Geniposide Attenuates Oxygen-glucose Deprivation/Recovery-induced Retinal Ganglion Cell Injury via Akt/Nrf-2 Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Glaucoma is an eye disease. Its pathological process involves retinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R), which causes irreversible blindness in patients. Geniposide (Gen), a bioactive iridoid glycoside extracted from the fruit of gardenia, exhibits many biological effects, such as anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis, anti-endoplasmic reticulum stress, and anti-thrombotic effects. However, its therapeutic potential for the retinal I/R injury remains unclear. This study investigated the protective effect of Gen against I/R injury by inhibiting abnormal reactive oxygen species (ROS) and retinal neuron apoptosis. METHODS: We used oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) to induce R28 cells to mimic the pathological process of I/R in glaucoma. We conducted CCK-8 analysis and TUNEL staining to examine cell proliferation and apoptosis in glaucoma. Western blotting was used to assay the expressions of apoptosis and Akt/Nrf-2 pathway-related proteins. RESULTS: The production of ROS was detected by using the corresponding kit. Cell viability decreased, whereas TUNEL staining-positive cells and ROS production increased after the OGD/R injury. The contents of cleaved caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2 increased after the OGD/R injury. Treatment with 200 µM of Gen effectively improved the cell viability and suppressed cell apoptosis and ROS production. In addition, Gen could significantly promote the activation of the Akt/Nrf-2 signaling pathway in R28 cells, which was blocked by the inhibition of Akt/Nrf-2. We in vivo verified the neuroprotective effect of Gen by establishing an acute high intraocular pressure (aHIOP) model and obtained similar results to those of the in vitro experimental results. CONCLUSION: Hence, it can be suggested that Gen provides neuroprotection against the OGD/R-induced injury of R28 cells by activating the Akt/Nrf-2 signaling pathway, which is beneficial for the clinical treatment of glaucoma.

Low-dose radiation exaggerates HFD-induced metabolic dysfunction by gut microbiota through PA-PYCR1 axis.

Co-exposure of High-fat-diet (HFD) behavior and environmental low-dose radiation (LDR) is common among majority occupational workers, but the synergism of this co-exposure in metabolic health is poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the impact of gut microbiota and its metabolites on the regulation of HFD accompanied by LDR-associated with metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance. Here, we reported that Parasutterella was markedly elevated in the gut microbiota of mice in co-exposure of HFD and LDR, accompanied by increased pyrrolidinecarboxylic acid (PA) level in both intestine and plasma. Transplantation of fecal microbiota from mice with co-exposure HFD and LDR with metabolic dysfunction resulted in increased disruption of metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance and increased PYCR1 (Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1) expression. Mechanistically, intestinal barrier was damaged more serious in mice with co-exposure of HFD and LDR, leading high PA level in plasma, activating PYCR1 expression to inhibit insulin Akt/mTOR (AKT kinase-transforming protein/Serine threonine-protein kinase) signaling pathway to aggravate HFD-induced metabolic impairments. This study suggests a new avenue for interventions against western diet companied with low dose radiation exposure-driven metabolic impairments.

Comparation of knowledge, attitude and social support of exclusive breastfeeding between primiparae and multiparae after delivery within 6 months in Changsha, China: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The knowledge, attitude, and social support of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers are the important predictors of the starting time of lactation and the duration time of breastfeeding. Evaluating the knowledge, attitude, social support of exclusive breastfeeding of mothers is critical to recognize those at risk for suboptimal breastfeeding practices. There were a small amount of studies related to knowledge, attitude and social support of mothers, a blank for comparative study of the knowledge, attitude, social support of breastfeeding between primiparae and multiparae existed. Our aim was to compare the feeding situation between firstborns and second-born infants, and to compare the knowledge, attitude, and social support between primiparae and multiparae. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, a total of 354 mothers of infants aged 0-6 months who underwent physical examination between February 2019 and July 2019 were randomly recruited to the study and finished an on-site questionnaire. Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test were used to make a comparison among groups. Results: The average rate of exclusive breastfeeding among infants aged 0-6 months was 61.30%. There is no statistical difference between the firstborns and the second-born infants regarding whether cod liver oil was supplemented, whether it was breastfeeding after birth, the signal of breastfeeding for infants, and the duration of each lactation (P>0.05); The rate of exclusive breastfeeding of second-born infants was lower than that of firstborns (P=0.001); The starting time of breastfeeding of second-born infants was earlier than that of firstborns (P=0.041). Compared to primiparae, multiparae had a higher degree of understanding of feeding knowledge (P<0.001), a higher proficiency level of self-evaluation of feeding techniques (P<0.001); and a better self-evaluation of feeding habit (P<0.001); more multiparae had prenatal feeding counselling (P<0.001); primiparae and multiparae had no statistical difference in attitude and social support of breastfeeding (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Breastfeeding knowledge, skills, and habits of mothers all need to be improved. It's urgent to make up for the deficiency of news media such as television and radio in the dissemination of breastfeeding knowledge. Primiparas with a high level of education are the key object of our publicity and education.

