Sb/As immobilization and soil function improvement under the combined remediation strategy of modified biochar and Sb-oxidizing bacteria at a smelting site.

Antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) lead to soil pollution and structural degradation at Sb smelting sites. However, most sites focus solely on Sb/As immobilization, neglecting the restoration of soil functionality. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of Fe/H2O2 modified biochar (Fe@H2O2-BC) and Sb-oxidizing bacteria (Bacillus sp. S3) in immobilizing Sb/As and enhancing soil functional resilience at an Sb smelting site. Over a twelve-month period, the leaching toxicity of As and Sb was reduced to 0.05 and 0.005 mg L-1 (GB3838-2002) respectively, with 1% (w/w) Fe@H2O2-BC and 2% (v/v) Bacillus sp. S3 solution. Compared to CK, the combination of Fe@H2O2-BC and Bacillus sp. S3 significantly reduced the bioavailable As/Sb by 98.00%/93.52%, whilst increasing residual As and reducible Sb fractions by 210.31% and 96.51%, respectively. The combined application generally improved soil aggregate structure, pore characteristics, and water-holding capacity. Fe@H2O2-BC served as a pH buffer and long-term reservoir of organic carbon, changing the availability of carbon substrates to bacteria. The inoculation of Bacillus sp. S3 facilitated the transformation of Sb(III)/As(III) to Sb(V)/As(V) and differentiated the composition and functional roles of bacterial communities in soils. The combination increased the abundance of soil saprotrophs by 164.20%, whilst improving the relative abundance of N- and S-cycling bacteria according to FUNGuild and FAPROTAX analysis. These results revealed that the integrated application was instrumental in As/Sb detoxification/immobilization and soil function restoration, which demonstrating a promising microbially-driven ecological restoration strategy at Sb smelting sites.

Knowledge mapping of digital medicine in cardiovascular diseases from 2004 to 2022: A bibliometric analysis.

Objective: To review studies on digital medicine in cardiovascular diseases (CVD), discuss its development process, knowledge structure and research hotspots, and provide a perspective for researchers in this field. Methods: The relevant literature in recent 20 years (January 2004 to October 2022) were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). CiteSpace was used to demonstrate our knowledge of keywords, co-references and speculative frontiers. VOSviewer was used to chart the contributions of authors, institutions and countries and incorporates their link strength into the table. Results: A total of 5265 English articles in set timespan were included. The number of publications increased steadily annually. The United States (US) produced the highest number of publications, followed by England. Most publications were from Harvard Medicine School, followed by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham Women's Hospital. The most authoritative academic journal was JMIR mHealth and uHealth. Noseworthy PA may have the highest influence in this intersected field with the highest number of citations and total link strength. The utilization of wearable mobile devices in the context of CVD, encompassing the identification of risk factors, diagnosis and prevention of diseases, as well as early intervention and remote management of diseases, has been widely acknowledged as a knowledge base and an area of current interest. To investigate the impact of various digital medicine interventions on chronic care and assess their clinical effectiveness, examine the potential of machine learning (ML) in delivering clinical care for atrial fibrillation (AF) and identifying early disease risk factors, as well as explore the development of disease prediction models using neural networks (NNs), ML and unsupervised learning in CVD prognosis, may emerge as future trends and areas of focus. Conclusion: Recently, there has been a significant surge of interest in the investigation of digital medicine in CVD. This initial bibliometric study offers a comprehensive analysis of the research landscape pertaining to digital medicine in CVD, thereby furnishing related scholars with a dependable reference to facilitate further progress in this domain.

Using Fe/H2O2-modified biochar to realize field-scale Sb/As stabilization and soil structure improvement in an Sb smelting site.

Antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) released from the Sb smelting activities pose a major environmental risk and ecological degradation in Sb smelting sites. Here the effects of Fe/H2O2 modified biochar (Fe@H2O2-BC) on the synchronous stabilization of Sb/As and the improvement of soil structure in a typical Sb smelting site in Southern China based on a 1-year field experiment were studied. Application of ≥1 % (w/w) Fe@H2O2-BC could stably decrease the leaching concentrations of Sb and As of the polluted soils to Environmental quality standards for surface water Chinese Level III (GB3838-2002). Compared to the untreated soils, the stabilization efficiency of soil Sb and As treated by Fe@H2O2-BC reached 90.7 % ~ 95.7 % and 89.6 % ~ 90.8 %, respectively. The residue fractions of Sb/As in the soils increased obviously, and the bio-availability of Sb/As decreased by 65.0-95.6 % and 91.1-96.0 %, respectively. Moreover, Fe@H2O2-BC addition elevated soil organic carbon content, increased soil porosity, and improved water retention capacity, indicating the positive effects on soil structure and functions. Advanced mineral identification and characterization systems showed that Sb/As usually occurred in Fe-bearing minerals and stabilized by surface complexation and co-precipitation. The findings demonstrated that 1 % (w/w) Fe@H2O2-BC was appropriate to Sb/As stabilization and soil function recovery following field conditions, which provided potential application for ecological restoration in Sb smelting sites.

Effect and possible mechanisms of saponins in Chinese herbal medicine exerts for the treatment of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in experimental animal: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Preventing ischemia-reperfusion injury is the main direction of myocardial infarction treatment in the convalescent stage. Some studies have suggested that saponins in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparations can protect the myocardium by various mechanisms. Our meta-analysis aims to evaluate the efficacy of TCM saponins in treating myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) and to summarize the potential molecular mechanisms further. Methods: We conducted a literature search in six electronic databases [Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Sinomed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI)] until October 2022. Results: Seventeen eligible studies included 386 animals (254 received saponins and 132 received vehicles). The random effect model is used to calculate the combined effect. The effect size is expressed as the weighted average difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Compared with placebo, saponins preconditioning reduced infarct size after MIRI significantly (WMD: -3.60,95% CI: -4.45 to -2.74, P < 0.01, I2: 84.7%, P < 0.001), and significantly increased EF (WMD: 3.119, 95% CI: 2.165 to 4.082, P < 0.01, I2: 82.9%, P < 0.0 L) and FS (WMD: 3.157, 95% CI: 2.218 to 4.097, P < 0.001, I2: 81.3%, P < 0.001). Discussion: The results show that the pre-administration of saponins from TCM has a significant protective effect on MIRI in preclinical studies, which provides an application prospect for developing anti-MIRI drugs with high efficiency and low toxicity.

AKT2-mediated nuclear deformation leads to genome instability during epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Nuclear deformation has been observed in some cancer cells for decades, but its underlying mechanism and biological significance remain elusive. To address these questions, we employed human lung cancer A549 cell line as a model in context with transforming growth factor ß (TGFß)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Here, we report that nuclear deformation induced by TGFß is concomitant with increased phosphorylation of lamin A at Ser390, defective nuclear lamina and genome instability. AKT2 and Smad3 serve as the downstream effectors for TGFß to induce nuclear deformation. AKT2 directly phosphorylates lamin A at Ser390, whereas Smad3 is required for AKT2 activation upon TGFß stimulation. Expression of the lamin A mutant with a substitution of Ser390 to Ala or suppression of AKT2 or Smad3 prevents nuclear deformation and genome instability induced by TGFß. These findings reveal a molecular mechanism for TGFß-induced nuclear deformation and establish a role of nuclear deformation in genome instability during epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Spatial distribution, environmental risks, and sources of potentially toxic elements in soils from a typical abandoned antimony smelting site.

