A novel chaotic and neighborhood search-based artificial bee colony algorithm for solving optimization problems.

With the development of artificial intelligence, numerous researchers are attracted to study new heuristic algorithms and improve traditional algorithms. Artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm is a swarm intelligence optimization algorithm inspired by the foraging behavior of honeybees, which is one of the most widely applied methods to solve optimization problems. However, the traditional ABC has some shortcomings such as under-exploitation and slow convergence, etc. In this study, a novel variant of ABC named chaotic and neighborhood search-based ABC algorithm (CNSABC) is proposed. The CNSABC contains three improved mechanisms, including Bernoulli chaotic mapping with mutual exclusion mechanism, neighborhood search mechanism with compression factor, and sustained bees. In detail, Bernoulli chaotic mapping with mutual exclusion mechanism is introduced to enhance the diversity and the exploration ability. To enhance the convergence efficiency and exploitation capability of the algorithm, the neighborhood search mechanism with compression factor and sustained bees are presented. Subsequently, a series of experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the three presented mechanisms and the superiority of the proposed CNSABC, the results demonstrate that the proposed CNSABC has better convergence efficiency and search ability. Finally, the CNSABC is applied to solve two engineering optimization problems, experimental results show that CNSABC can produce satisfactory solutions.

[Effects of P on the Uptake and Transport of Cd and As in Wheat Seedlings].

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of P on the physiological mechanism of Cd and As uptake and transport of wheat seedlings. Taking Bainong 207 as the test material, we investigated the effects of exogenous P supply and P deficiency treatment on the growth, root morphology, photosynthetic parameters, antioxidant system, ion content, and rhizome transfer coefficient of wheat seedlings under Cd and As stress using hydroponic experiments. The results showed that compared with that in the P deficiency treatment, the supply of exogenous P significantly increased the chlorophyll content of wheat seedlings under As stress, promoted the growth and development of roots, and increased biomass, whereas there were no significant effects on the growth of wheat seedlings under Cd stress. The contents of P and Cd in the root system under the condition of Cd stress were significantly increased by the supply of exogenous P, and the contents of P and Cd in the aboveground part were reduced. At the same time, the P and As content in the shoot and the transfer coefficient of As from the root to the shoot under As stress were significantly improved. Therefore, the effects of P on the poisoning of wheat Cd and As in this study showed obvious differences. Under As stress, exogenous P supply mainly promoted the growth of wheat seedlings by improving the transport of As from the root to the shoot and the CAT activity in the root system, reducing the poisoning of As in wheat. Under Cd stress, P and Cd showed a certain synergistic effect, and the toxic effect of Cd on wheat was aggravated to a certain extent after the supply of P.

Trehalose attenuates abdominal aortic aneurysm formation by inducing autophagy in smooth muscle cells.

BACKGROUND: Trehalose is a naturally occurring disaccharide, which has been identified as an autophagy inducer and exhibits protective effect in cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infraction and atherosclerosis. However, the functional role of trehalose in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) remains undefined. METHODS: To study the effect of trehalose in AAA, trehalose (1 g/kg per day) were given for 14 continuous days in a mouse model of elastase-induced abdominal aortic aneurysm. On day 14, ultrasound was performed to measure aortic diameter before the abdominal aortas were harvested and processed for further analysis. Verhoeff-Van Gieson staining and TUNEL staining were performed on paraffin sections to evaluate vascular histology and apoptosis, immunofluorescence staining and Western-blot were performed to evaluate expression of autophagy markers. RESULTS: Echocardiography and in situ pictures demonstrated that trehalose attenuated infrarenal aorta dilation. Verhoeff-Van Gieson staining showed elastin degradation was improved in trehalose-treated group. Compared with vehicle-treated mice, trehalose treatment restored smooth muscle cell contractile phenotype with increased α-SMA, Calponin and Myh11 expression. Furthermore, trehalose also attenuated cell apoptosis and leukocytes infiltration. Importantly, trehalose induced autophagy with decrease SQSTM1/p62 accumulation, increased lamp2 expression and LC3B conversion. CONCLUSION: Trehalose attenuated AAA progression with decreased inflammation and restored SMC contractile phenotype by inducing autophagy. These results demonstrated the therapeutic potential of trehalose in AAA.

