Regulation of aerobic granular sludge reformulation after granular sludge broken: effect of poly aluminum chloride (PAC).

The present study focuses on the effect of poly aluminum chloride (PAC) on the re-formation of aerobic granular sludge after its rupture. The morphological changes, physical characteristics such as SVI, mechanical strength and surface properties of aerobic granular sludge during the re-formation process of broken granules were investigated. Moreover, components (protein (PN), polysaccharides (PS)) and distributions (soluble, loosely-bound (LB), tightly-bound (TB)) of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in sludge flocs were taken into consideration.

Water promoting electron hole transport between tyrosine and cysteine in proteins via a special mechanism: double proton coupled electron transfer.

The proton/electron transfer reactions between cysteine residue (Cys) and tyrosinyl radical (Tyr(•)) are an important step for many enzyme-catalyzed processes. On the basis of the statistical analysis of protein data bank, we designed three representative models to explore the possible proton/electron transfer mechanisms from Cys to Tyr(•) in proteins. Our ab initio calculations on simplified models and quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations on real protein environment reveal that the direct electron transfer between Cys and Tyr(•) is difficult to occur, but an inserted water molecule can greatly promote the proton/electron transfer reactions by a double-proton-coupled electron transfer (dPCET) mechanism.

Dendritic cell fate is determined by BCL11A.

The plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) is vital to the coordinated action of innate and adaptive immunity. pDC development has not been unequivocally traced, nor has its transcriptional regulatory network been fully clarified. Here we confirm an essential requirement for the BCL11A transcription factor in fetal pDC development, and demonstrate this lineage-specific requirement in the adult organism.

Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells regulate thymic epithelial cell development and function in Foxn1(-/-) mice.

Thymic microenvironments are essential for the maturation of thymocytes, which can be anatomically compartmentalized into cortical and medullar regions. The absence of the gene encoding the transcription factor forkhead box n1 (Foxn1) causes epithelial differentiation to stall in the precursor stage, resulting in the formation of an abnormal thymus. In this study, we used human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) to treat Foxn1(-/-) mice, and then analyzed the maturation and distribution of thymic epithelial cells in the Foxn1(-/-) thymic rudiment and the thymopoiesis of this newly developed rudiment.

Chemerin-derived peptide C-20 suppressed gonadal steroidogenesis.

Problem: Chemerin is a novel chemo-attractant and adipokine involved in leukocyte recruitment, inflammation, adipogenesis, lipid/carbohydrate metabolism, and reproduction. Based on the bioinformatic search for putative small peptides in the conserved region of pre-pro-chemerin, an evolutionary conserved region flanked by potential convertase cleavage sites was identified and we named it as C-20. The binding capacity of C-20 to chemerin receptors and its potential bioactivities were investigated in this study.

Multifunctional pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles for theranostics evaluated experimentally in cancer.

A multifunctional pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticle system was developed for simultaneous tumor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and therapy. The nanoparticles were self-assembled using the multi-block polymer poly(lactic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(l-lysine)-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (PLA-PEG-PLL-DTPA) and the pH-sensitive material poly(l-histidine)-poly(ethylene glycol)-biotin (PLH-PEG-biotin). The anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) drug sorafenib was encapsulated inside the nanoparticles.

Differential IL-10 production by DCs determines the distinct adjuvant effects of LPS and PTX in EAE induction.

Pertussis toxin (PTX) is used as an adjuvant to induce EAE in mice as a model of MS. Although LPS and PTX are similar in their ability to mature dendritic cells (DCs) and in their adjuvant properties, here we demonstrate that LPS does not induce EAE development. We also demonstrate that DCs treated with PTX (PTX-DCs) are able to induce EAE, whereas DCs treated with LPS (LPS-DCs) fail to induce EAE.

Fused polypeptide with DEF induces apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma cells.

To analyze the effects of a new unknown peptide DEF on the growth of tumor cells, a fused polypeptide TAT-DV1-DEF was designed and synthesized. The lung adenocarcinoma cell line GLC-82 treated with TAT- DV1-DEF was analyzed with a cell counting kit 8, and the location of polypeptides in cells was observed under laser confocal microscopy. The efficiency of polypeptide transfection and changes in nuclear morphology were analyzed by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, respectively.

