Highly efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalysts based on winged carbon nanotubes.

Developing electrocatalysts with both high selectivity and efficiency for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is critical for several applications including fuel cells and metal-air batteries. In this work we developed high performance electrocatalysts based on unique winged carbon nanotubes. We found that the outer-walls of a special type of carbon nanotubes/nanofibers, when selectively oxidized, unzipped and exfoliated, form graphene wings strongly attached to the inner tubes.

Induction of protective immunity against Chlamydia muridarum intracervical infection in DBA/1j mice.

We previously reported that intracervical inoculation with Chlamydia muridarum induced hydrosalpinx in DBA/1j mice, but intravaginal inoculation failed to do so. In the current study, we found unexpectedly that intrabursal inoculation of live chlamydial organisms via the oviduct failed to induce significant hydrosalpinx. We further tested whether primary infection via intravaginal or intrabursal inoculation could induce protective immunity against hydrosalpinx following intracervical challenge infection.

Total synthesis of thaxtomin A and its stereoisomers and findings of their biological activities.

The first and facile total synthesis of thaxtomin A and its three stereoisomers has been achieved. The synthetic approach involves intramolecular nucleophilic cyclization of an amide toward a ketoamide group to produce a C-hydroxydiketopiperazine scaffold. The most amazing discovery was that each of the four stereoisomers of TA exhibits different phytotoxic, fungicidal, and antiviral activities.

Ginsenoside Rb1 attenuates oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells via protection of mitochondria and inhibition of AIF and cytochrome c release.

To investigate the role of mitochondria in the protective effects of ginsenoside Rb1 on cellular apoptosis caused by oxygen-glucose deprivation, in this study, MTT assay, TUNEL staining, flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry and western blotting were used to examine the cellular viability, apoptosis, ROS level, mitochondrial membrane potential, and the distribution of apoptosis inducing factor, cytochrome c, Bax and Bcl-2 in nucleus, mitochondria and cytoplasm. We found that pretreatment with GRb1 improved the cellular viability damaged by OGD. Moreover, GRb1 inhibited apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells induced by OGD.

The molecular and electrophysiological mechanism of buyanghuanwu decoction in learning and memory ability of vascular dementia rats.

Buyanghuanwu Decoction (BYHWD), as a traditional Chinese medicine, has been developed to treat vascular dementia for hundreds of years, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In this research, the protective effects of BYHWD on hippocampal neuron were examined in the rats of ischemia-reperfusion. Ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced by the four-vessel occlusion method and continued for 30 days.

Diatom silica microparticles for sustained release and permeation enhancement following oral delivery of prednisone and mesalamine.

Diatoms are porous silica-based materials obtained from single cell photosynthetic algae. Despite low cost, easy purification process, environmentally safe properties, and rapidly increasing potentials for medical applications, the cytotoxicity of diatoms and the effect on drug permeation of oral formulations have not been studied so far. Herein, we have evaluated the potential of diatom silica microparticles (DSMs) for the delivery of mesalamine and prednisone, which are two commonly prescribed drugs for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases.

Tuning the redox activity of encapsulated metal clusters via the metallic and semiconducting character of carbon nanotubes.

We demonstrate that reactions confined within single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) channels are modulated by the metallic and semiconducting character of the hosts. In situ Raman and X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopies provide complementary information about the electronic state of carbon nanotubes and the encapsulated rhenium species, which reveal electronic interactions between encapsulated species and nanotubes. More electrons are transferred from metallic tubes (m-SWCNTs) to oxidic rhenium clusters, leading to a lower valence state rhenium oxide than that in semiconducting tubes (s-SWCNTs).

Sexual risk behaviours and their correlates among gay and non-gay identified men who have sex with men and women in Chengdu and Guangzhou, China.

To better understand the behavioural characteristics and the factors associated with high risky behaviours among men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) with different orientation, we analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey of 600 MSMW in two large cities in China. Participants completed a questionnaire and underwent serological testing. Overall, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence was 26%.

