Hepatoma-Targeting and ROS-Responsive Polymeric Micelle-Based Chemotherapy Combined with Photodynamic Therapy for Hepatoma Treatment.

Background: The combination of nanoplatform-based chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising way to treat cancer. Celastrol (Cela) exhibits highly effective anti-hepatoma activity with low water solubility, poor bioavailability, non-tumor targeting, and toxic side effects. The combination of Cela-based chemotherapy and PDT via hepatoma-targeting and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive polymeric micelles (PMs) could solve the application problem of Cela and further enhance antitumor efficacy.

On the Relationship between MMA Levels in Blood Products and Donor Sex, Age, and Donation Frequency.

As the aging process accelerates, the age structure of blood donors turns to older and even aged groups. Methylmalonic acid (MMA), a byproduct of propionate metabolism, may be upregulated in the serum of older adults. As a mediator of chronic disease and tumor progression, the MMA content in blood products has become the focus of research.

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus tyrosine kinase inhibitors versus TACE in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has been increasingly used to treat unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). However, the superiority of combination therapy to TACE monotherapy remains controversial. Therefore, here we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TACE plus TKIs in patients with uHCC.

Effects of water and nitrogen coupling on the photosynthetic characteristics, yield, and quality of Isatis indigotica.

Isatis indigotica is a commercial medicinal crop that is widely cultivated with high water and nutrient application, in the arid areas of northwest China. Rational irrigation and nitrogen application are key factors for successful crop management. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of water and nitrogen coupling on the photosynthetic characteristics, yield, and quality of Isatis indigotica produced in northwestern China.

Meadow degradation increases spatial turnover rates of the fungal community through both niche selection and dispersal limitation.

The alpine meadow ecosystem, as the main ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, has been heavily degraded over the past several decades due to overgrazing and climate change. Although soil microorganisms play key roles in the stability and succession of grassland ecosystems, their response to grassland degradation has not been investigated at spatial scale. Here, we systematically analyzed the spatial turnover rates of soil prokaryotic and fungal communities in degraded and undegraded meadows through distance-decay relationship (DDR) and species area relationship (SAR), as well as the community assembly mechanisms behind them.

Whole plastid genome of (Ranunculaceae), an endemic herb plant in China.

W. T. Wang is an endemic herb species in Shaanxi province (China).

[Effects of bundled straw mulching on water consumption characteristics and grain yield of winter wheat in rain-fed semiarid region].

To explore a new technique of planting wheat with high yield and efficiency by mulching technology in rain-fed semiarid regions in Northwest China, a two-year fixed-site trail was conducted during 2013-2015. There were five mulching modes: (1) three sowing rows by bundled straw mul-ching with alternating 30-cm-wide mulching belt and planting belt (SM), (2) four sowing rows by bundled straw mulching with alternating 40-cm-wide mulching belt and planting belt with (SM), (3) five sowing rows by bundled straw mulching with alternating 50-cm-wide mulching belt and planting belt (SM), (4) whole plastic film mulching with dibbling (PMF), (5) bare field planting without any mulching (CK). We examined the effects of different mulching modes on water consumption, water use efficiency (WUE), and yield of winter wheat in rain-fed region in Northwest China.

The complete nucleotide sequence of chloroplast genome of (Gentianaceae), an endemic medicinal herb in China.

N. E. Brown (Gentianaceae) is a perennial herb plant and only grows in Qinba Mountains in China.

Azoreductase-Responsive Metal-Organic Framework-Based Nanodrug for Enhanced Cancer Therapy via Breaking Hypoxia-induced Chemoresistance.

The insufficient oxygen supply may cause hypoxia in a solid tumor, which can lead to drug resistance and unsatisfactory chemotherapy effect. To address this issue, a new nanodrug has been developed with azoreductase-responsive functional metal-organic frameworks (AMOFs), where chemotherapeutic drugs were encapsulated in the AMOFs and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were absorbed on the surface of AMOFs. The siRNA was designed to contain hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α against RX-0047, which can induce significant downregulation of HIF-1α protein.

Highly selective imaging of lysosomal azoreductase under hypoxia using pH-regulated and target-activated fluorescent nanoprobes.

In this work, we propose a pH-regulated and target-activated fluorescent nanoprobe for highly selective monitoring of lysosomal azoreductase under hypoxia in living cells. We expect it will offer a potentially rich opportunity to understand the physiological processes of lysosomes under hypoxic conditions.

Azoreductase-Responsive Nanoprobe for Hypoxia-Induced Mitophagy Imaging.

Mitophagy, as a crucial metabolic process, plays an essential role in maintaining cellular and tissue homeostasis. Various stresses especially hypoxia could improve intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level to induce mitophagy. However, high-specific fluorescence imaging of mitophagy in living cells under hypoxia is still a challenge.

Azoreductase and Target Simultaneously Activated Fluorescent Monitoring for Cytochrome c Release under Hypoxia.

