Multiple exposures to low-dose ionizing radiation induced the initiation and progression of pro-atherosclerotic phenotypes in mice and vascular endothelial cell damage.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of low-dose radiation on the abdominal aorta of mice and vascular endothelial cells. METHODS: Wild-type and tumor-bearing mice were exposed to 15 sessions of low-dose irradiation, resulting in cumulative radiation doses of 187.5, 375, and 750 mGy. The effect on the cardiovascular system was assessed. Immunohistochemistry analyzed protein expressions of PAPP-A, CD62, P65, and COX-2 in the abdominal aorta. Microarray technology, Gene Ontology analysis, and pathway enrichment analysis evaluated gene expression changes in endothelial cells exposed to 375 mGy X-ray. Cell viability was assessed using the Cell Counting Kit 8 assay. Immunofluorescence staining measured γ-H2AX levels, and real-time polymerase chain reaction quantified mRNA levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), ICAM-1, and Cx43. RESULTS: Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed thickening of the inner membranes and irregular arrangement of smooth muscle cells in the media membrane at 375 and 750 mGy. Inflammation was observed in the inner membranes at 750 mGy, with a clear inflammatory response in the hearts of tumor-bearing mice. Immunohistochemistry indicated increased levels of PAPP-A, P65, and COX-2 post-irradiation. Microarray analysis showed 425 up-regulated and 235 down-regulated genes, associated with processes like endothelial cell-cell adhesion, IL-6, and NF-κB signaling. Cell Counting Kit 8 assay results indicated inhibited viability at 750 mGy in EA.hy926 cells. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in γ-H2AX foci. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR results showed increased expression of IL6, ICAM-1, and Cx43 in EA.hy926 cells post 750 mGy X-ray exposure. CONCLUSION: Repeated low-dose ionizing radiation exposures triggered the development of pro-atherosclerotic phenotypes in mice and damage to vascular endothelial cells.

Pomegranate plasma heterostructure regulated 1D biomass derived microtube networks for lightweight broadband microwave absorber.

The excessive aggregation of magnetic metal particles and the resulting skin effect tend to cause a serious imbalance in impedance matching, which hinders its application in aerospace and military wave absorption fields. Obviously, effective dispersion configuration and network construction are two practical measures to develop broadband lightweight absorbers. Based on the recycling theme, pomegranate plasma heterostructure regulated one-dimensional (1D) biomass derived microtube networks are achieved through the conversion and utilization of waste Platanus ball fibers. The metal-organic framework strategy successfully avoids the hard agglomeration of metal particles. The pomegranate seed-like heterostructure effectively modulated the impedance of carbon microtubes, resulting in coordinated dielectric and magnetic losses. Such composites exhibited an effective absorbing bandwidth of 6.08 GHz and a minimum reflection loss of -29.8 dB. This work provides a new approach for constructing sustainable ultralight electromagnetic wave absorbers using plasmon modification and a 1D built-up network structure.

Effect of storage time of paraffin sections on the expression of PD-L1 (SP142) in invasive breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: PD-L1 staining using long-stored paraffin sections may not be consistent with the true PD-L1 expression of patients. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the expression of PD-L1(SP142) in paraffin sections of invasive breast cancer with different storage times and the optimal storage temperature for unstained paraffin sections. METHODS: The study included 71 cases of PD-L1(SP142) positive breast cancer. The unstained paraffin sections were stored at room temperature conditions (20-25 °C), 4 °C, -20 °C and - 80 °C, respectively. PD-L1 staining was performed at 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks of storage. PD-L1 expression was assessed with a continuity score. RESULTS: The PD-L1 antigen was gradually lost as the storage time of paraffin sections increased. The PD-L1 positivity rate was 97.18% at 1 week for the sections stored at room temperature, and decreased from 83.10 to 71.83% for the sections stored for 2 weeks to 4 weeks, and 61.97%, 54.93%, and 32.93% for 8, 12, and 24 weeks, respectively. When stored at low temperatures of 4 °C, -20 °C and - 80 °C, the positivity rate decreases with the same trend but more slowly compared to room temperature. The mean IC score of PD-L1 also showed a gradual decrease in all cases. In the consistency analysis, PD-L1 expression in slices stored at room temperature for 2 weeks was consistent with PD-L1 expression in fresh slices (ICC ≥ 0.9 for all slices), and PD-L1 expression in slices stored at 4 °C or -20 °C for 4 weeks was consistent with PD-L1 expression in fresh slices (ICC ≥ 0.9 for all slices). When stored under refrigeration at -80 °C, PD-L1 expression in slices stored for 3 weeks was consistent with that in fresh slices (ICC ≥ 0.9). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first article on the effect of preservation time and preservation temperature of paraffin sections on PD-L1 expression in breast cancer. Long-term storage of paraffin sections of unstained invasive breast cancer can lead to antigen loss of PD-L1 (SP142). Refrigerated storage of paraffin sections can delay antigen loss, with best results at 4 °C or -20 °C, and a storage time of no more than 4 weeks is recommended.

Stachydrine Relieved the Inflammation and Promoted the Autophagy in Diabetes Retinopathy Through Activating the AMPK/SIRT1 Signaling Pathway.

Background: Diabetes retinopathy (DR) is a chronic, progressive, and potentially harmful retinal disease associated with persistent hyperglycemia. Autophagy is a lysosome-dependent degradation pathway that widely exists in eukaryotic cells, which has recently been demonstrated to participate in the DR development. Stachydrine (STA) is a water-soluble alkaloid extracted from Leonurus heterophyllus. This study aimed to explore the effects of STA on the autophagy in DR progression in vivo and in vitro. Methods: High glucose-treated human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) and STA-treated rats were used to establish DR model. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory factor levels (TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6) were determined using corresponding kits. Additionally, the cell growth was analyzed using CCK-8 and EdU assays. Besides, LC3BII, p62, p-AMPKα, AMPKα, and SIRT1 protein levels were measured using Western blot. The LC3BII and SIRT1 expressions were also determined using immunofluorescence. Results: The results showed that STZ decreased the ROS and inflammatory factor levels in the HG-treated HRMECs. Besides, after STA treatment, the beclin-1, LC3BII, p-AMPKα, and SIRT1 levels were increased, and p62 was decreased in the HG-treated HRMECs and the retinal tissue of STZ-treated rats. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study demonstrated that STA effectively relieved the inflammation and promoted the autophagy in DR progression in vivo and in vitro through activating the AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathway.

Rapid diffusion of H2 and strong adsorption of D2 in Ni-4PyC realized the efficient separation of H2/D2 by gas chromatography.

In this work, Ni-4PyC was selected as the material for the separation of hydrogen isotopes H2/D2, and the mechanism of hydrogen isotope H2/D2 separation was investigated by molecular simulation. The results showed that the adsorption selectivity of Ni-4PyC for D2/H2 increased from 1.26 to 1.46 when the temperature was decreased from 77 K to 20 K, indicating that Ni-4PyC effected chemical affinity quantum sieving on D2/H2. Also, the diffusion rates of H2/D2 were different at different temperatures. At 20 K, the kinetic selectivity of D2/H2 reached 1.30, indicating that Ni-4PyC had a kinetic quantum sieving effect on D2/H2 at low temperatures. However, when the temperature was higher than 30 K, the diffusion rate of H2 was faster than that of D2, and when the temperature was 77 K, Ni-4PyC exhibited the kinetic sieving effect with a kinetic selectivity of 1.59 for H2/D2. Due to the chemical affinity quantum sieving and kinetic sieving effects of Ni-4PyC on H2/D2, the adsorption capacity of Ni-4PyC for D2 was better than that for H2 and the diffusion rate of H2 was faster than that of D2 at 77 K. Therefore, Ni-4PyC was expected to achieve the separation of H2/D2. In order to verify the accuracy of the theoretical calculation results, an Ni-4PyC@γ-Al2O3 composite material was synthesized by a liquid phase epitaxy method and was used to separate H2/D2 at 77 K in a 0.6 m × 2 mm chromatographic column. Under optimal separation conditions, the resolution R reached 1.84 with a separation time t = 7.47 min. In addition, Ni-4PyC@γ-Al2O3 showed excellent separation performances for different ratios of H2/D2 mixtures. The stationary phase was repeatable and reproducible.

Chinese legal response to the shared motherhood model in lesbians' family-making.

Despite the non-recognition of same-sex relationships or marriage by the law, lesbian motherhood has become an emerging socio-legal issue in China. To fulfil their desires to reproduce and make a family, some Chinese lesbian couples adopt a `shared motherhood model' where one lesbian contributes an egg while her partner becomes pregnant through embryo transfer following artificial insemination with a donor's sperm. Because the shared motherhood model intentionally divides the roles of biological mother and gestational mother between lesbian couples, this has allowed legal controversies to emerge associated with the parenthood of the conceived child as well as custody, support of, and visitation of the child. There are two pending judicial cases involving a shared motherhood arrangement reported in the country. The courts have appeared reluctant to rule on them because Chinese law has not provided clear legal solutions to these controversial issues. They are highly cautious about delivering a decision not in line with the current legal position of non-recognition of same-sex marriage. Given little literature discussing Chinese legal responses to the shared motherhood model, this article aims to fill the gap by investigating the basis of parenthood under Chinese law and analysing the parentage issue concerning the different types of relationships between lesbians and children born of a shared motherhood arrangement.

Structure-evolution-designed amorphous oxides for dielectric energy storage.

Recently, rapidly increased demands of integration and miniaturization continuously challenge energy densities of dielectric capacitors. New materials with high recoverable energy storage densities become highly desirable. Here, by structure evolution between fluorite HfO2 and perovskite hafnate, we create an amorphous hafnium-based oxide that exhibits the energy density of ~155 J/cm3 with an efficiency of 87%, which is state-of-the-art in emergingly capacitive energy-storage materials. The amorphous structure is owing to oxygen instability in between the two energetically-favorable crystalline forms, in which not only the long-range periodicities of fluorite and perovskite are collapsed but also more than one symmetry, i.e., the monoclinic and orthorhombic, coexist in short range, giving rise to a strong structure disordering. As a result, the carrier avalanche is impeded and an ultrahigh breakdown strength up to 12 MV/cm is achieved, which, accompanying with a large permittivity, remarkably enhances the energy storage density. Our study provides a new and widely applicable platform for designing high-performance dielectric energy storage with the strategy exploring the boundary among different categories of materials.

Hierarchical porous Co-CoO@NC hollow microspheres with capacity growth by reactivation of solid-electrolyte interface films.

Transition metal oxide (TMO)-based electrodes exhibit increased capacities, yet the mechanism behind the true cause of capacity in such materials remains unclear. Herein, hierarchical porous and hollow Co-CoO@NC spheres assembled by nanorods with refined nanoparticles and amorphous carbon have been synthesized by a two-step annealing approach. A temperature gradient-driven mechanism is revealed for the evolution of the hollow structure. Compared with the solid CoO@NC spheres, the novel hierarchical of Co-CoO@NC can fully utilize the interior active material by exposing both ends of each nanorod into electrolyte. The hollow interior provides extra space for the volume variation, leading to an up-trend capacity of 919.3 mAh g-1 at 200 mA g-1 over 200 cycles. Differential capacity curves disclose that solid electrolyte interface (SEI) films reactivation partly contributes to increasing reversible capacity. The introduction of nanosized Co particles benefits the process by participating in the transformation of SEI components. This study provides a guide for constructing anodic material with exceptional electrochemical performance.

Synergistic effect of blood lipids and uric acid on periodontitis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the interaction of dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia on periodontitis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: The clinical data of 220 patients with T2DM (diabetes group) treated in Tianjin Baodi Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Another 200 healthy subjects in the same period were selected as the control group. The correlation of hyperuricemia and hyperlipidemia with diabetes was tested by the spearman correlation coefficient. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the multiplicative interaction and additive interaction of dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia on periodontitis. RESULTS: Diabetes was positively correlated with hyperuricemia and hyperlipidemia (P<0.05). Patients with dyslipidemia (OR = 8.107, 95% CI: 2.687-24.457) and hyperuricemia (OR = 2.940, 95% CI: 0.970-8.909) had a higher risk of periodontitis, but there was no multiplicative interaction effect of dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia on periodontitis (OR = 1.864, 95% CI: 0.256-13.545, P>0.05). The risk of developing diabetes was higher in individuals with dyslipidemia and hypertension than in those without (OR = 2.887, 95% CI: 1.478-4.855). The evaluation indexes of the combined interaction effect relative excess risk due to interaction, interaction attribution percentage and synergy index were 0.902 (95% CI: 0.379-1.496), 0.273 (95% CI: 0.106-0.458) and 1.485 (95% CI: 0.978-2.165), respectively. CONCLUSION: Dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia may have a synergistic effect on periodontitis in people with T2DM. Improving blood lipids and controlling blood uric acid may synergistically prevent periodontitis.

Checkerboard-like nickel nanoislands/defect graphene aerogel with enhanced surface plasmon resonance for superior microwave absorption.

To solve the problem of dispersion of magnetic nanoparticles in ultralight electromagnetic absorption field, checkerboard-like nickel nanoislands/defect graphene aerogel (NIDG) with enhanced surface plasmon resonance was designed and prepared through electrostatic self-assembly method. This special structure successfully overcame the aggregation phenomenon of magnetic metals and built high-density gap regions to enhance surface plasmon resonance. And the NIDG has achieved excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance in C band. Specially, NIDG is superior in ultra-lightness with only 6.2 wt%, compared to some recently reported magnetic electromagnetic wave absorbers. Such great performance can be attributed to the enhanced surface plasmon resonance and improved impedance matching. This work is significant for achieving effective dielectric loss and designing lightweight low-frequency EMW absorbing materials.

Resection of inferior vena cava, abdominal aorta, bilateral common iliac arteries, and bilateral partial external iliac arteries with artificial vessel replacement during radical endometrial cancer surgery: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is a common malignant tumor of the female reproductive system, often accompanied by lymph node metastasis. Artificial vascular implantation is a common surgical treatment for mediastinal tumors and abdominal aortic aneurysms but is rarely used in gynecological surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: A 54-year-old female patient was first admitted to the hospital in January 2018 due to "irregular vaginal bleeding over 3 months". CT showed a mass in the uterine cavity, and several swollen lymph nodes in the retroperitoneum and pelvic cavity. The initial diagnosis was an endometrial malignant tumor. We performed radical endometrial cancer surgery with parallel resection of inferior vena cava, abdominal aorta, bilateral common iliac arteries, bilateral external iliac arteries, and artificial vessel replacement, which was successful, with good postoperative recovery and no lesion progression at 3 years postoperative follow-up. CONCLUSION: This is an early case of gynecological clinical use of prostheses. Through multidisciplinary cooperation, the surgical resection rate of patients with EC in radical surgery was improved without serious fatal complications and achieved a high long-term postoperative survival rate.

Quadrangular cone carbon-constructed effective 3D network for a lightweight and broadband microwave absorbent.

Three-dimensional carbon-based materials have attracted much attention for electromagnetic wave absorption because low-dimensional materials have failed to meet the needs of constructing effective networks with ultra-light properties due to their easy agglomeration and in-plane stacking. The 3D element of quadrangular cone carbon was innovatively applied in this work to construct interconnected networks (MFC). This material successfully overcomes the disadvantages of easy agglomeration and in-plane stacking in low-dimensional elements, allowing for more efficient construction of absorbing networks. The prepared MFC exhibits excellent EAB (6.70 GHz) and RL (-50.92 dB), especially at an ultra-low filling ratio (1.04 wt%). Such superior performance can be attributed to the MFC effective network constructed by quadrangular cone carbon facilitating the entrance and diffuse scattering of electromagnetic waves. This study may provide new inspiration for constructing an effective absorbing network of pure carbon with 3D elements (quadrangular cone carbon), realizing ultra-low filling and broadband microwave performance.

The effect of electroacupuncture on the expression of Sirt1 and STAT3 in hippocampus and amygdala of vascular dementia rats.

OBJECTIVE: Inflammation has long been considered a key factor in learning and memory impairment in patients with vascular dementia (VaD). Studies have confirmed that electroacupuncture can improve the learning and memory impairment of patients with VaD by reducing inflammation, but the specific mechanism of this effect is still unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the underlying mechanism of electroacupuncture in the treatment of VaD. METHODS: The vascular dementia animal model was established by bilateral occlusion of common carotid arteries, and electroacupuncture treatment was given at Baihui (DU20) and Zusanli (ST36). The morris water maze (MWM) was used to test the spatial learning and memory ability of rats in each group. To evaluate the expression of Sirtuin1 (Sirt1), Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and inflammatory cytokine (IL-17) in the hippocampus and amygdala, immunohistochemistry and western blot were performed. RESULTS: The MWM test and Nissl staining results show that electroacupuncture can significantly improve the learning and memory impairment of VaD rats, and can repair damaged neurons. Immunohistochemistry and western blot results showed that electroacupuncture could enhance the expression of sirt1 in VaD rats, on the contrary, the expression of STAT3 and IL-17 was reduced due to electroacupuncture. CONCLUSIONS: The result suggests that electroacupuncture can suppress inflammation through the Sirt1/STAT3 pathway and improve spatial learning and memory in VaD rats.

High aspect-ratio sycamore biomass microtube constructed permittivity adjustable ultralight microwave absorbent.

Excessive conductivity of carbon-based materials led to poor impedance matching, hindering their electromagnetic absorbing application in aerospace and military fields. While, one-dimensional carbon materials are more favorable to build networks, satisfying impedance matching. One-dimensional carbon materials, such as carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, carbon microtubes, etc., are recently limited by strict preparation and hard to industrialize. Inspired by the traditional handicraft of candied haw, ZnO/porous carbon micron tubes (ZnO/PCMT), are achieved by conducting a dip-coating and thermal etching process on recycling the abandoned Sycamore microtube. The prepared ZnO/PCMT exhibits higher specific surface area (1076m2g-1) and excellent microwave absorption performance. With a filler loading of only 6.7wt.%, the ZnO/PCMT achieved a great electromagnetic wave absorbing performance. Such excellent ultralight absorption performance can be attributed to their distinct hollow tubular structure of Sycamore based carbon microtube, which can easily construct conductive networks, improving the impedance matching. This work expands a new direction for the development of one-dimensional natural Sycamore microtube as ultra-light and broadband high-performance microwave absorbing materials.

Autophagy regulates X-ray radiation-induced premature senescence through STAT3-Beclin1-p62 pathway in lung adenocarcinoma cells.

PURPOSE: Ionizing radiation (IR) can induce autophagy and premature senescence; however, the link between them has not been clarified. Our research has shown that X-ray irradiation induces premature senescence in lung adenocarcinoma cells, and its occurrence partially depends on the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). STAT3 can bind to the promoter region of Beclin1 and regulate its expression. Therefore, it is speculated that there may be a close link between premature senescence and autophagy induced by ionizing radiation in lung adenocarcinoma cells. p62 plays a regulatory role in both autophagy and premature senescence, and it is also an irreplaceable molecule that causes the senescence -associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and a substrate for selective autophagy. This study focused on STAT3, Beclin1 and p62 to clarify the regulatory relationship between IR-induced autophagy and premature senescence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After exposure to 4 Gy X-rays, a ß-galactosidase staining kit was used to detect the positive rate of premature senescence. STAT3 was overexpressed by pcDNA3.0-STAT3 transfection, and was inhibited by AG490 and rapamycin. Lung adenocarcinoma cells were transduced with the adenovirus vector GV119-Beclin1 to knockdown the expression of Beclin1, or treated with ATM and ATR inhibitors to inhibit premature senescence. Western blotting was used to examine alterations in the radiation response proteins STAT3 and p-STAT3, senescence-related proteins p62 and GATA4, autophagy-related proteins Beclin1, and LC3-II/LC3-I. The mRNA expression levels of SASP factors, including IL-6 and IL-8, were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The activity of SA-ß-gal increased significantly (p < .05), and the expression of p62 decreased significantly at 72 h after 4 Gy X-ray irradiation, accompanied by the increased expression of STAT3, p-STAT3, Beclin1, and the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio. Up- or down-regulation of STAT3 expression was followed by an increase or decrease in Beclin1 expression. After treatment with ATM and ATR inhibitors, there were no significant changes in Beclin1 expression or LC3-II/LC3-I ratio in A549 cells after 4 Gy X-ray irradiation. The p62 expression, the percentage of the SA-ß-gal-positive staining cells, and the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 mRNA in cells transduced with GV119-Beclin1 were also decreased significantly after 4 Gy X-ray irradiation compared with that of the 0 Gy group. CONCLUSION: Radiation induces premature senescence and autophagy in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Autophagy regulates X-ray radiation-induced premature senescence through the STAT3-Beclin1-p62 pathway in lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Hydrogen isotope separation on nickel-containing metal-organic framework@gama-alumina-based multicomponent composite packed column: Identification of individual role of each component.

