Imidazole-Based Ionic Liquid Engineering for Perovskite Solar Cells with High Efficiency and Excellent Stability.

Despite the remarkable progress of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the substantial inherent defects within perovskites restrict the achievement of higher efficiency and better long-term stability. Herein, we introduced a novel multifunctional imidazole analogue, namely, 1-benzyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (BzMIMBr), into perovskite precursors to reduce bulk defects and inhibit ion migration in inverted PSCs. The electron-rich environment of -N- in the BzMIMBr structure, which is attributed to the electron-rich adjacent benzene ring-conjugated structure, effectively passivates the uncoordinated Pb2+ cations. Moreover, the interaction between the BzMIMBr additive and perovskite can effectively hinder the deprotonation of formamidinium iodide/methylammonium iodide (FAI/MAI), extending the crystallization time and improving the quality of the perovskite precursors and films. This interaction also effectively inhibits ion migration to subsequent deposited films, leading to a noteworthy decrease in trap states. Various characterization studies show that the BzMIMBr-doped films exhibit superior film morphology and surface uniformity and reduced nonradiative carrier recombination, consequently enhancing crystallinity by reducing bulk/surface defects. The PSCs fabricated on the BzMIMBr-doped perovskite thin film exhibit a power conversion efficiency of 23.37%, surpassing that of the pristine perovskite device (20.71%). Additionally, the added BzMIMBr substantially increased the hydrophobicity of perovskite, as unencapsulated devices still retained 93% of the initial efficiency after 1800 h of exposure to air (45% relative humidity).

The effect of extracellular polymeric substances on MICP solidifying rare earth slags and stabilizing Th and U.

Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been used to cure rare earth slags (RES) containing radionuclides (e.g. Th and U) and heavy metals with favorable results. However, the role of microbial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in MICP curing RES remains unclear. In this study, the EPS of Lysinibacillus sphaericus K-1 was extracted for the experiments of adsorption, inducing calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation and curing of RES. The role of EPS in in MICP curing RES and stabilizing radionuclides and heavy metals was analyzed by evaluating the concentration and morphological distribution of radionuclides and heavy metals, and the compressive strength of the cured body. The results indicate that the adsorption efficiencies of EPS for Th (IV), U (VI), Cu2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+ were 44.83%, 45.83%, 53.7%, 61.3%, 42.1%, and 77.85%, respectively. The addition of EPS solution resulted in the formation of nanoscale spherical particles on the microorganism surface, which could act as an accumulating skeleton to facilitate the formation of CaCO3. After adding 20 mL of EPS solution during the curing process (Treat group), the maximum unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of the cured body reached 1.922 MPa, which was 12.13% higher than the CK group. The contents of exchangeable Th (IV) and U (VI) in the cured bodies of the Treat group decreased by 3.35% and 4.93%, respectively, compared with the CK group. Therefore, EPS enhances the effect of MICP curing RES and reduces the potential environmental problems that may be caused by radionuclides and heavy metals during the long-term sequestration of RES.

Properties and mechanisms of steel slag strengthening microbial cementation of cyanide tailings.

The advantages of microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) as bio-cementation technology for tailings-solidification are under extensive investigation. In order to improve performance of bio-cementation, many strengthening materials were applied to the bio-cementation of tailings. Steel slag (SS) is a kind of industrial solid waste, its chemical composition and mineral composition are similar to cement, and it has a certain application prospect as an auxiliary cementing material. In this study, the properties and mechanism of SS strengthening MICP cementation of cyanide tailings (CT) were investigated. The results showed that Sporosarcina pasteurii growth is not inhibited by SS, and Sporosarcina pasteurii can promote the hydration reaction of SS, providing a suitable alkaline environment and Ca2+, promoting the production of more CaCO3 in the MICP process. When 200 mL of CT leachate was added 1.4 g SS (200-400 mesh), the adsorption of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, total cyanide (T-CN), and free cyanide (F-CN) reached 48.05%, 44.28%, 36.25%, 16.67%, 79.05%, and 67.20%, respectively. The maximum unconfined compressive strength（UCS） of the cemented body (with 5%, 150 mesh SS) was 1.97 MPa, which was 3.396 times as high as that without SS. The cemented body with the addition of SS (5%, 150 mesh) contained more carbonate bound Cu (2.75%), Pb (4.89%), Zn (5.37%), and Cd (5.75%), and less exchangeable Cu (3.65%), Pb (6.85%), Zn (2.27%), and Cd (4.42%) than that without SS. In summary, the addition of SS improved the UCS of cemented bodies and the stability of heavy metals and cyanide, reduced the environmental risks existing in the process of CT storage. Meanwhile, it also provides new ideas for resource utilization of industrial solid waste SS and improvement of mine filling materials.

