Molecular Mechanisms of Glucose Fluctuations on Diabetic Complications.

Accumulating evidence indicates the occurrence and development of diabetic complications relates to not only constant high plasma glucose, but also glucose fluctuations which affect various kinds of molecular mechanisms in various target cells and tissues. In this review, we detail reactive oxygen species and their potentially damaging effects upon glucose fluctuations and resultant downstream regulation of protein signaling pathways, including protein kinase C, protein kinase B, nuclear factor-κB, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. A deeper understanding of glucose-fluctuation-related molecular mechanisms in the development of diabetic complications may enable more potential target therapies in future.

Single molybdenum atom anchored on 2D TiNO MXene as a promising electrocatalyst for N fixation.

The electrocatalytic synthesis of ammonia (NH3) at ambient temperature is an attractive and challenging subject in the chemical industry. The synthesis of NH3 under ambient conditions requires efficient and stable electrocatalysts with ultralow overpotential to ensure low energy consumption and high NH3 yield. Herein, electrocatalysts consisting of a single transition metal (TM) atom (TM = Mo, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, or Cu) anchored on 2D M2NO2 MXene (M = Ti, V, and Cr), designated as TM/M2NO2, are designed for N2 reduction reaction (NRR) by density functional theory calculations.

Microwave-assisted efficient synthesis of 3-substituted bis-isoxazole ether bearing 2-chloro-3-pyridyl via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition.

An efficient strategy for synthesizing of 3-substituted bis-isoxazole ether bearing 2-chloro-3-pyridyl under microwave radiation was reported. The reactive regioselectivity was improved by changing mainly the solvent and acid-binding agent. 3-(2-Chloropyridin-3-yl)-5-(((3-substituted phenyl isoxazol-5-yl)methoxy)methyl)isoxazoles were synthesized in 31-92% yields and were characterized by FT-IR, HRMS, H and C NMR spectroscopy.

Maize HSFA2 and HSBP2 antagonistically modulate raffinose biosynthesis and heat tolerance in Arabidopsis.

Raffinose is thought to play an important role in plant tolerance of abiotic stress. We report here that maize HEAT SHOCK FACTOR A2 (ZmHSFA2) and HEAT SHOCK BINDING PROTEIN 2 (ZmHSBP2) physically interact with each other and antagonistically modulate expression of GALACTINOL SYNTHASE2 (ZmGOLS2) and raffinose biosynthesis in transformed maize protoplasts and Arabidopsis plants. Overexpression of ZmHSFA2 in Arabidopsis increased the expression of Arabidopsis AtGOLS1, AtGOLS2 and AtRS5 (RAFFINOSE SYNTHASE), increased the raffinose content in leaves and enhanced plant heat stress tolerance.

Total knee arthroplasty for a valgus deformity angle of >90°: A case report.

Rationale: Valgus knees are relatively rare in the clinic. Treatments for valgus deviations >90° represent a surgical challenge to achieve a balance between the soft tissue and bone and prevent nerve damage.

Patient Concerns: A 63-year-old woman with valgus deviations >90° in both knees complained that she had been unable to walk for 50 years.

Hymenobacter oligotrophus sp. nov., isolated from a contaminated agar plate.

A taxonomic study of a Gram-stain negative, rod-shaped, motile, asporogenous, catalase- and oxidase-positive bacterium, sh-6, forming pink-red colonies, isolated from a contaminated R2A plate in the laboratory was performed. Its optimum growth temperature was determined to be 28 °C in the absence of NaCl on R2A plates. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain sh-6 belongs to the genus Hymenobacter and is closely related to Hymenobacter deserti ZLB-3 (95.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects by Pharmacological Inhibition or Knockdown of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase in BV2 Microglial Cells.

Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) has been recognized as a therapeutic target for several neurological diseases because its inhibition can exert neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects by boosting the endogenous levels of -acylethanolamines. However, previous studies have shown inconsistent results by pharmacological inhibition and genetic deletion of FAAH in response to inflammation. In this study we used two inhibitors, PF3845 and URB597, together with siRNA knockdown to characterize further the effects of FAAH inhibition in BV2 microglial cells.

Soluble Polyimides Bearing ()-Hydrogenated Bisphenol A and ()-Hydrogenated Bisphenol A Moieties: Synthesis, Properties and the Conformational Effect.

