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Intramuscular fat (IMF) is closely related to the meat quality of livestock and poultry. As a new cell culture technique in vitro, cell co-culture has been gradually applied to the related research of IMF formation because it can simulate the changes of microenvironment in vivo during the process of IMF cell formation. In the co-culture model, in addition to studying the effects of skeletal muscle cells on the proliferation and differentiation of IMF, we can also consider the role of many secretion factors in the formation of IMF, thus making the cell research in vitro closer to the real level in vivo. This paper reviewed the generation and origin of IMF, summarized the existing co-culture methods and systems, and discussed the advantages and disadvantages of each method as well as the challenges faced in the establishment of the system, with emphasis on the current status of research on the formation of IMF for human and animal based on co-culture technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) supported on a cerium-based metal–organic framework Ce-MOF-801 (Pd/Ce-MOF-801) was prepared using an incipient wetness impregnation strategy. Multiple analytical techniques were used to investigate the physicochemical properties of Pd/Ce-MOF-801. Afterwards, its catalytic efficiency in the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction between different haloarenes and phenylboronic acid was assessed. The developed Pd/Ce-MOF-801 displayed a high catalytic performance at 318 K and in the presence of K2CO3 as well as aqueous ethanol (as a solvent), much superior to Pd/Ce-BTC as well as the analogs reported in the literature by comprehensively comparing the catalytic activity and the relationship between reaction temperature and catalyst dosage. Moreover, the catalyst exhibited negligible Pd species leaching and was capable of being recycled in eight successive runs without any decay in reactivity. Such protocol has the advantages of ambient reaction conditions and tolerance to various substrates with various functional groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel self-hardening α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) bone cement complexed with different content of α-calcium sulfate hemihydrate (α-CSH) and micrometer hydroxyapatite mineralized silk fibroin (HA-SF) using micro/SF as curing liquid has been investigated in this work, which was capable of tunable setting time, degradation, mechanical property and ability to anti-washout. After addition 0 ∼ 25% α-CSH to the α-TCP cement with SFFs as curing liquid, it shortened the setting time of the modified composite to 10 ∼ 30 min. Furthermore, the addition of SFFs improved the compressive strength of the composite from 5.41 MPa to 9.44 MPa. The composites with both Na2HPO4 and SFFs as curing liquid showed good anti-collapse performance. The weight loss ratio of bone cement was −0.18 ∼ 12.08% in 4 weeks when the content of α-CSH in α-TCP/α-CSH was between 0 ∼ 25 wt%. During the degradation of α-CSH, the amorphous α-TCP were deposited as hydroxyapatite to formed a plate-like products on the surface of composite. Compared to the composite with Na2HPO4 solution as the curing liquid, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of the composites using SFFs as curing liquid were maintained at high levels on the 14th day especially when the Ca/P ratio was 1.7. This study provides a theoretical basis for the regeneration of bone defects guided by bone cement materials. Graphical Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct synthesis of 2,1-benzisoxazole and its related N-heterocyclic compounds via a chemoselective reductive heterocyclization route, which involves hydrogenation and subsequent intramolecular cyclodehydration steps, is a viable and attractive approach. However, the efficient transformation of the feedstocks using hydrogen as a hydrogen source at ambient temperature and atmospheric hydrogen pressure remains a great challenge. Herein, we reported a MgO-incorporated porous carbon composite (MgO@C) stabilized subnanometric Pt cluster (Pt/MgO@C) catalyst prepared by annealing a Mg-containing metal–organic framework, Mg-MOF-74, followed by impregnation of a Pt precursor and further reduction treatment strategy. The as-prepared Pt/MgO@C with ultralow Pt loading (0.078 wt%) exhibited superior catalytic performance for synthesizing 2,1-benzisoxazole derivatives by the reductive heterocyclization methodology. Excellent catalytic activity (conversion ≥ 99%), high chemoselectivity (≥92%), good stability (8 cycles), and broad functional group tolerance (10 substrates) were achieved under very mild conditions (1 bar hydrogen pressure at 303 K) over the developed Pt/MgO@C. Control experiments indicated that a proper amount of basic sites, subnanometric Pt clusters, and a close contact between them synergistically contributed to the extraordinary performance of Pt/MgO@C. Density functional theory calculations showed that the high activity and chemoselectivity of Pt/MgO@C stemmed from the active interfacial sites of Pt/MgO@C simultaneously activating the H2 and substrate, where the formed stable hydroxyl groups contributed to the enhancement of activity. The combined experimental and theoretical approach identified the formation of the –NO and –NHOH groups during the hydrogenation process, and the former corresponds to the rate-determining step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the cold storage construction project, only by controlling the quality risk of the project can ensure that the cold storage can meet the expected use function and achieve the expected economic benefits after the completion of the cold storage. In order to effectively ensure the key pivot role of cold storage in cold chain logistics, a cold storage construction quality risk management system is constructed to identify and analyze quality risk factors from three dimensions: construction procedures, participating units, and work processes, construct a cold storage construction quality risk evaluation model based on Bayesian network, and through reverse reasoning analysis and sensitivity analysis, key quality risk factors are derived: inadequate quality assurance system, technical delivery is not in place, mismatch of building materials and equipment, inadequate training of skilled workers, completion acceptance is not careful or acceptance standards are unreasonable, and duration does not meet the requirements. Finally, in view of the above quality risks, suggestions and measures are put forward from five aspects: man, material, machine, method, and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the cold storage construction project, only by controlling the quality risk of the project can ensure that the cold storage can meet the expected use function and achieve the expected economic benefits after the completion of the cold storage. In order to effectively ensure the key pivot role of cold storage in cold chain logistics, a cold storage construction quality risk management system is constructed to identify and analyze quality risk factors from three dimensions: construction procedures, participating units, and work processes, construct a cold storage construction quality risk evaluation model based on Bayesian network, and through reverse reasoning analysis and sensitivity analysis, key quality risk factors are derived: inadequate quality assurance system, technical delivery not in place, mismatch of building materials and equipment, inadequate training of skilled workers, completion acceptance not careful or acceptance standards unreasonable, and duration not meeting the requirements. Finally, in view of the above quality risks, suggestions and measures are put forward from five aspects: man, material, machine, method, and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: A 'dual active templating' strategy is firstly reported, using cationic and anionic bactericidal agents as co-templates for the preparation of antibacterial silica nanocomposite with spiky nanotopography. The spiky nanocomposite exhibited enhanced antibacterial and biofilm inhibition performance, compared to pure antimicrobial cationic agent templated smooth silica nanocomposite. Silica-based materials are usually used as delivery systems for antibacterial applications. In rare cases, bactericidal cationic surfactant templated silica composites have been reported as antimicrobial agents. However, their antibacterial efficacy is limited due to limited control in content and structure. Herein, we report a "dual active templating" strategy in the design of nanostructured silica composites with intrinsic antibacterial performance. This strategy uses cationic and anionic structural directing agents as dual templates, both with active antibacterial property. The