Effects of Daily Mean Temperature on Daily Hospital Admissions for Coronary Artery Disease: A Retrospective Study.

Purpose: Temperature changes unfavorably impact on cardiovascular disease. However, the association between temperature changes and coronary artery disease (CAD) is not well documented. This study aimed to explore the association between daily mean temperature and daily CAD hospital admissions on the southeast coast of China (Fuzhou City). Methods: A total of 1883 CAD patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention between 2017 and 2019 were obtained. The severity of CAD was evaluated by the Gensini score. Distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) combined with a quasi-Poisson regression model was used to examine the delayed effect between daily mean temperature and daily CAD hospital admissions. Stratified analyses were performed by Gensini score and severity of lesions. The relative risk (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the relationship. Results: Extreme cold (8°C) (RR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.25-0.99) and moderate cold (10°C) (RR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.31-0.99) daily mean temperature with a lag of 0-20 days were correlated with lower risk of daily CAD hospital admissions. Moderate heat (30°C) (RR=1.80, 95% CI: 1.01-3.20) and extreme heat (32°C) (RR=2.02, 95% CI: 1.01-4.04) daily mean temperature with a lag of 0-20 days related to a higher risk of daily CAD hospital admissions. Similar results were observed for daily mean temperature with a lag of 0-25 days. Stratified analysis showed the lagged effect of daily mean temperature (lag 0, 0-5, 0-15, 0-20, and 0-25 days) on the daily CAD hospital admissions was observed only in patients with a Gensini score ≤39 (tertile 1). Conclusion: Cold temperatures may have a protective effect on daily CAD hospital admissions in the Fuzhou area, whereas hot temperatures can have an adverse effect.

Accelerated cascade melanoma therapy using enzyme-nanozyme-integrated dissolvable polymeric microneedles.

Dissolvable polymeric microneedles (DPMNs) have emerged as a powerful technology for the localized treatment of diseases, such as melanoma. Herein, we fabricated a DPMN patch containing a potent enzyme-nanozyme composite that transforms the upregulated glucose consumption of cancerous cells into lethal reactive oxygen species via a cascade reaction accelerated by endogenous chloride ions and external near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. This was accomplished by combining glucose oxidase (Gox) with a NIR-responsive chloroperoxidase-like copper sulfide (CuS) nanozyme. In contrast with subcutaneous injection, the microneedle system highly localizes the treatment, enhancing nanomedicine uptake by the tumor and reducing its systemic exposure to the kidneys and spleen. NIR irradiation further controls the potency and toxicity of the formulation by thermally disabling Gox. In a mouse melanoma model, this unique combination of photothermal, starvation, and chemodynamic therapies resulted in complete tumor eradication (99.2 ± 0.8 % reduction in tumor volume within 10 d) without producing signs of systemic toxicity. By comparison, other treatment combinations only resulted in a 42-76.5 % reduction in tumor growth. The microneedle patch design is therefore not only highly potent but also with regulated toxicity and improved safety.

Divalent manganese stimulates the removal of nitrate by anaerobic sludge.

This study investigated the effect of different concentrations of Mn2+ on the removal of nitrate by anaerobic sludge and changes in the microbial communities through batch experiments. The results showed that the addition of Mn2+ promoted nitrate removal by anaerobic sludge; the nitrate was completely removed within 6 d in the treatment group with >5 mM Mn2+. With the increase in Mn2+, the concentration of nitrite and nitrous oxide increased in the first 4 d and then decreased to 0 µM after 8 d of incubation. The increasing tendency of ammonium increased firstly and then decreased with the addition of Mn2+ compared to A. Moreover, the Mn2+ removal efficiency gradually decreased with the increase of Mn2+ concentration. The changes of microflora structure in sludge before and after adding Mn2+ were analyzed, and the results revealed that the microbial communities in the sludge may have evolved towards an energy-efficient association of short-cut nitrification, denitrification, and anaerobic ammonia oxidation after adding Mn2+. Mn2+ stimulated the removal of nitrate by anaerobic sludge mainly by promoting the growth of PHOS-HE36.

