Possible involvement of a MEG3-miR-21-SPRY1-NF-κB feedback loop in spermatogenic cells proliferation, autophagy, and apoptosis.

Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is the most incurable form of male infertility with a complex etiology. Long non-cording RNAs (lncRNAs) were associated with regulating spermatogenesis. Herein, differentially expressed lncRNAs between NOA and control male were screened by RNA-seq analysis. MEG3 was upregulated in NOA tissues and inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell autophagy and apoptosis in vitro. Through RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), biotin pull-down assays, and dual-luciferase reporter assays, MEG3 was proved to act as a competing endogenous RNA of microRNA (miR)-21 and thus influenced the SPRY1/ERK/mTOR signaling pathway. Additionally, bioinformatic prediction and chip assay revealed that MEG3 was possibly regulated by nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and SPRY1/NF-κB/MEG3 formed a feedback loop. Seminiferous tubule microinjection further investigated the effects of MEG3 on testes in vivo. These findings demonstrated that MEG3-miR-21-SPRY1-NF-κB probably acted as a feedback loop leading to azoospermia. Our study might provide a target and theoretical basis for diagnosing and treating NOA.

Effects of axial loading and positions on lumbar spinal stenosis: an MRI study using a new axial loading device.

OBJECTIVE: A new axial loading device was used to investigate the effects of axial loading and positions on lumbar structure and lumbar spinal stenosis. METHODS: A total of 40 patients sequentially underwent 4 examinations: (1) the psoas-relaxed position MRI, (2) the extended position MRI, (3) the psoas-relaxed position axial loading MRI, (4) the extended position axial loading MRI. The dural sac cross-sectional area, sagittal vertebral canal diameter, disc height and ligamentum flavum thickness of L3-4, L4-5, L5-S1 and lumbar lordosis angle were measured and compared. A new device with pneumatic shoulder-hip compression mode was used for axial loading. RESULTS: In the absence of axial loading, there was a significant reduction in dural sac cross-sectional area with extension only seen at the L3-4 (p = 0.033) relative to the dural sac area in the psoas-relaxed position. However, with axial loading, there was a significant reduction in dural sac cross-sectional area at all levels in both psoas-relaxed (L3-4, p = 0.041; L5-S1, p = 0.005; L4-5, p = 0.002) and extension (p < 0.001) positions. The sagittal vertebral canal diameter and disc height were significantly reduced at all lumbar levels with axial loading and extension (p < 0.001); however, in psoas-relaxed position, the sagittal vertebral canal diameter was only reduced with axial loading at L3-4 (p = 0.018) and L4-5 (p = 0.011), and the disc height was reduced with axial-loading at all levels (L3-4, p = 0.027; L5-S1, p = 0.001; L4-5, p < 0.001). The ligamentum flavum thickness and lumbar lordosis in extension position had a statistically significant increase compared to psoas-relaxed position with or without axial loading (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Both axial loading and extension of lumbar may exacerbate lumbar spinal stenosis. Axial loading in extension position could maximally aggravate lumbar spinal stenosis, but may cause some patients intolerable. For those patients, axial loading MRI in psoas-relaxed position may be a good choice.

YTHDF2 regulates MSS51 expression contributing to mitochondria dysfunction of granulosa cells in polycystic ovarian syndrome patients.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Granulosa cells (GCs) dysfunction plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It is reported that YTH domain-containing family protein 2 (YTHDF2) is upregulated in mural GCs of PCOS patients. What effect does the differential expression of YTHDF2 have in PCOS patients? DESIGN: Mural GCs and cumulus GCs from 15 patients with PCOS and 15 ovulatory controls and 4 cases of pathological sections in each group were collected. Real-time PCR, Western Blot, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence experiments were conducted to detect gene and protein expression. RNA immunoprecipitation assay was performed to evaluate the binding relationship between YTHDF2 and MSS51. Mitochondrial morphology, cellular ATP and ROS levels and glycolysis-related gene expression were detected after YTHDF2 overexpression or MSS51 inhibition. RESULTS: In the present study, we found that YTHDF2 was upregulated in GCs of PCOS patients while MSS51 was downregulated. YTHDF2 protein can bind to MSS51 mRNA and affect MSS51 expression. The reduction of MSS51 expression or the increase in YTHDF2 expression can lead to mitochondrial damage, reduced ATP levels, increased ROS levels and reduced expression of LDHA, PFKP and PKM. CONCLUSIONS: YTHDF2 may regulate the expression of MSS51, affecting the structure and function of mitochondria in GCs and interfering with cellular glycolysis, which may disturb the normal biological processes of GCs and follicle development in PCOS patients.

