Search

Natural helicid (4-formylphenyl-O- β- d-allopyranoside), a main active constituent from seeds of the Chinese herb Helicia nilagirica, has been reported to exert a sedative, analgesic and hypnotic effect, and is used clinically to treat neurasthenic syndrome, vascular headaches and trigeminal neuralgia. In the current study, mechanical allodynia tests, electroencephalograms, electromyogram recordings and c-Fos expression in neuropathic pain-like model mice of partial sciatic nerve ligation were used to investigate the effect of helicid on neuropathic pain and co-morbid insomnia. Our results showed that helicid at a dose of 100, 200 or 400 mg kg−1 could increase the mechanical threshold by 2.5-, 2.8- and 3.1-fold for 3 h after administration, respectively. Helicid at 200 and 400 mg kg−1 given at 07:00 hours increased the amount of non-rapid eye movement sleep in a 3-h period by 1.27- and 1.35-fold in partial sciatic nerve ligated mice. However, helicid (400 mg kg−1) given at 21:00 hours did not change the sleep pattern in normal mice. Immunohistochemical study showed that helicid (400 mg kg−1) administration could reverse the increase of c-Fos expression in the neurons of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex and tuberomammillary nucleus, and the decrease of c-Fos expression in the ventrolateral preoptic area caused by partial sciatic nerve ligation. These results indicate that helicid is an effective agent for both neuropathic pain and sleep disturbances in partial sciatic nerve ligated mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PREMISE OF THE STUDY:: Properties of floral nectar have been used to predict if a plant species is pollinated by birds. To see whether winter‐flowering plants evolve nectar properties corresponding to bird pollinators, nectar properties of several Camellia species (including the golden‐flowered tea), as well as the role of floral visitors as effective pollinators, were examined. METHODS:: Potential pollinators of Camellia petelotii were identified at different times of day and under various weather conditions. A bird exclusion experiment was used to compare the pollination effectiveness of birds and insects. Nectar sugar components (fructose, glucose, and sucrose) from C. petelotii growing wild and another seven Camellia species and 22 additional cultivars (all in cultivation) were examined by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). KEY RESULTS:: The sunbird Aethopyga siparaja and honeybees were the most frequent floral visitors to C. petelotii. Honeybee visits were significantly reduced in cloudy/rainy weather. The fruit and seed set of flowers with birds excluded were reduced by 64%, indicating that bird pollination is significant. For the wild populations of C. petelotii, a bagged flower could secrete 157 μL nectar; this nectar has a low sugar concentration (19%) and is sucrose‐dominant (87%). The eight Camellia species and 22 cultivars had an average sugar concentration of around 30% and a sucrose concentration of 80%, demonstrating sucrose‐dominant nectar in Camellia species. CONCLUSIONS:: The nectar sugar composition of Camellia species was characterized by sucrose dominance. In addition, the large reduction in seed set when birds are excluded in the golden‐flowered tea also supports the suggestion that these winter‐flowering plants may have evolved with birds as significant pollinators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent work with gut microbiota after bariatric surgery is limited, and the results have not been in agreement. Given the role of the gut microbiota in regulating host metabolism, we explored the effect of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) on the modifications of gut microbiota with regard to the potential influence of food intake and/or weight loss and examined their links with host metabolism. Zucker diabetic fatty rats were divided into the following groups: RYGB; sham-operated with pair-fed as RYGB; sham-operated fed ad libitum; and SG. The metabolic effects and gut microbiota profile were analyzed 10 weeks postoperatively. Associations between discriminating genera and metabolic markers after RYGB were explored. The 2 procedures induced similar glucose improvement and increased flora diversity after 10 weeks compared with sham-operated groups. RYGB induced a marked higher relative abundance of Proteobacteria/Gammaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria and increased emergence of Fusobacteria and Clostridium, whereas SG resulted in more abundant Actinobacteria compared with other groups. Most of the 12 discriminant genera correlated with changes in metabolic phenotype, but only 28.6% of these correlations were independent of weight, and 4 discriminant genera still negatively correlated with serum insulin level independent of food intake and weight loss after RYGB. These data demonstrate that RYGB and SG surgery produced similar diversity but different microbiota compositions