Construction and Validation of a Nomogram Predicting Depression Risk in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Coronary Stenting: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: To construct and validate a nomogram for predicting depression after acute coronary stent implantation for risk assessment. METHODS: This study included 150 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who underwent stent implantation. Univariate analysis was performed to identify the predictors of postoperative depression among the 24 factors. Subsequently, multivariate logistic regression was performed to incorporate the significant predictors into the prediction model. The model was developed using the "rms" software package in R software, and internal validation was performed using the bootstrap method. RESULTS: Of the 150 patients, 82 developed depressive symptoms after coronary stent implantation, resulting in an incidence of depression of 54.7%. Univariate analysis showed that sleep duration ≥7 h, baseline GAD-7 score, baseline PHQ-9 score, and postoperative GAD-7 score were associated with the occurrence of depression after stenting in ACS patients (all p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that major life events in the past year (OR = 2.783,95%CI: 1.121-6.907, p = 0.027), GAD-7 score after operation (OR = 1.165, 95% CI: 1.275-2.097, p = 0.000), and baseline PHQ-9 score (OR = 3.221, 95%CI: 2.065-5.023, p = 0.000) were significant independent risk factors for ACS patients after stent implantation. Based on these results, a predictive nomogram was constructed. The model demonstrated good prediction ability, with an AUC of 0.857 (95% CI = 0.799-0.916). The correction curve showed a good correlation between the predicted results and the actual results (Brier score = 0.15). The decision curve analysis and prediction model curve had clinical practical value in the threshold probability range of 7 to 94%. CONCLUSIONS: This nomogram can help to predict the incidence of depression and has good clinical application value. This trial is registered with ChiCTR2300071408.

Astragaloside IV regulates TL1A and NF-κB signal pathway to affect inflammation in necrotizing enterocolitis.

AIM: This study aims to explore the possible effect of Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) on necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) neonatal rat models and verify the possible implication of TNF-like ligand 1 A (TL1A) and NF-κB signal pathway. METHODS: NEC neonatal rat models were established through formula feeding, cold/asphyxia stress and Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) gavage method. The appearance, activity and skin as well as the pathological status of rats subjected to NEC modeling were assessed. The intestinal tissues were observed after H&E staining. The expression of oxidative stress biomarkers (SOD, MDA and GSH-Px) and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6) were detected by ELISA and qRT-PCR. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were applied to detect expressions of TL1A and NF-κB signal pathway-related proteins. Cell apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL. RESULTS: NEC neonatal rat models were established successfully, in which TL1A was highly expressed and NF-κB signal pathway was activated, while TL1A and NF-κB signal pathway can be suppressed by AS-IV treatment in NEC rats. Meanwhile, inflammatory response in intestinal tissues was increased in NEC rat models and AS-IV can attenuate inflammatory response in NEC rats through inhibiting TL1A and NF-κb signal pathway. CONCLUSION: AS-IV can inhibit TL1A expression and NF-κb signal pathway to attenuate the inflammatory response in NEC neonatal rat models.

Oral delivery of a highly stable superoxide dismutase as a skin aging inhibitor.

As an effective antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD) has been widely used as a food supplement, cosmetic additive, and therapeutic agent. However, oral delivery of SOD is challenging due to its relative instability, limited bioavailability, and low absorption efficiency in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. We addressed these issues using a highly stable superoxide dismutase (hsSOD) generated from a hot spring microbial sample. This SOD exhibited a specific activity of 5000 IU/mg while retaining its enzymatic activity under low pH environments of an artificial GI system and in the presence of surfactants and various proteolytic enzymes. The inhibitory effects of hsSOD against skin-aging was evaluated under both in vitro and in vivo experiments using fibroblast cell and D-galactose induced aging-mouse models, respectively. Effective oral delivery of hsSOD promises wide applicability in pharmaceutical and food industries.