Hypoxia-induced cell apoptosis is closely related to degenerative diseases, autoimmune disorders, and tumor disease. In the process of apoptosis, the release of cytochrome c (Cyt c) is deemed to be a critical factor of the intrinsic pathway. Strategies for tracking Cyt c release in living cells based on the subcellular localization have been proposed recently.

Quantitative detection of exosomal microRNA extracted from human blood based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

Since the nature of the exosomal lipid bilayer can allow miRNAs to be protected from degradation by cellular RNAses in body fluids, exosomal microRNA (miRNA) has become an ideal source of non-invasive biomarkers for the early diagnosis and prognosis. In this paper, a new surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) analysis strategy combining stable SERS reporter element and duplex-specific nuclease (DSN)-assisted signal amplification for quantitative detection of exosomal miRNA extracted from human blood is proposed. Firstly, we prepared SERS signal reporter of Au@R6G@AgAu nanoparticles (R6G attachment on the gold nanoparticles, then encapsulated in AgAu alloy shell nanoparticles named as ARANPs) with an inter small nanogap to generate stable SERS signal.

Noninvasive and Highly Selective Monitoring of Intracellular Glucose via a Two-Step Recognition-Based Nanokit.

Accurate determination of intracellular glucose is very important for exploring its chemical and biological functions in metabolism events of living cells. In this paper, we developed a new noninvasive and highly selective nanokit for intracellular glucose monitoring via two-step recognition. The liposome-based nanokit coencapsulated the aptamer-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and the Shinkai's receptor together.

The Breed and Sex Effect on the Carcass Size Performance and Meat Quality of Yak in Different Muscles.

The carcass size performances and the meat quality of Gannan and Sibu yak were determined using M. supraspinatus (SU), M. longissimus thoracis (LT) and M.

A bisphenol A sensor based on novel self-assembly of zinc phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid-functionalized graphene nanocomposites.

In this work, a novel zinc phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid (ZnTsPc)-functionalized graphene nanocomposites (f-GN) was synthesized by a simple and efficient electrostatic self-assembly method, where the positive charged GN decorated by (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) was self-assemblied with ZnTsPc, a two dimensional (2-D) molecules. It not only enhanced its stability for the hybrid structure, but also avoided the reaggregation of ZnTsPc or f-GN themselves. Based on layered ZnTsPc/f-GN nanocomposites modified glassy carbon electrode, a rapid and sensitive sensor was developed for the determination of bisphenol A (BPA).

[Effects of mulching on soil moisture in a dryland winter wheat field, Northwest China].

This paper studied the effects of different mulching modes on the soil moisture in a semi-arid rainfed area of Loess Plateau, Northwest China. Seven treatments were installed, i. e.

[Experiment precision and comprehensive environmental evaluation of regional wheat trials in rainfed regions of China].

Based on the grain yield data of regional trials with 233 winter- and spring wheat cultivars (lines) in rainfed farmlands at 82 locations in four subregions of China in 2003-2009, this paper studied the experiment precision (EP), variety comparison precision (VCP), and testing-site discrimination ability and representativeness of national regional trials, and comprehensively evaluated the trial environment. The results showed that in one-location-one-year experiments, the average coefficient of variation (CV) and the relative least significant difference (RLSD) were 6.1% and 10.

[Changes in the physical growth of children aged 3 to 6 years in urban areas of Lanzhou from 2001 to 2010].

Objective: To study changes in the physical growth of preschool children aged 3 to 6 yeas in urban areas of Lanzhou from 2001 to 2010.

Methods: Stratified, randomized, cluster sampling was used to collect physical examination data on children from 35 private and public kindergartens located in different urban areas of Lanzhou in 2001, 2006, and 2010. Changes in physical growth were analyzed using body height, body weight and body mass index (BMI) as main indices.

Targeting intracellular oncoproteins with antibody therapy or vaccination.

Antibody-based therapies have better specificity and thus improved efficacy over standard chemotherapy regimens, which result in extended survival and improved quality of life for cancer patients. Because antibodies are viewed as too large to access intracellular locations, antibody therapy has traditionally targeted extracellular or secreted proteins expressed by cancer cells. However, many oncogenic proteins are found within the cell (such as intracellular phosphatases/kinases and transcription factors) and have therefore not been pursued for antibody therapies.

Hippo pathway-independent restriction of TAZ and YAP by angiomotin.

The Hippo pathway restricts the activity of transcriptional co-activators TAZ and YAP by phosphorylating them for cytoplasmic sequestration or degradation. In this report, we describe an independent mechanism for the cell to restrict the activity of TAZ and YAP through interaction with angiomotin (Amot) and angiomotin-like 1 (AmotL1). Amot and AmotL1 were robustly co-immunoprecipitated with FLAG-tagged TAZ, and their interaction is dependent on the WW domain of TAZ and the PPXY motif in the N terminus of Amot.