MicroRNA-214 contributes to Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy by targeting SIRT3 to provoke mitochondrial malfunction.

Reduction of expression and activity of sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) contributes to the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy via inducing mitochondrial injury and energy metabolism disorder. However, development of effective ways and agents to modulate SIRT3 remains a big challenge. In this study we explored the upstream suppressor of SIRT3 in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced cardiac hypertrophy in mice.

Selectively Oxidative C(sp)-H/C(sp)-H Cross-Coupling of Benzamides with Amides by Nickel Catalysis.

The oxidative cross-coupling between the α-C(sp)-H bond of amide in DMAc and the inert -C(sp)-H bond of benzamides is achieved for the first time by nickel catalysis, with the assistance of 8-aminoquinolyl group in the presence of a silver oxidant. Notably, the selectivity of conversion can be perfectly controlled by modulating the oxidant additives, and the products from the coupling of the C(sp)-H bond adjacent to nitrogen of amides with benzamides are approached through the use of peroxide.

The Critical Roles of the SUMO-Specific Protease SENP3 in Human Diseases and Clinical Implications.

Post-translational modification by SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier) proteins has been shown to regulate a variety of functions of proteins, including protein stability, chromatin organization, transcription, DNA repair, subcellular localization, protein-protein interactions, and protein homeostasis. SENP (sentrin/SUMO-specific protease) regulates precursor processing and deconjugation of SUMO to control cellular mechanisms. SENP3, which is one of the SENP family members, deconjugates target proteins to alter protein modification.

Rh-Catalyzed Annulation of Benzoic Acids, Formaldehyde, and Malonates via -Hydroarylation to Indanones.

A three-component reaction from readily available low-cost materials of benzoic acids, formaldehyde, and malonates for the preparation of indanones by rhodium catalysis is reported. The annulation is initiated by an -hydroarylation of benzoic acids, and a Lewis acid is not required. The solvent has a significant influence to the reaction, and 2-substituted or nonsubstituted indanones are obtained by the change of solvent.

The important roles of protein SUMOylation in the occurrence and development of leukemia and clinical implications.

Leukemia is a severe malignancy of the hematopoietic system, which is characterized by uncontrolled proliferation and dedifferentiation of immature hematopoietic precursor cells in the lymphatic system and bone marrow. Leukemia is caused by alterations of the genetic and epigenetic regulation of processes underlying hematologic malignancies, including SUMO modification (SUMOylation). Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteins covalently or noncovalently conjugate and modify a large number of target proteins via lysine residues.

Application of large-scale targeted sequencing to distinguish multiple lung primary tumors from intrapulmonary metastases.

The effective differentiation between multiple primary lung tumors (MPs) and intrapulmonary metastases (IMs) in patients is imperative to discover the exact disease stage and to select the most appropriate treatment. In this study, the authors was to evaluate the efficacy and validity of large-scale targeted sequencing (LSTS) as a supplement to estimate whether multifocal lung cancers (MLCs) are primary or metastatic. Targeted sequencing of 520 cancer-related oncogenes was performed on 36 distinct tumors from 16 patients with MPs.

Populus euphratica annexin1 facilitates cadmium enrichment in transgenic Arabidopsis.

Phytoremediation offers a great potential for affordable remediation of heavy metal (HM)-polluted soil and water. Screening and identifying candidate genes related to HM uptake and transport is prerequisite for improvement of phytoremediation by genetic engineering. Using the cadmium (Cd)-hypersensitive Populus euphratica, an annexin encoding gene facilitating Cd enrichment was identified in this study.

Typical phthalic acid esters induce apoptosis by regulating the PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2 signaling pathway in rat insulinoma cells.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) are representative phthalic acid esters (PAEs), a class of environmental endocrine disruptors used as plasticizers. PAEs exposure is associated with glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and glucose tolerance; however, the mechanism and various PAE effects on human glucose metabolism remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of DEHP, DBP, and their mixture on rat insulinoma (INS-1) cell apoptosis and the mechanism involved in vitro.

