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Purpose: The extent of tumor regression varies widely among locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients who receive neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) followed by total mesorectal excision (TME). The purpose of this retrospectively study is to assess prognostic factors in LARC patients with NCRT, and further to analyze survival outcomes in patients with different tumor regression grades (TRGs). Methods: This study includes LARC patients who underwent NCRT and TME at our institution. We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics and survival of all patients, and performed subgroup analysis for patients with different TRGs. Survival differences were compared using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log rank test. Additionally, a multiple Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify independent prognostic factors. Results: The study included 393 patients, with 21.1%, 26.5%, 45.5%, and 6.9% achieving TRG 0, TRG 1, TRG 2, and TRG 3, respectively. The overall survival (OS) rate and disease-free survival (DFS) rate for all patients were 89.4% and 70.7%, respectively. Patients who achieved TRG 0–3 had different 5-year OS rates (96.9%, 91.1%, 85.2%, and 68.8%, P = 0.001) and 5-year DFS rates (80.8%, 72.4%, 67.0%, 55.8%, P = 0.031), respectively. Multivariate analyses showed that the neoadjuvant rectal (NAR) score was an independent prognostic indicator for both overall survival (OS) (HR = 4.040, 95% CI = 1.792–9.111, P = 0.001) and disease-free survival (DFS) (HR = 1.971, 95% CI = 1.478–2.628, P ˂ 0.001). In the subgroup analyses, the NAR score was found to be associated with DFS in patients with TRG 1 and TRG 2. After conducting multivariate analysis, it was found that ypT stage was a significant predictor of DFS for TRG 1 patients (HR = 4.384, 95% CI = 1.721–11.168, P = 0.002). On the other hand, ypN stage was identified as the dominant prognostic indicator of DFS for TRG 2 patients (HR = 2.795, 95% CI = 1.535–5.091, P = 0.001). However, none of these characteristics was found to be correlated with survival in patients with TRG 0 or TRG 3. Conclusion: NAR score, in particular, appears to be the most powerful prognostic factor. It is important to consider various prognostic predictors for patients with different TRGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nanocarrier delivery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to silence cancer-associated genes is a promising method for cancer treatment. Here, we explored the role and mechanisms of PLAG NPs-delivered si-Notch1 in colorectal cancer (CRC). Results: High Notch1 expression was observed in both sensitive and resistant CRC tissues and cells. Notch1 silencing repressed proliferation and facilitates apoptosis of resistant CRC cells, and suppressed glycolysis and promoted pyroptosis in resistant CRC cells. Notch1 directly interacts with PCAF. Notch1 knockdown's suppressive effect on glycolysis was reversed by overexpression of PCAF. Moreover, a nanocarrier called PLAG NPs was built with a higher delivery efficiency compared with lipo2000. Si-Notch1 delivered by PLAG NPs efficiently overcame the CRC cells' 5-FU resistance and facilitated pyroptosis in a CRC mouse model. Conclusions: PLAG NPs carrying si-Notch1 had a great advantage in the extension of half-life circulation and targeting ability, providing a theoretical foundation for precise clinical treatment of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in Chemistry of Natural Compounds, discusses the secondary metabolites of Chaetomium angustispirale, a fungus with over 400 species. The study focuses on the extraction and isolation of compounds from the fermented extract of C. angustispirale. Six compounds were identified, including orsellinic acid, orsellide A, shanorellin, adenosine, cochliodinol, and ergosterol. These compounds have novel chemical structures and exhibit significant biological activities, making them valuable resources for drug development. The research was funded by various organizations in Henan Province, China. [Extracted from the article]

Aim: Glycoside hydrolases (GHs) encoded by prokaryotes play a crucial role in the degradation of carbohydrates, which is a key step in the carbon cycle. However, their global distribution remains poorly understood. Here, we conducted a comprehensive investigation of the global biogeographic patterns of prokaryotic‐encoded GHs. Location: Global. Time period: Present. Major taxa studied: Prokaryotes. Methods: We conducted a global survey of GH distribution based on 10,000 samples from the Earth Microbiome Project (EMP) and 17,923 completely sequenced prokaryotic genomes. The samples were retrieved from seven continents, covering all 17 EMP Ontology environments. We evaluated the assembly process and influencing factors of GH functional genes within prokaryotic communities, and analysed the rank abundance distributions (RADs), occupancy frequency distributions (OFDs), and taxonomic sources of GH families across various environments. Results: The median number of GH genes per thousand genes encoded by global prokaryotic communities was 9.11 (7.16–11.58), with a higher GH abundance in host‐associated communities than in free‐living communities. The median number of GH families in prokaryotic communities was 105 (86–121), with fewer families but tighter functional connections between families in host‐associated communities compared to free‐living communities. In any environment, the RAD of GH families followed a lognormal model, and their OFD was bimodal, with a strong positive correlation between the two. In addition, most GH families had complex and diverse taxonomic sources across different environments. Main conclusions: This study provides a panoramic view of the functional potentials for carbohydrate degradation across prokaryotic communities under diverse environmental conditions. The composition of GHs encoded by prokaryotic communities exhibits clear habitat specificity, which is driven by a combination of biotic and abiotic factors and generated through highly deterministic assembly processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex polysaccharides (e.g. cellulose, xylan, and chitin), the most abundant renewable biomass resources available on Earth, are mainly degraded by microorganisms in nature. However, little is known about the global distribution of the enzymes and microorganisms responsible for the degradation of cellulose, xylan, and chitin in natural environments. Through large‐scale alignments between the sequences released by the Earth Microbiome Project and sequenced prokaryotic genomes, we determined that almost all prokaryotic communities have the functional potentials to degrade cellulose, xylan, and chitin. The median abundances of genes encoding putative cellulases, xylanases, and chitinases in global prokaryotic communities are 0.51 (0.17–1.01), 0.24 (0.05–0.57), and 0.33 (0.11–0.71) genes/cell, respectively, and the composition and abundance of these enzyme systems are environmentally varied. The taxonomic sources of the three enzymes are highly diverse within prokaryotic communities, and the main factor influencing the diversity is the community's alpha diversity index rather than gene abundance. Moreover, there are obvious differences in taxonomic sources among different communities, and most genera with degradation potentials are narrowly distributed. In conclusion, our analysis preliminarily depicts a panorama of cellulose‐, xylan‐, and chitin‐degrading enzymatic systems across global prokaryotic communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therefore, the detailed characterization of the gut microbes of I S. frugiperda i may help to develop novel pest biological control strategies through the elimination of important symbiotic microorganisms or the discovery of entomopathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, in this study, we systematically explored the changes of microorganisms of I S. frugiperda i at each developmental stage, and the differences of gut microorganisms of I S. frugiperda i in different living environments (field and laboratory) and different foods (corn and artificial diet). The analysis of the gut microbiota of susceptible, insecticide-resistant strains and field populations of I S. frugiperda i indicates that the gut microbes have a high diversity and the ability to metabolize insecticides in field populations of I S. frugiperda i [[24]]. [Extracted from the article]

