Ameliorating the detrimental effects of chromium in wheat by silicon nanoparticles and its enriched biochar.

Increased anthropogenic activities over the last decades have led to a gradual increase in chromium (Cr) content in the soil, which, due to its high mobility in soil, makes Cr accumulation in plants a serious threat to the health of animals and humans. The present study investigated the ameliorative effect of foliar-applied Si nanoparticles (SiF) and soil-applied SiNPs enriched biochar (SiBc) on the growth of wheat in Cr-polluted soil (CPS). Two levels of CPS were prepared, including 12.5 % and 25 % by adding Cr-polluted wastewater in the soil as soil 1 (S1) and soil 2 (S2), respectively for the pot experiment with a duration of 40 days. Cr stress significantly reduced wheat growth, however, combined application of SiF and SiBc improved root and shoot biomass production under Cr stress by (i) reducing Cr accumulation, (ii) increasing activities of antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase and catalase), and (iii) increasing protein and total phenolic contents in both root and shoot respectively. Nonetheless, separate applications of SiF and SiBc effectively reduced Cr toxicity in shoot and root respectively, indicating a tissue-specific regulation of wheat growth under Cr. Later, the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm analysis showed a maximum soil Cr adsorption capacity ∼ Q(max) of 40.6 mg g-1 and 59 mg g-1 at S1 and S2 respectively, while the life cycle impact assessment showed scores of -1 mg kg-1 and -211 mg kg-1 for Cr in agricultural soil and - 0.184 and - 38.7 for human health at S1 and S2 respectively in response to combined SiF + SiBC application, thus indicating the environment implication of Si nanoparticles and its biochar in ameliorating Cr toxicity in different environmental perspectives.

ATG 4B Serves a Crucial Role in RCE-4-Induced Inhibition of the Bcl-2-Beclin 1 Complex in Cervical Cancer Ca Ski Cells.

RCE-4, a steroidal saponin isolated from Reineckia carnea, has been studied previously and has exhibited promising anti-cervical cancer properties by inducing programmed cell death (PCD) of Ca Ski cells. Considering the cancer cells developed various pathways to evade chemotherapy-induced PCD, there is, therefore, an urgent need to further explore the potential mechanisms underlying its actions. The present study focused on targeting the Bcl-2-Beclin 1 complex, which is known as the key regulator of PCD, to deeply elucidate the molecular mechanism of RCE-4 against cervical cancer. The effects of RCE-4 on the Bcl-2-Beclin 1 complex were investigated by using the co-immunoprecipitation assay. In addition, autophagy-related genes (ATG) were also analyzed due to their special roles in PCD. The results demonstrated that RCE-4 inhibited the formation of the Bcl-2-Beclin 1 complex in Ca Ski cells via various pathways, and ATG 4B proteins involved in this process served as a key co-factor. Furthermore, based on the above, the sensitivity of RCE-4 to Ca Ski cells was significantly enhanced by inhibiting the expression of the ATG 4B by applying the ATG 4B siRNA plasmid.

[Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Multiple Myeloma Patients with Different Results of Blood Separation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate clinical characteristics of multiple myeloma（MM） patients with two different results of blood separation in vacum blood collection tubes containing separator gels after centrifugation, and evaluate the prognostic value of these two results. METHODS: The clinical data of 168 patients with newly diagnosed MM treated in our hospital from March 2009 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The blood samples were divided into control group（the order from top to bottom is serum,separator gel and red blood cell） and abnormal group（the order from top to bottom is serum, red blood cell, separator gel and red blood cell） according to the results of blood separation in vacum blood collection tubes containing separator gels after centrifugation. The differences of age, sex, biochemical indexes (total protein, albumin, immunoglobulin, ß2microglobulin, calcium, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine), blood routine indexes(hemoglobin, Plt), immunophenotyping and clinical staging of patients were compared; and the relationship between the results of blood separation and efficacy was analyzed and the difference of overall survival (OS) time between the two groups was compared. RESULTS: There was significant difference in total protein, albumin, immunoglobulin, ß2 microglobulin, hemoglobin, immunophenotyping, clinical stage between control group and abnormal group (P＜0.05). However the differences of sex, age, calcium, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine, Plt showed no statistically significant (P＞0.05). Patients in abnormal group obtained complete remission (CR) or very good partial remission (VGPR) showed normal results in blood separation after treatment. Patients obtained partial remission（PR） showed partly normalized and partly unchanged, while patients obtained less than PR showed unchanged. Patients in control group obtained less than PR partly showed abnormal results in blood separation after treatment; Patients with normal results in blood separation showed long OS time, while patients with abnormal results of blood separation showed obviously short OS time. CONCLUSION: Abnormal separation phenomenon is found after centrifugation in patients with multiple myeloma, which associates with total protein, albumin, immunoglobulin, ß2 microglobulin, hemoglobin, immunophenotyping, clinical staging and prompts more tumor burden. The result of normal blood separation suggests a better prognosis, while the result of abnormal blood separation suggests a poor prognosis.