Fabrication of Electrode Material for Textile-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators: Research of the Relationship between Output Performance and Dielectric Material Strain.

In this work, a textile-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) device was developed through electroless plating technology to prepare electrode material. Hydrophilic groups on the fiber surface are able to absorb Ag+, which could play a role in the center of a catalyst to reduce Cu2+ to fabricate Cu-coated cotton toward the fabrication of TENG electrode material. The TENG device established admirable performance and good stabilization, and a maximum voltage at 9.6 V was detected when the stress and strain on the polydimethylsiloxane layer are 82.6 kPa and 5.8%, respectively. In addition, the relationships among device properties and strain/thickness of dielectric materials have been explored in depth as well. The output voltage of the device increases gradually with the enhancement of dielectric strain and stress. As expected, the TENG as-fabricated device was installed to various physical behaviors to illustrate the harvesting of power of knee-jerk movements.

High-throughput screening of 222 pesticides in road environments in a megacity of northern China: A new approach to urban population exposure.

A large number of pesticides have been widely manufactured and applied, and are released into the environment with negative impact on human health. Pesticides are largely used in densely populated urban environments, in green zones, along roads and on private properties. In order to characterize the potential exposure related health effects of pesticide and their occurrence in the urban environment, 222 pesticides were screened and quantified in 228 road dust and 156 green-belt soil samples in autumn and spring from Harbin, a megacity in China, using GC-MS/MS base quantitative trace analysis. The results showed that a total of 33 pesticides were detected in road dust and green-belt soil, with the total concentrations of 650 and 236 ng/g (dry weight = dw), respectively. The concentrations of pesticides in road dust were significantly higher than that in green-belt soil. Pesticides in the environment were influenced by the seasons, with the highest concentrations of insecticides in autumn and the highest levels of herbicides in spring. In road dust, the concentrations of highways in autumn and spring (with the mean values of 94.1 and 68.2 ng/g dw) were much lower than that of the other road classes (arterial roads, sub-arterial roads and branch ways). Whereas in the green-belt soil, there was no significant difference in the concentration of pesticides between the different road classes. A first risk assessment was conducted to evaluate the potential adverse health effects of the pesticides, the results showed that the highest hazard index (HI) for a single pesticide in dust and soil was 0.12, the hazard index for children was higher than that for adults, with an overall hazard index of less than 1. Our results indicated that pesticide levels do not have a significant health impact on people.

Seasonal patterns, fate and ecological risk assessment of pharmaceutical compounds in a wastewater treatment plant with Bacillus bio-reactor treatment.

Pharmaceutical compounds (PhCs) pose a growing concern with potential environmental impacts, commonly introduced into the environment via wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The occurrence, removal, and season variations of 60 different classes of PhCs were investigated in the baffled bioreactor (BBR) wastewater treatment process during summer and winter. The concentrations of 60 PhCs were 3400 ± 1600 ng/L in the influent, 2700 ± 930 ng/L in the effluent, and 2400 ± 120 ng/g dw in sludge. Valsartan (Val, 1800 ng/L) was the main contaminant found in the influent, declining to 520 ng/L in the effluent. The grit chamber and BBR tank were substantially conducive to the removal of VAL. Nonetheless, the BBR process showcased variable removal efficiencies across different PhC classes. Sulfadimidine had the highest removal efficiency of 87 ± 17% in the final effluent (water plus solid phase). Contrasting seasonal patterns were observed among PhC classes within BBR process units. The concentrations of many PhCs were higher in summer than in winter, while some macrolide antibiotics exhibited opposing seasonal fluctuations. A thorough mass balance analysis revealed quinolone and sulfonamide antibiotics were primarily eliminated through degradation and transformation in the BBR process. Conversely, 40.2 g/d of macrolide antibiotics was released to the natural aquatic environment via effluent discharge. Gastric acid and anticoagulants, as well as cardiovascular PhCs, primarily experienced removal through sludge adsorption. This study provides valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of PhCs in wastewater treatment, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies to effectively mitigate their release and potential environmental risks.

Methylated derivatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in road dust, green belt soil and parking lot dust: occurrence, spatial distribution and emission sources.