cationic-anionic dual active templating strategy further contributes to antibacterial nanocomposites with a spiky surface. With controllable release of dual active antibacterial agents, the spiky nanocomposite displays enhanced anti-microbial and anti-biofilm properties toward Staphylococcus epidermidis. These findings pave a new avenue toward the designed synthesis of novel antibacterial nanocomposites with improved performance for diverse antibacterial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthracnose decay caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides greatly shortens the shelf life and commercial quality of mango fruit. Putrescine (1,4-Diaminobutane) is involved in modulating plant defense to various environmental stresses. In this research, in vivo and in vitro tests were used to explore the antifungal activity and the underlying mechanism of putrescine against C. gloeosporioides in mango fruit after harvested. In vivo tests suggested that putrescine markedly delayed the occurrence of disease and limited the spots expansion on inoculated mango fruit. Further analysis exhibited that putrescine treatment enhanced disease resistance, along with enhanced activities of chitinase (CHI), β-1,3-glucanase (GLU), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamate-4-hydroxylase (C4H), 4-coumarate coenzyme A ligase (4CL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and the accumulation of lignin, flavonoid, phenolics, and anthocyanin in infected mango fruit. In addition, in vitro tests showed that putrescine exerted strongly antifungal activity against C. gloeosporioides. Putrescine induced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and severe lipid peroxidation damage in C. gloeosporioides mycelia, resulting in the leakage of soluble protein, soluble sugar, nucleic acids, K+ and Ca2+ of C. gloeosporioides mycelia. The mycelium treated with putrescine showed severe deformity and shrinkage, and even cracking. Taken together, putrescine could effectively reduce the incidence rate and severity of anthracnose disease possibly through direct fungicidal effect and indirect induced resistance mechanism, thus showing great potential to be applied to disease control. [Display omitted] • Putrescine enhanced anthracnose resistance in mango fruit. • Putrescine inhibited mycelial growth and spore germination of C. gloeosporioides. • Putrescine caused plasma membrane damage and leakage of intracellular constituents of C. gloeosporioides. • Putrescine enhanced defense-related enzyme activities and accumulation of antifungal compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intramuscular fat content is closely related to the quality of beef, where the forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) is involved in adipocyte differentiation and lipid metabolism, but the specific mechanism of its involvement is still unclear. In this study, interfering with FOXO1 promoted the G1/S transformation of bovine adipocytes by enhancing the expression of proliferation marker genes PCNA , CDK1 , CDK2 , CCNA2 , CCNB1 , and CCNE2 , thereby positively regulating the proliferation of bovine adipocytes. Additionally, interfering with FOXO1 negatively regulated the expression of adipogenic differentiation marker genes PPARG and CEBPA , as well as lipid anabolism marker genes ACC , FASN , SCD1 , SREBP1 , FABP4 , ACSL1 , LPL , and DGAT1 , thus reducing triglyceride (TG) content and inhibiting the generation of lipid droplets in bovine adipocytes. A combination of transcriptomic and metabolomics analyses revealed that FOXO1 could regulate the lipogenesis of cattle by influencing the AMPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. Importantly, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and site-directed mutagenesis revealed that FOXO1 could regulate bovine lipogenesis by binding to the promoter regions of the CD36 and STEAP4 genes and affecting their transcriptional activities. These results provide a foundation for studying the role and molecular mechanism of FOXO1 in the bovine adipogenesis. • Interfering with bovine FOXO1 positively regulates the proliferation of bovine adipocytes. • Interfering with FOXO1 inhibits the generation of lipid droplets in bovine adipocytes by PPARG and CEBPA. • FOXO1 could regulate lipogenesis by influencing the activity of AMPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. • FOXO1 can regulate the lipogenesis by affecting the transcriptional activity of CD36 and STEAP4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract An aqueous ASC assembled by a potential-widened positive electrode (VS 4 /RGO/CoS 2 @Co) and a new-developed negative electrode (RGO/Co 9 S 8 @Co), exhibited an ultrahigh energy density up to 106 Wh kg−1. Highlights • Introduction of VS 4 expanded the potential window of CoS 2 from 0.5 to 0.75 V. • VS 4 /RGO/CoS 2 @Co cathode showed a 89.6% retention after 20,000 cycles. • The nanosheet arrays-constructed RGO/Co 9 S 8 @Co was innovatively used as anode. • An ASC device performed an ultrahigh energy density up to 106 Wh kg−1. Abstract Improving the energy density has been being a challenge for supercapacitors, and the efficient approach is to choose active materials (composites) based on the potential window (chemical stability) and theoretical specific capacitance of both matched electrodes, which usually own unique nano-sized and porous (hierarchical) structure. Herein, hierarchical VS 4 /rGO/CoS 2 @Co (VRCS@Co) nanocomposite cathode and rGO/Co 9 S 8 @Co (RCS@Co) anode with nanosheet arrays were both in-situ synthesized on Co foam through a simple one-step hydrothermal process in the presence of graphene oxide (GO). VRCS@Co cathode exhibited a high capacitance of 274.3 mAh g−1 (1353 F g−1) at 0.625 A g−1 and an excellent cyclic life of 89.6% retention at 20,000th cycles, while RCS@Co anode delivered a superior capacitance of 619.5 mAh g−1 (2230 F g−1) at 0.714 A g−1 and a good cyclability of 93.3% retention at 2000th cycles. An asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) assembled by using VRCS@Co cathode and RCS@Co anode revealed an ultrahigh energy density of 106 Wh kg−1 along with a power density of 2.67 kW kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A series of Zn SACs synthesized via a ZIF-8-mediated sacrificial template strategy. • Zn–N–C–T exhibited high performance in transfer hydrogenation nitrobenzene to aniline. • The activity of Zn–N–C–T is closely related to the coordination number of Zn sites. • The hydrogenation mechanism over Zn–N–C–1223 is disclosed by the DFT calculations. Metal single-atom catalysts (SACs) have great potential to replace traditional nanoparticle catalysts in practical applications, however, the task-specific construction of SACs containing metal–nitrogen (M−N) moiety with tunable M−N coordination number remains a colossal challenging issue. Herein, we report a facile strategy to modulate the s-band of Zn by constructing N-coordinated Zn SACs (denoted as Zn–N–C–T, T stands for the pyrolysis temperature) with tunable nitrogen coordination number (denoted as Zn–N x , x = 2, 3, and 4) and Zn loadings (ranging from 0.8 to 6.8% by weight) via a metal–organic framework-mediated pyrolysis method. The catalytic activity of Zn–N–C–T is found to be closely related to the coordination number of Zn single atomic sites for the transfer hydrogenation of nitroarene to arylamine, using hydrazine hydrate as a hydrogen source under environmental benign conditions, among which the under-coordinated Zn–N 3 with defect and asymmetric electron distribution in Zn–N–C–1223 exhibits the best catalytic activity, followed by lower-coordinated Zn–N 2 with defect in Zn–N–C–1273 and saturated coordination Zn–N 4 in Zn–N–C–1123. Experimental results and theoretical analysis uncover that appropriately lowering the coordination number increases the electron density of Zn single atoms and simultaneously introduces H-acceptor sites, which cooperatively contribute to the enhancement of the performance for transfer hydrogenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel Cu 1.96 S/g-C 3 N 4 0D/2D p-n heterojunctions were successfully synthesized via a facile one-step calcination approach using thiocarbamide as both precursor and sulfur source. The Cu 1.96 S nanoparticles with sizes of 3–10 nm were closely anchored on the surface of g-C 3 N 4 with good dispersion and the Cu 1.96 S/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposites were used as a photocatalyst for photodegradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP) under visible light. The experimental results demonstrated that the visible light photocatalytic activity of the Cu 1.96 S/g-C 3 N 4 0D/2D p-n heterojunction was significantly enhanced in comparison with pure g-C 3 N 4 and the degradation rate was up to about 3.2 times that of pure g-C 3 N 4 . The increased