CT-based Assessment at 6-Month Follow-up of COVID-19 Pneumonia patients in China.

This study aimed to assess pulmonary changes at 6-month follow-up CT and predictors of pulmonary residual abnormalities and fibrotic-like changes in COVID-19 pneumonia patients in China following relaxation of COVID restrictions in 2022. A total of 271 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted between November 29, 2022 and February 10, 2023 were prospectively evaluated at 6 months. CT characteristics and Chest CT scores of pulmonary abnormalities were compared between the initial and the 6-month CT. The association of demographic and clinical factors with CT residual abnormalities or fibrotic-like changes were assessed using logistic regression. Follow-up CT scans were obtained at a median of 177 days (IQR, 170-185 days) after hospital admission. Pulmonary residual abnormalities and fibrotic-like changes were found in 98 (36.2%) and 39 (14.4%) participants. In multivariable analysis of pulmonary residual abnormalities and fibrotic-like changes, the top three predictive factors were invasive ventilation (OR 13.6; 95% CI 1.9, 45; P < .001), age > 60 years (OR 9.1; 95% CI 2.3, 39; P = .01), paxlovid (OR 0.11; 95% CI 0.04, 0.48; P = .01) and invasive ventilation (OR 10.3; 95% CI 2.9, 33; P = .002), paxlovid (OR 0.1; 95% CI 0.03, 0.48; P = .01), smoker (OR 9.9; 95% CI 2.4, 31; P = .01), respectively. The 6-month follow-up CT of recent COVID-19 pneumonia cases in China showed a considerable proportion of the patients with pulmonary residual abnormalities and fibrotic-like changes. Antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 like paxlovid may be beneficial for long-term regression of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Cancer Treatment-Related Cardiac Dysfunction by Ultrasound Myocardial Strain: A Network Meta-Analysis.

Anticancer treatment regimens are effective but may lead to cardiac dysfunction. The meaning of this statement is that myocardial strain can be a good indicator of cancer treatment-related cardiac dysfunction. We used Bayesian network meta-analysis to compare and rank these regimens to comprehensively evaluate their influence on the heart. We searched multiple databases to identify relevant studies. Global longitudinal strain (GLS), global radial strain, global circumferential strain, and other parameters were collected at baseline (T0), from baseline to 3 months of follow-up (T3), from 3 months to 6 months of follow-up (T6), and from 6 months to 12 months or longer of follow-up (T12). The weight mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to express continuous variables. Direct and indirect comparison and ranking of different regimens based on the forest plots and the surface under the cumulative ranking area. A total of 4613 subjects were included in 33 studies. Anthracycline-based chemotherapy (ANT), trastuzumab, paclitaxel plus carboplatin or clofarabine, and radiotherapy (RT) were more likely to reduce GLS and global circumferential strain at T3 and T12. In particular, ANT+RT resulted in a more significant decrease in GLS than ANT alone at T12 (WMD 1.15; 95% CI, 0.05-2.26). Interestingly, cardioprotective treatment regimens, such as anthracycline plus bisoprolol plus angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ANT+BB+ACEIs) (WMD -2.79; 95% CI, -5.06 to -0.52), and ANT plus rosuvastatin (STATINs) (WMD -2.92; 95% CI, -5.54 to -0.29), were more likely to improve GLS than ANT at T12. The included anticancer regimens, especially ANT+RT, reduced GLS at T12, but their combination with cardioprotective drugs improved them. These results will help clinicians choose the best therapy regimens.

Synergetic effect of photocatalytic oxidation plus catalytic oxidation on the performance of coconut shell fiber biochar decorated α-MnO2 under visible light towards BPA degradation.