changes in Zucker diabetic fatty rats. These findings stimulate deeper explorations of functions of the discriminate microbiota and the mechanisms linking postsurgical modulation of gut microbiota and improvements in insulin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new cascade C-H-functionalization/cyclization reaction of N-carbamoylindoles 1 with α-halo, α-mesyloxy, or α-tosyloxy ketones 2 has been developed under rhodium(III) catalysis, leading to dihydropyrimido[1,6- a]indolone derivatives 3 in moderate to excellent yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents case study of a 27-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease (CD). It mentions her treatment with infliximab (IFX) infusion and isoniazide was given for tuberculosis (TB) chemoprophylaxis. It also mentions that ultrasonography revealed cephalic vein thrombophlebitis in the left forearm.

CeO2 films were prepared at deposition temperature ranged from 947 to 1096 K (corresponding laser power was from 52 to 185 W) on (100) LaAlO3 single crystal substrate by laser chemical vapor deposition. At deposition temperature of 1027-1096 K (laser power was from 115 to 185 W), highly (100)-oriented CeO2 films with wedge-caped columnar grains were prepared, whose epitaxial growth relationship was CeO2 [100]// LAO [100] (CeO2 [010]// LAO [011]). Their full width at half maximum of the ω-scan on the (200) reflection and that of the ϕ-scan on the (220) reflection were 0.8°-1.8° and 0.7°-1.2°, respectively. The highest deposition rate at which CeO2 film with pure (100) preferred orientation could be obtained was 30 μm h−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the authors focus on pulse modulation waveform estimation based on a sequence of intercepted pulses from the same radar emitter. In general, modulation waveform estimators first perform pulse alignment in time and frequency separately, and then accumulate the aligned pulses to estimate the waveform. However, commonly used alignment methods may lead to considerable alignment errors which are difficult to detect and compensate, especially under low signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) conditions, resulting in non‐ideal effects of accumulation. This study proposes a robust and nearly optimal modulation waveform estimation algorithm. The new algorithm first aligns pulses in time and frequency jointly via the cross‐ambiguity function to avoid the transfer and accumulation of alignment errors. After that, an iterative maximum‐likelihood estimator is invoked to achieve the waveform estimation. Theoretical analysis and extensive experiments show that the proposed algorithm has much smaller alignment errors and better modulation waveform and modulation parameter estimation ability than competing methods at low SNRs, and can approach the ideal case. Moreover, this algorithm does not make any assumption on the type of modulation and is computationally efficient, thus having broad applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine types of diversely fused heterocyclic quaternary ammonium salts were constructed through an oxidative CH annulation reaction. Both high-valent pentamethylcyclopentadienylcobalt(III) and pentamethylcyclopentadienyliridium(III) were found to be effective as catalyst for this reaction. Broad substrate scope and good functional group tolerance were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaction of isonitriles with 3-(arylamino)isobenzofuran-1(3 H)-ones in the presence of a catalytic amount of an octahydro ( R)-binol-derived chiral phosphoric acid afforded 3-oxo-2-arylisoindoline-1-carboxamides in high yields with good to high enantioselectivities. An enantioselective Ugi four-center three-component reaction of 2-formylbenzoic acids, anilines, and isonitriles was subsequently developed for the synthesis of the same heterocycle. Mechanistic studies indicate that the enantioselectivity results from the dynamic kinetic resolution of the primary Ugi adduct, rather than from the C−C bond-forming process. The resulting heterocycle products are of significant medicinal importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histamine, an important modulator of the arousal states of the central nervous system, has been reported to contribute an excitatory drive at the hypoglossal motor nucleus to the genioglossus ( GG) muscle, which is involved in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea. However, the effect of histamine on hypoglossal motoneurons ( HMNs) and the underlying signaling mechanisms have remained elusive. Here, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were conducted using neonatal rat brain sections, which showed that histamine excited HMNs with an inward current under voltage-clamp and a depolarization membrane potential under current-clamp via histamine H1 receptors (H1Rs). The phospholipase C inhibitor U-73122 blocked H1Rs-mediated excitatory effects, but protein kinase A inhibitor and protein