photocatalytic activity of the Cu 1.96 S/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposites could be attributed to the formation of the heterojunctions between g-C 3 N 4 and Cu 1.96 S, which were conducive to avert the aggregation of small Cu 1.96 S nanoparticles and suppresses the recombination of photoinduced charge. Moreover, the Cu 1.96 S/g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst exhibited high stability for CIP degradation even after seven successive cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• EBR enhanced anthracnose resistance in mango fruit. • EBR showed no antifungal activity to C. gloeosporioides in vitro. • EBR enhanced defense-related enzyme activities. • EBR slowed down the hydrolysis of pectin. Brassinosteroids (BRs) are natural steroidal phytohormones that regulate many essential processes of plant growth, development and responses to stress. However, the role of BRs in the defense response against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in mango fruit remains largely unknown. This study investigated the resistance against C. gloeosporioides and the possible mechanisms of exogenous 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) in mango fruit. Results showed 1 μmol L−1 EBR effectively reduced the disease incidence and disease severity on mango fruit after inoculating with C. gloeosporioides. However, EBR had no direct antifungal activity against C. gloeosporioides in vitro test. EBR significantly improved the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), chitinase (CHT), cinnamate-4-hydroxylase (C4H), β-1,3-glucanase (GLU) and 4-hydroxycinnamate CoA ligase (4CL), as well as the accumulation of flavonoids, lignin and total phenolics in mango fruit. EBR treatment also increased hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) content in mango fruit at early storage stage after inoculation, while increased catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities with low reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in later storage stage. Besides, EBR treatment markedly reduced the changes in pectin methylesterase (PME) and polygalacturonase (PG) activities, which slowed down the hydrolysis of pectin, thus maintaining cell wall integrity. The principal component analysis indicated that EBR treatment was strongly associated with the increase of defense enzyme activities and metabolite contents and the inhibition of pectin hydrolysis. These results indicated that exogenous EBR could be a promising strategy to increase resistance against C. gloeosporioides in mango fruit by improving the defense responses against pathogens. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogels are promising materials for electronic skin due to their flexibility and modifiability. Reported hydrogel electronic skins can recognize stimulations and output signals, but the single output signal and the requirement of external power source limit their further applications. In this study, inspired by the neuron system, the self‐powered neuron system‐like hydrogels based on gelatin, water/glycerin and ionic liquid modified metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are prepared. The optimized hydrogel exhibits excellent adhesion (40 kPa), stretchability (0%–100%), water retention (>92% at 0% relative humidity (RH) atmosphere), ionic conductivity (>10−3 S m−1) and stability (>30 days). Besides, the neuron system‐like hydrogels are highly sensitive to pressure (0—10 N) and humidity (0%–75% RH) with dual‐modal output, without external power source. Finally, the optimized hydrogel ionic skin is applied in human motion detection, energy harvesting, and low humidity sensing. This study provides a preliminary exploration of self‐powered ionic skin for multi‐application scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel indolo[3,2-b]andrographolide derivatives were designed, synthesized and screened in vitro against three human cancer cell lines MCF7 (human breast cancer), HCT116 (human colon cancer), and DU145 (human prostate cancer). Fourteen compounds 6b , 6e , 6i , 6j , 6l , 6m , 6n , 12a , 12b , 13a , 13b , 15a , 17a , and 17b exhibited better anti-cancer activities than andrographolide for all three human cancer lines, with compound 6l displaying best activity with IC 50 values of 1.85, 1.22 and 1.24 μM against MCF7, HCT116 and DU145 respectively. Preliminary anti-cancer mechanistic investigation was performed in terms of the cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis assays of compound 6l against HCT116 using flow cytometry, and the results suggested that compound 6l inhibited tumor proliferation through inducing early and late cellular apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner and causing cell cycle arrest in the S-phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The synthesis of a series of andrographolide-19-oic acid derivatives was described and their in vitro anti-tumor activity against two human cell lines was evaluated. Most compounds were found to exhibit significant cytotoxicity, better than andrographolide, and compounds 9d and 9b were identified as the most potent with IC50 values of 1.18 and 6.28μm against HCT-116 and MCF-7 cell lines, respectively. The preliminary results indicated that the oxidation of C-19-hydroxyl group of andrographolide to corresponding carboxyl group and the subsequent esterification of the formed carboxylic acid led to considerable improvement in cytotoxicity against the cancer cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A high-performance low-humidity sensor and moisture-enabled electric generator are prepared through a mesoporous silica-mediated polymerizable deep eutectic solvent platform. The strong hydrophilicity and high ionic conductivity of ionogels are the main reasons for realizing dual-function devices. This work provides a novel approach for the combination of humidity detection and utilization. [Display omitted] • Mesoporous silica/polymerizable deep eutectic solvent functionalized ionogels were prepared by UV light stimulation. • Mesoporous silica containing abundant hydroxyl groups can regulate the intermolecular forces in polymer networks. • Low-humidity sensing and moisture-enabled electric generation can be realized simultaneously through functionalized ionogels. Although technologies related to humidity detection and utilization, such as humidity sensors, atmospheric water harvesting, energy collection, and moisture-enabled electrical generation technologies, have been widely reported, there is still an urgent need for effective monitoring and utilization of humidity in low-humidity places. An ideal low-humidity sensor requires a high response, fast response time and low humidity hysteresis. Soft ion power supplies inspired by electric eels convert the chemical potential energy of ion gradients into electrical energy by utilizing humidity, but their production is challenging. This paper reports a new strategy for developing functionalized ionogels based on mesoporous silica and a polymerizable deep eutectic solvent (SiO 2 @PDES). Due to their strong hydrophilicity, high ionic conductivity, excellent adhesion, flexibility and mechanical strength, SiO 2 @PDES ionogels can not only detect low humidity but also generate electric power through a reasonably designed device structure. In the 5–30% RH range, the response of the SiO 2 @PDES humidity sensor reaches 1600%, with negligible humidity hysteresis (0.8% RH). As a biomimetic soft ion power supply, SiO 2 @PDES ionogels generate a high open-circuit voltage of ∼600 mV at 33% RH, which expands the environmental adaptability of moisture-enabled electrical generation equipment. In addition, the excellent moisture-enabled electrical generation performance endows portable wearable power supplies with high potential for applications such as charging capacitors and lighting LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth and development of bovine skeletal muscle and beef yield is closely intertwined. Our previous research found that forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) plays an important role in the regulation of beef muscle formation, but its specific mechanism is still unknown. In this study, we aimed to clarify the regulatory mechanism of FOXO1 in proliferation and differentiation of bovine skeletal muscle cells (BSMCs). The results showed that interfering with FOXO1 can promote proliferation and the cell G1/S phase of BSMCs by up-regulating the expression of PCNA , CDK1 , CDK2 , CCNA2 , CCNB1 , CCND1 and CCNE2. Besides , interfering with FOXO1 inhibited the apoptosis of BSMCs by up-regulating the expression of anti-apoptosis gene BCL2 , while simultaneously down-regulating the expression of the pro-apoptosis genes BAD and BAX. Inversely, interfering with FOXO1 can promote the differentiation of BSMCs by