Exogenous foliar application of fulvic acid alleviate cadmium toxicity in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.).

It was reported that fulvic acid (FA) has a positive effect on enhancing plant tolerance to various environmental stresses, including salinity stress and drought stress and so on. However, there is little study regarding the effects of FA on plants in response to heavy metal stress. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the potential effects of fulvic acid (FA) on cadmium (Cd) toxicity alleviation in lettuce seedlings.

Involvement of Akt/CREB signaling pathways in the protective effect of EPA against interleukin-1β-induced cytotoxicity and BDNF down-regulation in cultured rat hippocampal neurons.

Background: Our published data have indicated that the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) provides beneficial effects by attenuating neuronal damage induced by interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and up-regulation of the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) represents a crucial part in the neuroprotective effect of EPA. However, the mechanisms of how EPA regulates BDNF expression remains incompletely understood. The present study investigated the role of Akt/CREB signaling in the effect of EPA on BDNF expression and its neuroprotective effect.

An up-dated meta-analysis of major adverse cardiac events on triple versus dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

This meta-analysis is conducted to assess the efficiency and safety of triple antiplatelet therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who have received coronary stents implantation. The risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), target vessel revascularization (TVR), target lesion revascularization (TLR), myocardial infarction (MI) and bleeding events were evaluated in this meta-analysis. Eight randomized controlled trials incorporating 1700 participants were included.

Imaging Reversible and Irreversible Structural Evolution in Photoexcited 2,4-Difluoroaniline.

Here, we demonstrate the capability of femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging to visualize the reversible and irreversible structural evolution in electronically excited 2,4-difluoroaniline. As a coherent superposition of out-of-plane vibrational motions is created following 299.8 nm excitation, the molecular geometry alters periodically, thus modulating the photoionization channel.

Komagataeibacter cocois sp. nov., a novel cellulose-producing strain isolated from coconut milk.

Phylogenetic analysis was performed on a cellulose-producing strain, designated WE7, isolated from contaminated coconut milk. The analysis utilized nearly complete 16S rRNA gene sequences, as well as concatenated partial sequences of the housekeeping genes dnaK, groEL and rpoB, and allowed identification of the strain as belonging to the genus Komagataeibacter. DNA-DNA correlation or average nucleotide identity analysis was performed between WE7 and its closest phylogenetic neighbours, and the resulting values were below the species level (<70 % and <95 %), suggesting that the strain represents a novel species in genus Komagataeibacter.

Improvement of carbonyl reductase activity for the bioproduction of tert-butyl (3R,5S)-6-chloro-3,5-dihydroxyhexanoate.

tert-Butyl (3R,5S)-6-chloro-3,5-dihydroxyhexanoate ((3R,5S)-CDHH) is a key chiral intermediate for the side chain synthesis of rosuvastatin. In this study, random mutagenesis, site-saturation mutagenesis and combinatorial mutagenesis methods were applied to improve the activity of a synthesized stereoselective short chain carbonyl reductase (SCR) to prepare (3R,5S)-CDHH. After screened by high-throughput screening method and high-performance liquid chromatography, mut-Phe145Met/Thr152Ser and mut-Phe145Tyr/Thr152Ser, were obtained, and the enzyme activities of mutants were improved by 1.

Immunization with glypican-3 nanovaccine containing TLR7 agonist prevents the development of carcinogen-induced precancerous hepatic lesions to cancer in a murine model.

Background: Glypican-3 (GPC3) is one of the key tissue markers that could discriminate malignant precancerous lesions from benign hepatic lesions in cirrhotic patients. We aimed to develop a GPC3 cancer vaccine to induce specific T cells to intervene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development.

Methods: Synthesizing mannosylated liposomes (LPMan) as vaccine delivery system, incorporating one Toll-like receptor (TLR)-7/8 agonist CL097 as adjuvant, we prepared a GPC3 nanovaccine, LPMan-GPC3/CL097.

miR-100 inhibits the migration and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by targeting IGF1R.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a cancer pattern that often develops in the epithelial cells of the nasopharynx. miR-100 is a miRNA that has been identified in a number of cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether miR-100 can affect cell migration and proliferation of NPC by targeting insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R).

The effect of aspirin in preventing the acute respiratory distress syndrome/acute lung injury: A meta-analysis.