Relationship Between the Structure and Immune Activity of Components From the Active Polysaccharides APS-II of Astragali Radix by Enzymolysis of Endo α-1,4-Glucanase.

Astragali Radix polysaccharides (APSs) have a wide range of biological activities. Our preliminary experiment showed that APS-Ⅱ (10 kDa) was the main immunologically active component of APSs. However, the characteristic structure related to activity of APS-Ⅱ needs further verification and clarification. In this study, APS-II was degraded by endo α-1,4-glucosidase. The degraded products with different degrees of polymerization [1-3 (P1), 3-6 (P2), 7-14 (P3), and 10-18 (P4)] were obtained using a polyacrylamide gel chromatography column. The structural features of the different products were characterized by HPGPC, monosaccharide composition, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, GC-MS, nuclear magnetic resonance, and UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis. Specific immune and non-specific immune cell tests were used to identify the most immunogenic fractions of the products. The backbone of P4 was speculated to be α-D-1,4-linked glucans and rich in C2 (25.34%) and C6 (34.54%) branches. Immune screening experiments indicated that the activity of P4 was better than that of APS-II and the other three components. In this research, the relationship between the structure of APS-Ⅱ and the immune activity from the degradation level of polysaccharides was studied, laying a foundation for the quality control and product development of APSs.

Homocysteine inhibits the viability and migration ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells by downregulating the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor.

The current study aimed to explore the effect of homocysteine (Hcy) on the viability and migration ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), as well as to examine the underlying mechanism. The association between the expression level of Hcy and lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was detected in clinical samples collected from patients. In addition, the effect of Hcy on the viability and migration ability of HUVECs was detected by cell counting kit-8 and Transwell assays, respectively, while vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression was measured in order to verify the effect of Hcy on VEGF. The results indicated that the serum Hcy levels in DVT patients were significantly increased. In vitro experiments also confirmed that Hcy was able to significantly inhibit the viability and migration ability of HUVECs, and downregulate the expression of VEGF in these cells. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of Hcy on HUVEC viability and migration ability was achieved by downregulating the expression of VEGF using small interfering RNA transfection. In conclusion, Hcy inhibited the viability and migration ability of HUVECs by downregulating the expression of VEGF. This may underlie the high incidence of DVT in patients with hyperhomocysteinemia.

Macrophage-secreted Exosomes Delivering miRNA-21 Inhibitor can Regulate BGC-823 Cell Proliferation.

Exosomes, membranous nanovesicles, naturally carry bio-macromolecules or miRNA and play impoetant roles in tumor pathogenesis. Here, we showed that macrophages cell-derived exosomes can function as vehicles to deliver exogenous miR-21 inhibitor into BGC-823 gastric cancer cells. Exosomes loaded with miR-21 inhibitor significantly increased miR-21 levels in BGC-823, but miR-21 inhibitor loaded in exosomes exerted an opposite effect. miRNA transfected with exosomes had less cellular toxicity to host cells compared to conventional transfection methods. The miR-21 inhibitor loaded exosomes promoted the migration ability and reduced apoptosis of BGC-823 gastric cancer cells. These observations indicate that miR-21 acts as a tumor promoter by targeting the PDCD4 gene and preventing apoptosis of gastric cancer cells through inhibition of PDCD4 expression. Furthermore, exosome -mediated miR-21 inhibitor delivery resulted in functionally more efficient inhibition and less cellular toxicity compared to conventional transfection methods. Similar approaches could be useful in modification of target biomolecules in vitro and in vivo. These findings contribute to our understanding of the functions of miR-21 and exosomes as a carrier for therapy of gastric cancer.