kinase C inhibitor did not, indicating that the signal transduction cascades underlying the excitatory action of histamine on HMNs were H1R/Gq/11/phospholipase C/inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate ( IP3). The effects of histamine were also dependent on extracellular Na+ and intracellular Ca2+, which took place via activation of Na+-Ca2+ exchangers. These results identify the signaling molecules associated with the regulatory effect of histamine on HMNs. The findings of this study may provide new insights into therapeutic approaches in obstructive sleep apnea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of chromeno[4,3- d]isoxazolo[5,4- b]pyridin-6-one derivatives were easily and efficiently synthesized by the reaction of 3-acyl-2 H-chromen-2-ones with isoxazol-5-amine in . Some synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferative properties in vitro against cancer cells, and these compounds were found to have some activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anion-π interactions have been widely studied as new noncovalent driving forces in supramolecular chemistry. However, self-assembly induced by anion-π interactions is still largely unexplored. Herein we report the formation of supramolecular amphiphiles through anion-π interactions, and the subsequent formation of self-assembled vesicles in water. With the π receptor 1 as the host and anionic amphiphiles, such as sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), sodium laurate (SLA), and sodium methyl dodecylphosphonate (SDP), as guests, the sequential formation of host-guest supramolecular amphiphiles and self-assembled vesicles was demonstrated by SEM, TEM, DLS, and XRD techniques. The intrinsic anion-π interactions between 1 and the anionic amphiphiles were confirmed by crystal diffraction, HRMS analysis, and DFT calculations. Furthermore, the controlled disassembly of the vesicles was promoted by competing anions, such as NO3−, Cl−, and Br−, or by changing the pH value of the medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a series of novel N-(piperidine-4-yl)benzamide derivatives was designed, synthesized, and evaluated for antitumor activity. Some compounds were found to have potent antitumor activity. In particular, compound 47 showed the most potent biological activity against HepG2 cells, with an IC50 value of 0.25 μ m. Western blot analysis demonstrated that compound 47 inhibited the expression of cyclin B1 and p-Rb and enhanced the expression of p21, p53, Rb, and phospho-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p- AMPK). Further, cell cycle arrest was observed by flow cytometry ( FCM). In summary, compound 47 was screened to have potential activity for the treatment of hepatocarcinoma via the induction of cell cycle arrest by a p53/p21-dependent pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile and efficient for the preparation of indeno[1,2- b]indole derivatives via three-component domino reaction of ninhydrin, enaminones, and malononitrile catalyzed by L-proline is described. In this reaction, two rings and four bonds were formed by one-pot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new adsorbent/catalyst Co-Fe/sepiolite was prepared and tested for its potential application in dye wastewater. Co-Fe/sepiolite acted as an adsorbent at adsorption stage, then was used as a catalyst, which accelerated regeneration speed and increased the regeneration rate during regeneration. The efficiency of this adsorbent/catalyst was investigated using crystal violet (CV) as a model pollutant. Through the sorption capacity of the Co-Fe/sepiolite, the dye was removed from wastewater, the adsorbent was regenerated subsequently by high temperature gas flow catalytic oxidation, accompanied by the decomposition of CV. CV was oxidized into CO2, CO, NO, and CH compounds during regeneration, the formation of these compounds as final products made it possible to regenerate the Co-Fe/sepiolite by high temperature gas flow. The effect of heat treatment on Co-Fe/sepiolite structure was studied. In addition, the effects of temperature, space velocity, and time on regeneration rate were investigated. The results suggested high temperature gas flow regeneration as an efficient regeneration process. The Co-Fe/sepiolite can be potentially applied for combined dye adsorption and degradation processes. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 34: 445-451, 2015 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient, convenient Cu-catalyzed formation of chromeno[4,3- c]pyrazol-4(1 H)-ones is reported. In this atom economic process, readily available 3-acylcoumarin hydrazone is oxidative cyclized by direct C-N bond formation. Air has been successfully used as an oxidant, which has important economic and environmental advantages. A broad scope of 3-acylcoumarin hydrazones can be utilized in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Making impressions for maxillectomy patients is an essential but difficult task. This study developed a novel method to fabricate individual trays by computer-aided design (CAD) and rapid prototyping (RP) to simplify the process and enhance patient safety. Materials and Methods Five unilateral maxillectomy patients were recruited for this study. For each patient, a computed tomography (CT) scan was taken. Based on the 3D surface reconstruction of the target area, an individual tray was manufactured by CAD/RP. With a conventional custom tray as control, two final impressions were made using the different types of tray for each patient. The trays were sectioned, and in each section the thickness of the material was measured at six evenly distributed points. Descriptive statistics and paired t-test were used to examine the difference of the impression thickness. SAS 9.3 was applied in the statistical analysis. Afterwards, all casts were then optically 3D scanned and compared digitally to evaluate the feasibility of this method. Results Impressions of all five maxillectomy patients were successfully made with individual trays fabricated by CAD/RP and traditional trays. The descriptive statistics of impression thickness measurement showed slightly more uneven results in the traditional trays, but no statistical significance was shown. A 3D digital comparison showed acceptable discrepancies within 1 mm in the majority of cast areas. The largest difference of 3 mm was observed in the buccal wall of the defective areas. Moderate deviations of 1 to 2 mm were detected in the buccal and labial vestibular groove areas. Conclusions This study confirmed the feasibility of a novel method of fabricating individual trays by CAD/RP. Impressions made by individual trays manufactured using CAD/RP had a uniform thickness, with an acceptable level of accuracy compared to those made through conventional processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mouse delta‐like homolog 1 and type III iodothyronine deiodinase (Dlk1–Dio3) imprinted domain contains three known paternally methylated differentially methylated regions (DMRs): intergenic DMR (IG‐DMR), maternally expressed 3‐DMR (Gtl2‐DMR), and Dlk1‐DMR. Here, we report the first maternally methylated DMR, CpG island 2 (CGI‐2), is located approximately 800 bp downstream of miR‐1188. CGI‐2 is highly methylated in sperm and oocytes, de‐methylated in pre‐implantation embryos, and differentially re‐methylated during post‐implantation development. CGI‐2, similarly to Gtl2‐DMR and Dlk1‐DMR, acquires differential methylation prior to embryonic day 7.5 (E7.5). Both H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 histone modifications are enriched at CGI‐2. Furthermore, CCCTC‐binding factor (CTCF) binds to both alleles of CGI‐2 in vivo. These results contribute to the investigation of imprinting regulation in this domain.CGI‐2 is the first maternally methylated DMR found in the Dlk1–Dio3 domain. CGI‐2 undergoes a complex demethylation and re‐methylation process in pre‐ and post‐implantation embryos. CGI‐2 acquires differential methylation at around the same time as Gtl2‐DMR and Dlk1‐DMR. CTCF binds to CGI‐2 in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A improved and efficient procedure for the synthesis of pyrrolo[2,3,4- kl]acridin-1-one derivatives via the reaction of isatin and enaminone catalyzed by ceric ammonium nitrate under ultrasonic condition has been developed. Compared with the conventional methods, the remarkable advantages of this method are mild reaction conditions, operational simplicity, higher yield, and shorter reaction times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim The epithelial-mesenchymal transition ( EMT) of hepatocytes is a key step for hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. Long-term administration of celecoxib, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 ( COX-2) inhibitor, can ameliorate hepatic fibrosis. This research aimed to examine the effect of celecoxib on the EMT of hepatocytes during the development of liver cirrhosis. Methods Cirrhotic liver model of rat was established by peritoneal injection of thiacetamide ( TAA). Thirty-six rats were randomly assigned to control, TAA, and TAA + celecoxib groups. Hepatic expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α ( TNF-α), interleukin 6 ( IL-6), COX-2, prostaglandin E2 ( PGE2), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9, transforming growth factor-β1 ( TGF-β1), Phospho- Smad2/3, Snail1, α-smooth muscle actin (α- SMA), vimentin, collagen I, fibroblast-specific protein ( FSP-1), E-cadherin and N-cadherin were quantitated. Hepatic fibrosis was assessed by the visible hepatic fibrotic areas and Ishak's scoring system. Results Exposed to TAA treatment, hepatocytes underwent the process of EMT during hepatic fibrosis. Compared with those in TAA group, celecoxib significantly downregulated the hepatic expressions of TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2, PGE2, MMP-2, MMP-9, TGF-β1, Phospho- Smad2/3, Snail1, α- SMA, FSP-1, and