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The structure parameter of the forward osmosis membrane has been defined as the characteristics of the support membrane, not related to the separation layer. Therefore, studies for improving the performance of the forward osmosis (FO) membranes have been focused on the optimization of the support structure. This study demonstrates that the separation thin-film polyamide (PA) layer has a strong impact on the performance of the FO membrane thus the structure parameters (S). We intentionally utilized a polyethersulfone hollow fiber substrate and two types of active separation skin were prepared at the inner surface: the first MPD/TMC and the second by adding triethylamine (TEA) into the aqueous phase during the interfacial polymerization (IP). By adding TEA, a rough PA layer with a leaf-like structure and a high crosslinking degree was obtained followed with high FO flux and low reverse salt flux attributed to the increased effective filtration area and crosslinking degree. The structure parameter of the FO membrane was reduced from 0.78 mm (for MPD/TMC system) to 0.45 mm (for MPD-TEA/TMC system). The result indicated that for the same substrate, lower structure parameter corresponded to the skin layer with higher permeance and rejection. This study confirmed that the structure parameter is more an inherent property of the entire TFC FO membrane than the character of the porous substrate. Future design for FO membranes needs to regulate the substrate, but more importantly to optimize the separation layer. • An approaching ratio (α) was designed as a simple guideline for control the structure parameter of FO membranes. • Diethylene glycol was used as the nonsolvent to control the approaching ratio. • Lowest structure parameter and highest FO performance were obtained at α = 50 %. • The optimized TFC membrane is of practical interest for lithium concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, there are some problems in the process of human motion recognition, such as poor timeliness and low fault tolerance rate. How to effectively identify the motion process accurately has become a hot spot in the optimization system. In the existing research studies, the recognition accuracy is not very good and the response time is long. To end this issue, the paper proposed an information processing system and optimization method of human motion recognition based on the GA-BP neural network algorithm. Firstly, a human motion recognition system based on dynamic capture recognition technology is designed, which realizes the recognition of motion information from common postures such as action span, speed change, motion trajectory, and other aspects in the process of human motion. Secondly, the proposed algorithm is used to comprehensively analyse and evaluate the motion state. Finally, experiments are designed to verify and analyse the results. Compared to some baseline methods in human motion recognition information systems, the system in this paper based on the GA-BP neural network algorithm has the advantages of higher data accuracy and response speed, which can quickly and accurately identify the muscle group change in the process of human motion, and it can also provide customized motion suggestions based on the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the correlation between metabolic syndrome (MS) and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in noise-exposed workers. Methods Using the convenient sampling method, a total of 850 male noise-exposed workers in an automobile manufacturing enterprise were studied. The questionnaire survey and occupational health examination were combined to collect general demographic data, physical examination data, and other information. According to the results of high-frequency hearing loss, the noise-exposed workers were divided into the hearing loss group (326 workers) and the normal hearing group (524 workers). The single-factor analysis was used to compare the above data differences between the two groups. The binary multiple-factor logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of NIHL in noise-exposed workers. Results The non-compliance rate of noise intensity in the enterprise was 39.47% (15/38), with the highest occurrences in the welding and painting posts. The morbidity of hearing loss was 38.35% (326/850), and the MS morbidity was 27.53% (234/850). The frequency of obesity, high-level triglyceride, high-level fasting blood glucose, hypertension, MS,and the contact noise level in the hearing loss group were higher than those in the normal hearing group (P < 0.05). The results of multiple-factor logistic regression showed that, compared with the workers with a noise exposure duration ≤ 5 years, the risk of NIHL in the workers with a noise exposure duration of 11 - 15 years or > 15 years increased to 1.553 and 1.727 times, respectively (P < 0.001). Compared with the workers without MS, the risk of NIHL in the workers with MS increased to 1.863 times (P < 0.001). The risk of NIHL increases by 1.567 times for each 1 dB(A) increase in noise level (P < 0.001). Conclusions There