Electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate to ammonia by Pd/In modified Nickel foam electrode in aqueous solution.

Nitrate pollution in surface water and ground water has drawn wide attention, which has brought challenges to human health and natural ecology. Electroreduction of nitrate to NH3 in waste water was a way to turn waste into wealth, which has attracted interest of many researchers. Using Nickel foam as substrate, we prepared Pd/In bimetallic electrode (NF-Pd/In) according to a two-step electrodeposition method. There are many irregularly shaped particles in the size range of 10 nm-100 nm accumulated on the surface of prepared NF-Pd/In electrode, which could supply high specific area and more active sites for nitrate electroreduction. FESEM-EDS, XRD and XPS analysis confirmed the uniform distribution of Pd and In on the surface of prepared NF-Pd/In electrode, with a mass ratio of 4.5/1. Above 96% of 100 mg/L NO3--N was removed and 95% of NH3 selectivity was reached after 5 h of reaction under -1.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl sat. KCl when using 0.05 mol/L of Na2SO4 as electrolyte. High concentration of NaCl (0.05 mol/L) in the test solution dramatically decreased the NH3 selectivity because the produced NH3 could be further oxidized to N2 by the formed HClO from Cl-. EIS tests indicated that the prepared NF-Pd/In electrode showed much lower electrode resistance than NF due to the adsorptive property and electrocatalytic ability for nitrate removal. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that the presence of In could promote the conversion of NO3- to *NO3 during the process of nitrate electroreduction to NH3. Circulating tests demonstrated the stability of prepared NF-Pd/In electrode.

Type-II IFN inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in human lung epithelial cells and ex vivo human lung tissues through indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-mediated pathways.

Interferons (IFNs) are critical for immune defense against pathogens. While type-I and -III IFNs have been reported to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication, the antiviral effect and mechanism of type-II IFN against SARS-CoV-2 remain largely unknown. Here, we evaluate the antiviral activity of type-II IFN (IFNγ) using human lung epithelial cells (Calu3) and ex vivo human lung tissues. In this study, we found that IFNγ suppresses SARS-CoV-2 replication in both Calu3 cells and ex vivo human lung tissues. Moreover, IFNγ treatment does not significantly modulate the expression of SARS-CoV-2 entry-related factors and induces a similar level of pro-inflammatory response in human lung tissues when compared with IFNß treatment. Mechanistically, we show that overexpression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), which is most profoundly induced by IFNγ, substantially restricts the replication of ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and the Alpha and Delta variants. Meanwhile, loss-of-function study reveals that IDO1 knockdown restores SARS-CoV-2 replication restricted by IFNγ in Calu3 cells. We further found that the treatment of l-tryptophan, a substrate of IDO1, partially rescues the IFNγ-mediated inhibitory effect on SARS-CoV-2 replication in both Calu3 cells and ex vivo human lung tissues. Collectively, these results suggest that type-II IFN potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication through IDO1-mediated antiviral response.

Divergent trajectory of replication and intrinsic pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron post-BA.2/5 subvariants in the upper and lower respiratory tract.

BACKGROUND: Earlier Omicron subvariants including BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5 emerged in waves, with a subvariant replacing the previous one every few months. More recently, the post-BA.2/5 subvariants have acquired convergent substitutions in spike that facilitated their escape from humoral immunity and gained ACE2 binding capacity. However, the intrinsic pathogenicity and replication fitness of the evaluated post-BA.2/5 subvariants are not fully understood. METHODS: We systemically investigated the replication fitness and intrinsic pathogenicity of representative post-BA.2/5 subvariants (BL.1, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB.1, CH.1.1, and XBB.1.5) in weanling (3-4 weeks), adult (8-10 weeks), and aged (10-12 months) mice. In addition, to better model Omicron replication in the human nasal epithelium, we further investigated the replication capacity of the post-BA.2/5 subvariants in human primary nasal epithelial cells. FINDINGS: We found that the evaluated post-BA.2/5 subvariants are consistently attenuated in mouse lungs but not in nasal turbinates when compared with their ancestral subvariants BA.2/5. Further investigations in primary human nasal epithelial cells revealed a gained replication fitness of XBB.1 and XBB.1.5 when compared to BA.2 and BA.5.2. INTERPRETATION: Our study revealed that the post-BA.2/5 subvariants are attenuated in lungs while increased in replication fitness in the nasal epithelium, indicating rapid adaptation of the circulating Omicron subvariants in the human populations. FUNDING: The full list of funding can be found at the Acknowledgements section.

