[Water intake and its influence factors among pregnant and lactating women in some areas of China in 2020].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the water intake and its influence factors of pregnant and lactating women. METHODS: From May to August 2020, a convenience sampling method was used to investigate questionnaires in the obstetrics and pediatric care departments of maternal and Child Health Hospitals in Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong and Jiangsu Provinces(Cities) among pregnant and lactating women who received prenatal health care and postpartum follow-up. The questionnaire included general conditions, physical activity and water-related surveys. The data was exported from the Questionnaire Star System and analyzed by Wilcoxon rank sum test and multiple linear regression for different types of daily fluid intake. RESULTS: The median daily water intake of pregnant and lactating women was 1321 mL and 1271 mL, respectively, meanwhile, plain water was the most highest(both 1000 mL), followed by milk and milk products(179 mL and 86 mL), other beverages(29 mL and 86 mL). The one-way analysis showed that daily water intake of pregnant women was increased with increasing gestation, literacy, and household disposable income, and the difference were statistically significant(P<0.05) across gestation, literacy, physical activity intensity, and household disposable income groups, as well as significant differences in lactating women(P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that pregnancy was the most influential factor for daily water intake, plain water and liquid milk and yogurt intake among pregnant women, while household disposable income was the most influential factor for other beverages. For lactating women, household disposable income was the most influential factor for daily water intake, liquid milk and yogurt and other beverages, and literacy was the most influential factor for daily intake of plain water. CONCLUSION: Pregnant and lactating women had insufficient water intake, so it is necessary to consider different pregnancy status, family income and literacy for drinking water health education and improve drinking behavior.

Aberrant expressed long non-coding RNAs in laryngeal squamous-cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Laryngeal squamous-cell carcinoma (LSCC) is the second most common malignant tumor of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The study was aimed to identify key long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) biomarkers for LSCC. METHODS: Differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and mRNAs (DEmRNAs) between LSCC and adjacent tissues were obtained based on The Cancer Genome Atlas. DElncRNA-DEmRNAs co-expression and DElncRNA-nearby-target DEmRNA interaction networks were constructed. Receiver operating characteristic and survival analysis were performed. A published dataset were as used to validate the result of bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS: We obtained 1103 DEmRNAs and 306 DElncRNAs between LSCC and adjacent tissues. A total of 338 DElncRNA-DEmRNA co-expression pairs and 229 DElncRNA-nearby-target DEmRNA pairs were obtained. Ten DElncRNAs and six DEmRNAs has great diagnostic value for LSCC. HOXB9 has potential prognostic value for LSCC. The results of GSE84957 validation were generally consistent with our results. CONCLUSION: Our study provided clues for understanding the mechanism and developing potential biomarkers for LSCC.

Comprehensive analysis of gene expression and DNA methylation for human nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most malignant head and neck carcinomas with unique epidemiological features. In this study, we aimed to identify the novel NPC-related genes and biological pathways, shedding light on the potential molecular mechanisms of NPC. METHODS: Based on Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, an integrated analysis of microarrays studies was performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially methylated genes (DMGs) in NPC compared to normal control. The genes which were both differentially expressed and differentially methylated were identified. Functional annotation and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction were used to uncover biological functions of DEGs. RESULTS: Two DNA methylation and five gene expression datasets were incorporated. A total of 1074 genes were up-regulated and 939 genes were down-regulated in NPC were identified. A total of 719 differential methylation CpG sites (DMCs) including 1 hypermethylated sites and 718 hypomethylated sites were identified. Among which, 11 genes were both DEGs and DMGs in NPC. Pathways in cancer, p53 signaling pathway and Epstein-Barr virus infection were three pathways significantly enriched pathways in DEmRNAs of NPC. The PPI network of top 50 DEGs were consisted of 191 nodes and 191 edges. CONCLUSIONS: Our study was helpful to elucidate the underlying mechanism of NPC and provide clues for therapeutic methods.

Case Report: TRPV4 gene mutation causing neuronopathy, distal hereditary motor, type VIII.