Background: The effects of aspirin in preventing the occurrence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)/acute lung injury (ALI) among adult patients are controversial. We aimed to further determine the effectiveness of aspirin in reducing the rate of ARDS/ALI.

Methods: The Pubmed, Embase, Medline, ClinicalTrials.

An Ointment Consisting of the Phage Lysin LysGH15 and Apigenin for Decolonization of Methicillin-Resistant from Skin Wounds.

() is a common and dangerous pathogen that causes various infectious diseases. Skin damage, such as burn wounds, are at high risk of colonization and infection, which increases morbidity and mortality. The phage lysin LysGH15 exhibits highly efficient lytic activity against methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) strains.

Unraveling the electronic relaxation dynamics in photoexcited 2,4-difluoroaniline via femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging.

Time-resolved photoelectron imaging is employed to investigate the relaxation dynamics of the lowest two excited electronic states S(ππ*) and S(π3s/πσ*) in 2,4-difluoroaniline (24DFA). As the S(ππ*) state is populated directly following 289 nm excitation, the population undergoes ultrafast intramolecular vibrational redistribution on a 540 fs time scale, followed by efficient intersystem crossing from S(ππ*) to the triplet state within 379 ps, and the subsequent slower deactivation process of the triplet state. For excitation to the S(π3s/πσ*) state at 238 nm, the population probably bifurcates into two decay channels.

Dopamine assisted PMOXA/PAA brushes for their switchable protein adsorption/desorption.

Protein adsorption on interfaces immersed in biological fluids is a prevalent and mostly irreversible phenomenon of great importance and is often uncontrolled. Poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PMOXA) is shown to possess excellent protein-resistant properties, whereas proteins can be adsorbed deeply inside the swollen brushes of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). In this work, mixed brushes of PMOXA/PAA were prepared by sequentially grafting amine-terminated PMOXA (PMOXA-NH) and thiol-terminated PAA (PAA-SH) onto poly(dopamine) (PDA)-coated substrates.

Positive Emotion Facilitates Cognitive Flexibility: An fMRI Study.

Cognitive flexibility is the ability to switch rapidly between multiple goals. By using a task-switching paradigm, the present study investigated how positive emotion affected cognitive flexibility and the underlying neural mechanisms. After viewing pictures of different emotional valence (positive, negative, or neutral), participants discriminated whether a target digit in a specific color was odd or even.

Femtosecond time-resolved observation of butterfly vibration in electronically excited o-fluorophenol.

The butterfly vibration during the hydrogen tunneling process in electronically excited o-fluorophenol has been visualized in real time by femtosecond time-resolved ion yield spectroscopy coupled with time-resolved photoelectron imaging technique. A coherent superposition of out-of-plane C-F butterfly motions is prepared in the first excited electronic state (S). As the C-F bond vibrates with respect to the aromatic ring, the nuclear geometry varies periodically, leading to the corresponding variation in the photoionization channel.

Phytoestrogen alpha-zearalanol attenuate endoplasmic reticulum stress to against cultured rat hippocampal neurons apoptotic death induced by amyloid beta25-35.

Objective: Our previous studies demonstrated both phytoestrogen α-zearalanol (α-ZAL) and estrogen is effective decrease Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like apoptotic neuron death, but α-ZAL showed significantly less side-effect on breast and endometrial tissue compared to estrogen, it suggested that α-ZAL can be used as a potential substitute for estrogen. However, the molecular mechanism by which α-ZAL prevents neuron damage remains unclear. Growing evidence suggests that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays an important role in the process of cell apoptosis in AD; in addition, our published data indicated that α-ZAL possessed the potential ability to stabilize ER function.

Transcriptome Assessment of Erythema Migrans Skin Lesions in Patients With Early Lyme Disease Reveals Predominant Interferon Signaling.

Background: The most common clinical manifestation of early Lyme disease is the erythema migrans (EM) skin lesion that develops at the tick bite site typically between 7 and 14 days after infection with Borreliella burgdorferi. The host-pathogen interactions that occur in the skin may have a critical role in determining outcome of infection.

Methods: Gene arrays were used to characterize the global transcriptional alterations in skin biopsy samples of EM lesions from untreated adult patients with Lyme disease in comparison to controls.

lncRNAs HIF1A-AS2 facilitates the up-regulation of HIF-1α by sponging to miR-153-3p, whereby promoting angiogenesis in HUVECs in hypoxia.