was a correlation between MS and NIHL. In addition to emphasizing control of noise level in the workplace, attention should also be paid to adopting a low-sugar, low-salt, and low-sodium diet, reducing the intake of saturated fatty acids, and strengthening physical exercise to effectively control the blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipid levels of workers so as to reduce the risk of NIHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium is an important rare element and has been widely used in metallurgical industry, aerospace industry and chemical industry due to its special physical and chemical properties. In this work we explored the feasibility of using forward osmosis (FO) to concentrate the vanadium leaching solution (VLS) using saturated sodium chloride as the draw solution. The effluent draw solution can be directly reused as a raw material in the vanadium production process without the need for regeneration. The VLS concentration performance was evaluated using commercial thin film composite (TFC) and cellulose triacetate (CTA) FO membranes. It was found that the FO water flux decline was due to the coupled effects of VLS concentration and fouling. TFC membrane exhibited higher initial water flux but also experienced more severe fouling and faster flux decline. Importantly, this study observed an existence of a critical concentration factor (CF) during VLS concentration. Below the critical CF, membrane fouling was mainly caused by surface crystallization and flux decline was relatively milder; above the critical CF, severe bulk crystallization occurred in the feed VLS, which caused significant membrane scaling and dramatical flux decline. The critical CF concept was further used to guide the FO operation for VLS concentration in this study. While severe membrane fouling at a CF above the critical value could be removed by a brief water rinse, operating the FO below the critical CF is preferred for which cyclic VLS concentration process was demonstrated to be feasible without the need for periodic membrane cleaning. Overall, the results suggest that the FO can be a promising solution for highly efficient and low-energy VLS concentration. Image 1 • FO was used for energy-efficient concentration of vanadium leaching solution (VLS). • The existence of a critical concentration factor (CF) was observed for VLS concentration by FO. • Below the critical CF membrane fouling was caused by surface crystallization and flux decline was mild. • Above the critical CF membrane was severely fouled due to bulk crystallization and flux decline was dramatic. • Operating the FO concentration processes below the critical CF is preferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to compare the efficacy of intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid (HA), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) for treating temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and summarize their mechanisms of action. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until November 13, 2021, were identified using electronic and manual searches. Each study was evaluated for the risk of bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The studies found via searches were categorized by follow-up time (1, 3, or 6 months). Evidence quality was graded according to the GRADE system. Results: Twelve RCTs were included that involved 421 patients with TMD. The network meta-analysis showed that all treatment groups improved compared to the placebo groups in terms of pain and maximal mouth opening (MMO). For pain evaluated via the visual analog scale, PRF exhibited better analgesic effects than PRP or HA after 1 and 3 months. PRP appeared to be more effective than PRF was after 6 months but there were no statistically significant differences between the two. For MMO, the effect of PRP was superior to those of PRF and HA after 1 month. However, after 3 and 6 months, PRF provided more encouraging results in improving MMO. Conclusion: PRP and PRF exhibited similar short-term efficacy in treating TMD, while PRF was more advantageous in terms of long-term efficacy. Therefore, PRF was recommended for treating TMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct preparation of dialysate from tap water based on osmotic dilution is beneficial for home hemodialysis which requires a defect-free forward osmosis (FO) membrane module. This report introduced a new vacuum-assisted interfacial polymerization (VAIP) process for optimal distribution of the aqueous phase and a well-controlled IP using dialyzer membranes. We demonstrated statistically that the vacuum-assisted process is beneficial for the preparation of integral FO modules with multiple fine fibers due to the good distribution of the aqueous phase. The as-prepared FO module displayed a low structural parameter (262 μm), an acceptable water flux (17.6 L m−2 h−1), and a low specific reverse salt flux (0.16 g/L) using deionized (DI) water as the feed and 1 M NaCl as the draw in AL-FS mode. Direct dialysate preparation from tap water using the FO module was presented and modeled with a good fit. The work showcases a new FO module based on dialyzer and its potential applications in the medical field. [Display omitted] • Tap water was used to directly dilute dialysis concentrate using dialyzer FO module. • Novel vacuum-assisted interfacial polymerization was employed to prepare the TFC HF FO membrane. • Hemodialysis is available at home using tap water and dialyzer FO module. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation of dialysate for hemodialysis (or dialysis) requires dilution of the dialysis concentrate with purified water. Present practice contains two steps: first to purify water, and then water is transported to clinic to mix with the dialysate concentrate before treatment. As a new forward osmosis dialysis hybrid process, based on osmotic dilution, is evaluated for decentralized health care systems. A commercial cellulose triacetate (CTA) and a tailor-made thin film composite (TFC) polyamide FO membranes were examined. The rejection of salts in tap water by the FO membranes was investigated, and the real rejections of various ions as a function of permeate flux were well described by using a irreversible thermodynamic model. The hollow fiber TFC FO membrane showed higher water flux and lower reverse salt flux than the CTA membrane in diluting process. Both steric hindrance and electrostatic repulsion explained the rejection behavior of the membranes to the ions. Higher rejections of anions were obtained than cations, which was attributed to the anions selection characteristics of the membranes. No obvious foulings or scalings were observed in a relatively long time osmotic dilution process over 5 repeated cycles. The stable, high efficient osmotic dilution process in hemodialysis holds a strong promise in reducing the consumption of purified water or even eliminating the water purification step. This work provides a potentially new platform hemodialysis which can be portable and implementable away from major hospitals and major clinics. Image 1 • Tap water was used to dilute dialysis concentrate based on forward osmosis. • Ion rejections versus flux were fit well using irreversible thermodynamic model. • Low reverse diffusion of components in dialysis concentrate was found. • Very light fouling after long time osmotic dilution could be cleaned by rinsing with caustic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemodialysis is one of the therapies for patients with kidney failure. Hemodialysis requires large amounts of pure water, and is one of the most water-hungry medical procedures, and thus represents a clear opportunity where improvements should be made concerning the consumption and wastage of water. In this paper, we explored the potential of forward osmosis (FO) membrane for recycling the spent dialysate using the dialysis concentrate as the draw solution. Partially diluted dialysis concentrate could be further diluted with pure water to form dialysate for further dialysis process. Using commercial cellulose triacetate (CTA) FO membranes, the water recovery of approximately 64% was achieved and the final volume of the partially diluted dialysis concentrate was about four times the initial volume. Flux decline of the FO process was observed, mainly due to concentration of synthetic spent dialysate and dilution of dialysis concentrate, while membrane scaling had little impact on the flux decline. The urea rejection was found to be relatively low owing to the small size and electroneutral nature of the urea molecule. Obvious membrane scaling was observed after three FO cycles. The energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis of the scaling layer indicated that the scalants were phosphates and carbonates. The scaling was removed via osmotic backwash and almost completely recovery of FO flux was obtained. Economic analysis showed that the centralized treatment of spent dialysate in a dialysis center using the proposed osmotic dilution process could greatly save water resources and cost. Improving the urea rejection of FO membrane was identified as an important research focus for future research on the potential application of FO technology for recycling the spent dialysate in hemodialysis. Image 1 • Osmotic dilution was used for recycling spent dialysate of hemodialysis. • Decrease in osmotic pressure gradient mainly led to flux decline. • Membrane scaling occurred, but was cleaned by osmotic backwash. • Urea rejection of the FO membrane should be improved. • Centralized treatment of spent dialysate by FO could greatly save water resources and cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel process for the treatment of N ,N- dimethylformamide (DMF) wastewater was proposed. • Chloroform was selected for the extraction of DMF in the wastewater. • Kerosene was used to extract the dissolved chloroform in the raffinate. • High purity DMF could be recovered and the water quality improved greatly after treatment. • Total annual cost of the novel process is significantly lower than conventional distillation. Toxic N,N- dimethylformamide (DMF) is extensively used as a versatile solvent in various processes and thus released in large quantities in many industrial