Genetic Aberrations and Interaction of NEK2 and TP53 Accelerate Aggressiveness of Multiple Myeloma.

It has been previously shown that (never in mitosis gene A)-related kinase 2 (NEK2) is upregulated in multiple myeloma (MM) and contributes to drug resistance. However, the mechanisms behind this upregulation remain poorly understood. In this study, it is found that amplification of NEK2 and hypermethylation of distal CpG islands in its promoter correlate strongly with increased NEK2 expression. Patients with NEK2 amplification have a poor rate of survival and often exhibit TP53 deletion, which is an independent prognostic factor in MM. This combination of TP53 knockout and NEK2 overexpression induces asymmetric mitosis, proliferation, drug resistance, and tumorigenic behaviors in MM in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, delivery of wild type p53 and suppression of NEK2 in TP53-/- MM cell lines inhibit tumor formation and enhance the effect of Bortezomib against MM. It is also discovered that inactivating p53 elevates NEK2 expression genetically by inducing NEK2 amplification, transcriptionally by increased activity of cell cycle-related genes like E2F8 and epigenetically by upregulating DNA methyltransferases. Dual defects of TP53 and NEK2 may define patients with the poorest outcomes in MM with p53 inactivation, and NEK2 may serve as a novel therapeutic target in aggressive MM with p53 abnormalities.

A new way for punicalagin to alleviate insulin resistance: regulating gut microbiota and autophagy.

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance, defined as a diminished ability to respond to the stimulation of insulin, is the main line for a variety of metabolic-related diseases. Punicalagin (PU), a hydrolyzable tannin of pomegranate juice, exhibits multiple biological properties, including anti-oxidant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities. OBJECTIVE: This research study aimed at determining the protective effect of PU on insulin resistance and to uncover the underlying mechanism based on the gut microbiota, IKKß/NF-κB pathway, and autophagy. DESIGN: An insulin resistance animal model was established using C57BL/6 mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks. The model included two groups continuing a HFD for 12 weeks with or without administering via gavage with PU 20 mg/kg/day. Changes in fasting plasma glucose levels, fasting serum insulin levels, glucose and insulin tolerance, glycolipid metabolism, gut microbiota composition (16S rRNA gene sequencing), inflammatory responses, and autophagy in the liver were evaluated. Body weight gain, glycolipid metabolic disorder, liver injury, as well as systemic and hepatic insulin sensitivity, were significantly attenuated after supplementing with PU. RESULTS: This research study revealed that PU alleviated HFD-induced glucose and lipid disorders, liver injury and insulin resistance; decreased the Firmicutes/Bacteroides ratio, decreased the abundance of Coprococcus and Anaerotruncus, and increased Rikenellaceae; and decreased serum and liver tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1ß levels, inhibited liver IKKß and NF-κB phosphorylation; and increased liver autophagy-related proteins LC3-II, P62, and Beclin1, and increased the number of liver autophagosomes. CONCLUSION: PU can improve HFD-induced insulin resistance, improved liver glucose and lipid metabolism disorder and liver injury, and the potential mechanism is that PU inhibited the IKKß/NF-κB inflammatory pathway by regulating gut microbiota homeostasis and up-regulating liver autophagy activity.