Trimethylamine N-oxide Promotes Atherosclerosis by Regulating Low-Density Lipoprotein-Induced Autophagy in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Through PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway.

The research aimed to study the mechanism of how trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) regulates autophagy to promote atherosclerosis (AS). The AS in vitro model was constructed with vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) treated with ox-LDL. The Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) trial was chosen to examine VSMCs' absorbance (OD) value. A transmission electron microscope (TEM) was selected for monitoring autophagosomes. Western blotting (WB) was adopted for examining the expression of Beclin-1, p62, LC3, α-SMA, SM22-α, OPN, PI3K, AKT, mTOR, p-PI3K, p-AKT, and p-mTOR proteins. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was accepted for testing the expression of α-SMA, SM22-α, OPN, PI3K, AKT, mTOR, Beclin-1, p62, and LC3 genes. The transwell assay was employed to examine the ability of migration in VSMCs. Oil red O staining assay was accepted to stain lipid droplets in VSMCs. TMAO noticeably promoted autophagy inhibition and the phenotypic transformation of AS. Protein expressions of p-PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT, p-mTOR/mTOR, and p62 of the TMAO+ox-LDL group were higher than the ox-LDL group, while Beclin-1 and LC3 were lower than the ox-LDL group. Gene expressions of PI3K, AKT, mTOR, and p62 of the TMAO+ox-LDL group were higher than the ox-LDL group, while Beclin-1 and LC3 were lower than the ox-LDL group. The intervention of LY294002 reversed the regulation of the corresponding proteins and genes. The study proved that TMAO could promote autophagy inhibition of AS via activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. It supplied a reliable basis for improving clinical diagnostic methods and developing targeted AS drugs.

Effect of microwave processing on the nutritional properties and allergenic potential of kiwifruit.

Kiwifruit is an excellent source and has highly drawn attention due to its essential nutrients and health benefits. However, kiwifruit can trigger allergenic symptoms and cause health problems worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of microwave processing on the nutritional properties and allergenicity of kiwifruit. Samples were treated with microwave at 75 â„ƒ for 0-5 min. The microstructure, color attributes, allergen (Act d 2) content, in vitro digestibility, and secondary structure of kiwifruit protein were determined. The results found that microwave processing significantly increased the total antioxidant activity by disrupting the microstructure of kiwifruit tissues. The digestibility and peptide content of kiwifruit protein was improved. Whereas a negative effect on the color attributes and sugar content was observed. An 80 % reduction in Act d 2 content was observed after a 5-min microwave treatment. Therefore, microwave processing showed a potential application in reducing kiwifruit allergenicity.

Hormone-Glutamine Metabolism: A Critical Regulatory Axis in Endocrine-Related Cancers.

The endocrine-related cancers and hormones are undoubtedly highly interconnected. How hormones support or repress tumor induction and progression has been extensively profiled. Furthermore, advances in understanding the role of glutamine metabolism in mediating tumorigenesis and development, coupled with these in-depth studies on hormone (e.g., estrogen, progesterone, androgen, prostaglandin, thyroid hormone, and insulin) regulation of glutamine metabolism, have led us to think about the relationship between these three factors, which remains to be elucidated. Accordingly, in this review, we present an updated overview of glutamine metabolism traits and its influence on endocrine oncology, as well as its upstream hormonal regulation. More importantly, this hormone/glutamine metabolism axis may help in the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies for endocrine-related cancer.

Preparing Pd/Sn modified nickel foam electrode for nitrate removal from aqueous solutions.