The rapid development of the smelting industry increases the release of antimony (Sb) into the soil environment, which threatens human health and ecosystems. A total of 87 samples were collected from an abandoned Sb smelting site to evaluate pollution characteristics and environmental risks of the potentially toxic elements (PTEs). The contents of As, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Zn in the fresh soils determined by P-XRF were 131, 120, 60, 145, 240, and 154 mg/kg, respectively, whilst following drying, grinding, and sieving pretreatments, the corresponding contents increased to 367, 179, 145, 295, 479, and 276 mg/kg, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the data obtained by P-XRF and ICP-OES in the treated samples, which showed the application feasibility of P-XRF. The average contents of Sb and As were 440.6 and 411.6 mg/kg, respectively, which exceeded the control values of the development land in GB 36600-2018. The ecological risk levels of the six PTEs decreased in the following order: As > Sb > Pb > Zn > Ni > Cu. Non-carcinogenic risk revealed that As, Pb, and Sb posed health risks for children, whilst for carcinogenic risk, the risk values for As and Ni were higher than the limit values for both children and adults. Anthropogenic sources accounted for more than 70.0% of As, Pb, and Sb concentrations in soils, indicating a significant influence on PTEs accumulation. The findings provide a basis for quick determination of the contamination characteristics and risk control of PTEs at Sb smelting sites.

Loss of cell-cell adhesion triggers cell migration through Rac1-dependent ROS generation.

Epithelial cells usually trigger their "migratory machinery" upon loss of adhesion to their neighbors. This default is important for both physiological (e.g., wound healing) and pathological (e.g., tumor metastasis) processes. However, the underlying mechanism for such a default remains unclear. In this study, we used the human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) SAS cells as a model and found that loss of cell-cell adhesion induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and vimentin expression, both of which were required for SAS cell migration upon loss of cell-cell adhesion. We demonstrated that Tiam1-mediated Rac1 activation was responsible for the ROS generation through NADPH-dependent oxidases. Moreover, the ROS-Src-STAT3 signaling pathway that led to vimentin expression was important for SAS cell migration. The activation of ROS, Src, and STAT3 was also detected in tumor biopsies from HNSCC patients. Notably, activated STAT3 was more abundant at the tumor invasive front and correlated with metastatic progression of HNSCC. Together, our results unveil a mechanism of how cells trigger their migration upon loss of cell-cell adhesion and highlight an important role of the ROS-Src-STAT3 signaling pathway in the progression of HNSCC.

Atypical Takotsubo cardiomyopathy presenting as acute coronary syndrome: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TS) is a rare acute cardiac disease with clinical features, symptoms, and electrocardiographic manifestations similar to those of acute myocardial infarction. We present the case of a patient with TS caused by a pheochromocytoma, which was confirmed by the postoperative pathology. Furthermore, we present the patient's subsequent management, treatment, and outcome. CASE SUMMARY: A 64-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with episodic chest pain and palpitations, electrocardiogram (ECG) findings suggestive of high lateral wall myocardial infarction, echocardiogram showing left ventricular wall segmental motion abnormalities, and elevated levels of the myocardial marker troponin. The patient underwent coronary angiography, which revealed unobstructed blood flow without obvious stenosis. During their hospitalization, the patient had paroxysmal elevation of blood pressure accompanied by palpitations and profuse sweating, with elevated blood catecholamine levels during seizures. Subsequent computerized tomography of the adrenal glands revealed the presence of a nodule in the right adrenal, which was resected and determined to be an adrenal pheochromocytoma. Therefore, the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma-induced atypical TS was made. The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery. CONCLUSION: Cardiologists should consider pheochromocytoma in patients with TS. Early detection allows timely intervention, benefiting patients.

Seed Vigour and Morphological and Physiological Characteristics of Epimedium brevicornu Maxim: In Different Stages of Seed Development.

Epimedium brevicornu Maxim is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant with important value for curing several diseases, including liver cancer. Seed germination, field seedling emergence, and morphological and physiological traits were measured in developing seeds of E. brevicornu, which were collected at 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days after flowering. The results showed that with the fruit pericarp changing from lime green to dark red, the seed volume increased. Furthermore, the dry mass of seeds gradually increased from 0.011 g at 7 d to 0.275 g at 35 d, which was a significantly positive correlation with seed vigour (r = 0.980). The soluble protein content initially increased and then decreased to 11.09 mg/g and presented a maximum at 28 d; however, the soluble sugar content gradually declined to a minimum of 30.45 mg/g at 35 d, which was also significantly negatively correlated with seed vigour (r = -0.915). Furthermore, the unsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid and linoleic acid) increase with seed development. Abscisic acid (ABA) reached a maximum value of 18.45 ng/g at 28 d, and gibberellin (GA3), 3-Indoleacetic acid (IAA) and zeatin-riboside (ZR) initially increased and then decreased. These results suggest that the vigour of E. brevicornu seeds is closely associated with their stage of development, with the highest vigour observed at 28~35 d after flowering.

