Preparation of microbial agent immobilized composites for Cr(VI) removal from wastewater.

Because of its extreme toxicity and health risks, hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] has been identified as a major environmental contaminant. Bioreduction is considered as one of effective techniques for cleaning up Cr(VI)-contaminated sites, but the remediation efficiency needs to be enhanced. Here, a novel immobilized microbial agent was produced by immobilizing Bacillus cereus ZY-2009 with sodium alginate (SA) using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and activated carbon (AC). To evaluate the decrease of Cr(VI) by immobilized bacterial agents, batch tests were conducted with varying immobilization conditions, immobilization carriers, and dosages of medication. The removal of Cr(VI) by the agent prepared by the composite immobilization method was better than that by the adsorption and encapsulation methods. The optimal preparation conditions were the fraction of magnetic PVA was 5.00%, the fraction of SA was 4.00%, the fraction of CaCl2 was 4.00%, and the calcification time was 12 h. The experimental results indicated that PVA/SA/AC agents accelerated the reduction rate of Cr(VI). The removal rate of Cr(VI) by immobilized cells (90.5%) under ideal conditions was substantially higher than that of free cells (11.0%). This novel agent had a large specific surface area and a rich pore structure, accounting for its high reduction rate. The results suggest that the PVA/SA/AC immobilized Bacillus cereus ZY-2009 agent has great potential to remove Cr(VI) from wastewater treatment systems.

PSS-dispersed dopamine triggered formation of PAA adhesive hydrogel as flexible wearable sensors.

Catechol-based hydrogels have good adhesion properties; however, since the concentration of catechol is low and it can be easily oxidized to quinone, the adhesion performance of the hydrogels is reduced, which limits their application as self-adhesive flexible wearable sensors. In this work, a dopamine: poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (DA:PSS)-initiated strategy was proposed to construct adhesive hydrogels, where the semiquinone radicals present in DA:PSS were used to initiate radical polymerization to obtain the DA:PSS/poly(acrylic acid) (DA:PSS/PAA) hydrogel. This hydrogel exhibited good stretchability and adhesion with various substrates. We observed that, even after exposure to air for 21 days under certain relative humidity (76%), the catechol groups hardly oxidized and the DA:PSS/PAA hydrogel presented good adhesion. The DA:PSS/PAA hydrogel also showed good electrical conductivity and fast response ability. Thus, the general strategy of triggering monomer polymerization to form hydrogels based on the semiquinone radical present in DA:PSS offers great potential for their application in flexible electronic devices and wearable sensors.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has great potential as candidate drugs for lung cancer: A review.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: With high mortality and morbidity rates, lung cancer (LC) has become one of the major threats to human health. The treatment strategies for LC currently face issues, such as drug resistance and body tolerance. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is characterized by novel pharmacological mechanisms, low toxicity, and limited side effects. TCM includes a substantial number of biologically active ingredients, several of which are effective monomeric agents against LC. An increasing number of researchers are focusing their efforts on the discovery of active anti-cancer ingredients in TCM. AIM OF THE REVIEW: In this review, we summarized the anti-LC mechanisms of five types of TCM monomeric compounds. Our goal is to provide research ideas for the identification of new prospective medication candidates for the treatment of LC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected reports on the anti-LC effects of TCM monomers from web databases, including PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Europe PubMed Central. Among the keywords used were "lung cancer," "traditional Chinese medicine," "pharmacology," and their combinations thereof. Then, we systematically summarized the anti-LC efficacy and related mechanisms of TCM monomers. RESULTS: Based on the available literature, this paper reviewed the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of five types of TCM monomers on LC. The characteristics of TCM monomers include the capabilities to suppress the tumor cell cycle, inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis, promote autophagy, inhibit tumor cell invasion and metastasis, and enhance efficacy or reduce drug resistance when combined with cytotoxic agents and other methods to arrest the progression of LC and prolong the survival of patients. CONCLUSIONS: TCM contains numerous flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, polyphenols, and other active compounds that are effective against LC. Given their chemical structure and pharmacological properties, these monomers are suitable as candidate drugs for the treatment of LC.