Potential liver damage due to co-exposure to As, Cd, and Pb in mining areas: Association analysis and research trends from a Chinese perspective.

There is global concern regarding the public health hazards of environmental exposure to multiple toxic heavy metals. The effects of toxic heavy metals on liver function have been suggested in previous reports, but the association between exposure to multiple toxic heavy metals and liver function has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of exposure to multiple toxic heavy metals, arsenic(As), lead(Pb), and cadmium(Cd), on liver function through population-based and animal studies. A total of 3590 participants were enrolled from the mining areas in Western Hunan Province. The concentrations of As, Pb, and Cd in the urine and plasma samples were determined using quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) was employed for the joint association assay. An animal study was conducted to further verify the cumulative effects of metals on liver damage-related parameters such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. Research trends regarding toxic metals were also explored to obtain in-depth understanding of the current knowledge in this field. Typically, for single-exposure analysis, in most mines, Pb exhibited a significantly negative association with ALT levels, whereas for cumulative effects analysis, when As, Pb, and Cd concentrations were at the 50thpercentile, a significantly negative effect on liver ALT levels was observed. Furthermore, animal studies have shown that co-exposure to As, Pb, and Cd could aggravate liver dysfunction in mice compared to that in the single-metal treated group (p < 0.05). From 1990 to 2019, 1965 projects relating to As, Pb, and Cd research have been initiated, and the total RMB(RenMingBi) funded was approximately 800 million in China, as opposed to 2500 projects in the US with an approximate amount of US$ 1 billion, which is substantially greater than that of China. Finally, from a global viewpoint, scientists should continue to substantially contribute to the field of heavy metal contamination through more extensive academic investigation, global cooperation, and the development of novel control methods. Overall, this study identified that elevated combined concentrations of As, Pb, and Cd were significantly negatively associated with liver function.

ß-Caryophyllene Ameliorates MSU-Induced Gouty Arthritis and Inflammation Through Inhibiting NLRP3 and NF-κB Signal Pathway: In Silico and In Vivo.

Gouty arthritis serves as an acute reaction initiated by the deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals around the joints. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of phytochemical ß-caryophyllene on MSU crystal-induced acute gouty arthritis in vivo and in silico were explored. Through bioinformatics methods and molecular docking, it screened the specific influence pathway of ß-caryophyllene on gout. Certain methods including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blotting, and immunohistochemical staining were adopted to quantify. ß-caryophyllene significantly reduced inflammation and function of ankle joints in MSU Crystals-induced gouty arthritis rats, while decreasing serum cytokine levels. Furthermore, it inhibited the expressions of NLRP3, Caspase-1, ASC, TLR4, MyD88, p65, and IL-1ß in the synovial tissue so as to reduce inflammation and protect ankle joints' function. A new research approach in which ß-caryophyllene treatment to acute attacks of gout is provided through the research results.

Inhibitory Effect of Delphinidin on Oxidative Stress Induced by H2O2 in HepG2 Cells.

Chronic liver diseases (CLDs) are correlated with oxidative stress induced by the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we employed HepG2, a human liver carcinoma cell line containing many antioxidant enzymes, to explore the function of delphinidin against oxidative stress induced by H2O2 and to provide scientific data of the molecular mechanism. Cells were pretreated with different concentrations of delphinidin (10 µmol/L, 20 µmol/L, and 40 µmol/L) for 2 h before treatment with 750 µM H2O2 for 1 h. The results showed that H2O2 decreased the survival rate of HepG2 cells and increased the level of ROS, but delphinidin pretreatment could possess the opposite result. At the same time, the expression of Nrf2 was enhanced by the delphinidin pretreatment. This was because delphinidin promoted Nrf2 nuclear translocation and inhibited its degradation, which led to the increase expression of antioxidant protein HO-1 (Nrf2-related phase II enzyme heme oxygenase-1). Besides, we found that delphinidin could significantly alleviate the reduction of Nrf2 protein levels and the accumulation of intracellular ROS levels in Nrf2 knockdown HepG2 cells. In conclusion, our study suggested that delphinidin, as an effective antioxidant, protected HepG2 cells from oxidative stress by regulating the expression of Nrf2/HO-1.