Nitrate pollution in ground water and surface water has been becoming a worldwide problem that poses a great challenge to steady water ecosystem and human health. Electrochemical reduction is a promising way to remove nitrate from water because of advantages. We prepared Pd/Sn modified nickel foam (NF) electrode according to a two-step electrodeposition method. The prepared NF-Pd/Sn electrode showed a micromorphology like "Karst Fengcong" with peaks, saddles and nadirs intertwined with each other. Pd0 and Sn0 were detected on the NF-Pd/Sn electrode and the mass ratio of Pd/Sn was 4.3/1. The NF-Pd/Sn electrode showed the highest reaction rate (kobs: 0.543 h-1) and removal efficiency (94%) under the condition of 100 mg N/L, 0.05 mol/L Na2SO4 and -1.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl sat. KCl. The highest N2-selectivity (100%) was reached under the condition of 100 mg N/L, 0.05 mol/L NaCl and -1.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl sat. KCl. The microstructure of NF-Pd/Sn electrode like "Karst Fengcong" could provide large specific surface area and more active sites for nitrate adsorption and electrocatalytic reduction in aqueous solution. The adsorption and the reduction reaction of nitrate on the surface of NF-Pd/Sn could increase the electric current response in the test system.

Coronaviruses exploit a host cysteine-aspartic protease for replication.

Highly pathogenic coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (refs. 1,2) (SARS-CoV-2), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus3 (MERS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-1 (ref. 4), vary in their transmissibility and pathogenicity. However, infection by all three viruses results in substantial apoptosis in cell culture5-7 and in patient tissues8-10, suggesting a potential link between apoptosis and pathogenesis of coronaviruses. Here we show that caspase-6, a cysteine-aspartic protease of the apoptosis cascade, serves as an important host factor for efficient coronavirus replication. We demonstrate that caspase-6 cleaves coronavirus nucleocapsid proteins, generating fragments that serve as interferon antagonists, thus facilitating virus replication. Inhibition of caspase-6 substantially attenuates lung pathology and body weight loss in golden Syrian hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2 and improves the survival of mice expressing human DPP4 that are infected with mouse-adapted MERS-CoV. Our study reveals how coronaviruses exploit a component of the host apoptosis cascade to facilitate virus replication.

Preparing porous Cu/Pd electrode on nickel foam using hydrogen bubbles dynamic template for high-efficiency and high-stability removal of nitrate from water.

Electrochemical reduction is a promising technology to remove nitrate from water. The metallic composition and geometry of electrodes usually dominate the nitrate removal property. Based on nickel foam (NF), we prepared Cu/Pd bimetallic electrode using hydrogen bubbles dynamic template according to a two-step electrodeposition method (Pd after Cu). The micromorphology, crystal structure, and metallic composition were analyzed by using the field emission scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy (FESEM-EDS), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) instruments, respectively. 4.4 mg of Cu and 1.4 mg of Pd were detected on the prepared Cu/Pd electrode. The micromorphology of prepared Cu/Pd electrode showed a grape-bunch look with porous structure of two stage sizes (100-500 nm and 200-300 µm). 98% of the initial NO3--N (100 mg/L) was removed under the potential of - 1.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl saturated KCl after 24 h of reaction when using 0.05 mol/L of Na2SO4 or NaCl as electrolyte. But the concentration of produced NH4+-N was higher than 80 mg/L when using Na2SO4 as electrolyte, which was close to 0 mg/L when using NaCl as electrolyte. The cyclic voltammetry curves of 1000 cycles and the long-term continuous flow test of about 200 h suggested that the prepared Cu/Pd electrode showed high stability for nitrate removal from water.

Amlodipine removal via peroxymonosulfate activated by carbon nanotubes/cobalt oxide (CNTs/Co3O4) in water.

Amlodipine (AML) is an effective drug that has been widely used for hypertension and angina. However, AML is frequently detected in aqueous environments, posing potential risks to human and ecological health. In this study, the degradation of AML via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activated by CNTs/Co3O4 was investigated. CNTs/Co3O4 was prepared via a facile method, and multiple characterizations suggested that Co3O4 were uniformly dispersed on the surface of MWCNTs-COOH. Experimental results indicated that complete removal of 10 µM AML was achieved within 30 min by using 2 mg/L CNTs/Co3O4 and 4 µM PMS at 25 °C in PBS buffered solution (pH 7.0). The observed pseudo-first-order rate constant was calculated to be 0.1369 min-1. Interestingly, the presence of 100 mM Cl- resulted in a slight enhancement of AML removal rate from 0.0528 to 0.0642 min-1. The addition of 100 mM HCO3-, 5 mg/L Pony Lake fulvic acid (PLFA), or Suwannee River humic acid (SRHA) retarded AML degradation by 15.5, 0.7, and 1.6 times, respectively. As per the quenching experiments, SO4⦁- rather than ⦁OH were verified to be the dominant reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, ten major intermediates were identified using TOF-LC-MS and three associated reaction pathways including ether bond broken, H-abstraction, and hydroxylation were proposed. We outlook these findings to advance the feasibility of organic contaminants removal via CNTs/Co3O4 + PMS systems that have extremely low-level PMS.