[Spatial-temporal Distribution and Evolution Characteristics of Air Pollution in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region Based on Long-term "Ground-Satellite" Data].

This study aimed to promote the coordinated development of regional social economy and ecological environment, build a better living environment, accurately prevent and control pollution, and carry out in-depth surveys and general surveys of air pollution in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. Based on 6 years (June 2014 to December 2019) of ground environmental observation data and satellite data from 2000 to 2019, the distribution characteristics and evolution trend of air pollution in different time and spatial scales were analyzed. The results showed that:① according to the daily average concentration of PM2.5 at the sites, the pollution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region showed the characteristics of more days, heavy levels, and overall improvement. Pollution mainly occurred from October to April of the following year, accounting for nearly half a year. The pollution level of PM2.5 was the best at Zhangjiakou, followed by Qinhuangdao. ② Based on the 20-year average PM2.5 annual average concentration data retrieved from satellites, the PM2.5 concentration presented a spatial distribution characteristic in which that in the plains was higher than that in mountain area, and PM2.5 concentration in the city was higher than that in the suburbs. PM2.5 concentration changed with time, showing a four-stage bimodal structure of "M"-type evolution characteristics, which gradually increased starting in 2000; the first peak appeared in 2006 and gradually decreased from 2007 to 2012. It rose sharply to the second peak in 2013 and then decreased yearly until 2017. ③ The monthly average AOT data based on satellites every 10 years indicated that the value of AOT in the first time period (2000-2009) was larger than that in the same month of the second time period (2010-2019). The maximum value was in July, and the minimum value was in December. The monthly average AOT in Zhangjiakou and Chengde changed slightly over the past 20 years, and the seasonal and spatial differences were significant in the plain area. ④ Judging from the daily average value of O3-8h observed at the stations, good levels of O3-8h concentrations in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area occurred frequently and widely from March to October. There were at least seven instances of light pollution levels, and the moderate pollution levels and above were not observed. ⑤ The daily average value of SO2 observed on the ground showed that there was no light pollution or above; the good pollution level occurred in winter, and most appeared in the form of pollution for several consecutive days. ⑥ The analysis of AQI data revealed that from 2015 to 2019, the proportion of AQI excellent grades in Beijing increased from 27% to 38%, and the proportion of Tianjin AQI good grades increased from 44% to 64%. The highest proportion of Handan AQI superior grades appeared in 2016, accounting for only 9%. ⑦ The 20-year monthly average concentration of SO2 data based on satellites showed that high-value areas were in Handan, Xingtai, and Shijiazhuang, and low-value areas were in Zhangjiakou and Chengde. The 20-year average NO2 data showed that the high-value centers were in Beijing, Tianjin, Tangshan, Handan, Xingtai, and Shijiazhuang.

Construction of Digital Teaching Resources of British and American Literature Using Few-Shot Learning and Cloud Computing.

British and American literature is a compulsory course for English majors in Chinese colleges and universities. It plays an important role in cultivating students' aesthetic consciousness and moral cultivation, improving students' humanistic quality and cultural taste, and shaping students' complete personalities. With the rapid development of cloud technology and mobile Internet technology, mobile learning based on mobile devices will become an important direction of mobile Internet technology applications. Based on cloud computing, this paper studies the construction of digital teaching resources of the British and American literature. Through the experiment on the learning simplicity of literature courses for English majors, it is found that during the learning period of 40 people, the average proportion of the most difficult is 16.3%, the average proportion of the second difficult is 35.2%, and the average proportion of the easier is 18.5%. Compared with the next difficulty, the proportion of difficulty is the highest, followed by the easy and finally the most difficult. As one of the core technologies of cloud computing, data split storage technology adopts measures such as isomorphism and interchangeability of computing nodes, redundant storage, and multicopy fault tolerance to ensure the high security and reliability of user data and users do not have to worry about data loss and virus invasion. As a new generation of technical means, cloud computing can realize the unified management and scheduling of distributed and heterogeneous resources and provide a new development direction for promoting the coconstruction and sharing of the British and American literature digital teaching platforms in higher vocational colleges and truly realizing national learning and lifelong learning.

