Search

The interaction between cerebellum and cerebrum participates widely in function from motor processing to high‐level cognitive and affective processing. Because of the motor symptom, idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) patients with generalized tonic–clonic seizure have been recognized to associate with motor abnormalities, but the functional interaction in the cerebello–cerebral circuit is still poorly understood. Resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected for 101 IGE patients and 106 healthy controls. The voxel‐based functional connectivity (FC) between cerebral cortex and the cerebellum was contacted. The functional gradient and independent components analysis were applied to evaluate cerebello–cerebral functional integration on the voxel‐based FC. Cerebellar motor components were further linked to cerebellar gradient. Results revealed cerebellar motor functional modules were closely related to cerebral motor components. The altered mapping of cerebral motor components to cerebellum was observed in motor module in patients with IGE. In addition, patients also showed compression in cerebello–cerebral functional gradient between motor and cognition modules. Interestingly, the contribution of the motor components to the gradient was unbalanced between bilateral primary sensorimotor components in patients: the increase was observed in cerebellar cognitive module for the dominant hemisphere primary sensorimotor, but the decrease was found in the cerebellar cognitive module for the nondominant hemisphere primary sensorimotor. The present findings suggest that the cerebral primary motor system affects the hierarchical architecture of cerebellum, and substantially contributes to the functional integration evidence to understand the motor functional abnormality in IGE patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) is characterized by cryptogenic etiology and the striatum and cerebellum are recognized as modulators of epileptic network. We collected simultaneous electroencephalogram and functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 145 patients with IGE, 34 of whom recorded interictal epileptic discharges (IEDs) during scanning. In states without IEDs, hierarchical connectivity was performed to search core cortical regions which might be potentially modulated by striatum and cerebellum. Node–node and edge–edge moderation models were constructed to depict direct and indirect moderation effects in states with and without IEDs. Patients showed increased hierarchical connectivity with sensorimotor cortices (SMC) and decreased connectivity with regions in the default mode network (DMN). In the state without IEDs, striatum, cerebellum, and thalamus were linked to weaken the interactions of regions in the salience network (SN) with DMN and SMC. In periods with IEDs, overall increased moderation effects on the interaction between regions in SN and DMN, and between regions in DMN and SMC were observed. The thalamus and striatum were implicated in weakening interactions between regions in SN and SMC. The striatum and cerebellum moderated the cortical interaction among DMN, SN, and SMC in alliance with the thalamus, contributing to the dysfunction in states with and without IEDs in IGE. The current work revealed state-specific modulation effects of striatum and cerebellum on thalamocortical circuits and uncovered the potential core cortical targets which might contribute to develop new clinical neuromodulation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidences indicate that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) might play important roles in tumorigenesis and metastasis. EMT (epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition) is considered as a critical step in invasion and metastasis of various tumors including bladder cancer (BC). Recent researches have showed that lncRNA H19 is implicated in metastasis through regulating EMT and the reverse MET (mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition). However, underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we screened lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles of BC with microarray assay. We found that H19 and DNMT3B displayed a higher co-expression in BC tissues and cells. Functionally, we demonstrated that H19 could increase proliferation, invasion and migration, regulate EMT as well as rearrange cytoskeleton of BC cells in vitro . Moreover, ectopic expression of H19 promoted tumorigenesis, angiogenesis and pulmonary metastasis in vivo , whereas knockdown of H19 has a contrary role in vivo and in vitro . Mechanistically, we proved that H19 could directly bind to miR-29b-3p (miR-29b) and derepress the expression of target DNMT3B. H19 and miR-29b-3p showed a co-localization. More importantly, up-regulating H19 antagonized miR-29b-3p-mediated proliferation, migration and EMT suppression in BC cells. Furthermore, H19 knockdown partially reversed the function of miR-29b-3p inhibitor on DNMT3B and facilitated miR-29b-3p-induced MET. Taken together, we demonstrated for the first time that H19 might function as ceRNA (competing endogenous RNA) for miR-29b-3p and relieve the suppression for DNMT3B, which led to EMT and metastasis of BC. Our findings highlight a novel mechanism of H19 in progression of BC and provide H19/miR-29b-3p/DNMT3B axis as a promising therapeutic target for BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Apart from the abnormalities of tubal anatomy, the main concern linked to infertility is impaired tubal motility associated with hydrosalpinx, which is thought to be controlled by hormones and nerves. The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of nerve fibers in the oviduct isthmus in women with and without hydrosalpinx. Histological sections of the oviduct isthmus tissue were obtained from 18 women undergoing salpingectomy for hydrosalpinx, and from 15 women undergoing hysterectomy and salpingectomy for benign gynecologic diseases. The tissues were immunohistochemically stained for protein gene product (PGP) 9.5, protein S100, neuropeptide tyrosine (NPY), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) to reveal all nerve fibers, as well as sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers, in the oviduct isthmus. We detected the presence of PGP9.5, S100, VIP, and NPY-immunoreactive nerve fibers in the oviduct isthmus in all study subjects. However, the densities of PGP9.5, S100, VIP, and NPY-immunoreactive nerve fibers in the oviduct isthmus were all significantly decreased in women with hydrosalpinx compared with those in women without hydrosalpinx (P <0.01). Our results suggest that reduced nerve fibers in the oviduct isthmus in women with hydrosalpinx compared with women without hydrosalpinx may have an important function in the mechanism of hydrosalpinx-associated infertility. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A rapid indirect competitive fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (cFLISA) based on quantum dots (QDs) as the fluorescent marker has been developed for the detection of Enrofloxacin (ENR) in chicken muscle tissue. The end-point fluorescent detection system was carried out using QDs conjugated with goat anti-mouse secondary antibody. The cFLISA method allowed for ENR determination in a liner working range of 1–100ngmL−1 with the 50% inhibition value (IC50) of 8.3ngmL−1 and the limit of detection (LOD) of 2.5ngmL−1. The recoveries for chicken muscle samples spiked with ENR at levels of 50–200μgkg−1 ranged from 81% to 94% with coefficients of variation (CV) of 10–13%. In real chicken tissue sample analysis, the results of cFLISA were similar to those obtained from an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) to a high performance liquid chromatography method (HPLC), which indicated that cFLISA is suitable as screening method for the monitoring of veterinary drug residues. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Chemokine‐like factor 1 (CKLF1) may be involved in the inflammatory response and secondary brain injury after severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). We determined serum CKLF1 levels of sTBI patients to further investigate the correlation of CKLF1 levels with disease severity, functional prognosis, and 180‐day mortality of sTBI. Methods: Serum CKLF1 levels were measured at admission in 119 sTBI patients and at entry into study in 119 healthy controls. Serum CKLF levels of 50 patients were also quantified at days 1–3, 5, and 7 after admission. Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores and Rotterdam computerized tomography (CT) classification were utilized to assess disease severity. Extended Glasgow outcome scale (GOSE) scores were recorded to evaluate function prognosis at 180 days after sTBI. Relations of serum CKLF1 levels to 180‐day poor prognosis (GOSE scores of 1–4) and 180‐day mortality were analyzed using univariate analysis, followed by multivariate analysis. Receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curve was built to investigate prognostic predictive capability. Results: Serum CKLF1 levels of sTBI patients increased at admission, peaked at day 2, and then gradually decreased; they were significantly higher during the 7 days after sTBI than in healthy controls. Differences of areas under ROC curve (areas under the curve [AUCs]) were not significant among the six time points. Multivariate analysis showed that serum CKLF1 levels were independently correlated with GCS scores, Rotterdam CT classification, and GOSE scores. Serum CKLF1 levels were significantly higher in non‐survivors than in survivors and in poor prognosis patients than in good prognosis patients. Serum CKLF1 levels independently predicted 180‐day poor prognosis and 180‐day mortality, and had high 180‐day prognosis and mortality predictive abilities, and their AUCs were similar to those of GCS scores and Rotterdam CT classification. Combination model containing serum CKLF1, GCS scores, and Rotterdam CT classification performed more efficiently than any of them alone in predicting mortality and poor prognosis. The models were visually described using nomograms, which were comparatively stable under calibration curve and were relatively of clinical benefit under decision curve. Conclusion: Serum CKLF1 levels are significantly associated with disease severity, poor 180‐day prognosis, and 180‐day mortality in sTBI patients. Hence, complement CKLF1 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker of sTBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: One of the greatest challenges in using Lactobacillus acidophilus as a probiotic is acid stress. The current research aimed to identify substances that help L. acidophilus resist acid stress; this was achieved through assessing its nutrient consumption patterns under various pH conditions. RESULTS: The consumption rates of alanine, uracil, adenine, guanine, niacin, and manganese were consistently higher than 60% for L. acidophilus LA‐5 cultured at pH 5.8, 4.9, and 4.4. The consumption rates of glutamic acid + glutamine and thiamine increased with decreasing pH and were higher than 60% at pH 4.9 and 4.4. The viable counts of L. acidophilus LA‐5 were significantly increased under the corresponding acidic stress conditions (pH 4.9 and 4.4) through the appropriate addition of either alanine (3.37 and 2.81 mmol L−1), glutamic acid + glutamine (4.77 mmol L−1), guanine (0.13 and 0.17 mmol L−1), niacin (0.02 mmol L−1), thiamine (0.009 mmol L−1), or manganese (0.73 and 0.64 mmol L−1) (P < 0.05). The viable counts of L. acidophilus LA‐5 cultured in a medium supplemented with combined nutritional factors was 1.02–1.03‐fold of the counts observed in control medium under all acid conditions (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Alanine, glutamic acid + glutamine, guanine, niacin, thiamine, and manganese can improve the growth of L. acidophilus LA‐5 in an acidic environment in the present study. The results will contribute to optimizing strategies to enhance the acid resistance of L. acidophilus and expand its application in the fermentation industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Motor abnormalities have been identified as one common symptom in patients with generalized tonic–clonic seizures (GTCS) inspiring us to explore the disease in a motor execution condition, which might provide novel insight into the pathomechanism. Methods: Resting‐state and motor‐task fMRI data were collected from 50 patients with GTCS, including 18 patients newly diagnosed without antiepileptic drugs (ND_GTCS) and 32 patients receiving antiepileptic drugs (AEDs_GTCS). Motor activation and its association with head motion and cerebral gradients were assessed. Whole‐brain network connectivity across resting and motor states was further calculated and compared between groups. Results: All patients showed over‐activation in the postcentral gyrus and the ND_GTCS showed decreased activation in putamen. Specifically, activation maps of ND_GTCS showed an abnormal correlation with head motion and cerebral gradient. Moreover, we detected altered functional network connectivity in patients within states and across resting and motor states by using repeated‐measures analysis of variance. Patients did not show abnormal connectivity in the resting state, while distributed abnormal connectivity in the motor‐task state. Decreased across‐state network connectivity was also found in all patients. Conclusion: Convergent findings suggested the over‐response of activation and connection of the brain to motor execution in GTCS, providing new clues to uncover motor susceptibility underlying the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims During fermentation, the accumulation of acidic products can induce media acidification, which restrains the growth of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb12 (Bb12). This study investigated the nutrient consumption patterns of Bb12 under acid stress and effects of specific nutrients on the acid resistance of Bb12. Methods and results Bb12 was cultured in chemically defined medium (CDM) at different initial pH values. Nutrient consumption patterns were analyzed in CDM at pH 5.3, 5.7, and 6.7. The patterns varied with pH: Asp + Asn had the highest consumption rate at pH 5.3 and 5.7, while Ala was predominant at pH 6.7. Regardless of the pH levels (5.3, 5.7, or 6.7), ascorbic acid, adenine, and Fe2+ were vitamins, nucleobases, and metal ions with the highest consumption rates, respectively. Nutrients whose consumption rates exceeded 50% were added individually in CDM at pH 5.3, 5.7, and 6.7. It was demonstrated that only some of them could promote the growth of Bb12. Mixed nutrients that could promote the growth of Bb12 were added to three different CDM. In CDM at pH 5.3, 5.7, and 6.7, it was found that the viable cell count of Bb12 was the highest after adding mixed nutrients, which were 8.87, 9.02, and 9.10 log CFU ml−1, respectively. Conclusions The findings suggest that the initial pH of the culture medium affects the nutrient consumption patterns of Bb12. Specific nutrients can enhance the growth of Bb12 under acidic conditions and increase its acid resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of rail vibration damping device (NTRVDV), which is arranged between the bottom of the rail and track bed, is proposed in this paper. The finite element model of the rail system with the NTRVDV and tuned rail damper (TRD) was established, respectively. The impact load was applied to the finite element model, and comparison of the set of existing TRD and NTRVDV on the dynamic response of rail and rail vibration decay rate. The effect of the stiffness change of the elastic layer of the NTRVDV on the rail vibration was studied, and a hammering test verified the theoretical research results. The research results show that compared with the traditional TRD, the NTRVDV has a more obvious suppression effect on rail vibration acceleration. The rail vibration decay rate is significantly improved, especially in the low-frequency stage. With the increase of the stiffness of the elastic layer of the vibration suppression device, the vibration suppression effect of the NTRVDV on the rail is improved. The change of the elastic layer stiffness significantly impacts the rail's vibration suppression effect in the range of 0–7 kN/mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aim to investigate the therapeutic effect and safety of ALK inhibitor in ALK-positive lung cancer patients. 