Effect of roasting process on enzymes inactivation and starch properties of highland barley.

Roasting may be beneficial to extend the shelf life by inactivating the lipases and peroxidases in highland barley, but it may lead to the deterioration of starch quality. In this study, the pre-treatment techniques of pearling and tempering were tried to improve the efficiency of inactivation, and different roasting treatment parameters were compared to obtain the optimum treatment conditions, under which thermally degraded starch may be less. Pearling had been proved to be an effective means in reducing enzyme content, and tempering could improve the sensitivity of enzymes to heat.

Effects of the addition of waxy and normal hull-less barley flours on the farinograph and pasting properties of composite flours and on the nutritional value, textural qualities, and in vitro digestibility of resultant breads.

Hull-less barley (HLB), especially waxy HLB, contains many physiologically active ingredients; however, its poor processing performance and end-product quality are unfavorable. In this study, 80% waxy or normal HLB wholegrain flour (WGF) and 20% wheat flour were used for baking bread. The farinograph and pasting properties of composite powders, and the nutritional value, textural properties, and in vitro hydrolysis of resultant breads were evaluated.

Hot-Carrier Injection Antennas with Hemispherical AgO@Ag Architecture for Boosting the Efficiency of Perovskite Solar Cells.

In the past few years, the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have increased from 3.81 to 25.2%, surpassing those of all almost all thin films solar cells.

MicroRNA-99b-3p promotes angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis in mice by targeting GSK-3β.

Cardiac fibrosis is a typical pathological change in various cardiovascular diseases. Although it has been recognized as a crucial risk factor responsible for heart failure, there is still a lack of effective treatment. Recent evidence shows that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the development of cardiac fibrosis and represent novel therapeutic targets.

The Utility of the Fifth Edition of the BI-RADS Ultrasound Lexicon in Category 4 Breast Lesions: A Prospective Multicenter Study in China.

Rationale And Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of the fifth edition of the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) in clinical breast radiology by using prospective multicenter real-time analyses of ultrasound (US) images.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively studied 2049 female patients (age range, 19-86 years; mean age 46.88 years) with BI-RADS category 4 breast masses in 32 tertiary hospitals.

Dissecting MicroRNA-mRNA Regulatory Networks Underlying Sulfur Assimilation and Cadmium Accumulation in Poplar Leaves.

The process of cadmium (Cd) accumulation and detoxification under different sulfur levels remains largely unknown in woody plants. To investigate the physiological and transcriptomic regulation mechanisms of poplars in response to different sulfate (S) supply levels and Cd exposure, we exposed Populus deltoides saplings to one of the low, moderate and high S levels together with either 0 or 50 µM Cd. Cd accumulation was decreased in low S-treated poplar leaves, and it tended to be increased in high S-supplied leaves under the Cd exposure condition.

Correction: Manganese-based layered double hydroxide nanoparticles as highly efficient ozone decomposition catalysts with tunable valence state.

Correction for 'Manganese-based layered double hydroxide nanoparticles as highly efficient ozone decomposition catalysts with tunable valence state' by Siyu Wang et al., Nanoscale, 2020, 12, 12817-12823, DOI: 10.1039/D0NR02796K.

Functional dissection of HGGT and HPT in barley vitamin E biosynthesis via CRISPR/Cas9-enabled genome editing.

Background And Aims: Vitamin E (tocochromanol) is a lipid-soluble antioxidant and an essential nutrient for human health. Among cereal crops, barley (Hordeum vulgare) contains a high level of vitamin E, which includes both tocopherols and tocotrienols. Although the vitamin E biosynthetic pathway has been characterized in dicots, such as Arabidopsis, which only accumulate tocopherols, knowledge regarding vitamin E biosynthesis in monocots is limited because of the lack of functional mutants.