MicroRNA-640 Inhibition Enhances the Chemosensitivity of Human Glioblastoma Cells to Temozolomide by Targeting Bcl2 Modifying Factor.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant and challenging type of astrocytoma and also notoriously acknowledged as the most common primary brain tumor globally. Currently, chemotherapy is the most master therapy for tumor and is essential in clinical treatment for GBM. Nevertheless, the characterization of chemotherapy resistance seriously hinders clinical chemotherapy treatment. Accordingly, there are imperious demands for the exploitation of novel chemosensitizer to promote the efficacy of chemotherapy. Our current study was conducted to probe into the potential impacts of microRNA (miR)-640 on the chemosensitivity in GBM and the associated underlying mechanism. Initially, TargetScan software was utilized to predict the targeted genes of miR-640, and the target relationship between miR-640 and Bcl-2-modifying factor (BMF) was validated by double luciferase report assay. Additionally, to explore the role of miR-640/BMF in U251 cells, miR-640 inhibitor/BMF-siRNA was used. U251 cells were processed with 100 µM temozolomide (TMZ) and detected with CCK-8 kit. Eventually, RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used for evaluating Bcl-2, Bax mRNA, and protein expression level. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to measure cellular apoptosis. Initially, the results indicated that BMF was the target gene of miR-640. MiR-640 negatively regulated BMF expression in GBM cells. Besides, the findings revealed that miR-640 inhibition significantly inhibited U251 cell proliferation, promoted cell apoptosis, and increased the sensitivity of GBM cells to TMZ by targeting BMF. Moreover, BMF overexpression significantly suppressed U251 cell proliferation, induced cell apoptosis, and increased the sensitivity of GBM cells to TMZ. Inhibition of miR-640 expression enhances chemosensitivity of human GBM cells to TMZ by targeting BMF.

Microfluidic chip interfacing microdialysis and mass spectrometry for in vivo monitoring of nanomedicine pharmacokinetics in real time.

Although liposomes have demonstrated significant clinical success as drug delivery vehicles, pharmacokinetic (PK) profiling of liposomal nanomedicines remains difficult due to technical challenges accurately measuring low concentrations of free drug in complex biological matrices. Microdialysis (MD) is well established as a powerful in vivo sampling tool for PK studies, but non-volatile salts present in the microdialysate are incompatible with mass spectrometry (MS) analysis without tedious sample pre-treatment. To address this issue, a µSPE-based microfluidic chip was fabricated to interface MD with MS. By incorporating PEG 20,000 as an effective anti-foulant, the µSPE-based microfluidic chip demonstrated excellent efficiencies in drug extraction and de-salting of the microdialysate, providing a promising approach to real-time monitoring of nanomedicine PK profiles.

Psychological stress and influencing factors of hospital workers in different periods under the public health background of infectious disease outbreak: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: It is well known that public health emergencies can affect the mental health of medical personnel, and many studies have focused on cross-sectional studies with short-term benefits. The present study aimed to investigate the long-term influence of infectious disease outbreak about the mental health of hospital staff. Methods: The demographic characteristics and mental health status of staff in Fuzhou, China, were analyzed by using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Scale and Depression Screening Scale (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9]) in February and December 2020. Results: There were no significant differences in anxiety levels during different time periods (p > 0.05), but there were significant differences among anxiety level and total score of GAD-7 scale (p < 0.001). There were significant differences among the number of people with depression, depression level, and total score on the PHQ-9 scale (p < 0.001). As the pandemic progressed, total scores of anxiety in medical staff with different titles decreased (p < 0.05), but depression scores in professionals with intermediate and senior titles increased significantly (p < 0.05). changes in anxiety and depression scores during different time periods also changed according to hospital worker specialty. Total scores of anxiety in doctors, nurses, medical technicians, and other staff members all decreased (p < 0.05), while total scores of depression in doctors, nurses, and other staff members significantly increased (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in total depression score among medical technicians (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Since the outbreak of an infectious disease public health emergency, the anxiety of hospital staff has decreased over time, but the depression has increased. The management and psychological support personnel in medical institutions should continue to pay attention to the mental health of medical staff, and it is necessary to take different intervention measures in different periods when implementing the psychological crisis prevention mechanism.

A universal monoclonal antibody-aptamer conjugation strategy for selective non-invasive bioparticle isolation from blood on a regenerative microfluidic platform.