Neuronopathy, distal hereditary motor, type VIII is an exceedingly rare autosomal dominant genetic disorder, also known as congenital non-progressive distal spinal muscular atrophy. It is characterized by progressive weakness in distal motor function and atrophy of muscles, without accompanying sensory impairment. Presently, there is limited literature on this condition, and accurate epidemiological data regarding its incidence remains unavailable. We report a paediatric case of distal hereditary motor, type VIII that is caused by a heterozygous missense mutation in the TRPV4 gene (NM_021625): c.805C>T. The proband is a 7-year-old male child. During pregnancy, his mother had prenatal ultrasound revealing "inward turning of the feet", a condition persisting after birth. The proband is currently unable to stand independently, exhibiting bilateral clubfoot deformity. Although possessing normal cognitive function, he cannot walk unaided. Computed radiography findings reveal pelvic tilt, bilateral knee joint valgus, and bilateral clubfoot. The patient underwent familial exome sequencing, revealing a mutation in the TRPV4 gene (NM_021625): c.805C>T (p.Arg269Cys). Considering the patient's medical history, clinical manifestations, imaging studies, and genetic test results, the diagnosis for this individual is Neuronopathy, distal hereditary motor, type VIII. This report documents a case involving the TRPV4 gene mutation associated with Neuronopathy, distal hereditary motor, type VIII, contributing valuable case reference for the early diagnosis of this condition.

Prenatal High-Sucrose Diet Induced Vascular Dysfunction of Renal Interlobar Arteries in the Offspring via PPARγ-RXRg-ROS/Akt Signaling.

SCOPE: Prenatal nutrition imbalance correlates with developmental origin of cardiovascular diseases; however whether maternal high-sucrose diet (HS) during pregnancy causes vascular damage in renal interlobar arteries (RIA) from offspring still keeps unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: Pregnant rats are fed with normal drinking water or 20% high-sucrose solution during the whole gestational period. Swollen mitochondria and distributed myofilaments are observed in vascular smooth muscle cells of RIA exposed to prenatal HS. Maternal HS increases phenylephrine (PE)-induced vasoconstriction in the RIA from adult offspring. NG-Nitro-l-arginine (L-Name) causes obvious vascular tension in response to PE in offspring from control group, not in HS. RNA-Seq of RIA is performed to reveal that the gene retinoid X receptor g (RXRg) is significantly decreased in the HS group, which could affect vascular function via interacting with PPARγ pathway. By preincubation of RIA with apocynin (NADPH inhibitor) or capivasertib (Akt inhibitor), the results indicate that ROS and Akt are the vital important factors to affect the vascular function of RIA exposure to prenatal HS. CONCLUSION: Maternal HS during the pregnancy increases PE-mediated vasoconstriction of RIA from adult offspring, which is mainly related to the enhanced Akt and ROS regulated by the weakened PPARγ-RXRg.

Practice guideline on ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation in the prevention and treatment of iatrogenic premature ovarian insufficiency.

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) refers to the decline of ovarian function before the age of 40. POI causes a reduction in or loss of female fertility, accompanied by different degrees of menopausal symptoms, which increases the risk of chronic diseases related to early menopause and seriously affects patients' quality of life and health. It is conservatively estimated that at least one million prepubertal girls and women of reproductive age in China are at risk of iatrogenic POI caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy every year. With the development of medical technology and the breakthrough of scientific and technological advances, preventing and treating iatrogenic POI have become possible. International and national guidelines consider cryopreserved ovarian tissue transplantation to be the most promising method of preserving the ovarian function and fertility of prepubertal girls and women of reproductive age who cannot delay radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In order to guide the clinical application of ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation technology in China, the Guideline Working Group finally included 14 scientific questions and 18 recommendations through a questionnaire survey, field investigation, and consultation of a large number of Chinese and English literature databases in order to provide a reference for colleagues in clinical practice.

Migrasome, a novel organelle, differs from exosomes.

