Integrated long non-coding RNA analyses identify novel regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic fatal lung disease characterized by aberrant accumulation of fibroblast population and deposition of extra cellular matrix. Increasing evidence support that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of alveolar epithelial cells is a critical process in the pathogenesis of IPF. Although delivery of bleomycin to induce acute lung injury is the most well-studied animal model of pulmonary fibrosis, there is considerable interest to pursue other models to understand the common and/or specific pathological mechanisms.

Structural attributes of the temporal lobe predict face recognition ability in youth.

The face recognition ability varies across individuals. However, it remains elusive how brain anatomical structure is related to the face recognition ability in healthy subjects. In this study, we adopted voxel-based morphometry analysis and machine learning approach to investigate the neural basis of individual face recognition ability using anatomical magnetic resonance imaging.

Expression of mutant p53 in oral squamous cell carcinoma is correlated with the effectiveness of intra-arterial chemotherapy.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the correlation between the positive expression rate of mutant p53 and the clinical characteristics of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), as well as the effectiveness of intra-arterial chemotherapy. Expression of mutant p53 in tumor tissues was determined by immunohistochemical analysis of 51 OSCC patients, prior to and following intra-arterial chemotherapy. Prior to intra-arterial chemotherapy, mutant p53 positive rates in patients with higher pathological grades were significantly higher than those of the patients with lower pathological grades.

Urinary trypsin inhibitor attenuates LPS-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction by upregulation of vascular endothelial-cadherin expression.

Introduction: Urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) decreases inflammatory cytokine levels and mortality in experimental animal models of inflammation. Here, we observed the effect of UTI on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hyperpermeability in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and explored the role of vascular endothelial-cadherin (VE-cadherin) in its effect.

Methods: The effect of UTI on endothelial barrier hyperpermeability was detected by an electrical cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) system and a transwell chamber system.

Tear Production After Bilateral Main Lacrimal Gland Resection in Rabbits.

Purpose: This study reports tear compensation observed in rabbits with bilateral resection of main lacrimal gland (LG) and explored the potential mechanisms.

Methods: Dry eye conditions were created by resection of nictitating membrane (NM), Harderian gland (HG), and main LG in eight (16 eyes) male New Zealand White rabbits. In addition to Schirmer test, Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining, and ocular surface staining with fluorescein and rose Bengal, conjunctival impression cytology was employed before and up to 4 months after excision (AE).

The Role of Ethylene in Plants Under Salinity Stress.

Although the roles of ethylene in plant response to salinity and other stresses have been extensively studied, there are still some obscure points left to be clarified. Generally, in Arabidopsis and many other terrestrial plants, ethylene signaling is indispensable for plant rapid response and tolerance to salinity stress. However, a few studies showed that functional knock-out of some ACSs increased plant salinity-tolerance, while overexpression of them caused more sensitivity.

Mechanisms of body weight reduction and metabolic syndrome alleviation by tea.

Tea, a popular beverage made from leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis, has been shown to reduce body weight, alleviate metabolic syndrome, and prevent diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in animal models and humans. Such beneficial effects have generally been observed in most human studies when the level of tea consumption was three to four cups (600-900 mg tea catechins) or more per day. Green tea is more effective than black tea.

Evaluating vision-related quality of life in preoperative age-related cataract patients and analyzing its influencing factors in China: a cross-sectional study.

Background: To evaluate vision-related quality of life in preoperative age-related cataract patients in China, using the Chinese version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (CHI-NEI-VFQ-25), together with analyses of its influencing factors.

Methods: Cataract patients were interviewed using the CHI-NEI-VFQ-25, and their demographic information was recorded. The Cronbach α coefficient was used to determine the internal consistency of the CHI-NEI-VFQ-25.

Defect-Induced Nucleation and Epitaxy: A New Strategy toward the Rational Synthesis of WZ-GaN/3C-SiC Core-Shell Heterostructures.

In this work, we demonstrate a new strategy to create WZ-GaN/3C-SiC heterostructure nanowires, which feature controllable morphologies. The latter is realized by exploiting the stacking faults in 3C-SiC as preferential nucleation sites for the growth of WZ-GaN. Initially, cubic SiC nanowires with an average diameter of ∼100 nm, which display periodic stacking fault sections, are synthesized in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process to serve as the core of the heterostructure.

Preparation of AgCl Nanocubes and Their Application as Efficient Photoinitiators in the Polymerization of N-Isopropylacrylamide.

Uniform AgCl nanocubes with an average size of about 360 nm have been synthesized. Under UV illumination, a layer of silver nanoparticles with surface plasmon resonance was produced and covered the surface of AgCl particles in a short time, and the Ag/AgCl particles remained quite stable as shown in XRD patterns. The as-synthesized AgCl particles were tried for the first time as photoinitiator to polymerize N-isopropylacrylamide under UV-irradiation, and a high efficiency and conversion rate were realized.

Lateral and Vertical Two-Dimensional Layered Topological Insulator Heterostructures.

The heterostructured configuration between two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials has enabled the engineering of the band gap and the design of novel devices. So far, the synthesis of single-component topological insulator (TI) 2D materials such as Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3, and Sb2Te3 has been achieved through vapor phase growth and molecular beam epitaxy; however, the spatial controlled fabrication of 2D lateral heterostructures in these systems has not been demonstrated yet. Here, we report an in situ two-step synthesis process to form TI lateral heterostructures.

Changes in soil organic carbon and total nitrogen in croplands converted to walnut-based agroforestry systems and orchards in southeastern Loess Plateau of China.