Effects of propofol on IGF-1 activity and cell behaviour in the GES 1 mucosal cell model.

Propofol is an important and widely used anaesthetic drug in the clinic. Many works have shown that propofol has important biological functions except as an anaesthetic. In the current study, we mainly explored the effect of propofol on the biological activity of IGF-1, which is an important growth factor involved in regulating the growth and development of the stomach. Here, we explored the effect of propofol on the biological activity of IGF-1 in a GES-1-cell model. We found that propofol affected the biological activity of IGF-1. It not only reduces IGF-1/IGF-1R signalling but also changes IGF-1R cell characteristics. We further explored the mechanism by which propofol affected IGF-1 activity. Through a series of experiments, we found that propofol affected the stability of membrane-localised IGF-1R. It also affects the recycling of the IGF-1R receptor Propofol can affect the degradation of IGF-1R by changing the endocytosis of IGF-1R. In short, the current study found that propofol affected the biological activity of IGF-1, which laid the foundation for related research.

Clinical analysis of de Winter syndrome in six patients / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the pathological characteristics, treatment timing, and prognosis of de Winter syndrome.Methods:Six patients with de Winter syndrome who received treatment in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Tianmen from July 2017 to September 2020 were included in this study. The clinical risk factors, characteristics of coronary artery lesions, electrocardiogram evolution, echocardiography, high-sensitivity troponin, and brain natriuretic peptide were evaluated. All patients were followed up for 12 months after discharge.Results:Among the six patients included, four patients underwent coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention. Coronary angiography results showed that anterior descending artery lesions occurred in all patients, consisting of occlusion of the anterior descending artery in three patients and severe stenosis of the anterior descending artery in one patient. After surgery, TIMI3 blood flow recovered in all patients. Electrocardiogram showed anterior wall ST segment elevation in five patients, and anterior wall and inferior wall ST segment elevation in one patient. One patient refused to undergo coronary angiography and was discharged after conservative management with drugs. de Winter syndrome was not identified in time in one patient. The patient died after being admitted to the hospital through routine procedures. Five recovered patients were followed up for 12 months, consisting of one patient who was re-admitted because of heart failure, and four patients in whom no adverse events occurred.Conclusion:Identification of electrocardiogram manifestations of de Winter syndrome and implementation of coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention as early as possible can substantially reduce mortality rate and improve long-term prognosis.

Clinical value of regional cerebral oxygen saturation combined with electrophysiological blood pressure monitoring in patients with carotid artery stenosis and coronary heart disease during carotid endarterectomy / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO 2) combined with neurophysiological blood pressure monitoring on brain protection and myocardial protection during carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patients with carotid stenosis and coronary heart disease. Methods:One hundred patients with carotid artery stenosis complicated with coronary heart disease treated in Jinhua Central Hospital from June 2021 to June 2022 were randomly divided into control group and experimental group. All patients were scheduled to undergo CEA. Fifty patients in the control group were administered with empirically increasing basic blood pressure by 20% - 30%, and 50 patients in the experimental group were administered with blood pressure under the guidance of rSO 2 combined with motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and somatosensory evoked potentials (EPS). The neurological function indexes of the two groups [neuron specific enolase (NSE), central nerve specific protein (S100-β)], myocardial function indicators [cardiac troponin I (cTnI), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)], clinical indicators (eye opening time, extubation time, recovery room stay time, hospital stay) and the incidence of postoperative complications [delirium (POD), cognitive dysfunction (POCD), neurological impairment] were compard between the two groups. Results:Two sets of postoperative NSE and S100-β both increased ( P<0.05), but NSE and S100 in the experimental group after surgery were lower than those in the control group: (0.82 ± 0.14) μg/L vs. (1.18 ± 0.28) μg/L, (290.13 ± 27.25) mg/L vs. (301.98 ± 28.56) mg/L, the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). After surgery, cTnI and BNP increased in both groups ( P<0.05), but the cTnI and BNP in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group: (2.87 ± 0.74)] μg/L vs. (3.36 ± 0.83) μg/L, (3.01 ± 0.85) μg/L vs. (3.89 ± 0.92) μg/L, the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The opening time, extubation time, recovery room stay time, and hospitalization time in the experimental group were shorter than those in the control group: (16.79 ± 3.15) min vs. (20.55 ± 3.83) min, (29.38 ± 4.66) min vs. (40.14 ± 4.57) min, (66.82 ± 15.80) min vs. (89.35 ± 24.78) min, (11.24 ± 4.89) d vs. (14.56 ± 6.74) d, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group: 12.00% (6/50) vs. 28.00% (14/50), there was statistical difference ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The application of rSO 2 combined with neurophysiological blood pressure monitoring in CEA of patients with carotid artery stenosis and coronary heart disease has a good effect, which has brain protection and myocardial protection, can shorten the recovery time of anesthesia and hospitalization time, and reduce the incidence of postoperative complications.

