Effects of Moringa oleifera silage on milk yield, nutrient digestibility and serum biochemical indexes of lactating dairy cows

This study investigated the effects of Moringa oleifera (MO) as a partial substitute of alfalfa hay on milk yield, nutrient apparent digestibility and serum biochemical indexes of dairy cows. MO was harvested at 120 days post-seeding. Fresh MO was cut, mixed with chopped oat hay (425:575 on a DM basis), ensiled and stored for 60 days. Sixty healthy Holstein dairy cows were allocated to one of three groups: NM (no MO or control), LM (low MO; 25% alfalfa hay and 50% maize silage were replaced by MO silage) or HM (high MO; 50% alfalfa hay and 100% maize silage were replaced by MO silage). The feeding trial lasted 35 days. The LM and HM diets did not affect dry matter (DM) intake, milk yield or milk composition (lactose, milk fat, milk protein and somatic cell count). The apparent digestibility of DM and NDF was lower for HM group than NM group. Additionally, there were no significant differences in serum biochemical indexes between the LM and NM groups. The HM group had lower serum concentrations of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and higher serum concentrations of urea than the NM group. The partial replacement of alfalfa hay (≤50%) and maize silage with MO silage had no negative effects on milk yield, in vivo nutrient apparent digestibility or serum biochemical indexes of lactating cows.

Increased expression of nerve growth factor correlates with visceral hypersensitivity and impaired gut barrier function in diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome: a preliminary explorative study

BACKGROUND

Neural-immune-endocrine network mechanism has attracted increased attention in diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). Pre-clinical evidence indicates that nerve growth factor (NGF) mediates visceral hypersensitivity and gut barrier dysfunction, via interactions with mast cells and sensory nerve fibres.

AIM

To explore the role of nerve growth factor, as well as mast cell-nerve growth factor-nerve interaction in IBS-D pathophysiology.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, IBS-D patients and healthy controls first underwent clinical and psychological assessments. Visceral sensitivity to rectal distension was tested. As gut barrier function markers, serum diamine oxidase and d-lactate were detected. Rectosigmoid biopsies were taken for the analyses of nerve growth factor expression, mast cell count and activation, and sensory nerve fibres expressing transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 and calcitonin gene-related peptide. Correlations between these parameters were examined in patients.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight IBS-D patients (28 males, 10 females; average age 30.2 years) and 20 healthy controls (12 males, 8 females; average age 26.8 years) participated in the study. The patients presented increased psychological symptoms, visceral hypersensitivity and impaired gut barrier function. NGF gene expression, mast cell count and sensory nerve fibres were significantly increased in the patients (P < 0.05). In correlation analysis, NGF expression was positively correlated with the disease severity, anxiety and serum diamine oxidase; visceral sensitivity thresholds were negatively associated with NGF expression (Bonferroni corrected P < 0.0029).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated mucosal NGF may interact with mast cells and sensory nerve fibres, contributing to visceral hypersensitivity and impaired gut barrier function in IBS-D.

Tropospheric volatile organic compounds in China

Photochemical smog, characterized by high concentrations of ozone (O₃) and fine particles (PM_2.5) in the atmosphere, has become one of the top environmental concerns in China. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), one of the key precursors of O₃ and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) (an important component of PM_2.5), have a critical influence on atmospheric chemistry and subsequently affect regional and global climate. Thus, VOCs have been extensively studied in many cities and regions in China, especially in the North China Plain, the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta regions where photochemical smog pollution has become increasingly worse over recent decades. This paper reviews the main studies conducted in China on the characteristics and sources of VOCs, their relationship with O₃ and SOA, and their removal technology. This paper also provides an integrated literature review on the formulation and implementation of effective control strategies of VOCs and photochemical smog, as well as suggestions for future directions of VOCs study in China.