Oviduct infection and hydrosalpinx in DBA1/j mice is induced by intracervical but not intravaginal inoculation with Chlamydia muridarum.

Intravaginal infection with C. muridarum in mice often results in hydrosalpinx similar to that found in women urogenitally infected with C. trachomatis, making the C.

NtERF32: a non-NIC2 locus AP2/ERF transcription factor required in jasmonate-inducible nicotine biosynthesis in tobacco.

Nicotine biosynthesis in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is highly regulated by jasmonic acid (JA). Two nuclear loci, A and B (renamed NIC1 and NIC2) have been identified that mediate JA-inducible nicotine formation and total alkaloid accumulation.

HIV-related risk among female migrants working in entertainment venues in China.

China has experienced a surge in internal migration during the past decade, and migrant populations have been identified as a high-risk group for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Young female migrants often find employment in entertainment venues (bars, karaoke parlors, and massage parlors) located in metropolitan cities, and sex work transactions frequently occur in these venues. We examined factors associated with risk for HIV, other STIs, and reproductive health challenges in a cross-sectional study of 358 young female migrants, ages 18-29, working in entertainment venues in a rapidly growing urban city in China.

The mechanisms of surface chemistry effects of mesoporous silicon nanoparticles on immunotoxicity and biocompatibility.

Despite steadily increasing insights on the biocompatibility of PSi nanoparticles (NPs), an extensive biosafety study on the immune and red blood cells (RBCs) is still lacking. Herein, we evaluated the impact of the PSi NPs' surface chemistry on immune cells and human RBCs both in vitro and in vivo. Negatively charged hydrophilic and hydrophobic PSi NPs caused less ATP depletion and genotoxicity than the positively charged amine modified hydrophilic PSi NPs, demonstrating the main role of PSi NPs' surface charge on the immunocompatibility profile.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for the prevention of variceal rebleeding in cirrhotic patients with portal vein thrombosis: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) increases the risk of variceal rebleeding in liver cirrhosis. However, the strategy for preventing variceal rebleeding in cirrhotic patients with PVT has not been explored. This study aims to evaluate whether the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) or conventional therapy is preferable for the prevention of variceal rebleeding in liver cirrhosis patients with PVT.

IL-17 plays a central role in initiating experimental Candida albicans infection in mouse corneas.

The pathogenesis of fungal infection in the cornea remains largely unclear. To understand how the immune system influences the progression of fungal infection in corneas, we inoculated immunocompetent BALB/c mice, neutrophil- or CD4⁺ T-cell-depleted BALB/c mice, and nude mice with Candida albicans. We found that only immunocompetent BALB/c mice developed typical Candida keratitis (CaK), while the other mouse strains lacked obvious clinical manifestations.

Determination of Serotonin and Dopamine Metabolites in Human Brain Microdialysis and Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples by UPLC-MS/MS: Discovery of Intact Glucuronide and Sulfate Conjugates.

An UPLC-MS/MS method was developed for the determination of serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), their phase I metabolites 5-HIAA, DOPAC and HVA, and their sulfate and glucuronide conjugates in human brain microdialysis samples obtained from two patients with acute brain injuries, ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples obtained from four patients with obstructive hydrocephalus, and a lumbar CSF sample pooled mainly from patients undergoing spinal anesthesia in preparation for orthopedic surgery. The method was validated by determining the limits of detection and quantification, linearity, repeatability and specificity. The direct method enabled the analysis of the intact phase II metabolites of 5-HT and DA, without hydrolysis of the conjugates.

Full Genome Sequence of an Avian Influenza H5N1 Virus Isolated from the Environment in Hunan Province, China.

We isolated an avian influenza virus A/environment/Hunan/3/2011(H5N1) from a body of water in Hunan, China. The nucleotide sequence of the virus shares 95% homology with H5N1 from the east Asia region. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that its HA gene belongs to clade 2.

[Reevaluation of the scale of psychological resilience for middle and primary school students].

