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We report on the first experimental characterization and analysis of the thermal response and temperature coefficient of resonance frequency (TC $f$ ) of gallium nitride/aluminum nitride (GaN/AlN) heterostructure micro string resonators, in a wide temperature range from −10 °C up to 325 °C. Thanks to its excellent electrical and mechanical properties and chemical inertness, GaN has recently stimulated growing interests in GaN microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for emerging high-power, high-temperature, and harsh-environment applications. GaN films on Si wafers often require AlN buffer layers, thus the residual tensile stress profile in the GaN epilayers and GaN/AlN hetero-layers can play a key role in affecting the MEMS specifications and performance. Here we design and fabricate GaN/AlN heterostructure micro string resonators with length $L = 100$ , 200 and 300 $\mu \text{m}$ to probe the stress and thermal effects on resonance behavior. All out-of-plane flexural modes show clear string behavior, and the multimode resonance frequencies downshift almost linearly with increasing temperature up to 325 °C. The linear temperature dependence and TC $f$ values of GaN/AlN heterostructure resonators can be directly employed for thermal sensing. Comparison among different devices indicates that higher tensile stress levels contribute to smaller TC $f$ values, suggesting strain engineering may be exploited for intentionally regulating the TC $f$ .

OMS-2 is one of the most promising catalytic nanomaterials for the elimination of volatile organic compounds. However, water poisoning resulting from water vapor inevitably leads to the deactivation of active sites. To solve the above issue, we introduced cobalt (Co) ions into the OMS-2 framework to simultaneously tailor its surface hydrophobicity as well as its lattice oxygen activity. Density functional theory calculations were first used to demonstrate that introduction of Co ions helps improve the surface hydrophobicity of OMS-2, while leading to poor reducibility. To confirm the theoretical predictions, we established a facile strategy to obtain OMS-2 with Co doping concentrations at relatively high and low levels. Characterization analysis revealed that Co doping resulted in a decrease in the reducibility of OMS-2, whereas its surface hydrophobicity increased considerably. The catalytic test demonstrated that Co doping had an enormous influence on the catalytic activity of OMS-2 for benzene elimination, which was attributed to a “seesaw effect”, resulting from reducibility and hydrophobicity induced by Co doping. By balancing the decreased reducibility and enhanced hydrophobicity, a win–win strategy was achieved to obtain a highly efficient OMS-2 catalyst with superior water-tolerance, which is comparable to that of a commercial noble support catalyst.

Magnesium oxide can be added into Gd-doped CeO2 (GDC) as a suitable sintering additive, and the continuous GDC/MgO heterogeneous interface will contribute to the promotion of the oxygen ion transmission. GDC-50vol%MgO composite ceramics were sintered at different temperatures (1350~1500 °C). The phase composition, micromorphology, and electrical conductivity of GDC-50vol%MgO were analyzed by XRD, SEM, TEM, and electrochemical impedance, respectively. There are only GDC and MgO phases in the ceramics sintered at 1350 °C, 1400 °C, 1450 °C, and 1500 °C. As the sintering temperature rises from 1350 to 1500 °C, the average grain size of GDC and MgO increases from 239/274 to 680/651 nm, respectively. The GDC/MgO heterogeneous interface is clear, and many edge dislocations form there. The grain boundary and total conductivities decrease significantly with the rising sintering temperature, and the GDC/MgO heterogeneous interface possesses a higher electrical conductivity than the GDC/GDC homogeneous interface.

Sinomenine was found to play anti-cancer functions in different type of cancers, while the mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of sinomenine in retinoblastoma (RB) remains unclear. The present study was designed to explore the impacts of sinomenine on cell proliferation and invasion ability of RB cells and the related mechanism. Human retinoblastoma cell line WERI-RB-1 and Y79 cells were cultured and treated by different concentration of sinomenine, and then the proliferation ability of the cells was determined via performing the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) proliferation assay. The cell apoptosis was examined via performing the flow cytometry assay. Then scratch wound healing analysis as well as and transwell invasion analysis have been performed to determine the effect of sinomenine on cell migration ability as well as invasion ability. The proteins level of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling molecules were determined with Western blot assay. We found that sinomenine was able to decrease the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of RB cells in a dose-dependent manner; moreover, sinomenine also significantly suppressed the migration as well as invasion ability of WERI-RB-1 and Y79 cells in vitro. Furthermore, sinomenine also de-activated PI3K/AKT signaling in WERI-RB-1 cells via inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT proteins. Sinomenine can exert anti-tumor function on RB cells in vitro, therefore sinomenine might be a potential alterative medication for the treatment for RB.

Objective The protective effects of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced apoptosis were investigated in murine MIN6 pancreatic β-cells. The role of uncoupling protein-3 (UCP3) signaling in this process was also explored. Methods After treatment with IL-1β and EGCG, cells were collected and analyzed. Cell viability was measured using the CCK8 assay and the function of β-cells was evaluated by analyzing insulin secretion. Detection of mitochondrial function in cells was performed by measuring mitochondrial membrane potential, the concentration of ATP and activity of ROS. Apoptosis was analyzed by Hochest33258 staining and flow cytometry. Expression levels of UCP3 were interrogated using immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and Western blotting. Results Compared with the control group, IL-1β treatment (20nM) for 24 h significantly decreased cell viability and insulin secretion, damaged mitochondrial function and increased ROS activity. Results also showed increased apoptosis and a decrease in UCP3 expression levels (p

As a crucial tool for exploring and characterizing the structure properties of the molecular graphs, spectrum analysis and computation are flourishing in recent year. Let Ln be obtained from the tr...

Growing evidence has indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs) are modulators of osteoarthritis (OA) development and progression. In this study, we first evaluated the anti-apoptosis and chondroprotective effects of microRNA-675-3p (miR-675-3p) on interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-stimulated human chondrocytes. The overexpression of miR-675-3p inhibited apoptosis and cartilage matrix degradation and promoted cell proliferation in human chondrocytes. Target gene prediction and luciferase reporter assays suggested that G-protein subunit γ 5 (GNG5) may be the target gene of miR-675-3p. The overexpression of miR-675-3p inhibited IL-1β-stimulated chondrocyte apoptosis, and this effect was reversed by the overexpression of GNG5. Finally, we used bioinformatic tools and biological methods to show that the long noncoding RNA X-inactive specific transcript (lncRNA XIST) could bind to miR-675-3p, which affects the expression of GNG5 mRNA. Our findings may substantiate miR-675-3p as a new treatment for OA.