The antitumor efficacy of anti-p21Ras scFv mediated by the dual-promoter-regulated recombinant adenovirus KGHV300

Ras mutations and overexpression of the Ras protein, p21Ras, are main causes of cancer development and progression, which has made the Ras gene and p21Ras important targets for therapy of Ras-driven cancers. We previously prepared recombinant adenovirus KGHV100 based on replication-defective adenovirus type 5, which could intracellularly express anti-p21Ras single chain fragment viable antibodies (scFv) and repress tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. However, the anti-tumor effects of this anti-p21Ras scFv were limited by short-term scFv expression due to a replication defect of KGHV100. To enhance the anti-tumor efficacy and safety of anti-p21Ras scFv, the present study constructed a dual-promoter-regulated recombinant adenovirus KGHV300 that carried anti-p21Ras scFv. In KGHV300, the expression levels of the essential replication genes E1a and E1b, were controlled by the human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter and the hypoxia response element, respectively, and the anti-p21Ras scFv gene was controlled by the cytomegalovirus promoter. The conditional replication of KGHV300 and its antitumor efficacy were characterized in several tumor cell lines in vitro and in xenograft models of human breast cancer in nude mice. TCID50 assay demonstrated that KGHV300 could replicate in tumor cell lines but not in normal cell lines. 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay indicated that the growth of tumor cells was effectively inhibited by KGHV300 infection. In MDA-MB-231 tumor xenograft models, KGHV300 effectively and significantly inhibited tumor growth and induced apoptosis of tumor cells. We concluded that the recombinant adenovirus KGHV300 may be a more potent and safer antitumor therapeutic for Ras-driven cancer biotherapy.

Pulmonary endothelial activation caused by extracellular histones contributes to neutrophil activation in acute respiratory distress syndrome

BACKGROUND

During the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), neutrophils play a central role in the pathogenesis, and their activation requires interaction with the endothelium. Extracellular histones have been recognized as pivotal inflammatory mediators. This study was to investigate the role of pulmonary endothelial activation during the extracellular histone-induced inflammatory response in ARDS.

METHODS

ARDS was induced in male C57BL/6 mice by intravenous injection with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or exogenous histones. Concurrent with LPS administration, anti-histone H4 antibody (anti-H4) or non-specific IgG was administered to study the role of extracellular histones. The circulating von Willebrand factor (vWF) and soluble thrombomodulin (sTM) were measured with ELISA kits at the preset time points. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in lung tissue was measured with a MPO detection kit. The translocation of P-selectin and neutrophil infiltration were measured by immunohistochemical detection. For in vitro studies, histone H4 in the supernatant of mouse lung vascular endothelial cells (MLVECs) was measured by Western blot. The binding of extracellular histones with endothelial membrane was examined by confocal laser microscopy. Endothelial P-selectin translocation was measured by cell surface ELISA. Adhesion of neutrophils to MLVECs was assessed with a color video digital camera.

RESULTS

The results showed that during LPS-induced ARDS extracellular histones caused endothelial and neutrophil activation, as seen by P-selectin translocation, release of vWF, an increase of circulating sTM, lung neutrophil infiltration and increased MPO activity. Extracellular histones directly bound and activated MLVECs in a dose-dependent manner. On the contrary, the direct stimulatory effect of exogenous histones on neutrophils was very limited, as measured by neutrophil adhesion and MPO activity. With the contribution of activated endothelium, extracellular histones could effectively activating neutrophils. Both inhibiting the endothelial activation with an anti-toll like receptor (TLR) antibody and inhibiting the interaction of the endothelium with neutrophil using an anti-P-selectin antibody decreased the degree of neutrophil activation.

CONCLUSIONS

Extracellular histones are pro-inflammatory mediators in LPS-induced ARDS in mice. In addition to direct action to neutrophils, extracellular histones promote neutrophil adhesion and subsequent activation by first activating the pulmonary endothelium via TLR signaling. Thus, endothelial activation is important for extracellular histone-induced inflammatory injury.

Preparation and Properties of PMR-II Polyimide/Chopped Quartz Fibre Composites

High-temperature polyimide composites with low and stable dielectric properties were produced by thermally curing prepolyimide moulding compounds which were prepared by the wet impregnation of chopped short quartz fibres with a PMR-II polyimide matrix resin solution, followed by the evaporation of the solvent with vigorous stirring. The mechanical properties, thermo-oxidative stability as well as the dielectric and electric properties of the composites were studied. The experimental results showed that the composites exhibit outstanding mechanical properties and excellent thermal and thermo-oxidative stability at temperatures as high as 371 °C. It was revealed that both the dielectric constant (∼3.0) and loss tangent (∼10−3) of the composites were not obviously changed with a frequency in the broadband wavelength (1 kHz–20 GHz).

[Clinic characters analysis of 52 cases with sinus fungus ball disease]

Objective:To explore the clinic characters and the associated factors for the onset of the sinus fungus ball disease. Method:Analyze 52 cases who have received surgery with sinus fungus ball disease retrospectively. The effect factors of age, sex, occupation, the side of the lesion, involving sinus group number, accompany with merger polyps or not, presence of nasal septum deviation, vesicular middle turbinate, paradoxical middle turbinate, infraorbital cells，routine blood leukocyte classification, serum specific IgE, pathogenic fungi species have all been taken into consideration for statistical analysis. Result:In 52 cases of sinus fungus ball disease, 36 cases only suffered in maxillary sinus, 1 case only suffered in ethmoid sinus, 4 cases only suffered in sphenoid sinus, 7 cases suffered from two sinus lesions with the combination of maxillary sinus and ethmoid sinus in all, 4 cases fuffered from three sinus lesions with the combination of maxillary sinus, ethmoid sinus and sphenoid sinus in 2 cases, maxillary sinus, ethmoid sinus and frontal sinus in 2 cases. 26 cases have the lesion on left side,17 cases on the right side, 8 cases on both sides. Aspergillus is the main pathogenic fungus for sinus fungus ball. Maxillary sinus is the most susceptible single sinus for sinus fungus ball. Nasal polyps is commonly seen in multiple sinuses fungus ball(P<0.01). Single sphenoid sinus fungus ball is more commonly seen in the patients with diabetes mellitus(P<0.01). Lesion side of sinus fungus ball has nothing to do with the nasal anatomy abnormalities of nasal septum deviation, vesicular middle turbinate, paradoxical middle turbinate, infraorbital cells. Conclusion:The present study indicates that maxillary sinus fungus ball is the most common type for sinus fungus ball. Aspergillus is the main pathogenic fungus for sinus fungus ball. Nasal polyps is more involved in multiple sinuses fungus ball,Single sphenoid sinus fungus ball is more commonly seen in the patients with diabetes mellitus. Lesion side of sinus fungus ball has none relationship with common nasal anatomy abnormalities.

[Relationship between crown form of upper central incisors and papilla filling in Chinese Han-nationality youth]

OBJECTIVE

To explore a crown form classification method for upper central incisor which is more objective and scientific than traditional classification method based on the standardized photography technique. To analyze the relationship between crown form of upper central incisors and papilla filling in periodontally healthy Chinese Han-nationality youth.

METHODS

In the study, 180 periodontally healthy Chinese youth ( 75 males, and 105 females ) aged 20-30 (24.3±4.5) years were included. With the standardized upper central incisor photography technique, pictures of 360 upper central incisors were obtained. Each tooth was classified as triangular, ovoid or square by 13 experienced specialist majors in prothodontics independently and the final classification result was decided by most evaluators in order to ensure objectivity. The standardized digital photo was also used to evaluate the gingival papilla filling situation. The papilla filling result was recorded as present or absent according to naked eye observation. The papilla filling rates of different crown forms were analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 19.0.

RESULTS

The proportions of triangle, ovoid and square forms of upper central incisor in Chinese Han-nationality youth were 31.4% (113/360), 37.2% (134/360) and 31.4% (113/360 ), respectively, and no statistical difference was found between the males and females. Average κ value between each two evaluators was 0.381. Average κ value was raised up to 0.563 when compared with the final classification result. In the study, 24 upper central incisors without contact were excluded, and the papilla filling rates of triangle, ovoid and square crown were 56.4% (62/110), 69.6% (87/125), 76.2% (77/101) separately. The papilla filling rate of square form was higher (P=0.007).

