Tf2O as a CF3 Source for the Synthesis of Trifluoromethoxylation Reagent nC4F9SO3CF3.

Described herein is the convenient synthesis of an efficient trifluoromethoxylation reagent, nC4F9SO3CF3, by using cheap and widely available reagents and without the need of any tedious column chromatography purification procedure.

Utilization of Inertial Measurement Units for Determining the Sequential Chain of Baseball Strike Posture.

The purpose of this study was to employ inertial measurement units (IMU) with an eye-tracking device to investigate different swing strategies between two levels of batters. The participants were 20 healthy males aged 20 to 30 years old, with ten professional and ten amateur batters. Eye gaze position, head, shoulder, trunk, and pelvis angular velocity, and ground reaction forces were recorded. The results showed that professional batters rotated segments more rhythmically and efficiently than the amateur group. Firstly, the professional group spent less time in the preparation stages. Secondly, the maximum angular velocity timing of each segment of the professional group was centralized in the swing cycle. Thirdly, the amateur group had significantly earlier gaze timing of the maximum angular velocity than the professional group. Moreover, the maximum angular velocity timing of the gaze was the earliest parameter among the five segments, and significantly earlier (at least 16.32% of cycle time) than the maximum angular velocity of the head, shoulder, trunk, and pelvis within the amateur group. The visual-motor coordination strategies were different between the two groups, which could successfully be determined by wearable instruments of IMU.

The size-dependent genotoxic potentials of titanium dioxide nanoparticles to endothelial cells.

Despite intensive research activities, there are still many major knowledge gaps over the potential adverse effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 -NPs), one of the most widely produced and used nanoparticles, on human cardiovascular health and the underlying mechanisms. In the present study, alkaline comet assay and cytokinesis-block micronucleus test were employed to determine the genotoxic potentials of four sizes (100, 50, 30, and 10 nm) of anatase TiO2 -NPs to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in culture. Also, the intracellular redox statuses were explored through the measurement of the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) with kits, respectively. Meanwhile, the protein levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were also detected by western blot. The results showed that at the exposed levels (1, 5, and 25 µg/mL), all the four sizes of TiO2 -NPs could elicit an increase of both DNA damage and MN frequency in HUVECs in culture, with a positive dose-dependent and negative size-dependent effect relationship (T100 < T50 < T30 < T10). Also, increased levels of intracellular ROS, but decreased levels of GSH, were found in all the TiO2 -NP-treated groups. Intriguingly, a very similar manner of dose-dependent and size-dependent effect relationship was observed between the ROS test and both comet assay and MN test, but contrary to that of GSH assay. Correspondingly, the levels of Nrf2 protein were also elevated in the TiO2 -NP-exposed HUVECs, with an inversely size-dependent effect relationship. These findings indicated that induction of oxidative stress and subsequent genotoxicity might be an important biological mechanism by which TiO2 -NP exposure would cause detrimental effects to human cardiovascular health.

Synergistic Fermentation of Pichia kluyveri and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Integrated with Two-Step Sugar-Supplement for Preparing High-Alcohol Kiwifruit Wine.

Wild yeast suitable for kiwifruit wine fermentation was isolated and purified, and the fermentation process was optimized to increase the alcohol content of the kiwifruit wine. Pichia kluyveri was isolated from kiwifruit pulp by lineation separating, screened by morphological characteristics in Wallerstein Laboratory Nutrient Agar (WL) medium and microscope observation, and further identified by 26S rDNA D1/D2 domain sequence analysis. Taking alcohol content and sensory evaluation as two indexes, the fermentation condition for kiwifruit wine was optimized by single factor and response surface experiment. The optimal fermentation conditions were optimized as follows: the fermentation temperature was at 24 °C, the initial pH was 3.8, the sugar dosage in second step was 8% (w/w), and the inoculating quantity of Pichia kluyveri and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was 0.15 g/L at equal proportion. Under these optimal conditions, the maximum estimated alcohol content was 15.6 vol%, and the kiwifruit wine was light green in color with strong kiwifruit aroma and mellow taste.

3D printing of fish-scale derived hydroxyapatite/chitosan/PCL scaffold for bone tissue engineering.

In the field of bone tissue repair, the treatment of bone defects has always posed a significant challenge. In recent years, the advancement of bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has sparked great interest in the development of innovative bone grafting materials. In this study, a novel hydroxyapatite (HA) material was successfully prepared and comprehensively characterized. Antimicrobial experiments and biological evaluations were conducted to determine its efficacy. Based on the aforementioned research findings, 3D printing technology was employed to fabricate HA/chitosan (CS)/ polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds. The composition of the scaffold materials was confirmed through X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) tests, while the influence of different HA ratios on the scaffold surface morphology was observed. Additionally, antimicrobial experiments demonstrated the favorable antimicrobial activity of the scaffolds containing 30%HA + 5%CS + PCL. Furthermore, the water contact angle measurements confirmed the superhydrophilicity of the scaffolds. Finally, the excellent bioactivity and ability to promote tissue regeneration of the scaffolds were further confirmed by in vitro and in vivo experiments. This study provides new options for future repair and regeneration of bone tissue and clinical applications.