The compound 20(S),25-epoxydammarane-3β,12β,24α-triol (24-hydroxy-panaxadiol or 24-OH-PD), isolated from the red Panax ginseng CA Meyer possesses anticancer activity. Our aim was to study the pharm...

Endophytic fungi of medicinal plants have attracted wide attention due to their various active biochemical substances that are similar to those of the host plants and can be easily fermented and cultured. As a traditional medicine and food homologous plant in Xinjiang, Brassica rapa L. has a long history of applications. Recently, it has been shown that B. rapa L. has hypoglycemic, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties. However, there are no studies on the function and diversity of enophytic fungi of B. rapa L. Four endophytic fungus (pr6, pr7, pr8, and pr10) strains were isolated from B. rapa L. in our laboratory. The metabolic extracts from pr10 have significant effects in terms of antitumor activity. In this study, in terms of types and contents, compared with those of the other three endophytic fungi, the dominant metabolites of pr10 were determined by comparative metabolomics analysis. The results of metabolomics analysis indicated that the metabolites of pr10 are rich in amino acids and sugar derivatives such as trehalose, whose ability to inhibit the A549 cell line has been proved. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development and utilization of B. rapa L. and its endophytic fungi to form antitumor agents.

Purpose Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proved to act crucial parts in the progress of human tumor. However, the role of lncRNAs in drug resistance of tumor cells remains to be further elucidated. The present study aimed to explore whether lncRNA NCK-AS1 could affect the cisplatin (DDP) resistance in human osteosarcoma cell and the underlying molecular mechanism. Methods The expression of NCK1-AS1 and miR-137 in osteosarcoma cells was detected by qRT-PCR. CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, Western blotting, wound healing assay and transwell assay were employed to assess the cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In addition, CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, qRT-PCR and resistance gene activity analysis were performed to assess the DDP sensitivity of osteosarcoma cells. The interaction between NCK1-AS1 and miR-137 was identified using a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Results The results revealed that NCK1-AS1 was significantly upregulated in osteosarcoma cells, as well as in DDP-resistant osteosarcoma cells. NCK1-AS1 silence inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells, whereas enhanced the sensitivity of osteosarcoma cells to DDP. Furthermore, NCK1-AS1 directly interacted with miR-137 and overexpression of miR-137 suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. Most importantly, miR-137 overexpression enhanced the sensitivity of osteosarcoma cells to DDP, and high expression of NCK1-AS1 reversed the influences of miR-137 overexpression on DDP-resistant cells. Conclusion In short, NCK1-AS1 knockdown enhanced DDP sensitivity of osteosarcoma cells by regulating miR-137, which may be a novel potential target for anti-DDP resistance in human osteosarcoma.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are normally used as flame retardants, plasticizers and lubricants, but have become environmental pollutants. Because OPEs are normally present alongside heavy metals in soils, the effects of interactions between OPEs and heavy metals on plant uptake of OPEs need to be determined. In this study, we investigated the effects of OPEs chemical structure, plant cultivar and copper (Cu) on the uptake and translocation of OPEs by plants. The bioaccumulation of OPEs varied among plant cultivars. They were preferentially enriched in carrot, with the lowest concentrations observed in maize. OPEs with electron-ring substituents (ER-OPEs) exhibited a higher potential for root uptake than did OPEs with open-chain substituents (OC-OPEs), which could be attributed to the higher sorption of ER-OPEs onto root charged surfaces. This was explained by the stronger noncovalent interactions with the electron-rich structure of ER-OPEs. The presence of Cu slightly reduced the distinct difference in the ability of roots to take up OC-OPEs and ER-OPEs. This was explained by the interactions of Cu ions with the electron-rich structure of ER-OPEs, which suppressed the sorption of ER-OPEs on the root surface. A negative relationship between the logarithms of the translocation factor and octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) was observed in treatments with either OPEs only or OPEs + Cu, implying the significant role of hydrophobicity in the OPEs acropetal translocation. The results will improve our understanding of the uptake and translocation of OPEs by plant cultivars as well as how the process is affected by the chemical structure of OPEs and Cu, leading to improvements in the ecological risk assessment of OPEs in the food chain.

A nickel-catalysed direct terminal monofluoromethlyation between alkyl tosylates and a low-cost, industrial raw material bromofluoromethane has been developed. This transformation has demonstrated high efficiency, mild conditions, and good functional-group compatibility. The key to success of this transformation lies in the ligand and mild base selection, ensuring the generation of various terminal monofluormethylation products.

This digest paper reports on the demonstration of a hybrid system consisting of a silicon carbide (SiC) microdisk cavity and a hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanomechanical resonator. Strong mechanical coupling between the constituents is revealed in both optical interferometry measurements and finite element method (FEM) simulations, even with the thickness of h-BN scaled down to a few atomic layers. Numerical computations assess that the hybrid device will lead to an improvement of vacuum coupling rate by 454 Hz (∼47%) at the h-BN thickness of 36 nm, compared to the bare SiC microdisk. Understanding of the nanomechanical properties facilitates design and implementation of SiC/h-BN hybrid systems and opens a new door to coherent transduction between optics and mechanics on this platform.

A new method based on coordination polymer [Cu(bipy)(SO4)]n (CP) and functionalized CP, which have a low cost and a easy preparation for selective removal of two organic pollutants in aqueous solut...

Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), playing a central role in regulating aerobic glycolysis, was considered as a promising target for cancer therapy. However, its role in cancer metastasis is rarely known. Here, we found a tight relationship between PKM2 and breast cancer metastasis, demonstrated by the findings that beta‐elemene (β‐elemene), an approved drug for complementary cancer therapy, exerted distinct anti‐metastatic activity dependent on PKM2. The results indicated that β‐elemene inhibited breast cancer cell migration, invasion in vitro as well as metastases in vivo. β‐Elemene further inhibited the process of aerobic glycolysis and decreased the utilization of glucose and the production of pyruvate and lactate through suppressing pyruvate kinase activity by modulating the transformation of dimeric and tetrameric forms of PKM2. Further analysis revealed that β‐elemene suppressed aerobic glycolysis by blocking PKM2 nuclear translocation and the expression of EGFR, GLUT1 and LDHA by influencing the expression of importin α5. Furthermore, the effect of β‐elemene on migration, invasion, PKM2 transformation, and nuclear translocation could be reversed in part by fructose‐1,6‐bisphosphate (FBP) and L‐cysteine. Taken together, tetrameric transformation and nuclear translocation of PKM2 are essential for cancer metastasis, and β‐elemene inhibited breast cancer metastasis via blocking aerobic glycolysis mediated by dimeric PKM2 transformation and nuclear translocation, being a promising anti‐metastatic agent from natural compounds.

