STAT1-induced upregulation of lncRNA LINP1 promotes cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis via AMPK signaling pathway in papillary thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to detect the relative expression of long non-coding ribonucleic acid (lncRNA) in non-homologous end joining pathway 1 (LINP1) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) tissues and cells, and to investigate the molecular mechanisms of abnormal expression and biological function of LINP1. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The relative expression of LINP1 in PTC tissues and cells was detected via quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR), and the impact of small interfering (si)-LINP1 on the proliferative capacity of PTC cells was studied using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assays. After the expression of LINP1 in PTC cells was interfered, flow cytometry was applied to determine the changes in cell cycle distribution and apoptosis rate. The transcription factors binding to the promoter region of LINP1 were predicted by bioinformatics. Next, qRT-PCR assay was adopted to measure the changes in LINP1 expression after interference in the expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1). Finally, the changes in the expressions of molecular markers of the adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway were examined via Western blotting assay after the expressions of STAT1 and LINP1 were interfered. RESULTS: It was shown in qRT-PCR results that LINP1 expression was upregulated in 42 out of 53 cases of PTC tissues and in all PTC cells. After interference in the expression of LINP1 in PTC cells, the results of CCK-8 and colony formation assays indicated that the proliferative capacity of the cells was repressed. According to the results of flow cytometry, the cell cycle was arrested at the G1/G0 phase, and the apoptosis rate was increased. In addition, the bioinformatics predicted that STAT1 could bind to the promoter region of LINP1, and the results of qRT-PCR indicated that the expression of LINP1 declined after STAT1 expression was interfered. Moreover, it was indicated in the Western blotting assay after interference in the expressions of STAT1 and LINP1 that the expression of molecular marker (Phosphorylation AMPK, p-AMPK) of the AMPK signaling pathway was altered but the expression of total AMPK did not change. CONCLUSIONS: The transcription factor STAT1 promotes the expression of LINP1 in PTC, and highly expressed LINP1 facilitates the proliferation and inhibits the apoptosis of PTC by suppressing the AMPK signaling pathway.

Factor structure of 12 items in the Chinese Health Questionnaire among the elderly population in mainland China.

OBJECTIVES: The 12-item Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ-12) has been widely used for screening mental disorders. This study aims to examine the internal consistency and factor structure of CHQ-12 and its suitability for use in the elderly Chinese population. STUDY DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study. METHODS: A total of 8526 elderly people aged ≥60 years from 11 cities in Shanxi Province were selected for participation in this study by stratified random cluster sampling. Cronbach's alpha was employed to assess internal consistency. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to explore the underlying factor structure of the CHQ-12 in the elderly. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was then conducted to test and compare the goodness-of-fit between possible factor structure obtained from the EFA and the unidimensional structure, which was originally recommended. RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha for CHQ-12 was 0.838. The EFA extracted three factors, which explained 55.985% of the total variance of the data. The CFA of the three-factor model resulted in an acceptable model fit (Comparative Fit Index = 0.98, Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.97, Normed Fit Index = 0.98, Expected Cross-Validation Index = 0.28, Root-Mean-Square Error of Approximation = 0.071). The item loadings ranged from 0.58 to 0.82. Correlation coefficients among the three factors ranged from 0.40 to 0.75. CONCLUSIONS: The CHQ-12 presented satisfactory internal consistency and structural validity in the Chinese elderly population. The CFA of the three-factor structure expressed a preferred model fit in comparison to the unidimensional model. The three-factor structure of the CHQ-12 interpreted three different aspects of mental health: somatic symptoms, anxiety and worry, and depression/poor family relationship.

LncRNA BCAR4 up-regulates EGFR and thus promotes human thyrocyte proliferation.

This article has been withdrawn at the request of the authors. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience.

Graphite Carbon-Supported Mo2C Nanocomposites by a Single-Step Solid State Reaction for Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction.

Novel graphite-molybdenum carbide nanocomposites (G-Mo2C) are synthesized by a typical solid state reaction with melamine and MoO3 as precursors under inert atmosphere. The characterization results indicate that G-Mo2C composites are composed of high crystallization and purity of Mo2C and few layers of graphite carbon. Mo2C nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 5 to 50 nm are uniformly supported by surrounding graphite layers. It is believed that Mo atom resulting from the reduction of MoO3 is beneficial to the immobilization of graphite carbon. Moreover, the electrocatalytic performances of G-Mo2C for ORR in alkaline medium are investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), rotating disk electrode (RDE) and chronoamperometry test with 3M methanol. The results show that G-Mo2C has a considerable catalytic activity and superior methanol tolerance performance for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) benefiting from the chemical interaction between the carbide nanoparticles and graphite carbon.