Biodegradation of microcystin-RR and nutrient pollutants using Sphingopyxis sp. YF1 immobilized activated carbon fibers-sodium alginate.

A novel biological material named activated carbon fibers-sodium alginate@Sphingopyxis sp. YF1 (ACF-SA@YF1) was synthesized for microcystin-RR (MC-RR) and nutrient pollutant degradation in eutrophic water. The synthesized biomaterial was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology (RSM) were utilized for the optimization of conditions during the MC-RR degradation. The degradation of MC-RR and nutrient pollutants was dynamically detected. The results revealed that the optimal conditions were temperature 32.51 °C, pH 6.860, and inoculum 14.97%. The removal efficiency of MC-RR, nitrogen, phosphorus, and chemical oxygen demand were 0.76 µg/mL/h, 32.45%, 94.57%, and 64.07%, respectively. In addition, ACF-SA@YF1 also performed satisfactory cyclic stability, while the MC-RR removal efficiency was 70.38% after seven cycles and 78.54% of initial activity after 20 days of storage. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that ACF-SA@YF1 is an effective material which has a great prospect in removing MC-RR and nutrients from freshwater ecosystems.

Punicalagin Reversed the Hepatic Injury of Tetrachloromethane by Antioxidation and Enhancement of Autophagy.

Hepatic injury is significant in the pathogenesis and development of many types of liver diseases. Punicalagin (PU) is a bioactive antioxidant polyphenol found in pomegranates. To explore its protective effect against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury and the mechanism, Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice and L02 cells were used to observe the changes of serum biochemical indicators, histopathological liver structure, cell viability, antioxidative indices, and autophagy-related proteins were assessed. In ICR mice, PU ameliorated the CCl4-induced increase of the serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, the activity of liver lactate dehydrogenase, and the damage of histopathological structure, and exhibited a hepatoprotective effect against CCl4. PU attenuated oxidative stress by decreasing the liver malondialdehyde level and increasing the activities of liver superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and the expression of the liver nuclear factor E2-related factor (Nrf2) protein. Furthermore, according to the vivo and vitro experiments, PU might activate autophagy through the mediation of the Akt/FOXO3a and P62/Nrf2 signaling pathway. Taken together, these results suggest that PU may protect against CCl4-induced liver injury through the upregulation of antioxidative activities and autophagy.

Punicalagin Prevents Inflammation in LPS-Induced RAW264.7 Macrophages by Inhibiting FoxO3a/Autophagy Signaling Pathway.

Punicalagin, a hydrolysable tannin of pomegranate juice, exhibits multiple biological effects, including inhibiting production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in macrophages. Autophagy, an intracellular self-digestion process, has been recently shown to regulate inflammatory responses. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory potential of punicalagin in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced RAW264.7 macrophages and uncovered the underlying mechanisms. Punicalagin significantly attenuated, in a concentration-dependent manner, LPS-induced release of NO and decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 release at the highest concentration. We found that punicalagin inhibited NF-κB and MAPK activation in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. Western blot analysis revealed that punicalagin pre-treatment enhanced LC3II, p62 expression, and decreased Beclin1 expression in LPS-induced macrophages. MDC assays were used to determine the autophagic process and the results worked in concert with Western blot analysis. In addition, our observations indicated that LPS-induced releases of NO, TNF-α, and IL-6 were attenuated by treatment with autophagy inhibitor chloroquine, suggesting that autophagy inhibition participated in anti-inflammatory effect. We also found that punicalagin downregulated FoxO3a expression, resulting in autophagy inhibition. Overall these results suggested that punicalagin played an important role in the attenuation of LPS-induced inflammatory responses in RAW264.7 macrophages and that the mechanisms involved downregulation of the FoxO3a/autophagy signaling pathway.

[Establishment of evaluation system on food safety management capacity for food production enterprises by Delphi method].