Forkhead Box q1 promotes invasion and metastasis in colorectal cancer by activating the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is an extremely malignant tumor with a high mortality rate. Little is known about the mechanism by which forkhead Box q1 (FOXQ1) causes CRC invasion and metastasis through the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway. AIM: To illuminate the mechanism by which FOXQ1 promotes the invasion and metastasis of CRC by activating the heparin binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF)/EGFR pathway. METHODS: We investigated the differential expression and prognosis of FOXQ1 and HB-EGF in CRC using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) website (http://gepia.cancer-pku.cn/index.html). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of FOXQ1 and HB-EGF in cell lines and tissues, and we constructed a stable low-expressing FOXQ1 cell line and verified it with the above method. The expression changes of membrane-bound HB-EGF (proHB-EGF) and soluble HB-EGF (sHB-EGF) in the low-expressing FOXQ1 cell line were detected by flow cytometry and ELISA. Western blotting was used to detect changes in the expression levels of HB-EGF and EGFR pathway-related downstream genes when exogenous recombinant human HB-EGF was added to FOXQ1 knockdown cells. Proliferation experiments, transwell migration experiments, and scratch experiments were carried out to determine the mechanism by which FOXQ1 activates the EGFR signaling pathway through HB-EGF, and then to evaluate the clinical relevance of FOXQ1 and HB-EGF. RESULTS: GEPIA showed that the expression of FOXQ1 in CRC tissues was relatively high and was related to a lower overall survival rate. PCR array results showed that FOXQ1 is related to the HB-EGF and EGFR pathways. Knockdown of FOXQ1 suppressed the expression of HB-EGF, and led to a decrease in EGFR and its downstream genes AKT, RAF, KRAS expression levels. After knockdown of FOXQ1 in CRC cell lines, cell proliferation, migration and invasion were attenuated. Adding HB-EGF restored the migration and invasion ability of CRC, but not the cell proliferation ability. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis results showed that the combination of FOXQ1 and HB-EGF may serve to predict CRC survival. CONCLUSION: Based on these collective data, we propose that FOXQ1 promotes the invasion and metastasis of CRC via the HB-EGF/EGFR pathway.

Redistribution of Histone Marks on Inflammatory Genes Associated With Intracerebral Hemorrhage-Induced Acute Brain Injury in Aging Rats.

The contribution of histone mark redistribution to the age-induced decline of endogenous neuroprotection remains unclear. In this study, we used an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)-induced acute brain injury rat model to study the transcriptional and chromatin responses in 13- and 22-month-old rats. Transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) revealed that the expression of neuroinflammation-associated genes was systematically upregulated in ICH rat brains, irrespective of age. Further, we found that interferon-γ (IFN-γ) response genes were activated in both 13- and 22-month-old rats. Anti-IFN-γ treatment markedly reduced ICH-induced acute brain injury in 22-month-old rats. At the chromatin level, ICH induced the redistribution of histone modifications in the promoter regions, especially H3K4me3 and H3K27me3, in neuroinflammation-associated genes in 13- and 22-month-old rats, respectively. Moreover, ICH-induced histone mark redistribution and gene expression were found to be correlated. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that histone modifications related to gene expression are extensively regulated in 13- and 22-month-old rats and that anti-IFN-γ is effective for ICH treatment, highlighting the potential of developing therapies targeting histone modifications to cure age-related diseases, including brain injury and neuroinflammation.

[Effects of Earthworms/Biochar on Bacterial Diversity and Community in As-contaminated Red Soil].