Successful management of discordant gastroschisis in monochorionic diamniotic twin: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancy with gastroschisis cames a poor prognosis. Live birth and well development of both twins are extremely rare. CASE: The authors report a rare case of discordant gastroschisis in MCDA twin. Both twins were followed up nine months after intrapartum fetal operation, and both are in good health until now. CONCLUSION: This report expands successful management of discordant gastroschisis in MCDA twins. Early diagnosis, intensive prenatal care, and multidisciplinary consultation are recommended in management of discordant gastroschisis in MCDA twin.

Step terrace tuned anisotropic transport properties of highly epitaxial LaBaCo2O5.5+δ thin films on vicinal SrTiO3 substrates.

Highly epitaxial LaBaCo2O5.5+δ (LBCO) thin films were grown on different miscut (001) SrTiO3 substrates (miscut angle of 0.5°, 3.0°, and 5.0°) to study the substrate surface step terrace effect on the in-plane electrical transport properties. The microstructure studies by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy indicate that the as-grown films are A-site disordered cubic perovskite structures with the c-axis highly oriented along the film growth direction. The four-probe scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies show that the LBCO thin films grown on the vicinal SrTiO3 substrates have a typical semiconductor behavior with the substrate surface terrace step inducing anisotropic electronic transport properties. These results indicate that in highly epitaxial thin films the surface terrace step induced local strains can play an important role in controlling the electronic transport properties and the anisotropic nature.

The impact of different sides of the absent umbilical artery on fetal growth in an isolated single umbilical artery.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine whether laterality of an absent umbilical artery (AUA) is associated with fetal growth in fetuses with isolated single umbilical artery (SUA). METHODS: Fifty singleton pregnancies were studied, including 26 cases with a right AUA and 24 cases with a left AUA in isolated SUA, and 200 singleton pregnancies with a three-vessel cord. Delivery data, including gestational age and birth weight and height, were recorded. Compare the birth weight and height in fetuses between the different sides of an AUA and the three-vessel cord by covariance analysis. RESULTS: The mean difference was 0.25 kg (SD 0.05; P < 0.05) in birth weight between fetuses with a left AUA and a three-vessel cord. The mean difference was 1.03 cm (SD 0.56; P < 0.05) in birth height between fetuses with a left AUA and a three-vessel cord. No significant differences were observed in birth weight and height between fetuses with a right AUA and those with a three-vessel cord. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the birth weight and height of fetuses with a left AUA in isolated SUA are lower than those with a three-vessel cord.

In vitro and in vivo study of two types of long-circulating solid lipid nanoparticles containing paclitaxel.

Paclitaxel (Taxol), a diterpenoid isolated from Taxus brevifolia, is effective against several murine tumors, and is one of the most exciting anticancer molecules currently available. Due to its low solubility in water, it is clinically administered with polyethoxylated castor oil (Cremophor EL), which causes serious side effects. Inclusion of paclitaxel in solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) has proved to be a good approach to eliminate the need for Cremophor EL and improve the drug's antitumor efficacy. This paper describes the development of two types of long-circulating SLNs as colloidal carriers for paclitaxel. SLNs are constituted mainly of bioacceptable and biodegradable lipids. In vitro release kinetics showed that the release was very slow, the release of paclitaxel from F68-SLN is linear, and the release of paclitaxel from Brij78-SLN followed the Weibull equation. Pharmacokinetics was evaluated in KM mice after injection of paclitaxel formulated in Cremophor EL or in Brij78-SLN and F68-SLN. Encapsulation of paclitaxel in both SLNs produced marked differences compared with the free drug pharmacokinetics. F68-SLN and Brij78-SLN are long-circulating (t 1/2 beta, 10.06 and 4.88 h, respectively) compared with paclitaxel injection (t 1/2 beta, 1.36 h).

[Research on a new side-chain liquid crystalline polysiloxane as stationary phase for capillary column gas chromatography].