Transforming Natural Eggshell and Diatomite into Bioactive Calcium Silicate Material for Bone Regeneration.

Calcium silicate (CS), a new and important bioceramic bone graft material, is prepared by using eggshells, which have a porous structure and are rich in calcium ions. Furthermore, the preparation of new CS materials using eggshells and diatomaceous earth minimizes their negative impact on the environment. In this study, we prepared CS materials using a high-temperature calcination method. The composition of the material was demonstrated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis confirmed the porous structure of the CS material. We also introduced ZnO to prepare ZnO-CS with antibacterial properties and showed that ZnO-CS exhibits excellent antibacterial effects through in vitro antibacterial experiments. Subsequent in vitro mineralization experiments demonstrated that ZnO-CS promoted the formation of a hydroxyapatite layer. Furthermore, in vitro cytotoxicity experiments demonstrated that ZnO-CS had very good biosafety and promoted cell proliferation. These findings were confirmed through subsequent cell proliferation experiments. Our results indicate that the novel ZnO-CS is a promising candidate for bone tissue engineering.

Global epidemiological characteristics of uterine fibroids.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to examine the burden of uterine fibroids at global, regional and national levels in terms of age and the Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Material and methods: Data were extracted from the GBD 2019 dataset. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were calculated to assess the incidence of uterine fibroids, and trends in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were examined. All measures examined were stratified by region, country, age and SDI to assess the effects of these variables on the incidence of uterine fibroids. Results: The global age-standardized incidence rate of uterine fibroids increased from 1990 to 2019, with an EAPC of 0.25 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.24 to 0.27). In contrast, the global age-standardized DALY rate decreased from 1990 to 2019, with an EAPC of -0.27 (95% CI: -0.31 to -0.23). High and low-middle SDI regions experienced significantly higher age-standardized incidence rates. Moreover, in 2019, low and low-middle SDI regions had significantly higher age-standardized DALY rates due to uterine fibroids than other SDI regions. Regionally, Eastern Europe had the highest age-standardized incidence rate of uterine fibroids in 2019, and Tropical Latin America experienced the greatest increase in age-standardized incidence rates from 1990 to 2019. Nationally, Brazil (EAPC = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.35-1.57) and India (EAPC = 1.09; 95% CI: 0.94-1.25) experienced the most significant increases in age-standardized uterine fibroid incidence. Age-standardized DALY rates increased the most in Tropical Latin America, high-income North America and Oceania. Conclusions: Globally, the age-standardized incidence of uterine fibroids has been increasing in recent years. In contrast, age-standardized DALY rates have exhibited a decreasing trend. Eastern Europe, Tropical Latin America, Brazil and India experience the greatest uterine fibroid burden. Globally, women aged 35-39 years and older have an increased risk of uterine fibroids, as reflected in the higher incidence rates among these age groups.

Post-activation performance enhancement of flywheel training on lower limb explosive power performance.

The study aimed to investigate the post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) of flywheel training (FT) on lower limb explosive power performance. Using a randomized crossover design, 20 trained men (age = 21.5 ± 1.4 years; training experience 5.5 ± 1.2 years) completed seven main conditions after three familiarization sessions. The first three conditions tested the PAPE of the FT on the counter movement jump (CMJ) under three different inertial loads (0.041 kg·m2 as L; 0.057 kg·m2 as ML; and 0.122 kg·m2 as P), whereas the following four conditions tested the PAPE of FT on the 30 m sprint, which consisted of three inertial loads (L, ML, and P) and a control condition. Participants were required to perform the CMJ or 30 m sprint at baseline (Tb) and immediately (T0), 4 min (T4), 8 min (T8), 12 min (T12), and 16 min (T16) after exercise, respectively. The results of the CMJ conditions showed that PAPE peaked at T4 (p < 0.01) and almost subsided at T12 (p > 0.05) in ML and P conditions. Meanwhile, PAPE appeared earlier in the P condition, and the effect was more significant (P:ES = 1.09; ML:ES = 0.79). 30 m sprint results showed significant improvement only in the ML condition. The PAPE peaked at T4 (p < 0.05, ES = -0.47) and almost subsided at T8 (p > 0.05). It was mainly due to the significant enhancement of the 10-30 m segmental timing performance at T4 (p < 0.05, ES = -0.49). This study indicates that the size of the inertial load could influence the magnitude of the PAPE produced by the explosive force of the lower limb. The PAPE of the vertical explosive force increased with increasing inertial load, but the PAPE of the horizontal explosive force did not appear at the maximum inertial load. The most effective elicitation of the PAPE was at 4-8 min after the FT.