Cerium-manganese modified biochar (MBC) combined with earthworms (Eisenia foetida) can immobilize arsenic (As) in red soils. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to explore the combined effects of MBC and E. foetida on bacterial diversity and community structure in As-contaminated red soils. The results showed that the single earthworm treatment had the highest diversity index, whereas the diversity index decreased in the single biochar or MBC treatment, indicating that earthworms can boost the growth of bacteria in the soil, and the addition of biochar/MBC all decreased the bacterial diversity of soils. When biochar/MBC was combined with earthworms, the diversity index increased to some degree. In terms of bacterial community structure, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes increased significantly in each treatment, especially for MBC-earthworm treated soil, in which the relative abundance was increased by 17.08% and 329.47% for Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, respectively, compared to that in the control (CK). Otherwise, those abundances were decreased by 19.18% and 48.76%, respectively, for Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi. Correlation analysis results showed that the soil water-soluble As (WSAs) was negatively correlated with the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Bacteroides (P<0.05) but was positively correlated with Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi (P<0.05), which indicated that with the decrease in WSAs in soils, the bacteria of Proteobacteria and Bacteroides reproduced rapidly, whereas the Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi were inhibited. Moreover, different treatments induced selective changes in the bacterial community, in which earthworms significantly promoted the proliferation of γ-Proteobacteria, Flavobacteriales, Aeromonadales, and Variovorax and earthworms improved the immobilization effect of As by promoting the growth of these bacteria.

Circular RNA Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Progression by Targeting MicroRNA-532-3p/PIK3CB Axis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to explore the contribution and mechanism of circular RNA fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (circFGFR1) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) progression. METHODS: Expressions of circFGFR1, microRNA (miR)-532-3p, and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta (PIK3CB) were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or in situ hybridization. Fluorescence in situ hybridization determined the subcellular localization of circFGFR1. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect PIK3CB expression in PDAC tissues. Cell growth was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and colony formation assays. Wound healing, transwell, and flow cytometry assays examined the migration, invasion, and apoptosis. Dual-luciferase and RNA pull-down assay verified the interactions between circFGFR1/PIK3CB and miR-532-3p. In vivo xenograft tumor growth and lung metastasis were assessed in nude mice. RESULTS: Functionally, knockdown of circFGFR1 restrained in vitro PDAC cell growth, migration, invasion, and in vivo xenograft tumor growth and lung metastasis. In addition, circFGFR1 could sponge miR-532-3p to upregulate PIK3CB level. Rescue experiments revealed that the tumor-suppressive effects caused by miR-532-3p mimics could be reversed by circFGFR1 or PIK3CB overexpression. CONCLUSIONS: Our data revealed that circFGFR1 driven the malignant progression of PDAC by targeting miR-532-3p/PIK3CB axis, suggesting that inhibition of circFGFR1 might be considered as a therapeutic target for PDAC.

Pericytes Regulate Cerebral Perfusion through VEGFR1 in Ischemic Stroke.

Neurons in the penumbra (the area surrounding ischemic tissue that consists of still viable tissue but with reduced blood flow and oxygen transport) may be rescued following stroke if adequate perfusion is restored in time. It has been speculated that post-stroke angiogenesis in the penumbra can reduce damage caused by ischemia. However, the mechanism for neovasculature formation in the brain remains unclear and vascular-targeted therapies for brain ischemia remain suboptimal. Here, we show that VEGFR1 was highly upregulated in pericytes after stroke. Knockdown of VEGFR1 in pericytes led to increased infarct area and compromised post-ischemia vessel formation. Furthermore, in vitro studies confirmed a critical role for pericyte-derived VEGFR1 in both endothelial tube formation and pericyte migration. Interestingly, our results show that pericyte-derived VEGFR1 has opposite effects on Akt activity in endothelial cells and pericytes. Collectively, these results indicate that pericyte-specific expression of VEGFR1 modulates ischemia-induced vessel formation and vascular integrity in the brain.

[Effect of Manure from Different Sources on the Leaching of Antibiotics in Soil].