Photocatalytic technology is regarded as a promising approach for fast degradation of refractory organic pollutant in water. However, the performance of the photocatalyst can be restricted by the variation of water matrix conditions. Herein, coconut shell fiber was pyrolyzed to biochar (CSB800) and incorporated with α-MnO2 to degrade bisphenol A (BPA) in water under visible light irradiation. The prepared α-MnO2/CSB800 composites demonstrated high efficacy in degrading BPA. Specifically, 0.01 mM of BPA could be completely degraded by 0.1 g/L of MnO2/CSB800 within 45 min. It was found that the incident light could effectively trigger the separation of electron and hole in α-MnO2. The electron and hole were afterwards converted to hydroxyl radical (●OH), superoxide radical (●O2-) and non-radical singlet oxygen (1O2), which subsequently initiated the photocatalytic degradation of BPA. Additionally, α-MnO2/CSB800 could simultaneously participate the oxidative degradation pathway of BPA with its high oxidation-reduction potential. The introduction of CSB800 led to higher BPA degradation efficiency since CSB800 could accelerate the charge carrier transferring rate during BPA degradation process via either pathway. The co-existence of both photocatalytic and oxidative degradation synergy enables α-MnO2/CSB800/visible light system with high catalytic performance stability towards various water matrices. This study proposes an effective strategy to prepare easy-available photocatalysts with high and stable performance towards for addressing organic pollution issues in water.

Adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes of preimplantation genetic testing with trophectoderm biopsy: a retrospective cohort study of 3373 intracytoplasmic sperm injection single frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer cycles.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether trophectoderm biopsy increases the risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) single frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer cycles. METHODS: This respective cohort study enrolled 3373 ICSI single frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer cycles with and without trophectoderm biopsy. Statistical methods including univariate logistic regression analysis, multivariate logistic regression analysis, and stratified analyses were performed to explore the impact of trophectoderm biopsy on adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: The rates of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes were comparable between the two groups. Univariate analysis showed that the live birth rate (45.15% vs. 40.75%; P = 0.010) in the biopsied group was statistically higher than that in the unbiopsied group, and the rates of miscarriage (15.40% vs. 20.00%; P = 0.011) and birth defects (0.58% vs. 2.16%; P = 0.007) were statistically lower in the biopsied group. After adjusting for confounding factors, the rates of miscarriage (aOR = 0.74; 95% CI = 0.57-0.96; P = 0.022) and birth defects (aOR = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.08-0.70, P = 0.009) in the biopsied group were significantly lower than those in the unbiopsied group. Stratified analyses showed that the birth defects rate after biopsy was significantly reduced in the subgroups of age < 35 years old, BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2, artificial cycle with downregulation, poor-quality blastocysts, and Day 5 poor-quality blastocysts. CONCLUSION: Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) with trophectoderm biopsy does not increase the risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in ICSI single frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer cycles, and PGT can effectively reduce the rates of miscarriage and birth defects.

Ginsenoside ompound K reduces neuronal damage and improves neuronal synaptic dysfunction by targeting Aß.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative condition worldwide, with amyloid ß (Aß) fibrils presenting as its main pathological feature. This study investigated whether Ginsenoside Compound K (CK) has activity against Aß and its mechanism in reducing synaptic damage and cognitive impairment. Methods: The binding capacity of CK to Aß42 and Nrf2/Keap1 was determined using molecular docking. Transmission electron microscopy was used to monitor CK-mediated degradation of Aß fibrils. The effect of CK on the survival of Aß42-damaged HT22 cells was determined using a CCK-8 assay. The therapeutic efficacy of CK in a scopoletin hydrobromide (SCOP) induced cognitive dysfunction mouse model was measured using a step-down passive avoidance test. GO enrichment analysis of mouse brain tissue was peformed using Genechip. Hydroxyl radical scavenging and reactive oxygen species assays were performed to verify the antioxidant activity of CK. The effects of CK on the expression of Aß42, the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway, and other proteins were determined by western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry. Results: Molecular docking results showed that CK interacts with Lys16 and Glu3 of Aß42. CK reduced the aggregation of Aß42 as observed using transmission electron microscopy. CK increased the level of insulin-degrading enzyme and decreased the levels ß-secretase and γ-secretase; therefore, it can potentially inhibit the accumulation of Aß in neuronal extracellular space in vivo. CK improved cognitive impairment and increased postsynaptic density protein 95 and synaptophysin expression levels in mice with SCOP-induced cognitive dysfunction. Further, CK inhibited the expression of cytochrome C, Caspase-3, and cleaved Caspase-3. Based on Genechip data, CK was found to regulate molecular functions such as oxygen binding, peroxidase activity, hemoglobin binding, and oxidoreductase activity, thus affecting the production of oxidative free radicals in neurons. Further, CK regulated the expression of the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway through its interaction with the Nrf2/Keap1 complex. Conclusion: Our findings show that CK regulates the balance between Aß monomers production and clearance, CK binds to Aß monomer to inhibits the accumulation of Aß, increases the level of Nrf2 in neuronal nuclei, reduces oxidative damage of neurons, improves synaptic function, thus ultimately protecting neurons.

