The Involvement of -Catenin/COX-2/VEGF Axis in NMDA-Caused Retinopathy.

NMDA, a molecule that is capable of producing the loss of retinal ganglia cells (RGCs), has been widely studied; however, the detailed mechanism is not yet clarified. Previously, Wnt/-catenin signaling has been suggested to be involved in the NMDA-induced retinopathy. In addition, previous investigations in our group demonstrated the presence of a Wnt/-catenin/COX-2 axis in dorsal root ganglions (DRGs).

Structural insights into species-specific features of the ribosome from the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Ribosomes from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) possess species-specific ribosomal RNA (rRNA) expansion segments and ribosomal proteins (rProtein). Here, we present the near-atomic structures of the Mtb 50S ribosomal subunit and the complete Mtb 70S ribosome, solved by cryo-electron microscopy. Upon joining of the large and small ribosomal subunits, a 100-nt long expansion segment of the Mtb 23S rRNA, named H54a or the 'handle', switches interactions from with rRNA helix H68 and rProtein uL2 to with rProtein bS6, forming a new intersubunit bridge 'B9'.

Toxicity of ammonia, cadmium, and nitrobenzene to four local fishes in the Liao River, China and the derivation of site-specific water quality criteria.

Water quality criteria (WQC) are considered to be an effective management tool for protecting aquatic environments. To derive site-specific WQC for an area, local data based on local species are essential to improve the applicability of WQC derived. Due to the paucity of local fish data available for the development of site-specific WQC for the Liao River, China, four local and widespread fishes (Pseudorasbora parva， Abbottina liaoningensis, Ctenogobius giurinus, and Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) were chosen to test their sensitivities to ammonia, cadmium and nitrobenzene.

Temporal and spatial variations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils from a typical organic sewage irrigation area.

In the water shortage countries and areas, untreated sewage irrigation led to the extensive organic pollution of farmland soil, which seriously threatened environmental security. In this study, we selected Shenfu irrigation area (SIA) as the study area, and it was the first and largest organic sewage irrigation area in China. We analyzed the temporal and spatial variations in concentrations, risk and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil of the SIA.

Marmoricola endophyticus sp. nov., an endophytic actinobacterium isolated from Thespesia populnea.

A novel endophytic actinobacterium, designated strain 8BXZ-J1, was isolated from surface-sterilized branches of Thespesia populnea collected from Beilun Estuary Mangrove Forest National Nature Reserve in Guangxi, China, and examined by a polyphasic approach to determine its taxonomic position. Cells of the isolate were Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-spore-forming, non-motile and short rod-shaped. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences suggested that strain 8BXZ-J1 belonged to the genus Marmoricola, sharing highest similarity with Marmoricola solisilvae DSM 27140 (96.

Molecular cytogenetic identification of a novel wheat-Agropyron elongatum chromosome translocation line with powdery mildew resistance.

Agropyron elongatum (Host.) Neviski (synonym, Thinopyrum ponticum Podp., 2n = 70) has been used extensively as a valuable source for wheat breeding.

Side Chain Engineering on Medium Bandgap Copolymers to Suppress Triplet Formation for High-Efficiency Polymer Solar Cells.

Suppression of carrier recombination is critically important in realizing high-efficiency polymer solar cells. Herein, it is demonstrated difluoro-substitution of thiophene conjugated side chain on donor polymer can suppress triplet formation for reducing carrier recombination. A new medium bandgap 2D-conjugated D-A copolymer J91 is designed and synthesized with bi(alkyl-difluorothienyl)-benzodithiophene as donor unit and fluorobenzotriazole as acceptor unit, for taking the advantages of the synergistic fluorination on the backbone and thiophene side chain.

Constructing a Strongly Absorbing Low-Bandgap Polymer Acceptor for High-Performance All-Polymer Solar Cells.

All-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) offer unique morphology stability for the application as flexible devices, but the lack of high-performance polymer acceptors limits their power conversion efficiency (PCE) to a value lower than those of the PSCs based on fullerene derivative or organic small molecule acceptors. We herein demonstrate a strategy to synthesize a high-performance polymer acceptor PZ1 by embedding an acceptor-donor-acceptor building block into the polymer main chain. PZ1 possesses broad absorption with a low band gap of 1.

Co-occurrence of 3 different resistance plasmids in a multi-drug resistant Cronobacter sakazakii isolate causing neonatal infections.

Cronobacter sakazakii 505108 was isolated from a sputum specimen of a neonate with severe pneumonia. C. sakazakii 505108 co-harbors 3 resistance plasmids of the IncHI2, IncX3, and IncFIB incomparability groups, respectively.

Clinical Evaluation of Urine Prostatic Exosomal Protein in the Diagnosis of Chronic Prostatitis.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical potential of urine prostatic exosomal protein (PSEP) as a diagnostic biomarker of chronic prostatitis (CP). Materials andmethods: Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, urine PSEP levels were detected in 103 control cases as well as 283 cases of CP, with 82 cases fulfilling the definition of the USA National Institutes of Health category II (NIH-II), 108 cases of NIH-IIIa and 93 cases of NIH-IIIb. The values of age, body mass index, prostate volume, serum prostatic specific antigen (PSA) urine PSEP levels, and seminal parameters were analyzed.

Microcapsules biologically prepared using Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. essential oil and their use for extension of fruit shelf life.

Background: Perilla essential oil (EO) possesses high antioxidant, antimicrobial and insecticidal activities, and has proven to be more reliable than chemically synthesized food preservatives. Nevertheless, EOs have disadvantages of facile photo-degradation and oxidation, which limit their use in agriculture and food industries. Microencapsulation technology that generates a polymeric coating surrounding EOs could overcome these disadvantages.