Limited information is available on the effects of agroforestry system practices on soil properties in the Loess Plateau of China. Over the last decade, a vegetation restoration project has been conducted in this area by converting cropland into tree-based agroforestry systems and orchards to combat soil erosion and degradation. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of land use conversion on soil organic carbon and total nitrogen in southeastern Loess Plateau.

Epithelial sodium channel is involved in H2S-induced acute pulmonary edema.

Acute pulmonary edema is one of the major outcomes of exposure to high levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). However, the mechanisms involved in H2S-induced acute pulmonary edema are still poorly understood. Therefore, the present study is designed to evaluate the role of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) in H2S-induced acute pulmonary edema.

Melatonin attenuates (-)-epigallocatehin-3-gallate-triggered hepatotoxicity without compromising its downregulation of hepatic gluconeogenic and lipogenic genes in mice.

(-)-Epigallocatehin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major constituent of green tea, can ameliorate metabolic syndrome at least in part through reducing gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis. Green tea extracts, of which EGCG is a key constituent, have been used for weight loss in humans. A potential adverse effect of high-dose EGCG or green tea extracts is hepatotoxicity.

Effects of ELL-associated factor 2 on ultraviolet radiation-induced cataract formation in mice.

ELL-associated factor 2 (Eaf2) has an important role in crystalline lens development and maturation; however, its role in ultraviolet radiation (UV)-induced cataract formation has remained elusive. The present study compared UV-induced cell apoptosis, activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 and changes in protein expression levels of B-cell lymphoma 2 (bcl-2), bcl-2-associated X protein (bax) and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase in wild-type and Eaf2-knockout mice. The results showed that Eaf2 knockout can reduce UV-induced apoptosis in crystalline lenses and mitigate the formation of cataracts.

Experimental and Theoretical Investigations of the Bromination of Phenols with β and γ Aliphatic Substituents, including Rings.

Bromination reactions of substituted and ring fused phenols were studied by both experiment (t-BuNH-Br) and computation (density functional theory). The outcomes support each other, indicating a clear and predictable regioselective preference among 3,4-bis-alkylated and 3,4-ring-fused phenols.

Inverse relationship between elemental selenium nanoparticle size and inhibition of cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

Elemental selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have been demonstrated to be equivalent to selenomethionine and methylselenocysteine in upregulating selenoenzymes; however, the toxicity of SeNPs is markedly lower than these two organic selenium compounds. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of SeNP size on cancer cell growth and ascertain whether production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is implicated as a candidate mechanism of action. Two types of SeNPs (averaging 35 nm and 91 nm) were investigated.

Three SAUR proteins SAUR76, SAUR77 and SAUR78 promote plant growth in Arabidopsis.

Ethylene perceived by a family of five receptors regulates many developmental processes in Arabidopsis. Here we conducted the yeast two-hybrid assay to screen for additional unidentified proteins that interact with subfamily II ethylene receptor ETR2. Three SAUR proteins, named SAUR76, 77 and 78, were identified to associate with both ETR2 and EIN4 in different assays.

Improved Monosegment Pedicle Instrumentation for Treatment of Thoracolumbar Incomplete Burst Fractures.

Aim: Comparing the clinical results of improved monosegment pedicle instrumentation (iMSPI) and short-segment pedicle instrumentation (SSPI) retrospectively.

Method: 63 patients with thoracolumbar incomplete burst fracture were managed with iMSPI or SSPI. 30 patients were managed with iMSPI and fusion.

[Variations of CO2 concentration and δ13C and influencing factors of Quercus variabilis plantation in low hilly area of North China].

The off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy technique was used to measure air CO2 concentration and stable carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) above (11 m) and at the bottom (6 m) of canopy of a Quercus variabilis plantation in a low hilly area of North China. The variations of CO2 concentration and δ13C value in Q. variabilis plantation canopy and the influencing factors were analyzed at hourly timescale.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive anaplastic large-cell lymphoma with involvement of the urinary bladder: a case report and review of literature.

We report a unique case of anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) involving the urinary bladder in a 22-year-old man. The patient presented with left lower back pain for 4 weeks. The computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated an exophytic nodule on the left bladder wall and abdominopelvic lymphadenopathy.

MAOHUZI6/ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3-LIKE1 and ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3-LIKE2 Regulate Ethylene Response of Roots and Coleoptiles and Negatively Affect Salt Tolerance in Rice.

Ethylene plays important roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. The ethylene signaling pathway has been studied extensively, mainly in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). However, the molecular mechanism of ethylene signaling is largely unknown in rice (Oryza sativa).

GmWRKY27 interacts with GmMYB174 to reduce expression of GmNAC29 for stress tolerance in soybean plants.

Soybean (Glycine max) is an important crop for oil and protein resources worldwide. The molecular mechanism of the abiotic stress response in soybean is largely unclear. We previously identified multiple stress-responsive WRKY genes from soybean.

Influence of uncomplicated phacoemulsification on central macular thickness in diabetic patients: a meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of uncomplicated phacoemulsification on central macular thickness (CMT) and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in both diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic patients with mild to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR).

Methods: Potential prospective observational studies were searched through PubMed and EMBASE. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for changes in CMT and BCVA were evaluated at postoperative 1, 3 and 6 months.

Tobacco Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein Interacts with Ethylene Receptor Tobacco Histidine Kinase1 and Enhances Plant Growth through Promotion of Cell Proliferation.

Ethylene is an important phytohormone in the regulation of plant growth, development, and stress response throughout the lifecycle. Previously, we discovered that a subfamily II ethylene receptor tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Histidine Kinase1 (NTHK1) promotes seedling growth. Here, we identified an NTHK1-interacting protein translationally controlled tumor protein (NtTCTP) by the yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) two-hybrid assay and further characterized its roles in plant growth.