Shared and distinct structural brain alterations and cognitive features in drug-naïve schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Our study aimed to examine the shared and distinct structural brain alterations, including cortical thickness(CT) and local gyrification index(LGI), and cognitive impairments between the early course stage of drug-naïve schizophrenia(SZ) and bipolar disorder(BD) patients when compared to healthy controls(HCs), and to further explore the correlation between altered brain structure and cognitive impairments. We included 72 SZ patients, 35 BD patients and 43 HCs. The cognitive function was assessed using the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery. Cerebral cortex analyses were performed with FreeSurfer. Furthermore, any structural aberrations related to cognition impairments were examined. Cognitive impairments existed in SZ and BD patients and were much more severe and widespread in SZ patients, compared to HCs. There were no significant differences in LGI among three groups. Compared to HCs, SZ had thicker cortex in left pars triangularis, and BD showed thinner CT in left postcentral gyrus. In addition, BD showed thinner cortex in left pars triangularis, left pars opercularis, left insula and right fusiform gyrus compared to SZ. Moreover, our results indicated that CT in many brain areas were significantly correlated with cognitive function in HCs, but only CT of left pars triangularis was correlated with impaired social cognition found in SZ. The findings suggest that changes of CT in the left pars triangularis and left postcentral gyrus may be potential pathophysiological mechanisms of the cognition impairments in SZ and BD, respectively, and the divergent CT of partly brain areas in BD vs. SZ may help distinguish them in early phases.

Diagnostic value of a new axial loading MRI device in patients with suspected lumbar spinal stenosis.

OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to investigate a new device for axial loading MRI (alMRI) in the diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). METHODS: A total of 87 patients with suspected LSS sequentially underwent conventional MRI and alMRI using a new device with pneumatic shoulder-hip compression mode. Four quantitative parameters of dural sac cross-sectional area (DSCA), sagittal vertebral canal diameter (SVCD), disc height (DH), and ligamentum flavum thickness (LFT) at L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1 in both examinations were measured and compared. Eight qualitative indicators were compared as valuable diagnostic information. Image quality, examinee comfort, test-retest repeatability, and observer reliability were also assessed. RESULTS: Using the new device, all 87 patients successfully completed alMRI with no statistically significant differences in image quality and examinee comfort from conventional MRI. Statistically significant changes were observed in DSCA, SVCD, DH, and LFT after loading (p < 0.01). SVCD, DH, LFT, and DSCA changes were all positively correlated (r = 0.80, 0.72, 0.37, p < 0.01). Eight qualitative indicators increased from 501 to 669 after axial loading, for a total increase of 168 (33.5%). Nineteen patients (21.8%, 19/87) developed absolute stenosis after axial loading and 10 of them (11.5%, 10/87) also had a significant reduction in DSCA (> 15 mm2). The test-retest repeatability and observer reliability were good to excellent. CONCLUSION: The new device is stable for performing alMRI and can exacerbate the severity of spinal stenosis, providing more valuable information for diagnosing LSS and reducing missed diagnoses. KEY POINTS: • The new axial loading MRI (alMRI) device could detect a higher frequency of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). • The new device with pneumatic shoulder-hip compression mode was used to investigate its applicability in alMRI and diagnostic value for LSS. • The new device is stable for performing alMRI and can provide more valuable information for diagnosing LSS.

