Associations between ventilation and children's asthma and allergy in naturally ventilated Chinese homes.

Building ventilation is important for occupants' health. There are few studies of associations between home ventilation and occupant's health in China. During 2013-2016, we measured ventilation in 399 homes in Tianjin and Cangzhou, China, and surveyed the health history of children.

sp. nov. and sp. nov., two novel halophilic archaea.

Two halophilic archaeal strains, C90 and YPL13, were isolated from a salt lake and a salt mine in PR China. The two strains were found to form two clusters (97.5 and 89.

High-concentration homocysteine inhibits mitochondrial respiration function and production of reactive oxygen species in neuron cells.

Objective: Homocysteine plays critical roles in cellular redox homeostasis, and hyperhomocysteinemia has been associated with multiple diseases, including neurological disorders involving reactive oxygen species-inducing and pro-inflammatory effects of homocysteine that are related to mitochondria. This study investigated the role of homocysteine in regulating mitochondria of neuron cell lines.

Methods: Neuron cells were pre-treated with homocysteine, and then flow cytometry was used to detect reactive oxygen species production and mitochondrial membrane potential, while Seahorse XFp Mito stress assay was used to comprehensively analyze mitochondrial function.

Molecular Mechanisms of Immune Escape for Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) causes a highly contagious vesicular disease in cloven-hoofed livestock that results in severe consequences for international trade, posing a great economic threat to agriculture. The FMDV infection antagonizes the host immune responses via different signaling pathways to achieve immune escape. Strategies to escape the cell immune system are key to effective infection and pathogenesis.

Targeted delivery of β-glucosidase-loaded magnetic nanoparticles: effect of external magnetic field duration and intensity.

The effect of applied magnetic field duration and intensity on the delivery of β-glucosidase-loaded magnetic nanoparticles was evaluated. The prepared β-glucosidase-loaded magnetic nanoparticles were targeted to subcutaneous tumors with an external magnetic field. Iron concentration and enzyme activity in tumor tissue were analyzed via electron spin resonance detection, Prussian blue staining and enzyme activity measurement.

A novel antiviral lncRNA, EDAL, shields a T309 O-GlcNAcylation site to promote EZH2 lysosomal degradation.

Background: The central nervous system (CNS) is vulnerable to viral infection, yet few host factors in the CNS are known to defend against invasion by neurotropic viruses. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been revealed to play critical roles in a wide variety of biological processes and are highly abundant in the mammalian brain, but their roles in defending against invasion of pathogens into the CNS remain unclear.

Results: We report here that multiple neurotropic viruses, including rabies virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, Semliki Forest virus, and herpes simplex virus 1, elicit the neuronal expression of a host-encoded lncRNA EDAL.

Irradiated mesenchymal stem cells support stemness maintenance of hepatocellular carcinoma stem cells through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Background: Cancer stem cells are the main reason of relapse, metastasis and resistance to anti-cancer therapies of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an important part of the tumor microenvironment. MSCs have been demonstrated to be involved in drug resistance in tumor.

High-grade gliomas with isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type and 1p/19q codeleted: Atypical molecular phenotype and current challenges in molecular diagnosis.

Glioma is the most common intracranial malignant tumor, with poor prognosis. The new World Health Organization (WHO) integrated classification (2016) for diffuse glioma is mainly based on the status of the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) gene (IDH) mutation and 1p/19q codeletion, with diffuse glioma separated into three distinct molecular categories: chromosome 1p/19q codeletion/IDH mutant, 1p/19q intact /IDH mutant, and IDH wild-type. Gliomas harboring 1p/19q codeletion but without IDH mutation are rare and cannot be classified according to the new revision of the WHO classification.

Simultaneous reconstruction of phase and amplitude for wavefront measurements based on nonlinear optimization algorithms.