up-regulating the expression of myogenic differentiation marker genes MYOD , MYOG , MYF5 , MYF6 and MYHC. Furthermore, RNA-seq combined with western bolt, immunofluorescence and chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that FOXO1 could regulate BSMCs differentiation process by influencing PI3K-Akt, Relaxin and TGF-beta signaling pathways, and target MYH3 for transcriptional inhibition. In conclusion, this study provides a basis for studying the role and molecular mechanism of FOXO1 in BSMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A facile and scalable approach for synthesis of Fe-based MOF MIL-88A(Fe) developed. • Our approach has the advantages of mild synthesis conditions and high MOF yield. • MIL-88A(Fe) exhibited an excellent performance for oxidation of cyclohexene with O 2. • Both free radical and Fe-mediated reaction pathways involved in aerobic oxidation. Herein, we reported a facile and scalable approach for the synthesis of Fe-based MOF MIL-88A(Fe) via a simple liquid-phase route at atmosphere pressure, and its application as a heterogeneous catalyst for the efficient aerobic oxidation of cyclohexene to value-added 2-cyclohexene-1-ol. Over 130 g of spindle-shaped MIL-88A(Fe) nanocrystals with high crystallinity, monodispersed particle size, and large specific surface area were easily synthesized per batch according to our method. The resultant MIL-88A(Fe) exhibited a high catalytic activity (conversion: 81%) with 70% selectivity for 2-cyclohexene-1-ol in the aerobic oxidation of cyclohexene with O 2 as the sole oxidant under mild reaction conditions (0.5 MPa of O 2 , 353 K for 8 h), outperforming the analogues reported in the literatures. The combined experimental and theoretical approach support the reaction mechanism of the oxidation of cyclohexene via both the free radical reaction pathway and Fe-mediated reaction pathway, resulting in the selective formation of 2-cyclohexene-1-ol. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetrasulphide bridged mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (MONs) with a high sulphur content of ∼11% and a large pore size of ∼14 nm have been synthesized using tetrabutyl orthosilicate (TBOS) as a modulator in the synthetic system. It is shown that the incorporation of TBOS modulates the hydrolysis and co-condensation of inorganic silica and organosilica precursors during the formation of MONs, leading to a higher organosilica content and larger mesopores compared with the conventional synthesis using only tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the inorganic silica precursor. Moreover, MONs with a high tetrasulphide content exhibit enhanced GSH oxidation capability, showing their potential in applications where GSH depletion is important. [Display omitted] • A new strategy to prepare MONs with high sulphur content and large pore. • TBOS modulated hydrolysis and condensation of inorganic and organic silanes. • Sulphur content dependent GSH depletion activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a primary myocardial disease and one of the critical causes of heart failure. It is the most common indication for heart transplantation worldwide, and most idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathies are sporadic and multifactorial. Evidence has supported that several inflammatory cytokines and immune responses are involved in its pathological process. Interleukin-32 is a proinflammatory cytokine and is elevated during the worsening cardiac function. Herein, we evaluated the correlation between interleukin-32 gene polymorphisms (rs12934561 and rs28372698) and the susceptibility to dilated cardiomyopathy. Methods. We enrolled 418 dilated cardiomyopathy patients and 437 healthy controls. The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used for genotyping the two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and SPSS software was used for statistical analyses. Results. The C allele and CC genotype frequencies of rs12934561 were remarkably elevated in dilated cardiomyopathy patients compared to controls (both P < 0.001). The A allele and AA genotype frequencies of rs28372698 significantly decreased in dilated cardiomyopathy patients (P = 0.004 and P = 0.02 , respectively). Compared to TT/TC genotype carriers of rs12934561, CC homozygotes presented an increased risk of dilated cardiomyopathy when the left ventricular ejection fraction no more than 30% (P = 0.02). Conclusions. The IL-32 gene polymorphisms might implicate in DCM risk in the Chinese Han population, and rs12934561 could be a potential forecasting factor for screening high-risk population for DCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cryptorchidism is one of the most common congenital anomalies in newborn boys. There are various risk factors that have been verified to have relationship with cryptorchidism, including exogenous and genetic, but the pathogenesis of cryptorchidism remains unclear. PFKM gene is a critical gene encodes for a regulatory enzyme, which limits the rate in the pathway of glycolysis. We assumed that cryptorchidism risk may associated with PFKM gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Thus we selected three tag SNPs in the PFKM gene and aimed to investigate the possible association between PFKM gene polymorphisms and cryptorchidism risk.Methods: The SNPs were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. 140 cases and 227 controls were enrolled in this study, including 105 unilateral cryptorchidism and 35 bilateral cases. The testis position was decided by the higher one in bilateral cases.Results: The frequency of allele G of SNP rs2228500 is increased in cryptorchidism patients compared to that in controls (p < 0.05). Genotypic frequencies of rs2228500 are associated with the susceptibility of cryptorchidism in the codominant model (p < 0.05). And compared with G/G genotype in the dominant model, notable decreased frequencies of A carriers (A/G-A/A genotypes) were observed in cryptorchidism patients (p = 0.0069, OR = 1.80, 95% CI  1.17-2.75).Conclusions: This research first revealed that PFKM gene polymorphisms were associated with cryptorchidism in a Chinese Han population. We have offered primary evidence that the G allele and the G/G genotype of rs2228500 SNP in the PFKM gene are more frequent in patients with cryptorchidism than healthy controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Imidoyl chloride scaffolds used to against plant pathogenic fungi. • Novel thiazol-2-ylbenzamide and thiazole-2-ylbenzimidoyl chloride derivatives were designed and selectively synthesized as antifungal agents by optimizing the conditions. • Compounds 3B and 4B showed broad-spectrum antifungal activity than the lead compound thifluzamide in vitro. • acute oral toxicity test on A. mellifera L. showed only low toxicity for compounds 3B and 4B to A. mellifera L. populations. To promote the development and exploitation of novel antifungal agents, a series of thiazol-2-ylbenzamide derivatives (3A - 3V) and thiazole-2-ylbenzimidoyl chloride derivatives (4A - 4V) were designed and selective synthesis. The bioassay results showed that most of the target compounds exhibited excellent in vitro antifungal activities against five plant pathogenic fungi (Valsa mali , Sclerotinia scleotiorum , Botrytis cinerea , Rhizoctonia solani and Trichoderma viride). The antifungal effects of compounds 3B (EC 50 = 0.72 mg/L) and 4B (EC 50 = 0.65 mg/L) against S. scleotiorum were comparable to succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) thifluzamide (EC 50 = 1.08 mg/L) and boscalid (EC 50 = 0.78 mg/L). Especially, compounds 3B (EC 50 = 0.87 mg/L) and 4B (EC 50 = 1.08 mg/L) showed higher activity against R. solani than boscalid (EC 50 = 2.25 mg/L). In vivo experiments in rice leaves revealed that compounds 3B (86.8 %) and 4B (85.3 %) exhibited excellent protective activities against R. solani comparable to thifluzamide (88.5 %). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results exhibited that compounds 3B and 4B dramatically disrupted the typical structure and morphology of R. solani mycelium. Molecular docking demonstrated that compounds 3B and 4B had significant interactions with succinate dehydrogenase (SDH). Meanwhile, SDH inhibition assay results further proved their potential as SDHIs. In addition, acute oral toxicity tests on A. mellifera L. showed only low toxicity for compounds 3B and 4B to A. mellifera L. populations. These results suggested that these two series of compounds had merit for further investigation as potential low-risk agricultural SDHI fungicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hybrid volume-surface integral equation (VSIE) method has the advantage of solving electromagnetic scattering problems involving complex structure mixed metal with dielectric. In this paper, a method combining VSIE with overlapped domain decomposition method (ODDM) is used to analyze electromagnetic scattering problems successfully. To further improve efficiency, the multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) is adopted, then a novel VSIE-ODDM-MLFMA is proposed. Numerical results show that the proposed method has low memory requirement, fast convergence, and accurate simulation result. It indicates that the proposed method has the ability to analyze complicated electromagnetic problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low humidity detection has been a great challenge in the field of humidity sensing. In recent years, polyelectrolytes have been proven to be promising materials for highly sensitive humidity sensors. In this work, cross-linked poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) were prepared for low humidity detection. The strong hydrophilicity of PILs contributes to humidity sensing while the cross-linked structure guarantees the stability of the sensing film. The optimized sensor shows high response (48.0) in 5–35% RH, with short response/recovery time (1 s/10 s) and a small humidity hysteresis (0.2% RH). The possible sensing mechanism of the sensors was discussed. • Cross-linked poly(ionic liquid)s were used as low humidity sensitive materials. • The optimized sensor shows high response in 5–35% RH. • The optimized sensor has short recovery time and small humidity hysteresis. • The introduction of glycerol could reduce the impedance of the sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) has attracted extensive interest from surgeons and materials scientists. However, the collapsibility of calcium phosphate cement limits its clinical application. In this work, a gel network of SA-CA formed by the reaction of citric acid (CA) and sodium alginate (SA) was introduced into the α-TCP/α-CSH composite. Furthermore, a high proportion of α-CSH provided more calcium sources for the system to combine with SA forming a gel network to improve the cohesion property of the composite, which also played a regulating role in the conversion of materials to HA. The morphology, physicochemical properties, and cell compatibility of the composites were studied with SA-CA as curing solution. The results show that SA-CA plays an important role in the compressive strength and collapse resistance of bone cement, and its properties can be regulated by changing the content of CA. When CA is 10 wt%, the mechanical strength is the highest, reaching 12.49 ± 2.03 MPa, which is 265.80% higher than water as the solidifying liquid. In addition, the cell experiments showed that the samples were not toxic to MC3T3 cells. The results of ALP showed that when SA-CA were used as curing solution, the activity of ALP was higher than that of blank sample, indicating that the composite bone cement could be conducive to the differentiation of osteoblasts. In this work, the α-CSH/α-TCP based composite regulated by gel network of SA-CA can provide a promising strategy to improve the cohesion of bone cement. • α-TCP/α-CSH cement was solidified by gel network of citric acid/sodium alginate. • The gel network greatly improved the cohesion properties of material. • α-CSH promoted crosslinking with sodium alginate and conversion of α-TCP to HA. • The material showed good mechanical properties as well as cytocompatibility. • ALP activity was improved when adding citric acid and sodium alginate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver regeneration is a tissue growth process after loss or injury of liver tissue, which is a compensatory hyperplasia rather than true regeneration, mainly depending on hepatocyte proliferation. Currently, a large number of studies on hepatocyte proliferation have been conducted. However, studies on the regulation of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) on hepatocyte proliferation are still limited. To identify specially expressed lncRNA during rat liver regeneration, high-throughput sequencing technology was performed, and a total of 2446 lncRNAs and 4091 mRNAs were identified as significantly differentially expressed. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was performed to analyze the role of differentially expressed mRNAs, and 695 mRNAs were identified to be related to cell proliferation. Then, an lncRNA-mRNA coexpression network based on the differentially expressed lncRNAs and proliferation-related genes was constructed to analyze the potential function of lncRNAs on hepatocyte proliferation, and ten lncRNAs, NONRATT003557.2, NONRATT005357.2, NONRATT003292.2, NONRATT001466.2, NONRATT003289.2, NONRATT001047.2, NONRATT005180.2, NONRATT004419.2, NONRATT005336.2, and NONRATT005335.2, were selected as key regulatory factors, which may play crucial roles in hepatocyte proliferation during rat liver regeneration. Finally, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established to illuminate the interaction between proliferation-related genes, and ten hub genes (Aurkb, Cdk1, Cdc20, Bub1b, Mad2l1, Kif11, Prc1, Ccna2, Top2a, and Ccnb1) were screened with the MCC method in the PPI network, which may be important biomarkers involved in the hepatocyte proliferation during rat liver regeneration. These results may provide clues for a more comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanism of hepatocyte proliferation during rat liver regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is highly lethal worldwide. Factors involved in the inflammation and hormone-associated signaling pathway play vital roles in EOC carcinogenesis. The transforming growth factor-β- (TGF-β-) activated kinase 1 (MAP3K7) binding protein 2 (TAB2), mediating convergence of inflammatory and estrogen, may be implicated in EOC. The present study is aimed at exploring the association between the TAB2 gene polymorphisms and EOC. Methods. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs237028, rs521845, and rs652921) of TAB2 were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 221 patients and 252 healthy controls. Associations between SNPs and clinical characteristics were performed either with the χ2 test or with Fisher's exact test. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard models were used to detect associations between genotypes and overall survival. Results. The rs237028 polymorphism was significantly associated with an increased risk of EOC with an allelic genetic model (A vs. G; OR=1.45; 95%CI=1.07–1.96; P=0.016), dominant genetic model (AA vs. AG-GG; OR=1.66; CI 1.14–2.41; P=0.008), and overdominant genetic model (AA-GG vs. AG; OR=1.60; CI 1.08–2.36; P=0.017). However, no significant association was observed between rs237028 polymorphism and overall survival. Conclusions. Our study indicated that the rs237028 polymorphism in the TAB2 gene was associated with EOC susceptibility and the TAB2 gene might contribute to the initiation of EOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Au-loaded mesoporous silica/gelatin hydrogel was used the excellent humidity sensing film. • The prepared sensor could detect NH 3 by utilizing the outstanding ability to adsorb water molecules. • An egg storage scenario was simulated, and the water loss in eggs was monitored by the humidity sensor. • The sensing mechanism and contribution of each component in the sensing process were analyzed. In this paper, a composite hydrogel film (Au/Me-SiO 2 /G) based on Au nanoparticles, mesoporous silica and gelatin was prepared, which can be used for low relative humidity (RH) detection. Au-1%/Me-SiO 2 /G exhibits a response of 423% in the range of 0.4–30% RH, a short response time of 28 s, a linearity of R2 = 0.997, and good long-term stability. With the outstanding ability to adsorb water molecules, the sensor can detect NH 3 at room temperature and low humidity environment. The response of the sensor to NH 3 significantly increases with the humidity. At 30% RH, the initial impedance value of the sensor is as low as ∼6.6 MΩ, and the response to 50 ppm NH 3 is 78%. In addition, an egg storage scenario was simulated, and the water loss in eggs was monitored simultaneously by the prepared humidity sensor and a commercial sensor. The results demonstrate the practical application detection ability of the prepared humidity sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Previous evidence has indicated that the reduction of axis inhibition protein 1 (AXIN1) expression is related with the poor differentiation of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the potential association between AXIN1 and bladder cancer (BC) is unknown. We aimed to initially explore the relevance of AXIN1 gene polymorphisms (rs12921862 C/A, rs1805105 T/C, and rs370681 C/T) and BC. Methods. Three hundred and sixteen BC patients and 419 healthy controls had been enrolled. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used for genotyping three tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of AXIN1. The SNPstats online analysis software and SPSS software were used for statistical analysis. Results. Our data revealed that three tag SNPs were associated with an increased risk of BC (rs12921862: P<0.001, OR 95%CI=4.61 (3.13-6.81); rs1805105: P=0.046, OR 95%CI=1.35 (1.00-1.82); and rs370681: P=0.004, OR 95%CI=1.56 (1.15-2.10)). For rs12921862, A allele was an independently protective factor which correlated with a better prognosis in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients (P=0.03, OR 95%CI=0.10 (0.01-0.84)). Stratification analysis demonstrated that rs370681 polymorphism was related with high-grade bladder cancer (P=0.04, OR 95%CI=1.85 (1.04-3.23)). Conclusion. The AXIN1 gene polymorphisms might implicate in BC risk, and rs12921862 could be a potential forecasting factor for prognosis of BC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roles of interleukin-31 (IL-31) in the development and progression of human epithelial ovarian cancer are largely unknown. Studies report that the polymorphisms, rs7977932 C>G and rs4758680 C>A in IL-31, affect the expression level of IL-31. In the present study, we examined 412 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and 428 healthy individuals to explore whether these polymorphisms are associated with the epithelial ovarian cancer in Chinese women. The genotype of the polymorphisms in each individual was identified. The associations of the polymorphisms with patients’ clinical characteristics and outcomes were evaluated. For rs7977932, the frequency of the CG/GG was significantly decreased in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. However, the frequency of the rs4758680 CA/AA was significantly increased in those patients. Moreover, the frequency of rs7977932 CG/GG genotype was significantly higher in patients with less advanced FIGO stages. Kaplan-Meier curve showed that patients with CG/GG genotypes of rs7977932 had a decreased risk for recurrence compared to those with CC genotype. Our findings suggested that rs7977932 and rs4758680 of IL-31 may be associated with the development and progression of the epithelial ovarian cancer in the Chinese population. IL-31, therefore, may be a potential therapeutic target for the development of drugs to treat the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Sepsis is now the leading cause of death in the noncardiovascular intensive care unit (ICU). Objective: To investigate whether polymorphisms in IL21 gene contribute to sepsis susceptibility. Materials and methods: Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms of IL21 (rs907715, rs2055979, rs12508721) were genotyped by TaqMan assay in patients with sepsis and control subjects. Results: Polymorphisms rs2055979 and rs12508721 in IL21 were more frequent in sepsis patients compared to general population. But allele frequency of rs907715 was not significantly different between sepsis patients and control subjects. Conclusion: Polymorphisms in IL21 may be associated with sepsis risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian cancer continues to be the most lethal gynecologic malignancy worldwide. IL-27 is a novel member of the IL-12 cytokine family. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of IL-27 on the ovarian cystadenocarcinoma cell line SKOV3 and determine possible mechanisms underlying its effect. We stably transfected an IL-27 plasmid, empty vector, IL-27 shRNA or negative control into SKOV3 cells. Cell proliferative activity was evaluated using a WST-1 cell proliferation assay kit. Cell viability was quantified by measurements of lactate dehydrogenase release. The mRNA levels of nine genes were tested by q-PCR. Western blotting was used to verify apoptosis and signal pathways. We found that the IL-27 plasmid significantly enhanced cytotoxicity and inhibited the proliferation of SKOV3 cells. Caspase-3 protein was augmented by IL-27 plasmid and abated by IL-27 shRNA. The incremental expression of IL-27 activated the STAT3 pathway and attenuated the Akt pathway. The over-expression of IL-27 could significantly upregulate a series of antitumor cytokines including IL-6, IL-12 and interferon-γ and down-regulate protumor factors such as TLR4 and NF-κB1 . Our data show that IL-27 has direct antitumor capacity in ovarian cancer cells via enhancing apoptosis by inducing the STAT3 pathway and restraining the Akt pathway. Précis : IL-27 enhanced the cytotoxicity and suppressed the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells by activating STAT3 and inhibiting the Akt signal pathway. IL-27 plays an important role in antitumor activity against epithelial ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • In-situ assembly of antibacterial drug into nanoparticles with tailored morphology. • Rough structured drug-containing nanoparticles boost bactericidal activity. • Nanoparticle-based antibacterial coating strategy with durable performance. Biomimetic rough silica nanoparticles (RNPs) have emerged as a promising drug delivery platform for antimicrobial applications, featuring unique adhesive property towards pathogens and enabling efficient bacterial killing. However, bare silica has an inert nature, thus requiring post-loading of antimicrobial agents. The in-situ synthesis of bioactive RNPs containing antibacterial agents is highly desired but remains challenging. Herein, we report the designed synthesis of bactericidal RNPs templated by an antibacterial drug of benzalkonium chloride (BAC). Compared to the counterpart with a smooth surface, RNPs-BAC exhibit enhanced antibacterial performance. Moreover, the RNPs-BAC nanocomposites allow ease of functionalization of substrates and fabric masks, providing an antibacterial coating strategy with durable pathogen-killing performance that cannot be achieved by the antibacterial drug itself. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the potential of the innovative RNPs-based nanocomposites in antibacterial applications such as medical and wearable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Interleukin-27 is a new member of the IL-12 family which plays an important role in human carcinogenesis. Objective: To investigate whether polymorphisms inIL27contribute to renal cell carcinoma (RCC) risk. Materials and methods: These two polymorphisms were genotyped in 329 RCC patients and 386 healthy controls by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results: Significantly increased RCC risk was associated the G allele of both rs153109 and rs17855750 (rs153109:p = 0.006, OR = 1.364, 95%CI = 1.095–1.700; rs17855750:p = 0.001, OR = 1.768, 95%CI = 1.245–2.511). Conclusion: The present study provided evidence that rs153109 and rs17855750 were associated with increased risk for RCC, suggesting an important role IL-27 may play in nephrocarcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Context: AXIN1 is a central component of Wnt signalling pathway which is essential for embryonic development. Objective: To investigate whether polymorphisms of AXIN1 contribute to ASD susceptibility. Materials and methods: Three tag SNPs (rs12921862, rs370681 and rs1805105) in AXIN1 were genotyped in 208 ASD patients and 302 healthy controls using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in a Chinese population. Results: Significantly increased ASD risk was observed to be associated with the A allele of rs12921862 ( p < 0.0001, OR = 3.096, 95% CI = 2.037-4.717). Increased ASD risk was observed to be associated with rs370681 in a codominant ( p = 0.043, OR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.04-2.22) and overdominant model ( p = 0.016, OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.08-2.27). Conclusion: rs12921862 and rs370681 may contribute to ASD susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether preeclampsia is associated with polymorphisms in the IL-1α. Methods: We genotyped a Chinese population (212 women with preeclampsia and 203 controls) for the polymorphism of the interleukin-1α gene (3′-untranslated region). Clinical data were collected from medical records. Results: Significantly reduced preeclampsia risk was found to be associated with both I allele ( p < 0.001, OR = 0.487, CI = 0.360-0.658) and I/I genotype ( p < 0.01, OR = 0.26, CI = 0.13-0.55) of the rs3783553 polymorphisms. Conclusion: The 'TTCA' insertion allele of rs3783553 contributes to reduce the individual's susceptibility for preeclampsia, which implies that the insertion allele is a protective factor for the preeclampsia development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging evidence has demonstrated that polymorphisms of interleukin-1 (IL-1) may be involved in human tumorigenesis by regulating the production of this cytokine. Previous studies have investigated the association between two genetic