59 patients with ALK-positive lung cancer from August 2013 to August 2022 were retrospectively recruited. The basic information, pathological type, clinical stage and treatment strategy were collected. These patients were divided into two groups, including 29 patients of conventional adjuvant chemotherapy, and 30 cases of targeted therapy. The patients in the targeted therapy group underwent adjuvant targeted therapy with crizotinib for 2 years. The observation indicators include curative effects and adverse events. The disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were also analyzed. We analyzed the pathological stages after adjuvant chemotherapy and targeted therapy in lung cancer, no significant difference in the p stage N and T was found between the two therapeutic groups. However, the DFS events, DFS median time and OS median time showed significant improvement in the targeted therapy group when compared with adjuvant chemotherapy (all P < 0.05). Besides, the patients under both therapeutic regimens presented some adverse events, among them elevated aspartate transaminase/alanine aminotransferase was the most common adverse event in all the patients, followed by nausea and vomiting. Our study identified that crizotinib-based postoperative targeted therapy helps improve the prognosis of patients with ALK-positive lung cancer, confirming that postoperative targeted therapy can be considered an effective and feasible therapeutic alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a common malignant tumor in women worldwide. Circular RNA (circRNA) has been proven to play a critical role in BC progression. However, the exact biological functions and underlying mechanisms of circRNAs in BC remain largely unknown. Methods: Here, we first screened for differentially expressed circRNAs in 4 pairs of BC tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues using a circRNA microarray. Functionally, gain- and loss-of-function experiments in vitro and in vivo showed that circDNAJC11 promoted BC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor growth. Mechanistically, RNA pull-down, mass spectrum, RNA immunoprecipitation, fluorescence in situ hybridization assays, and rescue experiments were executed. Results: We found that circDNAJC11 was significantly upregulated in triple-negative breast cancer tissues and cells. Clinical data revealed that the high expression of circDNAJC11 was closely correlated with a poor prognosis of BC patients and could be an independent risk factor for BC prognosis. Functionally, gain- and loss-of-function experiments in vitro and in vivo showed that circDNAJC11 promoted BC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor growth. Mechanistically, RNA pull-down, mass spectrum, RNA immunoprecipitation, fluorescence in situ hybridization assays, and rescue experiments were executed. We demonstrated that circDNAJC11 combined with TAF15 to promote BC progression via stabilizing MAPK6 mRNA and activating the MAPK signaling pathway. Conclusions: The circDNAJC11/TAF15/MAPK6 axis played a crucial role in the progression and development of BC, suggesting that circDNAJC11 might be a novel biomarker and therapeutical target for BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a common malignant tumor in women worldwide. Circular RNA (circRNA) has been proven to play a critical role in BC progression. However, the exact biological functions and underlying mechanisms of circRNAs in BC remain largely unknown. Methods: Here, we first screened for differentially expressed circRNAs in 4 pairs of BC tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues using a circRNA microarray. Functionally, gain- and loss-of-function experiments in vitro and in vivo showed that circDNAJC11 promoted BC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor growth. Mechanistically, RNA pull-down, mass spectrum, RNA immunoprecipitation, fluorescence in situ hybridization assays, and rescue experiments were executed. Results: We found that circDNAJC11 was significantly upregulated in triple-negative breast cancer tissues and cells. Clinical data revealed that the high expression of circDNAJC11 was closely correlated with a poor prognosis of BC patients and could be an independent risk factor for BC prognosis. Functionally, gain- and loss-of-function experiments in vitro and in vivo showed that circDNAJC11 promoted BC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor growth. Mechanistically, RNA pull-down, mass spectrum, RNA immunoprecipitation, fluorescence in situ hybridization assays, and rescue experiments were executed. We demonstrated that circDNAJC11 combined with TAF15 to promote BC progression via stabilizing MAPK6 mRNA and activating the MAPK signaling pathway. Conclusions: The circDNAJC11/TAF15/MAPK6 axis played a crucial role in the progression and development of BC, suggesting that circDNAJC11 might be a novel biomarker and therapeutical target for BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the cytogenetic characteristics of acute fibrosarcoma in chickens infected with the subgroup J avian leukosis virus associated with the v-src oncogene, we performed a karyotype analysis of fibrosarcoma cell cultures. Twenty-nine of 50 qualified cell culture spreads demonstrated polyploidy of some macrochromosomes, 21 of which were trisomic for chromosome 7, and others were trisomic for chromosomes 3, 4, 5 (sex chromosome w), and 10. In addition, one of them was trisomic for both chromosome 7 and the sex chromosome 5 (w). In contrast, no aneuploidy was found for 10 macrochromosomes of 12 spreads of normal chicken embryo fibroblast cells, although aneuploidy for some microchromosomes was demonstrated in five of the 12 spreads. The cytogenetic mosaicism or polymorphism of the aneuploidy in the acute fibrosarcoma described in this study suggests that the analysed cells are polyclonal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to reveal the microbial succession and metabolic characteristics during traditional fermentation of Hainan Shanlan rice wine (HSRW). Correlations between core microorganisms and key metabolites were explored. Four bacterial genera (Pediococcus, Levilactobacillus, Pantoea and Limosilactobacillus) and 3 fungal genera (Saccharomyces, Rhizopus, and Saccharomycopsis) were the dominant in HSRW. Alcohols, esters and organic acids were the main metabolites in the HSRW. 2-Ethyl-1-hexanol, dimethylsilanediol, pentaethylene glycol, ethyl hexadecanoate, ethyl tetradecanoate and (E)-9-octadecenoic acid ethyl ester were identified as the characteristic volatile flavor compounds. Malic acid and lactic acid were the primary organic acids. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that Levilactobacillus and Pediococcus were the core functional microorganisms and exhibited significant associations with key metabolites. This study provides a scientific and practical foundation for elucidating the potential value of core functional microorganisms and for the development of Directed Vat Set in the industrial prodution of HSRW. • Microbial structure and succession were revealed in Hainan Shanlan rice wine. • The flavor metabolites were unique in Hainan Shanlan rice wine. • The main organic acids in HSRW were lactic acid and malic acid. • The correlations between core microorganisms and key metabolites were constructed. • The core functional microorganism in HSRW was Levilactobacillus and Pediococcus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypoxia has long been considered as a hallmark of solid tumors and is closely associated with tumor progression. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been identified as a critical modulator in various cancers. However, the connections between hypoxia and circRNAs are largely unknown. Methods: Here, we investigated the expression profile of circRNAs in breast cancer (BC) MCF-7 cells under hypoxia and normoxia using microarray. We identified a novel hypoxia-responsive circRNA named circWSB1, whose expression pattern, potential diagnostic value and prognostic significance were assessed by qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization. Loss- and gain-of-function investigations in vivo and in vitro were performed to determine the biological functions of circWSB1. Mechanistically, chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual luciferase reporter assays were carried out to analyze the biogenesis of circWSB1. Furthermore, biotin-labeled RNA pull-down, mass spectrometry, RNA immunoprecipitation, fluorescent in situ hybridization, RNA electrophoretic mobility shift, deletion-mapping, co-immunoprecipitation assays and rescue experiments were applied to investigate the interaction between circWSB1 and Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 10 (USP10) as well as the relationship between USP10 and p53. Results: We found that the expression of circWSB1 was significantly upregulated in BC tissues and correlated with poor clinical outcomes, which might serve as an independent prognostic factor for BC patients. Ectopic expression of circWSB1 promoted the proliferation of BC cell in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circWSB1 was transcriptionally upregulated by HIF1α in response to hypoxia and could competitively bind to deubiquitinase USP10 to prevent the access of p53 to USP10 in BC cells, leading to degradation of p53 and tumor progression of BC. Conclusions: Taken together, our findings disclose a novel mechanism that hypoxia-inducible circWSB1 could interact with USP10 to attenuate USP10 mediated p53 stabilization and promote the progression of BC, providing an alternative prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Links between microbiota and metabolites of Hainan cocoa were revealed. • Komagtaeibacter saccharivorans was first discovered in cocoa fermentation. • This study offers new insights for cocoa starter selection. The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamic profile of microorganisms and metabolites in Hainan Trinitario cocoa during a six-day spontaneous box fermentation process. Shotgun metagenomic and metabolomic approaches were employed for this investigation. The potential metabolic functions of microorganisms in cocoa fermentation were revealed through a joint analysis of microbes, functional genes, and metabolites. During the anaerobic fermentation phase, Hanseniaspora emerged as the most prevalent yeast genus, implicated in pectin decomposition and potentially involved in glycolysis and starch and sucrose metabolism. Tatumella , possessing potential for pyruvate kinase, and Fructobacillus with a preference for fructose, constituted the primary bacteria during the pre-turning fermentation stage. Upon the introduction of oxygen into the fermentation mass, acetic acid bacteria ascended to dominant within the microflora. The exponential proliferation of Acetobacter resulted in a decline in taxonomic richness and abundance. Moreover, the identification of novel species within the Komagataeibacter genus suggests that Hainan cocoa may serve as a valuable reservoir for the discovery of unique cocoa fermentation bacteria. The KEGG annotation of metabolites and enzymes also highlighted the significant involvement of phenylalanine metabolism in cocoa fermentation. This research will offer a new perspective for the selection of starter strains and the formulation of mixed starter cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Down-regulation of let-7 microRNA (miRNA) is a key event in lung cancer. Despite recent advances in survival signaling, the roles of let-7 in the context of lung cancer are not fully clear. In this study, we showed that let-7a, a member of let-7 family, negatively regulated the expression of NIRF through NIRF 3′ UTR. We also showed that NIRF was required for the let-7a-mediated elevation of p21WAF1. These findings suggest that growth-inhibitory effect of let-7a on the A549 cells in vitro and in vivo may be explained in part by le-7a-induced suppression of NIRF and elevation of p21WAF1. This work reveals a novel regulatory mechanism for let-7a in the control of cellular proliferation and lung carcinogenesis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major diabetic complication. But the initiating molecular events triggering DN are unknown. Recent researches have addressed the role of microRNAs in diabetes and its complications. In this study, we looked for microRNAs expression during early DN, and showed microRNA-21 (miR-21) expression was downregulated in response to early DN in vitro and in vivo. Over-expression of miR-21 inhibited proliferation of mesangial cells and decreased the 24-h urine albumin excretion rate in diabetic db/db mice. Moreover, we identified PTEN as a target of miR-21. We also found PI3K and p-Akt increased in miR-21 treated mesangial cells and db/db mice. Overall, these studies for the first time provide evidence for the potential role of miR-21 in early DN. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Continuous epoxidation of propylene with 30-wt% hydrogen peroxide in isopropyl alcohol solvent over titanium silicalite (TS-1) zeolite was carried out and the good selectivity to propylene oxide and stability of TS-1 were obtained. After the reaction of 263h, the deactivation of the TS-1 catalyst occurred. The spent catalysts were regenerated by calcinations at 550°C for 5h, washing with isopropyl alcohol solvent or washing with dilute hydrogen peroxide, and the activity evaluation of the regenerated catalysts were studied. The deactivated and regenerated catalysts were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, 29Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance, thermogravimetric analysis and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method. The compositions deposited on the surface of the catalysts were collected by solvent extraction and were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The results showed that calcination and washing with dilute hydrogen peroxide were highly effective regeneration methods and the catalytic activity of TS-1 catalysts can be mostly recovered after these treatments. Washing with isopropyl alcohol had a subtle effect in recovering the catalytic activity of the TS-1 catalyst. The major cause of the deactivation of the TS-1 catalyst for epoxidation is blocking micropores induced by bulky organic by-products formed by consecutive reactions of target reaction, such as dimerization or oligomerization of propylene oxide, etherification of propylene oxide with isopropyl alcohol. In addition, leaching of framework titanium also contributes to the deactivation of the catalyst. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Recent studies have revealed that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play significant roles in the occurrence and development of many kinds of cancers including breast cancer (BC). However, the potential functions of most circRNAs and the molecular mechanisms underlying progression of BC remain elusive. Method: Here, Circular RNA microarray was executed in 4 pairs of breast cancer tissues and para-cancer tissues. The expression and prognostic significance of circACTN4 in BC cells and tissues were determined by qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization. Gain-and loss-of-function experiments were implemented to observe the impacts of circACTN4 on the growth, invasion, and metastasis of BC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, chromatin immunoprecipitation, luciferase reporter, RNA pulldown, mass spectrum, RNA immunoprecipitation, fluorescence in situ hybridization and co-immunoprecipitation assays were executed. Results: CircACTN4 was significantly upregulated in breast cancer tissues and cells, its expression was correlated with clinical stage and poor prognosis of patients with BC. Ectopic expression of circACTN4 strikingly facilitated the growth, invasion, and metastasis of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Whereas knockdown of circACTN4 revealed opposite roles. CircACTN4 was mainly distributed in the nucleus. Further mechanistic research proved that circACTN4 could competitively bind to far upstream element binding protein 1 (FUBP1) to prevent the combination between FUBP1 and FIR, thereby activating MYC transcription and facilitating tumor progression of breast cancer. Furthermore, we found that upstream transcription factor 2 (USF2) might promote the biogenesis of circACTN4. Conclusion: Our findings uncover a pivotal mechanism that circACTN4 mediated by USF2 might interact with FUBP1 to promote the occurrence and development of breast cancer via enhancing the expression of MYC. CircACTN4 could be a novel potential target for diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing studies have shown that circRNA is closely related to the carcinogenesis and development of many cancers. However, biological functions and the underlying molecular mechanism of circRNAs in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remain largely unclear so far. Methods: Here, we investigated the expression pattern of circRNAs in four pairs of TNBC tissues and paracancerous normal tissues using RNA-sequencing. The expression and prognostic significance of circSEPT9 were evaluated with qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization in two TNBC cohorts. The survival curves were drawn by the Kaplan-Meier method, and statistical significance was estimated with the log-rank test. A series of in vitro and in vivo functional experiments were executed to investigate the role of circSEPT9 in the carcinogenesis and development of TNBC. Mechanistically, we explored the potential regulatory effects of E2F1 and EIF4A3 on biogenesis of circSEPT9 with chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. Furthermore, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), luciferase reporter and biotin-coupled RNA pull-down assays were implemented to verify the relationship between the circSEPT9 and miR-637 in TNBC. Results: Increased expression of circSEPT9 was found in TNBC tissues, which was positively correlated with advanced clinical stage and poor prognosis. Knockdown of circSEPT9 significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of TNBC cells, induced apoptosis and autophagy in TNBC cells as well as inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Whereas up-regulation of circSEPT9 exerted opposite effects. Further mechanism research demonstrated that circSEPT9 could regulate the expression of Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) via sponging miR-637 and activate LIF/Stat3 signaling pathway involved in progression of TNBC. More importantly, we discovered that E2F1 and EIF4A3 might promote the biogenesis of circSEPT9. Conclusions: Our data reveal that the circSEPT9 mediated by E2F1 and EIF4A3 facilitates the carcinogenesis and development of triple-negative breast cancer through circSEPT9/miR-637/LIF axis. Therefore, circSEPT9 could be used as a potential prognostic marker and therapeutical target for TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidences indicate that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a vital role in modulating gene expression. However, the mechanisms underlying circRNAs remain largely elusive. Here, we screened circRNA and mRNA expression profiles of bladder carcinoma (BC) using microarray analysis. We found that circRNA-MYLK and VEGFA were significantly up-regulated and co-expressed in BC. Importantly, circRNA-MYLK levels were related to the progression of stage and grade of BC. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that circRNA-MYLK could directly bind to miR-29a and relieve suppression for target VEGFA, which activated VEGFA/VEGFR2 signaling pathway. Functionally, we found that ectopically expressing circRNA-MYLK accelerated cell proliferation, migration, tube formation of HUVEC and rearranged cytoskeleton. Moreover, up-regulating circRNA-MYLK promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Whereas circRNA-MYLK knockdown decreased cell proliferation, motility, and induced apoptosis. Finally, up-regulating circRNA-MYLK promoted the growth, angiogenesis and metastasis of BC xenografts. Taken together, this study demonstrated for the first time that circRNA-MYLK might function as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-29a, which could contribute to EMT and the development of BC through activating VEGFA/VEGFR2 and downstream Ras/ERK signaling pathway. Our data suggest that circRNA-MYLK would be a promising target for BC diagnosis and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-018-0933-7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new elastic side-supporting long sleeper damping track (ESSDT) is proposed. • A vibration reduction and frequency modulation device (VRFMD) is applied to the ESSDT. • The vehicle-track coupled dynamics analysis is achieved by co-simulation. • The VRFMD can adjust natural frequency and improve dynamics performance of the ESSDT. In urban rail transit, it is important to reduce the train-induced vibration on ambient environment. To achieve this goal, a new elastic side-supporting long sleeper damping track (ESSDT) is proposed in this study. Besides, a novel vibration reduction and frequency modulation device (VRFMD) is also proposed to improve the vibration damping performance as well as structural stability of ESSDT. Based on the vehicle-track coupled dynamics model and the finite element model of ESSDT, dynamic characteristics of ESSDT are investigated theoretically. The influence of key dynamic parameters of VRFMD on the damping effect and stability of the track system are studied in detail. Further, a hammer test was conducted on a full-scale test rig of ESSDT with VRFMD. Test results validate the theoretical research results, which proves that both the vibration of track and the vibration transmitted to the foundation can be attenuated effectively due to the installation of VRFMD. The results show that the spring stiffness of VRFMD has great influence on the dynamic response to ESSDT. The natural frequency of ESSDT could be adjusted by modifying the parameters of VRFMD, which may provide a new approach to avoid wheel-rail contact resonance. Moreover, VRFMD may also be introduced to other types of track for the purpose of vibration reduction and frequency adjustment, such as floating slab track and ladder sleeper track. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiogenin (ANG), a member of RNase A superfamily, is the only angiogenic factor that possesses ribonucleolytic activity. Recent studies showed that the expression of ANG was elevated in various types of cancers. Accumulating evidence indicates that ANG plays an essential role in cancer progression by stimulating both cancer cell proliferation and tumor angiogenesis. Human ribonuclease inhibitor (RI), a cytoplasmic protein, is constructed almost entirely of leucine rich repeats (LRRs), which are present in a large family of proteins that are distinguished by their display of vast surface areas to foster protein–protein interactions. RI might be involved in unknown biological effects except inhibiting RNase A activity. The experiment demonstrated that RI also could suppress activity of angiogenin (ANG) through closely combining with it in vitro. PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway exerts a key role in cell growth, survival, proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis. We recently reported that up-regulating RI inhibited the growth and induced apoptosis of murine melanoma cells through repression of angiogenin and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. However, ANG receptors have not yet been identified to date, its related signal transduction pathways are not fully clear and underlying interacting mechanisms between RI and ANG remain largely unknown. Therefore, we hypothesize that RI might combine with intracellular ANG to block its nuclear translocation and regulate PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to inhibit biological functions of ANG. Here, we reported for the first time that ANG could interact with RI endogenously and exogenously by using co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and GST pull-down. Furthermore, we observed the colocalization of ANG and RI in cells with immunofluorescence staining under laser confocal microscope. Moreover, through fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay, we further confirmed that these two proteins have a physical interaction in living cells. Subsequently, we demonstrated that up-regulating ANG including ANG His37Ala mutant obviously decreased RI expression and activated phosphorylation of key downstream target molecules of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Finally, up-regulating ANG led to the promotion of tumor angiogenesis, tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo. Taken together, our data provided a novel mechanism of ANG in regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway via RI, which suggested a new therapeutic target for cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Accumulating evidences implicate that ribonuclease inhibitor (RI) plays a suppressing role in cancer development. However, the mechanisms underlying antitumor of RI remain largely unknown. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is regarded as a key event in tumor progression. The reports have demonstrated that EMT was implicated in metastasis of bladder cancer. Therefore, we suppose that RI might involve regulating EMT of bladder cancer. Here bladder cancer T24 cells were transfected with pGensil-1-siRNA-RI vectors. HE staining, living cell observation, Phalloidine-FITC staining of microfilament, cell adhesion, scratch migration, and Matrigel invasion were examined respectively. RI expression and colocalization with ILK were detected using confocal microscope. Proteins associated with EMT were determined with Western blotting and immunohistochemistry in vivo and in vitro. Effects of RI expression on tumor growth, metastasis and EMT related proteins in BALB/C nude mouse and clinical human bladder cancer specimens were valued with histological, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent examination respectively. We demonstrated that down-regulating RI increased cell proliferation, migration and invasion, changed cell morphology and adhesion, and rearranged cytoskeleton by inducing EMT and ILK signaling pathway in bladder cancer cells. In addition, we showed that down-regulating RI promoted tumorigenesis and metastasis of bladder cancer in vivo. Finally, we found that bladder cancer with invasive capability had higher Vimentin, Snail, Slug and Twist as well as lower E-cadherin and RI expression in clinical human specimens. Our results suggest that RI could play a novel role in inhibiting metastasis of bladder through regulating EMT and ILK signaling pathway. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase. Accumulating evidences suggest that ILK are involved in cell–matrix interactions, cell proliferation, invasion, migration, angiogenesis and Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. EMT has been postulated as a prerequisite for metastasis. The reports have demonstrated that EMT was implicated in metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinomas. Therefore, here we further postulate that ILK might participate in EMT of tongue cancer. We showed that ILK siRNA inhibited EMT with low N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, Slug and Twist as well as high E-cadherin expression in vivo and in vitro. We found that knockdown of ILK inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion as well as changed cell morphology. We also demonstrated that ILK siRNA inhibited phosphorylation of downstream signaling targets Akt and GSK3β as well as reduced expression of MMP2 and MMP9. Furthermore, we found that the tongue tumor with high metastasis capability showed higher ILK, Vimentin, Snail, Slug and Twist as well as lower E-cadherin expression in clinical specimens. Finally, ILK siRNA led to the suppression for tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo. Our findings suggest that ILK could be a novel diagnostic and therapeutic target for tongue cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper firstly analyzes the influences of low load condition on natural gas treatment unit from two aspects: the low load condition can lead to surging, as well as yield decline, which directly affects the economic benefits. Secondly, aiming at the harm of units at low load condition, according to the experience formula of expansion refrigeration and throttling expansion, the methods, such as improving the processing capacity, the expansion ratio of expansion machine, and the throttle effect, and increasing the auxiliary refrigerating capacity, etc, are used to reduce top temperature of methane tower, so as to improve the unit yield. These measures have certain reference significance to the operation of similar natural gas treatment plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase in cytoplasm. Recent studies showed that cancer patients with increased ILK expression had low survival, poor prognosis and increased metastasis. Although the causes of ILK overexpression remain to be fully elucidated, accumulating evidence suggests that its oncogenic capacity derives from its regulation of several downstream targets that provide cells with signals that promote proliferation, survival and migration. However, the mechanisms underlying tumor metastasis by ILK is still not fully understood. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical event of cancer cells that triggers invasion and metastasis. We recently reported that knockdown of ILK inhibited the growth and induced apoptosis in human bladder cancer cells. Therefore, we postulate that ILK might involve in EMT. Here we further investigate the function of ILK with RNA interference in bladder cancer cells. Knockdown of ILK impeded an EMT with low Vimentin, Snail, Slug and Twist as well as high E-cadherin expression in vivo and vitro. In addition, we found that knockdown of ILK inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion as well as changed cell morphology, adhesion and rearranged cytoskeleton in vitro. We also demonstrated that ILK siRNA inhibited phosphorylation of downstream signaling targets Akt and GSK3β, increased expression of nm23-H1, as well as reduced expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in vivo and vitro. Furthermore, down-regulation of ILK could increase expression of Ribonuclease inhibitor (RI), an important acidic cytoplasmic protein with many functions. Finally, the effects of ILK siRNA on bladder cancer cell phenotype and invasiveness translate into suppression for tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo. Taken together, our findings highlight that ILK signaling pathway plays a novel role in the development of bladder cancer through regulating EMT. ILK could be a promising diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for bladder cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Human ribonuclease inhibitor (RI) is a cytoplasmic acidic protein. RI is constructed almost entirely of leucine rich repeats, which might be involved in unknown biological effects except inhibiting RNase A and angiogenin activities. We previously reported that up-regulating RI inhibited the growth and metastasis of melanoma cells. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical event of cancer cells that triggers invasion and metastasis. However, the role of RI in the EMT process remains unknown. Here we hypothesize that RI might inhibit melanoma invasion and metastasis by regulating EMT. We found that over-expression of RI induced up-regulation of E-cadherin, accompanied with decreased expressions of proteins associated with EMT such as N-cadherin, Snail, Slug, Vimentin and Twist both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, RI restrained matrix metalloproteinase MMP-2 and MMP-9 secretions in B16 and B16-F10 melanoma cells. In addition, we also found that up-regulation of RI inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion as well as changed cell morphology, adhesion and rearranged cytoskeleton in vitro. Finally, the effects of RI on phenotype and invasiveness translated into suppressing metastasis by the experimental metastasis models of melanoma with lighter lung weight, a fewer metastasis nodules and a lower incidence rate, with respect to the control groups. Taken together, our data highlight, for the first time, that RI plays a novel role in inhibiting development and progression of murine melanoma cells through regulating EMT. These results suggest that RI could be a therapeutic target protein for melanoma and may be of biological importance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major diabetic complication. However, the initiating molecular events triggering DN are unknown. In this study we focused on microRNA-451 (miR-451), which is downregulated during early DN. We found that miR-451 negatively regulated the expression of Ywhaz through Ywhaz 3′UTR and that Ywhaz was required for the miR-451-mediated downregulation of p38 MAPK signalling. Moreover, over-expression of miR-451 inhibits glomerular mesangial cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. These findings suggest that the growth-inhibitory effect of miR-451 may be explained in part by miR-451-induced suppression of Ywhaz and p38 MAPK signalling, providing evidence for the potential role of miR-451 in early DN. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• What is already known about this subject • Ammoxetine is a novel selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor with potential utility for therapy in major depressive disorder. • Pre-clinical studies in animal depression models indicated ammoxetine produces potent inhibition of 5-HT and NE reuptake and results in a robust antidepressant activity. • What this study adds • This first-in-human study provided the initial safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profiles of ammoxetine in healthy subjects. • The study investigated the effect of CYP2C19 polymorphisms on the metabolism of ammoxetine. • The favorable safety, tolerability and the linear pharmacokinetic profile of ammoxetine were observed, which could enable dose selections and further clinical development in subsequent studies in patients with major depressive disorder. : Ammoxetine is a novel selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Preclinical studies have indicated the potential utility of ammoxetine for therapy in major depressive disorder. : To investigate the first-in-human safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of ammoxetine in healthy subjects and evaluate the effect of CYP2C19 polymorphisms on metabolism of ammoxetine. : In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I study, healthy Chinese subjects were allocated to receive 2.5, 7.5, 15, 30, 45, 65, 100 mg ammoxetine or placebo in single-dose part and 15, 30, 45 mg ammoxetine or placebo twice daily for 8 days in multiple-dose part. Pharmacokinetic, safety and tolerability assessments were performed. : A total of 134 subjects were screened and 94 were enrolled. All the ammoxetine-related adverse events (AEs) were mild and resolved spontaneously. No hepatic AEs were reported during the study. Ammoxetine was well absorbed after oral administration with T max reached in 5.0-6.0 h. After single-dosing, C max and AUC increased proportionally with dose, except at 65 mg. After multiple-dosing, the exposures of ammoxetine at steady state increased slightly in a more-than-dose-proportional manner over the dose range studied, probably due to the saturated elimination. Steady state was achieved 6 days after multiple-dosing was initiated. The low extent of urinary excretion of ammoxetine (< 2%) indicated it is undergoing extensive metabolism. CYP2C19 polymorphisms had minimal effect on metabolism of ammoxetine. : Ammoxetine has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile after oral administration and good safety properties. The PK and safety profiles of ammoxetine could enable further clinical development in patients with major depressive disorder. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical analyses on yield line patterns of Thread-fixed One-side Bolts (TOBs) bolted endplate connection to Square Hollow Section (SHS) column under tension were presented. A finite element model was established and verified by test results carried out by the authors. Parametric analyses were carried out to investigate the effects of the bolt diameter and the column wall thickness on the connection behavior. Analysis results showed that the yield strength of connection increased with the increase in the bolt diameter and the column wall thickness. The relationship between the connection failure mode and the bolt diameter to the column wall thickness ratio was presented. The brittle failure of the connection could be avoided if the ratio was out of a certain range. A new dumbbell yield line pattern for connections failed by column wall yield failure was proposed and the yield strength design model corresponding to the dumbbell yield line pattern was proposed. The proposed analytical method could predict the yield strength of the TOBs bolted connection accurately. Unlabelled Image • Yield patterns of T-stubs bolted by Thread-fixed One-side Bolts (TOBs) were studied. • Effects of column wall thickness and bolt diameter on yield pattern were presented. • A new dumbbell yield pattern for column wall failed by complete yielding was presented. • Design method for tensile strength corresponding to dumbbell yield pattern was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tests were carried out to investigate the tensile behavior of T-stubs connected by Thread-fixed One-side Bolts (TOB) at ambient and high temperatures. A total of 25 T-stub specimens with different bolt diameters and T-stub flange thicknesses were tested. In the high temperature tests, load ratios of 0.5 and 0.75 in transient-state tests and temperatures of 500 °C and 700 °C were selected in the steady-state tests. Totally four failure modes were observed in ambient and high temperature tests, which were the bolt failure, the flange yielding, flange yielding accompanied with bolts failure, as well as the flange yielding accompanied with threads failure. Results of high temperature tests showed that the failure modes of the same bolted T-stubs would be different at different temperatures in the steady-state tests or under different load ratios in the transient-state tests. However, the unfavorable failure modes integrating threads failure did not occur in high temperature tests, which demonstrated the good applicability of TOB in a fire. In transient-state tests, bolted T-stubs under the small load ratio had better ductility and higher failure temperature. In steady-state