CONCLUSION

The proportion of clinical crown form of upper central incisor in Chinese Han-nationality youth is obtained. Compared with triangle form, square form is found to favor a gingival papilla that fills the interproximal embrasure space. The consistency of the present classification method for upper central incisor is not satisfying, which indicates that a new classification method, more scientific and objective than the present one, is to be found.

Effect of rosuvastatin on high glucose-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

It is well established that endothelial injury plays an essential role in atherosclerotic plaque formation. Accumulating evidence has shown that high glucose levels may detrimentally affect cultured endothelial cells through endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In this study, we investigated the effect of rosuvastatin on high glucose-induced ER stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). HUVECs treated with 30 mM glucose were used to simulate high-glucose conditions, and rosuvastatin concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 10 nM were used. Cell viability was analyzed by thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide assay, and apoptosis rate was measured using flow cytometry. Expression of GRP78, IRE1α, XBP1s, and CHOP was quantified using western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Compared to cells treated with high glucose alone, cell viability increased and apoptosis rate decreased significantly in the rosuvastatin + high-glucose groups. Furthermore, GRP78, IRE1α, XBP1s, and CHOP expression was downregulated as a result of rosuvastatin administration. These results suggest that rosuvastatin may protect HUVECs from injury induced by high glucose levels, through alleviation of ER stress.

[The efficacy analysis of interferon combined with imatinib in chronic myelogenous leukemia patients with ABL kinase domain mutations]

To retrospectively analyze the efficacy of interferon plus imatinib (IM) in patients with chronic-phase chronic myelogenous leukemia(CML-CP)and ABL kinase domain mutations. The mutation rates of ABL kinase region in patients with Sokal score low, medium and high risk CML-CP were statistically significant (6.25%, 9.42% and 47.06%, P<0.05). The response rates of interferon plus IM versus second-generation TKI in CML-CP with non-T315I ABL kinase domain mutations were comparable (61.11% vs 65.52%, P>0.05). When CML-CP patients with ABL kinase domain mutations were resistant to TKI or not accessible to second-generation TKI, interferon plus IM can be an alternative choice.

Significant visible-light photocatalytic enhancement in Rhodamine B degradation of silver orthophosphate via the hybridization of N-doped graphene and poly(3-hexylthiophene)

Organic pollutants as typical water contaminants are potentially harmful to human health. In this study, we suggested that the novel Ag3PO4/N-doped graphene (NG)/Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) composites can remove the organic dye Rhodamine B (RhB) from water. This Ag3PO4-based photocatalyst was synthesized via a facile method and subsequently characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, Raman spectroscopy, PL spectroscopy, and UV-vis DRS. The photocatalytic activity of Ag3PO4/NG/P3HT composites is significantly higher than that of pristine Ag3PO4, Ag3PO4/NG, and Ag3PO4/P3HT for RhB degradation under visible light irradiation, especially the kinetic constant of Ag3PO4/NG/P3HT is more than 6 times of pristine Ag3PO4. The reactive oxygen species trapping experiments indicate that the degradation of RhB over the Ag3PO4/NG/P3HT composites mainly results from the holes oxidation and superoxide radical reduction. Besides, Ag3PO4/NG/P3HT composites exhibit better recyclability and stability than pristine Ag3PO4. Furthermore, the photocatalytic mechanism of Ag3PO4/NG/P3HT composites for RhB degradation under visible light was proposed as the synergistic effect of irradiated Ag3PO4, P3HT and NG sheets on the effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, and the enhancement of visible light absorbance.

[Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma with huge lymph node metastasis and squamous cell cancerization:a case report]

We report a 75 years old woman with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma,and squamous cell cancer was found in her lymph node metastases.The patient was characterized by a cervical mass,which was diagnosed as papillary thyroid microcarcinoma by fine needle aspiration.Total thyroidectomy+right radical neck dissection+Ⅵ bilateral neck lymph node dissection were performed for the patient.

Prognostic Significance of Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate and Cystatin C in Patients with Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND

The effects of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and cystatin C on clinical outcomes on intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remain unclear. We investigated the associations of eGFR and cystatin C with 3-month functional outcome and all-cause mortality in acute ICH patients.