Migrasomes, a newly discovered organelle produced by migrating cells, are vesicles with membranous structure that form on the tips and intersections of retraction fibers (RFs). These structures are released into the extracellular environment or taken up by surrounding cells, mediating the release of cytoplasmic contents and intercellular communication. Retractosomes, a new type of small extracellular vesicles generated from broken-off RFs, are closely related to migrasomes in their physical location and origin, but were defined later. Despite their widespread existence in cells and biological organisms, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms underlying their formation and potential function. In this review, we provide an overview of the discovery, biogenesis, distribution, and functions of migrasomes and retractosomes, as well as their differences from exosomes.

Low-loading Pt nanoparticles combined with the atomically dispersed FeN4 sites supported by FeSA-N-C for improved activity and stability towards oxygen reduction reaction/hydrogen evolution reaction in acid and alkaline media.

Reducing the loading of Pt precious metal is the promising pathway to positively promote the large-scale application for fuel cells and water electrolysis. In this work, a composite bifunctional electrocatalyst (named Pt@FeSA-N-C) consisting of the atomically dispersed FeN4 active sites and Pt nanoparticles (NPs) is successfully prepared for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reactions (HER). In the process of synthesizing precursor of Pt(OH)4-Fe-Ppy@CNFs, the Fe-Ppy@CNFs was firstly prepared where the highly dispersed Fe3+ ions were pre-anchored into polypyrrole (PPy) matrixes through in-situ polymerization on the surface of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and then Pt(OH)4 nano-particles were deposited on Fe-Ppy@CNFs through adjusting the pH of the solution by urea hydrolysis to obtain the Pt(OH)4-Fe-Ppy@CNFs. Compared with the commercial 20 wt.% Pt/C, the obtained Pt@FeSA-N-C possesses 5.5 wt.% low Pt loading. The strong synergistic effect of dual active sites between Pt NPs and FeN4 on one-dimensional (1D) FeSA-N-C support with a large surface area ensures effectively exposure of Fe and especial Pt active sites in the Pt@FeSA-N-C. Both ORR and HER activities of the Pt@FeSA-N-C were greatly improved in acid and alkaline media, even outperforming the commercial 20 wt.% Pt/C. Furthermore, the Pt@FeSA-N-C shows an unordinary stability, with no obvious decrease in the current density after 5000 and 1000 cycles of accelerated durability tests (ADTs) for ORR and HER processes, respectively. This work highlights a preparation strategy for the synergistic effect between low-loading Pt precious metal and non-precious metals in electrocatalytic system.

Effect of reservoir characteristics and chemicals on filtration property of water-based drilling fluid in unconventional reservoir and mechanism disclosure.

The research objective of this investigation is to explore the influence of filtrate reducer and reservoir characteristics on the filtration reduction of drilling fluid during the drilling process, and the filtration reduction mechanism of drilling fluids is also revealed. The results obtained that a synthetic filtrate reducer can significantly reduce the filtration coefficient than that of the commercial filtrate reducer. Moreover, the filtration coefficient of drilling fluid constructed from synthetic filtrate reducer is reduced from 4.9 × 10-2 m3·min1/2 to 2.4 × 10-2 m3·min1/2 with an increase in the filtrate reducer content, which is much lower than that of the commercial filtrate reducer. The weaker filtration capacity of the drilling fluid containing the modified filtrate reducer is attributed to the combined action of the filtrate reducer containing multifunctional groups adsorbed on the sand surface and the hydration membrane adsorbed on the sand surface. Furthermore, the increase in reservoir temperature and shear rate increases the filtration coefficient of drilling fluid, indicating that low temperature and shear rate are conducive to improve the filtration capacity. Thus, the type and content of filtrate reducer are preferred during drilling in oilfield reservoir, but increasing reservoir temperature and shear rate are not recommended. It is necessary to confect the drilling mud with appropriate filtrate reducer such as the chemicals prepared herein during drilling operation.

In vitro antifungal and antibiofilm activities of auranofin against itraconazole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus.