tests, the yielding strength, the ultimate strength as well as the initial stiffness decreased with the increase of temperature. The yield strength of bolted T-stubs could also be increased through the increase of bolt diameter and flange thickness of the target T-stub. Design equations for the yield strength of T-stubs connected using TOB at high temperatures were modified. The failure modes and yielding strength of TOB connected T-stubs at elevated temperatures predicted by modified design equations agreeed well with test results. • Fire tests were carried out to investigate tensile behavior of one-side bolted T-stubs. • Totally four failure modes were observed at ambient and high temperature tests. • Design equations for one-side bolted T-stubs at high temperatures were modified. • Predictions by proposed design equations agreed well with test results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tension behavior of Thread-fixed One-side Bolts (TOB) connected T-stubs at ambient and high temperatures was studied experimentally and theoretically. The anchorage force to TOB was provided by the threads on the bolt hole wall which was usually restrained by the limited thickness of the steel plate. The thread length and bending strength of the T-stub flange could be increased by adding backing plates. Two failure modes appeared in ambient temperature tests, which were completely flange yielding and flange yielding accompanied with threads failure. Both steady-state method and transient-state method were used in high temperature test. Test results showed that failure modes might be changed at high temperatures. However, the unfavorable threads failure did not appear at high temperatures which showed the good applicability of TOB. Backing plate was proved to be an effective way to strengthen the TOB connected T-stubs. Tension resistance and initial stiffness of strengthened T-stubs increased obviously while still keeping good ductility in both ambient and high-temperature circumstance. In transient-state test, the increase in load ratio would make the connection more fragile. The failure temperature and failure displacement decreased correspondingly. Design equations for predicting the failure mode and the tension strength of TOB connected T-stubs at high temperatures were proposed, considering effects of large deformation of the T-stub flange at high temperatures. Comparison with test results showed that the proposed design equations could precisely predict the failure mode and the yielding tension strength of strengthened or unstrengthened TOB connected T-stubs at both ambient and high temperatures. • Fire tests were carried out to investigate tensile behavior of one-side bolted T-stubs with backing plates. • Three failure modes were observed. • Design equations at high temperatures were proposed. • Results predicted by proposed equations agreed well with test results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma-catalysis technologies (PCTs) have the potential to control the emissions of volatile organic compounds, although their low-energy efficiency is a bottleneck for their practical applications. A plasma-catalyst reactor filled with a CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst was developed to decompose toluene with a high-energy efficiency enhanced by the elevating reaction temperature. When the reaction temperature was raised from 50 °C to 250 °C, toluene conversion dramatically increased from 45.3% to 95.5% and the energy efficiency increased from 53.5 g/kWh to 113.0 g/kWh. Conversely, the toluene conversion using a thermal catalysis technology (TCT) exhibited a maximum of 16.7%. The activation energy of toluene decomposition using PCTs is 14.0 kJ/mol, which is far lower than those of toluene decomposition using TCTs, which implies that toluene decomposition using PCT differs from that using TCT. The experimental results revealed that the Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio decreased and O ads /O latt ratio increased after the 40-h evaluation experiment, suggesting that CeO 2 promoted the formation of the reactive oxygen species that is beneficial for toluene decomposition. • Toluene decomposition using a plasma-catalysis technology (PCT) was investigated. • Energy efficiency was improved to 113.0 g/kWh by elevating reaction temperature. • Toluene conversion was 95.5% using PCT, but 16.7% using thermal catalysis technology. • Activation energy of toluene decomposition is 14.0 kJ/mol. • CeO 2 promoted the formation of reactive oxygen species on CeO 2 surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, circular RNAs (circRNAs), a new star of non-coding RNA, have been emerged as vital regulators and gained much attention for involvement of initiation and progression of diverse kinds of human diseases, especially cancer. However, regulatory role, clinical significance and underlying mechanisms of circRNAs in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) still remain largely unknown. Methods: Here, the expression profile of circRNAs in 4 pairs of TNBC tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues was analyzed by RNA-sequencing. Quantitative real-time PCR and in situ hybridization were used to determine the level and prognostic values of circAGFG1 in two TNBC cohorts. Then, functional experiments in vitro and in vivo were performed to investigate the effects of circAGFG1 on tumor growth and metastasis in TNBC. Mechanistically, fluorescent in situ hybridization, dual luciferase reporter assay, RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation experiments were performed to confirm the interaction between circAGFG1 and miR-195-5p in TNBC. Results: We found that circAGFG1 was evidently up-regulated in TNBC, and its level was correlated with clinical stage, pathological grade and poor prognosis of patients with TNBC. The results indicated that circAGFG1 could promote TNBC cell proliferation, mobility and invasion as well as tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistic analysis showed that circAGFG1 may act as a ceRNA (competing endogenous RNA) of miR-195-5p to relieve the repressive effect of miR-195-5p on its target cyclin E1 (CCNE1). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that circAGFG1 promotes TNBC progression through circAGFG1/miR-195-5p/CCNE1 axis and it may serve as a new diagnostic marker or target for treatment of TNBC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence indicates that the aberrant expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) is involved in tumorigenesis and cancer development. However, the biological functions and underlying mechanisms of lncRNAs in bladder cancer (BC) remain largely unknown. Here, we analyzed the lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles in BC using a microarray assay. We found that lncRNA RP11-79H23.3 and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) were significantly downregulated in BC tissues and cells. Meanwhile, RP11-79H23.3 expression was negatively correlated with clinical stage in BC. Functionally, we found that overexpression of RP11-79H23.3 could suppress cell proliferation, migration, and cell cycle progression, rearrange the cytoskeleton, and induce apoptosis in vitro. Moreover, upregulation of RP11-79H23.3 inhibited the angiogenesis, tumorigenesis, and lung metastasis in vivo, whereas RP11-79H23.3 knockdown exerted a contrary role. Mechanistically, we identified that RP11-79H23.3 could directly bind to miR-107 and abolish the suppressive effect on target gene PTEN, which leads to inactivation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Taken together, we first demonstrated that RP11-79H23.3 might suppress the pathogenesis and development of BC by acting as a sponge for miR-107 to increase PTEN expression. Our research revealed that RP11-79H23.3 could be a potential target for diagnosis and therapy of BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]