The non-perfect determined amplitude distribution in the pupil would affect the convergence speed and accuracy of phase retrieval method, which depends on the amplitude of fields to reconstruct the phase. In this paper, we propose two kinds of phase retrieval methods based on hybrid point-polynomial and point-by-point nonlinear optimization algorithms to reconstruct simultaneously the amplitude and phase of the wavefront. Intensity quantized errors are avoided by using modified first derivatives.

Autophagy and Tumour Metastasis.

Metastasis is the most important biological potential of malignant tumour cells. A variety of mechanisms is involved in regulating tumour invasion and metastasis and interacts with each other, forming a large regulatory system. Autophagy plays an important role in organisms in maintaining environmental homoeostasis.

Magnetically Directed Enzyme/Prodrug Prostate Cancer Therapy Based on β-Glucosidase/Amygdalin.

Background: β-Glucosidase (β-Glu) can activate amygdalin to kill prostate cancer cells, but the poor specificity of this killing effect may cause severe general toxicity in vivo, limiting the practical clinical application of this approach.

Materials And Methods: In this study, starch-coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were successively conjugated with β-Glu and polyethylene glycol (PEG) by chemical coupling methods. Cell experiments were used to confirm the effects of immobilized β-Glu on amygdalin-mediated prostate cancer cell death in vitro.

Should Waste Separation Be Mandatory? A Study on Public's Response to the Policies in China.

The implementation of effective waste separation policy is an important pathway to guide the public to actively participate in the waste separation action. This study focused on exploring the Chinese public's response to the rigid and flexible waste separation policies from the perspectives of understanding, willingness to support, and willingness to implement. We used a big data mining technique to obtain 10,057 entries of the Chinese public's response to the mandatory waste separation policy.

Functional characterization of a group II interferon, IFNc in the perciform fish, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Interferons are a family of class II α-helical cytokines playing vital roles in antiviral immune response, and little information is available to date regarding the interferon system of tilapia. In this study, a type I IFN gene, named On-IFNc, was identified in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. The predicted protein of On-IFNc contains several structural features known in type I IFNs, and On-IFNc was clustered together with the known IFNc in fish into a separated clade in the phylogenetic tree.

Theoretical investigation of nitrogen-rich high-energy-density materials based on furazan substituted s-triazine.

A series of furazan substituted s-triazine derivatives were designed and investigated theoretically as potential nitrogen-rich high-energy-density materials in this work. Density functional theory (DFT) methods were used to predict the heats of formation (HOFs) and compounds structure was optimized at B3PW91/6-31G++ (d,p) level. The explosive detonation parameters were calculated based on Kamlet-Jacobs equations and Born-Haber cycle.

Cinnamolide sesquiterpene lactone suppresses in vitro and in vivo cancer cell growth in cisplatin-resistant human cervical carcinoma cells by inducing mitochondrial mediated apoptosis, caspase activation, loss of MMP and targeting Akt/β-Catenin signaling pathway.

Purpose: This study was designed to examine the in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of Cinnamolide against cisplatin-resistant human cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells).

Methods: Cell viability was examined by WST-1 cell viability assay. Cinnamolide-induced apoptosis was examined by fluorescent microscopy using acridine orange (ΑΟ) /ethidium bromide (EB) staining and flow cytometry in combination with annexin-V/propidium iodide (PI) staining.

Children's Respiratory Infections in Tianjin Area, China: Associations with Home Environments and Lifestyles.

Children spend most of their indoors time at home, which may have substantial influence on their health. We conducted a cross-sectional study in the Tianjin area, China to quantify the incidence of respiratory infections among children, and its association with home environments and lifestyles. The lifetime-ever incidences of croup, pneumonia and ear infection among children aged 0-8 in Tianjin area was 9.

Current Status of Ophthalmology Residency Training in China: The Experience From Well-Structured Centers Around the Country.

Chinese ophthalmology residency training is continuously evolving with an emphasis on standardization. In this article, we assess the current status of ophthalmology residency training in China compared with that in the United States through analysis of literature review and onsite data collection. We comprehensively review various aspects of the residency training structure in China, including accreditation, resident selection, clinical and surgical curricula, research requirements, and evaluation.