In this work, hydrogenated bisphenol A (HBPA) based dinitro mixed isomers (1a' and 1a) were synthesized and separated via vacuum distillation under the monitor of DSC and H NMR. Corresponding diamines (2a' and 2a) were separately polycondensed with five commercial dianhydrides via a two-step thermal imidization to obtain PI-(1'-5') and PI-(1-5). All the polyimides could afford flexible, tough, and transparent films, and most of them were readily soluble not only in common polar solvents like DMAc, but also in low boiling point solvents such as chloroform.

Correction to: Region- and time-dependent gene regulation in the amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex of a PTSD-like mouse model.

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported that one of the authors' names was spelled incorrectly.

Frequency of Food Pantry Use Is Associated with Diet Quality among Indiana Food Pantry Clients.

Background: Food-insecure households access food pantries to receive supplemental food, yet limited examination of the relationships of food pantry use or household food insecurity with diet quality and health has been documented among food pantry users.

Objective: This study investigated the associations among food pantry use, household food security, body mass index, self-reported chronic disease and related conditions, and diet quality among food pantry users.

Design: Food pantry users in central Indiana were recruited for this cross-sectional study and surveyed for sociodemographic characteristics, food pantry use frequency, household food security, diet quality, and chronic disease and related conditions.

Enhanced Radiosensitization by Gold Nanoparticles with Acid-Triggered Aggregation in Cancer Radiotherapy.

An ideal radiosensitizer holding an enhanced tumor retention can play an incredible role in enhancing tumor radiotherapy. Herein, a strategy of acid-triggered aggregation of small-sized gold nanoparticles (GNPs) system within tumor is proposed and the resulting GNPs aggregates are applied as a radiosensitizer in vitro and in vivo. The GNPs system with the acid-triggered aggregation achieves an enhanced GNPs accumulation and retention in cancer cells and tumors in the form of the resulted GNPs aggregates.

High-Yield Di-Rhamnolipid Production by YM4 and its Potential Application in MEOR.

Rhamnolipids are a mixture of the homologs species due to variations in the rhamnose units and β-hydroxy fatty acid moieties, mainly including Rha-C-C, Rha-Rha-C-C, and Rha-C. In this study, strain YM4 was selected for its capacity to efficiently produce di-rhamnolipid (Rha-Rha-C-C) as the predominant component with soybean oil and glycerol as carbon source, accounting for 64.8% and 85.

Region- and time-dependent gene regulation in the amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex of a PTSD-like mouse model.

Posttraumatic stress disorder is developed by exposure to a threatening and/or a horrifying event and characterized by the presence of anxiety, hyperarousal, avoidance, and sleep abnormality for a prolonged period of time. To elucidate the potential molecular mechanisms, we constructed a mouse model by electric foot shock followed by situational reminders and performed transcriptome analysis in brain tissues. The stressed mice acquired anxiety-like behavior after 2 weeks and exaggerated startle response after 4 weeks.

Maize VIVIPAROUS1 Interacts with ABA INSENSITIVE5 to Regulate GALACTINOL SYNTHASE2 Expression Controlling Seed Raffinose Accumulation.

Raffinose, an oligosaccharide found in many seeds, plays an important role in seed vigor; however, the regulatory mechanism governing raffinose biosynthesis remains unclear. We report here that maize W22 wild type (WT) seeds, but not W22 viviparous1 ( zmvp1) mutant seeds, start accumulating galactinol and raffinose 28 days after pollination (DAP). Transcriptome analysis of the zmvp1 embryo showed that the expression of GALACTINOL SYNTHASE2 ( GOLS2) was down-regulated relative to WT.

Characterization of metallic-packaging fiber Bragg grating sensors with coated and bare fibers.

Metallic packaging of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors is developed using the ultrasonic welding method. Both polyimide-coated fiber and bare fiber could be bonded well to aluminum alloy substrate using Sn-Bi alloy. Two kinds of metal-packaged FBG sensors, coated FBG and bare FBG, are characterized for studying the thermal sensitivity, strain response, short-term creep, and temporal temperature response.

Interaction between CYP1A1/CYP17A1 polymorphisms and parental risk factors in the risk of hypospadias in a Chinese population.

Hypospadias (HS) is a common congenital malformation of the genitourinary tract in males and its etiology is viewed as multifactorial, and studies about gene-environment interaction in the etiology of HS are rare. A total of 152 cases and 151 controls were selected in the present study. Information before and during pregnancy from questionnaires finished by mothers of subjects were extracted, and the relating data were analyzed to determine the risk factors of HS.

Acid-Triggered Aggregation of Gold Nanoparticles for Multimodal Tumor Imaging and Photothermal Therapy.