OBJECTIVE: To construct an evaluation indicator system on food safety management capacity for food production enterprises by Delphi method, and to provide a scientific theoretical framework for food safety management capacity for food enterprises.
 Methods: A framework for the evaluation system on food safety management capabilities was established and experts in relevant fields were invited to conduct 2 rounds of expert consultation. Indicators were selected and determined based on expert opinions and statistical analysis results. The hierarchical model was constructed by the analytic hierarchy process to determine the weight coefficients of each indicator.
 Results: The positive coefficients of the two rounds of expert consultation were 84% and 100%, and the coefficient of experts' authority was 0.826. The coordination coefficients of the indicators in the first round of consultation were 0.439, 0.323 and 0.324, and they were 0.607, 0.351, and 0.368 in the second round, respectively, with statistically significant differences (P<0.001). The evaluation index system of food safety management capacity for food production enterprises was established after the two rounds of expert consultation, and the system consisted of 5 indicators for the first level, 18 indicators for the second level and 32 indicators for the third level, with corresponding weights. 
 Conclusion: The enthusiasm, authority and concordance of experts during this consultation are good, and the selected indicators are reasonable and comprehensive, which can provide a basis for the evaluation of food safety management capabilities for food enterprises.

Radiotherapy Exposure in Cancer Patients and Subsequent Risk of Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Cancer patients who have undergone radiotherapy may have an increased risk of subsequent stroke. A clear and detailed understanding of this risk has not been established. Methods: A search for research articles published from January 1990 to November 2017 in the English language was conducted. Subsequent stroke risk in cancer survivors was compared using relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) according to whether or not radiotherapy was given. Results: A total of 12 eligible studies were identified including 57,881 total patients. All studies were retrospective, as no prospective studies were identified. The meta-analysis revealed a higher overall risk of subsequent stroke in cancer survivors/patients given radiotherapy compared to those not given radiotherapy (RR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.45, 3.16). In addition, compared to patients not given radiotherapy, there was an increased risk of subsequent stroke for radiotherapy treated patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (RR: 2.81, 95% CI: 0.69, 4.93) or head/neck/brain/nasopharyngeal cancer (RR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.16, 3.16), for patients younger than 40 years (RR: 3.53, 95% CI: 2.51, 4.97) or aged 40-49 years (RR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.45) and for patients treated in Asia (RR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.48, 2.29), the United States (RR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.23), or in Europe (RR: 4.11, 95% CI 2.62, 6.45). Conclusions: The available literature indicates an approximate overall doubling of the subsequent stroke risk in cancer patients given radiotherapy. The elevated risk was generally statistically significant according to cancer type, baseline patient age and region or country where treatment was given. Caution is required in interpreting these findings due to the heterogeneity of populations represented and lack of standardization and completeness across published studies. Further, if real, we cannot conclude the extent to which patient, treatment and/or investigational factors are responsible for this apparent elevated risk. An objective and more detailed understanding of the risks of radiotherapy, and how to prevent them, is urgently required. It is the responsibility of all who provide cancer services to ensure that the experience of all their patients is documented and analyzed using quality registries.

AC-Filtering Supercapacitors Based on Edge Oriented Vertical Graphene and Cross-Linked Carbon Nanofiber.

There is strong interest in developing high-frequency (HF) supercapacitors or electrochemical capacitors (ECs), which can work at the hundreds to kilo hertz range for line-frequency alternating current (AC) filtering in the substitution of bulky aluminum electrolytic capacitors, with broad applications in the power and electronic fields. Although great progress has been achieved in the studies of electrode materials for ECs, most of them are not suitable to work in this high frequency range because of the slow electrochemical processes involved. Edge-oriented vertical graphene (VG) networks on 3D scaffolds have a unique structure that offers straightforward pore configuration, reasonable surface area, and high electronic conductivity, thus allowing the fabrication of HF-ECs. Comparatively, highly conductive freestanding cross-linked carbon nanofibers (CCNFs), derived from bacterial cellulose in a rapid plasma pyrolysis process, can also provide a large surface area but free of rate-limiting micropores, and are another good candidate for HF-ECs. In this mini review, advances in these fields are summarized, with emphasis on our recent contributions in the study of these materials and their electrochemical properties including preliminary demonstrations of HF-ECs for AC line filtering and pulse power storage applications.

Resveratrol liposomes and lipid nanocarriers: Comparison of characteristics and inducing browning of white adipocytes.