A new type of non-ventilation excavation system model, which is based on the theory of simultaneously exploiting coal resources and gas from high-gas coal seams in a closed space, is established, consisting of a central ventilation tunnel and a non-ventilated excavating roadway. The respiration and comfort of the mining personnel, as well as gas control, are investigated. The nitrogen curtain is activated prior to opening the air door to replace the gas in the air perturbation space with nitrogen. The nitrogen curtain is simultaneously activated in the barotropic zone to prevent the flow of oxygen into the excavating roadway. The gas pressure relationship between different zones is studied when the air door is closed. The gas pressure only allows nitrogen to flow from the barotropic zone to the central tunnel zone, which ensures that the oxygen is effectively controlled under the closed air door condition. The proposed mechanism for blocking oxygen in the bypass tunnel is validated via the building analogy simulation and numerical simulation model. The presented non-ventilation excavation design efficiently blocks oxygen via simultaneous control of the air door and nitrogen curtain. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the application of non-ventilation excavation processing.

Fe-Mn binary oxide has received increasing interest in treating As(III)-containing polluted groundwater due to its low cost and environmental friendliness. Although the stability of Fe-Mn binary oxide is as important as its adsorption ability, little is known about whether and why Fe-Mn binary oxide is stable during As(III) removal. In this study, five successive cycles were conducted to evaluate the stability of Fe-Mn binary oxide for As(III) removal. As(III) oxidation/adsorption kinetics and the speciation distribution of the released Fe and Mn elements within single Fe oxide, Mn oxide, and Fe-Mn binary oxide were investigated by using characterization techniques of TEM-EDS mapping, selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and XPS combined with a binary component reactor, where Fe and Mn oxides were separated by a semipermeable membrane. The results revealed that Fe-Mn binary oxide could maintain excellent stability, although As(III) oxidation/adsorption behavior was coupled with the release of Fe and Mn ions from its surface. The great stability of Fe-Mn binary oxide for As(III) removal was attributed to the rapid return of aqueous Fe(II) and Mn(II) to the solid surface, which subsequently formed new mineral phases mediated by Fe and Mn oxides, thus considerably decreasing the loss of released Mn(II) and Fe(II).

Photocatalytic H2O2 production is an innovative on-site H2O2 synthesis method to treat organic pollutants through Fenton-like reactions, avoiding the need and potential liability of H2O2 storage and transportation. Accurate quantification of H2O2 is crucial to explore the mechanism of photocatalytic H2O2 production and optimize reaction parameters. In this work, three common H2O2 quantification methods (i.e., titration with potassium permanganate (KMnO4), and colorimetry with ammonium metavanadate (NH4VO3) or N,N-diethylp-phenylenediamine-horseradish peroxidase (DPD-POD)) were compared and their susceptibility to interference by seven types of representative organics were considered. Interference mechanisms were explored based on the electron-donating (Egap) and electron-accepting (ELUMO) ability of the present organics. The accuracy of the KMnO4 titration method is greatly compromised by aromatic compounds even at 0.1 mM due to the increased KMnO4 consumption by direct oxidation. The presence of p-benzoquinone that directly reacts with NH4VO3 and DPD compromises these colorimetric methods, especially DPD-POD colorimetry at concentrations as low as 0.1 mM. The DPD-POD method should also be scrutinized in the presence of phenols due to significant disturbance by oxidation byproducts (e.g. hydroquinone inducing immediate color disappearance). A flowchart was generated to provide guidelines for selecting an appropriate H2O2 quantification method for different water matrices treated by Fenton-like reactions.

BackgroundOphioglossum vulgatum Linn. (Ophioglossaceae) (OV), which is traditionally used on wounds and burns, enjoys a reputation as the king of medicine in Taiwan. There are few studies on its role in gastrointestinal diseases. Our aim was to assess the antidiarrheal and spasmolytic effect of the ethanol whole plant extract of Ophioglossum vulgatum (EWOV).MethodsStudy was conducted from June 2018 to July 2019. The chemical constituents of EWOV were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In vivo, the antidiarrheal activity of EWOV (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg; orally) in castor oil-induced Kun Ming mice was evaluated. In vitro, the effect of EWOV (0.01-10 mg/mL) on the spontaneous contraction of isolated rabbit jejunum smooth muscle was studied. Verapamil was the positive control group in both vivo and vitro studies. The jejunum stripes were pre-contracted by ACh (10-5 M) and KCl (60 mM) which could induce the jejunum spasm. The possible spasmolytic effect was analyzed in the pretreatment of the jejunum preparations with EWOV (0.3, 1 mg/mL) or verapamil (0.03, 0.1 µM) in Ca2+-free and high-K+ (60 mM) solution containing EDTA.ResultsEWOV (250 and 500 mg/kg) exhibited antidiarrheal effect. EWOV (0.01-10 mg/mL) inhibited the spontaneous and ACh/KCl-induced contraction with an EC50 value of 1.46 (0.89-2.04), 1.06 (0.63-1.48) and 0.48 (0.29-0.67), and it shifted the concentration-response curves of CaCl2 to right with decreased in max, similar to verapamil. ConclusionsEWOV has significant antidiarrheal and spasmolytic effect, possibly by mediating calcium channel blocking activity, this provides the pharmacological basis for use in gastrointestinal disorders.

mascRNA is a small cytoplasmic RNA derived from the lncRNA MALAT1. After being processed by the tRNA processing enzymes RNase P and RNase Z, mascRNA undergoes CCA addition like tRNAs and folds into a tRNA‐like cloverleaf structure. While MALAT1 functions in multiple cellular processes, the role of mascRNA was largely unknown. Here, we show that mascRNA binds directly to the multi‐tRNA synthetase complex (MSC) component glutaminyl‐tRNA synthetase (QARS). mascRNA promotes global protein translation and cell proliferation by positively regulating QARS protein levels. Our results uncover a role of mascRNA that is independent of MALAT1, but could be part of the molecular mechanism of MALAT1's function in cancer, and provide a paradigm for understanding tRNA‐like structures in mammalian cells.