MOFs with adequate free nitrogen sites have potential applications in dye adsorption and formic acid dehydrogenation. Here, we successfully synthesized a novel 3-D MOF 1 ([(CH3)2NH2][Cd(L)DMA]·0.5DMA·1.5H2O) with a special two-fold interpenetrating framework through a simple solvothermal reaction between CdCl2·1.5H2O and a nitrogen-rich triangular tricarboxylate-based linker (H3L, 4,4′,4′′-s-triazine-2,4,6-tribenzoic acid). After removing the guest molecules of dimethylacetamide (DMA) and H2O, including the coordinated DMA from 1 by vacuum activation at 423 K, a compound named 1′ with a formula of [(CH3)2NH2][Cd(L)] and a similar interpenetrating framework structure was obtained. In comparison with compound 1, the total void volume of 1′ is nearly doubled, and thus may provide higher potential for the adsorption of other guest molecules. Notably, the pyridine N atoms located in the middle of the triangular tricarboxylate-based linker are not involved in the coordination with Cd2+, and are all uniformly dispersed throughout the whole framework of the 3-D MOFs. Due to its unique structural features, the 3-D MOF 1′ could effectively adsorb the cationic dye MB+ for recycling purposes. The rapid adsorption rate (0.7 × 10−2 g mg−1 min−1) and the relatively high capacity (900 mg g−1) for MB+ demonstrate the potential of 1′ in dye adsorption. In addition, 1′ may also be used as an effective support to immobilize PdAu NPs via the double-solvent method. The resultant catalyst Pd0.8Au0.2/1′ exhibits decent catalytic activity for the dehydrogenation of formic acid with a TOF value of 1854 h−1 at 333 K. The existence of a large void volume and accessible pyridine N atoms provide a suitable environment for achieving a high dispersion of PdAu NPs, thereby leading to the formation of a catalytically active and stable supported noble-metal NP catalyst for H2 generation from formic acid decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pt-SO 4 2−/ZrO 2 catalysts with different SO 4 2− contents were employed for propane combustion. Addition of SO 4 2− significantly improved the catalytic activity, such as Pt-5SO 4 2−/ZrO 2 catalyst gave the highest turnover frequency (TOF) of 0.56 s−1 at 200 °C (only 0.020 s−1 for Pt/ZrO 2). Both Pt0 species and superacid sites are crucial active sites for propane activation, especially for C-C bonds activation on superacid sites. [Display omitted] • Pt-SO 4 2−/ZrO 2 catalysts were employed for propane combustion. • TOF of the Pt-5SO 4 2−/ZrO 2 catalyst is 28-fold to that of the Pt/ZrO 2 catalyst. • SO 4 2− promotion is significant for C-C bond activation but inefficient for C-H bond. • Synergistic catalysis of Pt with SO 4 2− is mainly responsible for the enhanced reactivity. Pt-SO 4 2−/ZrO 2 catalysts with different SO 4 2− contents were employed for propane combustion. Addition of SO 4 2− significantly improved the catalytic activity for propane combustion, such as the Pt-5SO 4 2−/ZrO 2 catalyst gave the highest turnover frequency (TOF) of 0.56 s−1 at 200 °C, while the pristine Pt/ZrO 2 catalyst gave a TOF of only 0.020 s−1. Strong coordination between Pt and SO 4 2− species resulted in drastic suppression of CO adsorption capacity (from 36.8 to 6.0 μmol g cat −1), and increased Pt0 ratio in the spent Pt-SO 4 2−/ZrO 2 catalysts. The exposed Pt sites on the Pt/ZrO 2 and Pt-SO 4 2−/ZrO 2 catalysts show comparable reactivity for C-H activation as evidenced by the methane combustion, and the sulfate species are not helpful in C-H bond cleavage. The enhanced catalytic activities on Pt-SO 4 2−/ZrO 2 catalysts for propane combustion are mainly ascribed to the higher reactivity for C-C bond activation promoted by the synergistic catalysis of Pt species with superacid sites. Whereas, such synergy is affected by the amount of SO 4 2− because the excessive SO 4 2− would reduce the exposed Pt sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three emerging non-thermal pretreatment methods, including cold plasma, ultrasound, and ozone water, were utilized to pretreat garlic slices before drying process. The garlic slices were then dried by hot air drying at 60 °C. The study investigated the drying kinetics, color, rehydration ratio (RR), allicin content (AC), total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, and microstructure of the garlic slices. The results showed that ultrasound and ozone water pretreatment can significantly enhance drying kinetics. In comparison to untreated samples, garlic slices pretreated with ultrasound for 20 min exhibited a 55.96% increase in moisture effective diffusivity (Deff). Garlic pretreated with ultrasound exhibited the best rehydration properties, yet it retained the lowest levels of allicin content and antioxidant activity. Encouragingly, samples treated with ozone water demonstrated the best nutritional quality properties, with approximately 7.85% higher AC, 25.90% higher TPC, and 12.31% higher antioxidant activity compared to untreated samples. The study also emphasizes notable alterations in the microstructure of garlic resulting from various pretreatments. This research provides valuable insights into optimizing garlic drying processes using emerging non-thermal pretreatment techniques, showcasing their potential for industrial applications and quality enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Body composition alterations may participate in the pathophysiological processes of type 2 diabetes (T2D). A sedentary lifestyle may be responsible for alterations of body composition and adverse consequences, but on which body composition of patients with T2D and to what extent the sedentary lifestyle has an effect have been poorly investigated. Methods: We recruited 402 patients with T2D for this cross-sectional study. All patients received questionnaires to evaluate sedentary time and were further divided into three subgroups: low sedentary time (LST, < 4 h, n = 109), middle sedentary time (MST, 4–8 h, n = 129) and high sedentary time (HST, > 8 h, n = 164). Each patient underwent a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan to detect body composition, which included body fat percentage (B-FAT), trunk fat percentage (T-FAT), appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI), lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) (LS-BMD), femoral neck BMD (FN-BMD), hip BMD (H-BMD) and total BMD (T-BMD). Other relevant clinical data were also collected. Results: With increasing sedentary time (from the LST to HST group), B-FAT and T-FAT were notably increased, while ASMI, LS-BMD, FN-BMD, H-BMD and T-BMD were decreased (p for trend < 0.01). After adjustment for other relevant clinical factors and with the LST group as the reference, the adjusted mean changes [B (95% CI)] in B-FAT, T-FAT, ASMI, LS-BMD, FN-BMD, H-BMD and T-BMD in the HST group were 2.011(1.014 to 3.008)%, 1.951(0.705 to 3.197)%, − 0.377(− 0.531 to − 0.223) kg/m2, − 0.083(− 0.124 to − 0.042) g/cm2, − 0.051(− 0.079 to − 0.024) g/cm2, − 0.059(− 0.087 to − 0.031) g/cm2 and − 0.060(− 0.088 to − 0.033) g/cm2, p < 0.01, respectively. Conclusions: A sedentary lifestyle may independently account for increases in trunk and body fat percentage and decreases in appendicular skeletal muscle mass and BMD of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, hip and total body in patients with T2D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PD-1 blockade is highly efficacious for mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer in both metastatic and neoadjuvant settings. We aimed to explore the activity and safety of neoadjuvant therapy with PD-1 blockade plus an angiogenesis inhibitor and the feasibility of organ preservation in patients with locally advanced mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer. We initiated a single-arm, open-label, phase 2 trial (NEOCAP) at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center and the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China. Patients aged 18–75 years with untreated mismatch repair-deficient or microsatellite instability-high or POLE/POLD1 -mutated locally advanced colorectal cancer (cT3 or N+ for rectal cancer, and T3 with invasion ≥5mm or T4, with or without N+ for colon cancer) and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score of 0–1 were enrolled and given 200 mg camrelizumab intravenously on day 1 and 250 mg apatinib orally from day 1–14, every 3 weeks for 3 months followed by surgery or 6 months if patients did not have surgery. Patients who had a clinical complete response did not undergo surgery and proceeded with a watch-and-wait approach. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with a pathological or clinical complete response. Eligible enrolled patients who received at least one cycle of neoadjuvant treatment and had at least one tumour response assessment following the baseline assessment were included in the activity analysis, and patients who received at least one dose of study drug were included in the safety analysis. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04715633) and is ongoing. Between Sept 29, 2020, and Dec 15, 2022, 53 patients were enrolled; one patient was excluded from the activity analysis because they were found to be mismatch repair-proficient and microsatellite-stable. 23 (44%) patients were female and 29 (56%) were male. The median follow-up was 16·4 (IQR 10·5–23·5) months. 28 (54%; 95% CI 35–68) patients had a clinical complete response and 24 of these patients were managed with a watch-and-wait approach, including 20 patients with colon cancer and multiple primary colorectal cancer. 23 (44%) of 52 patients underwent surgery for the primary tumour, and 14 (61%; 95% CI 39–80) had a pathological complete response. 38 (73%; 95% CI 59–84) of 52 patients had a complete response. Grade 3–5 adverse events occurred in 20 (38%) of 53 patients; the most common were increased aminotransferase (six [11%]), bowel obstruction (four [8%]), and hypertension (four [8%]). Drug-related serious adverse events occurred in six (11%) of 53 patients. One patient died from treatment-related immune-related hepatitis. Neoadjuvant camrelizumab plus apatinib show promising antitumour activity in patients with locally advanced mismatch repair-deficient or microsatellite instability-high colorectal cancer. Immune-related adverse events should be monitored with the utmost vigilance. Organ preservation seems promising not only in patients with rectal cancer, but also in those with colon cancer who have a clinical complete response. Longer follow-up is needed to assess the oncological outcomes of the watch-and-wait approach. The National Natural Science Foundation of China, Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, and the Cancer Innovative Research Program of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing green and sustainable Pickering interfacial catalysts for organic reactions in water is of great importance to both the environment and human health. In this study, Janus-type amphiphilic cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were synthesized by the surface modification of hydrophilic CNCs with hydrophobic alkyl chains for efficient Pickering emulsion stabilization. Further deposition of palladium nanoparticles on amphiphilic CNCs provides catalytic activity for organic reactions in water, which occur at the interface of water and the organic reactant phase. Different reactions, hydrogenation and C–C coupling, were performed using the obtained Pickering interfacial catalyst. Excellent results were achieved in both reactions. The catalyst developed in our study is expected to advance the field of environment-friendly catalyst systems for green chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel dual priming oligonucleotide (DPO) system‐based polymerase chain reaction (PCR; DPO system‐based PCR) assay, which detected the fimY gene of Salmonella, was developed for the fast food testing. The DPO system‐based PCR assay allowed a wide range of annealing temperatures at 48–68°C to efficiently amplify fimY gene with an analytical detection limit of 1.2 × 102 CFU/ml for Salmonella in pure cultures and artificially contaminated food matrix. Significantly, the presence of a bubble‐like polydeoxyinosine (polyI) linker in the DPO system brought an unparalleled high specificity in the identification of target bacteria, and consequently, the false positives and mismatches of PCR process can be eliminated in priming. Applying the DPO system‐based PCR assay to 285 collected food samples revealed that 29 samples were positive in this assay, in accordance with the results of conventional culture‐based method, indicating a potential diagnostic capability. The high specificity of the DPO system‐based PCR indicates its great potential to be a quick, reliable and practical method for the detection of Salmonella in foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Loose Plant Architecture 1 (LPA1), an indeterminate domain (IDD) protein, exhibits almost no expression in the leaves, but the overexpression of LPA1 significantly increases the resistance of rice to sheath blight disease (ShB) via the activation of PIN-FORMED 1a (PIN1a). Results: In this study, we determined that Rhizoctonia solani infection significantly induced LPA1 expression in the leaves, and lpa1 was more susceptible to R. solani compared with the wild-type and revertant plants. In addition, infection with R. solani altered the expression of IDD3, IDD5, IDD10, and IDD13, and yeast two-hybrid, split-GFP, and coimmunoprecipitation assays showed that LPA1 interacts with IDD3 and IDD13. IDD13 RNAi plants were more susceptible, while IDD13 overexpressors were less susceptible to ShB compared with the wild-type. In parallel, idd3 exhibited no significant differences, while IDD3 overexpressors were more susceptible compared to the wild-type response to ShB. Additional chromatin-immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility shift assay experiments indicated that IDD13 and IDD3 bound to the PIN1a promoter, and the transient assay indicated that IDD13 and IDD3 positively and negatively regulate PIN1a expression, respectively. Moreover, IDD13, IDD3, and LPA1 form a transcription factor complex that regulates PIN1a. A genetic study showed that the LPA1 repressor lines were similar to lpa1/IDD13 RNAi and were more susceptible than the lpa1 and IDD13 RNAi plants in response to ShB. The overexpression of IDD13 increased resistance to ShB in the lpa1 background. Conclusions: Taken together, our analyses established that IDD3, IDD13, and LPA1 form a transcription factor complex to regulate the defense of rice against ShB possibly via the regulation of PIN1a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although PD-1 blockade has significantly improved the survival of metastatic colorectal cancer with DNA Mismatch Repair-Deficient/Microsatellite Instability-High (MSI-H), the data on neoadjuvant setting is limited. Methods: In this retrospective study, we enrolled eight patients with advanced MSI-H colorectal cancer from three hospitals. Four patients are locally advanced and four are metastatic. All the patients received at least two doses of PD-1 antibody with or without chemotherapy as neoadjuvant therapy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the short-term efficacy and toxicities of this strategy. Results: All the enrolled eight patients had a major response in imaging and/or pathological evaluation. Five of the seven resected patients were evaluated as pathological complete response. One patient without surgery has a clinical complete response (cCR) tumor response. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade induced tumor regression with a major clinical and pathological response in advanced dMMR/MSI-H colorectal cancer. Further studies are required to evaluate the long-term effect of this strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapeutic drug that often causes acute kidney injury (AKI) in cancer patients. The contribution of miRNAs to the cisplatin-induced renal tubular epithelial cell injury remains largely unknown. Here we performed an integrative network analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression profiles to shed light into the underlying mechanism of cisplatin-induced renal tubular epithelial cell injury. Microarray analysis identified 47 differentially expressed miRNAs, among them 26 were upregulated and 21 were downregulated. Moreover, integrating dysregulated miRNAs target prediction and altered mRNA expression enabled us to identify 1181 putative target genes for further bioinformatics analysis. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that the putative target genes were involved in apoptosis process and regulation of transcription. Pathway analysis indicated that the top upregulated pathways included MAPK and p53 signaling pathway, while the top downregulated pathways were PI3K-Akt and Wnt signaling pathway. Further network analysis showed that MAPK signaling pathway and apoptosis with the highest degree were identified as core pathways, hsa-miR-9-3p and hsa-miR-371b-5p as the most critical miRNAs, and CASK, ASH1L, CDK6 etc. as hub target genes. In addition, the expression level change of selected five microRNAs (hsa-miR-4299, hsa-miR-297, hsa-miR-3135b, hsa-miR-9-3p, and hsa-miR-371b-5p) and two mRNAs(CASK and CDK6) were validated in cisplatin-induced HK-2 cells. Furthermore, a similar trend of expression level change was observed in NRK-52E cells by cisplatin treatment. Overall, our results provide the molecular basis and potential targets for the treatment of cisplatin-induced renal tubular cell injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Design of stable high-performance heterogeneous catalysts has become crucial for efficient catalytic conversion of renewable biomass into high value-added chemicals. In this study, amphiphilic polymer support was synthesized by grafting hydrophobic groups onto hydrophilic cellulose nanocrystals and utilized as a support for PdNi alloy nanoparticles. The as-synthesized catalysts exhibited encouragingly high performance in the hydrodeoxygenation of vanillin under mild conditions. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Amphiphilic catalysts were prepared to enhance the catalytic activity. • Hydrodeoxygenation of vanillin as biofuel upgrade was performed. • The reaction is performed with a recyclable catalyst in water. • Earth-abundant and biodegradable cellulose material was used as catalyst support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Two 2-D diphosphonate coordination polymers (CPs), {[Co 3 (HL1-H) 2 (H 2 O) 4 ]·2H 2 O} n 1 and {[Fe 3 (HL2-H) 2 (H 2 O) 4 ]·6H 2 O} n 2 , (H 5 L1 = (1-hydroxy-2-(imidazo[1,2- a ]pyridin-3-yl)ethane-1,1-diyl)diphosphonic acid, H 5 L2 = 1-hydroxy-2-(3-pyridyl)ethylidene-1,1-diphosphonate acid), have been hydrothermally isolated and determined by single-crystal X-ray diffractions, elemental analysis, IR, powder X-ray diffractions (PXRD), TG-DSC. Both two compounds possess 2-D inorganic layer structures containing 1-D ladder-like inorganic chains with building blocks [M 2 O 2 ] n and [MO 6 ] n. Compound 1 is the first example of Co(II)-H 5 L1 diphosphonate. The photoluminescence studies show that both compounds display fluorescent emissions, 378.5, 431.5 nm for 1 and 321.5, 390 nm for 2 (λ ex = 235 nm), respectively. Magnetic results show that both 1 and 2 present ferro- (FM) and antiferro- (AFM) metamagnetic behavior aroused by spin canted antiferromagnetic coupling between metal(II) centers. Moreover, the studies on the zero-field alternating current (ac) magnetic susceptibility suggest that compound 2 displays slow magnetic relaxation property, being promising potential as magnetic materials. Graphical abstract Two 2-D Co(II)/Fe(II)-diphosphonate CPs have been hydrothermally isolated under the introduction of 4,4′-bipyridine template. Magnetism studies suggest that the compound 2 , {[Fe 3 (HL2-H) 2 (H 2 O) 4 ]·6H 2 O} n , displays AFM-FM metamagnetic property with an interesting slow magnetic relaxation behavior originated from spin-glass. fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Daurinoline restore the sensitivity of resistant NSCLC cells was firstly found. • Daurinoline inhibite the migration and invasion of resistant NSCLC cells. • The anti-proliferation and anti-metastasis effects are related to EMT and Notch1. • We firstly found that daurinoline sensitizes chemo-resistant NSCLC cells to taxol. Abstract Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common malignancies, and Taxol is a cornerstone in the treatment. However, taxol-resistance eventually limits the clinical effects and applications. Daurinoline could restore the sensitivity of resistant MCF-7/adr and KBv200 cells. Whereas, the effect of daurinoline on the chemo-resistant NSCLC cells and the mechanism has not been elucidated. In this study, daurinoline was firstly demonstrated that inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT phenotype of chemo-resistant NSCLC cells. And these effects were associated with EMT and Notch-1 reversal. Moreover, daurinoline could significantly enhance the anti-tumor effect of Taxol rather than epirubicin, adriamycin and cisplatin. And the reverse fold (RF) value of daurinoline was greater than terfenadine reported before. There are little cytotoxic effects of daurinoline and its derivatives reported by L.W. Fu, et al. (2001). Therefore, daurinoline may be a potential anti-tumor agent or chemosensitizer for chemo-resistant NSCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pd−Ni bimetallic nanoparticles (BMNPs) encapsulated in MIL‐100(Fe) (Pd‐Ni@MIL‐100(Fe) was fabricated and employed as an efficient catalyst for the reversible dehydrogenation/hydrogenation of N‐Heterocycles derivatives in water under mild conditions. Excellent catalytic performance for both reactions endows Pd‐Ni@MIL‐100(Fe) great potential value in organic chemistry. Alloying Pd with Ni can enhance the catalytic performance due to the bimetallic synergy. Both Lewis acidity and ordered mesoporous structure of MIL‐100(Fe) are beneficial to the performance of the catalyst owing to its stabilization of BMNPs, reduction of the electron density of Pd atoms and enhancement of substrates adsorption capacity. Bimetallics are no trick! A recyclable catalyst, Pd−Ni bimetallic nanoparticles encapsulated in MIL‐100(Fe), is fabricated and applied in acceptorless reversible dehydrogenation and hydrogenation of quinoline derivatives. Stabilization of MIL‐100(Fe) for BMNPs, absorptivity of MIL‐100(Fe) for reactants and gas together with the electronic effect between BMNPs and MIL‐100(Fe) all contribute to outstanding catalytic performance of Pd1Ni4@MIL‐100(Fe) catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to clone and characterize complete cDNA sequences of three important development-relevant genes of yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco , including lrp6 , sox9a1 and fgfr2c , and explore their transcriptional responses in several tissues of P . fulvidraco to high fat diet. The predicted amino acid sequences of P . fulvidraco Lrp6, Sox9a1 and Fgfr2c contained all of the conserved structural features that were characteristic of these genes in other species, including YWTD domains, EGF-like repeats, LDLR ligand binding repeats, PPSP repeats motifs, HMG box, TA-binding functional domain, Ig I-III and PTK I-II. The mRNAs of the three genes were expressed in various tissues, but their mRNA levels varied among tissues. Compared to the control, high fat diet tended to down-regulate the mRNA expression of sox9a1 and fgfr2c in mesenteric fat, liver and ovary, and up-regulate their mRNA levels in muscle and kidney; in contrast, high fat diet down-regulated lrp6 mRNA levels in the ovary and muscle, but had no significant effects