vimentin while greatly restoring the levels of E-cadherin. The fibrotic areas and collagen I levels of TAA + celecoxib group were much lower than those in TAA group. Conclusions Celecoxib could ameliorate hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis in TAA-rat model through suppression of the mesenchymal biomarkers in the hepatocytes while restoring the levels of their epithelial biomarkers. The inhibitory effect of celecoxib on the EMT of hepatocytes is associated with reduction of intrahepatic inflammation, preservation of normal basement matrix, and inhibition of TGF-β1/ Smad pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel noncovalent strategy to construct chemically synthesized vaccines has been designed to trigger a robust immune response and to dramatically improve the efficiency of vaccine preparation. Glycosylated MUC1 tripartite vaccines were constructed through host-guest interactions with cucurbit[8]uril. These vaccines elicited high levels of IgG antibodies that were recognized by transformed cells and induced the secretion of cytokines. The antisera also mediated complement-dependent cytotoxicity. This noncovalent strategy with good suitability, scalability, and feasibility can be applied as a universal strategy for the construction of chemically synthesized vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes a process used to isolate cembranoids from soft coral Sarcophyton. Topics discussed include characteristics of Sarcophyton corals, biological activities of the metabolites found in Sarcophyton and chemical structure of the cembranoids isolated from the coral. Also discussed are the results of the cytotoxicity evaluation of the compounds as compared with human breast cancer cells.

Recently, heteroatom-doped three-dimensional (3D) nanostructured carbon materials have attracted immense interest because of their great potential in various applications. Hence, it is highly desirable to exploit a simple, renewable, scalable, multifunctional, and general strategy to engineer 3D heteroatom-doped carbon nanomaterials. Herein, a simple, eco-friendly, general, and effective way to fabricate 3D heteroatom-doped carbon nanofiber networks on a large scale is reported. Using this method, 3D P-doped, N,P-co-doped, and B,P-co-doped carbon nanofiber networks are successfully fabricated by the pyrolysis of bacterial cellulose immersed in H3PO4, NH4H2PO4, and H3BO3/H3PO4 aqueous solution, respectively. Moreover, the as-prepared N,P-co-doped carbon nanofibers exhibit good supercapacitive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 5-arylisoxazole and 5-aryl-1 H-pyrazole derivatives was synthesized by the reaction of 3-(dimethylamino)-1-arylprop-2-en-1-one with hydroxylamine hydrochloride or hydrazine hydrate under ultrasound irradiation without using any catalyst. This method has the advantages of easier work-up, mild reaction condition, high yields, shorter reaction time, and environmentally benign procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and efficient synthesis of pyrrolo[2,3,4- kl]acridine-1-one derivatives via the cascade reaction of isatins with enaminones catalyzed by silica sulfuric acid (SSA) has been established. In this reactions, SSA shows a highly catalytic nature: easy to handle procedure, short reaction time, recycle exploitation, insensitivity to air and moisture, and excellent isolated yields. The catalyst could be recycled at least five times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of chromeno[4,3- d]pyrazolo[3,4- b]pyridin-6(3 H)-one derivatives was easily and efficiently synthesized by the reaction of 2 H-chromen-2-ones with pyrazol-5-amines catalyzed by CuCl2⋅2H2O in ethanol. This protocol has the advantages of mild reaction conditions, easy work-up, and high yields. These compounds were showed to have high fluorescence quantum yields, which mentioned their value as luminescence or fluorescence probe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: The application of primary eutopic endometrial cells from endometriosis patients in research is restricted for short life span, dedifferentiation of hormone responsiveness. Method of Study: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)‐induced immortalized cells (iheESCs) were infected by lentivirus. mRNA level was examined by qRT‐PCR, and protein expression was quantified by Western blot. CCK‐8 and EdU assay were assigned to assess the proliferation. The migration and invasion of cells were assessed by transwell assay. Clone formation assay and nude mouse tumorigenicity assay were used to evaluate colony‐formation and tumorigenesis abilities. Results: hTERT mRNA and protein were significantly expressed higher in iheESCs compared to primary cells. iheESCs grew without morphological change for 42 passages which is much longer than 18 passages of primary cells. There was no obvious difference between primary cells and iheESCs in growth, mobility, and