Identification, Characterization, and Antioxidant Potential of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum Strains Isolated From Feces of Healthy Infants.

Increasing evidence has indicated that oxidative stress is associated with the health of infants. Bifidobacterium, especially B. longum subsp. longum strains, are abundant in the gut microbiota of infants, which may have the potential to ameliorate oxidative damage. Thus, this study aimed to isolate and screen B. longum subsp. longum strains with probiotic characters and antioxidant properties as infants' dietary supplements. In this study, 24 B. longum subsp. longum strains were isolated from 15 healthy infants identified via 16S rRNA and heat shock protein 60 (hsp60) sequences. B. longum subsp. longum B13, F2, K4, K5, K10, K13, and K15 strains were selected based on high values obtained from autoaggregation, hydrophobicity, and adhesion assays to HT-29 cells. Among these seven strains, B. longum subsp. longum F2, K5, K10, and K15 were selected according to the high tolerance of gastrointestinal tract conditions compared to Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12. Among these four strains, B. longum subsp. longum K5 was susceptible to common antibiotics and showed the highest intestinal epithelial cell proliferation of CCD 841 CoN. Additionally, B. longum subsp. longum K5 showed a strong antioxidant capacity, and its supernatant exhibited better activity of reducing power, hydroxyl radical scavenging, and DPPH radical scavenging than that of the intact cells with cell-free extracts. The findings indicated that B. longum subsp. longum K5 could be used as a probiotic candidate in infant nutrition.

Gut microbiota modulation and anti-inflammatory properties of mixed lactobacilli in dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in mice.

Correlations between gut microbiota activities and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment are gaining research interest. In our previous study, Lactobacillus acidophilus KLDS 1.0901, Lactobacillus helveticus KLDS 1.8701, and Lactobacillus plantarum KLDS 1.0318 showed antibacterial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory activities. In the current study, we evaluated the effects of three tested strains and their mixture on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in C57BL/6J mice. The three tested strains and their mixture significantly decreased the disease activity index (DAI), colon shortening, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Additionally, the three tested strains and their mixture improved the histological damage, increased the colonic mucous layer integrity, and exhibited lower levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), while up-regulating colonic anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 levels, tight junction proteins (E-cadherin, zonulae occludens (ZO)-1, occludin and claudin-1) and mucin (MUC1 and MUC2) mRNA expressions to some extent. In addition, mixed lactobacilli showed better anti-inflammatory effects than single-strain treatment. Our study further revealed that mixed lactobacilli increased bacterial diversity and improved gut microbiota composition, increasing short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. These results indicated that mixed lactobacilli supplementation could attenuate DSS-induced colitis by modulating the gut microbiota and repairing the intestinal barrier, which provided a scientific basis for its clinical application in the future.

The effect of different modes of microneedling technique on random flap survival in rats.

OBJECTIVE: The investigation and practice of physical therapy in flap surgery are still scare. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of different microneedling interventions on survival of random pattern flaps in rats, attempting to determine the optimal microneedling protocols for improvement of flap survival. METHODS: Eighty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, with 20 in each group (group A, B, C, and D). A 3 cm × 9 cm rectangular random flap as the McFarlane flap was adopted in each group. In groups A and B, microneedling treatment was performed before and after surgery, respectively. While animals in group C were received both pre- and postoperative microneedling treatment. Group D was used as a control group, which was only exposed to surgery. Flap survival, flap blood flow, number of capillary formations, the expressions of CD31, CD34, HIF-1α, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were detected in each group and compared. RESULTS: On the 7th day postoperatively, significant improvements with microneedling treatment were found in flap survival rate (p = 0.007), blood flow (p = 0.024), the expression levels of CD34 (p = 0.005), and the VEGF (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the VEGF expression level was significantly higher in group B when compared with the other three groups (all p < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in the number of new blood vessels and other immunohistochemical indicators among the four groups (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Microneedling treatment especially postoperative intervention can significantly improve the survival of random flaps in rats.