Convenient transportation facilities not only bring the higher standard of living to big cities, but also bring some environmental pollution problems. In order to understand the presence and sources of methylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Me-PAHs) in environmental samples and their association with total organic carbon (TOC), 49 Me-PAHs were analyzed in road dust, green belt soil and parking lot dust samples in Harbin. The results showed that the ranges of the total Me-PAHs (ΣMe-PAHs) content in road dust were 221-5826 ng/g in autumn and 697-7302 ng/g in spring, and those in green belt soil were 170-2509 ng/g and 155-9215 ng/g in autumn and spring, respectively. And ΣMe-PAHs content in parking lot dust ranged from 269 to 2515 ng/g in surface parking lots and from 778 to 10,052 ng/g in underground parking lots. In these samples, the composition profile of Me-PAHs was dominated by 4-ring Me-PAHs. The results of diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that petrogenic and pyrogenic sources were the main sources of Me-PAHs in the samples. Spearman correlation analysis showed that there was no correlation for Me-PAHs in road dust and green belt soil on the same road. Furthermore, there was a significant positive relationship (0.12 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.67, P < 0.05) between Me-PAHs concentrations and the TOC content. This study demonstrated the presence of Me-PAHs with high concentrations in the road environment samples of Harbin.

SIRT2 inhibition attenuates the vasculopathy and vision impairment via Akt signaling in retinopathy of prematurity.

Despite decades of researches, the underlying mechanism of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) remains unclear. The role of Sirt2, which is involved in both angiogenesis and inflammation, both pivotal in ROP, was investigated in an animal model of ROP known as oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). Our study found that Sirt2 was overexpressed and colocalized with microglia in OIR. Furthermore, it demonstrated that the level of Sirt2 was upregulated in hypoxia microglia BV-2 in vitro. Subsequently, our results elucidated that administration of the Sirt2 antagonist AGK2 attenuated the avascular and neovascular area and downregulated the expression of IGF-1. The phosphorylation of Akt and the expression of IGF-1 were upregulated in hypoxia BV-2 and conditional media collected from BV-2 under hypoxia promoted the migration and tube formation of retinal capillary endothelial cells, which were suppressed with AGK2. Notably, our findings are the first to demonstrate the deleterious role of Sirt2 in ROP, as Sirt2 inhibition led to the downregulation of Akt/IGF-1 and ameliorated vasculopathy, ultimately improving visual function. These results suggest that Sirt2 may be a promising therapeutic target for ROP.

Ocean Stratification Impacts on Dissolved Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): From Global Observation to Deep Learning.

Ocean stratification plays a crucial role in many biogeochemical processes of dissolved matter, but our understanding of its impact on widespread organic pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), remains limited. By analyzing dissolved PAHs collected from global oceans and marginal seas, we found different patterns in vertical distributions of PAHs in relation to ocean primary productivity and stratification index. Notably, a significant positive logarithmic relationship (R2 = 0.50, p < 0.05) was observed between the stratification index and the PAH stock. To further investigate the impact of ocean stratification on PAHs, we developed a deep learning neural network model. This model incorporated input variables determining the state of the seawater or the stock of PAHs. The modeled PAH stocks displayed substantial agreement with the observed values (R2 ≥ 0.92), suggesting that intensified stratification could prompt the accumulation of PAHs in the water column. Given the amplified effect of global warming, it is imperative to give more attention to increased ocean stratification and its impact on the environmental fate of organic pollutants.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Marine Atmosphere from the Western Pacific to the Southern Ocean: Spatial Variability, Gas/Particle Partitioning, and Source Apportionment.

The spatial variability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the marine atmosphere contributes to the understanding of the global sources, fate, and impact of this contaminant. Few studies conducted to measure PAHs in the oceanic atmosphere have covered a large scale, especially in the Southern Ocean. In this study, high-volume air samples were taken along a cross-section from China to Antarctica and analyzed for gaseous and particulate PAHs. The data revealed the spatial distribution, gas-particle partitioning, and source contributions of PAHs in the Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans. The median concentration (gaseous + particulate) of ∑24PAHs was 3900 pg/m3 in the Pacific Ocean, 2000 pg/m3 in the Indian Ocean, and 1200 pg/m3 in the Southern Ocean. A clear latitudinal gradient was observed for airborne PAHs from the western Pacific to the Southern Ocean. Back trajectories (BTs) analysis showed that air masses predominantly originated from populated land had significantly higher concentrations of PAHs than those from the oceans or Antarctic continents/islands. The air mass origins and temperature have significant influences on the gas-particle partitioning of PAHs. Source analysis by positive matrix factorization (PMF) showed that the highest contribution to PAHs was from coal combustion emissions (52%), followed by engine combustion emissions (27%) and wood combustion emissions (21%). A higher contribution of PAHs from wood combustion was found in the eastern coastal region of Australia. In contrast, engine combustion emissions primarily influenced the sites in Southeast Asia.