Visible light (400-700nm), which contributes to 45% of solar radiation, contributes to skin darkening and worsening of dyschromias, particularly in individuals with Fitzpatrick skin phototypes III and higher. Currently, sunscreens provide limited protection against that spectrum. Due to their capabilities in absorbing, scattering, and reflecting visible light, topical products containing pigments and/or metal oxides can provide additional photoprotection. In this study, the efficacy of two formulations containing iron oxide was evaluated in preventing visible light-induced pigmentation compared with a non-tinted mineral SPF 50+ sunscreen. Expert grading and colorimetry demonstrated that the iron-oxide containing formulations significantly protected against visible light-induced pigmentation compared to untreated skin or mineral SPF 50+ sunscreen in Fitzpatrick IV individuals. These results highlight that iron-oxide containing formulas in a foundation format have dual functions and can provide additional benefits in patients' daily routine by masking existing pigmentation and preventing the development of pigmentation triggered by sunlight exposure, extending protection beyond UV spectrum. J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19(7): doi:10.36849/JDD.2020.5032 THIS ARTICLE HAD BEEN MADE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO ACCESS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS ARTICLE WITHOUT LOGGING IN. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PLEASE CONTACT THE PUBLISHER WITH ANY QUESTIONS.

Background Light-emitting diode (LED) and quartz-tungsten-halogen (QTH) curing lights are used commonly in clinics. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of these lights on the proliferation of human gingival epithelial cells. Methods Smulow-Glickman (S-G) cells were exposed to a VALO LED (Ultradent) or an XL3000 QTH (3M ESPE) light at 1 millimeter or 6 mm distance for 18, 39, 60, and 120 seconds. Untreated and Triton X-100 treated cells were used as controls. At 24, 48, and 72 hours after light exposure, cell proliferation was evaluated via a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Results The authors first evaluated the performances of these 2 lights. Both LED and QTH lights generated heat. The LED light generated less heat than the QTH light and could save approximately two-thirds of the curing time. When used for 18 seconds at a 6 mm distance, the LED light did not inhibit the proliferation of S-G cells. However, if the exposure time was longer (for example, 39, 60, or 120 seconds), the LED light inhibited cell proliferation. The inhibitory effect increased when the exposure time was increased to 39, 60, or 120 seconds. The QTH light did not inhibit S-G cell proliferation if the exposure time was less than 120 seconds. Conclusions Prolonged exposure to a blue curing light (both LED and QTH) inhibits the proliferation of gingival epithelial cells and may cause damages to oral soft tissues. Practical Implications In dental practices, a balance should be struck in consideration of curing time not only to cure the composites completely but also to minimize unnecessarily prolonged light exposure.

The disruption of neuronal iron homeostasis and oxidative stress are related to the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a naturally occurring enzyme cofactor with antioxidant and iron chelator properties and has many known effects. ALA has neuroprotective effects on PD. However, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, we established PD models induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) to explore the neuroprotective ability of ALA and its underlying mechanism in vivo and in vitro. Our results showed that ALA could provide significant protection from 6-OHDA-induced cell damage in vitro by decreasing the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species and iron. ALA significantly promoted the survival of the dopaminergic neuron in the 6-OHDA-induced PD rat model and remarkably ameliorated motor deficits by dramatically inhibiting the decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase expression and superoxide dismutase activity in the substantia nigra. Interestingly, ALA attenuated 6-OHDA-induced iron accumulation both in vivo and in vitro by antagonizing the 6-OHDA-induced upregulation of iron regulatory protein 2 and divalent metal transporter 1. These results indicated that the neuroprotective mechanism of ALA against neurological injury induced by 6-OHDA may be related to the regulation of iron homeostasis and reduced oxidative stress levels. Therefore, ALA may provide neuroprotective therapy for PD and other diseases related to iron metabolism disorder.

Autoreactive CD8+ T cells, which play an indispensable role in β cell destruction, represent an emerging target for the prevention of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Altered peptide ligands (APLs) can efficiently induce antigen-specific T cells anergy, apoptosis or shifts in the immune response. Here, we found that HLA-A*0201-restricted CD8+ T cell responses against a primary β-cell autoantigen insulin epitope InsB15-14 were present in both NOD.β2mnull.HHD NOD mice and T1D patients. We generated several APL candidates for InsB15-14 by residue substitution at the p6 position. Only H6F exhibited an inhibitory effect on mInsB15-14-specific CD8+ T cell responses in vitro. H6F treatment significantly reduced the T1D incidence, which was accompanied by diminished autoreactive CD8+ T cell responses to mInsB15-14, inhibited infiltration of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in the pancreas and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine production in pancreatic and splenic T cells in NOD.β2mnull.HHD mice. Mechanistically, H6F treatment significantly augmented a tiny portion of CD8+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells in the spleen and especially in the pancreas. This subset exhibited typical Treg phenotypes and required peptide-specific restimulation to exert immunosuppressive activity. Therefore, this APL H6F may be a promising candidate with potential clinical application value for antigen-specific prevention of T1D.

The following paper reported and discussed a nitrite ion optical sensing platform based on a core-shell structure, using superamagnetic nanoparticles as the core, a silica molecular sieve MCM-41 as the shell and two rhodamine derivatives as probe, respectively. This superamagnetic core made this sensing platform reclaimable after finishing nitrite ion sensing procedure. This sensing platform was carefully characterized by means of electron microscopy images, porous structure analysis, magnetic response, IR spectra and thermal stability analysis. Detailed analysis suggested that the emission of these composite samples was quenchable by nitrite ion, showing emission turn off effect. A static sensing mechanism based on an additive reaction between chemosensors and nitrite ion was proposed. These composite samples followed Demas quenching equation against different nitrite ion concentrations. Limit of detection value was obtained as low as 0.4 μM. It was found that, after being quenched by nitrite ion, these composite samples could be reclaimed and recovered by sulphamic acid, confirming their recyclability.

Background/Aims: The association between the genetic polymorphisms located in either the exon or untranslated region of MTHFR and the risk of human atherosclerosis has been well-documented. This study analyzed MTHFR polymorphisms at the 3’-untranslated region for association with risk and outcome of atherosclerosis in a Chinese Han population. Methods: The hospital based case-control study was conducted with 500 patients and 600 healthy volunteers as control enrolled. The genotyping was conducted by using Taqman probe. The potential interaction was predicted by multiple bioinformatics analysis. The relative expression of MTHFR was detected by qRT-PCR. Further confirmation was determined by dual-luciferase assay. The plasma homocysteine levels were assayed by ELISA. Results: Cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, diabetes, hypertension and low levels of serum high-density lipoprotein-C were associated with an increased risk of developing ischemic stroke. MTHFR rs915014 AG and GG genotypes were significantly associated with increased risk of rs915014 compared with the GG genotype. The qRT-PCR confirmed that MTHFR rs915014 AG or GG genotypes could facilitate miR-2861 binding leading to decreased MTHFR levels in cells. In addition, patients carrying the MTHFR rs915014 AG or GG genotypes were associated with accumulation of circulating tHcy volume and a poor atherosclerosis consequence. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the MTHFR rs915014 is associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis and might be a shot term outcome biomarker for atherosclerosis patients.