High-power mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in a fluoroindate fiber with over 2 W power beyond 3.8 µm.

An all-fiber mid-infrared supercontinuum (MIR-SC) laser source with a power of over 2 W beyond 3.8 µm is demonstrated. The SC laser involves a silica-fiber-based SC laser as a pump source and a piece of fluoroindate (InF) fiber as a nonlinear medium.

Risk Attitude, Contract Arrangements and Enforcement in Food Safety Governance: A China's Agri-Food Supply Chain Scenario.

Frequent food safety problems in recent years have seriously affected China's public health. The complexity, diversity, and technicality of food safety problems are intertwined, which constantly promotes the Chinese government and the food industry to explore effective food safety governance mechanisms. As the dominant form of vertical coordination in agri-food supply chain, contract farming is conducive to promoting farmers' safe production behavior, improving food quality and safety, and ensuring public health.

Individual Preference Framework or Group Preference Framework? Which Will Regulate the Impact Path of Product Facilities on Residents' Waste-Sorting Behavior Better.

To effectively deal with the waste management problems faced by cities, it is of great significance to promote the sorting and recycling of municipal solid waste. Given the correlation between individual behavior and psychological preferences and external situations, this study explored the mechanism of individual preference framework and group preference framework in the impact path of product facilities on residents' waste-sorting behavior. Based on a questionnaire survey ( = 1505), combined with correlation analysis, difference analysis, hierarchical regression analysis, sensitivity analysis, and other methods, the study found that differences in residents' age, education background, and monthly income lead to differences in residents' sorting behaviors, and individuals of young age and low monthly income have higher sorting behaviors than others.

Identification and characterization of the gene encoding an extracellular protease from haloarchaeon Halococcus salifodinae.

Extracellular proteases from haloarchaea (halolysins) can resist high salt conditions. In this study, the gene encoding a halolysin from Halococcus salifodinae was identified. The hlyA gene encoded an active halolysin with the classical Asp-His-Ser catalytic triad of serine proteases.

Non-Digestible Carbohydrate and the Risk of Colorectal Neoplasia: A Systematic Review.

Non-digestible carbohydrate (NDC) is a fiber that can be fermented into short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in gut, represented by resistant starch (RS) and inulin. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant cancer. Pre-clinical studies have reported that NDC can produce SCFAs to protect the gut epithelium, which is associated with prevention of CRC, but this role in clinical trails is controversial.

PEG modification enhances the in vivo stability of bioactive proteins immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles.

Objective: To increase the in vivo stability of bioactive proteins via optimized loading methods.

Results: β-Glucosidase (β-Glu), as a model protein, was immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles(denoted as MNP-β-Glu) by chemical coupling methods and was further modified by poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) molecules (denoted as MNP-β-Glu-PEG) to increase its stability. The physicochemical properties of the as-prepared nanohybrids, including the particle size, zeta potential, and enzyme activity, were well characterized.

The association between homocysteine and ischemic stroke subtypes in Chinese: A meta-analysis.

Background: The findings on the association between elevated plasma homocysteine levels and the risk of the trial of org 10172 in acute stroke treatment (TOAST) of ischemic stroke have been inconsistent in Chinese. So far, there is no meta-analysis about the association between Hcy and the TOAST subtypes of ischemic stroke in Chinese. This study; therefore, aimed to evaluate whether elevated homocysteine levels are associated with the TOAST subtypes of ischemic stroke using a meta-analysis.

Characterization of a novel Cu-containing dissimilatory nitrite reductase from the haloarchaeon Halorussus sp. YCN54.

Dissimilatory nitrite reductase, a key enzyme in the denitrification pathway, catalyzes the reduction of nitrite to NO. Bioinformatic analysis showed that the genome of a novel nitrite-degrading haloarchaeon Halorussus sp. YCN54 possessed a gene encoding the Cu-containing dissimilatory nitrite reductase (NirK).