Axial loading lumbar magnetic resonance imaging with a new device in asymptomatic individuals.

Background: Axial loading magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of lumbar spine is of great significance in the diagnosis of lumbar diseases. However, the axial loading device used in clinic is unique and has some defects. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect and examinee comfort of a new device for axial loading lumbar MRI in asymptomatic volunteers. Methods: A new axial loading MRI device for the lumbar spine was developed. A total of 30 asymptomatic individuals underwent conventional lumbar MRI and axial loading lumbar MRI sequentially. The dural sac cross-sectional area (DSCA), sagittal vertebral canal diameter (SVCD), and disc height (DH) at L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1 before and after axial loading were compared by two experienced radiologists. Examinee comfort during the two examinations was assessed. Results: All 30 volunteers completed the examinations with the new device. No difference in examinee comfort was found between conventional and axial loading MRI. After axial loading, the DSCA, SVCD, and DH showed the largest decreases at L4-5 followed by L5-S1 and L3-4, with the decreases in DSCA and SVCD at L4-5 being significant (P<0.05). Definite imaging-diagnosable disc herniation or bulging was shown at three intervertebral disc levels of three participants. Conclusions: The new device could effectively implement axial loading of the lumbar spine without causing obvious discomfort for the examinee. The present study has demonstrated that significant changes occur in the lumbar spine of asymptomatic individuals after axial loading.

Waste preserved wood derived biochar catalyst for promoted peroxymonosulfate activation towards bisphenol A degradation with low metal ion release: The insight into the mechanisms.

The rational disposal of waste preserved wood is of great significance since its embedded metals (Cu, As, and Cr) pose potential threat to environment and human health. In this study, a biochar catalyst derived from waste preserved wood (PWB) was prepared for the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. The PWB exhibited prominent catalytic degradation capability towards BPA compared with common wood derived biochar (CWB). Further tests and analysis elucidated that both radical species (OH) and non-radical species (1O2) were generated by the PWB/PMS system, whereas only 1O2 was detected in CWB/PMS system. Specifically, the metal compounds, especially metallic Cu in the PWB activated PMS via radical pathway, and the CO groups in the biochar generated the non-radical pathway, the coexistence of which resulted in higher BPA degradation rate in PWB/PMS system. It was also demonstrated that the heavy metal ion leaching (As and Cr) in PWB/PMS system was negligible. Furthermore, the biochar could effectively inhibit the leakage of oxidized Cu ions. This study provides a novel approach to prepare high-efficient carbocatalysts for organic pollutant degradation in water, which also enables the waste preserved wood with an environmental nondestructive mode of dispatch.

Squamous cell carcinoma antigen combined with HPV-16 infection in predicting high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions of the cervix.

An early screening of HPV and the Thinprep Cytology Test (TCT) can effectively prevent cervical cancer. However, patients with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia usually escape current screening methods and commonly develop cervical cancer. Hence, to identify effective and specific screening methods for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is of vital necessity. In this study, 541 patients collected in Sun Yat-Sen hospital from January 2007 to December 2016 were selected. HPV genotype detection and SCC-ag detection were done in these patients. It was found that when serum SCC-ag level exceeded over 0.39 ng/ml in HPV-16 positive patients, the sensitivity and specificity of this novel approach to predict high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia could reach to 83.1% and 62.1%, respectively. The result suggested that the combination of serum SCC-ag level and HPV-16 infection could be used as a novel approach for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia screening.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Patients with a high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia usually escape current screening methods.What do the results of this study add? When serum SCC-ag level exceeded over 0.39 ng/ml in HPV-16 positive patients, the sensitivity and specificity to predict high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia could reach to 83.1 and 62.1%, respectively.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Combination of serum SCC-ag level and HPV-16 infection could be used to screen high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Screening and application of Chlorella strains on biosequestration of the power plant exhaust gas evolutions of biomass growth and accumulation of toxic agents.

