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This investigation was purposed to extrapolate whether and how lncRNA MALAT1, miR-194-5p, and ACVR2B altered development of clear cell kidney carcinoma (KIRC). We totally gathered 318 pairs of KIRC tissues and adjacent normal tissues, and also purchased human KIRC cell lines and normal human proximal tubular epithelial cell line. Besides, si-MALAT1, pcDNA-MALAT1, miR-194-5p mimic, miR-194-5p inhibitor, and negative control (NC) were, respectively, transfected into KIRC cells. The viability, proliferation, and apoptosis of the cells were determined with CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was implemented to validate the targeted relationships between MALAT1 and miR-194-5p, as well as between miR-194-5p and ACVR2B. The results showed that highly expressed MALAT1, ACVR2B, and lowly expressed miR-194-5p were associated with larger tumor size (≥4 cm), advanced TNM stage and poor prognosis of KIRC patients, when, respectively, compared with lowly expressed MALAT1, ACVR2B, and highly expressed miR-194-5p (P < 0.05). Transfection of pcDNA-MALAT1, miR-194-5p inhibitor, and pcDNA-ACVR2B conferred the KIRC cells with promoted viability and proliferation, as well as reduced apoptosis (P < 0.05). Treatment of rats with pcDNA-MALAT1, miR-194-5p inhibitor, or pcDNA-ACVR2B also contributed to larger tumor size growing in them (P < 0.05). Moreover, MALAT1 could directly target miR-194-5p to suppress its expression, and ACVR2B was the targeted molecule of miR-194-5p (P < 0.05). Finally, ACVR2B could reverse the effects exerted by miR-194-5p on viability, proliferation, and apoptosis of KIRC cells (P < 0.05). In conclusion, LncRNA MALAT1/miR-194-5p/ACVR2B signaling was regarded as a candidate pathway for modulating KIRC progression.

The Shuntuoguole region is situated at the center of the Tarim Basin, in NW China. It is bordered by the Tazhong Uplift to the west and the Manjiaer Depression to the east. Data obtained on samples collected from exploration wells highlight the large potential for gas discoveries in this region. Component and stable carbon isotopic analyses have been performed on gas samples from 5 wells in the Shuntuoguole region. The dryness coefficients of gas samples vary from 0.95 to 1.00, indicating that the gas samples belong to overmatured dry gas. The carbon isotopic values (δ13C) of all gas samples are heavier than −40‰, compared to the typical gas samples with different sources in the Tarim Basin, revealing that the gas in the Shuntuoguole region originated from source rocks in the Cambrian. The SN-1 exploitation well was selected to undertake fluid inclusion studies revealing the mechanisms of natural gas charging and fluid evolution. Data from the SN-1 well drill core indicate a 1,700- to 7,050-m-thick sedimentary sequence containing Ordovician to Tertiary strata. The Middle Ordovician Yijianfang Formation (Fm) constitutes one of the most important gas reservoirs. The Yijianfang Fm consists principally of limestone containing widely distributed sparry calcite. Numerous fluid inclusions are observed in calcite, and 4 types of fluid inclusions are recognized based on the observed phases and components. These are pure CH4 (P-type), CH4-bearing (C-type), aqueous (W-type), and solid-bearing (S-type) inclusions. The trapping temperatures and pressures, determined through the intersection of isochores from coeval fluid inclusions, reach 183 °C to 216 °C and 1,914 bars to 2,196 bars, respectively. When taking into account the regional burial history, we find the natural gas charged during the Neogene interval, from 20 Ma to 3 Ma.

The phase evolution of zirconia (ZrO2), sulfated zirconia (SO42−/ZrO2) and yttrium oxide incorporated zirconia (Y2O3–ZrO2) from the tetrahedral phase to the monoclinic phase was studied using UV Raman spectroscopy, visible Raman spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction (XRD). It is clearly observed that there are discrepancies between the results from the UV Raman spectra, visible Raman spectra and XRD patterns. The phase change from tetragonal to monoclinic is always earlier or at lower calcination temperatures as observed by UV Raman spectroscopy than by visible Raman spectroscopy and XRD. UV Raman spectroscopy is found to be more sensitive at the surface region while visible Raman spectroscopy and XRD supply the information mainly from the bulk. The inconsistency in the results from the three techniques suggests that the phase transformation of zirconia starts from its surface region and then gradually develops into its bulk. For SO42−/ZrO2 and Y2O3–ZrO2, the transformation from the tetragonal to the monoclinic phase is significantly retarded owing to the presence of the sulfated groups and the yttrium oxide. Particularly, the tetragonal phase of Y2O3–ZrO2 can be maintained up to 800 °C although its phase at the surface region changed into monoclinic at 500 °C. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of xanthopterin adsorbed on colloidal silver was measured and the Raman spectrum calculated by the density functional theory method was also obtained. Xanthopterin can be detected down to 5 X 10(-9) m and the enhancement of the scattering intensity is at least 10(5)-fold. Xanthopterin molecules are adsorbed flatly on the surface of the Ag particles. This study shows that SERS could be another prospective method for the detection of pterines. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

The selective reduction of NO x with added oxygenates over BaNa/Y and Ag/Y zeolites and Ag/γ-Al 2 O 3 takes place via complex reaction pathways with a number of common crucial intermediates. Acetate ions are formed by the oxidation of acetaldehyde over these catalysts. These acetate ions react with NO 2 to form nitromethane which decomposes to HNCO via a dinitro-C 1 intermediate. HNCO hydrolyzes to form NH 3 which can react with HONO to form ammonium nitrite. This NH 4 NO 2 efficiently decomposes to N 2 and H 2 O at 100 °C, and at even lower temperatures in an acidic environment. The neutral surface species are expected to be in equilibrium with their ions. The rate-limiting step in these reaction sequences is the reaction of acetate ions to form nitromethane. When nitromethane is directly added to a NO x stream over Ag/Y, ∼100% conversion of NO x to N 2 is achieved at temperatures as low as 140 °C. In such schemes, NO acts as a reductant of nitrate ions, ammonium nitrate and nitric acid. The benefits of isotopically labeled compounds in the elucidation of such reaction mechanisms and for providing insights into reaction dynamics are also discussed.