[Spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of eco-environmental quality based on RS and GIS in Shiyang River Basin, China.] / 基于RS和GISçš„çŸ³ç¾Šæ²³æµåŸŸç”Ÿæ€çŽ¯å¢ƒè´¨é‡ç©ºé—´åˆ†å¸ƒç‰¹å¾åŠå ¶å½±å“å› ç´ .

Based on RS and GIS, 11 indexes from three aspects including natural capital, social pressure and economic supports were selected. The natural capital index (NCI), social pressure index (SPI), economic support index (ESI), and environment quality evaluation index (EQEI) were constructed by using spatial principal component analysis, variation coefficient method, and analytic hierarchy process. The spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factor of the environmental quality in Shiyang River Basin were analyzed. The results showed that the overall environmental quality was at poor level in Shiyang River Basin. The regions with better classes of environmental quality were mainly concentrated in the upper reaches of Qilian Mountains, and those with poorer classes were mainly concentrated in the middle-lower reaches of low hills land and desert. The EQEI value in Shiyang River Basin had polarization phenomenon from southwest to northeast. With the variation of distance, the value had large variation range, with obvious spatial heterogeneity. The environmental quality showed both high and low aggregation patterns, with "fault" distribution. There were highly clustered hot spots and highly clustered cold spots in the basin. Among the influen-cing factors of environmental quality, natural capital was the dominant one, social pressure was the second, and economic support was the least contributor.

Identification of Novel Breast Cancer Subtype-Specific Biomarkers by Integrating Genomics Analysis of DNA Copy Number Aberrations and miRNA-mRNA Dual Expression Profiling.

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with well-defined molecular subtypes. Currently, comparative genomic hybridization arrays (aCGH) techniques have been developed rapidly, and recent evidences in studies of breast cancer suggest that tumors within gene expression subtypes share similar DNA copy number aberrations (CNA) which can be used to further subdivide subtypes. Moreover, subtype-specific miRNA expression profiles are also proposed as novel signatures for breast cancer classification. The identification of mRNA or miRNA expression-based breast cancer subtypes is considered an instructive means of prognosis. Here, we conducted an integrated analysis based on copy number aberrations data and miRNA-mRNA dual expression profiling data to identify breast cancer subtype-specific biomarkers. Interestingly, we found a group of genes residing in subtype-specific CNA regions that also display the corresponding changes in mRNAs levels and their target miRNAs' expression. Among them, the predicted direct correlation of BRCA1-miR-143-miR-145 pairs was selected for experimental validation. The study results indicated that BRCA1 positively regulates miR-143-miR-145 expression and miR-143-miR-145 can serve as promising novel biomarkers for breast cancer subtyping. In our integrated genomics analysis and experimental validation, a new frame to predict candidate biomarkers of breast cancer subtype is provided and offers assistance in order to understand the potential disease etiology of the breast cancer subtypes.

[Preparation and Photoluminescent Properties of Ce³âº-Activated LaPO4 Nanocrystals and Core/Shell Structure].

Hydrophobic, monodisperse LaPO4: Ce³âº nanoparticles, LaPO4:Ce³âº/LaPO4 and LaPO4:Ce³âº/LaPO4: Ce³âº/ LaPO4 core/shell structure nanocrystals were synthesized via a high-temperature organic solution approach. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The results show that: all the samples are a monoclinic phase, Because of the size small nanoparticles, the diffraction peaks of the sample occurs width phenomenon. The LaPO4:Ce³âº nano- crystals exhibits the characteristic emission of Ce³âº ions, the photoluminescence intensity increases first and then decreases with the increasing doping concentration of Ce³âº ions, and the best doping amount is 6 at %, with the increasing doping amount, the photoluminescence intensity decreases which may caused by the concentration quenching. Compared to LaPO4:Ce³âº nanoparti- cles, the photoluminescence intensity of LaPO4:Ce³âº/LaPO4 and LaPO4: Ce³âº/LaPO4: Ce³âº/LaPO4 core/shell structure nanocrystals improves about 41% and 95% respectively, this may be a synergy of larger particle size of nanocrystals and surface passivation effect. FTIR spectra data shows that the absorption peak at 1545 and 1461 cm⁻¹ corresponded to the asymmetric and symmetric stretching vibration of --COO⁻, the separation, Δ, between the two peaks is 84 cm⁻¹, The mechanism of the sample surface modification by the organics might be that the oxygen atoms of the carboxyl are coordinated with the lanthunum ions by a bidentate mode.