Anti-tumor effect of ginkgetin on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines by inducing cell cycle arrest and promoting cell apoptosis.

This study explored the anti-tumor effect of ginkgetin, an extract from ginkgo biloba, on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and the underlying mechanisms. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Apoptotic cell morphology was observed under an inverted microscope after Hoechst 33,258 staining, and the ratio of apoptotic and necrotic cells was examined by flow cytometry after FITC/PI staining. Cell cycle changes were analyzed using flow cytometry. Cytochrome c release and caspase 3 and 8 activities were monitored using the relevant reagent kits. The levels of cell cycle-related proteins were detected by Western blot. MTT results indicated that ginkgetin significantly reduced HepG2 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Cellular morphology observation revealed that ginkgetin induced typical apoptotic morphological features of HepG2 cells, such as increased apoptotic bodies and cell shrinkage. Cell cycle analysis showed that ginkgetin increased the proportion of cells in the S phase. S-phase cell accumulation could be attributed to the decreased expression of cell cycle regulatory factors. Similarly, ginkgetin also induced the apoptosis and S phase cell accumulation of another human HCC cell line SK-HEP-1. Furthermore, ginkgetin treatment increased caspase-3 activity and cytochrome c release but not caspase-8 activity, implying that ginkgetin might mediate cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway. In addition, the tumor formation experiment in nude mice showed that ginkgetin administration inhibited tumor growth. These results suggest that ginkgetin could be a cell apoptosis stimulator by affecting the balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis, suggesting that ginkgetin might be suitable for human HCC treatment.

Integrating cell cycle score for precise risk stratification in ovarian cancer.

Background: Ovarian cancer (OC) is a highly heterogeneous disease, of which the mesenchymal subtype has the worst prognosis, is the most aggressive, and has the highest drug resistance. The cell cycle pathway plays a vital role in ovarian cancer development and progression. We aimed to screen the key cell cycle genes that regulated the mesenchymal subtype and construct a robust signature for ovarian cancer risk stratification. Methods: Network inference was conducted by integrating the differentially expressed cell cycle signature genes and target genes between the mesenchymal and non-mesenchymal subtypes of ovarian cancer and identifying the dominant cell cycle signature genes. Results: Network analysis revealed that two cell cycle signature genes (POLA2 and KIF20B) predominantly regulated the mesenchymal modalities of OC and used to construct a prognostic model, termed the Cell Cycle Prognostic Signature of Ovarian Cancer (CCPOC). The CCPOC-high patients showed an unfavorable prognosis in the GSE26712 cohort, consistent with the results in the seven public validation cohorts and one independent internal cohort (BL-OC cohort, qRT-PCR, n = 51). Functional analysis, drug-sensitive analysis, and survival analysis showed that CCPOC-low patients were related to strengthened tumor immunogenicity and sensitive to the anti-PD-1/PD-L1 response rate in pan-cancer (r = -0.47, OC excluded), which indicated that CCPOC-low patients may be more sensitive to anti-PD-1/PD-L1. Conclusion: We constructed and validated a subtype-specific, cell cycle-based prognostic signature for ovarian cancer, which has great potential for predicting the response of anti-PD-1/PD-L1.

circRNA circ_POLA2 increases microRNA-31 methylation to promote endometrial cancer cell proliferation.

Circular RNA (circRNA) circ_POLA2 is an oncogene in lung and cervical cancers. However, the role of circ_POLA2 in other types of cancer is unknown. The present study investigated the role of circ_POLA2 in endometrial cancer (EC). The mRNA expression levels of circ_POLA2 and microRNA (miR)-31 in EC and paired adjacent normal tissues were analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-qPCR). Overexpression of circ_POLA2 was achieved in the EC cell lines, and its effects on miR-31 mRNA expression level and methylation were evaluated using RT-qPCR and methylation-specific PCR (MSP), respectively. Cell proliferation was assessed using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. The results indicated that circ_POLA2 was highly expressed in EC tissue and inversely correlated with miR-31 mRNA expression level. MSP analysis showed that circ_POLA2 overexpression increased miR-31 methylation and RT-qPCR analysis showed that circ_POLA2 overexpression decreased miR-31 mRNA expression level. Furthermore, circ_POLA2 overexpression also increased EC cell proliferation, while miR-31 overexpression decreased cell proliferation. Finally, circ_POLA2 overexpression reduced the effects of miR-31 overexpression. In conclusion, circ_POLA2 may increase miR-31 methylation of miR-31 in EC cells to promote cancer cell proliferation.

The size-dependent genotoxicity and oxidative stress of silica nanoparticles on endothelial cells.