To use microalgae for the biosequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from the coal-fired power plants, the screening of high CO2 tolerant microalgae and their accumulation of toxic agents have attracted significant research attention. This study evaluated 10 Chlorella strains for high CO2 tolerance using combined growth rates and growth periods subjected to logistic parameters. We selected LAMB 31 with high r (0.89 ± 0.10 day-1), high k (6.51 ± 0.19), and medium Tp (5.17 ± 0.15 day) as a candidate for CO2 biosequestration. Correspondingly, six genes involving carbon fixation and metabolism processes were upregulated in LAMB 31 under high CO2 conditions, verifying its high CO2 tolerant ability. LAMB 31 cultures exposed to exhaust gas of power plant under different flow rates grew well, but the high flow rate (0.6 L/h) showed inhibition effects compared with low flow rates (0.2 and 0.3 L/h) at the end of the culturing period. The toxic agents in the exhaust gas including sulfur, arsenic, and mercury accumulated in LAMB 31 biomass but were deemed safe for use in the production of both human food and animal feed based on the National Food Safety Standard in China. This study showed a complete process involving high CO2 tolerant microalgae screening, high CO2 tolerant verification, and in situ application in a power plant. Data results provide valuable information as the basis for future research studies in microalgae application on CO2 mitigation at emission sources.

Enhanced degradation of bisphenol A by mixed ZIF derived CoZn oxide encapsulated N-doped carbon via peroxymonosulfate activation: The importance of N doping amount.

In this study, mixed metal cobalt zinc oxide embedded nitrogen enriched porous carbon composites (CoZnO-PC) were prepared via pyrolyzing polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) encapsulated Co, Zn-bimetal centered zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF). The prepared composites were then used to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for bisphenol A (BPA) removal in water. When mole ratio of Co/Zn was 2/1, the resulted Co2Zn1O-PC possessed spinel structure with prominent degradation capability, in which the introduction of Zn accelerated the PMS activation performance of Co through establishing bimetal synergistic interactions. Both radical and non-radical activation pathways were existed in the Co2Zn1O-PC/PMS system, in which Co2Zn1O dominated the radical pathway whereas PC dominated the non-radical way. Since PVP contained abundant nitrogen atoms and could form strong coordination interactions with the ZIF precursor, the introduction of PVP in the ZIF precursor prevented pore collapsing during pyrolysis process, as well as enhancing the nitrogen content in the pyrolzed composites, which significantly promoted the generation of singlet oxygen. With combined pathways, the Co2Zn1O-PC/PMS system showed a wide pH application range with promising mineralization rate. Meanwhile, the spinel-structured Co2Zn1O-PC was magnetically separable with desirable recyclability. This study presents a novel composite with remarkable performance for the removal of refractory organic pollutants in municipal wastewater.

Construction of ZIF@electrospun cellulose nanofiber derived N doped metallic cobalt embedded carbon nanofiber composite as binder-free supercapacitance electrode.

In this study, binder-free hybrid supercapacitance electrode based on N, Co co-doped porous carbon polyhedral encapsulated carbon nanofibers composites (N-Co/CNF) was prepared through pyrolyzing cobalt based zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-67(Co)) incorporated electrospun cellulose nanofibers. With rational combination of the conductivity provided by cellulose derived CNF, promising porosity provided by CNF and ZIF-67(Co) derived porous carbon and uniformly dispersed metallic cobalt nanoparticles, the N-Co/CNF displayed excellent electrochemical properties. Specifically, the N-Co/CNF pyrolyzed at 800 °C possessed superior electrochemical performance in 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte, including a specific capacitance of ~433 F/g and 84% of the capacitance retention after 3000 consecutive charge-discharge cycles. This significantly exceeded the performance of cellulose derived CNF based pure carbonaceous electrode. Therefore, the present study provides a new view on the construction of high performance hybrid supercapacitance electrode which introduces renewable biomass resources like cellulose as both carbonaceous material precursors and conductive binders.

Fe3C-porous carbon derived from Fe2O3 loaded MOF-74(Zn) for the removal of high concentration BPA: The integrations of adsorptive/catalytic synergies and radical/non-radical mechanisms.