BACKGROUND: Infections caused by azole-resistant Aspergillus are a rising public health threat with high mortality rates, high treatment costs and limited available antifungals, indicating an urgent need for new antifungals or strategies. Our aim was to investigate antifungal and antibiofilm activities of auranofin, an FDA-approved anti-antirheumatic drug. METHODS: Fungal susceptibility testing for auranofin was carried out by the broth-based microdilution methods. Cell viability treated by auranofin was tested by resazurin dye testing. The synergistic effect of auranofin and antifungal drugs was evaluated using checkboard assay. The inhibitory of biofilms were measured by crystal violet staining. Gene expression level analysis and enzyme activity was investigated with qRT-PCR analysis and DTNB assay. The key amino acid residues in the binding of auranofin with A. fumigatus thioredoxin reductase (AfTrxR) were indicated by structural analyses, site-directed mutagenesis, and microscale thermophoresis (MST) assays. RESULTS: Auranofin has fungicidal activity and in vitro antifungal spectrum including Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus niger, even itraconazole (ITC)-resistant A. fumigatus. Additionally, it has antibiofilm activities against ITC-resistant A. fumigatus by reducing the expression level of SomA and MedA. Moreover, we discovered a synergistic effect of auranofin and ITC or amphotericin B against ITC-resistant A. fumigatus. Auranofin downregulated the gene transcription of AfTrxR, and strongly inhibited the enzyme activity of AfTrxR through interacting with residues C145 and C148. CONCLUSIONS: Auranofin has fungicidal and antibiofilm activities in Aspergillus spp. and is also a potentiator of ITC or amphotericin B in vitro.

A facile strategy to prepare FeNx decorated PtFe intermetallic with excellent acidic oxygen reduction reaction activity and stability.

The construction of low-Pt-content intermetallic on carbon supports has been verified as a promising method to promote the activity of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In this study, we have developed a simple and effective strategy to obtain a well-designed CNT-PtFe-PPy precursor. This precursor contains modulated Pt- and Fe-based content dispersed in polypyrrole (PPy) chain segments, which are in-situ generated on the templates of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Subsequent pyrolysis of the CNT-PtFe-PPy precursor produces a CNT-PtFe@FeNC catalyst, which contains both Fe-Nx and PtFe intermetallic active sites. Due to the highly efficient dispersion of active species, the CNT-PtFe@FeNC electrocatalyst displays a 9.5 times higher specific activity (SA) and 8.5 times higher mass activity (MA) than those of a commercial Pt/C catalyst in a 0.1 M HClO4 solution. Additionally, these results, combined with excellent durability (the SA and MA maintained 94 % and 91 % of initial activity after a 10-k cycle accelerated durability test), represent among the best performance achieved so far for Pt-based ORR electrocatalysts. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the presence of Fe-N4 species reduces the adsorption energy between the PtFe intermetallic compound and OH*, accelerating the ORR process.

Affecting analysis of the rheological characteristic and reservoir damage of CO2 fracturing fluid in low permeability shale reservoir.

The fracturing property of liquid CO2 fracturing fluid varies greatly due to the rheology of fracturing fluid during fracturing process. The main objective of this investigation is to study the rheology property of thickened liquid CO2 by measuring the viscosity of thickened liquid CO2 in different physical parameters of this prepared thickener and explain the causes of rheological changes. The results show that thickener content, branching content, and molecular weight of a thickener for all could significantly improve the rheology of liquid CO2; the consistency coefficient K increased as they rose, but the rheological index n presented a decreased trend. Meanwhile, the mesh structure is proposed as a model to explain the rheological changes, and the large wetting angle means an excellent backflow, low reservoir damage, and low adsorption property. These results herein provide a basic reference to improve the CO2 fracturing technology and molecular design of CO2 thickener.

Factor analysis and mechanism disclosure of supercritical CO2 filtration behavior in tight shale reservoirs.