Musashi-2 promotes hepatitis Bvirus related hepatocellular carcinoma progression via the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Our recent study observed that the expression of Musashi-2 (MSI2), a member of the Musashi family, was up-regulated in hepatitis B virus (HBV) related hepatocellular carcinoma parenchymal cells. Using quantitative PCR, tissue microarray (TMA) and immunohistochemical staining, we evaluated MSI2 mRNA and protein levels in tumor tissues from patients with different stages of hepatocellular carcinoma with paired adjacent noncancerous sample sets. The following techniques were used to further investigate MSI2 function and its potential molecular mechanism: RNAi, wound healing assay, Transwell assay, quantitative PCR and western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical detection of MSI2 on a TMA containing 106 paired specimens showed that increased cytoplasmic and nuclear MSI2 staining was significantly associated with tumor size, tumor differentiation, recurrence, TNM stage, vessel invasion and Ki-67 proliferative index. Patients with MSI2-positive tumors had a significantly higher disease recurrence rate and poorer survival than patients with MSI2-negative tumors after radical surgery. Based on univariate analysis, MSI2 expression showed an unfavorable influence on both disease-free survival and overall survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that higher MSI2 expression, together with tumor size, tumor differentiation, tumor thrombus, and Ki-67 expression were independent predictors of overall survival. With MSI2 knockdown, hepatoma cell migration and invasion were inhibited and the expression of ß-catenin, T cell factor (TCF) and lymphoid enhancer factor (LEF) were dysregulated. Thus, we propose that MSI2 may predict unfavorable outcomes in hepatitis B virus related hepatocellular carcinoma and promote cancer progression via the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

[A New Method to Decline the SWC Effect on the Accuracy for Monitoring SOM with Hyperspectral Technology].

Soil organic matter (SOM) is one of the most important indexes to reflect the soil fertility, and soil moisture is a main factor to limit the application of hyperspectral technology in monitoring soil attributes. To study the effect of soil moisture on the accuracy for monitoring SOM with hyperspectral remote sensing and monitor the SOM quickly and accurately, SOM, soil water content (SWC) and soil spectrum for 151 natural soil samples in winter wheat field were measured and the soil samples were classified with the method of traditional classification of SWC and Normalized Difference Soil Moisture Index (NSMI) based on the hyperspectral technology. Moreover, the relationship among SWC, SOM and NSMI were analyzed. The results showed that the accuracy of spectral monitor for SOM among the classifications were significantly different, its accuracy was higher than the soils (5%-25%) which was not classified. It indicated that the soil moisture affected the accuracy for monitoring the SOM with hyperspectral technology and the study proved that the most beneficent soil water content for monitoring the SOM was less 10% and higher 20%. On the other hand, the four models for monitoring the SOM by the hyperspectral were constructed by the classification of NSMI, and its accuracy was higher than the classification of SWC. The models for monitoring the SOM by the classification of NSMI were calibrated with the validation parameters of R², RMSE and RPD, and it showed that the four models were available and reliable to quickly and conveniently monitor the SOM by heperspectral. However, the different classifiable ways for soil samples mentioned in the study were naturally similar as all soil samples were classified again with another way. Namely, there may be another optimal classifiable way or method to overcome and eliminate the SWC effect on the accuracy for monitoring SOM. The study will provide some theoretical technology to monitor the SWC and SOM by remote sensing.

Prognostic significance of SERPINE2 in gastric cancer and its biological function in SGC7901 cells.