Antibiotic residues in farmland soils resulting from the application of livestock manure poses risks to the soil and water ecology associated with the spread of antibiotic resistance, thereby threatening environmental safety and human health. Here, a leaching experiment was carried out using soil(CK-T), pig manure(PM-T), cow manure(CM-T), and chicken manure(CHM-T) with the addition of tetracyclines(tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and chlortetracycline) and a control group(without antibiotics). The effects of different sources of manure on soil physical and chemical indicators and bacterial abundance under simulated leaching conditions were studied, while the migration of tetracyclines in the different treatments were also determined. The results showed that compared with the CHM-T and CM-T treatments, the tetracyclines in the PM-T treatment were more easily accumulated in the soil(residual amounts=0.90-6.91 mg·kg-1 compared to the other treatments=0.33-4.42 mg·kg-1). Compared with the surface soil(0-4 cm), higher concentrations of tetracyclines were detected at soil depths of 16-24 cm. Consistent with the residues of antibiotics, the concentrations of TN and NH4+-N in the soil with the PM-T treatment were increased by 0.044 g·kg-1 and 14.11 mg·kg-1, respectively, which were significantly higher than other treatments. The abundance of bacteria in the soil was reduced due to the bactericidal effect of antibiotics, by 39.66% in the PM-T treatment, which was significantly higher than in the other treatments(12.38%-35.26%). Compared with other treatments, the antibiotics in the CHM-T treatment were more easily leached from the soil, with 9.91 mg of antibiotics in the leachate, which was significantly higher than the other treatments(P<0.05). TN, NH4+-N, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and chlortetracycline were the first principal component factors, accounting for 54.55% of the variation, and corresponding concentrations increased with soil depth. Based on these results, tetracyclines in pig manure tended to accumulate in soil and transfer vertically along with variations in the soil microbial community. For chicken manure, relatively high concentrations of tetracyclines were detected in the soil leachate, increasing the risk of water pollution.

An innovative test equipment with rate-dependence in interface damage and its operation under cyclic loading.

An innovative test equipment for analyzing the dynamic damage at the interface of geosynthetic materials is introduced. It provides a result of shear damage on the structural surface of a geosynthetic material that has been subjected to cyclic loading of different amplitudes. First, the experimental data of geosynthetics under cyclic loading are obtained based on the innovative test equipment mentioned above, and a mathematical identification method for the relationship between cyclic loading parameters and shear mechanical behavior of geosynthetics is proposed based on the Mohr-Coulomb criterion, assuming that the micro-element strength of geosynthetics follows Weibull distribution. Moreover, the proposed model, which takes into account repeated loading-unloading conditions, enables this simulated damage process to have properties of reoccurring load cycles, and the proposed method was evaluated by experimental datasets from this study and the existing literature and proved to have a satisfying performance in predicting mechanical behavior of shear stress in geosynthetics under different cyclic loadings. Second, the self-developed test instrument can well solve the direct shear parameters of geosynthetics under dynamic load and can be obtained as a new dynamic statistical model with rate-dependence in interface damage.

Truncated Diphtheria Toxin DT390 Enhances the Humoral Immunogenicity of Porcine Circovirus Type 2 Capsid Antigen in Mice.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the causative agent of PCV-associated disease, which harms the swine industry worldwide. Open reading frame 2 of PCV2 encodes the principal immunogenic capsid (Cap) protein, which induces neutralizing antibodies and protective immunity. Cap has been developed as a subunit vaccine against PCV2 infection, although its use is hindered by low immunogenicity. Here, we hypothesized that the truncated diphtheria toxin DT390 might enhance the immunogenicity of Cap. To verify this hypothesis, we fused Cap with DT390, which was expressed using the unique diphtheria toxin-resistant Pichia pastoris expression system. We assessed the immunogenicity of DT390-Cap using BALB/c mice. DT390-Cap induced significantly higher Cap-specific and neutralizing antibodies than Cap alone with or without the ISA201 adjuvant. DT390-Cap with ISA201 adjuvant induced production of more Cap-specific antibodies and neutralizing antibodies than Ingelvac CircoFLEX (positive control). DT390-Cap induced slightly higher Th2-associated interleukin-4 production than Cap alone but did not affect Th1-associated interferon-γ production. The protection study demonstrated that DT390-Cap induced more effective protective immunity than Cap alone, when challenged with PCV2. The viral loads in the lungs, liver, and thymus in mice immunized using DT390-Cap were significantly lower than in those immunized with the corresponding Cap with or without the ISA201 adjuvant. Taken together, the engineered DT390 effectively enhanced the immunogenicity and protective immunity of Cap in mice. Thus, DT390-Cap is a promising novel vaccine candidate against PCV2 infection.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on expression of Kisspeptin protein in hypothalamus of rats with polycystic ovary syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the expression of Kisspeptin protein and activities of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis(HPOA) in rats with Letrozole-induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: Female SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, PCOS model and EA groups (n=6 rats in each group). The PCOS model was established by continuous gavage of letrozole for 21 d. EA(2 Hz/100 Hz, 0.6-1.4 mA) was applied to bilateral "Daimai" (GB26) for 20 min, once every day for 15 d. Body mass was measured every 4 days. Serum follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), and testosterone (T) were detected by radioimmunoassay. Histopathological changes of the ovarian were observed after H.E. staining, and the expression level of Kisspeptin protein in the hypothalamus was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Following modeling, the body mass, serum T and LH contents, hypothalamic Kisspeptin protein expression and the number of ovarian follicles were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the number of ovarian corpus luteum was apparently decreased in comparison with the normal group (P<0.01). After EA intervention, the serum T, LH and E2 contents, the expression of Kisspeptin protein and the number of ovarian follicles were notably down-regulated (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the number of corpus luteum was significantly increased (P<0.01) in comparison with the model group. CONCLUSION: EA can regulate the levels of sex hormones and HPOA of PCOS rats, which may be related to its effect in down-regulating the expression of Kisspeptin protein in the hypothalamus.