Steady-State Based Model of Airborne Particle/Gas and Settled Dust/Gas Partitioning for Semivolatile Organic Compounds in the Indoor Environment.

Indoor semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), present in the air, airborne particles, settled dust, and other indoor surfaces, can enter the human body through several pathways. Knowing the partitioning between gaseous and particulate phases is important in identifying specific pathway contributions and thereby accurately assessing human exposure. Numerous studies have developed equilibrium equations to predict airborne particle/gas (P/G) partitioning in air (KP) and dust/gas (D/G) partitioning in settled dust (KD). The assumption that P/G and D/G equilibria are instantaneous for airborne and settled dust phases, commonly adopted by current indoor fate models, is not likely valid for compounds with high octanol-air partition coefficients (KOA). Here, we develop steady-state based equations to predict KP and KD in the indoor environment. Results show that these equations perform well and are verified by worldwide monitoring data. It is suggested that instantaneous steady state could work for P/G and D/G partitioning of SVOCs in indoor environments, and the equilibrium is just a special case of the steady state when log KOA < 11.38 for P/G partitioning and log KOA < 10.38 for D/G partitioning. These newly developed equations and methods provide a tool for more accurate assessment for human exposure to SVOCs in the indoor environment.

Temporal-spatial variation, source forensics of PAHs and their derivatives in sediment from Songhua River, Northeastern China.

The distribution patterns and health risk assessment of nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs), hydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs), and regular 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment from the Songhua River in northeastern China were investigated in this research. During dry seasons, concentrations of 16 USEPA priority PAHs, OH-PAHs, and NPAHs were extremely high, with average values of 1220 ± 288, 317 ± 641, 2.54 ± 3.98, and 12.2 ± 22.1 ng/g (dry weight, dw). The dry period level was confirmed to be 4 times greater than the wet period concentration. Modeling with positive matrix factorization (PMF) and estimation of diagnostic isomeric ratios were applied for identifying sources, according to the positive matrix factorization model: vehicle emissions (38.1%), biomass burning (25%), petroleum source (23.4%), and diesel engines source (13.5%) in wet season as well as wood combustion (44.1%), vehicle source (40.2%), coke oven (10.8%), and biomass burning (4.9%) in the dry season. The greatest seasonal variability was attributed to high molecular weight compounds (HMW PAHs). BaP was confirmed to be 81% carcinogenic in this study, which offers convincing proof of the escalating health issues.

Approach to Predicting the Size-Dependent Inhalation Intake of Particulate Novel Brominated Flame Retardants.

The risk of human exposure to particulate novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) in the atmosphere has received increasing attention from scientists and the public, but currently, there is no reliable approach to predict the intake of these compounds on the basis of their size distribution. Here, we develop a reliable approach to predict the size-dependent inhalation intake of particulate NBFRs, based on the gas/particle (G/P) partitioning behavior of the NBFRs. We analyzed the concentrations of eight NBFRs in 363 size-segregated particulate samples and 99 paired samples of gaseous and bulk particles. Using these data, we developed an equation to predict the G/P partitioning quotients of NBFRs in particles in different size ranges (KPi) based on particle size. This equation was then successfully applied to predict the size-dependent inhalation intake of particulate NBFRs in combination with an inhalation exposure model. This new approach provides the first demonstration of the effects of the temperature-dependent octanol-air partitioning coefficient (KOA) and total suspended particle concentration (TSP) on the intake of particulate NBFRs by inhalation. In an illustrative case where TSP = 100 µg m-3, inhalation intake of particulate NBFRs exceeded the intake of gaseous NBFRs when log KOA > 11.4.

Occurrence, removal and mass balance of substituted diphenylamine antioxidants in wastewater treatment plants in Northeast China.