[Treatment of upper respiratory infection by fangfeng tongsheng granule: a randomized controlled study].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of Fangfeng Tongsheng Granule (FTG) in the treatment of upper respiratory infection (superficial cold and interior heat syndrome, exterior and interior excess syndrome).

Methods: A randomized, double-blinded, multi-centered, placebo-parallel-controlled clinical trial was adopted. Totally 324 patients were enrolled and assigned to two groups, 216 patients in the treatment group and 108 patients in the control group.

A QM/MM study of the catalytic mechanism of nicotinamidase.

Nicotinamidase (Pnc1) is a member of Zn-dependent amidohydrolases that hydrolyzes nicotinamide (NAM) to nicotinic acid (NA), which is a key step in the salvage pathway of NAD(+) biosynthesis. In this paper, the catalytic mechanism of Pnc1 has been investigated by using a combined quantum-mechanical/molecular-mechanical (QM/MM) approach based on the recently obtained crystal structure of Pnc1. The reaction pathway, the detail of each elementary step, the energetics of the whole catalytic cycle, and the roles of key residues and Zn-binding site are illuminated.

A novel acetylcholinesterase biosensor based on carboxylic graphene coated with silver nanoparticles for pesticide detection.

A novel acetylcholinesterase (AChE) biosensor based on Ag NPs, carboxylic graphene (CGR) and Nafion (NF) hybrid modified glass carbon electrode (GCE) has been successfully developed. Ag NPs-CGR-NF possessed predominant conductivity, catalysis and biocompatibility and provided a hydrophilic surface for AChE adhesion. Chitosan (CS) was used to immobilize AChE on the surface of Ag NPs-CGR-NF/GCE to keep the AChE activities.

[Determination of aqueous potassium and sodium ions with liquid-phase diaphragm glow discharge-atomic emission spectrometry].

The present paper described the determination of potassium and sodium ions with a liquid-phase diaphragm glow discharge emission spectroscopy (LDGD-AES) in aqueous solution. The discharge was formed in a pin hole on a dielectric diaphragm interposed between two submerged graphite electrodes. Effects of applied voltage and the addition of organic additive methanol on the determination were examined.

Expression of chemerin and its receptors in rat testes and its action on testosterone secretion.

The novel adipokine chemerin plays a role in the regulation of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and recent reports of elevated chemerin levels in polycystic ovarian syndrome and preeclampsia have pointed to an emerging role of chemerin in reproduction. We hypothesised that chemerin, like other adipokines, may function to regulate male gonadal steroidogenesis. In this study, we show that chemerin and its three receptors chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1), G-protein-coupled receptor 1 (GPR1) and chemokine (C-C motif) receptor-like 2 were expressed in male reproductive tracts, liver and white adipose tissue.

Pluronic P123-docetaxel conjugate micelles: synthesis, characterization, and antitumor activity.

The purpose of this research is to develop and evaluate Pluronic P123 (P123)-docetaxel (DTX) conjugate that could form core-shell-type micelles in aqueous solution. DTX was covalently conjugated to P123 via ester bond after the activation of DTX by succinic anhydride. The structure of P123-DTX conjugate was confirmed by 1H-NMR.

Multistage genome-wide association meta-analyses identified two new loci for bone mineral density.

Aiming to identify novel genetic variants and to confirm previously identified genetic variants associated with bone mineral density (BMD), we conducted a three-stage genome-wide association (GWA) meta-analysis in 27 061 study subjects. Stage 1 meta-analyzed seven GWA samples and 11 140 subjects for BMDs at the lumbar spine, hip and femoral neck, followed by a Stage 2 in silico replication of 33 SNPs in 9258 subjects, and by a Stage 3 de novo validation of three SNPs in 6663 subjects. Combining evidence from all the stages, we have identified two novel loci that have not been reported previously at the genome-wide significance (GWS; 5.

How important is differentiation in the therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stromal cells in liver disease?

Background Aims: The protocols for differentiation of hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been well established. Previous data have shown that MSCs and their derived HLCs were able to engraft injured liver and alleviate injuries induced by carbon tetrachloride. The goal of the current study was to determine the differences of MSCs and their derived HLCs in terms of therapeutic functions in liver diseases.

Intrathecal Administration of Autologous CD34 Positive Cells in Patients with Past Cerebral Infarction: A Safety Study.