miR-188-5p inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion in gallbladder carcinoma by targeting Wnt2b and Smad2.

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) commonly occurs in gastrointestinal malignancy and has the fifth highest mortality rate among gastrointestinal malignancy. Recently, miR-188-5p, a small noncoding RNA, has been implicated in various types of cancer such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, oral squamous cell carcinoma, liver cancer, and prostate cancer. However, the effect of miR-188-5p on GBC remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that miR-188-5p was downregulated in GBC tissues, and downregulation of miR-188-5p correlated with larger tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and extensive metastasis. In addition, the overall survival time of patients with higher miR-188-5p expression was significantly longer than that of patients with low-miR-188-5p expression. Moreover, downregulation of miR-188-5p promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GBC cells, while its overexpression inhibited cell invasion and induced cell apoptosis, and arrested GBC growth in vivo. Importantly, miR-188-5p-dependent tumorigenesis was correlated with Wnt/ß-catenin signaling and p-38/JNK signaling. In conclusion, miR-188-5p plays a direct role in GBC tumorigenesis. Our study suggests that miR-188-5p could serve as a novel diagnosis marker and therapeutic target in GBC.

Quantitative Profiling of Oxylipins in Acute Experimental Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Oxylipins are a series of bioactive lipid metabolites derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids that are involved in cerebral homeostasis and the development of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, comprehensive quantification of the oxylipin profile in ICH remains unknown. Therefore, an ICH mouse model was constructed and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was then performed to quantify the change in oxylipins in ICH. The expression of the oxylipin relative enzymes was also reanalyzed based on RNA-seq data from our constructed ICH dataset. A total of 58 oxylipins were quantifiable and the levels of 17 oxylipins increased while none decreased significantly in the first 3 days following ICH. The most commonly increased oxylipins in ICH were derived from AA (10/17) and EPA (4/17) followed by LA (2/17) and DHA (1/17). 18-HEPE from EPA was the only oxylipin that remained significantly increased from 0.5 to 3 days following ICH. Furthermore, 14 of the increased oxylipins reached a peak level on the first day of ICH, and soon decreased while five oxylipins (PGJ2, 15-oxo-ETE, 12-HEPE, 18-HEPE, and 5-oxo-ETE) had increased 3 days after ICH suggesting that the profile shifted with the progression of ICH. In our constructed RNA-seq dataset based on ICH rats, 90 oxylipin relative molecules were detected except for COX. Among these, Cyp4f18, Cyp1b1, Cyp2d3, Cyp2e1, Cyp1a1, ALOX5AP, and PLA2g4a were found up-regulated and Cyp26b1 was found to decrease in ICH. In addition, there was no significant change in sEH in ICH. This study provides fundamental data on the profile of oxylipins and their enzymes in ICH. We found that the profile shifted as the progression of ICH and the metabolism of arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid was highly affected in ICH, which will help further studies explore the functions of oxylipins in ICH.

[Situation Analysis and Trend Prediction of the Prevention and Control Technologies for Planting Non-Point Source Pollution].