As an important working fluid in tight shale reservoir, supercritical CO2 has been proven to improve oil recovery efficiently. However, the high filtration caused by the low viscosity of pure supercritical CO2 hinders its development. The research objective of this investigation is to explore the filtration of supercritical CO2 with a branched siloxane (BTMT) as a CO2 thickener and filtration-reducing agent, and analyze the influence level of some parameters about rock core and chemicals on the CO2 filtration in the tight shale reservoir by using response surface method (RSM). The results demonstrate that the rising temperature causes a gradually increasing filtration, but filtration coefficient (f) decreases with increasing the pressure difference P, injection speed, and thickener concentration. The thickener concentration is the factor that causes the greatest change in filtration coefficient according to the response surface method, and the injection speed has the smallest effect on the filtration. The viscosity of fracturing fluid is the main characterization parameter leading to change of filtration coefficient, all factors that contribute to increasing the viscosity of the fracturing fluid will lead to a reduction in the filtration coefficient and an enhanced oil recovery. In addition, the adsorption and reservoir residue of BTMT on low-permeability shale were subordinated to a Langmuir monolayer theory, and a low residual of BTMT in shale can prevent thickeners and fracturing fluids from damaging shale reservoirs. The improvement of thickener and CO2 fracturing technology provided a basic reference for shale exploitation, greenhouse effect, and reservoir protection.

Influence of organoboron cross-linker and reservoir characteristics on filtration and reservoir residual of guar gum fracturing fluid in low-permeability shale gas reservoirs.

To effectively reduce the filtration rate of water-based fracturing fluid and promote the pressure holding effect of fracturing fluid in underground unconventional reservoirs, an efficient and clean organic-boron cross-linker was synthesized with boric acid and low alcohols. The results obtained that the synthesized organoboron cross-linker exhibits better fluid loss performance to water-based fracturing fluid than the commercially available cross-linker. This organoboron cross-linker allowed decreasing filtration coefficient more than 0.74 × 10-2 m3·min1/2 as a result of the network structure formed by the organoboron cross-linker and guar gum molecule. However, commercially available cross-linker exhibits a relatively large filtered mass of water more than 1.33 × 10-2 m3·min1/2 at the same condition. Meanwhile, the cross-linked guar gum fracturing fluid can significantly improve the fluid loss property with the increase of cross-linker content and pressure, and an increased fluid filtration gradually was revealed with increasing the reservoir temperature and current speed. Moreover, the damage of shale reservoir caused by the prepared boron cross-linker was only 11%, which was lower than 18% of the commercial boron cross-linker under the same conditions.

Conversion of rice husk biomass into electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in Zn-air battery: Effect of self-doped Si on performance.

An outstanding oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyst is firstly developed deriving from sustainable rice husk (RH) biomass. Benefiting from self-doped Si in RH, the higher proportion of pyridine N, graphite N and expecially Fe-Nx as well as thiophene S contents were produced in Si-Fe/S/N-RH3 in comparison with those of Si-free Fe/S/N-RH3. Consequently, the half-wave potential of 0.89 V and the onset potential of 0.96 V are achieved for Si-Fe/S/N-RH3, outperforming the benchmark electrocatalyst Pt/C and other Fe-based electrocatalysts reported in alkaline media. Furthermore, it is found that the exisentence of self-doped Si can improve the graphitization degree of the catalyst, leading to the long-term stability (larger than 85% retention after 40000 s) and prominent methanol tolerance for Si-Fe/S/N-RH3. In addition, Si-Fe/S/N-RH3 shows a power density of 86.2 mW cm-2 and excellent durability in Zn-air battery. The work highlights the potential to develop sustainable and cost-effective ORR electrocatalysts from waste biomass as the substitute for precious metal catalysts.

Experimental investigation on the high-pressure sand suspension and adsorption capacity of guar gum fracturing fluid in low-permeability shale reservoirs: factor analysis and mechanism disclosure.