chromosome karyotype. Furthermore, the expression of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and estrogen/progesterone receptors remained unchanged. The decidualization of iheESCs could be induced by progesterone and cAMP. Estrogen increased the proliferation and mobility of iheESCs, and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induced the IL‐1β and IL‐6 promoting inflammatory response. The colony‐forming ability of iheESCs, like primary cells, was lower than Ishikawa cells. In addition, tumorigenicity assay indicated that iheESCs were unable to trigger tumor formation in BALB/c nude mouse. Conclusions: This study established and characterized iheESCs that kept the cellular physiology of primary cells and were not available with tumorigenic ability. Thus, iheESCs would be useful as in vitro cell model to investigate pathogenesis of endometriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common musculoskeletal disorder affliction and associated with several genes polymorphism. Storkhead box 1 (STOX1) gene is a transcriptional factor related with several signaling pathways including inflammatory pathway. However, little is known about single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of STOX1 associated with LDH risk. Methods: We conducted a case–control study among 508 LDH cases and well‐matched 508 controls, and six candidate SNPs in STOX1 were genotyped by Agena MassARRAY. Chi‐squared test, genetic model, and haploview analysis were used to evaluate associations. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression. Results: In the allelic model analysis, we found the minor allele "T" of rs7903209 and "A" of rs4472827 were associated with an increased risk of LDH (p =.029, p =.016). Furthermore, in the genotype model analysis, rs7903209 polymorphism was associated with the increased susceptibility of LDH based on dominant (p =.033) and additive model (p =.024); and rs4472827 variant was found to play a harmful role in the LDH risk based on genotype (p =.014), dominant (p =.012), and additive model (p =.015). In the haplotype analysis, the haplotype "GT" in block (rs10998461 and rs10998468) decreased LDH risk (OR = 0.7, 95% CI = 0.52–0.93, p =.016). Functional assessment indicated that rs7903209 and rs4472827 polymorphisms may influence the expression of STOX1. Conclusion: Our results provide evidence for polymorphisms of rs7903209 and rs4472827 in STOX1 associated with LDH risk in Chinese Han population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatments of swine wastewater with variable hydraulic loading rates (HLRs) and infiltrator structure were investigated using a modified two‐stage constructed rapid infiltration system (CRIS). Furthermore, microbial community distribution at different HLRs in the CRIS was also analyzed by high‐throughput sequencing. Results indicated that when the HLR was 5.44 cm/day and 10.88 cm/day, the removal rate of chemical oxygen demand (COD) was between 68% and 73%. However, the removal rate of COD dropped to 22.3% when the HLR increased to 16.33 cm/day. Compared to the small CRIS, the removal rate of NH3‐N was stable at about 78% in the large CRIS that had ventilation in the middle of the column. In addition, at HLR 11 cm/day, majority of the taxa detected in the CRIS were assigned to Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. Anaerobic ammonium oxidation occurred in the middle and lower parts of the columns of CRIS. When the HLR increased to 22 cm/day, the abundance of Planctomycetes decreased from 57.48% to 38.88% in the upper layer of the first column, whereas the abundance of Firmicutes increased from 6.8% to 16.17%. Results showed the microbial community shift was observed at different HLR, influencing the pollutants removal rate. © 2019 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 38: e13218, 2019 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important regulatory role in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. Aberrant expression of miR‐497‐5p has been reported in various human malignancies. However, the role of miR‐497‐5p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Results: In this study, we found that miR‐497‐5p was downregulated in HCC tissues. The low level of miR‐497‐5p in HCC tumors was correlated with aggressive clinicopathological characteristics and predicted poor prognosis in HCC patients. The overexpression of miR‐497‐5p significantly inhibited HCC cell proliferation, colony formation, and metastasis in vitro and vivo. Bioinformatics analysis further identified insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF1) as a novel target of miR‐497‐5p in HCC cells. Conclusion: Our study suggested that miR‐497‐5p regulates HCC cell survival, partially through downregulation of IGF1. Therefore, the miR‐497‐5p/IGF1 axis might serve as a novel therapeutic target in patients with HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common spinal disease in clinical