Trans-resveratrol (R) has a potential to increase energy expenditure via inducing browning in white adipose tissue. However, its low levels of aqueous solubility, stability, and poor bioavailability limit its application. We have successfully synthesized biocompatible, and biodegradable R encapsulated lipid nanocarriers (R-nano), and R encapsulated liposomes (R-lipo). The mean particle size of R-nano and R-lipo were 140 nm and 110 nm, respectively, and their polydispersity index values were less than 0.2. Nanoencapsulation significantly increased aqueous solubility and enhanced chemical stability of R, especially at 37 °C. R-lipo had higher physical and chemical stability than R-nano while R-nano had more prolonged release than R-lipo. Both R-nano and R-lipo increased cellular R content in 3T3-L1 cells. Both R-nano and R-lipo dose-dependently induced uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) mRNA expression and decreased white specific marker insulin growth factor binding protein 3 expression under isoproterenol (ISO)-stimulated conditions. At the low dose (5 µM), nanoencapsulated compared to native R enhanced UCP1 and beige marker CD137 expression under ISO-stimulated conditions. Compared to R-nano, R-lipo had better biological activity, possibly due to its higher physical and chemical stability at the room and body temperature. Taken together, our study demonstrates that nanoencapsulation increased R's aqueous solubility and stability, which led to enhanced browning of white adipocytes. Even though both R-lipo and R-nano increased R's browning activities, their differential characteristics need to be considered in obesity treatment.

Bracelet- and self-directed observational therapy for control of tuberculosis: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 80% of global tuberculosis (TB) cases occur in low-resource settings, with little opportunity for TB control. We hypothesized that the rapid increase in smartphone users and advances in digital technology would render bracelet-based applications possible; specifically, that bracelet- and self-directed observational therapy (BSDOT) can be used by patients with TB to ensure adherence to TB medication regimens and by basic village physicians to monitor care. This will ultimately allow TB to be controlled in low-resource environments. METHODS AND DESIGN: This study will have three phases: development of a bracelet capable of storing pills and recording adherence to medication regimens; creation of a BSDOT smartphone application capable of supporting reminders to patients and health care interactions between patients and village physicians; and performance of a cluster randomized controlled trial in Hunan Province, China. Patients in the intervention group will receive free bracelets and smartphones, and their daily medication intake will be directed by the smartphones; the control group will receive no intervention. The primary outcome will be the TB treatment result as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as follows: Cured, Treatment completed, Treatment failed, Died, Lost to follow-up, Not evaluated, or Treatment success. The secondary outcome will be treatment adherence, defined as the percentage of patients receiving TB treatment who missed fewer than 5% of doses. We will also assess self-reported adherence using the Morisky, Green, and Levine Adherence Scale (MGLS) and evaluate respondents' knowledge about TB and quality of life. A regression model will be used to explore whether the interventions improve drug adherence and other outcome measures. DISCUSSION: This will be a powerful means by which to strengthen TB control and prevent TB, especially multidrug-resistant epidemics of the disease. In addition, our novel smartphone-based tool can be readily adopted for use in low-resource remote environments with limited health care facilities and few economic assets. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The protocol has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University (reference number: XYGW-2016-14). TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ID: ChiCTR-IOR-16008424 . Registered on 5 June 2016.

Ionic and Optical Properties of Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite across the Tetragonal-Cubic Structural Phase Transition.

Practical hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) must endure temperatures above the tetragonal-cubic structural phase transition of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3 ). However, the ionic and optical properties of MAPbI3 in such a temperature range, and particularly, dramatic changes in these properties resulting from a structural phase transition, are not well studied. Herein, we report a striking contrast at approximately 45 °C in the ionic/electrical properties of MAPbI3 owing to a change of the ion activation energy from 0.7 to 0.5 eV, whereas the optical properties exhibit no particular transition except for the steady increase of the bandgap with temperature. These observations can be explained by the "continuous" nature of perovskite phase transition. We speculate that the critical temperature at which the ionic/electrical properties change, although related to crystal symmetry variation, is not necessarily the same temperature as when tetragonal-cubic structural phase transition occurs.

