FSTL1 accelerates nucleus pulposus-derived mesenchymal stem cell apoptosis in intervertebral disc degeneration by activating TGF-β-mediated Smad2/3 phosphorylation.

Background: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the leading cause of low back pain, and repair using nucleus pulposus-derived mesenchymal stem cells (NP-MSCs) represents a promising therapeutic approach. However, both endogenous and transplanted NP-MSCs demonstrate limited proliferative capacity, increased apoptosis, and reduced resilience to the harsh microenvironment within the degenerative intervertebral disc (IVD).

Methods: RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was utilized to identify genes and associated mechanisms that mediate the responses of NP-MSCs to acidic conditions.

Comparative effectiveness of four techniques for identifying vertebral fragility fractures among elderly patients.

Objective: The incidence of vertebral fragile fractures peaked among the elderly population, and identifying individuals at high risk of vertebral fractures and promptly instituting preventions are of critical importance. This study aims to determine the efficacy and values of Hounsfield unit (HU) values, vertebral bone quality (VBQ) scores, bone mineral density (BMD) measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) to discriminate between patients with and without vertebral fractures.

Methods: A thorough search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wan Fang Database to identify potential studies that met the eligibility criteria.

Gentiopicroside Alleviates Atherosclerosis by Suppressing Reactive Oxygen Species-Dependent NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in Vascular Endothelial Cells via SIRT1/Nrf2 Pathway.

Objective: To evaluate the protective effects of gentiopicroside (GPS) against reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation in endothelial cells, aiming to reduce atherosclerosis.

Methods: Eight-week-old male ApoE-deficient mice were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=10 per group): the vehicle group and the GPS treatment group. Both groups were fed a high-fat diet for 16 weeks.

A density functional theory study of a water gas shift reaction on Ag(111): potassium effect.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are executed to investigate the effect of a potassium (K) promoter on the activity of the water gas shift reaction (WGSR) over an Ag(111) surface. It is found that the WGSR proceeds mainly through the OH(O)-assisted carboxy pathway in which HO dehydrogenation is the rate-controlling step on both Ag(111) and K/Ag(111) surfaces. Energetic span model analysis shows that K addition can enhance the activity of the WGSR by reducing the apparent activation energy of the whole reaction since it can promote HO dissociation and stabilize the adsorption of the reactants (CO and HO).

Effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine in treating gastrointestinal dysfunction in patients with acute stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials.

Background: Gastrointestinal dysfunction is one of the complications after stroke. If it is not treated in time, it will affect the rehabilitation process after stroke and reduce the quality of life of patients. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the reports on the treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunction after stroke with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in recent years to provide evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Graphene Oxide Nanofiltration Membranes Containing Silver Nanoparticles: Tuning Separation Efficiency via Nanoparticle Size.

Three types of graphene oxide/silver nanoparticles (GO/AgNPs) composite membranes were prepared to investigate size-effect of AgNPs on nanofiltration ability. The size of AgNPs was 8, 20, and 33 nm, which was characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The morphology and structure of GO and GO/AgNPs composite membranes were characterized by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction.

The Preparation and Study of Ethylene Glycol-Modified Graphene Oxide Membranes for Water Purification.

In this work, graphene oxide (GO)/ethylene glycol (EG) membranes were designed by a vacuum filtration method for molecular separation and water purification. The composite membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The interlayer spacing of GO membranes (0.

Water dissociation on KO-pre-adsorbed transition metals: a systematic theoretical study.

It is imperative to regulate O-H bond cleavage on metal surfaces with a pre-adsorbed K2O promoter in heterogeneous catalysis. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed to explore the adsorption and dissociation of water on K2O-pre-adsorbed transition metal surfaces (Au, Ag, Cu, Ni, Pt, Rh, Ir, Pd, Ru, Co and Fe) as compared with those on clean and K-pre-adsorbed metal surfaces. The calculation results indicate that the presence of K2O species significantly promotes water dissociation and the promoting effect depends on the adsorption strength of K2O, namely, the more strongly K2O binds to the metal surface, the less promoting effect it has on the water O-H bond cleavage.

Heterologous Expression and Characterization of a Novel Chitinase (ChiEn1) from Coprinopsis cinerea and its Synergism in the Degradation of Chitin.

Chitinase ChiEn1 did not hydrolyze insoluble chitin but showed hydrolysis and transglycosylation activities toward chitin-oligosaccharides. Interestingly, the addition of ChiEn1 increased the amount of reducing sugars released from chitin powder by endochitinase ChiIII by 105.0%, and among the released reducing sugars the amount of (GlcNAc) was increased by 149.

The influence of structural isomerism on fluorescence and organic dye selective adsorption in two complexes based on flexible ligands.

Based on Cd(NO)·4HO and 4,4'-((5-carboxy-1,3-phenylene)bis(oxy))dibenzoic acid (Hcpbda), two isomeric coordination polymers, {[Cd(cpbda)(bpa)(HO)]·1.5HO} (1), [Cd(Hcpbda)(bpa)(HO)] (2), were synthesized by using different solvent-systems. The complexes were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis.

Diabetes impairs spatial learning and memory and hippocampal neurogenesis via BDNF in rats with transient global ischemia.

Diabetic conditions worsen the prognosis of stroke. The molecular mechanism underlying the impairment of post-stroke recovery is not very clear. Here, we establish a rat model resembling human cerebral infarction with or without diabetes to determine how diabetes impairs cognitive recovery.