practice. Once lumbar disc herniation occurs, it seriously reduces patient's quality of life. The EYS (eyes shut homolog) was discovered in recent years and it may be related to lumbar disc herniation. So we conducted a case–control study to explore the relationship between EYS polymorphism and lumbar disc herniation risk. Methods: We selected 5 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of EYS gene in a case–control study with 508 cases and 508 healthy controls to evaluate the relatedness by using genetic model, haplotype, and stratification analysis. Results: We found that the minor alleles of rs62413038 (OR = 1.21, 95%CI: 1.01–1.43, p = .036) and rs9450607 (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.05–1.53, p = .016) were associated with an increased risk of lumbar disc herniation in the allelic model analysis. In the genotypic model analysis, rs62413038 displayed a significantly increased risk of lumbar disc herniation in log‐additive models (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.01–1.43, p = .039). While the rs9450607 was also obviously associated with an increased lumbar disc herniation risk in recessive (OR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.24–3.13, p = .004) and log‐additive models (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.05–1.55, p = .014). In addition, in the haplotype analyses of the SNPs, we found that the "CGGA" haplotype of rs1482456, rs9342097, rs9450607, and rs7757884 was associated with lumbar disc herniation. (OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.30–0.89, p = .017). Conclusion: These results suggest that EYS polymorphism may be associated with lumbar disc herniation among Han Chinese population. It also opens up a new exploration direction for the etiology of lumbar disc herniation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NASICON cathode, Na3V2(PO4)3, has garnered significant attention due to its robust framework with fast Na+ migration. To expand its application scenarios by diversified electronic reaction, the substitution of vanadium with cost‐effective and abundant redox elements is a special research topic. Nevertheless, in terms of reducing toxicity, increasing Na content and widening voltage range, the V4+/5+ redox couple in Na4FeV(PO4)3 often accompanies asymmetric and irreversible electrochemical reactions that pose a dilemma for capacity and structural stability, especially at high currents. Herein, in this work, Na4FeV1/3Ti2/3(PO4)3 (NFVT) has achieved highly reactive of multiple electron transfer (Ti2+/3+, Fe2+/3+, and V3+/4+/5+) by utilizing the redox reaction with quasi‐monophase behavior, and it can reserve great capacity retention after 3,000 cycles. More competitively, its boosting kinetics makes the fast‐charging characteristic, just requiring only 3.63 min to reach 80% state of charge at 2 C. The rapid ion/electron transport dynamics can achieve the decay of only 0.043% per cycle by unlocking the quasi‐monophase behavior in the framework of NFVT full cells. The present study provides a fresh perspective on designing cathode materials with fast‐charging capabilities for sodium‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is the second most common cause of inflammatory arthritis worldwide affecting the axial skeleton. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of matrix metalloproteinase‐3 (MMP3) in the development of AS has few been investigated in Chinese population. Methods: A total of 362 patients with AS and 362 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Five SNPs in MMP3 genotypes were identified by Agena MassARRAY. Chi‐squared tests and genetic model were used to evaluate associations. Results: rs522616 had a significant risk of AS development compared to those with the TT genotype (p = 0.008). By multiple logistic regression models analysis, in codominant model, rs522616 CT genotypes also had a 1.44‐fold risk (95% CI = 1.06–1.96, p = 0.008) for AS development compared to those with TT genotypes. In recessive model, the CC genotypes was a significantly reduced AS risk for individuals with TT/CT genotype (OR = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.41–0.99, p = 0.040). Conclusion: The present study suggests that MMP3 rs522616 polymorphism is associated with AS susceptibility and MMP3 might be a potential diagnostic biomarker for AS. Further independent studies with larger cohorts are warranted to validate our findings in different populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lumbar disk herniation (LDH) is a degenerative disorder, which partly results from complex genetic factors. The aim of the study was to investigate the potential associations between glypican‐6 (GPC6) variants and LDH risk in Han Chinese population. Methods: A total of 508 Han Chinese LDH patients and 508 healthy controls were recruited in this study. Six single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in GPC6 were selected and genotyped using an Agena MassARRAY