF concentration. Furthermore, a porous structure was formed on top the silicon nanowire, and the porosity of the silicon nanowires increased with increasing HF concentration. This was due to a large number of Ag+ random nucleations at the top of the nanowires, and lateral etching of the silicon nanowires occurred. In the end, the formation process of the porous silicon nanowires is explained by a model based on the experimental phenomena. It is attributed to the deposition of silver ions and the oxidation of dissolved silicon substrates.

The feasibility and mechanisms of using the blast furnace dust as a reductant in direct reduction-low intensity magnetic separation of Indonesian seaside titanomagnetite were investigated. The results show that the blast furnace dust can be used as an alternative to coal as a reductant under the condition of fluorite as an additive. Under the synergistic effect of the blast furnace dust and fluorite,the recovery and grade of iron in the reduction iron powder can be increased and the content of TiO2 can be decreased at the same time during the direct reduction process. Simultaneously,iron in the blast furnace dust can also be recovered. A comparison of three different kinds of blast furnace dusts indicates that the composition of the blast furnace dust can influence the effect of reduction.Under the same dust dosage,the Jinxin blast furnace dust(referred to as JX) show the best reduction performances. The optimum conditions of roasting reduction are the blast furnace dust dosage of 30%,the fluorite dosage of 10% and reduction at 1250℃ for 60 min. The reduction iron powder,with 91.28% Fe grade,0.93% TiO2 content and 89.19% total iron recovery including iron in the run-of-mine and blast furnace dust,is obtained after the roasted product is processed by using a process of two-staged grinding and two-staged magnetic separation.

Objective: To study the physiological characteristics and effects of salt stress in Andrographis paniculata., Methods: Andrographis paniculata was treated with NaCl of different concentration. The photosynthetic characteristics and transpiration rate were an- alyzed by LI-6400 Portable Photosynthesis System. The activities of enzymes were studied with kits., Results: The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and stomatal conductance (Gs) showed a diurnal variation of bimodal curve, the transpiration rate (Tr) and stomatal limitation (Ls) both had a single peak diurnal variation, while the intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) and the water use efficiency (WUE) presented a single valley type of diurnal variation. With salt concentration rising, Pn, Tr, Ci, Ca and WUE decreased but L, increased, the activities of SOD, CAT and POD increased firstly and then decreased, while the MDA and proline content showed a rising trend., Conclusion: Andrographis paniculata is a type of sun plant. The net photosynthetic rate of Andrographis paniculata leaves has an obvious "midday depression" phenomenon. The results also indicate that Andrographis paniculata has a resistance to salt stress and appropriate shade is good for the quality improvement.

Objective: To investigate the expression of CK19 in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues in patients with low serum AFP concentration and the relationship between them and the recurrence and prognosis of HCC after R0 radical hepatectomy., Methods: The expressions of CK19 and Ki67 in HCC tissues of 235 cases were examined using tissue microarray and two-step methods of PV-6000 immunohistochemistry. The expression of CK19 mRNA in 20 frozen HCC specimens was examined by RT-PCR. The correlation between gene expressions and tumor recurrence and prognosis was analyzed., Results: Among the 235 HBV-related HCC patients after R0 radical hepatectomy, the median disease-free survival (DFS) was 31.2 months in the patients with serum AFP < 400 µg/L and 13.8 months in the patients with serum AFP ≥ 400 µg/L (P = 0.041), the overall survival (OS) was 84.0 and 58.6 months in the two subgroups (P = 0.125), and the tumor recurrence within one year was in 43 cases (27%) and 37 cases (49.3%), respectively, (P = 0.001). The DFS was 11.6 months in the CK19-positive cases and 27.0 months in the CK19-negative cases (P > 0.05). The OS was significantly lower in the CK19-positive cases than that in the CK19-negative cases (P = 0.023). Both DFS and OS in the CK19-positive cases with AFP < 400 µg/L were significantly lower than those in the CK19-negative cases with AFP < 400 µg/L (both P < 0.05). The CK19 expression was significantly correlated with histological differentiation (P = 0.023), number of tumor foci (P = 0.044), vascular tumor embolism (P = 0.005), regional lymph node metastasis (P = 0.023), and 1-year recurrence (P = 0.006). Among the patients with AFP < 400 µg/L, the 1-year recurrence was 53% in the CK19-positive cases and 23% in the CK19-negative cases (P < 0.001), the median DFS was 11.3 months in CK19-positive cases and 34.0 months in CK19-negative cases (P = 0.010), and the median OS was 19.5 months in the CK19-positive cases, significantly lower than 84.0 months in the CK19-negative cases (P = 0.001). Cox regression analysis showed that CK19-positive expression was an independent factor affecting early HCC recurrence and prognosis., Conclusion: In HBV-related HCC patients after radical hepatectomy with AFP < 400 µg/L, positive expression of CK19 indicates a higher proliferation and invasiveness of HCC, and is an important factor of early recurrence and poor prognosis.

Aim: To prepare a functional mouse anti-human PD-L1 monoclonal antibody and to characterize its biological activities., Methods: A stable human PD-L1 transfected cell line L929/PD-L1 was used as an antigen to immunize BALB/c mice. By means of the cell fusion technique, multiple cell subcloning, repeated screening with L929/ PD-L1 as target cells and the L929/mock cells used as the negative control, the hybridomas specifically secreting mouse anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies were generated. Then its biological characterization was investigated by rapid murine Ig-subclass typing, Western blotting, indirect immune of luorescene assay, mutual competitive inhibition test. By means of MTT incorporation assay, detected the infection of mAb to T cell proliferation. Three mouse anti-human PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies were generated, named as 11G8, 2G5 and 5C3., Results: The results of characterization study showed that the monoclonal antibodies could recognize the PD-L1 on the activated T cells. The mAbs could promote T cells proliferation., Conclusion: It is evident that the functional monoclonal antibodies for human PD-L1 have been generated, and it would provide the initial material for further study on the role of PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathways.