Interdisciplinary college curriculum and its labor market implications.

This article sheds light on how to capture knowledge integration dynamics in college course content, improves and enriches the definition and measurement of interdisciplinarity, and expands the scope of research on the benefits of interdisciplinarity to postcollege outcomes. We distinguish between what higher education institutions claim regarding interdisciplinarity and what they appear to actually do. We focus on the core academic element of student experience-the courses they take, develop a text-based semantic measure of interdisciplinarity in college curriculum, and test its relationship to average earnings of graduates from different types of schools of higher education. We observe that greater exposure to interdisciplinarity-especially for science majors-is associated with increased earnings after college graduation.

Data-based modeling of breast cancer and optimal therapy.

Excessive accumulation of ß-catenin proteins is a vital driver in the development of breast cancer. Many clinical assessments incorporating immunotherapy with targeted mRNA of ß-catenin are costly endeavor. This paper develops novel mathematical models for different treatments by invoking available clinical data to calibrate models, along with the selection and evaluation of therapy strategies in a faster manner with lower cost. Firstly, in order to explore the interactions between cancer cells and the immune system within the tumor microenvironment, we construct different types of breast cancer treatment models based on RNA interference technique and immune checkpoint inhibitors, which have been proved to be an effective combined therapy in pre-clinical trials associated with the inhibition of ß-catenin proteins to enhance intrinsic anti-tumor immune response. Secondly, various techniques including MCMC are adopted to estimate multiple parameters and thus simulations in agreement with experimental results sustain the validity of our models. Furthermore, the gradient descent method and particle swarm algorithm are designed to optimize therapy schemes to inhibit the growth of tumor and lower the treatment cost. Considering the mechanisms of drug resistance in vivo, simulations exhibit that therapies are ineffective resulting in cancer relapse in the prolonged time. For this reason, parametric sensitivity analysis sheds light on the choice of new treatments which indicate that, in addition to inhibiting ß-catenin proteins and improving self-immunity, the injection of dendritic cells promoting immunity may provide a novel vision for the future of cancer treatment. Overall, our study provides witness of principle from a mathematical perspective to guide clinical trials and the selection of treatment regimens.

Homochiral organic molecular cage RCC3-R-modified silica as a new multimodal and multifunctional stationary phase for high-performance liquid chromatography.

In this work, homochiral reduced imine cage was covalently bonded to the surface of the silica to prepare a novel high-performance liquid chromatography stationary phase, which was applied for the multiple separation modes such as normal phase, reversed-phase, ion exchange, and hydrophilic interaction chromatography. The successful preparation of the homochiral reduced imine cage bonded silica stationary phase was confirmed by performing a series of methods including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and infrared spectroscopy. From the extracted results of the chiral resolution in normal phase and reversed-phase modes, it was demonstrated that seven chiral compounds were successfully separated, among which the resolution of 1-phenylethanol reached the value of 3.97. Moreover, the multifunctional chromatographic performance of the new molecular cage stationary phase was systematically investigated in the modes of reversed-phase, ion exchange, and hydrophilic interaction chromatography for the separation and analysis of a total of 59 compounds in eight classes. This work demonstrated that the homochiral reduced imine cage not only achieved multiseparation modes and multiseparation functions performance with high stability, but also expanded the application of the organic molecular cage in the field of liquid chromatography.

Preparation and chiral resolution properties of bridged bis(cyclodextrin)s hybrid spheres for high performance liquid chromatography.

Selenium-bridged bis(ß-cyclodextrin)s organic-inorganic hybrid silica material with regular spherical shape as new type of chiral stationary phase was directly synthesized under the one-pot hydrothermal synthesis method, and the chiral stationary phase was further characterized by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry, and elemental analysis. The results of chiral separation showed that eight chiral compounds including various types of chiral alcohols and flavanone were successfully separated in the reversed-phase separation mode by high performance liquid chromatography, which showed the better chiral resolution effect than that on the C2 position of single ß-cyclodextrin. The mechanism of chiral separation was likely due to multiple interactions such as inclusion, hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interaction, dipole-dipole interaction, and the synergistic effect of two cyclodextrins during the chiral resolution process. The synergy of the two cyclodextrins has great potential for development in chiral resolution.

Effects of different colored polyethylene mulching films on bacterial communities from soil during enrichment incubation.

Studies have shown that mulching agricultural fields with plastic residues can influence microbial communities in the environment, but few studies have investigated the differences in the soil microbial communities in distinct areas under mulching with different colored plastic products. Thus, in this study, we explored how different colored polyethylene mulching films (PMFs) might affect soil bacterial communities during enrichment incubation. We found significant differences in the bacterial communities under different colored PMFs after incubation. Treatment with the same colored PMF obtained more similar bacterial community compositions. For instance, at the class level, Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteroidia were most abundant with black PMF, whereas Actinobacteria and Bacteroidia were most abundant with white PMF. The most abundant genera were Acinetobacter and Chryseobacterium with black PMF but Rhodanobacter and Paenarthrobacter with white PMF. Polyethylene- and hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria were the core members detected under both treatments, and the bacterial communities were predicted to have the potential for the biodegradation and metabolism of xenobiotics after enrichment culture according to the Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) tool. In addition, the bacterial communities in soil from Xinjiang treated with white PMF and in soil from Yangling treated with black PMF were strongly correlated and stable. Our results suggest that the color of the PMF applied affected the soil bacterial communities, where plastics with the same color may have recruited similar species of microorganisms, although the origins of these microorganisms were not the same.

Porous Organic Cage-Embedded C10-Modified Silica as HPLC Stationary Phase and Its Multiple Separation Functions.

Reduced imine cage (RCC3) was covalently bonded to the surface of silica spheres, and then the secondary amine group of the molecular cage was embedded in non-polar C10 for modification to prepare a novel RCC3-C10@silica HPLC stationary phase with multiple separation functions. Through infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and nitrogen adsorption-desorption characterization, it was confirmed that RCC3-C10 was successfully bonded to the surface of silica spheres. The resolution of RCC3-C10@silica in reversed-phase separation mode is as high as 2.95, 3.73, 3.27 and 4.09 for p-phenethyl alcohol, 1-phenyl-2-propanol, p-methylphenethyl alcohol and 1-phenyl-1-propanol, indicating that the stationary phase has excellent chiral resolution performance. In reversed-phase and hydrophilic separation modes, RCC3-C10@silica realized the separation and analysis of a total of 70 compounds in 8 classes of Tanaka mixtures, alkylbenzene rings, polyphenyl rings, phenols, anilines, sulfonamides, nucleosides and flavonoids, and the analysis of a variety of chiral and achiral complex mixtures have been completed at the same time. Compared with the traditional C18 commercial column, RCC3-C10@silica exhibits better chromatographic separation selectivity, aromatic selectivity and polar selectivity. The multifunctional separation mechanism exhibited by the stationary phase originates from various synergistic effects such as hydrophobic interaction, π-π interaction, hydrogen bonding and steric interaction provided by RCC3 and C10 groups. This work provides flexible selectivity and application prospects for novel multi-separation functional chromatographic columns.

TriBAFF-CAR-T cells eliminate B-cell malignancies with BAFFR-expression and CD19 antigen loss.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the effect of TriBAFF-CAR-T cells on hematological tumor cells. METHODS: TriBAFF-CAR-T and CD19-CAR-T cells were co-cultured with BAFFR-bearing B-cell malignancies at different effector/target ratios to evaluate the anti-tumor effects. In vivo, TriBAFF-CAR-T and CD19-CAR-T cells were intravenously injected into Raji-luciferase xenograft mice. CD19 antigens losing lymphoblasts was simulated by Raji knocking out CD19 (CD19KO) to investigate the effect of TriBAFF-CAR-T cells on CD19KO Raji. RESULTS: Both TriBAFF-CAR-T and CD19-CAR-T cells significantly induced the lysis of Raji, BALL-1, and Jeko-1. Moreover, when CD19-CAR-T cells specifically caused the lysis of K562 with overexpressed CD19, the lethal effect of TriBAFF-CAR-T cells was also specific for BAFFR-bearing K562 with increasing levels of interleukin-2 and INF-γ. The TriBAFF-CAR-T have the same effect with CD19-CAR-T cells in treating Raji xenofraft mice. TriBAFF-CAR-T cells also have great effect in CD19KO Raji cells. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we successfully constructed novel TriBAFF-CAR-T cells to eliminate BAFFR-bearing and CD19 antigen loss in hematological tumor cells.

Follow-up study of preterm infants with thyroid dysfunction after medication. / ç”²çŠ¶è ºåŠŸèƒ½å¼‚å¸¸æ—©äº§å„¿å¹²é¢„æ²»ç–—çš„éšè®¿ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of levothyroxine sodium tablets on the growth and development and thyroid function in preterm infants with thyroid dysfunction. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 82 preterm infants who were born in the Department of Obstetrics of the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2017, and these infants were hospitalized after birth in the Department of Neonatology of the hospital. They were regularly followed up to observe growth and development and thyroid function at the outpatient service of the Department of Neonatology. According to thyroid function test results, they were divided into an abnormal thyroid function group (observation group; n=31) and a normal thyroid function group (control group; n=51). The infants in the observation group were given oral administration of levothyroxine sodium tablets, while those in the control group were not given any treatment. The two groups were compared in terms of the physical and intelligence development and thyroid function of preterm infants with various gestational ages (28-<32 weeks, 32-<34 weeks, and 34-<37 weeks) after regular follow-up to the corrected age of 12 months. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in physical development indices (body length, body weight, and head circumference) between the observation and control groups at various gestational ages after follow-up to the corrected age of 12 months (P>0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the scores of each functional area of the Gesell Developmental Scale among the preterm infants with a gestational age of 28-<32 weeks and 32-<34 weeks after follow-up to the corrected age of 12 months (P>0.05). For the preterm infants with a gestational age of 34-<37 weeks, compared with the control group, the observation group had a significantly lower score of gross motor ability at the age of 3 and 12 months, significantly lower scores of fine motor ability, language ability, and adaptation ability at the age of 12 months (P<0.05), and a significantly lower score of personal-social ability at the age of 3 months (P<0.05). However, the score of personal-social ability in the observation group was not significantly different from the control group at the age of 12 months (P>0.05). After 2-4 weeks of treatment with levothyroxine sodium tablets, the thyroid function of the 31 preterm infants with thyroid dysfunction returned to normal. Among the 31 infants, 21 (68%) achieved complete drug withdrawal, with normal results of neonatal screening (100%); 10 infants (32%) failed to achieve drug withdrawal, and only 2 (20%) out of the 10 infants had normal neonatal screening results (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis and reasonable treatment can reduce the impact on growth and development in preterm infants with thyroid dysfunction. Most preterm infants tend to have transient thyroid dysfunction, while those with positive results of neonatal screening are more likely to develop permanent thyroid dysfunction.

Proteasome beta-4 subunit contributes to the development of melanoma and is regulated by miR-148b.

The proteasome beta-4 subunit is required for the assembly of 20S proteasome complex, forming a pivotal component for the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Emerging evidence indicates that proteasome beta-4 subunit may be involved in underlying progression and mechanisms of malignancies. However, the role of proteasome beta-4 subunit in melanoma is currently unknown. Here, we reported that proteasome beta-4 subunit was markedly upregulated in human melanoma tissues and cells, compared with normal skin samples. High proteasome beta-4 subunit levels were significantly associated with poor overall survival in patients with melanoma. Proteasome beta-4 subunit knockdown strongly decreased melanoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo. We further identified miR-148b as a negative regulator of proteasome beta-4 subunit. Enforced expression of miR-148b resulted in vitro growth inhibition of melanoma cells, whereas this inhibition was further abolished by enforced expression of proteasome beta-4 subunit. Our findings, for the first time, indicated that the miR-148b/proteasome beta-4 subunit axis contributed to the development of melanoma, revealing novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of melanoma.

Health service utilisation of rural-to-urban migrants in Guangzhou, China: does employment status matter?

OBJECTIVE: To describe the self-reported health status and service utilisation of employed, retired and unemployed migrants in Guangzhou, a megacity in southern China. METHODS: A cross-sectional study adapted from the National Health Service Survey was conducted between September and December in 2014. Based on the distribution of occupation of migrants, multistage sampling was used to recruit individuals. Logistic regression was applied to explore the factors influencing their service utilisation. RESULTS: Of 2906 respondents, 76.6% were employed, 9.2% retired and 14.2% unemployed. Only 8.1% reported having an illness in the previous 2 weeks, and 6.5% reported having been hospitalised in the previous year. Employed migrants had the lowest recent physician consultation rate (3.4%) and the lowest annual hospitalisation rate (4.5%) (P < 0.05); unemployed migrants had the highest rates (6.8% and 14.5% respectively, P < 0.05). Retired migrants were more likely to return to their hometown for health care (8.6%) than employed (1.5%) and unemployed migrants (3.4%) (P < 0.05). After adjusting for age and gender, employment status remained significant in explaining the recent two-week treatment-seeking behaviour of migrants (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Disparity of service utilisation continues to be a problem for migrants due to the poor health awareness, lack of time and inconvenience of medical insurance reimbursement. Employed migrants make the least use of health services.

MiR-143-3p functions as a tumor suppressor by regulating cell proliferation, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by targeting QKI-5 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) have been demonstrated to contribute to carcinogenesis. MiR-143-3p has been identified to function as a tumor suppressor in several tumors, but the role of miR-143-3p in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been intensively investigated. Our aim was to evaluate the potential role of miR-143-3p in the progression of ESCC. METHODS: The expression levels of miR-143-3p and QKI-5 protein were measured in 80 resected ESCC tumor specimens and the clinicopathological significance of these levels determined. We also investigated the role of miR-143-3p in the regulation of QKI-5 expression in ESCC cell lines both in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: MiR-143-3p levels were decreased in ESCC clinical samples and low expression of miR-143-3p was significantly associated with poor prognosis in ESCC patients. Ectopic expression of miR-143-3p suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis in ESCC cells both in vivo and in vitro. Ectopic expression of miR-143-3p also reduced the metastatic potential of cells by selectively regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition regulatory proteins. Furthermore, QKI-5 isoform was upregulated in ESCC tissues and was a direct target of miR-143-3p. Lastly, re-introduction of QKI-5 expression abrogated the inhibitory effects of miR-143-3p on ESCC cell proliferation and motility. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that miR-143-3p acts as a tumor-suppressor by targeting QKI-5 in ESCC, suggesting that miR-143-3p is a potential therapy for the treatment of ESCC.

The Roles of MicroRNA-141 in Human Cancers: From Diagnosis to Treatment.

Cancer remains one of the most threatening causes of human health impairment, and the mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis have not been completely characterized. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of endogenous, small (18∼25 nucleotides) non-coding RNAs which negatively regulate gene expressions by directly binding to the 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs) of the target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Increasing evidence has demonstrated abnormal miRNA profiles and confirmed their involvement in tumor initiation and progression. As one important member of the miR-200 family, microRNA (miR)-141 is aberrantly expressed in many human malignant tumors, participating in various cellular processes including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), proliferation, migration, invasion, and drug resistance. In the present review, we briefly describe the mechanisms underlying miR-141-mediated tumorigenesis and the possible future of miR-141 as a potential diagnostic and prognostic parameter as well as therapeutic target in clinical applications.

MicroRNA-129 in Human Cancers: from Tumorigenesis to Clinical Treatment.

Emerging evidence has shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play essential roles in regulating human cancers development and progression. However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be further explored. MiRNAs are a class of endogenous, non-coding, 18-24 nucleotide length single-strand RNAs that moderate gene expression primarily at post-transcriptional level. There is a growing body of literature that recognizes the importance of microRNA (miR)-129 during the development of cancers. Aberrant expression of miR-129 has been detected in various types of human cancers and the validated target genes are involved in cancer-related biological processes such as DNA methylation, cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and metastasis. In this review, we summarized the roles of miR-129 family members and their target genes in tumorigenesis and clinical treatment of human cancers, highlighting the potential roles of miR-129 as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis, and promising tools for cancer treatment.

The Emerging Role and Promise of Long Noncoding RNAs in Lung Cancer Treatment.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death around the world. The advanced discovery of numerous long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) has dramatically changed the understanding of biology of human cancers, including lung cancer. LncRNAs are a group of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) with a length greater than 200 nucleotides with limited or no protein-coding capacity. Increasing evidence has shown that specific lncRNAs may be implicated in the process of tumorigenesis. Because of their roles in the regulation of multiple molecular pathways associated with changes in gene expression, lncRNAs can serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets in lung cancer. Importantly, dysregulated lncRNAs is reported to be correlated with the sensitivity of lung cancer cells to anticancer therapies, including chemotherapy, molecular-targeted therapy, etc. Herein, we review the recent progress of lncRNAs in lung cancer, with a particular focus on the multiple molecular roles of regulatory lncRNAs on the molecular signaling pathways involved in tumorigenesis and the resistance to such therapies.

MicroRNA-215 suppresses cell proliferation, migration and invasion of colon cancer by repressing Yin-Yang 1.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide with rising incidence. MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that implicate in multiple physiological or pathological processes. The aberrant expression of miRNA-215 (miR-215) has been illustrated in various types of cancers. However, the expression of miR-215 in human colon cancer and the biological roles of it remain largely unknown. We conducted this study to explore the expression and the function of miR-215 in human colon cancer. The results showed that miR-215 was remarkably downregulated in colon cancer tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-215 by miR-215 mimic significantly inhibited colon cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion while knockdown of miR-215 by miR-215 inhibitor exerted reverse effects. Furthermore, we newly identified Yin-Yang 1(YY1) as a direct target of miR-215 which could rescue the effects of miR-215 on colon cancer cells. In summary, our investigation revealed that miR-215 was downregulated in colon cancer and it suppressed colon cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion by directly targeting YY1.