Substituted diphenylamine antioxidants (SDPAs) are additives used in various commodities and are commonly found in environmental samples. However, limited information was available on their fate and removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This paper reports the results on the occurrence and removal efficiency of ten selected SDPAs in six WWTPs equipped with different treatment processes in Northeast China. Quite similar distributions of different SDPA congeners were shown in the studied WWTPs, with ditertoctyl-diphenylamine (C8/C8-DPA), tertbutyl-tertoctyl-diphenylamine (C4/C8-DPA), and tertoctyl-diphenylamine (C8-DPA) being always dominant in the influent, effluent, and sludge (total > 80%). A cyclic activated sludge system combined with a V-shape filter achieved the highest removal efficiencies of SDPAs among various treatment processes. Styrenated-diphenylamine1 (S-DPA1) (96 ± 10%), C8-DPA (95 ± 5.5%), and distyrenated-diphenylamine1 (DS-DPA1) (94 ± 9.3%) showed high and stable removal efficiencies, whereas C4/C8-DPA (85 ± 31%) and C8/C8-DPA (84 ± 62%) showed considerably varied removal efficiencies. Per-day discharges of SDPAs to the receiving environment through effluent and sludge were estimated as 828 ± 350 and 5578 ± 5196 mg, respectively. A median of 85% of the initial mass loadings of SDPAs was found in the sludge samples, suggesting that the observed removal of SDPAs in the WWTPs was caused by their sorption to the sludge, rather than biodegradation/transformation. This work provides an overall description of the occurrence, fate, and mass balance of SDPAs in WWTPs in Northeast China and highlights a new emission route to the environment via WWTPs.

Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Their Methylated Derivatives in Sewage Sludge from Northeastern China: Occurrence, Profiles and Toxicity Evaluation.

This paper assesses the occurrence, distribution, source, and toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and their methylated form (Me-PAHs) in sewage sludge from 10 WWTPs in Northeastern China was noted. The concentrations of ∑PAHs, ∑Me-PAHs ranged from 567 to 5040 and 48.1 to 479 ng.g-1dw, which is greater than the safety limit for sludge in agriculture in China. High and low molecular weight 4 and 2-ring PAHs and Me-PAHs in sludge were prevalent. The flux of sludge PAHs and Me-PAHs released from ten WWTPs, in Heilongjiang province, was calculated to be over 100 kg/year. Principal component analysis (PCA), diagnostic ratios and positive matrix factorization (PMF) determined a similar mixed pyrogenic and petrogenic source of sewage sludge. The average values of Benzo[a]pyrene was below the safe value of 600 ng.g-1 dependent on an incremental lifetime cancer risk ILCR of 10-6. Sludge is an important source for the transfer of pollutants into the environment, such as PAHs and Me-PAHs. Consequently, greater consideration should be given to its widespread occurrence.

Sulforaphane administration alleviates diffuse axonal injury (DAI) via regulation signaling pathway of NRF2 and HO-1.

BACKGROUND: Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) can alleviate diffuse axonal injury (DAI)-induced apoptosis by regulating expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), while sulforaphane (SFN) was shown to reduce oxidative stress by increasing the expression of Nrf2. Therefore, we aimed to investigate therapeutic effect of SFN in the treatment of DAI and the ability of SFN to reduce oxidative stress. METHODS: The 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to observe the effects of H2 O 2 and SFN on cell viability. Fluorometric assay, Western blot analysis, and flow cytometry were conducted to validate the protective role of SFN in an animal model of DAI. In addition, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured in DAI rats treated by SFN, while Western blot, immunohistochemistry assay, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay were carried out to verify the effect of SFN in different animal groups. RESULTS: Cell viability was reduced by H2 O 2 in a dose-dependent manner, while the treatment by SFN significantly promoted cell growth. Meanwhile the administration of SFN effectively reduced the levels of caspase-3/poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activity increased by the H 2 O 2 treatment, indicating that the protective effect of SFN could be mediated by its ability to suppress caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage. In addition, the SFN treatment reduced the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation induced by H 2 O 2 . Moreover, the MDA levels of SOD/GPx activity in various rat groups showed the protective effects of SFN in DAI rats. It is suspected that the protective effect of SFN was exerted via the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. In this study, DAI and DAI + phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) groups also showed the presence of more TUNEL-positive cells compared with the sham-operated group, while the SFN treatment reduced the extent of neuronal apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: By activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and reducing the activity of caspase-3, SFN reduces the apoptosis of neurons in brain trauma-induced DAI.

