Temperature Field Characterization of Iron Tailings Based on Microwave Maintenance Technology.

Microwave maintenance technology, as a new development trend, can realize the environmentally noninvasive and rapid repair of asphalt pavement and gradually replace traditional maintenance methods. Iron tailings were used as a self-healing material in this study to investigate the temperature response matching of microwave maintenance technology. Firstly, the physical properties and the mechanism of iron tailings were elaborated through macroscopic physical index testing and microscopic X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Secondly, the applicability of aggregates to microwave heating was demonstrated by analyzing the temperature rise characteristics of the granules using infrared imaging. Then, the temperature field variation rules of the iron tailing asphalt mixture were summarized by microwave heating Marshall specimens. Finally, the road performance was assessed by conducting high-temperature dynamic stability, low-temperature tensile, water immersion Marshall, and freeze-thaw splitting tests. The experimental results showed that the iron tailings can be used as an aggregate for high-grade asphalt pavement and as the preferred aggregate for microwave maintenance technology. The iron tailings temperature field was radial from the inside out to provide different temperature response states for different pavement diseases, so the asphalt was dissolved and precipitated in a short time. The particle size of iron tailings was inversely proportional to the wave-absorbing heating rate, and the heating efficiency of the small particle size (0-4.75 mm) was the highest. The specimens doped with 4.75-13.2 mm iron tailings showed the best heating performance and road performance, with the average surface temperature of the specimens reaching 126.0 °C within 2 min. In summary, according to different disease types and construction needs, iron tailings can be used as an aggregate for asphalt pavement, providing an appropriate temperature field and improving the efficiency of the microwave maintenance of asphalt pavements.

Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR modulates HLA-G expression by absorbing miR-148a in human cervical cancer.

The long non-coding RNA HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) has been found overexpressed in many human malignancies and involved in tumor progression and metastasis. However, little is known about the potential biological roles of HOTAIR in tumor escape. In the present study, the expression of HOTAIR was detected in 59 paired cervical cancer tissue samples by real-time PCR and then subjected to correlation analysis with clinical features. The effects of HOTAIR on cervical cancer cells as well as the expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G were studied by overexpression and RNA interference approaches. Insight into the mechanism of HOTAIR acting as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) was gained from bioinformatic analysis and luciferase assays. HOTAIR expression was obviously increased in cervical cancer tissue. HOTAIR upregulation was associated with advanced pathological stage, histology, lymph node invasion and lymphatic metastasis, and also correlated with shorter overall survival of cervical cancer patients. Furthermore, HOTAIR overexpression promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells, while HOTAIR knockdown inhibited cell invasion and cell viability, induced apoptosis and inhibited growth in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, HOTAIR modulated human leucocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) expression by competitively binding miR-148a. Our data suggest that HOTAIR plays an important oncogenic role in cervical cancer and might serve as a marker for cervical cancer prognosis and a potential target for therapeutic intervention.

miR-182 induces cervical cancer cell apoptosis through inhibiting the expression of DNMT3a.

Cervical cancer is the second most common and malignant tumor among women worldwide. However, the effective therapies for this deadly disease are limited because the elaborate molecular mechanism of progress of cervical cancer remains largely unknown. In present study, we not only determine the miR-182 as an anticancer miRNA molecule but also provide the mechanistic link between miR-182 and its anticancer activity. Primarily, the expression of miR-182 is significantly down-regulated in cervical tumor in contrast to normal cervical tissue, and then miR-182 mimic-treated cell presents reduction of cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis. During this process, DNA methyltransferase 3a (DNMT3a) expression is markedly decreased, thereby likely contributing to miR-182-induced apoptosis. Consistently, over-expression of DNMT3a inhibits the miR-182-induced apoptosis, and inhibition of DNMT3a promotes cervical cancer cell apoptosis, which further demonstrated that DNMT3a involved in cervix carcinogenesis. Collectively, we have revealed a valuable mechanism by which down-regulation of DNMT3a contributes to the miR-182-induced cervical cancer cell apoptosis, which raise a becoming potential that miR-182 administration or inhibition of DNMT3a expression may be the underlying strategies for therapeutic intervention in cervical carcinoma.

[One-stage radical debridement and total hip arthroplasty for treatment of active tuberculosis of the hip].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short-term effectiveness of one-stage radical debridement and total hip arthroplasty (THA) in the treatment of active tuberculosis of the hip. METHODS: Between January 2006 and June 2011, one-stage radical debridement and THA were performed on 12 cases (12 hips) of active tuberculosis of the hip. There were 7 males and 5 females, aged 18-60 years (mean, 46.3 years). The disease duration ranged from 6 to 24 months (mean, 10.5 months). According to Babhulkar and Pande staging criteria, 5 cases were at stage III and 7 cases were at stage IV. One case had sinus, and 2 cases had previous pulmonary tuberculosis. Preoperative hip range of motion was (35.83 ± 9.25) degrees; hip Harris score was 36.83 ± 6.44. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was 45-90 mm/1 h (mean, 62.4 mm/l h); C-reactive protein (CRP) was 19-50 mg/L (mean, 33.6 mg/L). Perioperatively all the patients accepted the regular anti-tuberculous medication. RESULTS: The results of histopathological examination and PCR detection were positive for tuberculosis bacillus. Postoperatively the incisions healed primarily. All the patients were followed up 25-60 months (mean, 40.8 months). The ESR and CRP returned to normal level with no liver injury. Tuberculosis recurrence occurred in 1 patient at 4 months after operation, which was cured after revision. X-ray film showed no prosthesis shift, prosthesis loosening, or sinus tract. At 18-24 months after operation, the bilateral sides had the same bone density, which was similar to that at the final follow-up. Hip range of motion was significantly improved to (107.08 ± 13.56)degrees (t = 14.571, P = 0.000). Hip Harris score was significantly increased to 88.00 ± 10.78 (t = 16.750, P = 0.000). COONCLUSION: A combination of one-stage radical debridement and THA is a safe method to treat active tuberculosis of the hip, which can relief symptoms and improve hip function, with low recurrence and satisfactory short-term effectiveness.