A new optimized multicomponent composite, Na2Cr2O7/Na2CrO4/NaCl/MOF-74(Ni)@γ-Al2O3 (S1/S2/S3/MOF-74(Ni)@γ-Al2O3. Na2Cr2O7 = S1, Na2CrO4 = S2, NaCl = S3), was prepared and used as a gas chromatography stationary phase for the separation of H2 and D2 isotopes. Under the optimal chromatographic separation conditions, the resolution of the packed column for the separation of H2/D2 was 2.87, and the separation time was 7.15 min at 77 K. The control experiments showed that in the multicomponent composite, MOF-74(Ni), which has a chemical affinity quantum sieving effect, played a major role in the separation of H2/D2. As the support of MOF-74, γ-Al2O3 enhanced the mechanical strength of MOF-74 and reduced the gas resistance. The presence of Na2CrO4 in the column increased the H2/D2 separation resolution, while the presence of NaCl reduced the separation time, produced more symmetrical and narrow chromatographic peaks of Gaussian distribution. Furthermore, by optimizing the ratio of NaCl and Na2CrO4, (S2/S3/MOF-74(Ni)@γ-Al2O3) composite with a NaCl/Na2CrO4 mass ratio of 0.7:1 was synthesized and used to realize the high-resolution separation of H2/D2 (R = 2.56) with a short separation time (t = 5.91 min). Both composites also showed excellent repeatability/reproducibility for separation.

Mass Production of Large-Sized, Nonlayered 2D Nanosheets: Their Directed Synthesis by a Rapid "Gel-Blowing" Strategy, and Applications in Li/Na Storage and Catalysis.

2D nanomaterials are well suited for energy conversion and storage because of their thickness-dependent physical and chemical properties. However, current synthetic methods for translating 2D materials from the laboratory to industry cannot integrate both advantages of liquid-phase method (i.e., solution processibility, homogeneity, and massive production), and gas-phase method (i.e., high quality and large lateral size). Here, inspired by Chinese Sugar Figure Blowing Art, a rapid "gel-blowing" strategy is proposed for the mass production of 2D nonlayered nanosheets by thermally expanding the viscous gel precursors within a short time (≈1 min). A wide variety of 2D nanosheets including oxides, carbon, oxides/carbon and metal/carbon composites are synthesized on a large scale and with no impurities. Importantly, this method unifies the merits of both liquid-phase and gas-phase syntheses, giving rise to 2D products with high uniformity, nanometer thickness, and large lateral sizes (up to hundreds of micrometers) simultaneously. The success of this strategy highly relies on the speed of "blowing" and control of the amount of reactants. The as-synthesized nanosheet electrodes manifest excellent electrochemical performance for alkali-ion batteries and electrocatalysis. This method opens up a new avenue for economical and massive preparation of good-quality nonlayered 2D nanosheets for energy-related applications and beyond.