METHODS

A total of 365 patients with acute ICH were enrolled. Serum creatinine and cystatin C levels were measured within 24 h of admission. Outcomes at 3-month were evaluated by interviews with patients or their family members. Poor functional outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score ≥3.

RESULTS

During the 3-month follow-up, 154 patients experienced poor functional outcome, and 48 patients died from all causes. Low eGFR level was associated with poor outcome (adjusted OR 8.95; 95% CI 2.13-37.66; p-trend = 0.045) and all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio (HR) 5.10; 95% CI 2.00-13.03; p-trend = 0.001). Additionally, a high cystatin C level was also found to be associated with all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 4.01; 95% CI 1.09-14.72; p-trend = 0.015). However, no significant association between cystatin C and poor functional outcome was observed (p-trend = 0.615).

CONCLUSIONS

Low eGFR at baseline predicts poor functional outcome and all-cause mortality at 3-month in acute ICH patients. Also, high cystatin C was associated with increased risk of mortality but not with poor functional outcome.

One-step synthesis and luminescence properties of tetragonal double tungstates nanocrystals

A versatile one-step thermolysis protocol is demonstrated to produce a uniform dispersion of tetragonal double tungstates NaRE(WO4)2 (RE = rare earth) nanocrystals (NCs). Oriented attachment in the [001] direction occurred. Doping with luminescent RE(3+) ions resulted in highly luminescent NCs showing characteristic line emission of the dopant as well as a blue emission assigned to surface adsorbed organic species.

Serum Liver Fibrosis Markers in the Prognosis of Liver Cirrhosis: A Prospective Observational Study

BACKGROUND The prognostic role of serum liver fibrosis markers in cirrhotic patients remains unclear. We performed a prospective observational study to evaluate the effect of amino-terminal pro-peptide of type III pro-collagen (PIIINP), collagen IV (CIV), laminin (LN), and hyaluronic acid (HA) on the prognosis of liver cirrhosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS All patients who were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and admitted to our department were prospectively enrolled. PIIINP, CIV, LN, and HA levels were tested. RESULTS Overall, 108 cirrhotic patients were included. Correlation analysis demonstrated that CIV (coefficient r: 0.658, p<0.001; coefficient r: 0.368, p<0.001), LN (coefficient r: 0.450, p<0.001; coefficient r: 0.343, p<0.001), and HA (coefficient r: 0.325, p=0.001; coefficient r: 0.282, p=0.004) levels, but not PIIINP level (coefficient r: 0.081, p=0.414; coefficient r: 0.090, p=0.363), significantly correlated with Child-Pugh and MELD scores. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that HA (odds ratio=1.00003, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.000004-1.000056, p=0.022) was significantly associated with the 6-month mortality. Receiver operating characteristics analysis demonstrated that the area under the curve (AUC) of HA for predicting the 6-month mortality was 0.612 (95%CI=0.508-0.709, p=0.1531). CONCLUSIONS CIV, LN, and HA levels were significantly associated with the severity of liver dysfunction, but might be inappropriate for the prognostic assessment of liver cirrhosis.

Isolation and characterization of a novel paraffin wax-degrading bacterium, Pseudomonas sp strain PW-1, from petroleum-contaminated sites

An isolate capable of degrading paraffin wax was isolated from petroleum-contaminated sites in Daqing, China, and identified as Pseudomonas sp strain PW-1 by analyzing the 16S rDNA sequence (GenBank accession No.: KF529529) as well as the biochemical and physiological characteristics. The optimized degradation conditions of the isolate were as follows: FeSO4 metal ion concentration of 0.01 g, temperature of 30°C, (NH4)2SO4 nitrogen source concentration of 1.5 g/L, and a carbon: nitrogen ratio of 10:1. Response surface methodology-based analysis of the culture time, inoculation amount, and initial pH of the medium revealed that the optimal theoretical conditions were a culture time of 11.16 days, inoculation amount of 3.13%, and an initial pH of 9.29. The theoretical degradation rate was up to 54.68% under the optimal conditions. Taking into account the experimental conditions of a laboratory, 11.2 days of cultivating time, 3% inoculum, and a medium initial pH of 9.3 were used in practical settings. Experimental results showed that the degradation rate of paraffin wax was 52.85%, which demonstrated that this strain could degrade 1050 mg paraffin wax, using it as the sole carbon source, in a 1000-mL minimal salts medium. These results indicate that the strain PW1 can be used for application in oil wells with paraffin deposition problems in order to enhance oil recovery.