Guar fracturing technology has been considered as a kind of popular EOR technology, but the weak static suspension capacity becomes a challenge due to the poor temperature resistance and stability of guar fracturing fluid. The main goal of this investigation is to explore the effect of different factors on the high-pressure static sand suspension of guar gum fracturing fluid by a synthetic efficient nano-ZrO2 cross-linker. In particular, a mechanism of static suspended sand of nano-ZrO2 cross-linker is analyzed by microscopic simulation. The adsorption performance of guar fracturing fluid on the shale surface is also studied for analyzing the environmental pollution and damage of guar gum fracturing fluid to shale reservoirs after cross-linking in this investigation. The results obtained that the inclusion of a small content of nano-ZrO2 cross-linker (0.4%) leads to an apparent increase of fracturing fluid viscosity and decrease in the falling quality of gravel (104 mPa·s and 0.3 g) compared to the classical cross-linker (63 mPa·s and 3.5 g). The lower adsorption capacity of guar fracturing fluid containing nano-ZrO2 cross-linker on the shale surface means that it has a weaker pollution ability to the shale reservoir than the commercially available cross-linker. Meanwhile, the grid structure density formed by nano-cross-linker and guar gum is considered to be the key factor to significantly change the suspended sand capacity. The investigation of nano-cross-linker cannot only provide necessary theoretical technology and data support for the stability of water-based fracturing fluid, efficient sand carrying, and the development of water-based fracturing technology, but also effectively protect the underground shale reservoir.

miR-21 down-regulation promotes apoptosis and inhibits invasion and migration abilities of OVCAR3 cells.

PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of miR-21 down-regulation on cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration of ovarian papillary adenocarcinoma cell lines (OVCAR3). METHODS: Short-hairpin RNA (shRNA), specifically targeting miR-21, was constructed and transfected into OVCAR3 cells using the pSIREN-RetroQ linear vector (pSIREN-miR-21). The expression of miR-21 was detected with stem-loop real-time RT-PCR in OVCAR3 cells. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were monitored using the MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Cell migration and invasion were assessed using the transwell migration and scratch-wound assay, respectively. Western-bloting was used for PDCD4 protein expression. RESULTS: pSIREN-miR-21 suppressed miR-21 expression in OVCAR3 cells. miR-21 expression levels in pSIREN-miR-21 cells was 0.3 ± 0.1, which was significantly lower when compared with pSIREN-miR-21-Neg and control groups (P < 0.01). Cell inhibition rate in the pSIREN-miR-21 group was higher than the control group (29.4% vs 9.0%, P < 0.01), as was the percentage of apoptotic and necrotic cells. By transwell migration assay, the number of cells migrating in the pSIREN-miR-21 group was significantly lower than in the control group. In addition, fewer cells were observed in the wounded area of the pSIREN-miR-21 group following the scratch-wound assay. PDCD4 expression was increased in OVCAR-3 cells transfected by pSIREN-miR-21 compared with vector-control transfected cells. Moreover, the optical density of the transfected cells was significantly lower than the two control groups. CONCLUSION: Down-regulation of miR-21 dramatically increased apoptotic cell death and decreased cell proliferation, invasion and migration in OVCAR3 cells. MiR-21 may play an important role in the biological behaviors of epithelial ovarian carcinoma cells through negative control of the expression of PDCD4.