Cross talk between vascular smooth muscle cells and monocytes through interleukin-1ß/interleukin-18 signaling promotes vein graft thickening.

OBJECTIVE: Interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18 are key proinflammatory cytokines that play important roles in the pathophysiology of vein graft remodeling. However, the mechanism of IL-1ß/IL-18 production and its role in the development of graft remodeling remain unclear. APPROACH AND RESULTS: IL-1ß/IL-18 were rapidly expressed in venous interposition grafts. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) death and monocytic inflammasome activation occurred in grafted veins. Necrotic VSMCs induced the expression of IL-1ß, IL-18, and other inflammasome-associated proteins in monocytes, which was partially inhibited by their antagonist, recombinant IL-1ra-Fc-IL-18bp. Activated monocytes stimulated proliferation of VSMCs by activating cell growth-related signaling molecules (AKT, STAT3, ERK1/2, and mTOR [AKT/protein kinase B, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, mammalian target of rapamycin]) and increasing production of platelet-derived growth factor-bb; these effects were suppressed by IL-1ra-Fc-IL-18bp. Activated monocytes also promoted migration of VSMCs, which was independent of IL-1ß/IL-18 signaling. Importantly, administration of IL-1ra-Fc-IL-18bp inhibited activation of cell growth-related signaling molecules, VSMC proliferation, and vein graft thickening in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Our work identified an interaction among necrotic VSMCs, monocytes, and viable VSMCs through IL-1ß/IL-18 signaling, which might be exploited as a therapeutic target in vein graft remodeling.

Positive regulation of hepatic miR-122 expression by HNF4α.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: miR-122 is the most abundant microRNA in the liver and regulates metabolic pathways including cholesterol biosynthesis, fatty acid synthesis, and oxidation. However, little is known about mechanisms that regulate the expression of miR-122 in the liver. The aim of this study was to identify key transcriptional regulators for miR-122 expression through intensively studying its primary transcript and promoter region. METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis, Northern blotting, RT-PCR, and 5'/3' RACE were performed to analyze miR-122 primary transcript structure, its promoter region, and potential transacting factor binding sites. Reporter gene assays integrated with truncation and site-mutation in miR-122 promoter were performed to determine the trans-activation effect of HNF4α to miR-122-promoter in vitro. ChIP and EMSA assays were performed to determine HNF4α binding to miR-122 promoter. Finally, forced expression and RNAi were performed to verify the regulatory roles of HNF4 to miR-122 expression in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: Here, we show that miR-122 is processed from a long spliced primary transcript directed by a distal upstream promoter region conserved across species. We dissected this promoter region and identified putative binding sites for liver-enriched transcriptional factors that contribute to the regulation of miR-122 expression, including a putative binding site for hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α). We demonstrate that HNF4α binds to the miR-122 promoter region through the conserved DR-I element. We observed the DR-1-element-dependent activation effect of HNF4α on the conserved miR-122 promoter and the activation could be further enhanced by the addition of PGC1α. Using overexpression and knockdown strategies, we show that HNF4α positively regulates miR122 expression in both Huh7 cells and the mouse liver. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that HNF4α is a key regulator of miR-122 expression in the liver.

Alteration of microRNA expression correlates to fatty acid-mediated insulin resistance in mouse myoblasts.

As new regulators at the post-transcriptional level, microRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding 19-22 nucleotide RNA molecules that are believed to regulate the expression of thousands of genes. Since the monounsaturated fatty acid oleate can reverse insulin resistance induced by the saturated fatty acid palmitate, we carried out microarray analysis to determine differences in miRNA expression profiles in mouse muscle C2C12 cells that were treated with palmitate and palmitate plus oleate. Among the altered miRNAs, the expression levels of miR-7a, miR-194, miR-337-3p, miR-361, miR-466i, miR-706 and miR-711 were up- or down-regulated by palmitate, but restored to their original level by oleate. These results were verified by quantitative RT-PCR (QRT-PCR). Further studies showed that over-expression of miR-7 down-regulated insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) expression as well as inhibited insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation and glucose uptake. The miRNA expression profiles correlated to oleate protection against palmitate-induced insulin resistance in mouse muscle cells offer an alternative understanding of the molecular mechanism of insulin resistance.