on lrp6 mRNA expression in mesenteric fat, liver and kidney. Our findings provide the first data about their expression responses to dietary lipid in teleosts and reinforce the multiple functions at the molecular level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A catalytic system based on Pd−Ni bimetallic nanoparticles (BMNPs) encapsulated in the nanocavities of UiO‐66 was established for the activation of C−O bonds in ethers. Pd0.25Ni4@UiO‐66 catalyst show excellent catalytic performance in the directly methylation and arylation of ethers under a mild reaction condition. High catalytic activity of the catalyst could be ascribed to the "synergistic effect" between the two metal components and strong interaction between BMNPs and the carrier (UiO‐66). BMNPs encapsulated in UiO‐66 also guarantee a good reusability of the catalyst, the catalyst delivered high catalytic activity for at least four cycles. Our work highlights the great potential value of ethers as powerful alternatives for aryl halides as well as the bright future of BMNPs and MOFs in the catalysis field. Grignard for the win! A catalyst of recyclable Pd−Ni bimetallic nanoparticles encapsulated in UiO‐66 is fabricated and applied in the C−O activation reaction of ethers, which highlights the great potential value of ethers as electrophiles. Synergistic effect between the two metal components and strong interaction between BMNPs and the carrier (UiO‐66) all contribute to outstanding catalytic performance of Pd0.25Ni4@UiO‐66 catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, effects of waterborne zinc (Zn) exposure on apoptosis were investigated, and the potential mechanism of apoptosis participating in the Zn-induced variations of lipid metabolism was explored in a low vertebrate, yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco . We found that Zn induced occurrence of apoptosis of livers and hepatocytes in yellow catfish. Waterborne Zn also increased hepatic transcriptional levels of p53, cytochrome c (Cycs), caspase 3a (Casp3a) and caspase 3b (Casp3b) of yellow catfish. Zn increased caspase 3 activity and reduced the mitochondrial permeability transition (MTP) in yellow catfish hepatocytes. Z-VAD-fmk (caspase inhibitor) and CsA pretreatment (MTP inhibitor) attenuated the Zn-induced apoptosis and reduction in MTP. Z-VAD-fmk pretreatments attenuated the Zn-induced increase in transcriptional levels of p53, Cycs and Casp3b although the differences were not statistically significant between the Zn group and Zn + Z-VAD-fmk group. In contrast, Zn and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) did not significantly influence the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Zn significantly reduced triglyceride (TG) content, increased the activities of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT I), hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose TAG lipase (ATGL), and the transcriptional levels of p53, Cycs and caspase 3b of the hepatocytes; these Zn-induced effects on TG contents, activities of CPT I, HSL and ATGL, and mRNA levels of p53, Cycs and caspase 3b could partly be reversed by Z-VAD-fmk, suggesting that Zn induced the mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis and reduced lipid accumulation. Taken together, our study demonstrated the importance of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in Zn-induced lipolysis, which suggested a new mechanism for elucidating metal element influencing lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies demonstrated beneficial effects of zileuton, a 5-lipoxygenase (5LO) inhibitor, on some brain diseases in animal models, but the role of zileuton in the depression remains unknown.Methods: We investigated the effects of zileuton on depressive behaviors using tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST) and novelty-suppressed feeding test (NSFT) in mice injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The 5LO level, activation of microglia, NF-κB p65, TNF-α, IL-1β, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and c-AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) were determined in the mouse hippocampus.Results: We firstly found that the expression of hippocampal 5LO was gradually increased over LPS exposure and was reversed by fluoxetine administration. Zileuton significantly suppressed LPS-induced depressive behaviors, evidenced by the decreases in immobility time in TST and FST, as well as the latency to feed in NSFT. This treatment pronouncedly alleviated LPS-induced neuroinflammatory response, characterized by decreased 5LO, suppressed activation of microglia, decreased NF-κB p65, TNF-α and IL-1β, and significantly increased the ratio of p-CREB/CREB or mBDNF/proBDNF in the hippocampus of the LPS-challenged mice.Conclusions: Zileuton abrogates LPS-induced depressive-like behaviors and neuroinflammation, and enhances CREB/BDNF signaling in the hippocampus, suggesting that zileuton could have potential therapeutic value for depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose-supported palladium nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by straightforward deposition of metal NPs on modified cellulose. The catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic activity and selectivity in room-temperature hydrogenation of various nitroarenes to arylamines under atmospheric hydrogen pressure in neat water without any additives. High chemoselectivity was also achieved in the hydrogenation of substituted nitroarenes with multiple reducible groups. The catalyst can be recycled by simple centrifugation and reused for at least 4 times without significant decline of yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize long-distance and large-scale quantum communication, it is natural to utilize quantum repeater. For a general quantum multiple-unicast network, it is still puzzling how to complete communication tasks perfectly with less resources such as registers. In this paper, we solve this problem. By applying quantum repeaters to multiple-unicast communication problem, we give encoding-decoding schemes for source nodes, internal ones and target ones, respectively. Source-target nodes share EPR pairs by using our encoding-decoding schemes over quantum multiple-unicast network. Furthermore, quantum communication can be accomplished perfectly via teleportation. Compared with existed schemes, our schemes can reduce resource consumption and realize long-distance transmission of quantum information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new species Macromtrium longipapillosum D. D. Li, J. Yu, T. Cao & S. L. Guo from Japan is described and illustrated by line drawings and photographs. The new species can be distinguished from all congeners by the combination of the following features: 1) lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate leaves with obtuse, acute to broadly acuminate apices; 2) upper and median laminal cells with thin and inflated walls, with a single, large, occasionally forked papilla, 7-14 μm, occasionally up to 18 μm, 3) basal cells near costae forming a 'cancellina region', 4) inner perichaetial leaves ovate lanceolate, abruptly narrowed to a long acuminate upper part; 5) short and left-twisted seta; and 6) obloid capsules with well-developed exostome teeth. We also revise the circumscription of Macromitrium comatum Mitt. and discuss the relationships of M. comatum with M. longipapillosum and other relevant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apoptosis plays a key role in the physiology of multicellular organisms, and has been well studied in mammals, but not in teleosts. Zinc (Zn) has been shown to be an important regulator of apoptosis and apoptosis involves in the regulation of lipid metabolism. Moreover, our recent study indicated that waterborne and dietborne Zn exposure differently influenced lipid metabolism in Pelteobagrus fulvidraco , but further mechanism remained unknown. The hypothesis of the present study is that apoptosis mediated the Zn-induced changes of lipid metabolism of P. fulvidraco subjected to different