Simultaneous isolation of various circulating tumor cell (CTC) subtypes from whole blood is useful in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Microfluidic affinity separation devices are promising for CTC separation because of their high throughput capacity and automatability. However, current affinity agents, such as antibodies (mAbs) and aptamers (Apts) alone, are still suboptimal for efficient, consistent, and versatile cell analysis. By introducing a hybrid affinity agent, i.e., an aptamer-antibody (Apt-mAb) conjugate, we developed a universal and regenerative microchip with high efficiency and non-invasiveness in the separation and profiling of various CTCs from blood. The Apt-mAb conjugate consists of a monoclonal antibody that specifically binds the target cell receptor and a surface-bound aptamer that recognizes the conserved Fc region of the mAb. The aptamer then indirectly links the surface functionalization of the microfluidic channels to the mAbs. This hybrid affinity agent and the microchip platform may be widely useful for various bio-particle separations in different biological matrices. Further, the regeneration capability of the microchip improves data consistency between multiple uses and minimizes plastic waste while promoting environmental sustainability. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: A hybrid affinity agent, Apt-mAb, consisting of a universal aptamer (Apt) that binds the conserved Fc region of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) was developed. The invented nano-biomaterial combines the strengths and overcomes the weakness of both Apts and mAbs, thus changing the paradigm of affinity separation of cell subtypes. When Apt-mAb was used to fabricate microfluidic chips using a "universal screwdriver" approach, the microchip could be easily tuned to bind any cell type, exhibiting great universality. Besides high sensitivity and selectivity, the superior regenerative capacity of the microchips makes them reusable, which provides improved consistency and repeatability in cell profiling and opens a new approach towards in vitro diagnostic point-of-care testing devices with environmental sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

Combination of azithromycin and methylprednisolone alleviates Mycoplasma pneumoniae induced pneumonia by regulating miR-499a-5p/STAT3 axis.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is a contributing factor to community-acquired pneumonia in children. The present study sought to explain the underlying mechanism of azithromycin (AZM) combined with methylprednisolone (MP) in the treatment of M. pneumoniae infection. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from patients with M. pneumoniae and healthy volunteers for analysis. A549 cells were infected with M. pneumoniae to construct an in vitro cell model with M. pneumoniae, followed by treatment with AZM and MP. Cell Counting Kit-8 and TUNEL assays were conducted to detect cell viability and apoptosis. RT-qPCR was employed to measure the expression levels of microRNA (miR)-499a-5p and STAT3. Western blotting was performed to measure the expression of STAT3 and apoptosis-related proteins. Luciferase report assay was performed to verify the binding site between miR-499a-5p and STAT3. The production of inflammatory cytokines was determined using ELISA kits. The results exhibited the downregulated miR-499a-5p and dysregulated inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood of patients and M. pneumoniae-infected A549 cells. AZM and MP treatment alone or combined significantly inhibited inflammatory response, cell viability loss and promoted apoptosis in A549 cells infected with M. pneumoniae, which was partly reversed by inhibition of miR-499a-5p. Furthermore, miR-499a-5p could negatively regulate its direct target STAT3. In addition, STAT3 is also regulated by AZM and MP. Collectively, the present results suggested that combination treatment of AZM and MP could inhibit M. pneumoniae infection-induced inflammation, cell viability loss and promoted apoptosis partly by regulating miR-499a-5p/STAT3 axis.

Remarkable similarity of molecular packing in crystals of racemic and enantiopure 2-phenylpropionamide: Z' = 4 structures, molecular disorder, and the formation of a partial solid solution.

Substituted acetamides (many of which are chiral) are known to be pharmacologically active. 2-Phenylpropionamide (2PPA) is one of the simplest chiral α-substituted acetamides and thus is of interest as a model compound in the growth and design of pharmaceutical crystals. In this study, the crystal structures of racemic and enantiopure forms of 2PPA were determined for the first time using single crystal X-ray diffraction at 100 K. The relationship between the signs of optical rotation and the absolute configurations is (+)-(S)-2PPA and (-)-(R)-2PPA. Four symmetrically independent molecules with different conformations are observed in crystals of both racemic and enantiopure forms. Remarkably, all forms adopt very similar supramolecular structures, H-bonded corrugated layers, that can be described using a R22(8)R64(16) graph set. The outer surfaces of these layers are built of nonpolar phenyl groups, and their inner structures are composed of H-bonded amide groups. The presence of these layers determines the thin plate shape of 2PPA crystals. Spectroscopically, the racemic and enantiopure forms substantially differ only in the low-frequency Raman region. X-ray diffraction data suggest that the racemic form of 2PPA is a partial solid solution made possible by statistical occupancy of molecular positions by (R)- and (S)-enantiomers.

Roles of VE-Cadherin in Hypoxia Induced Injury of Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Barrier.