Insights into variations on dissolved organic matter of bauxite residue during soil-formation processes following 2-year column simulation.

Bauxite residue, an industrial alkaline solid waste, has a low organic carbon content which hinders plant growth. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) drives many biogeochemical processes including carbon storage and soil formation in soils. Input of exogenous organic materials may provide organic carbon and accelerate soil formation processes in bauxite residue. However, the potential effects of ameliorants on the quantity and quality of DOM in bauxite residue are still poorly understood. Here, the integration of ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectra, fluorescence spectra, and parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis were used to investigate the vertical characteristics of DOM in bauxite residue treated by PV (the combined addition of 2% phosphogypsum and 4% vermicompost, w/w) and BS (6% w/w including 4% bagasse and 2% bran) with 2-year column experiments. The content of DOM in untreated residues ranged from 0.064 to 0.096 g/kg, whilst higher contents of DOM were observed in PV (0.13 g/kg) and BS (0.26 g/kg) treatment. Meanwhile, with the increase of residue depth, the aromaticity and hydrophobic components of DOM in residue decreased, which indicated that the degree of humification of the treated residues in the upper layer was higher than that in the lower layer. Compared with BR, BS and PV treatment accumulated the related content of fulvic acid-like substance from 36.14% to 71.33% and 74.86%, respectively. The incorporation of vermicompost and biosolids increased the content of humic-like substances, whilst decreasing the content of protein-like substances in the surface layer, which may be due to the enrichment of the microbial community. During soil formation processes, the application of organic amendments reduced both salinity and alkalinity, enhanced microbial community diversity, and changed the quantity and quality of DOM in bauxite residue. These findings improve our understanding of the dynamics of DOM and response of DOM to soil formation processes in bauxite residue.

Influence of Online Social Support on the Public's Belief in Overcoming COVID-19.

The sudden outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in early 2020 has dramatically changed people's lives. Some countries have taken mass home quarantine to control the virus. However, the side effects of quarantine have rarely been interrogated by current COVID-19 research. This study thus investigates the effects of online social support on the public's beliefs in overcoming COVID-19 by embracing their cognition and emotion during the epidemic. First, by crawling and content analysis of the messages posted on "Baidu COVID-19 bar", this study identified 5 types of online social support given or received by the public during COVID-19. On this basis, a model explaining the public's beliefs was developed from the perspectives of online social support, cognition and emotion. 334 valid online questionnaires were collected to examine the proposed model and hypotheses. The results show that cognition has a direct effect on the belief, while emotion affects the belief via a full mediating effect of cognition. Tangible support and esteem support can directly affect the public's beliefs, and educational level significantly moderates these effects. In addition, the public's cognition is influenced by informational support, however, emotion is not influenced by social support but by other factors (e.g., information disclosure, material supplies and frustration caused by the epidemic). These research results provide a deep insight into how to reduce the negative effects of quarantine, consolidate the theoretical basis of the public's beliefs, and have important practical implications for individuals and the government in dealing with such emergencies.

Evaluation of aggregate formation, stability and pore characteristics of bauxite residue following polymer materials addition.

