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Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are associated with cancer progression and metastasis, although little is known about their role in lung adenocarcinoma (LAC). In the present study, microarrays were first used to screen for tumour-specific circRNA candidates in LAC tissue. Thirty-nine circRNAs were found to be up-regulated and 20 were down-regulated (fold change > 2.0). Among them, hsa_circ_0013958 was further confirmed to be up-regulated in all of the LAC tissues, cells and plasma. In addition, hsa_circ_0013958 levels were associated with TNM stage (P = 0.009) and lymphatic metastasis (P = 0.006). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.815 (95% confidence interval = 0.727-0.903; P < 0.001). In addition, to further illustrate the bioactivities of hsa_circ_0013958 in LAC, siRNA-mediated inhibition of hsa_circ_0013958 was performed in vitro. The results showed that hsa_circ_0013958 promoted cell proliferation and invasion and inhibited cell apoptosis in LAC. Moreover, hsa_circ_0013958 was identified as a sponge of miR-134, and thus it up-regulated oncogenic cyclin D1, which plays a pivotal role in the development of non-small cell lung cancer. In conclusion, our results suggested that hsa_circ_0013958 could be used as a potential non-invasive biomarker for the early detection and screening of LAC.

Background and objective: Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) has been identified as playing critical roles in fibrosis and is a promising therapeutic target. In a previous study, we used a phage display library to develop a humanized single-chain variable fragment antibody (scFv) against CTGF. In the present study, the protective effect of anti-CTGF scFv against bleomycin (BL)-induced pulmonary fibrosis was investigated in mice. Methods: The expression of α-smooth muscle actin in human embryonic lung fibroblast (HELF) cells was analysed by western blotting. A mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis was established by tracheal injection of BL (5 mg/kg). Mice received anti-CTGF scFv (4 mg/kg, three times a week) by i.v. injection. The effects of anti-CTGF scFv were evaluated by leukocyte counts in BAL fluid, hydroxyproline measurements in lung tissue and pathological examination. Results: α-Smooth muscle actin expression was decreased in HELF cells treated with anti-CTGF scFv. Anti-CTGF scFv significantly reduced the numbers of inflammatory leukocytes (total and differential count) in BAL fluid, as well as the hydroxyproline content of lung tissue. The severity of alveolitis and fibrosis in the mouse model was markedly attenuated by treatment with anti-CTGF scFv. Conclusions: Anti-CTGF scFv may potentially be developed as a useful inhibitor of pulmonary fibrosis.

The intact garlic samples were treated, respectively, at ambient temperature under 200, 400 and 600 MPa for 20 min, and then crushed. Their volatile compounds were extracted by solid phase microextraction and were analyzed by GC-MS and GC-olfactometry. 29, 19 and 12 kinds of volatile compounds were identified in the mentioned samples, respectively, in which alkyl sulfides accounted for 61.04%, 41.38% and 22.73% in relative peak area, while 23 kinds of volatiles in the untreated sample, 60.01% of which were alkyl sulfides. The flavor intensity of odor-active compounds decreased with the pressure increasing. The alliinase activity increased by 2.89% after treatment of 200 MPa, but decreased by 37.19% and 59.18% after treatment of 400 and 600 MPa, resulting in different flavor intensities of garlic. Therefore, it is possible to adjust formation and degradation of the volatile compounds in garlic by pressurization in order to produce garlic products with different flavor. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The flavor intensity of garlic has a direct correlation with the volatile compounds and alliinase activity. UHP treatment has a great effect on content, category and intensity of the volatile compounds in garlic through adjustment of alliinase activity. With the increase in pressure, the alliinase activity decreased, which greatly influenced the formation of allicin in enzymatic reaction, and then reduced the content and flavor intensity of its degradation products. Our results proved UHP treatments are useful for producing the garlic products with different flavor intensities.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a novel class of powerful natural antimicrobial agents. As AMPs are bactericidal, production of AMPs in recombinant bacteria is far from trivial. We report the production of Impatiens balsamina antimicrobial peptide 4 (Ib-AMP4, originally isolated from Impatiens balsamina) in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein and investigate Ib-AMP4's antimicrobial effects on human pathogens. A plasmid vector pET32a-Trx-Ib-AMP4 was constructed and transferred into E. coli. After induction, a soluble fusion protein was expressed successfully. The Ib-AMP4 peptide was obtained with a purity of over 90% after nickel affinity chromatography, ultrafiltration, enterokinase cleavage and sephadex size exclusion chromatography. For maximum activity, Ib-AMP4, which possesses two disulfide bonds, required activation with 5 μg/mL H2 O2 . Antimicrobial assays showed that Ib-AMP4 could efficiently target clinical multiresistant isolates including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli. Time kill experiments revealed that Ib-AMP4 is bactericidal within 10 min after application. Haemolysis and cytotoxicity assays implied selectivity towards bacteria, an important prerequisite for clinical applications. Ib-AMP4 might be an interesting candidate for clinical studies involving patients with septicemia or for coating clinical devices, such as catheters. The method described here may be applicable for expression and purification of other AMPs with multiple disulfide bridges.

Structural analyses of the products formed in the base-catalysed alkylation of 2-naphthol with glyoxal were performed by IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The final product, 7a,14c-dihydrobenzo[e]benzo[4,5]benzofuro[2,3-b]benzofuran (4), was determined to be in the cis rather than the trans form. MO calculations of the heats of formation and geometrical parameters also favour the cis form for 4. Two precursors of 4, 1,2-dihydronaphtho[2,1-b]furan-1,2-diol and 1-(2-hydroxy-1-naphthyl)naphtho[2,1-b]furan-2-ol, have also been analysed and their stereochemistry is discussed.

1,2‐Dihydronaphtho[2,1‐b]furan‐1,2‐diol and 1,2,9,10‐tetrahydronaphtho[2,1‐b:7,8‐b′]difuran‐1,2,9,10‐tetraol were transformed into the corresponding isopropylidene derivatives, which were studied mainly by 1H NMR and chiral HPLC analyses in terms of a possible transformation mechanism and stereochemistry in comparison with their corresponding acetyl derivatives.