A novel pyridine vapor sensor has been prepared by modifying the Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) with nanoscale metal-organic framework (NMOF, named as Al(OH)(1,4-NDC)). The preparation conditions for the sensor were optimized. Improved sensing performance was achieved by using dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) instead of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to disperse the NMOF on the QCM. In addition, the sensor’s sensitivity was greatly enhanced by increasing the load of NMOF. A good linear relationship was obtained (ln(△f) = 6.403 + 0.434 lnC, R2 = 0.99876) in the range of 0.3–25 ppm of pyridine. The sensor exhibited high selectivity, repeatability and long-term stability for pyridine detection. The adsorption mechanism of pyridine on sensor was studied by van der Waals corrected density functional theory calculation. The recovery ratio of the pyridine vapor sensor was 97.5–108.7%.

Organic and inorganic fertilizers are major sources of N2O emission in vegetable field and their combined applications are recommended in China. However, the microbial processes for N2O production and consumption after combined applications of organic and inorganic fertilizers to vegetable field remain unclear making the optimal fertilization scheme less accurate. To address this issue, five substitution rates of organic fertilizer for inorganic fertilizer including 0 (0M), 20 (20M), 50 (50M), 80 (80M), and 100% (100M) and a no fertilizer control (NF) were evaluated on Chinese cabbage (Brassica pekinensis L. var). N2O fluxes, N2O isotopocule ratios, Chinese cabbage yield and environmental parameters were measured. According to the revised dual isotopocule mapping of δ18O vs. δ15NSP (difference value of 15N in Nα–Nβ–O molecule site preference), the nitrification contribution for the 100M, 80M, 50M, 20M, 0M and NF treatments were 41, 28, 33, 34, 39, and 37%, respectively, and the extent of N2O reduction were 74, 67, 48, 35, 11, and 78%, respectively. Such results suggest that denitrification was the major microbial process and was promoted by adding organic fertilizer. Increasing the substitution rates of organic fertilizer improved the extent of N2O reduction and thus mitigated N2O emission. In addition, increasing the substitution rates of organic fertilizer improved C/N ratio and N2O isotopocule deltas, yet reduced N2O emission, Chinese cabbage yield, and soil mineral nitrogen content. In all the evaluated substitution rates, the 20M treatment had the best performance in maintaining the Chinese cabbage yield and reducing the N2O emission. These findings reveal that the dual double isotopocule mapping is useful for partitioning N2O source and sink on a field scale. Adding organic fertilizer could reduce N2O emission by enhancing N2O reduction to N2 and the 20% substitution rate of organic fertilizer is the appropriate substitution rate. Furthermore, an optimal substitution rate of organic fertilizer should be explored between 20% and 50% in later studies.

Vegetable production systems with excessive nitrogen fertilizer result in severe N2O emission. It is pivotal to identify the source of N2O for reducing N2O emission, but estimating microbial pathways of N2O production is very difficult due to the existence of N2O reduction. A promising tool can address this problem by using δ18O and δ15NSP of N2O to construct a dual isotopocule plot. For ascertaining the microbial pathways of N2O production and consumption in soil fertilized for vegetable production, four treatments were set up: urea (U), half urea and half organic fertilizer (UO), organic fertilizer (O) and no fertilizer (NF), and the experiment was carried out continuously for two years. The δ18O vs. δ15NSP plot method indicated that the nitrification/fungal denitrification was a dominant in N2O emission, and the U treatment was the highest, followed by OU, O and NF in the both years. Among the different treatments, furthermore, the N2O flux had the same trend, whereas the extent of N2O reduction showed an opposite trend. Overall, inorganic fertilizer enhances nitrification/fungal denitrification and hinders reduction of N2O to N2, resulting in a larger amount of N2O emission. However, organic fertilizer increases the contribution of denitrification and greatly improves the extent of N2O reduction, which helps to reduce N2O emission. Therefore, organic fertilizer is crucial to reducing N2O emission by enhancing N2O reduction and should be properly applied in production practice.

Previously, we have reported that the dysregulation of ketogenesis plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Here, we demonstrate decreased expression of the HMGCS2 gene in ccRCC, a critical enzyme for the synthesis of the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate (β-OHB). We found that the reduced transcription of the HMGCS2 gene in ccRCC cells was significantly correlated to a higher relative methylation rate in its promotor region. The higher methylation rate in the region of the transcription start site and 1st exon of the HMGCS2 gene was, in turn, correlated with a worse clinical outcome for patients. The transcription of HMGCS2 was possible to restore by treatment with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and with the histone deacetylase inhibitor β-OHB. Therefore, the low levels of the HMGCS2 enzyme in ccRCC may be the consequence of hypermethylation of the HMGCS2 promotor. The ensuing reduction in the ketone body levels further suppresses the transcription of HMGCS2 via a feedback loop. Ectopic expression of HMGCS2 attenuates the migration and invasion of ccRCC but does not affect the proliferative capacity of ccRCC cells in vitro. In addition, we showed that ectopic expression of HMGCS2 boosts the intracellular levels of β-OHB and that exogenously applied β-OHB suppresses the motility and invasion of ccRCC. Our study reveals crosstalk between genes that regulate metabolism and their metabolites, thus providing a better understanding of the epigenetic mechanism involved in ccRCC carcinogenesis and suggesting opportunities for metabolic therapy of tumors. Initially, we suggest that the mRNA level of HMGCS2 could serve as a potentially valuable diagnostic (AUC = 0.918, p 0.001) and prognostic biomarker.

Effective removal of the radioactive iodine from aqueous solution is imperative but still far from the desired level. Here, a pillared double-wall MOF adsorption membrane comprised of {[Zn3(DL-lac)2(pybz)2]·2.5DMF}n abbreviated as lac-Zn was reported. The synthesis of the lac-Zn membrane is conducted on the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) support via the seed secondary growth method. A smooth and uniform lac-Zn seed layer can be deposited onto the PTFE support with the combination of the vacuum filtration and spin-coating method, and a continuous and well-intergrown lac-Zn polycrystalline film is formed with a thickness of around 25 μm. Lac-Zn polycrystalline film shows good stabality in the irradiation evironment. The maximum static adsorption capacity of the lac-Zn membrane for iodine ions in cyclohexane solution is 755 mg·g−1, and corresponding dynamic adsorption capacity in aqueous solution is 31.72 mg·g−1. In the dynamic adsorption of iodine aqueous solution, the iodine removal efficiency decreases from the initial 92.89% to 78.21% at 216 minutes. The iodine ions were captured by the lac-Zn membrane through the formation of I3− anions from the solution. The high iodine capture performance of the lac-Zn membrane can be attributed to the confined nanochannels and considerable pore volume providing enough adsorption sites for iodine ions and the abundant π-electron walls in pybz strengthening the affinity towards iodine.

