Utilizing cerium as a surrogate for actinide aerosols: Real-time characterization and formation mechanisms in nuclear fire scenarios.

Characterizing radioactive aerosol particles released from actinide metals on fires represents a pivotal process in nuclear emergency response. However, the precise characterization of these particles and the deep understanding of their formation mechanism remain a daunting challenge due to the lack of in-situ measurement techniques. We presented the first real-time investigation of respirable particles with the size ranging from 2 nm to 10 μm, emitted from the combustion of cerium metal (CM) as surrogate for actinide counterparts.

TEAD4 predicts poor prognosis and transcriptionally targets PLAGL2 in serous ovarian cancer.

The oncogenic function of TEA domain transcription factor 4 (TEAD4) has been confirmed in multiple human malignancies, while its potential role and regulatory mechanism in serous ovarian cancer progression are left unknown. By the gene expression analyses from Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database, TEAD4 expression is shown to be up-regulated in serous ovarian cancer samples. Here, we confirmed the high expression of TEAD4 in clinical serous ovarian cancer specimens.

Polymorphisms of the apolipoprotein E gene affect response to atorvastatin therapy in acute ischemic stroke.

Background: Polymorphisms of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene are related to the efficacy of statin therapy. The biological functions of the APOE subtypes determine the metabolism of blood plasma lipids and the progression of atherosclerosis. This study aimed to explore the impact of APOE gene polymorphisms on the effect of atorvastatin on lipid regulation and plaque stabilization.

Molecular dynamics simulations of amino acid adsorption and transport at the acetonitrile-water-silica interface: the role of side chains.

The solvation and transport of amino acid residues at liquid-solid interfaces have great importance for understanding the mechanism of separation of biomolecules in liquid chromatography. This study uses umbrella sampling molecular dynamics simulations to study the adsorption and transport of three amino acid molecules with different side chains (phenylalanine (Phe), leucine (Leu) and glutamine (Gln)) at the silica-water-acetonitrile interface in liquid chromatography. Free energy analysis shows that the Gln molecule has stronger binding affinity than the other two molecules, indicating the side chain polarity may play a primary role in adsorption at the liquid-solid interface.

6'--Caffeoylarbutin from Que Zui tea ameliorates acetaminophen-induced liver injury enhancing antioxidant ability and regulating the PI3K signaling pathway.

Que Zui tea (QT), a traditional herbal tea in China, has a significant hepatoprotective effect. 6'--Caffeoylarbutin (CA) is the most abundant chemical compound in the QT. However, the hepatoprotective effect of CA has not been investigated.

Anti-leukemic effect and molecular mechanism of 11-methoxytabersonine from Melodinus cochinchinensis via network pharmacology, ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Melodinus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr. is a Yunnan endemic folk medicine.

The role of solute polarity on methanol-silica interfacial solvation: a molecular dynamics study.

The solvation structure and dynamics of small organic molecules at the methanol-silica interface are important for understanding the reaction dynamics in heterogeneous catalysis as well as the transport mechanisms in liquid chromatography. The role of solute polarity in interfacial solvation at the methanol-silica interface has been investigated via umbrella sampling molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and 1,3-propanediol and n-pentane were selected as representative species of polar and apolar solutes. Free energy calculations reveal that it took a similar free energy cost to transfer both solute molecules from the interface to the bulk, despite the huge difference in their polarities.

Prognostic factors and therapeutic effects of different treatment modalities for colorectal cancer liver metastases.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in China, and the liver is the most common metastatic site in patients with advanced CRC. Hepatectomy is the gold standard treatment for colorectal liver metastases. For patients who cannot undergo radical resection of liver metastases for various reasons, ablation therapy, interventional therapy, and systemic chemotherapy can be used to improve their quality of life and prolong their survival time.

The joint effect of surface polarity and concentration on the structure and dynamics of acetonitrile solution: a molecular dynamics simulation study.

The interfacial properties of the acetonitrile (ACN)-water-silica interface have great implications in both liquid chromatography and heterogeneous catalysis. We have performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of ACN and water binary solutions to give a comprehensive study of the collective effect of silica surface polarity and ACN concentration on interfacial structures and dynamics by tuning both surface charges and ACN concentration. MD simulation results indicate that many properties in the liquid-solid interface region undergo a monotonic change as the silica surface is tuned from polar to apolar due to the weakening of hydrogen bonding, while their dependence on ACN concentration is presumably governed by the preferential adsorption of water at the silica surface over ACN.