Corrigendum Effects of probucol on cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells injured by hypoxia/reoxygenation - Genet. Mol. Res. 15 (1): gmr.15016752

Published online: March 4, 2016 (DOI: 10.4238/gmr.15016752). Corrected after publication: June 3, 2016 (DOI: 10.4238/gmr.150267521). The information of authors' affiliations is as follows: Y. L. Chai(1,2), J.Z. Xu(1), Y.L. Zhang(1) and G.T. Sheng(2). (1)Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. (2)No.1 Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, People's Hospital of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.

Enhancing ethanol production from thermophilic and mesophilic solid digestate using ozone combined with aqueous ammonia pretreatment

Pretreatment with ozone combined with aqueous ammonia was used to recover residual organic carbon from recalcitrant solid digestate for ethanol production after anaerobic digestion (AD) of rice straw. Methane yield of AD at mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, and ethanol production of solid digestate were investigated. The results showed that the methane yield at thermophilic temperature was 72.2% higher than that at mesophilic temperature under the same conditions of 24days and 17% solid concentration. And also the ethanol production efficiency of solid digestate after thermophilic process was 24.3% higher than that of solid digestate after mesophilic process. In this study, the optimal conditions for integrated methane and ethanol processes were determined as 55°C, 17% solid concentration and 24days. 58.6% of glucose conversion, 142.8g/kg of methane yield and 65.2g/kg of ethanol yield were achieved, and the highest net energy balance was calculated as 6416kJ/kg.

[Impact of biological function on ovarian clear cell carcinoma ES2 cell line with ARID1A gene expression down-regulating in vitro]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficiency of biological function of AT rich interaction domain 1A (ARID1A) gene silenced by small interfering RNA (siRNA) on ovarian clear cell carcinoma ES2 cell line.

METHODS

(1) The three pairs ARID1A gene siRNA interference fragments siN1 (ARID1A-705), siN2 (ARID1A-1513), siN3 (ARID1A-2282) and one pair negative control were respectively designed, and transfected into ES2 cells by RNA interference max reagent transiently. Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and western blot methods were used to detect the expression of ARID1A mRNA and protein in ES2 cells transfected with interference fragments respectively. So as to select the best silencing effect of siRNA interference fragment(that was siN3), and then was used in the following experiment. (2) The following experiment were divided into three groups, namely siN3 transfection group, negative control group and blank control group. The proliferative activity of three groups of cells after transient transfection (6, 24, 48, 72, 96 hours) was assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and expressed as absorbance (A) value; the apoptosis rate of three groups of cells transfected transiently with interference fragment was measured by flow cytometry with annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining; the ability of cellular invasion of three groups of cells transfected transiently with interference fragment was tested by transwell experiment; the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) protein in ES2 cells transfected transiently with interference fragment was measured by western blot.

RESULTS

(1) The RT-PCR results showed that the ARID1A mRNA relative expression levels in ES2 cells after transfected transiently with siN1, siN2 and siN3 were 0.007 8±0.005 7, 0.006 8±0.000 3 and 0.002 8±0.000 3 respectively. They were all apparently lower than that in the negative control group (0.034 6±0.001 3; all P<0.01). The western blot results showed that the expression levels of ARID1A protein were 0.439 4±0.000 7, 0.424 4±0.005 0 and 0.386 0±0.005 8 respectively. They were also lower than that in the negative control group (0.732 4 ±0.030 3; all P<0.01). The siN3 with the highest transfection efficiency was selected to use in the following experiment. (2) The CCK-8 method showed that the proliferative activity of siN3 transfection group cells after transfected transiently at 6 hours was not statistically significant difference compared with those in negative control group and blank control group (0.506±0.010, 0.491±0.006, 0.498±0.009, respectively; all P>0.05). However, the proliferative activity of siN3 transfection group cells after transfected transiently at 24, 48, 72, 96 hours were higher than those in negative control group and blank control group (all P<0.01). The flow cytometry results showed that the apoptosis rate of siN3 transfection group cells was (20.0±3.9)%, which was significantly lower than those in negative control group and blank control group [(31.5±5.0)%, (34.0±4.2)%, respectively; all P<0.05]. The transwell experiment showed that the penetrated cell counts of siN3 transfection group was 60.4±2.9, which was apparently higher than those in negative control group and blank control group (54.2±3.5, 52.1±3.8, respectively; all P<0.01). Western blot experiment showed that the relative expression levels of NF-κB, MT1-MMP and MMP2 protein in siN3 transfection group were respectively 1.85±0.16, 0.37±0.08, 1.38± 0.11, which were apparently higher than those in negative control group (0.93±0.11, 0.17±0.05, 0.86±0.06; all P<0.05) and blank control group (0.94 ± 0.04, 0.15 ± 0.08, 0.85 ± 0.10, respectively; all P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

