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To solve the problem where the prediction formula for vibration velocity by dynamic compaction cannot fully reflect the elevation amplification effect, the elevation amplification effect of vibration velocity by dynamic compaction was studied theoretically, and the factors that influence the elevation amplification effect of vibration velocity by dynamic compaction were systematically analyzed in this paper. The elevation amplification effect of a loess high slope under dynamic compaction is coformed by the refraction and reflection superposition effect of dynamic compaction vibration waves at the soil layer interface and the diffraction effect of dynamic compaction vibration waves. The propagation path of dynamic compaction vibration waves in soil was analyzed, and the elevation amplification effect was verified theoretically. The related physical quantities that affected the dynamic compaction vibration velocity of a loess high slope were analyzed based on the dimensional analysis method, and the calculation and improved calculation formulas that considered the elevation amplification effect of dynamic compaction vibration velocity were obtained. The multiple regression analysis of the calculation and improved calculation formula that considered the elevation amplification effect of the dynamic compaction vibration velocity was carried out using MATLAB with engineering examples. The results show that the relative error of the two formulas is small when the elevation difference is small; when the elevation difference is large, the calculation accuracy of the improved calculation formula that considered the elevation difference is higher, and it is more in line with the actual situation. Finally, according to the selected maximum allowable value of the slope particle velocity (e.g., 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 cm/s), the allowable safe distance for dynamic compaction on a loess high slope is proposed area of northern Shaanxi Province, China. The results of this paper could provide a reliable basis for predicting vibration velocity by dynamic compaction in the Loess Plateau area of northern Shaanxi Province, China. They might have a reference value for dynamic compaction vibration control under similar terrain environments with large elevation differences and provide a safe guide for a dynamic compaction construction site in the Loess Plateau area of northern Shaanxi Province, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to implement our technique for the initial dissection of the inferior hypogastric plexus and protection of the autonomic nerve supply to the corpora cavernosa in laparoscopic radical cystoprostatectomy with an orthotopic ileal neobladder and report the initial outcomes. Methods: Eleven normally potent patients with preoperative cT2N0 bladder cancer who underwent bilateral nerve-sparing laparoscopic cystoprostatectomy performed by the same surgeon were selected from May 2018 to September 2020. In this procedure, the anterior part of the inferior hypogastric plexus was dissected first between the prehypogastric nerve fascia and rectal proper fascia medial to the distal ureter. Then the Denonvilliers' fascia and the nerves around the prostate were preserved according to current intrafascial principles. The preliminary operative, oncologic, and functional results are presented. Results: The median follow-up duration was 18 months. We observed early and late complications in 5 patients, but none exceeded grade III. Of the 11 patients, ten gained daytime continence (90.9%), and 8 (72.7%) showed nocturnal continence at the last follow-up. Regarding postoperative potency, 10 of the 11 patients (90.9%) remained potent with or without oral medications, excluding one who had partial tumescence but did not follow our recommendations regarding medication use. No local recurrence or positive surgical margins were noted. Conclusion: In addition to emphasizing our cavernosal nerve-sparing procedure, this report on the precise dissection and protection of the inferior hypogastric plexus could be of clinical significance, providing potentially ideal short-term functional results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we demonstrate a g-C3N4@Au@SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ composite as a novel efficient self-luminous visible-light plasmonic photocatalyst for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants and hydrogen evolution from water around the clock. The g-C3N4@Au@SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ composite was prepared by integrating a g-C3N4@Au plasmonic photocatalyst composite with a SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ long-afterglow phosphor through a simple Pechini-type sol–gel method followed by a mechanical mixing and high-temperature calcination process. Owing to the synergistic effect of surface plasmon resonance of the Au nanoparticles in g-C3N4 and long-lasting phosphorescence of the SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ phosphor, the prepared g-C3N4@Au@SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ composite shows a continuous and efficient photocatalytic activity for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants and hydrogen evolution from water in a sunless environment. The current research study could provide a new strategy for designing a highly efficient composite photocatalyst for solar environmental purification and hydrogen energy production around the clock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) is a congenital vascular abnormality that