Bauxite residue has poor physical conditions, which hinders plant growth and causes potential environmental risks. Polymer materials have broad potential applications for holding water and improving soil aggregation. However, no attempt has been made to assess the effects of polymers on physical structure of bauxite residue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of polyacrylamide (BP), humic acid (BH), starch-acrylamide polymer (BSA) and humic acid-acrylamide polymer (BHA) on aggregate formation, stability, and pore characteristics in bauxite residue by 60-day pot experiment. Results demonstrated that 0.2% polymer addition increased the proportion of >0.25 mm mechanical-stable aggregates. Under wet sieving, BP and BHA treatments increased the values of mean weight diameter (WMWD) from 0.36 mm to 0.67 mm and 0.68 mm, respectively, which may result in the increase of the percentage of organic functional groups including OCO and CC. Laser diffraction analysis and the visualized 3D surface map revealed that >0.25 mm residue aggregate was more difficult to disintegrate following BHA treatment during 180-min hydraulic circulation. BP and BH treatments elevated <0.5 µm pore size volumes, whilst BHA treatment increased >5 µm pore size volumes and improved the porosity of bauxite residue. Polymer applications indicated that compared with polyacrylamide or humic acid, humic acid-acrylamide polymer could be regarded as an effective ameliorant due to its positive effects on both aggregate stability and pore characteristics. These findings were helpful for understanding the application potential of natural-synthetic polymers on physical conditions of bauxite residue prior to ecological reconstruction on the disposal areas.

A Cross-Reference Line Method Based Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithm to Enhance Population Diversity.

Multiobjective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) with higher population diversity have been extensively presented in literature studies and shown great potential in the approximate Pareto front (PF). Especially, in the recent development of MOEAs, the reference line method is increasingly favored due to its diversity enhancement nature and auxiliary selection mechanism based on the uniformly distributed reference line. However, the existing reference line method ignores the nadir point and consequently causes the Pareto incompatibility problem, which makes the algorithm convergence worse. To address this issue, a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm based on the adaptive cross-reference line method, called MOEA-CRL, is proposed under the framework of the indicator-based MOEAs. Based on the dominant penalty distance (DPD) indicator, the cross-reference line method can not only solve the Pareto incompatibility problem but also enhance the population diversity on the convex PF and improve the performances of MOEA-CRL for irregular PF. In addition, the MOEA-CRL adjusts the distribution of the cross-reference lines directly defined by the DPD indicator according to the contributing solutions. Therefore, the adaptation of cross-reference lines will not be affected by the population size and the uniform distribution of cross-reference lines can be maintained. The MOEA-CRL is examined and compared with other MOEAs on several benchmark problems. The experimental results show that the MOEA-CRL is superior to several advanced MOEAs, especially on the convex PF. The MOEA-CRL exhibits the flexibility in population size setting and the great versatility in various multiobjective optimization problems (MOPs) and many-objective optimization problems (MaOPs).

Lamin A-mediated nuclear lamina integrity is required for proper ciliogenesis.

The primary cilium is a sensory organelle that receives specific signals from the extracellular environment important for vertebrate development and tissue homeostasis. Lamins, the major components of the nuclear lamina, are required to maintain the nuclear structure and are involved in most nuclear activities. In this study, we show that deficiency in lamin A/C causes defective ciliogenesis, accompanied by increased cytoplasmic accumulation of actin monomers and increased formation of actin filaments. Disruption of actin filaments by cytochalasin D rescues the defective ciliogenesis in lamin A/C-depleted cells. Moreover, lamin A/C-deficient cells display lower levels of nesprin 2 and defects in recruiting Arp2, myosin Va, and tau tubulin kinase 2 to the basal body during ciliogenesis. Collectively, our results uncover a functional link between nuclear lamina integrity and ciliogenesis and implicate the malfunction of primary cilia in the pathogenesis of laminopathy.

Effect of phosphogypsum and poultry manure on aggregate-associated alkaline characteristics in bauxite residue.