Linking groundwater dissolved organic matter to sedimentary organic matter from a fluvio-lacustrine aquifer at Jianghan Plain, China by EEM-PARAFAC and hydrochemical analyses.

The sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in groundwater are important to groundwater chemistry and quality. This study examined similarities in the nature of DOM and investigated the link between groundwater DOM (GDOM) and sedimentary organic matter (SOM) from a lacustrine-alluvial aquifer at Jianghan Plain. Sediment, groundwater and surface water samples were employed for SOM extraction, optical and/or chemical characterization, and subsequent fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) and parallel factor analyses (PARAFAC).

[Pollution characteristics and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine pesticides in groundwater at Xiaodian Sewage Irrigation Area, Taiyuan City].

Sewage irrigation has been widely used in areas of water shortage in northern China, and it may introduce organic contaminants into groundwater. To characterize the organic contaminants in groundwater in sewage irrigation area, the Xiaodian sewage irrigation area in Shanxi Province was chosen as the case study area. A total of 16 groundwater samples (13 from shallow aquifer, 3 from deep aquifer) were collected.

[Structure and biological functions of mammalian LEM-domain proteins].

During the process of open mitosis in higher eukaryotic cells, the nuclear envelope (NE) is disassembled and reassembled with highly organized and periodical dynamic morphological changes. Recent studies demonstrated that LEM-domain protein family mediates interactions among inner nuclear membrane, nuclear lamina protein and chromatin by interacting with barrier-to-autointegration-factor (BAF). The structure and function of the ternary complex formed by LEM-domain protein, nuclear lamina protein and BAF are dependent on each other.

Experimental degradation of nonylphenol (endocrine disruptor) by using ultraviolet irradiation in the presence of hydrogen peroxide.

The photodegradation of nonylphenol under UV irradiation was investigated in an aqueous solution containing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as the photochemically active substance was investigated. Influences of pH, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide, and the initial concentration of nonylphenol were studied. The following conditions were determined as optimal for nonylphenol removal: pH 1, H2O2 concentration of 40 mg/L, and an initial nonylphenol concentration of 15 of mg/L.

Isolation and characterization of a radiation-resistant bacterium from Taklamakan Desert showing potent ability to accumulate Lead (II) and considerable potential for bioremediation of radioactive wastes.

Radioactive wastes always contain radioactive substances and a lot of Pb compound and other heavy metals, which severely contaminate soils and groundwater. Thus, search for radiation-resistant microorganisms that are capable of sequestering Pb contaminants from the contaminated sites is urgently needed. However, very few such microorganisms have been found so far.

The source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the topsoil in Xiaodian sewage irrigation area, North of China.

31 topsoil samples were collected by grid method in Xiaodian sewage irrigation area, Taiyuan City, North of China. The concentrations of 16 kinds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined by gas chromatograph coupled with mass spectrum. Generally speaking, the distribution order of PAHs in the area is: those with five and six rings > those with four rings > those with two and three rings.

[A study of cerebral cortex in untreated first-episode schizophrenics].

Objective: To detect the changes of cortical thickness and cortical surface area in untreated patients of first-episode schizophrenia.

Methods: Fifty-seven untreated patients of first-episode schizophrenia (SCZ) hospitalized from September 2009 to March 2012 at Department of Psychiatry, Third Affiliated Hospital, SUN Yat-sen University and 57 healthy controls (HC) recruited by advertising during the same period underwent a high resolution three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging of brain structures. And cortical-surface based technique was used to analyze the cortical thickness and cortical surface area.

[Vertical distribution and possible sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in sewage area soil].

Nine profile soil samples were collected from Xiaodian sewage irrigation area, Taiyuan city, China. The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed by gas chromatography equipped with a mass spectrometry detector (GC/ MS). The rank order of the average concentrations of PAHs in the 0-10 cm upper soil layer was background area < swamp area < groundwater irrigation area < sewage irrigation area.

[Variation characteristics of relative molecular mass of different fractions of dissolved organic matter from landfill leachate during photocatalytic degradation].

Gel permeation chromatography was applied to analyze the variation characteristics of molecular mass of DOM six fractions during photocatalytic degradation. The results showed that most of DOM with average relative molecular mass was below 10(4). Large molecular fractions higher than 10(4) mainly containing HIB and HIN, accounted for nearly 20% of total DOM.

[Diffusion tensor imaging analyses of white matter at an early stage of first-episode schizophrenia].

Objective: To explore the roles of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of white matter at an early stage of schizophrenia.

Methods: The participants were 20 first-episode, medication-naïve schizophrenics at an early stage (1 - 6 months) and 20 healthy controls adjusted in gender and age during December 2009 and October 2010. They underwent diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging with a single-shot echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence aligned to straight axial plane.

[3D-EEM fluorescence characteristics of different fraction of dissolved organic matter in landfill leachate].

Three-dimensional excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (3D-EEM) was applied to analyze the fluorescence characterization of dissolved organic matter in landfill leachate. The results showed that fulvic-like, tryptophan-like and humic acids-like matters were the main compounds in landfill leachate. A number of UV fulvic-like matters led to ineffective biodegradation of leachate.

[Fluorometric determination of fructose in the presence of glucose using zirconyl chloride-ammonium chloride].

According to the principle that Zn(OH)+ produced by ZrOCl2 upon hydrolysis in water can react to form a fluorescent derivative with fructose, a method for the quantitative determination of fructose has been proposed. The fluorescence of the derivative enhanced at 408 nm in NH4Cl medium has a direct ratio with fructose in the linear range of 0.5-25 microg x mL(-1).