Photothermal agents with high photothermal transfer efficiencies in the near-infrared (NIR) region are important for enhanced photothermal therapy (PTT) of tumors. Herein, we developed a strategy for the acid-triggered aggregation of a system based on peptide-conjugated gold nanoparticles (GNPs). In an acidic environment, the GNPs formed large aggregates in solution, in cell lysates, and in tumor tissues, as observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

DNA cleavage, DNA/HSA binding study, and antiproliferative activity of a phenolate-bridged binuclear copper(II) complex.

A novel phenolate-bridged binuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu (L-3H)Cl] (1, where L = 2,6-bis[((2-hydroxybenzyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)amino)methyl]-4-methylphenol), have been synthesized and characterized. The antiproliferative activity of the complex has been tested in vitro against the human cervical cancer cell line HeLa, human non-small-cell lung cancer cell line A-549, the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7, and the human hepatic cell line LO2. The results show the complex has the low micromolar range (9.

Small-Scale Soil Microbial Community Heterogeneity Linked to Landform Historical Events on King George Island, Maritime Antarctica.

Although research on microbial biogeography has made great progress in the past decade, distributions of terrestrial microbial communities in extreme environments such as Antarctica are not well understood. In addition, knowledge of whether and how historical contingencies affect microbial distributions at small spatial scales is lacking. Here, we analyzed soil-borne microbial (bacterial, archaeal, and fungal) communities in 12 quadrat plots around the Fildes Region of King George Island, maritime Antarctica, and the communities were divided into two groups according to the soil elemental compositions and environmental attributes of Holocene raised beach and Tertiary volcanic stratigraphy.

Therapeutic Effect of the Substrate-Selective COX-2 Inhibitor IMMA in the Animal Model of Chronic Constriction Injury.

Enhancement of endocannabinoid signaling has emerged as an attractive strategy for the treatment of pain. In addition to the well-characterized hydrolytic pathways, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mediated oxygenation is thought to be an alternative route for endocannabinoid metabolism and therefore provides a new avenue for drug intervention. In this study, we examined the therapeutic effect of indomethacin morpholinamide (IMMA), a novel substrate-selective COX-2 inhibitor, in the chronic constriction injury (CCI) mouse model.

Intermediate trophoblastic tumor: the clinical analysis of 62 cases and prognostic factors.

Purpose: The aim is to analyze the clinical characteristics of intermediate trophoblastic tumor (ITT).

Methods: 12 cases diagnosed at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from January 2005 to December 2016 were investigated. Additionally, 50 cases were selected from MEDLINE and CBM databases between January 2010 and December 2016.

Supramolecular Hydrogel Based on Chlorambucil and Peptide Drug for Cancer Combination Therapy.

Supramolecular hydrogels of self-assembling peptide-drug conjugates have been considered as effective self-delivery drug systems for cancer therapy in recent years. Here, a novel self-assembling peptide-based supramolecular hydrogel was developed by simultaneously conjugating small-molecule drug chlorambucil (CRB) and peptide drug tyroservatide (YSV) to the self-assembling peptide. The resulting hydrogel with a nanofiber structure showed enhanced stability against proteinase K degradation and an improved cellular uptake performance in comparison with the free molecules.

Hyponatremia: Prevalence and characteristics in internal medicine patients in southeast of China.

To determine the incidence, clinical features, etiology, risk factors, and mortality in internal medicine patients with hyponatremia (P-Na).A prospective survey was conducted in patients with P-Na, diagnosed at admission in an Internal Medicine Department. 692 patients were then selected and subsequently divided into 3 groups based on the severity of P-Na.

Therapeutic Effect of a Novel Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Inhibitor PF04457845 in the Repetitive Closed Head Injury Mouse Model.

Concussive traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the predominant type of brain injury in young adults and is a risk factor for the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other neurodegenerative diseases late in life. Using a repetitive closed head injury mouse model, we found that treatment with PF04457845, a novel fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor that selectively elevated the brain levels of anandamide, improved locomotor function, learning, and memory in TBI mice examined by beam walk, Y-maze, and Morris water maze tests. The accumulation of microglia and astrocytes and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), in the ipsilateral TBI mouse cortex and hippocampus were significantly reduced by drug treatment.

Design, Microwave-Assisted Synthesis and in Vitro Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity of 2,5-Disubstituted Benzimidazole.

Seventeen novel 2,5-disubstituted benzimidazole derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their antibacterial activities. The tested compounds B1-B4 and C2-C6 exhibited not only good antifungal activity but also favorable broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Also, the lowest MIC of antibacterial and antifungal activity was 2 μg/mL and 4 μg/mL, respectively.