Fabrication of flexible transparent Ag square-shaped mesh electrode by top-flat nanosecond laser ablation.

We report a facile top-flat square nanosecond (ns) laser direct writing ablation technique in a thin silver film substrate to fabricate the silver square-shaped cell structure of flexible transparent electrodes. Square silver cell structures feature smooth surface morphology, excellent edge definition, mechanical stability, strong adhesion to the substrate, and favorable resistance and transparency. In particular, this strategy enables fabrication of a high square-shaped cell areal density (ablated square cell to the total area) Ag mesh, substantially improving transparency ($ {\gt} {85}\% $>85%) without considerably sacrificing conductivity ($ {\lt} {5}\;\Omega \;{{\rm sq}^{ - 1}}$<5Ωsq-1 unit of resistance). Consequently, the proposed metallic square-shaped structure shows compatibility with a polyethylene naphthalate flexible substrate for silver-based wearable electronic devices without any protective layer over the electrodes.

Seasonal Variations of Heavy Metals in the Soil Around a Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant, South-West Coast of India.

This study focuses on seasonal variations of heavy metals in the soil around a coal fired thermal power plant in Udupi district, which is a densely populated town in the tropical southwest coast of India. This study, pertaining to 48 soil samples, collected during the pre-monsoon, early-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons for one year, reveals that the chemistry of collected soil samples is influenced by non-pedogenic (anthropogenic) sources such as fly-ash deposition from the thermal power plant and vehicular emissions. This was concluded based on grouping of similar behaved elements through correlation-regression analysis. The distance-wise distribution of heavy metals and backward wind-trajectory analysis suggests that pre-monsoon and post-monsoonal samples are more influenced by anthropogenic activities compared to rest of the seasons. This is supported by high concentration of Zn in pre-monsoon (25.21 mg/kg) and post-monsoon (21.32 mg/kg) seasons compared to early-monsoon (17.05 mg/kg) and monsoon (8.60 mg/kg) seasons.

Micro-RNA-143 inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis of thymocytes by targeting CXCL13 in a myasthenia gravis mouse model.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder, affecting the quality of life of millions of people worldwide. The present study aims to determine the relationship between micro-RNA-143 (miR-143) and C-X-C motif chemokine 13 (CXCL13) and whether it influences the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis (MG). Thymus specimens were resected from patients with thymic hyperplasia combined with MG and then infused into normal mouse cavities to establish MG mouse models. Immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, in situ hybridization detection, and Western blot analysis were employed to identify the expression of miR-143 and CXCL13 in MG and normal mice. The obtained thymocytes were cultured in vitro and transfected with a series of miR-143 mimic, miR-143 inhibitor, overexpression of CXCL13, or siRNA against CXCL13. MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] and flow cytometry assays were employed to assess cell viability, cycle entry, and apoptosis of the thymocytes. Dual-luciferase reporter assay provided verification, confirming that CXCL13 was the target gene of miR-143. Low miR-143 expression in the thymus tissues of the MG mice was detected, which presented with a reciprocal relationship with the expression rate of CLCX13. Observations in relation to the interactions between miR-143 mimic or siRNA-CXCL13 exposure showed reduced cell viability, with a greater number of cells arrested at the G0/G1 phase and a greater rate of induced apoptosis. Furthermore, overexpression of CXCL13 rescued miR-143 mimic-induced apoptosis. The findings have identified the potential role of miR-143 as a MG development mediator by targeting CXCL13. The key results obtained provide a promising experimental basis for targeted intervention treatment with miR-143.

High expression of LASS2 is associated with unfavorable prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer.

Homo sapiens longevity assurance homolog 2 of yeast LAG1 (LASS2), is a gene isolated from a human liver complementary DNA library. In this study, we found that LASS2 protein level was positively related to International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and LASS2-negative tumors showed significant association with longer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in ovarian cancer patients. The heterogeneous expression of LASS2 had been exhibited in diverse ovarian cancer cells. A significantly lower messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein level of LASS2 was seen in 3AO cell compared with those in other types of ovarian cancer cells. Meanwhile, the mRNA and protein levels of LASS2 in ES-2 and NIH:OVCAR-3 cells were obviously higher. LASS2 overexpression in 3AO cell could promote migration, invasion, and metastasis abilities in vitro and in vivo, while LASS2 knockdown in ES-2 and NIH:OVCAR-3 cells had the opposite effects. The oncogenic capacity of LASS2 in ovarian cancer may be mediated by increased expression of YAP/TAZ. It is indicated that lowering the expression of LASS2 is likely to serve as an unprecedented approach for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

Low expression of CRISP3 predicts a favorable prognosis in patients with mammary carcinoma.