Sp1 contributes to overexpression of stanniocalcin 2 through regulation of promoter activity in colon adenocarcinoma.

Background: Aberrant expression of stanniocalcin 2 (STC2) is implicated in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). A previous study identified that STC2 functions as a tumor promoter to drive development of some cancers, but the role of its overexpression in the development of COAD remains unclear.

Aim: To evaluate the regulation mechanism of STC2 overexpression in COAD.

Pleomorphic adenoma gene like-2 induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in human colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical step in the acquisition of metastatic and invasive power for tumor cells. Colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) is a common cancer where metastasis is directly linked to patient survival. Recent studies show that pleomorphic adenoma gene like-2 (PLAGL2) could induce tumor EMT and is an independent predictive factor associated with poor prognosis in cancer.

Macroscopic serosal classification of colorectal cancer and its clinical significance.

Background: Macroscopic serosal classification of gastric cancer has been reported in previous studies, but rarely reported about it of colorectal cancer. The purpose of this study was to propose a macroscopic serosal classification of colorectal cancer and to investigate clinical significance of this classification.

Materials And Methods: Morphologic features of colorectal cancer were analyzed according to the macroscopic serosal appearance and clinicopathologic characteristics of these patients were retrospectively reviewed.

Clinicopathological features and prognosis of small gastrointestinal stromal tumors outside the stomach.

The aim of the present study was to assess the clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of primary small gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) outside the stomach. The clinical data, clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of 20 patients with a pathologically-confirmed diagnosis of non-gastric GIST that were treated at Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute between July 2006 and December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. In total, 15 patients were male and 5 were female, with a median age of 58 years (range, 44-82 years).

Calcium effect on the metabolic pathway of phosphorus accumulating organisms in enhanced biological phosphorus removal systems.

Phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAOs) have been found to act as glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs) under certain conditions, thus, the deterioration in the performance of enhanced biological phosphorus removal systems is not always attributed to the proliferation of GAOs. In this work, the effects of calcium on the metabolic pathway of PAOs were explored. It was found that when the influent Ca(2+) concentration was elevated, the tendency and extent of extracellular calcium phosphate precipitation increased, and the intracellular inert Ca-bound polyphosphate was synthesized, while the microbial population remained almost unchanged.

Roles of 3,3',4',5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide in regulating extracellular electron transfer of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1.

Microbial extracellular electron transfer (EET) is critically involved in many pollutant conversion processes in both natural environment and engineered bioelectrochemical systems (BES), but typically with limited efficiency and poor controllability. In this study, we discover an important role of uncouplers in affecting the microbial energy metabolism and EET. Dose of lower-concentration 3,3',4',5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide (TCS) in the anolyte promoted the current generation and substrate degradation of an MFC inoculated with Shewanella oneidensis MR-1.

Metachronous multiple gastrointestinal stromal tumors and adenocarcinoma of the colon: A case report.

Synchronous or metachronous occurrence of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and other primary gastrointestinal neoplasms has previously been reported. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are few studies regarding metachronous multiple GISTs and adenocarcinoma of the colon. The current case of an 80-year-old male patient who underwent a laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for colonic adenocarcinoma, located in the ascending colon, is presented.

Phosphorus removal in an enhanced biological phosphorus removal process: roles of extracellular polymeric substances.

Phosphorus-accumulating organisms are considered to be the key microorganisms in the enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process. A large amount of phosphorus is found in the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) matrix of these microorganisms. However, the roles of EPS in phosphorus removal have not been fully understood.

Species of phosphorus in the extracellular polymeric substances of EBPR sludge.

In this study, the species of extracellular phosphorus and their transformation during extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extraction were explored by using (31)P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results show that the extraction methods had a substantial influence on the phosphorus species in the extracted EPS. Cation exchange resin method was more appropriate for extracting EPS from the enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) sludge.

Integration of a microbial fuel cell with activated sludge process for energy-saving wastewater treatment: taking a sequencing batch reactor as an example.

In the research and application of microbial fuel cell (MFC), how to incorporate MFCs into current wastewater infrastructure is an importance issue. Here, we report a novel strategy of integrating an MFC into a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) to test the energy production and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal. The membrane-less biocathode MFC is integrated with the SBR to recover energy from the aeration in the form of electricity and thus reduce the SBR operation costs.