Delivery of siRNA based on engineered exosomes for glioblastoma therapy by targeting STAT3.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy has been considered as a promising strategy for treatment of glioblastoma (GBM), which is an aggressive brain disease with poor prognosis. However, siRNA therapy for GBM is seriously hindered by a multitude of barriers including possible immunogenicity, poor cellular uptake, short blood circulation, poor blood stability and low blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. This paper reports Angiopep-2 (An2)-functionalized signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) siRNA-loaded exosomes (Exo-An2-siRNA) as potential therapeutic agents to improve GBM therapy. The experimental results indicate that Exo-An2-siRNA displays high blood stability, efficient cellular uptake, and outstanding BBB penetration ability. Exo-An2-siRNA also exhibits excellent in vitro anti-GBM therapeutic effects due to the exosomes for siRNA protection and An2 modification for GBM targeting and BBB penetration. Such superior properties of Exo-An2-siRNA are responsible for favorable inhibition of the proliferation of orthotopic U87MG xenografts with limited side effects, significantly enhancing the median survival time (MST) of U87MG-bearing nude mice. The developed siRNA therapy featuring An2-functionalized exosomes as nanoplatforms is a safe and effective GBM treatment strategy.

Long noncoding RNA NR2F1-AS1 plays a carcinogenic role in gastric cancer by recruiting transcriptional factor SPI1 to upregulate ST8SIA1 expression.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a highly malignant solid tumor of the digestive tract, which is associated with a high mortality rate. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) nuclear receptor subfamily 2 group F member 1 antisense RNA 1 (NR2F1-AS1) has been reported to exert a tumor-promoting effect in some types of cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the role of NR2F1-AS1 in GC. The expression levels of NR2F1-AS1 and its potential target gene were measured in GC cell lines. Bioinformatics analysis, an RNA immunoprecipitation assay and a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay were used to determine the binding relationship between NR2F1-AS1 and downstream genes. The effect of NR2F1-AS1 regulatory axis on AGC cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition was evaluated. The results of the present study revealed that the knockdown of NR2F1-AS1 inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of GC cells. NR2F1-AS1 also upregulated the expression levels of ST8SIA1 by recruiting transcriptional factor SPI1. Thus, the effects of the knockdown of NR2F1-AS1 on GC cell functions were suggested to occur via regulation of ST8SIA1. In conclusion, the findings of the current study indicated that NR2F1-AS1 may promote the proliferation, invasion and migration of GC cells by recruiting SPI1, to upregulate ST8SIA1 expression. Thus, the regulation of their expression levels may provide a novel direction for the treatment of GC.

Identification Of Putative Gene Signatures Associated With Diagnosis And Prognosis Of Breast Cancer.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify potential diagnostic and therapeutic biomakers for the development of breast cancer (BC). Methods: GSE86374 dataset containing 159 samples was acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database followed by differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identification and cluster analysis. Corresponding functional enrichment and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses were performed to identify hub genes. Prognostic evaluation using clinical information obtained from TCGA database and hub genes was conducted to screen for crucial indicators for BC progression. The risk model was established and validated. Results: In total, 186 DEGs were identified and grouped into four clusters: 96 in cluster 1; 69 in cluster 2; 16 in cluster 3; and 5 in cluster 4. Functional enrichment analysis showed that DEGs, including ADH1B in cluster 1, were dramatically enriched in the tyrosine and drug metabolism pathways, while genes in cluster 2, including SPP1 and RRM2, played crucial roles in PI3K-Akt and p53 signalling pathway. SPP1 and RRM2 served as hub genes in the PPI network, resulting in an support vector machine classifier with good accuracy and specificity.Ad ditionally, the results of prognostic analysis suggest that age, metastasis stage, SPP1 and ADH1B were correlated with risk of BC, which was validated by using the established risk model analysis. Conclusion: SPP1, RRM2 and ADH1B appear to play vital roles in the development of BC. Age and TNM stage were also preferentially associated with risk of developing BC. Evaluation of the risk model based on larger sample size and further experimental validation are required.