effluents. Low degradability requires effective treatment of DMF wastewater. A novel process combining extraction, distillation, and reverse osmosis (RO) was proposed. After screening, chloroform was selected as the solvent for DMF extraction. The extraction process conditions, namely phase ratio and the number of counter-current theoretical stages were determined by calculation and batch simulation. Kerosene was then used for the extraction of the dissolved chloroform in the wastewater after DMF extraction. The distillation columns for the separation and recovery of DMF and extractants were designed by Aspen Plus. The simulation results showed that more than 99.8% of DMF could be recovered with a purity of 99%. The salinity of the wastewater was reduced to a much lower level through RO process, and the quality of the wastewater improved greatly. Economic analysis showed that a significant reduction of 72.74% in the total annual cost (TAC) can be obtained by using the proposed process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, a forward osmosis (FO) process has been proposed to extract clean water from the micro-polluted feed containing heavy metal ions using biogas slurry as the draw solution, and then the diluted biogas slurry was directly utilized as a hydroponic solution to cultivate rice and leek without further treatment. In this process, the Cd2+ and Pb2+ ions, in the feed solution were effectively blocked by the FO membrane and the rejection coefficients were high to 98.5% and 97%, respectively. On basis of the high performance of FO membrane, the operation parameters of the FO process were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the FO process can extract enough clean water to dilute the biogas slurry, and the diluted biogas slurry can promote rice and leek to grow. The growth of the rice and leek in the diluted biogas slurry confirmed that the use of FO process is an effective way in water recovery and reuse for agricultural processes. Graphical abstract Schematic diagram of Biogas slurry-drawn FO experimental apparatus. fx1 Highlights • Pollution-free biogas slurry was used as draw solution of forward osmosis. • The rejection coefficients of Cd2+ and Pb2+ were high to be 98.5% and 97%, respectively. • Rice and leek cultivated with diluted biogas slurry grew well. • The operation parameters of forward osmosis process were optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rejection of single salts or ions is a basic and crucial characteristic of nanofiltration (NF) membranes. The simple and most pursued method to quantify the salt concentration has been via conductivity measurement. Pitfalls exist when ions hydrolysis or feed water contains monovalent ions. This could be explained in two possible scenarios: (1) easily hydrolyzed single salts form low charged ions and reduce feed pH, resulting in increased permeate conductivity and low nominal rejection; (2) for membranes with high multivalent ion rejections (>99%) or the concentration of target ions in feed is low, conductivity measurement results in low rejection due to the passage of monovalent ions if deionized water is used for the feed solution. A correction formula by subtracting the concentration of monovalent ions in water to obtain an accurate rejection value is proposed. This work provides an accurate, simple and robust evaluation of rejection for NF membranes, which promotes fair comparison of performance in literature, reliable analysis of separation mechanisms as well as a precise determination of product purity. • Cations hydrolysis form low-charged ions and reduce feed pH, resulting in low rejection tested by conductivity measurement. • The passage of monovalent ions results in low rejection for membranes with high multivalent ion rejections. • A correction formula was proposed by subtracting the concentration of monovalent ions for accurate rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathogenic mechanisms underlying pituitary somatotroph adenoma formation, progression are poorly understood. To identify candidate tumor suppressor genes involved in pituitary somatotroph adenoma tumorigenesis, we used HG18 CpG plus Promoter Microarray in 27 human somatotroph adenomas and 4 normal human adenohypophyses. RASSF3 was found with frequent methylation of CpG island in its promoter region in somatotroph adenomas but rarely in adenohypophyses. This result was confirmed by pyrosequencing analysis. We also found that RASSF3 mRNA level correlated negatively to its gene promoter methylation level. RASSF3 hypermethylation and downregulation was also observed in rat GH3 and mouse GT1.1 somatotroph adenoma cell lines. 