[Study on the inhibiting effects of equol on MCF-7 cells proliferation and its molecular mechanisms].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the proliferation inhibition effects of equol on human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and explore its molecular mechanisms. METHODS: MCF-7 cells were treated with different concentration of equol, including 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 micromol/L. After the treatment, the proliferation rate of cells was examined by MTT method and the cell apoptosis percentage and cell cycle phase were determined by flow cytometry. The bag-1, bcl-2, VEGF, ERK1/2, p-ERK1/2, p38 and p-p38 protein were determined using Western blotting. RESULTS: A dose and time effect of proliferation inhibition of equol was proved in MCF-7. The MCF-7 cell apoptosis percentage increased significantly in the groups of equol, and the cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase. The expression of bag-1, bcl-2, VEGF, p-ERK1/2 and p-p38 protein were decreased gradually with the increase concentration of equol. CONCLUSION: The equol could inhibit the proliferation of the breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and its inhibitory effect may be due to inducing apoptosis, arresting the cell cycle in G0/G1 phase, down-regulating the expression of bag-1, bcl-2, VEGF, p-ERK1/2 and p-p38 protein.

Prognostic impact of NDRG2 and NDRG3 in prostate cancer patients undergoing radical prostatectomy.

AIM: To investigate the clinicopathologic significance of NDRG2 and NDRG3, and their involvement in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) of prostate cancer (PCa). METHODS: NDRG2 and NDRG3 expression in 206 pairs of primary PCa and corresponding noncancerous prostate tissue samples from the same specimens were detected by immunohistochemistry. The association of NDRG2 and NDRG3 expression with the clinicopathologic features and with the prognosis of PCa was subsequently assessed. RESULTS: In PCa tissues, NDRG2 expression was significantly downregulated, while NDRG3 expression was significantly upregulated (both P<0.001), compared with those in corresponding noncancerous prostate tissues. In addition, the downregulation of NDRG2 in PCa tissues was significantly correlated with advanced pathological stage (P=0.001), positive metastatic status (P=0.001) and high Gleason score (P=0.003), while the upregulation of NDRG3 in PCa tissues was significantly correlated with advanced pathological stage (P=0.006), positive metastatic status (P=0.001) and lymph node status (P=0.002). Furthermore, multivariate survival analysis showed low NDRG2 and high NDRG3 immunoreactivities were both significantly associated with short RFS and short OS in PCa independently of routine clinicopathological predictors. CONCLUSION: Our data offer convincing evidence for the first time that the aberrant expression of NDRG2 and NDRG3 may contribute to the malignant progression of PCa. More importantly, both the downregulation of NDRG2 and the upregulation of NDRG3 may be efficient prognostic indicators for PCa.

[Inhibition effects of black rice pericarp extracts on cell proliferation of PC-3 cells].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the inhibitive effects of black rice pericarp extracts on cell proliferation of human prostate cancer cell PC-3 and to explore its effecting mechanism. METHODS: The black rice pericarp extract was used to treat the PC-3 cells. The inhibitory effect of black rice pericarp extract on cells proliferation of PC-3 was tested by MTT method. Cell apoptosis rates and cell cycle were measured by flow cytometric assay (FCM). Western blot was used to study the protein expression levels of p38, p-p38, JNK, p-JNK. RESULTS: A dose-dependent and time-dependent proliferation inhibition of black rice pericarp extract was demonstrated in PC-3. The most prominent experiment condition was inhibitory concentration with 300microg/ml and treated for 72 h. The experiment result of flow cytometry analysis demonstrates that the apoptosis rate of PC-3 cells increased along with the increasing of black rice pericarp extract concentration, and a G1-S cell cycle arrest was induced in a dose-dependent manner. After PC-3 cell was treated with black rice pericarp extract for 72 h, the expressions of p-p38, p-JNK protein increased. CONCLUSION: Black rice pericarp extract could inhibit proliferation, change the cell cycle distributions and induce apoptosis in human prostatic cancer cell PC-3. Its inhibitory effect may be through promoting activation of the JNK, p38 signaling pathway. These results suggest that black rice pericarp extract maybe has an inhibitory effect on prostatic cancer.