PURPOSE: Altered expression of serine protease inhibitor peptidase inhibitor clade E member 2 (SERPINE2) associates with human cancer development and progression; thus, this study investigated SERPINE2 expression in gastric cancer tissues for association with clinicopathological and survival data from the patients and then investigated the role of SERPINE2 in gastric cancer cells in vitro. METHODS: The levels of SERPINE2 mRNA in 243 gastric cancer tissues and paired non-cancerous mucosa were determined using quantitative PCR. Inhibition of SERPINE2 expression by small interfering RNA (siRNA) was detected by Western blotting. tetrazolium, soft agar, and transwell assays were performed to evaluate the proliferation, anchorage-independent growth, and motility of gastric cancer SGC7901 cells transfected with SERPINE2 siRNA. RESULTS: Compared with the normal mucosa, SERPINE2 mRNA was increased in gastric cancer tissues and cells. Analysis of the 243 matched specimens showed that high SERPINE2 levels were associated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and clinical stage. Patients with high SERPINE2 mRNA levels had poorer survival compared with patients with low SERPINE2 mRNA levels. In vitro, SERPINE2 inhibited anchorage-independent growth, migration, and invasion of SGC7901 cells, but not proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that upregulated SERPINE2 may contribute to the aggressive phenotype of gastric cancer and suggest that SERPINE2 can be used as a novel prognostic factor and anticancer target in patients with gastric cancer.

Ciz1 is a novel predictor of survival in human colon cancer.

Cip1-interacting zinc-finger protein1 (Ciz1) is a nuclear matrix protein associated DNA replication factor which has been implicated in breast and lung cancer progression. However, the clinical significance of Ciz1 expression in colon cancer has not been determined. This study aimed to examine Ciz1 expression pattern and its potential as a biomarker of prognosis in colon cancer. Using quantitative PCR, tissue microarray (TMA), and ELISA, we evaluated Ciz1 mRNA and protein levels in tumor tissues from patients with colon cancer and in paired adjacent normal tissues. Ciz1 mRNA expression was significantly upregulated in 22 of 39 paired samples (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemistry on TMA-containing samples from 203 colon cancer patients indicated that Ciz1 protein expression was significantly higher in tumor tissues than in adjacent normal tissues (Stuart-Maxwell test, P < 0.001). Elevated expression of Ciz1 protein was significantly correlated with T stage (P < 0.001), N stage (P = 0.005), M stage (P = 0.021), and AJCC stage (P = 0.002). Multivariate Cox proportion hazard model analysis revealed that Ciz1 expression is an independent prognostic factor for overall time (OS; hazard ratio (HR): 1.76; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-2.98; P = 0.034) and disease-free survival (DFS; HR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.14-3.58; P = 0.017) of patients with colon cancer after colectomy. Our data suggested that Ciz1 may be involved in colon cancer progression and could serve as a novel predictor of survival for colon cancer patients.

[Critical limb ischemia during perioperative period of open surgery for rupture abdominal aortic aneurysm: treatment and prognosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the treatment and prognosis of critical limb ischemia during perioperative period of open surgery for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). METHODS: Retrospective reviews were conducted for the clinical data of unstable ruptured AAA patients with open repair at our hospital from June 2002 to June 2012 to examine the characteristics and treatment regimens for associated critical limb ischemia. RESULTS: A total of 46 unstable AAAs were enrolled. There were 37 males and 9 females with an average age of 69 years. All AAAs were repaired by a bifurcated polytetrafluoroethylene graft via a transperitoneal midline incision. Critical limb ischemia was found in 8 patients during or after the procedure. Treatments included additional graft-distal iliac artery bypass (n = 2), anastomotic stoma stenting (n = 2), Fogarty catheter embolectomy plus local thrombolysis (n = 2), Fogarty catheter embolectomy (n = 1) and venous thrombolysis (n = 1). Lower limb necrosis developed in 5 patients (4 unilateral, 1 bilateral) and all of them died. CONCLUSION: Open repair of ruptured AAA may be associated with a considerate morbidity of critical limb ischemia. Early reconstruction of blood flow improves the prognosis.

