Redox properties and catalytic performance of ceria–zirconia nanorods

The shape effect of Ce_1−xZr_xO₂ nanomaterials is associated with the amount of zirconia that is incorporated into the ceria lattice.

Transcriptome sequencing reveals differences between anagen and telogen secondary hair follicle-derived dermal papilla cells of the Cashmere goat (Capra hircus)

Dermal papilla is considered the control center of hair follicle growth and hair cycle. The secondary hair follicle (producing cashmere) growth cycle of the Cashmere goat (Capra hircus) is circannual, and each growth phase can be easily distinguished by its long duration. To identify gene expression patterns and differences of the dermal papilla cell (DPC) between the anagen and telogen phases, we established two DPC lines: ana-DPCs (DPCs derived from the anagen secondary hair follicle) and tel-DPCs (DPCs derived from the telogen secondary hair follicle). Compared with the ana-DPCs, the tel-DPCs lost the capacity to form cell aggregates and showed lower cell proliferation rate. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that 825 genes were differentially expressed by at least threefold between the two DPC lines. These genes were significantly enriched in cell cycle control, cell division, and chromosome partitioning from the Eukaryotic Orthologous Groups of proteins (KOG) database and in cell cycle, cell adhesion molecules, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and p53 signaling pathway from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes (KEGG) database. Enrichment analyses revealed that in the middle of the telogen the DPCs of secondary hair follicles (SHFs) seemed on the one hand to promote the degeneration of SHFs and cessation of cashmere growth, while on the other hand to resist self-apoptosis and prepare for the regeneration or revivification of fully functional dermal papillae. These findings provide a better understanding of hair follicle growth and will be useful for identification of novel molecules associated with the control of hair growth cycle.

Relationship between long-term exposure to low-level arsenic in drinking water and the prevalence of abnormal blood pressure

Arsenic increases the risk and incidence of cardiovascular disease. To explore the impact of long-term exposure to low-level arsenic in drinking water on blood pressure including pulse pressure (PP) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), a cross-sectional study was conducted in 2010 in which the blood pressure of 405 villagers was measured, who had been drinking water with an inorganic arsenic content <50 μg/L. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. After adjusting for age, gender, Body Mass Index (BMI), alcohol consumption and smoking, the odds ratios showed a 1.45-fold (95%CI: 0.63-3.35) increase in the group with >30-50 years of arsenic exposure and a 2.95-fold (95%CI: 1.31-6.67) increase in the group with >50 years exposure. Furthermore, the odds ratio for prevalence of abnormal PP and MAP were 1.06 (95%CI: 0.24-4.66) and 0.87 (95%CI: 0.36-2.14) in the group with >30-50 years of exposure, and were 2.46 (95%CI: 0.87-6.97) and 3.75 (95%CI: 1.61-8.71) for the group with >50 years exposure, compared to the group with arsenic exposure ≤ 30 years respectively. Significant trends for Hypertension (p<0.0001), PP (p<0.0001) and MAP (p=0.0016) were found. The prevalence of hypertension and abnormal PP as well as MAP is marked among a low-level arsenic exposure population, and significantly increases with the duration of arsenic exposure.

Finite element analysis of the effects of a floating mass transducer on the performance of a middle ear implant

Experimental evidence has shown that floating mass transducers (FMTs) play a key role in the performance of middle ear implants. However, because of the tiny size and complex structure of the middle ear, systematic experimental study of the influences of FMTs is difficult to carry out. In this paper we develop a FMT-attached middle-ear finite element model to investigate some effects of a FMT on the performance of a middle ear implant. This model was constructed based on a complete set of computerized tomography section images of a healthy volunteer's left ear. The validity of the developed model was verified by comparing the model-predicted motion of the tympanic membrane and stapes footplate with published experimental data. The result shows that the FMT produces a mass loading effect prominently at high frequencies, the force required to drive the incus to the equivalent of 100 dB sound pressure level (SPL) is about 89 microN, and setting the attachment position of the FMT close to the incudostapedial joint can enhance the driving effect.

[Relationship between the inhibition of NF-kappaB and insulin resistance in uterrus of rats with gestational diabetes mellitus]

AIM

To observe the expression of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and glucose transporter-4 (GLUT-4) in uteru of rats with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to explore the relationship between inhibition of NF-kappaB and insulin resistance.

METHODS

Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal pregnant control (NC) group, GDM group and PDTC group, 10 rats each group. GDM rat model was established by intraperitoneal (ip) injection of streptozotocin (STZ). PDTC (40 mg/kg) was ip injected in PDTC group.The rats were sacrificed on the 20-day of pregnancy before delivery. The uterus were taken to observe the pathological changes. The expressions of GLUT-4 and NF-kappaB in uteru tissue were detected by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot.