platform. We used logistic regression method to evaluate the linkage between GPC6 variants and LDH risk by calculating the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in multiple genetic models. HaploReg database was used for SNP functional annotation. Results: Our result revealed GPC6 rs4773724 was associated with a decreased risk of LDH in allele model (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.68–0.98, p = 0.026), whereas rs1008993 increased the LDH risk (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.05–1.71, p = 0.020). Besides, we also found rs4773724 and rs9523981 were associated with susceptibility of LDH among individuals whose age are less than 45. And rs1008993 was associated with increased LDH risk in males. Furthermore, Haplotype analysis showed that the TT (rs4773724, rs1008993) haplotype and GC (rs4773724, rs1008993) haplotype had the opposite effects on the susceptibility of LDH. Conclusions: For the first time, we suggest that rs4773724 and rs1008993 in GPC6 were considered as a protective factor and a risk factor for LDH in Han Chinese population, respectively. These results provide new ideas for the treatment and prevention of LDH in Han Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar desalination is a promising and sustainable solution for water shortages in the future. Interfacial solar‐to‐heat conversion for desalination has attracted increasing attention in the past decades, due to the heat localization induced high thermal efficiency, simple structure, and low cost. In this review, the authors summarize and analyze the critical processes involved in such a solar desalination system, including the thermal conversion and transport, salt dissipation, and vapor manipulation. Mathematical models of heat transfer and salt dissipation are also built for quantitative analysis of systematic performance relative to properties of employed materials and system designs. Recent efforts devoted to improving the overall thermal efficiency, salt rejection, and water yield are then summarized. Based on the analysis and previous results, opportunities for further interfacial solar desalination development are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blanching is a feasible and effective method widely applied to prevent greening in garlic puree. However, this processing may cause the physical and chemical changes in garlic puree. Therefore, an investigation was carried out to systematically explore the effects of hot water blanching on enzyme inactivation (alliinase and γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase, GGT), discoloration, allicin degradation, and antioxidant capacity of garlic puree. The results showed that the inactivation of alliinase and GGT was strongly dependent on blanching temperature and time. Garlic puree turned into white when blanched at 80°C for 5 min or at 90°C for 4 min, with a* value of −3.24 ± 0.11, −2.80 ± 0.43, respectively. The inactivation kinetics of alliinase and GGT followed a first‐order reaction, as well as the kinetic of green discoloration. However, allicin content was dropped by 71, 80, and 85% after blanching for 5 min at 70, 80, and 90°C, respectively. A decline in the antioxidant capacity of garlic treated by blanching was also observed. The current findings indicated that blanching could contribute to inhabit garlic greening but had negative effects on the nutritional ingredients of garlic puree. Practical applications: Garlic is prone to greening when processed into garlic puree, garlic juice and other products. The occurrence of greening seriously hindered the further processing of garlic. Blanching is an effective and feasible method to prevent greening in garlic puree. In this study, the effects of blanching on enzyme inactivation, color changes, allicin degradation and antioxidant capacity of garlic puree were studied. This study provides a theoretical basis for the deep processing of garlic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient scheme is proposed and implemented for studying electromagnetic scattering problems of complex wire structures over a wide range of incident angle. A set of linear vector basis functions is applied to discretize the complex structures. Moreover, a novel approach based on the compressed sensing (CS) technique is presented and used to form several new excitation sources, which include various spatial information to obtain several measurements. With the help of proper sparse representation, the real induced currents of any incident angles can be calculated by using the orthogonal matching pursuit technique (OMP). To demonstrate the efficiency and the accuracy of the proposed method, numerical simulations of a pair of Yagi‐Uda antenna, a pair of spiral antenna, and a pair of spiral antenna array are accomplished by the new scheme, and the radiation pattern and Radar Cross Section (RCS) of the antennas are accurately calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]