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of applying the self-rating scale of psychological resilience for middle school students among students of grade four to six in primary school and grade one to three in middle school in Changfeng county, Anhui province. To provide evidence for future study on mental health of middle and primary school students and left-behind children in Changfeng county.

Methods: The cluster sampling method were used to select three middle schools and five primary schools from Changfeng County in Hefei City.

Association study of three microsatellite polymorphisms located in introns 1, 8, and 9 of DISC1 with schizophrenia in the Chinese Han population.

Aims: This study explores more polymorphisms in Disrupted-in-schizophrenia-1 (DISC1) for schizophrenia, which confer risk of developing the disorder.

Results: We report three short tandem repeat (STR) loci ((ATCC)n1, D1S1621, and (ATCC)n2) in DISC1 that showed a significant association with schizophrenia in a set of Chinese Han individuals, including 310 schizophrenics and 400 controls. The STRs in DISC1 associated with schizophrenia occur in intronic sequences in the vicinity of a critical splice junction that gives rise to the expression of DISC1 isoforms.

Role of mitochondrial function in the protective effects of ischaemic postconditioning on ischaemia/reperfusion cerebral damage.

Objective: To investigate the effects of ischaemic postconditioning on brain injury and mitochondria in focal ischaemia and reperfusion, in rats.

Methods: Adult male Wistar rats (n = 15 per group) underwent sham surgery, ischaemia (2-h middle cerebral artery occlusion), or ischaemia followed by ischaemic postconditioning (three cycles of 30 s reperfusion/30 s reocclusion). Brain infarction size, neurological function, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial swelling were evaluated 24 h postsurgery.

Shugoshin1 enhances multidrug resistance of gastric cancer cells by regulating MRP1, Bcl-2, and Bax genes.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major clinical obstacle in treatment of gastric cancer (GC) and it accounts for the majority of cancer-related mortalities. Shugoshin1 (SGO1) is an important player in appropriate chromosome segregation and is involved in tumorigenesis. In this study, we found endogenous SGO1 overexpression in the multidrug-resistant GC cell lines SGC7901/VCR and SGC7901/ADR compared with their parental cell line SGC7901.

Transcription factor changes following long term cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

The present study established a rat model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury using four-vessel occlusion and found that hippocampal CA1 neuronal morphology was damaged, and that there were reductions in hippocampal neuron number and DNA-binding activity of cAMP response element binding protein and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein, accompanied by decreased learning and memory ability. These findings indicate that decline of hippocampal cAMP response element binding protein and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein DNA-binding activities may contribute to neuronal injury and learning and memory ability reduction induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

The association between the poly(A) polymorphism in the VDR gene and cancer risk: a meta-analysis.

The poly(A) polymorphism (L/S) in the VDR gene has been implicated in susceptibility of cancer, but a number of studies have reported inconclusive results. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the poly(A) polymorphism in the VDR gene and cancer risk by meta-analysis. We searched PubMed database, EMBASE database, CNKI database, and Wanfang database, covering all studies until January 22, 2013.

Ovariectomy-mediated impairment of spatial working memory, but not reference memory, is attenuated by the knockout of the dopamine D(3) receptor in female mice.

Memory modulation is implemented through many different factors, such as the dopaminergic system and ovarian hormones. Alterations of these factors may cause memory behavior changes. In the current study, dopamine D3 receptor mutant (D3(-/-)) female mice and their wild-type (WT) controls were used and randomly assigned to ovariectomized (OVX) and sham-operated (Sham) groups (four groups: WT-OVX, WT-Sham, D3(-/-)-OVX, and D3(-/-)-Sham).

KLF8 involves in TGF-beta-induced EMT and promotes invasion and migration in gastric cancer cells.

Purpose: Krüppel-like factor 8 (KLF8), a downstream transcription factor of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), has a role in tumorigenesis, tumor progress and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induction. Recent studies mainly focused on its role in breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma; however, little is studied in gastric cancer. Here, we aim to explore whether KLF8 is involved in TGF-β1-induced EMT in gastric cancer cells.