RESULTS

The renal NF-kappaB activity in GDM group was higher significantly than that in NC group (P<0.01); and NF-kappaB activity in PDTC group was lower than that in GDM group (P<0.01). The expression of GLUT-4 in GDM group was significantly lower than that in NC group (P<0.01). However, compared with GDM group, the expression of GLUT-4 in PDTC group was increased (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

The inhibition of NF-kappaB activity can increase the expression of GLUT-4 in uterus of GDM rats, indicating that the occurrence of GDM in rats with uteru insulin resistance may be related with the intervention of NF-kappaB activity on the down regulation of the expression of GLUT-4.

Effect of copper on the degradation of pesticides cypermethrin and cyhalothrin

The influence of coexisting copper (Cu) ion on the degradation of pesticides pyrethroid cypermethrin and cyhalothrin in soil and photodegradation in water system were studied. Serial concentrations of the pesticides with the addition of copper ion were spiked in the soil and incubated for a regular period of time, the analysis of the extracts from the soil was carried out using gas chromatography (GC). The photodegradation of pyrethroids in water system was conducted under UV irradiation. The effect of Cu2+ on the pesticides degradation was measured with half life (t0.5) of degradation. It was found that a negative correlation between the degradation of the pyrethroid pesticides in soil and Cu addition was observed. But Cu2+ could accelerate photodegradation of the pyrethroids in water. The t0.5 for cyhalothrin extended from 6.7 to 6.8 d while for cypermethrin extended from 8.1 to 10.9 d with the presence of copper ion in soil. As for photodegradation, t0.5 for cyhalothrin reduced from 173.3 to 115.5 min and for cypermethrin from 115.5 to 99.0 min. The results suggested that copper influenced the degradation of the pesticides in soil by affecting the activity of microorganisms. However, it had catalyst tendency for photodegradation in water system. The difference for the degradation efficiency of pyrethroid isomers in soil was also observed. Copper could obviously accelerate the degradation of some special isomers.

Degradation of atrazine by microwave-assisted electrodeless discharge mercury lamp in aqueous solution

The present study investigates the degradation of atrazine (2-chloro-4-(ethyl amino)-6-isopropyl amino-s-triazine) in aqueous solution by a developed new method, namely by means of a microwave-assisted electrodeless discharge mercury lamp (MW-EDML). An experimental design was conducted to assess the influence of various parameters: pH value, initial concentration, amount of EDML, initial volume and coexisted solvent. Atrazine was degraded completely by EDML in a relatively short time (i.e. t(1/2)=1.2 min for 10 mg/l). Additionally, the identification of main degradation products during atrazine degradation process was conducted by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). This study proposes the degradation mechanism including four possible pathways for atrazine degradation according to the degradation products.

Isolation and expansion of cytomegalovirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes to clinical scale from a single blood draw using dendritic cells and HLA-tetramers

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation in immunocompromised recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplantation is a cause of morbidity and mortality from viral pneumonitis. Antiviral drugs given to reactivating patients have reduced the mortality from CMV but have toxic side effects and do not always prevent late CMV disease. Cellular immunotherapy to prevent CMV disease is less toxic and could provide prolonged protection. However, a practical approach to generating sufficient quantities of CMV-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) is required. This study describes a system for generating sufficient CMV-specific CTLs for adoptive immunotherapy of HLA-A*0201 bone marrow transplant recipients from 200 mL donor blood. Donor monocytes are used to generate dendritic cells (DCs) in medium with autologous plasma, interleukin 4, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and CD40 ligand. The DCs are pulsed with the immunodominant HLA-A*0201-restricted CMV peptide pp65(495-503), and incubated with donor T cells. These cultures are restimulated twice with peptide-pulsed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) or CD40-ligated B cells and purified with phycoerythrin (PE)-labeled pp65(495-503)/HLA-A*0201 tetramers by flow sorting, or with anti-PE paramagnetic beads. The pure tetramer-positive population is then rapidly expanded to obtain sufficient cells for clinical immunotherapy. The expanded CTLs are more than 80% pure, of memory phenotype, with a Tc1 cytokine profile. They efficiently kill CMV-infected fibroblasts and express the integrin VLA-4, suggesting that the CTLs could cross endothelial barriers. This technique is reproducible and could be used for generating CMV-specific CTLs to prevent CMV disease after allogeneic blood and marrow transplantation. (Blood. 2001;98:505-512)