The removal of nitrogen oxides (NOX) by semiconductor photocatalysis is an emerging technology in recent years. However, due to incomplete oxidation, the photocatalytic oxidation of NOX is usually accompanied by the generation of toxic intermediate by-products nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which causes secondary pollution and seriously limits its practical application. To tackle the issue, ZIF-67/CoOOH (ZIF-CH) cocatalyst was constructed via flexible strongly alkali oxidation treatment to modify g-C3N4, in which ZIF-67 was selected as a cobalt source of CoOOH. XRD, SEM, TEM and XPS demonstrated the ZIF-CH was successfully synthesized and anchored on CN. UV–vis, PL, EIS, transfer photocurrent response and DFT indicated that the introduction of ZIF-CH enlarged the response range to visible light, favored the separation and transfer of carriers and improved NO/NO2 adsorption ability. Consequently, the optimized ZIF-67/CoOOH/g-C3N4 (ZIF-CH/CN) exhibited a superior NO removal efficiency of 52.5% without any generation of toxic by-product NO2, and the cycling tests indicated the high stability of ZIF-CH/CN was obtained. In-suit DRIFTS and ESR were used to investigate the reaction pathway by comparing adsorption energy and detecting the reaction intermediates and products. More importantly, this result reveal that amount of hydroxyl radical (·OH) increased after introducing ZIF-CH cocatalyst, which promotes the deep oxidation of NO. These findings could supply a convenient and effective strategy for the design of a cocatalyst to enhance the photocatalytic oxidation performance of NO and inhibit the production of toxic by-product NO2.

Polygonum cuspidatum is an important medicinal plant, which produces bioactive stilbenes and quinones, has been developed to be an important economic crop and cultivated in the Qinba mountain area, central China for years. Little is understood about its genetic characterization, which has impeded functional genomic studies of P. cuspidatum. In order to tackle genetic insights into the metabolic pathways of natural products, a comprehensive transcriptome analysis was conducted using Illumina sequencing amongst five major organs, namely roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits in P. cuspidatum. As a result, 219,411 non-redundant transcripts and 159,545 functionally annotated unigenes were identified with mean lengths of 662 and 813 nucleotides, respectively. Organ-specific gene analysis unveiled that flowers presents the most abundance of unique transcripts (7,366), whereas the least does in roots (1,052). The gene expression profiles related to the metabolism of resveratrol and anthraquinone were investigated, and the contents of bioactive compounds in the different organs were determined, revealing that resveratrol and emodin were preferentially accumulated in the roots. In addition, our transcription factor analysis suggested that some bHLH- and MYB-TF family genes showed organ-enriched expression patterns and may mediate the metabolic processes. A total number of 25,404 simple sequence repeats were identified, which will benefit germplasm identification and discrimination of P. cuspidatum varieties. This study presents the assembly of a de novo transcriptome that will promote the investigation of the biosynthetic genes of natural products in P. cuspidatum, and enrich the genetic knowledge of this medical plant.

Resource utilization of dredged sediments has been an urgent issue in recent years in China. To solve this problem, an approach of zeolite synthesized by dredged sediment was proposed for the first time in this study. Then the optimum conditions for sediment-based zeolite (SZ) synthesis and its adsorption performance of aqueous Cd (Ⅱ) were investigated. The results showed that the optimal parameters of SZ synthesis were 3–6 mol/L HCl as the extracting agent, a NaOH/RM ratio of 1.4:1–2.1:1, and 80–100 °C and 12–24 h as the crystallization temperature and reaction time. The specific surface area of the SZ (516.36 m2/g) was much larger than that of the initial sediment (9.51 m2/g), while the adsorption equilibrium of Cd (Ⅱ) by SZ could be achieved within 120 min. Moreover, the maximum adsorption capacity was 206.64 mg/g at the optimal condition of pH = 5.0 and a SZ concentration of 1.5 g/L. In addition, ion exchange between Cd(II) and Na+ was demonstrated to be the predominant mechanism for Cd(II) adsorption by SZ. Other functional groups including –OH or –CH on the surface of the SZ could combine with Cd(II) to form complexes to remove Cd(II) as well. Furthermore, the SZ was successfully regenerated in this work. The findings confirmed that SZ could be reused as an effective adsorbent for the treatment of Cd(II)-polluted wastewater, which could provide a new and feasible approach to the resource utilization of dredged sediments.

Passivation is widely used in the remediation of cadmium (Cd) polluted soils. However, this technique could only reduce the bioavailability of soil Cd rather than remove Cd from the soils. Herein, it is crucial to develop an efficient in-situ technique to remove soil Cd, and further to uncover its effect and mechanism on crops and soil environment. In this study, a soil pot experiment was employed to investigate the effects of a well-designed reusable device on in situ Cd removal from the two paddy soils (red soil and brown soil), rice (Oryza sativa L) growth, and the associated health risk of Cd. The device contained three typical soil Cd amendments including cation exchange resin (CER), biochar (BC), and steel slag (SS). Each of the soil amendments was combined with slow-release fertilizer (SRF) or conventional compound fertilizers (CF). The results indicated that the device with CER, BC, and SS decreased soil Cd by 12.6%, 16.2%, and 19.8%, respectively. Thus, it reduced the rice Cd accumulation by 30.6%, 16.1%, and 29%, and increased the rice yield by 70.3%, 42.6%, and 55.4%, respectively. This could be stemmed from the improvement of photosynthesis and the reduction of oxidative damage, as well as the increase in the relative abundance of soil beneficial microbial community. Moreover, the grey correlation degrees and human health risk index (HRI) indicated that the in-situ removal device could diminish the health risk of Cd in rice. The findings reported in this work could provide a new solution to remediate heavy metal contaminated soils.