In this study, novel Fe3C-porous carbon composites (Fe3C-C) were prepared via the pyrolysis of Fe2O3 loaded MOF-74(Zn), which could integrate both strong adsorption properties and excellent peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activating performance for the removal of bisphenol A (BPA) in water. Results indicated that the composite obtained at 1000 °C (Fe3C-C1000) exhibited optimal catalytic capability. Specifically, 0.1 mM BPA could be completely removed by 0.1 g/L Fe3C-C1000 within 10 min after the adsorption enrichment. Afterwards, the mechanism of Fe3C-C/PMS system was unveiled based on quenching tests, electron spin resonance analysis, electrochemical analysis, PMS consumption detection and solvent exchange (H2O to D2O) test. The BPA degradation pathways were also analyzed through identifying its decomposition intermediates. Results showed that the Fe3C and porous carbon constituents could activate PMS via radical and non-radical mechanisms respectively, and BPA was readily degraded through both pathways. Additionally, it was found that the Fe3C-C1000/PMS system could maintain conspicuous catalytic performance in a variety of complicated water matrices with wide pH application range and long-time use stability. This study suggests a new insight for the design and development of novel catalyst which can be used for the removal of refractory organic contaminants with high concentrations in water media.

Long non-coding RNA AK001903 regulates tumor progression in cervical cancer.

A majority of cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, arising from the squamous (flattened) epithelial cells that line the cervix. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a unique class of messenger RNA-like transcripts of at least 200 nucleotides in length with no significant protein-coding capacity. Aberrant lncRNA expression is emerging as a major component of the cancer transcriptome. In the present study, lncRNA microarrays were conducted to investigate the differentially expression lncRNAs in cervical cancer (CC) tissues compared with peritumoral tissues. Then, the most significantly upregulated lncRNA, which was lncRNA-AK001903 was selected to conduct further experiments. Real-time Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was conducted to investigate lncRNA-AK001903 expression in CC tissues and Hela, Siha, Ca Ski, C33a, H8 (HPV-immortalized cervical epithelial cell line) cell lines, and in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISHH) was performed to detect lncRNA-AK001903 expression level in different CC stages. The effect of lncRNA-AK001903 on cell proliferation, invasion and migration was assessed after knockdown of lncRNA-AK001903. The findings of the study confirmed that lncRNA-AK001903 was upregulated in CC cells and tissues compared with normal cell line H8 and peritumoral tissues. ISHH demonstrated that the expression level of lncRNA-AK001903 was connected with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (2018) stage of CC. Knockdown of lncRNA-AK001903 inhibited cell proliferation, invasion and migration in Ca Ski cells. In conclusion, lncRNA-AK001903 was demonstrated to be an oncogenic lncRNA that promotes tumor progression and may be an effective target for CC treatment in the near future.

Low GAS5 expression may predict poor survival and cisplatin resistance in cervical cancer.

Cisplatin resistance is a major challenge in cervical cancer (CC) chemotherapy. Growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) has been reported to be a tumour suppressor gene in CC. However, the mechanism of GAS5 in chemoresistance remains undetermined. Our research evaluated GAS5 expression in normal and CC tissues by qPCR and in situ hybridization (ISH). Statistical analysis was conducted to analyse the association of GAS5 expression with survival. Biochemical methods were used to screen upstream and downstream regulators of GAS5. Then, interactions were confirmed by ChIP, RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), dual-luciferase reporter and real-time PCR assays. The cisplatin sensitivity of GAS5-overexpressing CC cells was demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that low GAS5 expression was correlated with poor overall survival. Mechanistically, GAS5 was transcriptionally modulated by P-STAT3 and served as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of miR-21 to indirectly affect cisplatin sensitivity through PDCD4 regulation in CC cells. Animal studies confirmed that GAS5 enhanced cisplatin sensitivity and promoted PDCD4 expression in vivo. GAS5 was regulated by P-STAT3 and affected the sensitivity of CC to cisplatin-based chemotherapy through the miR-21/PDCD4 axis. This result may provide new insight into cisplatin-based therapy.