Effect of Alkali Metal Atoms Doping on Structural and Nonlinear Optical Properties of the Gold-Germanium Bimetallic Clusters.

A new series of alkali-based complexes, AM@GeAu (AM = Li, Na, and K), have been theoretically designed and investigated by means of the density functional theory calculations. The geometric structures and electronic properties of the species are systematically analyzed. The adsorption of alkali metals maintains the structural framework of the gold-germanium bimetallic clusters, and the alkali metals prefer energetically to be attached on clusters' surfaces or edges.

First-Principles Study of Structural, Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Metal-Centered Tetrahexahedral V⁺ Cluster.

The V-centered bicapped hexagonal antiprism structure (), as the most stable geometry of the cationic V⁺ cluster, is determined by using infrared multiple photo dissociation (IR-MPD) in combination with density functional theory computations. It is found that the structure can be stabilized by 18 delocalized 3c-2e σ-bonds on outer V₃ triangles of the bicapped hexagonal antiprism surface and 12 delocalized 4c-2e σ-bonds on inner trigonal pyramidal V₄ moiety, and the features are related to the strong - hybridization of the cluster. The total magnetic moments on the cluster are predicted to be 2.

[Analysis of the common hemorrhage sites during laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery].

Objective: To analyze the common hemorrhage sites during laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery in order to take reasonable prevention and management.

Methods: Clinical data of 355 rectal cancer patients who underwent laparoscopic total mesorectal excision in Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital from January 2012 to December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Common bleeding sites, blood loss, and hemostasis time were recorded.

The long noncoding RNA FOXCUT promotes proliferation and migration by targeting FOXC1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Long noncoding RNAs play an important role in various biological processes, including tumorigenesis. FOXC1 (Forkhead box C1) is a member of the Forkhead box family of transcription factors and plays a crucial role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In this study, a novel long noncoding RNA (FOXCUT) located upstream of FOXC1 was investigated in 42 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

Structural, electronic and spectral properties of carborane-containing boron dipyrromethenes (BODIPYs): A first-principles study.

In this work, we reported the geometrical structures, electronic and spectral properties of the carborane-containing BODIPYs complexes using the density functional theory calculations. In two structures, the calculated main bond lengths and bond angels of structural framework are consistent with X-ray experiment, and the two BODIPYs complexes are thermodynamically and kinetically stable. The strongest DOS band is mainly dominated by the BB and BH σ-bonds of carborane fragment, whereas the π-type MOs on the pyrromethene fragment contribute to the high-energy DOS bands.

An integrated risk predictor for pulmonary nodules.

Unlabelled: It is estimated that over 1.5 million lung nodules are detected annually in the United States. Most of these are benign but frequently undergo invasive and costly procedures to rule out malignancy.

Novel mutations in COL4A3, COL4A4, and COL4A5 in Chinese patients with Alport Syndrome.

Alport syndrome (AS) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous, progressive nephropathy caused by mutations in COL4A3, COL4A4, and COL4A5, which encode type IV collagen. The large sizes of these genes and the absence of mutation hot spots have complicated mutational analysis by routine polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based approaches. Here, in order to design a rapid and effective method for the genetic diagnosis of AS, we developed a strategy by utilizing targeted capture associated with next-generation sequencing (NGS) to analyze COL4A3, COL4A4, and COL4A5 simultaneously in 20 AS patients.

Effects of perfluoroalkyl substances on neurosteroid synthetic enzymes in the rat.

Perfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs), including perfluorooctyl sulphonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctane acid (PFOA), have been classified as persistent organic pollutants and are known to cause endocrine-disrupting effects in humans. The objective of the present study was to compare the potencies of four different PFASs, PFOS, PFOA, perfluorohexyl sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorobutyl sulfonate (PFBS), to inhibit neurosteroidogenic 5α-reductase 1 (SRD5A1), 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (AKR1C9), and retinol dehydrogenase 2 (RoDH2) in rats. The potencies of PFASs to inhibit SRD5A1 are PFOS > PFOA > PFHxS = PFBS, with IC values of PFOS and PFOA of 1.

Trajectory variations of optical Bloch oscillations for Airy beams in transversely and longitudinally modulated photonic lattices.

We consider four types of modulated photonic lattices and numerically study the optical Bloch oscillations of Airy beams in these periodic structures. Our results demonstrate that in transversely modulated photonic lattices, the oscillation period increases and the amplitude reduces as the separation variation index increases. However, the increasing of the width variation index could lead to a consistent reduction of oscillation period and amplitude.

Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of equisetin.

We here report that the biosynthesis of equisetin, a fungal tetramate natural product with potent anti-infectious activity, relies on Fsa2, a Diels-Alderase that constructs the trans-decalin system of the molecule in a stereo-selective manner. This finding led to the development of a concise chemo-enzymatic route toward the synthesis of equisetin, which involves facile preparation of a linear polyene precursor via 7-steps and Fsa2 activity for equisetin maturation through an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction, thus exemplifying the significance of the combination of chemical and biological methods to achieve structurally complex cyclic natural products and their derivatives.

Cardioprotection Effects of Sevoflurane by Regulating the Pathway of Neuroactive Ligand-Receptor Interaction in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

This study was designed to identify attractor modules and further reveal the potential biological processes involving in sevoflurane-induced anesthesia in patients treated with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Microarray profile data (ID: E-GEOD-4386) on atrial samples obtained from patients receiving anesthetic gas sevoflurane prior to and following CABG procedure were downloaded from EMBL-EBI database for further analysis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks of baseline and sevoflurane groups were inferred and reweighted according to Spearman correlation coefficient (SCC), followed by systematic modules inference using clique-merging approach.