We design a novel high throughput photonic crystal microsphere (PHCM) suspension array for multiplex mycotoxins in cereal samples based on the aptamer fluorescence signal recovery. The hybridization duplex strand DNA from mycotoxin aptamer and anti-aptamer respectively labeled with fluorescence dye and quencher was immobilized on the carboxylated surfaces of PHCMs. When the corresponding mycotoxin targets bind to their aptamers, the fluorescence recovery signal intensity of PHCMs reported the concentration of mycotoxins. The different kinds of mycotoxins were distinguished by the structure colors of PHCMs. The fluorescence signal intensity on the PHCMs is nearly higher 100 times than that of solid glass beads. The detection system presents an ultrasensitive, high selectivity, and small volume reagent screening for multiplex mycotoxins with a dynamic linear detection range of 0.1 pg/mL–0.1 ng/mL for AFB1/OTA and 0.1 ng/mL–10 ng/mL for FB1 and a limit of detection (LOD) of 15.96 fg/mL, 3.96 fg/mL and 11.04 pg/mL for AFB1, OTA and FB1, respectively. The recovery rates in spiked cereal samples were well consistent with that of the traditional ELISA. The designed system provides a new high throughput aptamer-based suspension array for small molecule screening in parallel.

Photonic encoding magnetized silica microspheres were synthesized from a polydisperse system containing silica and Fe3O4 nanoparticles by using a microfluidic self-assembly device. The optical and structural properties of the magnetized microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and reflection spectra. The concentration of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in polydisperse system was found to strongly affect the characteristics of magnetized microspheres. They possess a Janus face, are porous, and possess structural color (red). The magnetic characteristic of the synthesized microspheres is not lost after they are immersed in piranha solution for 12 h. The magnetized microspheres were applied to aptamer-based enrichment of the food toxin Ochratoxin A (OTA). Methods for immobilization of OTA aptamer on the microsphere surfaces were investigated. The modified microspheres can extract up to 80% of OTA if the surface of the microspheres is loaded with 275 ng·cm−2 of aptamer and the number of microspheres is 200. The work provides a new pathway for aptamer-based enrichment of small molecules from complex matrixes.

Summary Fatty acid biosynthesis is a primary metabolic pathway that occurs in plastids, whereas the formation of glycerolipid molecules for the majority of cellular membrane systems and the deposition of storage lipid in seeds takes place in the cytosolic compartment. In this report, we present a study of an Arabidopsis mutant, ar21, with a novel seed fatty acid phenotype showing a higher content of eicosanoic acid (20:1) and oleic acid (18:1) and a reduced level of α-linolenic acid (18:3). A combination of map-based cloning and whole genome sequencing identified the genetic basis underlying the fatty acid phenotype as a lesion in the plant-specific eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIFiso4G1. Transcriptome analysis on developing seeds revealed a reduced level of plastid-encoded genes. Specifically, decreases in both transcript and protein levels of an enzyme involved in lipid biosynthesis, the β-subunit of the plastidic heteromeric acetyl-CoA carboxylase (htACCase) encoded by accD, were evident in the mutant. Biochemical assays showed that the developing seeds of the mutant possessed a decreased htACCase activity in the plastid but an elevated activity of homomeric acetyl-CoA carboxylase (hmACCase). These results suggested that the increased 20:1 was attributable at least in part to the enhanced cytosolic hmACCase activity. We also detected a significant repression of FATTY ACID DESATURASE 3 (FAD3) during seed development, which correlated with a decreased 18:3 level in seed oil. Together, our study on a mutant of eIFiso4G1 uncovered multifaceted interactions between the cytosolic and plastidic compartments in seed lipid biosynthesis that impact major seed oil traits. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The BaFe12O19 nanoparticles was prepared by sol-gel method in different temperature (750°C,850°Cand 950°C), and then BaFe12O19/polyaniline nanocomposites was synthesized by in situ polymerization. The XRD, FTIR spectra, SEM and vector network analyzer were used to analyze the "" chemical component, morphology and microwave absorption property of the nanocomposites. The result show that BaFe12O19 can be generated at 750°C without any impurity ,and its size increased with increase of calcination temperature.BaFe12O19 nanoparticle was coated with polyaniline partially, and we can get it have interaction with polyaniline through FTIR spectra. While the ferrite calcined at 850°C,the thickness of the absorbing material is 4.5mm,the nanocomposites have the largest reflection loss of-17.6 dB at 6 GHz,and its reflection loss values less than−10 dB in the range of 5-7.4GHz.

We investigated the levels and distributions of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in 159 background soil samples collected from 30 forested mountain sites across China. The sum of DDT was the most abundant OCP, with the concentrations of 0.197-207 ng/g and 0.033-122 ng/g in the O-horizon and A-horizon, respectively. High concentrations of OCPs usually occur near agricultural regions or high consumption areas. The spatial distribution was mainly influenced by the emission sources and soil total organic contents (TOC). The chiral compounds were generally nonracemic in the soils and showed preferential degradation of (-) o,p'- dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, (+) trans-chlordane, and (-) cis-chlordane in both the O- and A-horizons. The enantiomeric fraction (EF) distributions of chiral OCPs displayed no differences across the forest sites in the O-horizon or the A-horizon. Comparing the deviation of EFs from racemic (DEVrac = absolute value of 0.500 - EF) with environmental parameters, we found that DEVrac of cis-chlordane demonstrated a strong positive correlation with TOC (p 0.05) and the C/N ratio (p 0.01). This relationship suggests that these factors could affect the microbial activity and significantly impact the extent of enantioselective degradation of chiral compounds in the soils. Fresh and historical applications of DDT and historical chlordane and endosulfan uses may be prominent sources of OCP accumulation in Chinese forest soils.

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease with a high prevalence worldwide, which typically delays or impairs wound healing, potentially causing death. Low-frequency ultrasound treatment promotes the repair of various injuries and may promote wound healing. The aim of the present study was to determine whether low-frequency ultrasound can accelerate wound healing, as well as investigate its effects on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in diabetic rats. A total of 45 Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with 1% streptozocin following intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital sodium anesthesia. Subsequently an incision wound was created in the skin of back. The area of the wound was recorded to calculate the rate of wound healing. The expression of VEGF and TGF-β1 was determined via immunohistochemical analysis and their mRNA and protein levels were measured via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis. The results revealed that when compared with the control group, low-frequency ultrasound treatment significantly increased wound healing rate in diabetic rats and markedly increased the mRNA and protein levels of VEGF and TGF-β1. US treatment also reduced the mRNA and protein levels of TNF-α and IL-6. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that low-frequency ultrasound promotes the expression of VEGF and TGF-β1, and inhibits the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α, thereby promoting wound healing in diabetic rats.