Long non-coding RNA NEAT1 increases the aggressiveness of gastric cancer by regulating the microRNA-142-5p/JAG1 axis.

Gastric cancer has been indicated to have a high recurrence rate in China. Previous studies have revealed that long non-coding RNA nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) exerted critical roles in cancers. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the function of NEAT1 and explore the unknown molecular mechanisms of gastric cancer pathogenesis. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR assay was used to examine the expression of NEAT1, microRNA (miR)-142-5p and jagged1 (JAG1) in gastric cancer. Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays were conducted to examine cell proliferation, migration and invasion. The protein expression levels of N-cadherin, Vimentin, E-cadherin and JAG1 were quantified by western blot assay. The associations among NEAT1, miR-142-5p and JAG1 were confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation. The effects of NEAT1 silencing on tumor growth were evaluated by tumor xenografts. The results indicated that NEAT1 was highly expressed in tumor tissues and cells compared with that in paracancerous tissues and the normal gastric epithelial cell line GES-1 and significantly associated with poor prognosis in gastric cancer. Functional analyses further demonstrated that NEAT1 knockdown suppressed proliferation, motility and tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, NEAT1 sponged miR-142-5p to regulate JAG1 expression. In addition, the effects of NEAT1 knockdown on the proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells could be rescued by miR-142-5p inhibitor, and JAG1 overexpression reversed the miR-142-5p-mediated effects on gastric cancer cells. These findings demonstrated that long non-coding RNA NEAT1 regulated gastric cancer progression by targeting the miR-142-5p/JAG1 axis.

LCN2 Mediated by IL-17 Affects the Proliferation, Migration, Invasion and Cell Cycle of Gastric Cancer Cells by Targeting SLPI.

INTRODUCTION: Gastric cancer occurred in China and even the whole East Asia with high incidence. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of IL-17 in gastric cancer cells mediated by LCN2 binding to SLPI. METHODS: The expression of LCN2 and SPLI in gastric cancer cells and transfection effects were confirmed by RT-qPCR analysis. The proliferation, clone formation ability, invasion, migration, apoptosis, and cell cycle of gastric cancer cells were in turn detected by CCK-8 assay, clone formation assay, transwell assay, wound healing assay, and flow cytometry analysis. The combination between LCN2 and SLPI was determined by co-immunoprecipitation assay. The expression of Caspase-3, Bcl-2, cyclinB1, cyclinD1, MMP9, and SLPI in gastric cancer cells was detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: LCN2 and SPLI exhibited the highest levels in AGS cells, and thus AGS cells were selected for the next experiments. Down-regulation of LCN2 suppressed the proliferation and clone formation ability of AGS cells treated with IL-17. IL-17 promoted the invasion and migration of AGS cells, which was partially reversed by the down-regulation of LCN2. Down-regulation of LCN2 mediated by IL-17 promoted apoptosis and suppressed the cell cycle of AGS cells. DISCUSSION: Down-regulation of LCN2 mediated by IL-17 suppressed the proliferation and suppressed the migration and invasion and cell cycle of gastric cancer cells by targeting SLPI.

[Characteristics of Spatial and Temporal Evolution and Investigation of Air Pollution in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Based on Ground-Space Observation Data].