Bauxite residue is a highly alkaline solid waste with poor physical structure which ultimately limits plant growth. Ecological reconstruction is an effective strategy to improve its environmental management, although soil formation process still requires further investigation. Here, an incubation experiment was used to investigate the effects of phosphogypsum and poultry manure, on aggregate size distribution and aggregate-associated exchangeable bases of bauxite residue. Phosphogypsum and poultry manure additions significantly increased the proportion of 2-1 mm residue aggregates and enhanced mean weight diameter (MWD) of residues in the 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm layers, although little effect was evident in the 40-60 cm layer. Phosphogypsum addition reduced pH and EC values to approximately 8.5 and 200 mS/cm in different size aggregates at 0-20 cm. Exchangeable Ca2+ concentration was improved, especially in 0.25-0.05 mm and <0.05 mm aggregates, following amendment additions. The relative contents of katoite and cancrinite in >0.25 mm aggregate fractions were relatively higher, which was consistent with changes in pH. Phosphogypsum and poultry manure changed the microstructure and surrounding pores of residue aggregates, whilst the concentration of Ca on microaggregate surfaces was higher than that on macroaggregates. These findings reveal that application of phosphogypsum and poultry manure directly alter the distribution of exchangeable bases and alkaline indicators within residue aggregates, resulting in aggregate size distribution and microstructure variations.

Potential role of CBX7 in regulating pluripotency of adult human pluripotent-like olfactory stem cells in stroke model.

The adult olfactory mucosa, a highly regenerative tissue with unique life-long neurogenesis ability, is thought to harbor a naïve yet tightly controlled stem cell population. It will provide unique benefits in various stem cell-based therapies, such as stroke treatment. Here, we identified a subpopulation of adult pluripotent-like olfactory stem cells (APOSCs), which were modulated by an epigenetic repressor of CBX7. APOSCs form a floating sphere, express pluripotency markers Nanog, Oct-4, Sox-2, and SSEA-4 and show alkaline phosphatase activity. In addition, APOSCs display self-renewal and a pluripotent potential to differentiate into all three germ layers. Moreover, APOSCs coexpress pluripotency markers with CBX7. Within their natural niche, APOSCs from CBX7+/+ mice responded promptly to either spontaneous or injury-induced tissue regeneration. However, APOSCs from CBX7-/- mice manifested an impaired self-renewal and differentiation potential. Similarly, in vitro-cultivated CBX7-/- APOSCs underwent premature senescence, whereas CBX7+/+ APOSCs still actively divided, indicating that CBX7 is required for the self-renewal of APOSCs. Intracerebral implantation of APOSCs improved the stroke-mediated neurological dysfunction in rodents. These findings indicate that CBX7 plays a critical role in the regenerative properties of APOSCs and indicate the safety and feasibility of implantation of autologous APOSCs in stroke treatment.

Role of IGF1R(+) MSCs in modulating neuroplasticity via CXCR4 cross-interaction.

To guide the use of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) toward clinical applications, identifying pluripotent-like-markers for selecting MSCs that retain potent self-renewal-ability should be addressed. Here, an insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R)-expressing sub-population in human dental pulp MSCs (hDSCs), displayed multipotent properties. IGF1R expression could be maintained in hDSCs when they were cultured in 2% human cord blood serum (hUCS) in contrast to that in 10% fetal calf serum (FCS). Cytokine array showed that hUCS contained higher amount of several growth factors compared to FCS, including IGF-1 and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB). These cytokines modulates the signaling events in the hDSCs and potentially enhances engraftment upon transplantation. Specifically, a bidirectional cross-talk between IGF1R/IGF1 and CXCR4/SDF-1α signaling pathways in hDSCs, as revealed by interaction of the two receptors and synergistic activation of both signaling pathways. In rat stroke model, animals receiving IGF1R(+) hDSCs transplantation, interaction between IGF1R and CXCR4 was demonstrated to promote neuroplasticity, therefore improving neurological function through increasing glucose metabolic activity, enhancing angiogenesis and anti-inflammatiory effects. Therefore, PDGF in hUCS-culture system contributed to the maintenance of the expression of IGF1R in hDSCs. Furthermore, implantation of IGF1R(+) hDSCs exerted enhanced neuroplasticity via integrating inputs from both CXCR4 and IGF1R signaling pathways.