variants (rs3783553 and rs17561) of IL1A and many diseases. The present study was conducted to evaluate whether these two variants are associated with cervical carcinoma (CC). These two polymorphisms were genotyped in 319 CC patients and 424 healthy controls by polymerase chain reaction polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PCR-PAGE) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Significantly reduced CC risk was observed to be associated with the insertion allele of rs3783553 (P=0.014, OR=0.71, 95% CI=0.57-0.88). Stratification analysis based on different certain clinical features showed that patients with the heterozygous genotype were associated with a reduced predisposition advancing to clinical stage II-III or developing non-squamous cell carcinoma. Furthermore, patients with the insertion homozygous genotype were also associated with a reduced risk to have a poor tumor differentiation. No significant association was observed between rs17561 and CC. The present study provided evidence that the rs3783553 in IL1A 3′-UTR is inversely associated with CC risk, suggesting an important role IL-1α may play in cervical carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IL1RL1, which encodes at least three isoforms by alternative splicing, has been identified to be involved in the initiation and perpetuation of inflammation. In spite of being a main contributor of maternal and perinatal mortality, the mechanism responsible for the pathophysiology of preeclampsia has not yet been well addressed. To investigate the relationship between IL1RL1 polymorphisms and preeclampsia risk, we identified the correlation between three tag SNPs (rs13017455, rs1420103 and rs17027006) in IL1RL1 with preeclampsia risk in a case-control study. A total of 214 cases and 208 controls were recruited to participate in this study. Genotypes of the three SNPs were determined with the use of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. Significantly reduced preeclampsia risk was found to be associated with the CT genotype of rs13017455 ( p = 0. 032, OR = 0. 66, 95% CI = 0.45-0.97) in overdominant model. Differences were particularly significant in the severe preeclampsia subgroup ( p = 0.045, OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.44-0.99) and the early-onset severe preeclampsia subgroup ( p = 0.0097, OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.26-0.84). Significantly increased mild preeclampsia risk was observed associated with GG genotype of rs1420103 polymorphisms ( p = 0.029, OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.09-4.34), while reducing late-onset severe preeclampsia susceptibility was associated with TT genotype of rs1420103 ( p = 0.02, OR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.26-0.92). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the association between IL-27 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to epithelial ovarian cancer in a Chinese population and discusses the risk factors associated with survival time. We collected data on 229 patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer, from 15 to 77 years of age with a long clinical follow-up period. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was performed to determine the genotype of IL-27 gene polymorphisms. Ovarian cancer-specific survival (OCSS) according to genotype of IL-27 gene polymorphisms was explored by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards modeling. Significant differences for genotype frequencies of both SNP sites were found between cases and controls. Both allele G frequencies were significantly greater among the cases (rs153109: 0.404 vs. 0.303, P = 0.001, odds ratio [OR] = 1.333, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.133-1.567; rs17855750: 0.146 vs. 0.083, P = 0.001, OR = 1.766, 95% CI = 1.258-2.481). Haplotype analysis showed haplotypes AG, GT and GG were associated with increased ovarian cancer susceptibility while AT was a protective haplotype. Advanced FIGO stage (stages III + IV) and non-optimal cytoreductive surgery (residual tumor ≥1 cm) were poor prognostic factors in the univariate analysis ( P = 0.003, P = 0.049). However, FIGO stage was found to be the only independent significant prognostic factor by Cox proportional hazards analysis ( P = 0.042). IL-27p28 mRNA expression was significantly decreased in ovarian cancer patients ( P < 0.0001), while no significant relationship was found between IL-27p28 mRNA expression and polymorphism of rs153109 and rs17855750 ( P = 0.193 and P = 0.146, respectively). Our study suggests that IL-27 gene polymorphisms may be involved in the susceptibility to epithelial ovarian cancer, but not in survival in a clinic-based Chinese population. Haplotype analysis of these two SNPs seems to be an important mark to predict the disease susceptibility. Advanced FIGO stage, as the only significant, independent risk factor, predicts poor clinical outcomes for patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer. The decreased expression of IL-27p28 mRNA in ovarian cancer might indicate the antitumor activities of this novel cytokine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: Growing studies have revealed the underlying association between eNOS 894G/T (rs1799983) polymorphism and coronary heart disease (CHD) among Asia population. Results from these studies remained conflicting. We conducted this meta-analysis to estimate the overall CHD risk of eNOS 894G/T polymorphism regarding Asia population. Materials and methods: Up to October 2011, databases including PubMed, Embase and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) were searched to access the relevant genetic association studies. Summary odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for eNOS 894G/T polymorphism and CHD risk were estimated using fixed or random-effects models when appropriate. Results: 18 case–control studies with 2,994 cases and 3,130 controls were available for this study, including 13 studies of East-Asia descendents, 5 studies of Non East-Asian descendents. The mean T allele frequency was 0.111 in the East-Asia population and 0.147 in the Non East-Asia population, respectively. The summary OR for CHD associated with the T allele was 1.52 (95% confidence intervals (95%CI), 1.37-1.69) by random effects model. Similarly, significantly increased risks were observed in the East-Asia population (OR=1.54; 95%CI=1.35–1.76) and in the Non East-Asia population (OR=1.48; 95%CI=1.24–1.77), respectively. Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicated that eNOS 894G/T polymorphism may play an important role in CHD development among Asia population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recent studies have suggested that RTN4 is a multifunctional gene, including inhibition of axonal regeneration, vascular remodeling, apoptosis, and tumor suppression. The TATC and CAA insertion/deletion polymorphisms of RTN4 3′-UTR have been linked to schizophrenia, depression, and dilated cardiomyopathy. To test whether these two polymorphisms are associated with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC), in this research, by using polymerase chain reaction-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, we determined the genotypes of the TATC and CAA polymorphisms in 336 CSCC patients and 450 unrelated control subjects. Allele frequencies of TATC and CAA polymorphisms were not significantly different between CSCC patients and control subjects (odds ratio [OR]=1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.98-1.50 for TATC; OR=0.95, 95% CI=0.76-1.18 for CAA). Decreased CSCC risk was associated with TATC polymorphism in a recessive model (OR=0.49, 95% CI=0.30-0.77), while no significant association was observed between CAA polymorphism and CSCC in different genetic models. Results of stratified analysis revealed that both TATC and CAA polymorphisms were associated with high clinical stage, and CAA polymorphism was also associated with positive parametrial invasion (OR=0.69, 95% CI=0.48-0.98). The present study provides evidence that TATC and CAA insertion/deletion polymorphisms are associated with CSCC, indicating that genetic variation in RTN4 3′-UTR contributes to the susceptibility to CSCC. It is necessary to confirm these findings in ethnically different populations and with a larger sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A first principle method, based on the density functional theory, was used to investigate the average voltage of lithiation/delithiation for Li-ion battery materials across 7 categories and 18 series, including Li MO, LiMnO, Li MPO, Li MSiO and graphite. The average voltage of lithiation/delithiation in the relevant electrode materials was obtained by comparing the total-energy difference, before and after an electrochemical reaction. The calculated values were in good agreement with experimental data. The systematic difference between the simulated and experimental values could be explained in terms of the binding energy on the surface of the lithium electrode. This type of calculation method could be applied as an easy and effective tool for predicting the potential performance of new lithiation/delithiation materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) plays an important role in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Previous studies revealed that abnormal expression/activation of STAT family members were present in a large group of human malignant tumors. In the present study, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism, DNA sequencing, and Taqman probe real-time PCR techniques, we analyzed two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the STAT5B and STAT3 genes (rs6503691 and rs4769793, respectively) in 275 Chinese cervical cancer patients and 340 controls. Our results indicated that the genotype and allele frequencies of SNP rs4769793 were significantly different between the cervical cancer patients and normal subjects ( p < 0.05, odds ratio = 1.35, 95% confidence interval = 1. 