Insight on Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Endometrial Receptivity.

Endometrial receptivity plays a crucial role in fertilization as well as pregnancy outcome in patients faced with fertility challenges. The optimization of endometrial receptivity may help with normal implantation of the embryo, and endometrial receptivity may be affected by numerous factors. Recently, the role of lipids in pregnancy has been increasingly recognized. Fatty acids and their metabolites may be involved in all stages of pregnancy and play a role in supporting cell proliferation and development, participating in cell signaling and regulating cell function. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, in particular, are essential fatty acids for the human body that can affect the receptivity of the endometrium through in a variety of methods, such as producing prostaglandins, estrogen and progesterone, among others. Additionally, polyunsaturated fatty acids are also involved in immunity and the regulation of endometrial decidualization. Fatty acids are essential for fetal placental growth and development. The interrelationship of polyunsaturated fatty acids with these substances and how they may affect endometrial receptivity will be reviewed in this article.

Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus KLDS1.0901 on Proliferation and Apoptosis of Colon Cancer Cells.

Colon cancer is the most common type of malignant tumor. The cytotoxicity effect of lactic acid bacteria may be active by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, producing anticancer compounds, and inducing apoptosis in cancer cells, but the mechanism is unclear. Our previous study revealed that Lactobacillus acidophilus KLDS1.0901 has good probiotic properties. In this study, We screened out the highest inhibition rate of L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 and assessed the effects on the proliferation of HT-29, Caco-2, and IEC-6 cells. Then, the apoptosis mechanism of HT-29 cells was studied when treated with L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901. Results showed that L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 inhibited the proliferation of HT-29 and Caco-2 cells in a dose-dependent manner and reached the maximum under the condition of multiplicity of infection (MOI) = 100 (rate of Lactobacillus to cells) at 48 h. With the increase in time and MOI, reactive oxygen species in HT-29 cells, the apoptosis rates of HT-29 cells were increased, and the amount of blue fluorescence of the cells was also increased after Hoechst 33258 staining. Furthermore, L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential of HT-29 cells. Notably, 1,133 differentially expressed genes were screened by transcriptomics research, including 531 up-regulated genes and 602 down-regulated genes. These genes were involved in the nuclear factor κB and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways related to the apoptosis of HT-29 cells. These findings suggested that L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 has the potential to be used in the development of a new type of functional foods for adjuvant treatment of colon cancer.

Risk Factors Associated With Postoperative Recurrence in Patients With Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor of the Hand: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Identification of risk factors for recurrence of tenosynovial giant cell tumors of the hand is crucial to provide adequate preoperative counseling and tailor surgical treatment. However, the risk factors are still controversial, which are the subject of this research.Recently, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of 135 consecutive patients with giant cell tumors of the tendon sheath of the hand from January 2010 to July 2016. All patients underwent surgical excision, received necessary imaging examinations, and had routine follow-up and thus were identified as those who had recurrence by confirmation of reoperation, and the duration ranged from 24 to 103 months (mean, 53.5 ± 21.4 months). There were 14 local recurrences (10.4%) within 6 to 24 months, respectively, after surgery. Data pertaining to sex, age, tumor sites, tumor size, tumor number, course of disease, bone erosion, tumor growth patterns, anesthesia mode, and the surgeon's experience were all extracted, and Cox regression models were used to estimate recurrence rate with adjustment for potential confounders.According to the Cox regression analysis, the recurrence rate after surgery was significantly higher in patients with a diffused form than in those with a localized one (P = 0.001); in addition, patients with 2 or more tumors had a much higher postoperative recurrence rate than did those with only 1 tumor (P = 0.023).This study suggested that the recurrence rate of tenosynovial giant cell tumors of the hand was closely related to the tumor number and tumor growth patterns.