[Study on Influencing Factors for Induction and Proliferation of Protocorm-like Bodies of Dendrobium officinale].

Objective: To improve the protocorms of Dendrobium officinale induction and proliferation growth rate. Methods: Dendrobium officinale plumule was selected as experimental material and 1 /2MS + 2% sucrose + 10% banana puree + 0. 8% agar with p H value of 6. 0 was applied as minimal medium. The optimal hormone concentration for the induction of protocorm-like bodies of Dendrobium officinale was explored; effects of different physiological statuses of protocorm-like bodies,sizes of inoculated explants,days of cultured, and methods of laminated culture on the proliferation and growth of protocorm-like bodies were studied. Results: Addition of 6-BA0. 3 mg / L and NAA 0. 2 mg / L was the optimal concentration for the induction of protocorm-like bodies; protocorm-like bodies with light yellow color and loosened and plump form presented faster proliferation and weight gained; ten protocorm-like bodies with similar physiological statuses were inoculated as one group. The most significant proliferation and weight gained were observed after cultured for 45 d,the proliferation rate was up to 1008%. The plants presented strengthened regeneration capacity and the average amount of regenerated plants by each gram of protocorm-like bodies after proliferation was 1 132. In the process of laminated culture, protocorm-like bodies on the upper layer presented satisfactory condition of proliferation and weight gained, and this method was also applicable for rejuvenation of protocorm-like bodies. Conclusion: The optimal hormone concentration and proliferation growth technical parameters are screened out for promoting the Dendrobium officinale protocorms,which improved the Dendrobium officinale protocorms induction and technology system of proliferation growth.

The potential therapeutic applications of olfactory ensheathing cells in regenerative medicine.

Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are unique glia cells restricted to the primary olfactory system including the olfactory mucosa, olfactory nerve, and the outer nerve layer of the olfactory bulb. OECs guide growing olfactory axons from the neurons of the nasal cavity olfactory mucosa to the olfactory bulb to connect both the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS). Based on these specialized abilities of OECs, transplantation of OECs to injury sites has been widely investigated for their potential therapeutic applications in neural repair in different injuries. In this article, we reviewed the properties of OECs and their roles in olfactory regeneration and in treatment of different injuries including spinal cord injury, PNS injury, and stroke and neurodegenerative diseases.

DNA topoisomerase III alpha regulates p53-mediated tumor suppression.

PURPOSE: Human DNA topoisomerase III alpha (hTOP3α) is involved in DNA repair surveillance and cell-cycle checkpoints possibly through formatting complex with tumor suppressors. However, its role in cancer development remained unsolved. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Coimmunoprecipitation, sucrose gradient, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), real time PCR, and immunoblotting analyses were performed to determine interactions of hTOP3α with p53. Paired cell lines with different hTOP3α levels were generated via ectopic expression and short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown approaches. Cellular tumorigenic properties were analyzed using cell counting, colony formation, senescence, soft agar assays, and mouse xenograft models. RESULTS: The hTOP3α isozyme binds to p53 and cofractionizes with p53 in gradients differing from fractions containing hTOP3α and BLM. Knockdown of hTOP3α expression (sh-hTOP3α) caused a higher anchorage-independent growth of nontumorigenic RHEK-1 cells. Similarly, sh-hTOP3α and ectopic expression of hTOP3α in cancer cell lines caused increased and reduced tumorigenic abilities, respectively. Genetic and mutation experiments revealed that functional hTOP3α, p53, and p21 are required for this tumor-suppressive activity. Mechanism-wise, ChIP data revealed that hTOP3α binds to the p53 and p21 promoters and positively regulates their expression. Two proteins affect promoter recruitments of each other and collaborate in p21 expression. Moreover, sh-hTOP3α and sh-p53 in AGS cells caused a similar reduction in senescence and hTOP3α mRNA levels were lower in gastric and renal tumor samples. CONCLUSION: We concluded that hTOP3α interacts with p53, regulates p53 and p21 expression, and contributes to the p53-mediated tumor suppression.