Green synthesis of reusable multifunctional γ-FeO/bentonite modified by doped TiO hollow spherical nanocomposite for removal of BPA.

Eco-friendly treatment of refractory pollutants in wastewater is still full of challenge in catalytic oxidation and adsorption. In this study, based on the concept of green chemistry, sulfur-doped titanium dioxide hollow spheres modified by surfactant loaded on magnetic bentonite (CST/γ-FeO-BT) is synthesized in two steps, and bisphenol A (BPA) was chosen as the representative organic pollutant. These materials were characterized by means of XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDS, TEM, XPS, BET, and VSM techniques.

Assessment of heavy metal in coal gangue: distribution, leaching characteristic and potential ecological risk.

In the process of excavation and utilization of the coal gangue hill, gangue at different weathering degree was exposed to the environment, which can be harmful to the surroundings. In order to find the law of heavy metal release and to evaluate the potential ecological risk, five kinds of coal gangue at different weathering degrees were collected from a coal mine named Suncun, an over 100-year-old mine of Xinwen coal mining field located in Tai'an city, Shandong Province of China. Samples were processed with microwave digestion for total content determination of heavy metals, and another part of samples was processed by Tessier sequential extraction for chemical forms analysis.

Left renal failure caused by chronic obstructive uropathy due to a uretero-inguinal hernia combined with contralateral renal pelvic carcinoma: A case report.

Rationale: Although rare, cases of renal failure secondary to a uretero-inguinal hernia have been reported.

Patient Concerns: Here, we report a case of left renal failure caused by chronic obstructive uropathy due to a uretero-inguinal hernia combined with contralateral renal pelvic carcinoma.

Diagnoses: The present case highly indicated that a comprehensive examination is very important when diagnosing an inguinal hernia.

MicroRNA-155 regulates the proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and migration of colon cancer cells and targets CBL.

MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) is a well-studied miR and acts as an oncomiR in numerous cancer types. However, the biological functions of miR-155 in colon cancer as well as its target genes have remained to be fully elucidated. In order to investigate the biological functions of miR-155, MTT, colony formation and wound healing assays, cell cycle analysis and detection of apoptosis were performed.

RNA-binding protein Dnd1 inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell-related traits on hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Objectives: To investigate the roles of Dead end 1 (Dnd1) in modulating cancer stem cell-related traits of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Results: Dead end (Dnd1) inhibited spheroid formation, suppressed the expression of stemness-related genes, and increased sensitivity to sorafenib in HCC cells. Mechanistically, Dnd1 could bind to 3'-UTR of LATS2, the key kinase of Hippo pathway, thus elevating LATS2 mRNA stability and its expression, subsequently leading to phosphorylation of YAP and its cytoplasmic retention.

HCV core protein inhibits polarization and activity of both M1 and M2 macrophages through the TLR2 signaling pathway.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) establishes persistent infection in most infected patients, and eventually causes chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma in some patients. Monocytes and macrophages provide the first line of defense against pathogens, but their roles in HCV infection remains unclear. We have reported that HCV core protein (HCVc) manipulates human blood-derived dendritic cell development.

Prognostic performance of clinical indices and model scorings for acute-on-chronic liver failure: A study of 164 patients.

The present study aimed to analyze the prognostic factors of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), with the perspective of an improved selection of optimal therapeutic schemes. A retrospective analysis was used to study 164 patients with ACLF hospitalized between 2010 and 2014 in a single center. Patients were divided into favorable and unfavorable groups, according to the treatment outcomes.

National Clinical Skills Competition: an effective simulation-based method to improve undergraduate medical education in China.

Background: The National Clinical Skills Competition has been held in China for 5 consecutive years since 2010 to promote undergraduate education reform and improve the teaching quality. The effects of the simulation-based competition will be analyzed in this study.

Methods: Participation in the competitions and the compilation of the questions used in the competition finals are summarized, and the influence and guidance quality are further analyzed.

MicroRNA-381 suppresses cell growth and invasion by targeting the liver receptor homolog-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

MicroRNAs (miRs) have emerged as prospective tools for human cancer therapy, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therapy. Previous studies have suggested that miR-381 functions as oncogenic or tumor-suppressive miRs in other cancer types. However, the role of miR-381 in HCC remains unknown.

Effect of Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid and 4-Phenylbutyric Acid on Metabolism of Copper and Zinc in Type 1 Diabetic Mice Model.

Alternations of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) status in diabetes have received a great attention. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA) could alleviate the increased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and prevent insulin resistance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of TUDCA and PBA on metabolism of Cu and Zn in diabetic mice model.

Electrocardiogram score for the selection of reperfusion strategy in early latecomers with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Objective: The clinical benefit of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is controversial in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients presenting 12-72 hours after symptom onset. Several studies suggested this conflicting result was associated with myocardial area at risk (MaR) of enrolled patients. MaR could be estimated by the electrocardiogram (ECG) score.

Use of lectin microarray to differentiate gastric cancer from gastric ulcer.

Aim: To investigate the feasibility of lectin microarray for differentiating gastric cancer from gastric ulcer.

Methods: Twenty cases of human gastric cancer tissue and 20 cases of human gastric ulcer tissue were collected and processed. Protein was extracted from the frozen tissues and stored.

Anti-tumor effects of an oncolytic adenovirus expressing hemagglutinin-neuraminidase of Newcastle disease virus in vitro and in vivo.