5-Aza-2′ deoxycytidine and trichostatin-A treatment induced RASSF3 promoter demethylation, and restored its expression in GH3 and GT1.1 cell lines. RASSF3 overexpression in GH3 and GT1.1 cells inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis accompanied by increased Bax, p53, and caspase-3 protein and decreased Bcl-2 protein expression. We also found that the antitumor effect of RASSF3 was p53 dependent, and p53 knockdown blocked RASSF3-induced apoptosis and growth inhibition. Taken together, our results suggest that hypermethylation-induced RASSF3 silencing plays an important role in the tumorigenesis of pituitary somatotroph adenomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The long non-coding RNA MALAT1 is a predictive marker in several solid tumors with highly conserved sequences. However, the role of non-coding RNA in development of laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer remains unclear. Methods: Tumor tissues and adjacent non-cancer tissues of 24 patients were collected. We detected the expression of MALAT1 in laryngeal cancer tissues and hypopharyngeal cancer tissues. Moreover, we developed a MALAT1 silencing model in human laryngeal tumor cells by transfecting MALAT1 small interfering RNA into human laryngeal carcinoma cell line Hep-2 and pharyngeal carcinoma cell line FaDu with Lipofectamine 2000 system. Cell cycle analysis, Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, Transwell assay, quantitative reverse transcription PCR, and wound-healing assays were performed to evaluate the impact of MALAT1 depletion on laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer cell's growth, proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration. Results: MALAT1 was significantly up-regulated in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells. MALAT1 down-regulation induced the increased apoptosis of both cell lines and suppressed cells' proliferation. Cells were arrested in G1/G2 phase and cells of S phase were significantly decreased. Down-regulation of MALAT1 expression can also inhibit the migration and invasion of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell (Hep-2) and hypopharyngeal cancer cell (FaDu). Conclusion: In summary, our deactivation model of MALAT1 disentangled the active function of it as a regulator of gene expression governing the hallmarks of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer. Blocking this long non-coding RNA may restrain the development of laryngeal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, as anti-tumor drugs targeting the DNA damage response (DDR), have been used for the therapy of various tumors, few researches reported their effect on laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Here, we first discovered that the PARP-1/2 inhibitor Niraparib could simultaneously induce cell growth inhibition and autophagy in LSCC TU212 and TU686 cells. Niraparib decelerated cell cycle of LSCC by arresting G1 phase and preventing the cells from entering S phase. DNA lesions were also observed upon Niraparib treatment as evidenced by the accumulation of γH2AX and abatement of pRB expression. In addition, autophagy generation was confirmed by the observation of autophagosomes, LC3-positive autophagy-like vacuoles, and obvious conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II. Moreover, blocking autophagy enhanced Niraparib-induced growth inhibition and DNA lesions. Further studies suggested that autophagy suppression could obstruct the activation of checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) through elevating proteasomal activity and then impair the capacity of homologous recombination (HR), thereby improving the anti-LSCC efficiency of Niraparib. Collectively, these findings suggested that simultaneous targeting of Niraparib and autophagy might be a promising therapeutic schedule for LSCC in clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), one of the most common malignancies in the head and neck, has poor prognosis and high mortality. The need of novel and effective treatment for LSCC is urgent. Asparaginase, an enzyme-depriving asparagine, has been employed for the treatment of various cancers. In this study, we reported for the first time that asparaginase could induce remarkable cytotoxicity and caspase-dependent apoptosis in human LSCC Tu212 and Tu686 cells. Meanwhile, autophagy was triggered by asparaginase in LSCC cells, which was confirmed by accumulation of autophagosomes and the conversion of light chain 3-I (LC3-I) to LC3-II. Importantly, inhibition of autophagy by chloroquine (CQ) significantly enhanced asparaginase-induced cytotoxicity, indicating that autophagy has a cytoprotective role in asparaginase-treated LSCC cells. Meanwhile, we found that mitochondrial-originated reactive oxygen species (ROS) participated in asparaginase-induced autophagy and cytotoxicity. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a common antioxidant, was employed to scavenge ROS, and our results demonstrated that NAC could significantly block asparaginase-induced autophagy and attenuate asparaginase-induced cytotoxicity, indicating that intracellular ROS played a crucial role in asparagine deprivation therapy. Furthermore, western blot analysis showed that asparaginase-induced autophagy was mediated by inactivation of Akt/mTOR and activation of the Erk signaling pathway in Tu212 and Tu686 cells. Therefore, these results indicated the protective role of autophagy in asparaginase-treated LSCC cells and provided a new attractive therapeutic strategy for LSCC by asparaginase alone or in combination with autophagic inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber-reinforced resin-based composites (FRC) are in line with the concept of sustainable development owing to their excellent performance and have gradually replaced traditional friction materials. Notably, the wear of composites only accounts for about 15% of whole thickness when reaching their service life, so the surface characteristics are important factors affecting comprehensive properties. To make clear the relationship between surface characteristics and properties, especially under oil lubrication, the composites with different surface characteristics have been obtained by introducing constrain and free curing process during composites preparation. Results indicate that the surface porosity increases from 36.3% to 61.2% with the extension of free curing time, and the changes in surface roughness of different composites are consistent with surface porosity, showing an increasing trend. A more uniform and better-connected pore structure is conducive to enhancing the thermal conductivity of FRC. When the surface porosity is about 41.0%, the composite exhibits excellent tensile and interlaminar shear strength owning to better interface bonding. In addition, the dynamic friction coefficient (μ d) gradually improved as the surface porosity increases, and the stability of μ d is related to the change of surface roughness under continuous braking, the slight change of surface roughness corresponds to a more stable μ d. The wear rate of composites first decreases from 0.73 × 10−8 cm3/J (Y1) to 0.50 × 10−8 cm3/J (Y2) and then increases to 1.57 × 10−8 cm3/J (Y6). When the surface porosity is 40–50%, the composite exhibits excellent wear resistance. Most importantly, this study provides solid basic knowledge of the structural design of composites, which is favorable for obtaining expected mechanical and tribological performances. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The study aims to uncover molecular mechanisms of PTC (papillary thyroid carcinoma) progression and provide therapeutic biomarkers. Methods The paired tumor and control tissues were obtained from 5 PTC patients. RNA was extracted and cDNA libraries were constructed. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on the Illumina HiSeq2000 platform using paired-end method. After preprocessing of the RNA-seq data, gene expression value was calculated by RPKM. Then the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified with edgeR. Functional enrichment and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses were conducted for the DEGs. Module analysis of the PPI network was also performed. Transcription factors (TFs) of DEGs were predicted. Results A cohort of 496 up-regulated DEGs mainly correlating with the ECM degradation pathways, and 440 down-regulated DEGs predominantly enriching in transmembrane transport process were identified. Hub nodes in the PPI network were RRM2 and a set of collagens (COL1A1, COL3A1 and COL5A1), which were also remarkable in module 3 and module 5, respectively. Genes in module 3 were associated with cell cycle pathways, while in module 5 were related to ECM degradation pathways. PLAU, PSG1 and EGR2 were the crucial TFs with higher transcriptional activity in PTC than in control. Conclusion Several genes including COL1A1 , COL3A1 , RRM2 , PLAU , and EGR2 might be used as biomarkers of PTC therapy. Among them, COL1A1 and COL3A1 might exert their functions via involving in ECM degradation pathway, while RRM2 through cell cycle pathway. PLAU might be an active TF, whereas EGR2 might be a tumor suppressor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), one of the most common malignant solid tumors in the world, has a high rate of mortality, recurrence, and metastasis. Recombinant human arginase (rhArg) recently has been developed in arginine deprivation therapy for a number of malignant tumors. In the present study, we observed that rhArg triggered significant cytotoxicity in human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma Tu212 cells. Meanwhile, we observed that rhArg simultaneously activated autophagic flux in Tu212 cells, which was demonstrated by the accumulation of autophagosome and light chain 3 II (LC3-II). And, we explored the role of autophagy in cytotoxicity induced by rhArg in Tu212 cells. Autophagy inhibitors including chloroquine (CQ) and bafilomycin A1 (Baf A1) enhanced cytotoxicity induced by rhArg, implying the protective role of autophagy in rhArg-treated Tu212 cells. Moreover, Akt/mTOR signaling pathway was most possibly to participate in the rhArg-induced autophagy. Meanwhile, rhArg could upregulate the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in a time-dependent manner. Therefore, all the results illuminated the cytoprotective role of autophagy in the treatment of rhArg in laryngeal squamous carcinoma Tu212 cells and provided a potential approach for LSCC therapy by rhArg combined with autophagy inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nedaplatin, a cisplatin analog, was developed to reduce the toxicity of cisplatin, whereas it can be cross-resistant with cisplatin in some