predominantly affects the central nervous system, but that sometimes encroaches other vital tissues, including the retina, skin, and even liver. The familial form of CCM (FCCM) is considered to be an autosomal dominant disease with incomplete penetrance and variable expression, which is often attributed to mutations in three genes: CCM1, CCM2, and CCM3. We screened a Chinese family diagnosed with FCCM by using Sanger sequencing. A 29-year-old male proband with cutaneous angiomas was pathologically diagnosed but presented with an atypical form of CCM as revealed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, prompting further clinical evaluation and genetic analyses of him and his immediate family. We performed continuous observation over an 8-year period using MRI gradient echo imaging and susceptibility-weighted imaging of these individuals. Sanger sequencing of the CCM1, CCM2, and CCM3 genes identified a novel heterozygous nonsense nucleotide transition (c.1864C>T; p.Gln622X) in exon 17 of the CCM1/ KRIT1 gene; this mutation was predicted to cause a premature stop codon (TAG) at nucleotides 1864 to 1866 to generate a truncated Krev interaction trapped 1 (Krit1) protein of 621 amino acids. During this long-term observational study, one of the enrolled family members with neurological deficits progressed to a stage indicative of brain surgery. This study provides a new CCM gene mutation profile, which highlights the significance of genetic counseling for individuals suspected of having this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the expression of telomerase gene hTRT mRNA in HeLa cells and to obtain hTRT protein for further study. Methods. The gene for encoding hTRT catalytic domain was cloned based on RT-PCR amplification from HeLa cells and sequenced. The cloned hTRTcDNA was in-fame inserted into His-tag fusion expression vector pEK318. The His-tag hTRT fusion proteins were purified by Ni-NTA chromatography and stained by western blotting. Results. An approximately 620bp fragment was generated and cloned into pBluescript SK + between Sall and BamHI sites. DNA sequencing showed the isolated fragment was consistent to those reported. SDS-PAGE present that a 17kDa protein was expressed stably in E. coli JM109 harboring pEKTRT344 containing 6 × His-tag and hTRT 150aa, and the expression level of the protein was about 26% of the total bacterial proteins, while the expression of pEKTRT containing 6 × His-tag and hTRT 243aa was only detectable as 27 kDa band in western blotting. Both of fusion proteins were purified by Ni-NTA chromatography and showed single band (> 95% purifity) in Coomassie Brilliant staining. Western-blotting confirmed that two proteins could be recognised by the Ni-NTA AP conjugate. Conclusions. The hTRT catalytic domain was highly conserved. The expressed hTRT protein contained recognizable His-tag, telomerase-specific and strong antigenic epitops, which may be convenient for further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have conducted serial studies on the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), especially MMP-9, in tumor invasion and metastasis. In 9 human carcinoma cell lines derived from lung, prostate and melanoma, we found, by zymography and Western blot, that the expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 correlated well with their invasive as well as metastatic abilities both in vitro and in nude mice. When anti-sense MMP-9 cDNA was introduced into WM451, a highly metastatic human melanoma cell line with high expression level of MMP-9, a significant down-regulation of MMP-9 protein expression was found. Meanwhile, the number of cells passing through Matrigel-coated membrane (in vitro invasion assay) and spontaneous metastases to lymph nodes and lungs were significantly reduced. Furthermore, when tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases-1, -2 or -3 (TIMP-1, TIMP-2 or TIMP-3) cDNAs were individually transtected into metastatic cancer cells, remarkable inhibition of invasion and metastasis were also noticed in each group. These results demonstrate that either up-regulation of TIMPs or down-regulation of MMPs could significantly inhibit the expression of malignant phenotypes, suggesting the important role MMP-9 plays in tumor invasion and metastasis.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) expression and tumor metastasis, and explore the potential application of controlled expression of target gene in tumor gene therapy., Methods: One self-contained tetracycline-regulated retroviral vector containing sense cDNA of MMP-9 was constructed and transfected into an early-stage human melanoma cell line WM35, which did not express MMP-9. In vitro tests such as growth rate, MTT method, 3H-thymidine incorporation, colony forming ability in soft agar, in vitro invasion assay in Boyden chambers, as well as zymography and Western Blot experiment were used to analyze expression of MMPs and in vitro behavior of tumor cells before and after gene transfection., Results: In the presence of exogenous tetracycline, the expression of the transfected MMP-9 were under detectable level and no significant changes in cell behaviors were found when compared with vector-transfected control cells. But when the tetracycline was withdrew from the medium, the expression and activity of MMP-9 were significantly increased. The capacity of in vitro growth, colony forming ability in soft agar, invasion through Matrigel were enhanced remarkably., Conclusion: Transfection of sense MMP-9 can enhance growth and invasion of melanoma cells, further confirming its important role in tumor invasion and metastasis.