Angiogenesis serves as an important protective mechanism against ischemic stroke, because angiogenesis promotes the generation of collateral circulation and consequently improves the blood supply to cerebral infraction areas. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which can act as a competing endogenous RNA, mediate protein-coding gene expression by sponging miRNA. Based on previous studies, the present study hypothesized that lncRNAs HIF1A-AS2 by sponging to miR-153-3p might regulate expression of HIF-1α and its down-stream targets, thereby influencing angiogenesis in hypoxia.

Contribution of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus to liver cancer in China north areas: Experience of the Chinese National Cancer Center.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) on primary liver cancer (PLC) in China north areas.

Methods: A total of 2172 histologically confirmed PLC patients attending the National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences during the period January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2014 were enrolled. Details of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies against HBV core antigen (anti-HBc), and antibodies against HCV (anti-HCV) status were recorded.

Taurine alleviates lipopolysaccharide‑induced liver injury by anti‑inflammation and antioxidants in rats.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of taurine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑induced liver injury and its mechanisms. Male rats were randomly divided into three groups: Normal saline, LPS model and taurine treatment. Experimental animals were treated with saline or taurine (dissolved in saline, 200 mg/kg/day) via intravenous injection.

MicroRNA-335 suppresses the proliferation, migration, and invasion of breast cancer cells by targeting EphA4.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that exert their functions by targeting specific mRNA sequences. Many studies have demonstrated that miRNAs are crucial for cancer progression, during which they can act as either oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Previous research has shown that miR-335 is downregulated in breast cancer, and it has been shown to be a breast cancer suppressor.

Real-time visualization of the vibrational wavepacket dynamics in electronically excited pyrimidine via femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging.

The vibrational wavepacket dynamics at the very early stages of the S-T intersystem crossing in photoexcited pyrimidine is visualized in real time by femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging and time-resolved mass spectroscopy. A coherent superposition of the vibrational states is prepared by the femtosecond pump pulse at 315.3 nm, resulting in a vibrational wavepacket.

Residual detection of buparvaquone, nystatin, and etomidate in animal-derived food products in a single chromatographic run using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A reliable and highly sensitive screening method based on liquid chromatography coupled withtriple-quadrupoleelectrospray tandemmass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis has been developed for the detection and quantification of three veterinary drugs, including buparvaquone, nystatin, and etomidate impurity B CRS. The tested drugs were extracted from samples of porcine muscle, pasteurized whole milk, and eggs using 10mM ammonium formate in acetonitrile followed by liquid-liquid purification with n-hexane. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Phenomenex Luna C18 analytical column using 0.

Support for the elevational Rapoport's rule among seed plants in Nepal depends on biogeographical affinities and boundary effects.

As one of the most important hypotheses on biogeographical distribution, Rapoport's rule has attracted attention around the world. However, it is unclear whether the applicability of the elevational Rapoport's Rule differs between organisms from different biogeographical regions. We used Stevens' method, which uses species diversity and the averaged range sizes of all species within each (100 m) elevational band to explore diversity-elevation, range-elevation, and diversity-range relationships.

Evidence for capitation reform in a New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme in Pudong New Area, Shanghai: A longitudinal study.

Currently, China has been experiencing rapid growth of medical costs, serious waste of medical resources, increasing disease burden for residents, and a medical insurance fund deficit. Therefore, an urgent problem that needs to be solved is to choose a rational payment for the insurance system. To empirically evaluate the long-term effects of capitation reform in a New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme in Pudong New Area, we collected and analysed data regarding financing, fund operation, medical service cost, and medical care-seeking behaviour from 2011 to 2015, a duration that includes data before and after reform.

Hydrogen-rich water induces aluminum tolerance in maize seedlings by enhancing antioxidant capacities and nutrient homeostasis.

The ameliorative effect of H on aluminum (Al)-induced stress remains poorly understood. We treated maize seedlings with Al and hydrogen-rich water (HRW) to determine the roles of H in the alleviation of Al toxicity. Our results demonstrated that Al stress triggered damage to the photosynthetic apparatus, plant growth inhibition, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and boosted lipid peroxidation.