A new stationary phase, side-chain liquid crystalline polysiloxane, was obtained and used in capillary column gas chromatography. Two kinds of side-chain polysiloxane, PSI5 and PSI6, were characterized by polarized light microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction and proved to be smectic phase Sc. Two fused-silica capillary columns (0.25 mm i.d.) were coated with 5 g/L solutions of PSI5 and PSI6 in dichloromethane by the static method, named column 15 and column 16. Numbers of theoretical plate were 1,598/m-2,423/m (I5) and 3,191/m-4,235/m (I6) for anthracene at 200 degrees C-240 degrees C. These columns showed wide operation temperature range (I5: 50 degrees C-200 degrees C; I6: 100 degrees C-260 degrees C), outstanding thermostability and weak polarity. These columns exhibited unique selectivity for many organic compounds, especially positional isomers. For example, the mixtures of anthracene, phenanthrene and fluorene were well separated on column I5 and I6; dimethyl benzene isomers were well separated on column I5, but they were not separated on column I6; dimethyl phenol isomers were well separated on column I5, but they were not wholly separated on column I6. The different selectivities of these columns are mainly due to the different chemical structures.

[Alien chromosomal identification in VE161 wheat].

VE161 wheat which has the function of promotting homoeologous pairing is a male sterile substitution line or a fertile addition line with one pair of alien chromosomes from Agropyron elongatum. The alien chromosome in VE161 wheat was detected by means of techniques of total genomic DNA in situ hybridization, RFLP and double-ditelo chromosomal analysis. The results from in situ hybridization confirmed that the alien chromosome was derived from Agropyron elongatum. The RFLP analysis showed that it belongs to fourth homoeologous group, and the results from double-ditelo chromosomal analysis gave evidence that 4B chromosome was replaced in the substitution line, so it can be concluded that, in VE161 wheat, the alien chromosome would be 4E and the replaced wheat chromosome would be 4B in the substitution line. The reason for the replaced chromosome identified as 7B in a earlier study might be due to the rearrangement occurred in the genome of wheat.

[Detection of uterine scar defect during pregnancy by ultrasonics].

B type ultrasonography was used to observe the formation of lower uterine segment in 71 primigravide and the status of lower uterine segment scar in 31 multiparae with previous cesarean section (CS), from the 33 to 41 gestational week. Results showed that the lower uterine segments was formed in all 102 cases after the 33rd week. Compared with the primigravide, the lower uterine segment in the CS group was longer, thinner and not as wide after the 37th gestational week. Defective scars of the lower uterine segment were found in 7 cases of the CS group and 2 of them were diagnosed as threatened dehiscence owing to the fetal sac protruding from the scar site. Condition of all these cases were confirmed during operation. The present study suggested that B ultrasonic scar can be a helpful and noninvasive method for detecting scar defect in the lower uterine segment following CS.

The efferent projections from the reticular formation and the locus coeruleus studied by anterograde and retrograde axonal transport in the rat.

Following injections of [3H]leucine into the formatio reticularis gigantocellularis (Rgc), reticularis pontis caudalis (Rpc), reticularis pontis oralis (Rpo), reticularis mesencephali (Rmes), or the locus coeruleus (LC) of the rat, autoradiographic study revealed prominent reticuloreticular projections from all areas and secondary projections onto cranial nerve motor nuclei from most areas within the brain stem. Common long descending projections extended the full length of the spinal cord terminating in the ventromedial ventral horn and intermediate zone and more sparsely in the base of the dorsal horn and (particularly from Rgc) the region of the motoneurons. Common long ascending projections extended into the forebrain via Forel's tegmental fascicles. A dorsal branch of fibers innervated the intralaminar and midline nuclei of the thalamus. The major fiber system continued forward through Forel's fields and ascended into the pallidum from Rpo, Rmes, and LC and into the neostriatum from Rmes and LC. Fascicles from all areas also ascended in the medial forebrain bundle through the lateral hypothalamus to the lateral preoptic area, substantia innominata, and nuclei of the diagonal band. From Rpo, Rmes, and LC, fibers continued forward to reach the cerebral cortex, where the innervation was sparse and discrete from Rpo and Rmes but moderate and ubiquitous from LC. Retrograde transport of true blue and/or nuclear yellow revealed inverse gradients along the brain stem longitudinal axis of interdigitated cells respectively projecting caudally into the spinal cord (with the greatest number of cells in Rgc, Rpc, and Rpo) and rostrally into the diencephalon (with the greatest number of cells in Rmes and LC), with very few cells projecting both to the spinal cord and the diencephalon. From the basal forebrain, a large number of reticular and LC cells were retrogradely labelled, whereas from the frontal cortex, a much smaller number of reticular cells was labelled. These results document the widespread efferent projections from the reticular formation and overlapping, yet more extensive, projections from the LC.