BACKGROUND: Hypoxia induced injury of pulmonary microvascular endothelial barrier is closely related to the pathogenesis of acute lung injury after lung transplantation. VE-cadherin is an important structural molecule for pulmonary microvascular endothelial barrier. In this study, we aim to investigate the roles of VE-cadherin in hypoxia induced injury of pulmonary microvascular endothelial barrier. METHODS: Rat model of hypoxia and cultured pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) were utilized. Determination of PMVECs apoptosis, skeleton combination was conducted to verify the effects of hypoxia on injury of pulmonary microvascular endothelial barrier. In addition, VE-cadherin expression was modulated by administration of siRNA in order to investigate the roles of VE-cadherin in hypoxia induced PMVECs apoptosis and skeleton recombination. RESULTS: Our data indicated that expression of VE-cadherin was down-regulated in hypoxia-exposed PMVECs. Whereas, in the cells treated using siRNA, down-regulation of VE-cadherin did not trigger PMVECs apoptosis, but it increased the sensitivity of PMVECs to the hypoxia induced apoptosis. In cases of hypoxia, the expression of VE-cadherin was significantly down-regulated, together with endothelial skeleton recombination and increase of permeability, which then triggered endothelial barrier dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: These data verify that VE-cadherin expression played an important role in hypoxia induced PMVECs apoptosis and cellular skeletal recombination.

Synergistic Multimodal Cancer Therapy Using Glucose Oxidase@CuS Nanocomposites.

Multimodal nanotherapeutic cancer treatments are widely studied but are often limited by their costly and complex syntheses that are not easily scaled up. Herein, a simple formulation of glucose-oxidase-coated CuS nanoparticles was demonstrated to be highly effective for melanoma treatment, acting through a synergistic combination of glucose starvation, photothermal therapy, and synergistic advanced chemodynamic therapy enabled by near-infrared irradiation coupled with Fenton-like reactions that were enhanced by endogenous chloride.

Ni3S2/Ni Heterostructure Nanobelt Arrays as Bifunctional Catalysts for Urea-Rich Wastewater Degradation.

Urea electrolysis is a cost-effective method for urea-rich wastewater degradation to achieve a pollution-free environment. In this work, the Ni3S2/Ni heterostructure nanobelt arrays supported on nickel foam (Ni3S2/Ni/NF) are synthesized for accelerating the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). It only needs ultralow potentials of 1.30 V and -54 mV to achieve the current density of ±10 mA cm-2 for UOR and HER, respectively. Meanwhile, the overall urea oxidation driven by Ni3S2/Ni/NF only needs 1.36 V to achieve 10 mA cm-2, and it can remain at 100 mA cm-2 for 60 h without obvious activity attenuation. The superior performance could be attributed to the heterostructure between Ni3S2 and Ni, which can promote electron transfer and form electron-poor Ni species to optimize urea decomposition and hydrogen production. Moreover, the nanobelt self-supported structure could expose abundant active sites. This work thus provides a feasible and cost-effective strategy for urea-rich wastewater degradation and hydrogen production.

Effect of implementing enhanced recovery after surgery principles in the perioperative period of pediatric inguinal hernia.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the effect of implementing enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) principles in the perioperative period of pediatric inguinal hernia (IH). METHODS: In this prospective study, 98 children undergoing surgery for IH in our hospital were randomly divided into the control group (n=49, routine nursing) and the study group (n=49, nursing care with ERAS principles). The anesthesia recovery period, time from end of surgery to first ambulation and to first anal exhaust, length of hospital stay, mental state before and after the intervention, pain level, incidence of complications, and family satisfaction with the nursing care were compared between the two groups. The recurrence rate of IH within half a year was recorded. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the time from the end of surgery to first ambulation and to first anal exhaust and the length of hospital stay were shorter in the study group (all P<0.05). After the nursing intervention, both groups achieved better scores in mental state and pain level, and the improvement in the study group in mental state and pain level was greater than that in the control group (all P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the study group had higher family satisfaction with the nursing care and lower incidence of complications during hospitalization (both P<0.05). During the half-year follow-up, no recurrence was observed in both groups. CONCLUSION: The implementation of ERAS principles in the perioperative period of pediatric IH can help to relieve postoperative pain, reduce psychological discomfort, reduce the incidence of complications, and promote postoperative recovery in children.