07-1.70). In addition, stratified analyses revealed that the polymorphism of rs4769793 was also associated with poor tumor differentiation and positive parametrial invasion ( p < 0. 05). In contrast, SNP rs6503691 did not show any difference between patients and controls or association with patient clinical characteristics. Collectively, these findings suggested that STAT3 gene polymorphism (rs4769793) was associated with the susceptibility as well as poor differentiation and parametrial invasion of cervical cancer in Chinese women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in pre-microRNAs may change their property through altering microRNAs (miRNAs) expression and/or maturation, resulting diverse functional consequences. We conducted a pilot study to test whether SNPs in pre-microRNAs were associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Methods: Genotypes of 3 SNPs in pre-miRNAs (has-mir-196a2 rs11614913 C/T, hsa-mir-499 rs3746444 A/G, hsa-mir-146a rs2910164 C/G) in 221 DCM patients and 321 control subjects were determined with the use of PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay. Results: Significantly increased DCM risks were found to be associated with variant allele of has-mir-196a2 rs11614913 C/T (T allele) and hsa-mir-499 rs3746444 A/G (G allele) (P <0.0001, OR=1.730, 95% CI=1.345–2.227, and P <0.0001, OR=1.794, 95% CI=1.350–2.385, respectively). We found that increased DCM risk was statistically significantly associated with these 2 SNPs in a dominant model (P =0.0001 and P <0.0001 for rs11614913 and rs3746444, respectively). No association between DCM risk and hsa-mir-146a rs2910164 C/G was observed (P =0.451, OR=1.102, 95% CI=0.856–1.418). Conclusions: Both the has-mir-196a2 rs11614913 C/T and hsa - mir - 499 rs3746444 A/G, but not hsa - mir - 146a rs2910164 C/G, are associated with a significantly increased risk of DCM, indicating that common genetic polymorphisms in pre-microRNAs are associated with DCM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a heart muscle disease characterized by ventricular chamber enlargement and systolic dysfunction with normal left ventricular wall thickness. The pathogenesis of DCM has been extensively studied for many years, but it remains elusive. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived cytokine with anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antiatherogenic properties. To assess the role of adiponectin in DCM, we examined two single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the adiponectin gene, rs1501299 and rs2241766. A total of 203 DCM patients and 258 control subjects were recruited in this study and all single-nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism. No statistically significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies were observed between DCM and controls with any of the adiponectin genetic variants. These data may provide evidence that adiponectin polymorphisms do not play a role in the susceptibility of DCM in the Han Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignancy in southern China and Southeast Asia. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)-activation plays critical roles in Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) mediated tumorigenesis in NPC. A functional insertion/deletion polymorphism (−94 insertion/deletion ATTG) in the promoter of NFKB1 gene, which encodes the p50 subunit of NF-κB protein complex, was recently identified. This study found that the frequency of ATTG2 allele in NPC patients was significantly higher than that in control subjects (66% vs. 57.1%, p =0.015, OR=1.453), suggesting that the functional NFKB1 promoter polymorphism is associated with increased risk for NPC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: The Nogo isoforms A, B and C are members of the reticulon family of proteins. Nogo-B is found in most tissues, especially highly expressed in endothelial and smooth muscle cells of the vessel wall, and Nogo-B is a regulator of cell migration in vitro and vascular remodeling in vivo. The TATC and CAA 3′UTR insertion/deletion polymorphisms of the RTN4, the gene encoding Nogo isoforms A, B and C, have been linked to schizophrenia and depression, but data were inconsistent. However, it is unclear whether these polymorphisms are associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Methods: A total of 159 DCM patients and 215 control subjects were recruited in this study. The RTN4 TATC and CAA insertion/deletion genotypes were determined using PCR-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results: Frequencies of (TATC)2 allele and (TATC)2/(TATC)2 genotype were significantly different from that in healthy controls (P = 0.045, OR = 1.356, 95% CI = 1.006–1.827 and P = 0.021, OR = 2.094, 95% CI = 1.113–3.940, respectively). No significant differences in CAA insertion/deletion genotype and allele frequencies were observed between the DCM and controls. Conclusion: These data provide evidence that RTN4 allele (TATC)2 and (TATC)2/(TATC)2 genotype are associated with DCM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Image 1 • Using co-solvents (ethanol and chlorobenzene) with opposite roles in the structural regulation of MSNs has been reported. • Ethanol could increase the filling process of silicate species and silica-coated micelles into preformed DMSNs with large pores. • Chlorobenzene could slow down the filling process, leading to the formation of large-pore MSNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy‐specific syndrome with incompletely understood pathogenesis. Previous study has demonstrated that the decreased CXCR2 in preeclamptic placentas may contribute to the development of preeclampsia. The role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CXCR2 gene in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia remains largely unexplored. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association between polymorphisms of CXCR2 gene and preeclampsia in Han Chinese women. Methods: Totally 481 pregnant women, including 243 controls and 238 patients with preeclampsia were recruited. The rs1126579 and rs2230054 polymorphisms in CXCR2 gene were tested using polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Results: Significantly increased risk of preeclampsia was observed in the rs1126579 CC or TC/CC genotypes when compared with TT genotype (CC vs. TT: odss ratio [OR] = 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18–3.76, p = 0.039; TC/CC vs. TT: OR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.29–2.78, p = 0.001). Markedly higher risk of preeclampsia was found to be associated with rs1126579 TC genotype (TC vs. TT/CC: OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.04–2.12, p = 0.031). After stratification analysis, the different distribution of TC/CC genotypes was particularly significant in the severe preeclampsia group (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.42–3.24, p < 0.01), the early‐onset severe preeclampsia group (OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.14–3.42, p = 0.013), and the late‐onset severe preeclampsia group (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.39–3.78, p < 0.01). Besides, TC genotype carriers had a 1.55 fold increased risk of severe preeclampsia (95% CI = 1.06–2.27, p = 0.022) and a 1.80 fold increased risk of late onset severe preeclampsia (95% CI = 1.14–2.83, p = 0.01) than those of TT/CC genotype carriers. Conclusions: Our study suggests a genetic association between rs1126579 polymorphism in CXCR2 gene and increased risk of preeclampsia. These data provide a new clue for future investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]