Study protocol: a cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a multi-pronged behavioural intervention to improve use of personal protective equipment among migrant workers exposed to organic solvents in small and medium-sized enterprises.

BACKGROUND: In China, most of migrant workers work in the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and are a vulnerable group for occupational health. Migrant workers are at increased risk of occupational health risks due to poor occupational health behaviours such as the low use of personal protective equipment (PPE). However, there is a lack of solid evidence regarding how to improve the use of PPE among migrant workers in SMEs. The current study will assess the effectiveness of a multi-pronged behavioural intervention designed to promote PPE utilization among migrant workers exposed to organic solvents in SMEs. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a single blind, three-arm cluster randomized trial with 60 SMEs equally randomized to receive a top-down intervention (i.e. general health education and mHealth intervention provided by researchers) or a comprehensive intervention (which includes both top-down intervention and peer education) or a control condition (participants will not receive the intervention, but study measures will be obtained). Interventions will be conducted at the SMEs level for 6 months and all eligible migrant workers in these SMEs will be enrolled into the trial. The primary outcome is effective use of PPE during the last week. The secondary outcomes are occupational health knowledge and attitude and participation in occupational health check-up. Data will be collected and assessed at baseline; 3 months post baseline and the end of the intervention. DISCUSSION: This theory- and evidence based intervention will contribute to the limited evidence of behaviour change intervention in improving PPE utilization of migrant workers in SMEs, and provide timely evidence for the development of basic occupational health services in China and elsewhere with similar industrialization contexts. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR-IOR-15006929 . Registered on 16 August 2015.

MiR-630 inhibits invasion and metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is among the most aggressive malignancies and has a high incidence in China. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous RNAs that regulate multiple tumorigenic processes, including proliferation, invasion, metastasis and prognosis. Using miRNA expression profiling analysis, we found that miR-630 was markedly down-regulated in three ESCC tissue samples compared with that in paired normal esophageal tissues. Differential miR-630 expression was subsequently confirmed using quantitative real-time PCR. To determine whether miR-630 down-regulation could be considered as a diagnostic indicator and adverse prognostic factor, we investigated the association between miR-630 and clinicopathological characteristics in patients with ESCC. It was found that decreased miR-630 expression was associated with poor overall survival in these patients. In addition, we also explored the biological function of miR-630 by targeting Slug and investigated the correlation between miR-630 expression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression in vivo and in vitro Ectopic miR-630 expression could inhibit proliferation, invasion and metastasis, whereas miR-630 knockdown induced proliferation, invasion, metastasis and EMT traits. Overall, our study supports a role for miR-630 as a critical novel modulator in ESCC.

Staying in STEM or changing course: Do natives and immigrants pursue the path of least resistance?

This paper examines why Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields are becoming "immigrant" fields of study as native students shift from STEM fields to law, medicine and business. Using data from the 2010 National Survey of College Graduates, the analyses find that foreign college-educated immigrants with STEM degrees tend to remain in STEM fields, while natives are more likely to shift from STEM fields to law, medicine and business in graduate school. Among those who moved into law, medicine and business, the gains in earnings are larger for natives than for foreign educated immigrants. These results have important implications for the social mobility of highly educated natives and immigrants.

Gendered transitions to adulthood by college field of study in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Field of study may influence the timing of transitions to the labor market, marriage, and parenthood among college graduates. Research to date has yet to study how field of study is associated with the interweaving of these transitions in the USA. OBJECTIVE: The current study examines gendered influences of college field of study on transitions to a series of adult roles, including full-time work, marriage, and parenthood. METHODS: We use Cox proportional hazards models and multinomial logistic regression to examine gendered associations between field of study and the three transitions among college graduates of the NLSY97 (National Longitudinal Survey of Youth) cohort. RESULTS: Men majoring in STEM achieve early transitions to full-time work, marriage, and parenthood; women majoring in STEM show no significant advantage in finding full-time work and delayed marriage and childbearing; women in business have earlier transitions to full-time work and marriage than women in other fields, demonstrating an advantage similar to that of men in STEM. CONCLUSIONS: The contrast between men and women in STEM shows that transition to adulthood remains gendered; the contrast between women in STEM and women in business illustrates that a prestigious career may not necessarily delay family formation.