exposure pathways. To this end, we cloned full-length cDNA sequences of Bcl2 and three Bax subtypes involved in apoptosis in P. fulvidraco , explored their mRNA expressions in responses to different Zn exposure pathways. Bcl2 and three Bax subtypes shared similar domain structure as typical pro- and anti-apoptotic Bcl2 family members. Their mRNAs were widely expressed among various tissues, but at variable levels. Waterborne Zn exposure down-regulated mRNA levels of Baxg and ratios of Baxa/Bcl2, and Baxg/Bcl2, but showed no significant effects on mRNA abundances of Bcl2, Baxa and Baxb, and the ratio of Baxb/Bcl2. In contrast, dietborne Zn exposure up-regulated mRNA levels of Bcl2, Baxa, Baxb and Baxg, but reduced the ratios of Baxa/Bcl2, Baxb/Bcl2, and Baxg/Bcl2. Considering their important roles of these genes in apoptosis induced by Zn, apoptosis may mediate the Zn-induced changes of hepatic lipid metabolism of Pelteobagrus fulvidraco under different Zn exposure pathways. For the first time, we characterized the full-length cDNA sequences of Bcl2 and three Bax subtypes, determined their expression profiles and transcriptional responses to different Zn exposure pathways, which would contribute to our understanding of the molecular basis of apoptosis, and also provide new insights into physiological responses to different Zn exposure pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen hydration is a critical step that determines pollen germination on the stigma. KINβγ is a plant-specific subunit of the SNF1-related protein kinase 1 complex (SnRK1 complex). In pollen of the Arabidopsis kinβγ mutant, the levels of reactive oxygen species were decreased which lead to compromised hydration of the mutant pollen on the stigma. In this study, we analyzed gene expression in kinβγ mutant pollen by RNA-seq and found the expression of inward shaker K+ channel SPIK was down-regulated in the kinβγ pollen. Furthermore, we showed that the pollen hydration of the Arabidopsis spik mutant was defective on the wild-type stigma, although the mutant pollen demonstrated normal hydration in vitro. Additionally, the defective hydration of spik mutant pollen could not be rescued by the wild-type pollen on the stigma, indicating that the spik mutation deprived the capability of pollen absorption on the stigma. Our results suggest that the Arabidopsis SnRK1 complex regulates SPIK expression, which functions in determining pollen hydration on the stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocellulose, as the star nanomaterial in carbohydrate polymers, has excellent mechanical properties, biodegradability, and easy chemical modification. However, further practical applications of nanocellulose are limited by their inadequate functionalization. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as the star nanomaterial in functional polymers, have a large surface area, high porosity, and adjustable structure. The collaboration of nanocellulose and MOFs is a desirable strategy to make composites especially interesting for multifunctional and multi-field applications. What sparks will be produced by the collaboration of two-star nanomaterials? In this review article, we highlight an up-to-date overview of nanocellulose-based MOFs composites. The sewage treatment, gas separation, energy storage, and biomedical applications are mainly summarized. Finally, the challenges and research trends of nanocellulose-based MOFs composites are prospected. We hope this review may provide a valuable reference for the development and applications of carbohydrate polymer composites soon. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on plant nuclear DNA content variation and its relationships with environmental gradients produced conflicting results. We speculated that the relationships between nuclear DNA content of a widely-distributed species and its environmental gradients might be non-linear if it was sampled in a large geographical gradient. Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv. is a worldwide species, but without documents on its intraspecific variation of nuclear DNA content. Our objectives are: 1) to detect intraspecific variation scope of E. crus-galli in its nuclear DNA content, and 2) to testify whether nuclear DNA content of the species changes with environmental gradients following Gaussian models if its populations were sampled in a large geographical gradient. We collected seeds of 36 Chinese populations of E. crus-galli across a wide geographical gradient, and sowed them in a homogeneous field to get their offspring to determine their nuclear DNA content. We analyzed the relationships of nuclear DNA content of these populations with latitude, longitude, and nineteen bioclimatic variables by using Gaussian and linear models. (1) Nuclear DNA content varied from 2.113 to 2.410 pg among 36 Chinese populations of E. crus-galli , with a mean value of 2.256 pg. (2) Gaussian correlations of nuclear DNA content (y) with geographical gradients were detected, with latitude (x) following y = 2.2923 *e − ( x − 24.9360 ) 2 2 * 63.7945 2 (r = 0.546, P < 0.001), and with longitude (x) following y = 2.2933 *e − ( x − 116.1801 ) 2 2 * 44.7450 2 (r = 0.672, P < 0.001). (3) Among the nineteen bioclimatic variables, except temperature isothermality, precipitations of the wettest month, the wettest quarter and the warmest quarter, the others could be better fit with nuclear DNA content by using Gaussian models than by linear models. There exists intra-specific variation among 36 Chinese populations of E. crus-galli , Gaussian models could be applied to fit the correlations of its Nuclear DNA content with geographical and most bioclimatic gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of a new method of combined two-dimensional shear wave elastography (i.e. virtual touch imaging quantification, VTIQ) and ultrasound (US) Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) in the differential diagnosis of breast lesions.Materials and Methods: From September 2014 to December 2014, 276 patients with 296 pathologically proven breast lesions were enrolled in this study. The conventional US images were interpreted by two independent readers. The diagnosis performances of BI-RADS and combined BI-RADS and VTIQ were evaluated, including the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), sensitivity and specificity. Observer consistency was also evaluated.Results: Pathologically, 212 breast lesions were benign and 84 were malignant. Compared with BI-RADS alone, the AUROCs and specificities of the combined method for both readers increased significantly (AUROC: 0.862 vs. 0.693 in reader 1, 0.861 vs. 0.730 in reader 2; specificity: 91.5 % vs. 38.7 % in reader 1, 94.8 % vs. 47.2 % in reader 2; all P < .05). The Kappa value between the two readers for BI-RADS assessment was 0.614, and 0.796 for the combined method.Conclusion: The combined VTIQ and BI-RADS had a better diagnostic performance in the diagnosis of breast lesions in comparison with BI-RADS alone.Key Points: • Combination of conventional ultrasound and elastography distinguishes breast cancers more effectively. • Combination of conventional ultrasound and elastography increases observer consistency. • BI-RADS weights more than the 2D-SWE with an increase in malignancy probability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new lanthanide(III) complexes were designed and synthesized: DAS[M(TTA)4]–, (M = Sm [1], M = Eu [2]), each of them contained one trans-4-[4′-(N, N-dimethylamino)styryl]-N-methyl pyridinium (DAS) cationic moiety, four 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone anions (TTA-), and one cationic lanthanide(III). Herein, the structures were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The results revealed that the central lanthanide(III) atom was fashionable eight-coordinated with square-antiprismatic coordination environment. Meanwhile, the photophysical properties of1and2were investigated by fluorescence spectra. It was proposed that there was an antenna effect and the energy transfer took place from the DAS cationic moiety