[Effects of left renal vein division on postoperative renal function during open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of left renal vein division (LRVD) on postoperative renal function and examine the overall prognosis in patients undergoing open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). METHODS: Retrospective analyses were conducted for the clinical data of AAA patients with open repair at our hospital from January 2000 to December 2011. They were divided into LRVD (n = 35) and non-LRVD (n = 141) groups. The 30-day mortality, cardio-cerebrovascular complications, pulmonary complications, preoperative and postoperative levels of creatinine and glomerular rate filtration (GFR), aortic cross-clamping time, blood loss volume, intensive care duration and dialysis or continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) rate were compared between two groups. RESULTS: A total of 189 AAA repair were performed. And 13 patients with suprarenal clamping were excluded. The LRVD group had a significant higher proportion of ruptured AAA (48.6% vs 27.7%, P < 0.01), higher 3-day postoperative creatinine (P < 0.01), longer intensive duration (P < 0.05) and decreased 3-day postoperative GFR (P < 0.01). No significant difference existed in 30-day mortality, incidence of major complications, creatinine or GFR at discharge (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: LRVD during open surgery of AAA has no effect on the postoperative mortality and renal function.

Biglycan expression correlates with aggressiveness and poor prognosis of gastric cancer.

Biglycan, a member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan family, has been implicated in the development and progression of human cancers. However, the clinical significance of biglycan expression in gastric cancer has not been determined. In the present study, biglycan mRNA and protein concentrations were analyzed using quantitative realtime reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot in 69 gastric cancer and adjacent non-tumorous tissues, respectively. Biglycan expression was further assessed using immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays that contained 264 cases of gastric cancer, and others containing normal or metastasized lymph node tumor tissues. Biglycan was upregulated at the transcriptional and translational levels and there was a correlation between the expression of biglycan mRNA and protein (P = 0.000, κ = 0.769). Over-expression of biglycan was strongly associated with lymph node metastasis, tumor (T) classification, metastasis (M) classification, vascular invasion and Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stage. Patients with biglycan-positive tumors had a significantly higher disease recurrence rate and poorer survival than patients with biglycan-negative tumors after the radical surgery. Multivariate analysis revealed that biglycan expression is an independent prognostic indicator for survival of patients with gastric cancer. The data from the current study demonstrate that elevated expression of biglycan may play an important role in the development and progression of gastric cancer, and could be further evaluated as a biomarker for predication of a poor clinical outcome.

[The diagnosis and therapy of acute upper limbs deep venous thrombosis].

OBJECTIVE: To conclude the experience of diagnosis and therapy, the effect analysis and the prognosis factors of acute upper limbs deep venous thrombosis (ULDVT). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the etiological factor, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of 28 patients treated for acute ULDVT admitted in our hospital between 1988 and 2009. The patients were divided into two groups according to the time of admission and management in hospital. Group I, from 1988 to 1998, and group II, from 1999 to 2009. RESULTS: There were 28 patients diagnosed as acute ULDVT, which was 8.1% of lower limbs deep venous thrombosis in synchronization. There were 14 men and 14 women, and the mean age was 46.1 years. 17 patients developed in left upper limbs, and 11 patients developed in right upper limbs. There were 9 patients in group I and 19 in group II. A significant difference was observed between two groups in their risk factors, primary and secondary cause. 8 patients (28.6%) were relevant to venepuncture catheterization, and 13 patients (46.4%) have tumors. There is clear difference between the two groups in the way of primary disease and risk Factors, which means that the probability of ULDVT caused by malignant tumors or other factors in group II is apparently higher than group I, and the prognosis of group II is worse compared with group I. All the patients in the group were made a definite diagnosis by ultrasound, after that our policy were thrombolysis and anticoagulation followed by Warfarin oral administration for 6 months. All the conditions of the patients were well improved, and the symptoms were relieved obviously and discharged. The mean follow-up duration was 2.2 years. 2 recurred, 1 was pulmonary infarction, and 6 was died. CONCLUSION: The incidence of ULDVT is much lower than LLDVT. The motivations are blood hypercoagulable state, such as tumor, vein catheterization etc. The final diagnosis is mostly based on clinical manifestation combined with ultrasound. Thrombolysis, anticoagulation in time have an obvious therapy effect. After that the anticoagulation therapy through oral administration can prevent recurrence.

Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence for the differential functions of TRPV1 at early and late stages of chronic inflammatory nociception in rats.