The temporal and spatial distribution characteristics, evolution trend and potential climatic effects of air pollution in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) were analyzed on different time scales and spatial spaces, based on ground environment observation data from June 2014 to December 2018 and satellite remote sensing inversion products from 2000 to 2018. The results show that:① From the in-situ observed daily average concentration of PM2.5, good or mild to moderate pollution occurred in January, February, October, November, and December every year, and the rest of the time was excellent. ② Based on the annual average PM2.5 concentration obtained by satellite for the past 20 years, the spatial characteristics showed that the external radiation is centered on Guangzhou and Foshan. The time evolution shows the characteristics of an Ω shape, which increases gradually from 2000 to 2009, is highest in 2008, and then gradually decreases. ③ The monthly average aerosol optical thickness (AOT) value from the Multi-angle Imaging Spectro Radiometer satellite reversion every 10 years for a period (2000-2009 for a period, 2010-2018 for a period) was used to see the monthly variation. The monthly average AOT value in the first period was larger than that in the second period of the same month, the maximum value was in March and April, and the minimum value was in November and December. It is envisaged to draw a line along the north-south direction of the Pearl River Port, which basically shows that the AOT value in the west is greater than that in the east. ④ According to the observed daily average concentration data of O3-8h, the main concentration level of O3-8h in the GBA is excellent. The cities with good ozone concentration were most numerous in 2014, with five cities, and least in 2018, with only one city. The highest ozone concentration was in September, followed by June and November, and then May and July. In the past 20 years, the spatial distribution of the average concentration of O3 monitored by satellite remote sensing showed a characteristic Ω shape, increasing initially and then decreasing. The maximum value was in May, and the north-south boundary line appeared in space. ⑤ There is a good linear relationship between the interannual variation of monthly mean temperature and radiation, whereas the relationship between AOT and radiation cannot be described by a simple linear relationship.

Dopamine-assisted one-pot synthesis of gold nanoworms and their application as photothermal agents.

Gold-based nanomaterials of various sizes and geometries have been prepared for use as photothermal agents due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Here we report a simple one-step synthesis of gold nanoworms (NWs) and characterized them with transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-Visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that small gold nanounits were first formed by reducing chloroaurate ions (AuCl4-) with sodium borohydride (NaBH4), and then fused together to form NWs assisted by dopamine (DA), which served a structure-director due to an oriented attachment mechanism. Then DA in the solution was further polymerized into polydopamine (PDA) to form a coating layer on the surface of gold NWs. Moreover, further experiments showed that gold NWs had low cytotoxicity and excellent performance as a photothermal bactericidal on both Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. These results show that the synthesized gold NWs are a promising photothermal agent.

[Research on the Pollution Characteristics and Causality of Haze-sand Air Pollution in Beijing in Spring].

From May 3 to 5, 2017, a special heavy pollution event occurred in Beijing. The meteorological conditions associated with the heavy pollution were relatively special, so the pollution forms and causes were studied. The general characteristics of this pollution event were obtained based on data from 35 environmental monitoring stations in Beijing. Matching characteristics of PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations with ground wind field data from automatic weather stations closest to the environmental monitoring stations were analyzed. By using MODIS and CALIPSO data, the spatial distribution in the horizontal and vertical directions was obtained, and the transport paths and pollutant categories of the pollution were elucidated. The causes of the pollution were analyzed by using ECMWF ERA-Interim data and Wind Profiler radar data. It was hoped that the special morphological characteristics and influencing factors of the pollution could be obtained by means of ground-space monitoring technology combined with meteorological conditions. The results showed that pollution characteristics and constraints could be better reflected by stereo observations and comprehensive analyses based on the above multi-source data. The pollution started abruptly and dropped sharply, and the pollution process lasted for about 30 hours. The whole process was divided into the following three stages:the first half, intermittent period, and second half. The concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 were high throughout the whole process, reaching to 600-1000 µg·m-3 and 200-700 µg·m-3, respectively. The causes of pollution in the first half and second half and the resulting PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were different in terms of the spatial distribution. In the first half, the dominant wind direction was northwest wind, and the wind speed was small. The spatial difference of PM10 concentrations was also small, with concentrations more than 800 µg·m-3; meanwhile, the spatial difference of PM2.5 concentrations was great. The concentration of PM2.5 was high in the south and urban areas, reaching to 600-700 µg·m-3, and it was low in other places, reaching to 350-500 µg·m-3. During the intermission, the wind direction in the lower layer shifted from northwest wind to south wind, and the upper layer maintained northwest wind. The concentration of PM10 in the south and urban area decreased obviously to 650 µg·m-3, and the concentration of PM10 in the north remained at 800 µg·m-3. At this time, the concentration of PM2.5 in the north even dropped to 200 µg·m-3. The dominant wind returned to northwest wind in the latter half, and the wind speed increased sharply. At this time, the spatial difference of PM2.5 concentrations was small and the concentration of PM2.5 at the same station was less than that in the former half, ranging from 250 to 500 µg·m-3. The PM10 concentrations returned to the level of 800 µg·m-3. The pollution process involved mixed pollution consisting of haze and sand. Under the influence of westerly winds, the main contribution to Beijing pollution was dust-type PM10, while under southerly flows, the contribution to Beijing pollution was not only dust, but also PM2.5. Heavy pollution was accompanied by high wind speeds. The vertical motion of the atmosphere converged at an altitude of about 2-3 km, which resulted in the accumulation of pollutants at this altitude.