[Role of microRNA-21 in the proliferation and apoptosis of ovarian epithelial carcinoma cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role and mechanism of microRNA-21(miR-21) in the proliferation and apoptosis of ovarian epithelial carcinoma cells. METHODS: A short-hairpin RNA specifically targeting miR-21 plasmid was constructed, and the recombinant was identified by restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA sequencing. Three experimental groups were included, transfection group (transfected with pSIREN-miR-21), negative control group (transfected with pSIREN-miR-21-neg) and blank control group (without transfection plasmid). The expression of miR-21 was detected by stem-loop real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR in OVCAR3 cells, and western blot was used to detect the expression of programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) protein. Tethyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) and flow cytometry method were used respectively. RESULTS: Recombinant plasmid (pSIREN-miR-21) was constructed successfully and identified by restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA sequencing. The relative expression level of miR-21 in cells transfection, negative control and blank control group was 0.26 ± 0.08, 1.26 ± 0.21 and 1.00 respectively. The level of miR-21 in the cells in transfection group was significantly lower than those in the negative control and blank control group (P < 0.01). The gray scale of PDCD4 protein was 1443 ± 33, 858 ± 19 and 846 ± 16 in the transfection group, negative control and blank control group respectively. The value of PDCD4 in transfection group was higher than other control groups, and there were significantly difference among them(P < 0.01). Moreover, the optical density of the cells in transfection group was 0.661 ± 0.015, significantly lower than those in two control groups (0.848 ± 0.150 for negative control, 0.935 ± 0.133 for blank control, P < 0.01). Forty-eight hours after transfection, the rate of viable apoptotic cell was significantly higher than negative control and blank control group [(25.821 ± 0.763)% vs. (0.010 ± 0.003)% vs. (0.238 ± 0.023)%; P < 0.01]; 72 hours after transfection, the rates of viable apoptotic cell and necrotic cell were all higher than the two control groups [the rate of viable apoptotic cell was (30.480 ± 0.821)%, (7.792 ± 0.312)% and (7.033 ± 0.257)% respectively (P < 0.01); the rate of necrotic cell was (3.558 ± 0.211)%, (1.557 ± 0.067)% and (1.049 ± 0.028)%, respectively (P < 0.01)]. CONCLUSION: miR-21 might play an important role in the proliferation and apoptosis of ovarian epithelial carcinoma cells through negatively control the expression of PDCD4.

Optimization of trypsin extraction technology of Allium cepa L. polysaccharide by response surface methodology and the antitumor effects through immunomodulation.

The trypsin-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from Allium cepa L. was optimized using the response surface methodology (RSM). The optimum extraction conditions were extraction temperature, extraction time, extraction pH, and enzyme amount of 37.16°C, 180 min, 8.57, and 5.16%, respectively. Under the optimized conditions, the yield of A. cepa L. polysaccharides (ACP) reached 9.69%, which was comparable with the predicted yield (9.73%). Mid- and high-dose ACP significantly inhibited the tumor growth (43.93%) and the tumor inhibition percentage (38.05%), which were more than 30%. The ACP could extend the survival time of H22 ascites tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, the ACP could reduce the thymus and the spleen atrophy and significantly promoted the Con A-induced proliferation of splenocytes and elevated the serum IFN-γ and IL-2 levels. Therefore, the ACP could inhibit the tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice and regulated the immune function of mice. Practical ApplicationsThe trypsin-assisted extraction has high efficiency, is carried out through the polysaccharide extraction and the deproteinization at the same time, and is more convenient and fast than traditional methods. No detailed study on the optimization of the trypsin extraction of onion polysaccharides is available. Thus, this experiment aims to use the BBD (4 factors and 3 levels) to optimize the roles of extraction temperature, extraction time, extraction pH, and amount of enzyme on the yield of polysaccharides obtained from the fruit of A. cepa L. In addition, when looking for high-quality biological functional principles for the pharmaceutical industry, the antitumor activity of ACP was evaluated. A. cepa L. is one of the most widely cultivated and consumed crops worldwide. Polysaccharides are the main active ingredient, and studies have shown that a high intake of Allium vegetables is associated with reduced risk of cancers.

Optimization the extraction of anthocyanins from blueberry residue by dual-aqueous phase method and cell damage protection study.

Blueberry residue is usually discarded as waste, but has a high anthocyanins content. The extraction method of anthocyanins from blueberry residue with ultrasonic assisted dual-aqueous phase system was optimized. In terms of the principle of central group and design (CCD) experimental design, three-factor and five-level response surface analysis was adopted to optimize the extraction conditions with the extraction rate of anthocyanins. The optimum extraction rate of anthocyanin was 12.372 ± 0.078 mg/g. Anthocyanin extract could protect the pBR322 DNA oxidative damage induced by Fenton reagent, increase the superoxide dismutase(SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzyme activities, and decrease the H2O2-induced cell apoptosis of human normal liver cell (LO2 cell). The study indicates that the extraction rate of anthocyanin was increased by optimized ultrasonic assisted dual-aqueous phase system. The anthocyanin extract could protect DNA and LO2 cell from oxidative damage.