circumstances. This study aimed to investigate the role of autophagy in nedaplatin induced cell death in cisplatin-resistant nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Here, we showed that HNE1/DDP and CNE2/DDP cells were resistant to nedaplatin-induced cell death with reduced apoptotic activity. Nedaplatin treatment resulted in autophagosome accumulation and increased expression of LC3-II, indicating the induction of autophagy by nedaplatin in HNE1/DDP and CNE2/DDP cells. Inhibition of autophagy by Bafilomycin A1 (Baf A1) and 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) remarkably enhanced the antitumor efficacy of nedaplatin in HNE1/DDP and CNE2/DDP cells, suggesting that the resistance to nedaplatin-induced cell death was caused by enhanced autophagy in nedaplatin-resistant NPC cells. Additionally, Baf A1 enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and apoptosis induced by nedaplatin in HNE1/DDP cells. Mechanistically, nedaplatin treatment caused activation of ERK1/2 and suppression of Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. While inhibition of ERK1/2 by MEK1/2 inhibitor, U0126, could reduce the expression of LC3-II in nedaplatin-resistant NPC cells. Furthermore, suppression of ROS could inhibit nedaplatin-induced ERK activation in HNE1/DDP cells, indicating that ROS and ERK were involved in nedaplatin-induced autophagy. Together, these findings suggested that autophagy played a cytoprotective role in nedaplatin-induced cytotoxicity of HNE1/DDP and CNE2/DDP cells. Furthermore, our results highlighted a potential approach to restore the sensitivity of cisplatin-resistant nasopharyngeal cancer cells to nedaplatin in combination with autophagy inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dominant market for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in China has driven lithium chemicals with foreseeable growth in demand. Lithium extraction from salt-lake brine in China with high Mg2+/Li+ ratio has become one of the key challenges in the separation of Mg2+ and Li+. In this study, we introduce here an unprecedented, highly permselective nanofiltration hollow fiber membrane prepared by layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition as a novel alternative for Mg2+/Li+ separation. Poly(styrene sulfonate) and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) were deposited alternatively on a tailor-made ultrafiltration hollow fiber support and crosslinking with glutaric dialdehyde. The pure water permeability of LBL NF membrane was 18.4 L m−2 h−1 bar−1. Under the synergistic effect of size sieving and Donnan exclusion effect, it also achieved promising results when tested with simulated brine. The rejection rate of Mg2+ was as high as 99%, and the rejection rate of Li+ was as low as −60%, with a separation factor of 74 was observed, setting a record of permselectivity for Mg2+/Li+ separation for engineerable membranes. This research has paved a new road for the engineering application of LBL nanofiltration membranes for mono and bivalent ion separation. • LBL nanofiltration hollow fiber membrane was used for Mg2+/Li+ separation for the first time. • Exceedingly high permselectivity was observed using PSS/PAH pairs in LBL assembly. • Size sieving was identified as the key factor for Mg2+/Li+ separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To discover candidate biomarkers for diagnosis and detection of human laryngeal carcinoma and explore possible mechanisms of this cancer carcinogenesis, two-dimensional strong cation-exchange/reversed-phase nano-scale liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis was used to identify differentially expressed proteins between the laryngeal carcinoma tissue and the adjacent normal tissue. As a result, 281 proteins with significant difference in expression were identified, and four differential proteins, Profilin-1 (PFN1), Nucleolin (NCL), Cytosolic non-specific dipeptidase (CNDP2) and Mimecan (OGN) with different subcellular localization were selectively validated. Semiquantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to detect the expression of the four proteins employing a large collection of human laryngeal carcinoma tissues, and the results validated the differentially expressed proteins identified by the proteomics. Furthermore, we knocked down PFN1 in immortalized human laryngeal squamous cell line Hep-2 cells and then the proliferation and metastasis of these transfected cells were measured. The results showed that PFN1 silencing inhibited the proliferation and affected the migration ability of Hep-2 cells, providing some new insights into the pathogenesis of PFN1 in laryngeal carcinoma. Altogether, our present data first time show that PFN1, NCL, CNDP2 and OGN are novel potential biomarkers for diagnosis and therapeutic targets for laryngeal carcinoma, and PFN1 is involved in the metastasis of laryngeal carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: The pathogenic mechanisms underlying pituitary adenoma formation, progression, and invasion are poorly understood. To identify candidate tumor suppressor genes, we selected somatotroph adenomas as