Aberrant methylation-mediated silencing of lncRNA CTC-276P9.1 is associated with malignant progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Downregulation and aberrant hypermethylation of long non-coding RNA CTC-276P9.1 have been detected in limited tumors. However, the distribution of methylated CpG sites and biological role of CTC-276P9.1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) progression and prognosis have not been fully clarified. The present study was to investigate the expression status and the distribution of methylated CpG sites within the three CpG islands of CTC-276P9.1, further to clarify its functional role and prognostic value in ESCC development and prognosis. Significant downregulation of CTC-276P9.1 was detected in esophageal cancer cells and ESCC tissues, and the expression of CTC-276P9.1 in ESCC tissues was associated with TNM stage, pathological differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis or recurrence. The expression level of CTC-276P9.1 in esophageal cancer cells was significantly reversed by treatment with 5-Aza-dC and TSA. The aberrant hypermethylation of the regions around the transcription start site was more tumor specific and associated with the expression levels of CTC-276P9.1. Moreover, histone modification may also participate in the regulation of CTC-276P9.1. Furthermore, over-expression of CTC-276P9.1 inhibited esophageal cancer cells proliferation and invasion in vitro, decreased the expression of proliferative markers and inhibited esophageal cancer cells invasion probably by regulating EMT. In addition, the dysregulation and hypermethylation of the regions around the transcription start site of CTC-276P9.1 were associated with poorer ESCC patients' survival. These findings suggest that CTC-276P9.1 may act as a tumor suppressor and may be employed as a new prognostic factor and therapeutic target for ESCC.

A general strategy toward graphitized carbon coating on iron oxides as advanced anodes for lithium-ion batteries.

Integration of carbon materials with benign iron oxides is blazing a trail in constructing high-performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this paper, a unique general, simple, and controllable strategy is developed toward in situ uniform coating of iron oxide nanostructures with graphitized carbon (GrC) layers. The basic synthetic procedure only involves a simple dip-coating process for the loading of Ni-containing seeds and a subsequent Ni-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process for the growth of GrC layers. More importantly, the CVD treatment is conducted at a quite low temperature (450 °C) and with extremely facile liquid carbon sources consisting of ethylene glycol (EG) and ethanol (EA). The GrC content of the resulting hybrids can be controllably regulated by altering the amount of carbon sources. The electrochemical results reveal remarkable performance enhancements of iron oxide@GrC hybrids compared with pristine iron oxides in terms of high specific capacity, excellent rate and cycling performance. This can be attributed to the network-like GrC coating, which can improve not only the electronic conductivity but also the structural integrity of iron oxides. Moreover, the lithium storage performance of samples with different GrC contents is measured, manifesting that optimized electrochemical property can be achieved with appropriate carbon content. Additionally, the superiority of GrC coating is demonstrated by the advanced performance of iron oxide@GrC compared with its corresponding counterpart, i.e., iron oxides with amorphous carbon (AmC) coating. All these results indicate the as-proposed protocol of GrC coating may pave the way for iron oxides to be promising anodes for LIBs.

Template-free fabrication of graphene-wrapped mesoporous ZnMn2O4 nanorings as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

We rationally designed a facile two-step approach to synthesize ZnMn2O4@G composite anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), involving a template-free fabrication of ZnMn2O4 nanorings and subsequent coating of graphene sheets. Notably, it is the first time that ring-like ZnMn2O4 nanostructure is reported. Moreover, our system has been demonstrated to be quite powerful in producing ZnMn2O4 nanorings regardless of the types of Zn and Mn-containing metal salts reactants. The well-known inside-out Ostwald ripening process is tentatively proposed to clarify the formation mechanism of the hollow nanorings. When evaluated as anode material for LIBs, the resulting ZnMn2O4@G hybrid displays significantly improved lithium-storage performance with high specific capacity, good rate capability, and excellent cyclability. After 500 cycles, the ZnMn2O4@G hybrid can still deliver a reversible capacity of 958 mAh g-1 at a current density of 200 mA g-1, much higher than the theoretical capacity of 784 mAh g-1 for pure ZnMn2O4. The outstanding electrochemical performance should be reasonably ascribed to the synergistic interaction between hollow and porous ZnMn2O4 nanorings and the three-dimensional interconnected graphene sheets.