[Influence of Mountain Valley Breeze and Sea Land Breeze in Winter on Distribution of Air Pollutants in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region].

To reveal the effect of Mountain Valley Breeze (MVB) and Sea Land Breeze (SLB) in winter on the spatial-temporal distribution of air pollutants in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, hourly data from Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and hourly air pollutant concentration data in December 2016 from the China National Environmental Monitoring Center were used to calculate the average wind vector fields and PM2.5 concentration fields. The change rule of MVB and SLB and its influence on the distribution of PM2.5 concentration were analyzed. The prevailing factor for the MVB days was the southerly wind (valley wind) in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from noon to afternoon, this valley wind transports air pollutants from the eastern areas of the Taihang Mountains and southwestern areas of Beijing northward. In the evening, "herringbone" convergence lines formed between the emerging mountain breeze in the western and northern parts of Beijing, as well as in the piedmont areas of the Taihang Mountains, and the southerly wind. The PM2.5 concentration increased in Beijing, Langfang, Baoding, Shijiazhuang, and Xingtai according to the concentration of the convergence lines. For the SLB days, the PM2.5 concentration increased in the piedmont areas of the Taihang Mountains due to the influence of valley wind from noon to afternoon. For the MVB days, from noon until midnight, the sea breeze appeared in the eastern coastal areas and reached the southeastern part of Tianjin, the PM2.5 concentration increased towards the front of the sea breeze. The influence of MVB and SLB on the distribution of air pollutants in the heavy pollutions process were surveyed by analyzing the temporal variation relationship between the vertical distribution of wind over 0-325 m tower (at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics) and PM2.5 concentration of urban area, and by using the Cressman method to interpolate the 10 m wind data and PM2.5 concentration data to 2D grid field. From noon to afternoon, the air pollutants were blown to Beijing by valley wind. In the evening, the air pollutants converged near the convergence lines, which were formed by the mountain breeze and southerly wind. The severe pollution zone formed in the plains of Beijing and south of Beijing. From midnight to early morning, the air pollutants in Beijing were gradually blown away by the mountain breeze and stayed south of Beijing and northwest of Tianjin. In the winter, the effect of MVB on the recycling and accumulation of air pollutants plays an important role in severe atmospheric pollution incidents in Beijing, south of Beijing, and the eastern areas of the Taihang Mountains.

Amelioration of diabetic nephropathy in db/db mice treated with tibetan medicine formula Siwei Jianghuang Decoction Powder extract.

Siwei Jianghuang Decoction Powder (SWJH) documented originally in the Four Medical Tantras-Blue Glaze exhibited beneficial effects on diabetic nephropathy (DN) via combined synergistically action of multiple formula components including Curcumae longae Rhizoma, Berberidis dictyophyllae Cortex, Phyllanthi Fructus and Tribuli Fructus. This study investigated the effects of SWJH on DN in db/db mice and possible underlying mechanisms. The ten weeks old db/db mice treated with SWJH by intra-gastric administration once a day for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, body weight, water and food intake of mice were recorded. The level of fasting blood glucose (FBG) was measured. Serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urine microalbumin (UMAlb), serum uric acid (UA) and urinary albumin excretion (UAE) were detected. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to test serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1). Real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were used to test mRNA and protein expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), VEGF and TGF-ß1 in kidney tissue. SWJH treatment significantly reduced the levels of FBG, Scr, BUN, UMAlb, UA and UAE and retarded renal fibrosis. SWJH treatment further significantly reduced serum TGF-ß1 level and downregulated the expression of HIF-1α, VEGF and TGF-ß1 at both mRNA and protein levels. Principal component analysis and partial least squares regression and hierarchical cluster analysis demonstrated that SWJH treatment significantly ameliorated renal damage in DN mice. These consequences suggested that SWJH formulations were effective in the treatment of DN through regulating the HIF-1α, VEGF and TGF-ß1 overexpression.