Regenerative strategies in treatment of stroke have great potential. The goal of the current study was to investigate safety of intrathecal administration of autologous CD34 positive cells in treatment of patients with poststroke. A total of eight male patients with a history of stroke were enrolled.

Theoretical study of the catalytic mechanism of E1 subunit of pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

Pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (PDHc) is a member of a family of 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase (OADH) multienzyme complexes involved in several central points of oxidative metabolism, and the E1 subunit is the most important component in the entire PDHc catalytic system, which catalyzes the reversible transfer of an acetyl group from a pyruvate to the lipoyl group of E2 subunit lipoly domain. In this article, the catalytic mechanism of the E1 subunit has been systematically studied using density functional theory (DFT). Four possible pathways with different general acid/base catalysts in decarboxylation and reductive acylation processes were explored.

Insight into the mechanism of aminomutase reaction: a case study of phenylalanine aminomutase by computational approach.

The Taxus canadensis phenylalanine aminomutase (TcPAM) catalyze the isomerization of (S)-α-phenylalanine to the (R)-β-isomer. The active site of TcPAM contains the signature 5-methylene-3,5-dihydroimidazol-4-one (MIO) prosthesis, observed in the ammonia lyase class of enzymes. Up to now, there are two plausible mechanisms for these MIO-dependent enzymes, i.

Elevated Th17 cells accompanied by decreased regulatory T cells and cytokine environment in infants with biliary atresia.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Th17 and T reg cells in biliary atresia (BA) and to assess the liver cytokine environment in BA patients.

Methods: The percentages of Th17 and T reg cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of BA patients and healthy controls (HC) were evaluated. The serum concentrations of IL-17a and IL-23 as well as Foxp3, IL-17a, ROR-γt, IL-6, IL-1β and TGF-β1 m-RNA and protein expressions in liver tissues and the number of Foxp3, IL-17a, ROR-γt, CD4 expressing cells which infiltrated the hepatic tissues were determined.

Theoretical investigations on the synthesis mechanism of cyanuric acid from NH₃ and CO₂.

In the synthesis of cyanuric acid from NH3 and CO2, urea and isocyanic acid OCNH are two pivotal intermediates. Based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the synthesis mechanism of cyanuric acid from NH3 + CO2 was investigated systematically. Urea can be synthesized from NH3 and CO2, and cyanuric acid can be obtained from urea or NH3 + CO2.

Meta-analysis of genome-wide association data identifies novel susceptibility loci for obesity.

Obesity is a major public health problem with strong genetic determination. Multiple genetic variants have been implicated for obesity by conducting genome-wide association (GWA) studies, primarily focused on body mass index (BMI). Fat body mass (FBM) is phenotypically more homogeneous than BMI and is more appropriate for obesity research; however, relatively few studies have been conducted on FBM.

Treatment of rabbit intervertebral disc degeneration with co-transfection by adeno-associated virus-mediated SOX9 and osteogenic protein-1 double genes in vivo.

Degeneration of the lumbar intervertebral disc is a common cause of low back pain and leg pain that affects the physical and mental health of the patient and increases the social burden. This study was performed to observe the biological effects of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated osteogenic protein-1 (OP1) and SOX9 double gene co-transfection in rabbit intervertebral disc degeneration in vivo. The animals were randomly grouped into models of disc degeneration.

Tumor-specific delivery and therapy by double-targeted DTX-CMCS-PEG-NGR conjugates.

Purpose: To synthesize and evaluate the antitumor efficacy of double-targeted docetaxel (DTX)-carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS)-PEG-NGR (DTX-CPN) conjugates that could target to CD13 over-expressed tumor neovascular endothelium cells and tumor cells.

Methods: DTX was conjugated to CMCS via biodegradable linker and cNGR was applied to endow the conjugates with double targeting ability. The physiochemical properties and stability of this DTX-CPN conjugates were characterized.

The interaction between the helicase DHX33 and IPS-1 as a novel pathway to sense double-stranded RNA and RNA viruses in myeloid dendritic cells.

In eukaryotes, there are at least 60 members of the DExD/H helicase family, many of which are able to sense viral nucleic acids. By screening all known family members, we identified the helicase DHX33 as a novel double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) sensor in myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs). The knockdown of DHX33 using small heteroduplex RNA (shRNA) blocked the ability of mDCs to produce type I interferon (IFN) in response to poly I:C and reovirus.