We previously reported that vanilloid receptor type 1 (VR1, or TRPV1) was up-regulated in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and the spinal dorsal horn after chronic inflammatory pain produced by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) injection into the plantar of rat hind paw. In the present study, we found that subcutaneous or intrathecal application of capsazepine (CPZ), a TRPV1 competitive antagonist, could inhibit thermal hyperalgesia on day 1 and on day 14 but not on day 28 after CFA injection. With extracellular electrophysiological recording, the effect of CPZ on noxious electrical or heat stimulation evoked responses of wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons in the deep layers of the spinal dorsal horn was evaluated. Under noxious electrical stimulation to sciatic nerve, CPZ applied to the spinal cord produced an inhibition on Adelta- and C-fiber evoked responses of WDR neurons on day 1 and 14, but not on day 28. Under radiant heat stimulation to the receptive field skin, subcutaneous application of CPZ significantly inhibited the background activity and extended the response latency of WDR neurons on day 14. These results provide new evidence for the functional significance of TRPV1 at the early stage, but not the late stage, in the rat model of CFA-induced inflammatory pain.

[Machinable property of a novel dental mica glass-ceramic].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the machinability of a novel dental mica glass-ceramic and analyze the effect of heat-treatment on its ductile machinable behavior. METHODS: The drilling and turning experiment were used to measure the machinabilities of the control group (feldspar ceramic: Vita Mark II) and 7 experiment groups treated with different crystallization techniques. The microstructures were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). RESULTS: The average drilling depths in 30 s of the experimental groups ranged from (0.5 +/- 0.1) mm to (7.1 +/- 0.8) mm. There were significant differences between the control [(0.8 +/- 0.1) mm] and the experimental groups (P < 0.05) except the group crystallized at 740 degrees C for 60 min. When crystallized at 650 degrees C (60 min), continuous band chips could formed in machining at a high velocity and cut depth. The crystal portion of this group is only about 40%. CONCLUSIONS: This material has a satisfactory machinability. The mechanism could be attributed to a combination of the interlocked structure of mica crystals and the low viscosity of glassy phase.

Combined devascularization and proximal splenorenal shunt: is this a better option than either procedure alone?

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: We aimed to determine the rationality of pericardial devascularization (PCDV) plus proximal splenorenal shunt (PSRS) for cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension with variceal bleeding, using a duplex sonography study of the effects of the different surgical procedures (PCDV, PSRS, and PCDV + PSRS) on the hemodynamics of the portal system. METHODS: Ninety-nine patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension and a history of bleeding esophageal varices were studied. These patients were divided into three groups (PSRS group, PCDV group, and PCDV + PSRS group). The hemodynamic parameters of the portal systems of all patients were measured by Doppler color-flow imaging perioperatively. RESULTS: In the PSRS group, the postoperative portal venous flow (PVF) and free portal pressure (FPP) decreased by 57 +/- 9% and 52 +/- 5%, respectively (P < 0.01). In the PCDV group, the postoperative PVF lessened by 8 +/- 5% (P > 0.05), and the postoperative FPP was reduced by 19 +/- 7% (P < 0.05). In the PCDV + PSRS group, the postoperative PVF and FPP were lowered by 36 +/- 8% and 34 +/- 10%, respectively (P < 0.05). The postoperative decreases of PVF and FPP in the PCDV + PSRS group were between those of the PSRS and PCDV groups. The differences among these groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Combined devascularization and splenorenal shunt (PCDV + PSRS) significantly decreases portal venous flow and portal pressure, as well as maintaining hepatopedal flow, thus entailing fewer complications compared to either PCDV or PSRS. We aimed to determine the rationality of pericardial devascularization (PCDV) plus proximal splenorenal shunt (PSRS) for cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension with variceal bleeding, using a duplex sonography study of the effects of the different surgical procedures (PCDV, PSRS, and PCDV + PSRS) on the hemodynamics of the portal system.