Role of Mn2+ Doping in the Preparation of Core-Shell Structured Fe3O4@upconversion Nanoparticles and Their Applications in T1/T2-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Upconversion Luminescent Imaging and Near-Infrared Activated Photodynamic Therapy.

Core-shell (C/S) structured upconversion coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) are of great interest due to their potential as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and upconversion luminescent (UCL) imaging agents, as well as near-infrared activated photodynamic therapy (PDT) platforms. When C/S structured Fe3O4@Mn2+-doped NaYF4:Yb/Er NPs were prepared previously, well-defined C/S-NPs could not be formed without the doping of Mn2+ during synthesis. Here, the role of Mn2+ doping on the synthesis of core-shell structured magnetic-upconversion nanoparticles (MUCNPs) is investigated in detail. Core-shell-shell nanoparticles (C/S/S-MUCNPs) with Fe3O4 as the core, an inert layer of Mn2+-doped NaYF4 and an outer shell consisting of Mn2+-doped NaYF4:Yb/Er were prepared. To further develop C/S/S-MUCNPs applications in the biological field, amphiphilic poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene) (C18PMH) modified with amine functionalized methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (C18PMH-mPEG) was used as a capping ligand to modify the surface of C/S/S-MUCNPs to improve biocompatibility. UCL imaging, T1-weighted MRI ascribed to the Mn2+ ions and T2-weighted MRI ascribed to the Fe3O4 core of C/S/S-MUCNPs were then evaluated. Finally, chlorine e6 (Ce6) was loaded on the C/S/S-MUCNPs and the PDT performance of these NPs was explored. Mn2+ doping is an effective method to control the formation of core-shell structured MUCNPs, which would be potential candidate as multifunctional nanoprobes for future T1/T2-weighted MR/UCL imaging and PDT platforms.

MicroRNA-146a suppresses rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes proliferation and inflammatory responses by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-kB signaling.

This study investigated whether microRNA-146a (miR-146a) mediating TLR4/NF-κB pathway affected proliferation and inflammatory responses of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes from 12 RA patients (RA-FLSs). FLSs in the logarithmic growth phase were assigned into the control, miR-146a mimic miR-146a inhibitor, Tak-242 (treated with TLR4/NF-κB pathway inhibitor) and mimic + lipopolysaccharide (LPS) groups. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected using CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. The expression of miR-146a, TLR4/NF-κB pathway-related proteins and cytokines were determined by RT-qPCR, western blotting and ELISA, and the release of NO by Greiss reaction. RA rat models were constructed and the primary cells were classified into the control, negative control (NC), miR-146a mimic, miR-146a inhibitor, Tak-242, mimic + LPS, and TLR4 groups. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and intercellular adhesion molecular-1 (ICAM-1). The results showed that miR-146a levels were lower in RA-FLSs than control fibroblasts. miR-146a mimic and Tak-242 decreased RA-FLS proliferation and increased RA-FLS apoptosis, while miR-146a inhibitor had an opposite trend. miR-146a mimic and Tak-242 also decreased expression of TLR4, NF-κB, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, COX-2, MMP-3, Seprase, and iNOS, as well as reduced NO level in RA-FLSs while miR-146a inhibitor and TLR4 increased them. TLR4 and NF-κB levels and the positive rates of PCNA and ICAM-1 expressions were lower in RA-FLSs from RA rats given miR-146a mimic from control or miR-146a inhibitor-treated rats. These results suggest that miR-146a inhibits the proliferation and inflammatory response of RA-FLSs by down-regulating TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

New insights into the formation mechanism of gold nanoparticles using dopamine as a reducing agent.