representative of pituitary adenomas. Methods/ Results: We used genome-wide differential expression analysis in 15 invasive and 12 noninvasive somatotroph adenomas. HEPN1 reduction was more frequent in the invasive group, and this result was confirmed by qRT-PCR. To understand the function of HEPN1, the pituitary adenoma cell lines, GH3 and GT1.1, were stably transfected with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting HEPN1 or ectogenic HEPN1 by lentivirus-mediated transfection. We found that HEPN1 overexpression in GH3 and GT1.1 cells inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and attenuated invasive capacity, whereas HEPN1 silencing enhanced cell proliferation and invasion accompanied by decreased apoptosis. Western blot analysis revealed that HEPN1 overexpression decreased MMP-2, MMP-9, and Bcl-2 expression, but increased BAX, p53, and caspase-3 expression. In contrast, HEPN1 silencing increased MMP-2, MMP-9, and Bcl-2 expression, but decreased BAX, p53, and caspase-3 expression. Conclusion: Taken together, our results suggest that reduction of HEPN1 may play an important role in the progression of pituitary somatotroph adenomas. HEPN1 may thus be a candidate as a prognostic predictor or an anticancer therapeutic target for patients with somatotroph adenoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: A traditional Chinese medicine Selaginella doederleinii Hieron has been combined with radiotherapy for the treatment of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma in clinic in China. However, the detailed mechanism of anti-tumor effect of Selaginella doederleinii remains elusive. Aim of the study: This study was designed to investigate the anti-tumor effect of ethanol extract of Selaginella doederleinii (SDE) on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma and its possible mechanisms. Materials and methods: Viability, apoptosis and protein expression of tumor cells were analyzed by MTT, Annexin V staining and Western blot, respectively. Formation of intracellular reactive oxygen species was determined using dichlorofluorescin fluorescence. The in vivo anti-tumor effect was evaluated by measuring tumor volume changes and TUNEL staining in nude mice. Results: SDE significantly inhibited the growth and induced apoptosis in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE cells. In addition, SDE triggered the mitochondrial/caspase apoptotic pathway indicated by enhanced Bax-to-Bcl-2 ratio, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome c release, and caspase cascade. Moreover, SDE provoked the generation of reactive oxygen species in CNE cells, while the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine almost completely blocked SDE-induced disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, caspases activation and apoptosis. Furthermore, a transplantable nude mice model was utilized to estimate the effectiveness of SDE in vivo. The treated mice displayed decreased tumor size, which was associated with enhanced apoptotic cell death. Conclusions: These results, offering solid evidence of the induction of mitochondria-related apoptosis in tumor cells, provide the molecular theoretical basis of clinical application of Selaginella doederleinii for the treatment of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hemodialysis consumes significant amounts of pure water and produces large amounts of spent dialysate. Recovering water from spent dialysate is a new attempt in medical industries to save water and costs. The recent proposal of using forward osmosis (FO) to concentrate the spent dialysate showed economic viability. However, there is still one key concern of potentially extended hemodialysis duration because commercial FO membranes have limited urea rejection, which would reduce the urea concentration gradient during hemodialysis. In this paper, a model was developed to quantify the effect of incomplete urea rejection in FO on subsequent hemodialysis duration. The impacts of average urea rejection, water recovery, and the number of hemodialysis sessions were systematically analyzed. Counter-intuitively, the results indicated that relatively low urea rejection of FO membranes actually has little impact on hemodialysis duration. Low urea concentration in the spent dialysate, partial urea rejection by the FO membrane, and further dilution of pre-diluted dialysis concentrate, largely reduces this impact. The result further supports the viability of FO in spent dialysate reuse. Although FO membrane with 100% rejection is expected, the present work indicates that commercial FO membranes with a low rejection of neutral matters are of practical utility in certain applications. • Osmotic dilution was used for recycling spent dialysate of hemodialysis. • A model was developed to evaluate the effect of several factors in the osmotic dilution on the hemodialysis duration. • A relatively low urea rejection of an FO membrane has a minor impact on the subsequent hemodialysis duration. • The reasons for the counter-intuitive result in recycling the spent dialysate by FO were revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]