A novel analog of antimicrobial peptide Polybia-MPI, with thioamide bond substitution, exhibits increased therapeutic efficacy against cancer and diminished toxicity in mice.

Polybia-MPI (MPI), a short cationic α-helical antimicrobial peptide, exhibited excellent anticancer activity and selectivity in vitro in our previous studies. To improve its in vivo application, we synthesized an analog (MPI-1) of MPI by replacing the C terminal amide -[CO-NH(2)] with thioamide -ψ[CS-NH(2)]. Although there is just one atom difference, the MPI-1 exhibited some surprising properties. In vitro studies revealed that MPI-1 exhibited relatively high lytic activity over MPI, whereas its stability to enzymatic degradation in serum was improved remarkably. Despite the enhanced toxicity in vitro, MPI-1 exhibited significantly lower mortality to mice than MPI at 75 mg/kg. Importantly, in vivo anticancer activity study indicated that MPI-1 could remarkably suppress the growth of sarcoma xenograft tumors more efficiently than MPI. Therefore, the significantly improved anticancer activity and predominantly lower in vivo toxicity might allow MPI-1 to be a good candidate for future anticancer treatment.

[Measurement on bone density of children's mandible by quantitative computed tomography].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the change of bone density of children's mandible measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT). METHODS: 71 children aged between 10-16 years were measured by QCT in left mandible angle, middle of mandible and right mandible angle. The differences were analyzed according to the age and sex respectively. RESULTS: The density of mandible of left mandible angle, middle of mandible, right mandible angle were 44.29, 89.70, 54.31 mg/dL in the 10-12 ages group, and 63.85, 122.47, 70.23 mg/dL in the 13-16 ages group. CONCLUSION: Male youngster's mandible density was increased with the age between 10-12 and 13-16 ages. There were significant differences between left mandible angle, middle of mandible and right mandible angle. There were significant differences of mandible density between male and female.

Competition between ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism: origin of large magnetoresistance in polycrystalline SrRu(1-x)Mn(x)O(3) (0≤x≤1).

Polycrystalline SrRu(1-x)Mn(x)O(3) (0≤x≤1) perovskite oxides have been prepared by a conventional solid-state reaction technique. Magnetic and magnetotransport properties are measured using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID, Quantum Design MPMS) over a temperature range of 4-300 K. The substitution of Mn ions for Ru drives the system from a ferromagnetic state, SrRuO(3), to an antiferromagnetic state, SrMnO(3), which is basically similar to observations in single-crystal SrRu(1-x)Mn(x)O(3) (Cao et al 2005 Phys. Rev. B 71 035104). However, the measurement of dc magnetization and ac susceptibility indicates that magnetic phase transition with x is more complicated and pronounced than those in single crystals. The phase transition process as temperature is reduced covers paramagnetism-antiferromagnetism (PM-AFM), paramagnetism-ferromagnetism (PM-FM) and ferromagnetism-cluster glass-spin glass (FM/CG/SG) etc. In particular, we observe a large low-temperature magnetoresistance (MR) of -41% for the sample x = 0.55, which is the largest MR measured in Mn-doped SrRuO(3). The experiment has verified that the large MR stems predominantly from a unique spin glass state in the polycrystalline alloy. These results substantiate that Ru-based oxides doped with 3d/4d transition metals have the potential for use in spintronics devices due to their adjustable phase transition, depending upon the level and nature of 3d/4d ion doping.

Insights into mechanism of NMD: digging from the NMD-related protein complexes.

Nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD), an mRNA quality control mechanism, triggers degradation of mRNAs that contain premature termination codon (PTC) within their coding regions. NMD is a relatively conservative process that involves many trans-acting factors. The key domains for their function in NMD are conserved in evolution. These trans-acting factors are classified as different groups by their function in NMD. In addition, the mRNP formation is dynamic in NMD process because of sequential recruitment and interaction of these factors. To gain an insight into the mechanism of NMD, we dissect the mechanism of NMD based on the information on the structure, the regulation and interaction of these factors.