It would be to promote the cell doubling time, reduce cell apoptosis and increase the invasive capability in ES2 cells that ARID1A expression was down-regulating by ARID1A mRNA interference. The invasion mechanism may be related to the activation of NF-κB signal transduction pathway, up-regulation of MT1-MMP expression and then promoting the invasion of tumor cells via the up-regulation of MMP2 expression.

Distribution characteristics and source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Liao River drainage basin, northeast China

The Liao River drainage basin, which is one of China's seven major rivers basins, is located in northeast China. This region is characterized by important industrial bases including steel factories and oil and chemical plants, all of which have the potential to contribute pollutants to the drainage basin. In this study, 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the major rivers of the Liao River drainage basin were identified and quantified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The total PAH concentrations ranged from 0.4 to 76.5 μg/g (dry weight) in SPM and 32.6 to 108 ng/L in surface water, respectively. Low-ring PAHs (including two- and three-ring PAHs) were dominant in all PAH samples, and the level of low-ring PAHs in surface water was higher than that in SPM. The proportion of two-ring PAHs was the highest, accounting for an average of 68.2 % of the total PAHs in surface water, while the level of three-ring PAHs was the highest in SPM, with an average of 66.3 %. When compared with other river systems, the concentrations of PAHs in the Liao River drainage basin were lower. Identification of the emission sources based on diagnostic ratios suggested petroleum and fossil fuel combustion were important contribution to PAHs in the study area.

The role of Toll-like receptors in periodontitis

Periodontitis is a common infectious disease. Recent studies have indicated that the progression of periodontitis may be regulated by interactions between host immunity and periodontopathic bacteria. Although periodontopathic bacteria can destroy periodontal tissue, a dysfunctional host immune response triggered by the bacteria can lead to more severe and persistent destruction. Toll-like receptors (TLRs), a type of pattern recognition receptor (PRR) that recognizes pathogens, have been implicated in host innate immune responses to periodontopathic bacteria and in the activation of adaptive immunity. TLR-targeted drugs may hold promise to treat periodontal disease. This review summarizes recent studies on the role of TLRs in periodontitis and discusses areas needing further research. We believe TLRs may be an effective biomarker for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontitis in the near future.

Effects of probucol on cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells injured by hypoxia/reoxygenation

There is increasing evidence suggesting that endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) plays an important role in the initiation and development of atherosclerosis. This study was designed to examine the effect of probucol on cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injured by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) and the potential mechanisms involving ERS. Injured HUVECs induced by Na2S2O4 served as an H/R model in vitro. The concentration of probucol in this study ranged from 3 to 27 μM. Cell viability was analyzed using MTT and a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. The expression of GRP78, X-box-binding protein (XBP)-1, and CHOP (c/EBP-hemologous protein) were quantified using western blot. Compared to cells with H/R injury alone, the results showed that the cell viability increased significantly with probucol, while the LDH leakage rate was significantly lower as analyzed by the LDH assay. Furthermore, the expression levels of GRP78, XBP-1, and CHOP were significantly downregulated. These results indicated that probucol effectively protected HUVEC from injury induced by H/R and that the mechanism might be related to attenuation of ERS.