The discovery of cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 (CRISP3) has been made in human neutrophils for the first time. Cloning of the complementary DNA (cDNA) for CRISP3 was performed from a cDNA library of human bone marrow. In patients with mammary carcinoma, we found that lower expression of CRISP3 was connected to a significantly improved DFS (disease-free survival) and OS (overall survival). Furthermore, the CRISP3 protein level was significantly associated with negative ANXA1 protein level. In addition, the heterogeneous expression of CRISP3 had been exhibited in diverse mammary carcinoma cells. A significant higher mRNA and the protein level of CRISP3 were seen in T-47D as well as SK-BR-3 cells compared with those in other types of mammary carcinoma cells. Knockdown of CRISP3 in T-47D or SK-BR-3 cells resulted in the weakened migration or invasion abilities. Furthermore, CRISP3 knockdown significantly inhibited the ERK1/2 MAPK signaling pathway in T-47D or SK-BR-3 cells. Research results indicated that the lowering in the expression of CRISP3 is likely to serve as an unprecedented approach for the treatment of mammary carcinoma.

Long noncoding RNA nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 impacts cell proliferation, invasion, and migration of glioma through regulating miR-139-5p/ CDK6.

AIMS: We aimed to explore the impact of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) on cell proliferation, invasion, and migration of glioma. METHODS: Differentially expressed genes were screened out from Gene Expression Omnibus data set based on the microarray analysis. The expression levels of lncRNA NEAT1, miR-139-5p, and CDK6 in glioma cells and tissues were examined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and the protein level of CDK6 in glioma cells was determined by western blot and immunohistochemistry. Glioma cell viability, cell cycle, and apoptosis were detected by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) and flow cytometry, respectively, whereas cell invasion and migration were analyzed by transwell assay. The target relationships among NEAT1, miR-139-5p, and CDK6 were confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. The effects of lncRNA NEAT1 on tumor growth were further testified through glioma xenografts in nude mice. RESULTS: LncRNA NEAT1 and CDK6 were highly expressed in glioma tissues and cells, whereas miR-139-5p was lowly expressed. There were target relationships and correlations on expressions between miR-139-5p and NEAT1/ CDK6. NEAT1 and CDK6 could promote cell proliferation and metastasis of glioma cells and impeded cell apoptosis, whereas miR-139-5p exerted suppressive effects on the biological functions of glioma cells. NEAT1 regulated CDK6 to affect glioma growth through sponging miR-139-5p. CONCLUSIONS: LncRNA NEAT1 promotes cell proliferation, invasion, and migration of glioma through regulating miR-139-5p/CDK6 pathway.

Purple sweet potato color attenuated NLRP3 inflammasome by inducing autophagy to delay endothelial senescence.

Autophagy is a vital negative factor regulating cellular senescence. Purple sweet potato color (PSPC), one type of flavonoid, has been demonstrated to suppress endothelial senescence and restore endothelial function in diabetic mice by inhibiting the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine rich repeat and pyrin domain containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. However, the roles of autophagy in the inflammatory response during endothelial senescence are unknown. Here, we found that PSPC augmented autophagy to restrict high-glucose-induced premature endothelial senescence. In addition, PSPC administration impaired endothelium aging in diabetic mice by increasing autophagy. Inhibition of autophagy accelerated endothelial senescence, while enhancement of autophagy delayed senescence. Moreover, deactivation of the NLRP3 inflammasome triggered by PSPC was autophagy-dependent. Autophagy receptor microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 and p62 interacted with the inflammasome component NLRP3, suggesting that autophagosomes target the NLRP3 inflammasome and deliver it to the lysosome for degradation. Altogether, PSPC amplified cellular autophagy, subsequently attenuated NLRP3 inflammasome activity and finally delayed endothelial senescence to ameliorate cardiovascular complication. These results suggest a potential therapeutic target in senescence-related cardiovascular diseases.