Stem cell apoptosis exists widely in embryonic development, tissue regeneration, repair, aging and pathophysiology of disease. The molecular mechanism of stem cell apoptosis has been extensively investigated. However, alterations in biomechanics and nanomorphology have rarely been studied. Therefore, an apoptosis model was established for bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and the reconstruction of the mechanical properties and nanomorphology of the cells were investigated in detail. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), flow cytometry and Cell Counting Kit-8 analysis were applied to assess the cellular elasticity modulus, geometry, nanomorphology, cell surface ultrastructure, biological viability and early apoptotic signals (phosphatidylserine, PS). The results indicated that the cellular elastic modulus and volume significantly decreased, whereas the cell surface roughness obviously increased during the first 3 h of cytochalasin B (CB) treatment. Moreover, these alterations preceded the exposure of biological apoptotic signal PS. These findings suggested that cellular mechanical damage is connected with the apoptosis of BMSCs, and the alterations in mechanics and nanomorphology may be a sensitive index to detect alterations in cell viability during apoptosis. The results contribute to further understanding of apoptosis from the perspective of cell mechanics., Summary: Cellular mechanical damage is connected with the apoptosis of BMSCs, and the alterations in mechanics and nanomorphology could be used as a sensitive index to detect alterations in cell viability during apoptosis.

Background As a degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by articular cartilage degradation. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) act critical roles in the regulation of OA development, including affecting the proliferation, apoptosis, extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, and inflammatory response of chondrocytes. The current study’s aim was to investigate the regulatory function and the underlying molecular mechanism of lncRNA MEG3 in ECM degradation of chondrocytes in OA. Methods In the current study, chondrocytes were induced by interleukin-1β (IL-1β) to simulate OA condition, and further assessed cell viability, lncRNA MEG3 and miR-93 expression levels. Overexpression or knockdown of lncRNA MEG3 in chondrocytes treated with IL-1β were performed to investigate the function of MEG3 in regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis and ECM degradation using EdU assay, flow cytometry, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and Western blot. The interaction between MEG3 and miR-93 was assessed using qRT-PCR. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-93 was performed as recovery experiment to explore the functional mechanism of MEG3. Results MEG3 was significantly downregulated in chondrocytes treated with IL-1β, whereas miR-93 was upregulated concomitantly. Overexpression of MEG3 induced the proliferation, suppressed the apoptosis, and relieved the degradation of ECM in IL-1β-induced chondrocytes. By contrast, knockdown of MEG3 suppressed the proliferation, promoted the apoptosis, and aggravated ECM degradation in IL-1β induced chondrocytes. In addition, MEG3 was found to relieve the inhibitive expression of TGFBR2 as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of miR-93, and then activated transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway, regulated chondrocytes ECM degradation in IL-1β induced chondrocytes subsequently. Conclusion LncRNA MEG3 targeted miR-93/TGFBR2 axis, regulated the proliferation, apoptosis and ECM degradation of chondrocytes in OA.

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is one of the major human‐induced greenhouse gases. It has a large potential for global warming, a long lifetime and can deplete ozone. In China, nitrogenous fertilizer is an important source of N₂O in agricultural soils, especially in vegetable production, where large amounts of nitrogen fertilizers are commonly used. Isotopomer ratios of N₂O, oxygen and bulk nitrogen isotope values (δ¹⁸O and δ¹⁵Nᵇᵘˡᵏ) and intramolecular ¹⁵N site preferences (SP) have recently been used to identify the sources of N₂O. In this study, vegetable farm soil was incubated with manure (M), compound fertilizers (CF) and no fertilizers (NF). The acetylene inhibition method and a ¹⁵N isotopic technique were used to reveal the most likely microbial processes leading to N₂O emissions. The results showed that the M treatment produced smaller N₂O emissions than the CF treatment of the soil. Nitrifier denitrification or denitrifier denitrification made the greatest contribution to N₂O production in the M treatment, accounting for approximately 60–89% of N₂O production, whereas it was 25–55% and 37–66% in the CF and NF treatments under non‐acetylene conditions, respectively. Under non‐acetylene conditions, N₂O reduction to N₂ was largest for treatment M (32–90%), intermediate for NF (42–77%) and smallest for CF (20–51%). The results also showed that nitrifier nitrification and N₂O reduction were partly inhibited under acetylene conditions, with a relative contribution of 9–20% and 0–83% for M, 39–48% and 0–46% for CF, and 25–35% and 0–56% for NF, respectively. Our results suggest that analysing isotopomer ratios of N₂O with SP would be a practical approach for determining the contributions of microbial processes to N₂O emissions from different pools in soil. The results revealed that manure produced smaller N₂O emissions and promoted relatively larger rates of denitrification and N₂O reduction than compound fertilizers with the same amount of N, which indicated that complementing chemical with manure fertilizers might help to reduce N₂O emissions on vegetable‐producing land. HIGHLIGHTS: We investigated emissions and sources of N₂O with different types of fertilizers. For the same amount of N, manure produced less N₂O than compound fertilizer. Stable isotope analysis revealed that denitrification was the dominant process in the manure treatment. The acetylene inhibition method can supplement δ¹⁵Nᵇᵘˡᵏ compared with the SP model to assess N₂O reduction in soil.

Aerobic glycolysis plays a decisive role in cancer growth. However, its role in cancer metastasis was rarely understood. Cantharidin a natural compound from an arthropod insect cantharis exerts potent anticancer activity. Here we found cantharidin possesses significant anti-metastatic activity on breast cancer dependent on inhibition of aerobic glycolysis. Cantharidin indicates significant inhibition on migration and invasion of breast cancer cells, angiogenesis in vitro, and inhibits breast cancer cells metastasizing to liver and lung in vivo. Subsequent results revealed that cantharidin decreases the extracellular acidification rates (ECAR) but increases the oxygen consumption rates (OCR) in high metastatic cells, leading to suppression of aerobic glycolysis. This was considered to be due to inhibiting the activity of pyruvate kinase (PK) and further blocking pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) translocation in nucleus. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) and L-cysteine can significantly reverse cantharidin inhibition on breast cancer cell migration, invasion, and PKM2 translocation. Furthermore, glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) forming a metabolic loop with PKM2 is downregulated, as well as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the regulator of the glycolytic loop. Totally, cantharidin inhibits the PKM2 nuclear translocation and breaks GLUT1/PKM2 glycolytic loop, resulting in aerobic glycolysis transformation to oxidation and subsequent reversing the metastases in breast cancer. Based on inhibiting multi signals mediated aerobic glycolysis, cantharidin could be prospectively used for prevention of metastasis in breast cancer patients.