Objective: To investigate the pathological course in intracranial aneurysms., Methods: Normal intracranial artery tissue (cortex fistulization) from 1 case, ruptured aneurysms tissuses from 11 cases, unruptured aneurysm tissues from 2 cases were obtained by neurosurgical excision. Routine HE staining was used to observe histological characteristics. In situ hybridization was used to observe the expression of the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA in the walls of the normal artery and aneurysms., Results: By the HE staining showed that the wall of the ruptured aneurysms (10 cases) and unruptured ones (2 cases) had increased intima and connectivum extima. The fibroblast in the intima was arrayed in the disorder. Monocyte-like cells can be seen in the whole aneurysm wall. In one case aneurysms wall (ruptured) glass-like fiber structure was left over, few cells could be seen. In 9 cases, mural thrombus was found. The thrombus represented with organization. In situ hybridization, MCP-1 mRNA was not detectable in the normal artery. The hybridization signal could be observed in the ruptured aneurysms (10 cases) and unruptured ones (2 cases) often in the intima. MCP-1 mRNA appeared to be expressed by fibroblast cells in its cytoplasm. Monocyte-like cells had little cytoplasm, and the signal was seldom seen. The hybridization signal was discontinuous in the intima, MCP-1 mRNA expressed where fibroblast and monocyte-like cells assembled. One ruptured aneurysm had no signal because there were no cells only glass-like fiber. Mural thrombus showed upregulated hybridization signal in the cytoplasm of fibroblasts, phlogocytes and endotheliocytes of its micrangium., Conclusion: The pathological representation of the ruptured and unruptured aneurysms and the upregulated expresion of MCP-1 in the aneurysm wall suggest that the development of aneurysm may be a course of chronic inflammation in which main inflammatory cells are monocyte-like cells.

Objective: To investigate expression of Her-2/neu (c-erbB-2) and its significance in ovarian epithelial tumors., Methods: 106 specimens and clinical history of ovarian epithelial tumors were collected including 54 cases of malignant, 33 cases of borderline and 19 benign cases. There were 19 cases of stages I and II and 35 cases of stages III and IV in ovarian carcinoma and all borderline malignant cases were stage I according to FIGO's standard. Immunohistochemical staining for Her-2/neu was performed by LSAB method., Results: The positives rates of Her-2/neu of benign, borderline and malignant tumors were 47.4% (9/19), 84.8% (28/33,), and 85.2% (46/54), respectively. Both borderline and malignant cases were found to have higher expression of Her-2/neu than those of benign cases (P < 0.02 and P < 0.01) respectively. Overexpression of Her-2/neu showed in 14/54 (25.9%) of malignant cases, 3/33 (9.1%) of borderline, and none of benign cases. Overexpression of Her-2/neu in malignant tumors cases with metastasis was higher than those without metastasis (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Overexpression of Her-2/neu is associated with biological aggressiveness of ovarian cancer.

Objective: To establish three orthotopically transplanted model of human primary malignant spleen lymphoma in the nude mice., Methods: Orthotopic transplantation of histologically intact human primary malignant splenic lymphoma tissue obtained from patients was introduced into the splenic parenchyma of nude mice. Tumorigenicity, invasion, metastasis and morphological characteristics of the transplanted tumor were studied by light microscopy, electron microscopy and immunohistochemical methods., Results: The first kind, a strain of human primary malignant spleen lymphoma (non-Hodgkin's, cleaved B cell, BFNHL-HMN-1) screened from 11 patients which had been passaged in vivo for 41 generations, a second kind, a liver metastasis model of human primary malignant spleen lymphoma (non-Hodgkin's, cleaved B cell, LM-BFNHL-HMN-2) which had been passaged for 47 generations and a third kind of human primary malignant spleen lymphoma (non-Hodgkin's, T-immunoblastic cell, TINHL-HMN-3) having passaged for 37 generations were all successfully transplanted in 611 nude mice. Models of BFNHL-HMN-1 and TINHL-HMN-3 tumor gave nodular growth and lymph node metastasis in the spleen hilum but without any metastasis in the abdominal lymph nodes or organs. In the LM-BFNHL-HMN-2 model, not only did the tumor cells grow in the spleen, but in spleen hilum, lymph nodes and liver also. The orthotopically transplanted tumor cells were similar to the original human tumor in light histopathology, ultrastructure features, DNA content and chromosomal karyotype., Conclusion: These three models are able to serve as useful tools for the study of biologic characteristics and experimental treatment of human primary malignant lymphoma.