The contribution of crop planting to agricultural non-point source pollution should not be underestimated in China. Although many modern technologies have been developed to prevent non-point source pollution in recent decades, their impacts on pollution control in farmland are far from expectation. The application of technologies for non-point source pollution control for crop farming has been delayed due to unclear technical parameters and application effectiveness. Therefore, based on studies of the non-point source pollution control for crop farming in China and abroad that were published in the last 20 years, the present research was carried out to determine the development process of planting non-point source pollution control technologies and to illuminate the framework construction. The technologies in different fields and directions were compared by their effects on fertilizer input,yield, and pollutant emission. The development trend in the field of prevention and control technologies for planting non-point source pollution was subsequently predicted. In addition, a technical framework was developed with 3 fields (pollutant source reduction, pollutant interception in the migration process, and nutrient recycling) and 14 directions. The analysis showed that the technologies for reducing pollutants from the source have attracted the most (and increasing) concern with many research directions, and that many of the studies in this field have focused on the regulation of fertilizer application. On the contrary, there is a lack of technologies in the fields of pollutant process interception and nutrient recycling. Promoting nutrient-use efficiency, regulating nutrient transformation, and using soil supplements will be the main entry points for non-point source pollution control for crop farming. Furthermore, technologies will operate better with the help of farmland infrastructure and downstream purification systems.

Depletion of lncRNA MALAT1 inhibited sunitinib resistance through regulating miR-362-3p-mediated G3BP1 in renal cell carcinoma.

Long non-coding RNA metastasis associated with lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) contributes to chemotherapy resistance in some cancers, but the role of MALAT1 in sunitinib (SU) chemoresistance of carcinoma (RCC) is still unknown. In this study, MALAT1 expression in SU-resistance tumor tissues and cells was tested by qRT-PCR. Then, CCK-8, Annexin V-FITC/PI, transwell, and Western blotting assays were used to evaluate cell viability and IC50, apoptosis, cell invasion, and resistance of SU-resistance RCC cells after transfected with small interfering RNA against MALAT1. Further, RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assay were applied to investigate the underlying mechanism of MALAT1 in SU resistance. The results showed that MALAT1 expression was dramatically upregulated in SU-resistance RCC tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of MALAT1 inhibited proliferation, invasion, and SU chemoresistance, but induced apoptosis in RCC cells. The results of RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assay indicated that MALAT1 could interact with miR-362-3p and miR-362-3p interact with RasGAP SH3-domain-Binding Protein 1 (G3BP1). Moreover, G3BP1 also played a role in SU chemoresistance of RCC cells, and MALAT1 could perform as a miR-362-3p sponge to modulate G3BP1 expression. Rescue experiments suggested that downregulation of miR-362-3p and overexpression of G3BP1 can reverse the SU chemosensitivity of MALAT1 knockdown in RCC cells. In conclusion, depletion of LncRNA MALAT1 inhibited SU chemoresistance through modulating G3BP1 via sponging miR-362-3p in RCC cells, suggesting that targeting MALAT1 may be a potential therapeutic strategy for SU-resistance RCC.

Knowledge of Infection Prevention and Attitudes Towards HIV/AIDS Among Chinese Dental Bachelor Interns: An Appeal for Educational Intervention.

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to assess the current situation of Chinese dental bachelor interns on HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and their attitudes towards HIV/AIDS patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, paper-based survey involving 147 dental students from three Chinese dental schools was conducted. Students were recruited to complete the questionnaire regarding their knowledge, awareness and attitudes concerning HIV/AIDS anonymously and voluntarily. RESULTS: A total of 144 students responded to the study, generating a response rate of 98.0%. Although 97.0% of the dental students believed dentists were at high risk of HIV infection, 97.2% of students expressed no prejudice towards HIV/AIDS patients and stated their willingness to provide oral healthcare service for such patients. No statistically significant differences in the responses on attitudes and some basic knowledge were found between students who had received the relevant education about infection control and the students who had not. However, regarding most questions about oral manifestations in adult and paediatric patients living with AIDS, the students who received relevant education showed more knowledge than the students who did not (p <0.05). The cognitive level about respecting HIV/AIDS patients' autonomy and privacy was generally low in all the students. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the dental students in this survey held positive attitudes towards HIV/AIDS patients and good grasp of some basic knowledge about HIV/AIDS. On the other hand, the questionnaire results reflected gaps in education, such as respecting HIV/AIDS patients' privacy.