Dopamine (DA), a simplified mimic of mussel proteins, can be employed as a reductant in the preparation of Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) due to its inherent catechol building block. The widely accepted mechanism of AuNP formation using DA as the reductant assumes that the reduction of Au(III) ions involves the two-electron oxidation of DA, where the corresponding phenol and phenolates serve as the reductive species to yield quinone. We herein report a novel insight into the mechanism of formation of AuNPs using DA as the reductant. We demonstrate that the synthesis of AuNPs requires the prior oxidation of the DA to form quinone units, which then catalyze the formation of semiquinones. These semiquinone radicals (SMQs) reduce the Au(III) ions to form the initial AuNPs, and further growth is then catalyzed by the first AuNPs, with nucleation occurring where the SMQs, phenols, and phenolates can serve as reductive species. In addition, DA oxidizes and polymerizes to form a polydopamine capping layer on the AuNPs. We therefore expect that the novel mechanism proposed herein may promote us to furthermore explore the production of noble metal NPs using other polyphenols.

Expression differences and significance of periostin in eyelid basal cell carcinoma associated fibroblasts and-normal fibroblasts / 眼科新进展

Objective To investigate the expression differences and significance of periostin (PN) in eyelid basal cell carcinoma associated fibroblasts (BCAFs) andnormal fibroblasts (NFs) after separation,culture,purification and identification.Methods The third generation of purified BCAFs and NFs was selected,and the concentrations of cell suspensions were modulated to 20 × 106 L-1 by trypsin,and then the cell suspension were seeded and cultured in 6-well plate by 2 mL per well.The cell culture supernatants were collected when BCAFs and NFs were cultured by serum-free medium for 48 h,then the content of PN in cell culture supernatants from BCAFs and NFs was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The glass coverslips were placed at the bottom of the 6-well plate to make cell slides,and then the expression of PN in BCAFs and NFs cells were tested by immunofluorescence staining.Results ELISA showed that the content of PN in cell culture supernatants from BCAFs and NFs was (9.26 ± 2.35) μg · L-1 and (2.57 ± 0.41) μg · L-1.And the expression level of PN in BCAFs tested by immunofluorescence staining technology was higher than that in NFs cells,and the differences were statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The expression and secretion of PN in the eyelid BCAFs were highly enhanced when compared with NFs,suggesting that periostein may promote or inhibit the occurrence and development of the eyelid basal cell carcinoma in the microenvironment of the eyelid basal cell carcinoma.

Protective Effects of Total Flavones of Elaeagnus rhamnoides (L.) A. Nelson against Vascular Endothelial Injury in Blood Stasis Model Rats.

The aim was to evaluate the protective effects of total flavones of Elaeagnus rhamnoides (L.) A. Nelson (TFE) against vascular endothelial injury in blood stasis model rats and explore the potential mechanisms preliminarily. The model of blood stasis rat model with vascular endothelial injury was induced by subcutaneous injection of adrenaline combined with ice-water bath. Whole blood viscosity (WBV), histological examination, and prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and fibrinogen (FIB) were measured. Meanwhile, the levels of Thromboxane B2 (TXB2), 6-keto-PGF1α , von Willebrand factor (vWF), and thrombomodulin (TM) were detected. In addition, Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qPCR) was performed to identify PI3K, Erk2, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 gene expression. The results showed that TFE can relieve WBV, increase PT and APTT, and decrease FIB content obviously. Moreover, TFE might significantly downregulate the levels of TXB2, vWF, and TM in plasma and upregulate the level of 6-keto-PGF1α in plasma. Expressions of PI3K and Bcl-2 were increased and the expression of caspase-3 was decreased by TFE pretreatment in the rat model. Consequently, the study suggested that TFE may have the potential against vascular endothelial injury in blood stasis model rats induced by a high dose of adrenaline with ice-water bath.