to lanthanide(III) ions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A palladium-catalyzed ortho-directed alkylation of O-methyl ketoximes that proceeds through a regioselective ring-opening reaction of epoxides has been demonstrated. This C(sp2)-H activation/alkylation protocol was carried out in pivalic acid/1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (PivOH/HFIP, 2:8) as the solvent and was applied to various O-methyl ketoximes that contain either electron-donating or electron-withdrawing groups. Moreover, different types of epoxides were used in this alkylation reaction, which proceeded smoothly to give the corresponding products in moderate to good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of quantitative shear wave velocity (SWV) measurement on acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography for differentiation between benign and malignant thyroid nodules using meta-analysis. The databases of PubMed and the Web of Science were searched. Studies published in English on assessment of the sensitivity and specificity of ARFI elastography for the differentiation of thyroid nodules were collected. The quantitative measurement of ARFI elastography was evaluated by SWV (m/s). Meta-Disc Version 1.4 software was used to describe and calculate the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio and summary receiver operating characteristic curves. We analyzed a total of 13 studies, which included 1,854 thyroid nodules (including 1,339 benign nodules and 515 malignant nodules) from 1,641 patients. The summary sensitivity and specificity for differential diagnosis between benign and malignant thyroid nodules by SWV were 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77-0.84) and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.81-0.86), respectively. The pooled positive and negative likelihood ratios were 5.21 (95% CI: 3.56-7.62) and 0.23 (95% CI: 0.17-0.32), respectively. The pooled diagnostic odds ratio was 27.53 (95% CI: 14.58-52.01), and the area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.91 (Q* = 0.84). In conclusion, SWV measurement on ARFI elastography has high sensitivity and specificity for differential diagnosis between benign and malignant thyroid nodules and can be used in combination with conventional ultrasound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binuclear [{(DMOX)CdCl} 2 ( μ -Cl) 2 ] (DMOX = 4,5-dihydro-2-(4,5-dihydro-4,4-dimethyloxazol-2-yl)-4,4-dimethyl-oxazole) ( 1 ) and mononuclear [(Dm-Pybox)CdCl 2 ] (Dm-Pybox = 2,6-bis[4′,4′-dimethyloxazolin-2′-yl]pyridine) ( 2 ) were obtained by reacting CdCl 2 with DMOX and Dm-Pybox ligands, respectively. In the solid state, the supramolecular structures of 1 and 2 feature helical chains fabricated by C–H⋯Cl hydrogen bond interactions. The C–N cross-coupling reactions catalyzed by the two complexes were also investigated in homogeneous system. The results show that binuclear complex 1 exhibit significantly enhanced catalytic activity for C–N cross-coupling reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two zinc complexes with Pybox ligands, 2,6-bis[4′,4′-dimethyloxazolin-2′-yl]pyridine (Dm-pybox) (1a) and 2,6-bis[4′-isopropyloxazolin-2′-yl]pyridine (i-Pr-pybox) (1b), have been synthesized and characterized. Reactions of zinc chloride with the pyridine-based pincer ligands result in formation of (Dm-Pybox)ZnCl2(2a) and (i-Pr-Pybox)ZnCl2(2b), respectively. Both complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, NMR and IR spectra. The molecular structures of2aand2bhave been determined by X-ray crystallography. Complex2bis efficient in catalyzing Knoevenagel condensation of ferrocenecarboxaldehyde with activated methylene compounds in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activated carbon was synthesized by using cheap corn stalk as carbon source and ZnCl2 as activator by microwave assisted. Then sulfur-carbon composite materials was synthesized with elemental sulfur by using melting method. The composite was analyzed by surface area and porosity analyzer XRD,FESEM for structure and morphology, and cyclic voltammetry (CV) and charge-discharge curve for electrochemical properties. Results showed that the activated carbon had specific surface area of 1 042. 2 m²/g and the total entrance of 0. 76 cm³/g. There were pores of different specifications distributed in internal acticated carbon and a large number of pores on activated carbon surface. The sulfur-carbon composite materials were tested when current density at 400 mA/g and scope of charge-discharge in 1.5 ~ 3 V, its initial specific discharge capacity was 608. 4 mAh/g, and capacity retention was 60% after 100 times, showing good electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the protective effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) combined with alprostadil in treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods A total of 120 hospitalized patients with AKI (AKIN) who meet the diagnostic criteria and classification were enrolled in this study. The enrolled patients were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, combination group, EPO group and Alprostadil group, with 30 cases in each group. Patients in the control group were only given routine hemodialysis treatment, patients in the EPO group were treated with rHuEPO subcutaneously injection of 3 000 U tiw for 14 days, patients in the Alprostadil group were treated with alprostadil intravenous infusion of 20 µg qd for 14 days, and patients in the combination group were given rHuEPO subcutaneously injection of 3 000 U tiw and alprostadil intravenous infusion of 20 µg qd for 14 days. The above four groups were observed for 28 days, the changes in urine volume in patients in each group were recorded, and the serum creatinine and urinary NGAL, IL-18 were detected on the 4th, 8th and 15th day. Results (l) The oliguria period in the combined treatment group was shorter than the control group (5 ± 0.8) days, vs (10 ± 2.3) days, with a significant difference (P < 0.05). The serum creatinine returned to normal time in the combined treatment group was shorter than the control group (10 ± 1.1) days, vs (16 ± 2.3) days, with a significant difference (P < 0.05). The urine NGAL and IL-18 had statistically significant difference between groups (P < 0.05). (2) Compared with the control group, the urine NGAL and IL-18 had statistically significant difference with the EPO group and Alprostadil group (P < 0.05), while the urine NGAL and IL-18 had no statistically significant difference between the EPO group an Alprostadil group. (3) The urine NGAL in combination group had statistically significant difference with the EPO group and Alprostadil group (P < 0.05), but the urine IL-18 had no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). Conclusions (l) For acute kidney injury patients, rHuEPO combined with prostaglandin in treatment of acute kidney injury can shorten oliguric stage, spend less time on renal function recovery, which can be recommended in clinical. (2) On the basis of hemodialysis (HD), single use of EPO or Alprostadil has better effects than single use of HD in treatment of AKI. (3) Combination of EPO and Alprostadil has better effects than single use of EPO or Alprostadil in treatment of AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small non-protein coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play important roles in development, stress response and other cellular processes. Silkworm is an important model for studies on insect genetics and control of Lepidopterous pests. We have previously identified 189 novel intermediate-size ncRNAs in silkworm Bombyx mori, including 40 ncRNAs that showed altered expression in different developmental stages. Here we characterized the functions of these 40 ncRNAs by measuring their expressions in six tissues of the fifth instar larvae using Northern blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction assays. We identified nine ncRNAs (four small nucleolar RNAs and five unclassified ncRNAs) that were enriched in silk gland, including four ncRNAs