Impact of uranium on antibiotic resistance in activated sludge.

The emergence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in the environment is well established as a human health crisis. The impact of radioactive heavy metals on ecosystems and ultimately on human health has become a global issue, especially for the regions suffering various nuclear activities or accidents. However, whether the radionuclides can affect the fate of antibiotic resistance in bacteria remains poorly understood.

Multi-joint protective effects of lumbar brace on lumbar, hip, knee, and ankle in parachute landing with backpack load.

There were high injury risks on lumbar and lower limb joints in parachuting landing, and the lumbar brace could protect lumbar. Besides, a backpack load was necessary in parachute landing and increased the injury risk. This study aimed to evaluate multi-joints protective effects of the lumbar brace on lumbar and lower limb joints in parachuting landing with the backpack load.

Finite element analysis of shank and ankle with different boot collar heights in parachuting landing on inversion ground surface.

This study aimed to the biomechanics of the foot-ankle-shank complex with different boots collar heights in parachuting landing on inversion ground surface. A finite element model including tibia, fibula, ankle, foot and parachuting boot was developed. Three collar heights (low, medium, high) of the parachuting boot were simulated.

Protection by Ankle Brace for Lower-Extremity Joints in Half-Squat Parachuting Landing With a Backpack.

Half-squat parachuting landing is a kind of activity with high impact force. Injuries on lower-extremity joints are common in half-squat parachuting landing and would be increased with a backpack. An ankle brace was used to prevent ankle injuries in landing.

Finite element analysis of lumbar spine with different backpack positions in parachuting landing.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the lumbar spine stress with different backpack positions in parachuting landing using a finite element model of lumbar vertebra 1-5. The backpack gravity center was set at three positions (posterior-high (case PH), posterior-low (case PL), and anterior-low (case AL)) respectively. In results, the peak Von-Mises stresses of the matrix, nucleus, fibers, endplate and ligament in case AL were 2.

Erratum to "Analysis of Bone Mineral Density/Content of Paratroopers and Hoopsters".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2018/6030624.].

Kinematics and kinetics of lower-extremity joints in parachuting landing with backpack and knee brace.

Injuries on lower-extremity joints were caused by high impact force in parachuting landing. Knee brace was used to protect knee by restraining motion of knee. Backpack was necessary in parachuting landing and would increase lower-extremity joints injuries.

Analysis of Bone Mineral Density/Content of Paratroopers and Hoopsters.

The different mechanical stimulus affects the bone mass and bone strength. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of landing posture of the hoopster and paratrooper on the bone mass. In this study, 39 male participants were recruited including 13 paratroopers, 13 hoopsters, and 13 common students (control groups).

Strain measurement of objects subjected to aerodynamic heating using digital image correlation: experimental design and preliminary results.

In thermomechanical testing of hypersonic materials and structures, direct observation and quantitative strain measurement of the front surface of a test specimen directly exposed to severe aerodynamic heating has been considered as a very challenging task. In this work, a novel quartz infrared heating device with an observation window is designed to reproduce the transient thermal environment experienced by hypersonic vehicles. The specially designed experimental system allows the capture of test article's surface images at various temperatures using an optical system outfitted with a bandpass filter.

Synergistic action of a RAF inhibitor and a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor in thyroid cancer.

Purpose: In thyroid cancer clinical trials, agents targeting VEGF receptors (VEGFR) and RET, among other kinases, have led to partial responses but few complete or durable responses. The RAF-MEK-ERK and PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathways are frequently activated in differentiated and medullary thyroid cancer (DTC and MTC) and may provide therapeutic targets for these diseases. We tested a novel drug combination targeting RAF, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and mTOR, plus VEGFR2 and RET, in thyroid cancer preclinical models with defined genetic backgrounds.

Dual inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin in differentiated and anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Context: Differentiated thyroid cancer and anaplastic thyroid cancer tumors frequently have activation of the ras/raf /MAPK kinase (MEK)/ERK and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways.

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the efficacy of MEK and mTOR inhibitors in preclinical thyroid cancer treatment models with defined mutation status.

Experimental Design: The MEK inhibitor AZD6244 (ARRY-142886) and mTOR inhibitor rapamycin were tested separately and in combination in 10 differentiated thyroid cancer and anaplastic thyroid cancer cell lines and in a xenograft model for evidence of pathway inhibition, growth inhibition, apoptosis, and long-range adaptation and resistance.

Achaete-scute complex homologue 1 regulates tumor-initiating capacity in human small cell lung cancer.

The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor achaete-scute complex homologue 1 (ASCL1) is essential for the development of normal lung neuroendocrine cells as well as other endocrine and neural tissues. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-SCLC with neuroendocrine features express ASCL1, where the factor may play a role in the virulence and primitive neuroendocrine phenotype of these tumors. In this study, RNA interference knockdown of ASCL1 in cultured SCLC resulted in inhibition of soft agar clonogenic capacity and induction of apoptosis.

Regulation of androgen receptor activity by tyrosine phosphorylation.

The androgen receptor (AR) is essential for the growth of prostate cancer cells. Here, we report that tyrosine phosphorylation of AR is induced by growth factors and elevated in hormone-refractory prostate tumors. Mutation of the major tyrosine phosphorylation site in AR significantly inhibits the growth of prostate cancer cells under androgen-depleted conditions.

Bi-directional regulation between tyrosine kinase Etk/BMX and tumor suppressor p53 in response to DNA damage.

Etk/Bmx, a member of the Tec family of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases, has been implicated in the regulation of various cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation, motility, and apoptosis. Here, we report the identification of Tec family kinases as the potential interacting proteins of the tumor suppressor p53 by an Src homology 3 domain array screening. Etk is physically associated with p53 through its Src homology 3 domain and the proline-rich domain of p53.

Synergism of cytoplasmic kinases in IL6-induced ligand-independent activation of androgen receptor in prostate cancer cells.

IL6 is a pleiotropic cytokine which has been implicated in ligand-independent activation of androgen receptor in prostate cancer cells. Here, we present the evidence that two cytoplasmic kinases Pim1 and Etk are involved in this process. We showed that Pim1 is expressed in all prostate cancer cell lines examined.

Interaction between Src and a C-terminal proline-rich motif of Akt is required for Akt activation.

Activation of Akt by growth factors is a multistep process. Here, we provide evidence that tyrosine kinase Src is directly associated with Akt through the interaction between its SH3 domain and a conserved proline-rich motif (PXXP) in the C-terminal regulatory region of Akt. Substitution of the proline residues Pro-424 and Pro-427 by alanines results in loss of Akt activity and phosphorylation induced by the epidermal growth factor (EGF), possibly because these mutations disrupt the interaction between Akt and the SH3 domain of Src.