Manganese-based layered double hydroxide nanoparticles as highly efficient ozone decomposition catalysts with tunable valence state.

Manganese oxides are well explored effective ozone decomposition catalysts, but the accumulation of oxygen trapped on their surfaces and high valence state restrict their catalyst efficiency. Herein, we report manganese based layered double hydroxide (LDH) catalysts with different average oxidation states (AOS) of Mn. MgMnAl-LDH catalysts show large specific surface area, abundant oxygen vacancies, stable structure and excellent catalytic ozone decomposition performance.

Stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and other stigmatizing conditions in China using two cultural-sensitive measures of stigma: interpersonal distance and occupational restrictiveness.

Background: Reducing stigma is a perennial target of mental health advocates, but effectively addressing stigma relies on the ability to correctly understand and accurately measure culture-specific and location-specific components of stigma and discrimination.

Methods: We developed two culture-sensitive measures that assess the core components of stigma. The 40-item (IDS) asks respondents about their willingness to establish four different types of relationships with individuals with 10 target conditions, including five mental health-related conditions and five comparison conditions.

Analysis of the Transmissibility Change of 2019-Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia and Its Potential Factors in China from 2019 to 2020.

Background: Recently, a large-scale novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) outbreak swept China. As of Feb. 9, 2020, a total of 40,260 patients have been diagnosed with NCP, and 23,589 patients were suspected to have infected by the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which puts forward a great challenge for public health and clinical treatment in China.

Evaluation of Concordance Between Deficient Mismatch Repair and Microsatellite Instability Testing and Their Association with Clinicopathological Features in Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Microsatellite instability (MSI) is one of the most important molecular characteristics of colorectal cancer (CRC), which mainly results from defective DNA mismatch repair (MMR). This study was performed to investigate the concordance between deficient MMR and MSI testing, and to evaluate the association of these two results with clinicopathological characteristics in Chinese CRC patients.

Methods: A total of 738 CRC patients were included.

Estimating 24-h urinary sodium excretion from casual spot urine specimen among hypertensive patients in Northwest China: the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study.

Objective: To develop an equation that can estimate the 24-h urinary Na excretion by using casual spot urine specimen for older hypertensive participants in rural Ningxia and further to compare with the INTERSALT method, Kawasaki method and Tanaka method.

Design: Older hypertensive participants in rural Ningxia provided their casual spot urine samples and 24-h urine samples between January 2015 and February 2017. Sex-specific equation was developed using linear forward stepwise regression analysis.

Can Combined Screening of Ultrasound and Elastography Improve Breast Cancer Identification Compared with MRI in Women with Dense Breasts-a Multicenter Prospective Study.

: To assess the performance of elastography (ES) and ultrasound (US) in predicting the malignancy of breast lesions and to compare their combined diagnostic value with that of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). : The study prospectively enrolled 242 female patients with dense breasts treated in 35 heath care facilities in China between November 2018 and October 2019. Based on conventional US and elastography, radiologists classified the degree of suspicion of breast lesions according to the US Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) criteria.

Tumor-mediated shape-transformable nanogels with pH/redox/enzymatic-sensitivity for anticancer therapy.

Lack of sufficient tumor penetration of the current nanomedicines is a major reason limiting their clinical success in cancer therapy. In this work, we aimed at the development of a novel biodegradable nanoplatform for the selective and controlled delivery of anticancer agents, with improved tumor permeability and the ability to release ultrasmall nanovesicles in the tumor microenvironment. To this end, positively charged nanogels were obtained through the double-crosslinking of chitosan with an ionic physical gelator and a disulfide-containing chemical crosslinker.

Transcriptomic changes associated with PCK1 overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma cells detected by RNA-seq.

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1), a step limiting enzyme of gluconeogenesis, is downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Overexpression of PCK1 has been shown to suppress hepatoma cell growth, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We used recombinant adenovirus overexpressing PCK1 or GFP in Huh7 cells, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by RNA-Seq.