that showed silk gland-specific expression. We further showed that three of nine silk gland-enriched ncRNAs were predominantly expressed in the anterior silk gland, whereas another three ncRNAs were highly accumulated in the posterior silk gland, suggesting that they may play different roles in fibroin synthesis. Furthermore, an unclassified ncRNA, Bm-152, exhibited converse expression pattern with its antisense host gene gartenzwerg in diverse tissues, and might regulate the expression of gartenzwerg through RNA-protein complex. In addition, two silk gland-enriched ncRNAs Bm-102 and Bm-159 can be found in histone modification complex, which indicated that they might play roles through epigenetic modifications. Taken together, we provided the first expression and preliminary functional analysis of silk gland-enriched ncRNAs, which will help understand the molecular mechanism of silk gland-development and fibroin synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The adzuki bean weevil, Callosobruchus chinensis L., is one of the most destructive pests of stored legume seeds such as mungbean, cowpea, and adzuki bean, which usually cause considerable loss in the quantity and quality of stored seeds during transportation and storage. However, a lack of genetic information of this pest results in a series of genetic questions remain largely unknown, including population genetic structure, kinship, biotype abundance, and so on. Co-dominant microsatellite markers offer a great resolving power to determine these events. Here, we report rapid microsatellite isolation from C. chinensis via high-throughput sequencing. Principal Findings: In this study, 94,560,852 quality-filtered and trimmed reads were obtained for the assembly of genome using Illumina paired-end sequencing technology. In total, the genome with total length of 497,124,785 bp, comprising 403,113 high quality contigs was generated with de novo assembly. More than 6800 SSR loci were detected and a suit of 6303 primer pair sequences were designed and 500 of them were randomly selected for validation. Of these, 196 pair of primers, i.e. 39.2%, produced reproducible amplicons that were polymorphic among 8 C. chinensis genotypes collected from different geographical regions. Twenty out of 196 polymorphic SSR markers were used to analyze the genetic diversity of 18 C. chinensis populations. The results showed the twenty SSR loci were highly polymorphic among these populations. Conclusions: This study presents a first report of genome sequencing and de novo assembly for C. chinensis and demonstrates the feasibility of generating a large scale of sequence information and SSR loci isolation by Illumina paired-end sequencing. Our results provide a valuable resource for C. chinensis research. These novel markers are valuable for future genetic mapping, trait association, genetic structure and kinship among C. chinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the silicone based materials used for light emitting diode (LED) packaging. A phenyl vinyl silicone resin (PVS) with high refractive index was synthesized in this paper. Four types of packaging materials were prepared by a hydrosilylation reaction between PVS and hydride silicone materials. This study focuses on the thermo and dynamic mechanical properties of the packaging materials. The effect of hardness, coefficient of thermal expansion, moduli, loss factors, and glass transition temperature (Tg) of these materials on their reliability with LED are discussed in this paper. Furthermore, the internal stresses were calculated and the characteristics of the above-mentioned properties were used to explore the reasons of LED failure modes and how to further increase the reliability of LED. In addition, it is helpful for the selection of silicone materials used in LED packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five- and six-coordinate nickel complexes [(Dm-Pybox)NiCl2], [(Dm-Pybox)Ni(H2O)Cl2], [(Dm-Pybox)Ni(H2O)2Cl]Cl (2a), and [(Dm-Pybox)Ni(MeOH)2Cl]Cl (2b), where Dm-Pybox is 2,6-bis[4′,4′-dimethyloxazolin-2′-yl]pyridine, have been isolated and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The solid state structures of2aand2bfeature different modes of non-covalent interactions, C–H⋯Cl, C–H⋯O and O–H⋯Cl interactions. Spectroscopic and analytical methods, UV–vis and thermogravimetric analyses were done to further investigate chemical properties of the complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Two new alkaloids, named 1,1-dimethyl-6-methoxy-7-hydroxyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (1) and (1R)-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-7-hydroxyl-8-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (2), together with 11 known compounds (3–13), were isolated from the tubers ofCorydalis humosa. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic and chemical evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the reaction between trans-resveratrol(resveratrol)and the hydroxyl radical, kinetic product control leads to a short-livedhydroxyl radical adduct with an absorption maximum at 420 nm and alifetime of 0.21 ± 0.01 μs (anaerobic acetonitrile at 25°C) as shown by laser flash photolysis using N-hydroxypyridine-2(1H)-thione (N-HPT) as a “photo-Fenton”reagent. The transient spectra of the radical adduct are in agreementwith density functional theory (DFT) calculations showing an absorptionmaximum at 442 or 422 nm for C2 and C6 hydroxyl adducts, respectively,and showing the lowest energy for the transition state leading tothe C2 adduct compared to other radical products. From this initialproduct, the relative long-lived 4′-phenoxyl radical of resveratrol(τ = 9.9 ± 0.9 μs) with an absorption maximum at390 nm is formed in a process with a time constant (τ = 0.21± 0.01 μs) similar to the decay constant for the C2 hydroxyladduct (or a C2/C6 hydroxyl adduct mixture) and in agreement withthermodynamics identifying this product as the most stable resveratrolradical. The hydroxyl radical adduct to phenoxyl radical conversionwith concomitant water dissociation has a rate constant of 5 ×106s–1and may occur by intramolecularhydrogen atom transfer or by stepwise proton-assisted electron transfer.Photolysis of N-HPT also leads to a thiyl radical which adds to resveratrolin a parallel reaction forming a sulfur radical adduct with a lifetimeof 0.28 ± 0.04 μs and an absorption maximum at 483 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Asymmetric and charged ultrafiltration membranes were prepared from blends with synthesized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and hydrophilically modified polyacrylonitrile by the classical phase inversion technique in water. As hydrophilically modified polyacrylonitrile was added, the membranes were more hydrophilic and better anti-fouling performance. Collagen extract was separated by the resulted ultrafiltration membranes. The results showed that, compared to the pure PAN ultrafiltration membrane, the blend membrane possessed higher hydrophilicity and better anti-fouling property. Fouling of collagen particles on the blend membranes was able to reduce as the composition of hydrophilic polyacrylonitrile increased. And the resulted membrane can be used to purify and concentrate collagen extract effectively. The pH of the collagen extract and the hydrophilic polyacrylonitrile content in the blend membrane could influence the membrane separation performance during separating the collagen extract. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Graph: Figure 3 Effects of ITGB4 overexpression on HCC cell proliferation, colony formation, invasion and EMT. Author Correction: Integrin 4 promotes cell invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition through the modulation of Slug expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (A) ITGB4 was ectopically expressed in the Bel-7402 and SMMC-7721 cell lines, and cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, and showed significantly higher rates of cell proliferation compared with negative control. [Extracted from the article]