Concerns over the health risk of the widely distributed, commonly used silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) are increasing worldwide. Yet, up to now, there are still many major knowledge gaps over the potential adverse effects of SiNP exposure on human cardiovascular health and the underlying mechanisms. In this study, comet assay and micronucleus test were employed to determine the genotoxic potentials of four sizes (10, 25, 50, 100 nm) of SiNPs to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in culture. The intracellular redox statuses were explored through the determination of the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) with kits, respectively. The protein levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were also detected by Western blot. The results showed that at the administrative levels (1, 5, 25 µg/mL), all the four sizes of SiNPs could induce an increase of both DNA damages and MN frequencies in HUVECs in culture, with a positive dose- and negative size-dependent effect relationship (S100 < S50 < S25 < S10). Also, significantly enhanced levels of intracellular ROS, but decreased levels of GSH, were observed in the SiNP-treated groups. Interestingly, a very similar manner of dose- and size-dependent effect relationship was observed between the ROS test and both comet assay and MN test, but contrary to that of GSH assay. Correspondingly, the levels of Nrf2 protein were also enhanced in the SiNP-treated HUVECs, with a negative size-dependent effect relationship. These results implicated that induction of oxidative stress and subsequent genotoxicity may be an important biological mechanism by which SiNP exposure may affect human cardiovascular health.

Integrative Network Analysis Reveals a MicroRNA-Based Signature for Prognosis Prediction of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a heterogeneous disease, which has been recently classified into four molecular subtypes, of which the mesenchymal subtype exhibited the worst prognosis. We aimed to identify a microRNA- (miRNA-) based signature by incorporating the molecular modalities involved in the mesenchymal subtype for risk stratification, which would allow the identification of patients who might benefit from more rigorous treatments. METHOD: We characterized the regulatory mechanisms underlying the mesenchymal subtype using network analyses integrating gene and miRNA expression profiles from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort to identify a miRNA signature for prognosis prediction. RESULTS: We identified four miRNAs as the master regulators of the mesenchymal subtype and developed a risk score model. The 4-miRNA signature significantly predicted overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in discovery (p=0.004 and p=0.04) and two independent public datasets (GSE73582: OS, HR: 2.26 (1.26-4.05), p=0.005, PFS, HR: 2.03 (1.34-3.09), p<0.001; GSE25204: OS, HR: 3.07 (1.73-5.46), p<0.001, PFS, HR: 2.59 (1.72-3.88), p<0.001). Moreover, in multivariate analyses, the miRNA signature maintained as an independent prognostic predictor and achieved superior efficiency compared to the currently used clinical factors. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our network analysis identified a 4-miRNA signature which has prognostic value superior to currently reported clinical covariates. This signature warrants further testing and validation for use in clinical practice.

Deregulation of microRNA-193b affects the proliferation of liver cancer via myeloid cell leukemia-1.

Deregulation of microRNA (miR)-193b has been revealed to be associated with the proliferation of liver cells. However, the interaction between miR-193b and their targets inducing liver cancer remains largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hypothesis that miR-193b affects the proliferation of liver cancer cells. In the present study, the overall survival of patients with liver cancer and low fold change of miR-193b was higher compared with that of patients with liver cancer patients and high fold change of miR-193b. The expression level of myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) in patients with liver cancer was lower compared with in the control group. The results of the present study demonstrated that downregulation of miR-193b suppressed the proliferation and induced apoptosis of liver cancer cells, and inhibited the Mcl-1 protein expression level in liver cancer cells. Upregulation of miR-193b increased cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis of liver cancer cells and promoted the expression level of Mcl-1 protein. The results of the present study demonstrated that the expression of miR-193b as a novel tumor suppressor serves an important role in the proliferation of liver cancer cells by mediating Mcl-1 expression.

An irregular pulmonary nodule was confirmed diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia by finding plant cells through rapid on-site evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) is a method which is often used in quick-staining cytology in the tumour diagnostic field, and results in a significant decrease in diagnostic time and cost. However, we have not found any previous report on the ROSE method for diagnosing aspiration pneumonia. METHODS: We would like to discuss the case of a patient with an irregular pulmonary nodule in the left lower lobar bronchus who had a confirmed diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia through ROSE stained by Diff-Quik methods during bronchoscopy. RESULTS: Through ROSE, which we were able to perform within just 1 min, we observed the plant cells on the smear under the microscope. The Giemsa stain of the specimen, which would take much more time than Diff-Quik, also revealed the plant cells. CONCLUSION: ROSE for the specimen from the bronchoscopy could be done for the patient who has developed an unexplained pulmonary nodule and is helpful. If the non-human cells such as plant cells are found from the ROSE, aspiration pneumonia can be diagnosed immediately and the corresponding therapy may be performed, which may significantly shorten hospital stay, reduce hospital costs and improve patient outcomes.