Coupling Interface Constructions of FeNi3-MoO2 Heterostructures for Efficient Urea Oxidation and Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Urea electrolysis has prospects for urea-containing wastewater purification and hydrogen (H2) production, but the shortage of cost-effective catalysts restricts its development. In this work, the tomentum-like FeNi3-MoO2 heterojunction nanosheets array self-supported on nickel foam (NF) as bifunctional catalyst is prepared by facile hydrothermal and annealing method. Only 1.29 V and -50.8 mV is required to obtain ±10 mA cm-2 for urea oxidation and hydrogen evolution reaction (UOR and HER), respectively, showing great bifunctional catalytic activity. For overall urea electrolysis, it only needs 1.37 V to reach 10 mA cm-2 and can last at 100 mA cm-2 for 70 h without obvious activity attenuation, showing outstanding durability. Coupling interface constructions of FeNi3-MoO2 heterostructures, novel morphology with a mesoporous and self-supporting structure could be the reason for this good performance. This work thus proposes a promising catalyst for boosting UOR and HER to realize efficient overall urea electrolysis.

ß-Cyclodextrin-grafted hyaluronic acid as a supramolecular polysaccharide carrier for cell-targeted drug delivery.

ß-Cyclodextrin (ß-CD) was grafted onto hyaluronic acid (HA) in a single step to generate a supramolecular biopolymer (HA-ß-CD) that was explored for targeted drug delivery applications. Along with its excellent biocompatibility, the prepared HA-ß-CD exhibits not only exceptionally high loading capacity for the model drugs doxorubicin and Rhodamine B through the formation of inclusion complexes with the ß-CD component, but also the capability of targeted drug delivery to cancerous cells with a high level of expression of CD44 receptors, attributable to its HA component. The polymer can release the drug under slightly acidic conditions. With all its attributes, HA-ß-CD may be a promising cancer-cell-targeting drug carrier.

MicroRNA-640 promotes cell proliferation and adhesion in glioblastoma by targeting Slit guidance ligand 1.

The effects of microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) on glioblastoma have attracted the attention of researchers in the last 7 years. However, the role of miR-640 and its targeted gene, Slit guidance ligand 1 (SLIT1), in the development of glioblastoma are not yet fully understood. The present study aimed to investigate the role of miR-640 in the proliferation and adhesion of glioblastoma. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis was performed to detect miR-640 and SLIT1 expression in glioblastoma tissues and cells. In addition, the Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA-pull down assays were performed to assess the association between miR-640 and SLIT1. The Cell Counting Kit-8, BrdU ELISA, cell adhesion and caspase-3 activity assays were also performed to assess cell viability, proliferation, adhesion and apoptosis of glioblastoma cells, respectively. The results demonstrated that miR-640 expression was upregulated in glioblastoma tissues and cells. In addition, miR-640 promoted the cell viability, proliferation and adhesion of glioblastoma cells, while inhibiting cell apoptosis. SLIT1, a direct downstream target of miR-640, was demonstrated to be downregulated in glioblastoma tissues and cells. Furthermore, overexpression of SLIT1 attenuated the promotive effect of miR-640 on glioblastoma cells. Taken together, these results suggest that miR-640 accelerates the proliferation and adhesion of glioblastoma cell lines by targeting and suppressing SLIT1.

Improvement in calcified anaerobic granular sludge performance by exogenous acyl-homoserine lactones.

Given the high content of Ca2+ in waste paper recycling wastewater, the anaerobic granular sludge (AnGS) undergoes calcification during wastewater treatment and affects the treatment efficiency. To restore the activity of calcified AnGS and improve the performance of AnGS, four types of N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) were added to the AnGS system while papermaking wastewater treatment. The addition of N-butyryl-DL-homoserine lactone(C4-HSL) and N-octanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL) had an inhibitory affect the COD removal efficiency and SMA of sludge at the inception. The addition of N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL) has no obvious effect on the COD removal efficiency, but can improve the SMA of sludge more obviously. The addition of N-(ß-ketocaproyl)-DL-homoserine lactone (3O-C6-HSL) can increased COD removal efficiency and promoted SMA together obviously. The addition of C6-HSL and 3O-C6-HSL can increase volatile suspended solid (VSS)/total suspended solid (TSS), and regulate extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) secretion in AnGS. Analysis of microbial sequencing revealed changes in the microbial community structure following AHL addition, which enhanced the methane metabolism pathway in sludge. The addition of C6-HSL, C8-HSL, and 3O-C6-HSL increased Methanosaeta population, thus increasing the aceticlastic pathway in sludge. Thus, exogenous AHLs can play an important role in regulating microbial community structure, and in improving the performance of AnGS.