Upregulation of MGP by HOXC8 promotes the proliferation, migration, and EMT processes of triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype which accounts for 15%-20% of all breast cancer cases. The management of TNBC has remained a challenge due to its lack of targeted therapy. Previously, we reported that homeobox C8 (HOXC8) was involved in metastasis and migration of breast cancer cells. By chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase assays, we found that HOXC8 functioned as a transcription factor to activate the transcription of matrix Gla protein (MGP) gene, leading to an increase in the proliferation, anchorage-independent growth, and migration of TNBC cells. We further demonstrated that MGP expression promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of TNBC cells, but not the other subtypes of breast cancer, suggesting that MGP induced EMT to promote proliferation and migration of TNBC cells. Moreover, we found that MGP was upregulated in clinical breast specimens compared to normal breast tissues and high MGP expression was statistically associated with poor, relapse-free survival for TNBC patients, indicating that MGP is probably a novel biomarker or therapeutic target for TNBC patients. Together, our results showed that the HOXC8-MGP axis played an important role in the tumorigenesis of TNBC and might be a promising therapeutic target for TNBC treatment.

Homeobox C8 is a transcriptional repressor of E-cadherin gene expression in non-small cell lung cancer.

Loss of E-cadherin expression is a hallmark of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tumor progression. Because previous findings suggested that homeobox C8 (HOXC8) promotes EMT in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we investigated whether E-cadherin is a target of HOXC8 protein. In this study, we report that HOXC8 binds to the E-cadherin promoter and acts as a transcriptional repressor to regulate E-cadherin transcription in NSCLC. We further show that loss of E-cadherin leads to an increase in anchorage-independent growth and migration of NSCLC cells, and the inhibitory effects mediated by HOXC8 knockdown can be largely rescued by reduction of E-cadherin expression, suggesting that the HOXC8-E-cadherin pathway is involved in lung cancer progression. Moreover, analysis of E-cadherin and HOXC8 expression indicates that expression of HOXC8 is strongly correlated with loss of E-cadherin expression, and high HOXC8 / low E-cadherin expression is significantly correlated with poor survival for lung cancer patients. Taken together, these data indicate that E-cadherin is a target gene of HOXC8 and that the loss of E-cadherin promotes the growth and migration of NSCLC.

Simultaneous removal of nitrate/phosphate with bimetallic nanoparticles of Fe coupled with copper or nickel supported on chelating resin.

Given the prevalence of nitrate and phosphate in surface and groundwater, it is important to develop technology for the simultaneous removal of nitrate and phosphate. In this study, we prepared the bimetallic nanoparticles of Fe coupled with copper or nickel supported on chelating resin DOW 3N (D-Fe/Ni and D-Fe/Cu) for removing nitrate and phosphate simultaneously. XPS profiles revealed that Cu has better ability than Ni to increase the stability of Fe nanoparticles and prevent nZVI from oxidation. The results showed that nitrate removal efficiencies by D-Fe/Ni and D-Fe/Cu were 98.7% and 95.5%, respectively and the phosphate removal efficiencies of D-Fe/Cu and D-Fe/Ni were 99.0% and 93.0%, respectively. Besides adsorption and coprecipitation as reported in previous studies, the mechanism of phosphate removal also includes the adsorption of the newly formed polymeric ligand exchanger (PLE). Moreover, in previous studies, the presence of phosphate had significant negative effects on the reduction of nitrate. However, in this study, the removal efficiency of nitrate was less affected with the increasing concentration of phosphate for D-Fe/Cu. This was mainly because D-Fe/Cu had higher adsorption capacity of phosphate due to the newly formed PLE according to the XPS depth profile analysis.

Treatment of Intraosseous Ganglion Cyst of the Lunate: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: Intraosseous ganglion cyst (IGC) is a rare disease, particularly in lunate. The objective of this study was to summarize current knowledge on the treatment of IGC of the lunate, through a literature review, to provide a therapeutic strategy for this rare disease. METHODS: The PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Science Direct database were searched with a set of predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Manual searches for references were performed to find potential relevant studies. The authors extracted data from the articles selected. RESULTS: Different treatment modalities of IGC of the lunate were described, all of which were divided into 3 categories: conservative treatment, classical surgical procedures, and novel surgical procedures. An overview on the main treatment modalities for IGC of the lunate was provided. CONCLUSIONS: Conservative treatments can be the doctors' first choice for patients with IGC. Surgical procedure is advised when conservative treatment fails. Traditional surgical curettage with autologous bone grafting is the mainstay of treatment with satisfactory outcomes; however, novel surgical techniques like arthroscopically assisted minimally invasive technique or filling with bone cement are considered as more promising attempts with less trauma and shorter recovery period. Nonetheless, studies with high levels of evidence are guaranteed for developing widely accepted clinical treatment guidelines.