Oncolytic virotherapy has been an attractive drug platform for targeted therapy of cancer over the past few years. Viral vectors can be used to target and lyse cancer cells, but achieving good efficacy and specificity with this treatment approach is a major challenge. Here, we assessed the ability of a novel dual-specific anti-tumor oncolytic adenovirus, expressing the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) gene from the Newcastle disease virus under the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter (Ad-hTERTp-E1a-HN), to inhibit esophageal cancer EC-109 cells in culture and to reduce tumor burden in xenografted BALB/c nude mice.

Prevalence of minimal hepatic encephalopathy and quality of life evaluations in hospitalized cirrhotic patients in China.

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) and to assess corresponding health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in hospitalized cirrhotic patients in China.

Methods: This multi-center cross-sectional study included 16 teaching hospitals, which were members of "Hepatobiliary Cooperation Group, Society of Gastroenterology, Chinese Medical Association", from different areas of China carried out between June and October in 2011. All the eligible hospitalized cirrhotic patients (n = 538) were required to complete triplicate number connection tests combined with one digit symbol test for diagnosing MHE.

Effect of ionizing radiation on transcription of colorectal cancer MDR1 gene of HCT-8 cells.

Objective: To discuss effect of ionizing radiation on transcription of colorectal cancer multidrug resistance (MDR) 1 gene of HCT-8 cells.

Methods: Total RNA was extracted by guanidine thiocyanate one-step method. Northern blot was applied to detect transcription level of MDR1 gene.

Characterization of an attenuated TE3L-deficient vaccinia virus Tian Tan strain.

An attenuated vaccinia virus (VACV), TE3L(-)VTT, was evaluated for virulence and safety to determine its potential use as a vaccine or as a recombinant virus vector to express foreign genes. The virulence of TE3L(-)VTT was compared with that of the wild-type VTT both in vivo and in vitro. The humoral and cellular immune responses were detected in a mouse model to test the vaccine efficacy of the TE3L mutant.

Upregulation of periostin prevents P53-mediated apoptosis in SGC-7901 gastric cancer cells.

Periostin is frequently upregulated in human cancers including gastric cancer and implicated in cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of periostin overexpression on the chemosensitivity of gastric cancer cells. We constructed a stable cell line overexpressing periostin in SGC-7901 human gastric cancer cells.

Synergistic antitumor effects of endostar in combination with oxaliplatin via inhibition of HIF and CXCR4 in the colorectal cell line SW1116.

Combination treatment with endostar, a novel modified endostatin, and cytotoxic chemotherapies showed a survival benefit in Chinese clinical trials. However, the exact mechanism for this synergism remains unclear. In this study, we report for the first time that the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and the hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIF)-1α and HIF-2α are involved in these synergistic antitumor effects in human colorectal cancer SW1116 cells in vitro when endostar treatment is combined with the cytotoxic drug oxaliplatin.

Therapeutic efficacy of an hTERT promoter-driven oncolytic adenovirus that expresses apoptin in gastric carcinoma.

The efficacy and specificity of treatment are the major challenges for cancer gene therapy. Oncolytic virotherapy is an attractive drug delivery platform of cancer gene therapy. Previous studies have determined that apoptin is a p53-independent, Bcl-2-insensitive apoptotic protein that has the ability to induce apoptosis specifically in tumor cells.

Stem cell gene Girdin: a potential early liver metastasis predictor of colorectal cancer.

The objective of this study is to investigate the liver's metastasis-related genes and the relationship between Girdin protein expression and clinical and pathological characteristics and prognosis in colorectal cancer. The differential expression of genes between tumor cells from cases with liver metastasis and those from cases without liver metastasis were detected using an RT(2) Profiler™ PCR Array. The expression of the stem cell gene Girdin was analyzed using immunohistochemistry staining.

Hepatocyte growth factor-induced amelioration in chronic renal failure is associated with reduced expression of α-smooth muscle actin.

This study aimed to examine whether hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) can improve renal function in 5/6 nephrectomized rats and investigate whether this function is associated with a decrease in α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression in rat glomerulus mesangial cells and renal interstitium. Rats were randomly divided into the following groups: control, PCI-neo, sham-operation, 5/6 nephrectomy, and low-dose and high-dose PCI-neo-HGF. Rats were killed in the ninth week after 5/6 nephrectomy, and the kidney specimens were subjected to pathological examination by Hematoxylin-Eosin staining and detection of α-SMA expression by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot, and immunohistochemistry.

Hepatocyte growth factor-induced amelioration in renal interstitial fibrosis is associated with reduced expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin and transforming growth factor-beta1.

Several studies have shown that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) ameliorates renal interstitial fibrosis, but the mechanism is not fully clear. This study was designed to examine whether HGF can relieve renal interstitial injury in 5/6 nephrectomized rats, and to confirm whether this function was associated with decrease in alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and transforming growth factor-betal (TGF-beta1) expression. The animals were randomized into 8 groups comprising 6 animals (n = 6) each: control (group I), PCI-neo (group II, 900 microg), sham-operation (group III, not nephrectomy), model or 5/6 nephrectomy group (group IV), lotensin group (an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, group V, 0.

[Regulatory effect of diammonium glycyrrhizinate on Th1/Th2 deviation in bronchial asthma: experiment with rats].

Objective: To study the regulatory effect of diammonium glycyrrhizinate (GL) on the Th1/Th2 deviation in bronchial asthma.

Methods: Thirty Wistar rats were injected intraperitoneally with antigen solution including ovalbumin (OVA), inactivated pertussis vaccine, and aluminum hydroxide for the purpose of sensitization. Fourteen days later OVA was sprayed 20 min everyday for a consecutive 5 days to evoke sensitization, thus models of asthma were established.