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<p>Cell scratch test and Transwell were used to measure the migration abilities of HSVSMCs. NC = Negative control group, only control siRNA transfected; GAS5(-) = lncRNA-GAS5 knockdown group transfected with silence siRNA. <b>A:</b>Cell scratch test was used to measure the migration abilities of HSVSMCs. The results showed that the HSVSMCs have the best migration abilities in the first 24 hours. Values are mean±SE, N = 4. <b>B:</b> The migration abilities of HSVSMCs measured by Transwell. After transfected by lncRNA-GAS5 siRNA for 48 hours, the HSVSMCs were passage into the Transwell Inserts. Then 4 hours, 7 hours, 10 hours later, the migration HSVSMCs were photographed and counted, respectively. Knockdown of lncRNA-GAS5 expression promotes migration of HSVSMCs. Optical microscope images under 200x magnification. <b>C:</b> The migration abilities of HSVSMCs were reflected indirectly by the new migration cells counting with Transwell. Silencing of lncRNA-GAS5 expression increses migration ability of HSVSMCs. Values are mean±SE, N = 10; *, P<0.05.</p

A Facile and General Coating Approach to Moisture/Water-Resistant Metal–Organic Frameworks with Intact Porosity

The moisture sensitivity of many metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) poses a critical issue for their large-scale real application. One of the most effective methods to solve this problem is to convert the surface of MOFs from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. Herein, we develop a general strategy to modify hydrophobic polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) on the surface of MOF materials to significantly enhance their moisture or water resistance by a facile vapor deposition technique. MOF-5, HKUST-1, and ZnBT as representative vulnerable MOFs were successfully coated by PDMS, and these coated samples well inherited their original crystalline nature and pore characteristics. Strikingly, the surface areas of these MOFs were nearly 100% retained upon PDMS-coating. Such a coating process might render MOFs applicable in the presence of water or humidity in extended fields such as gas sorption and catalysis

Highly Stimuli-Responsive Au Nanorods/Poly(<i>N</i>‑isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) Composite Hydrogel for Smart Switch

To achieve both fast response and structural integrity during the repeating volume changes are the most significant challenges for thermoresponsive hydrogels. In this work, AuNRs/PNIPAM composite hydrogel with fast thermal/optical response and structural integrity is facilely prepared by electrospinning and following a curing treatment. By combining the photothermal property of AuNRs and thermal-responsive effect of PNIPAM, the composite hydrogel shows fast thermal/photoresponse, high heating rate, and high structural integrity with fierce size change. When laser irradiation begins, the temperature of the film increases from room temperature to 34.5 °C in 1 s and will further increase even to 60 °C in 5 s. Both the porous structure of the hydrogel and the assemble effect of AuNRs within the PNIPAM fibers facilitate the fast responsibility. Furthermore, to take advantage of this fibrous hydrogel adequately, one novel kind of thermal/photocontrolled switch based on the composite hydrogel is prepared, which exhibits fast responsivity and high stability even under acidic or basic conditions

Highly Stimuli-Responsive Au Nanorods/Poly(<i>N</i>‑isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) Composite Hydrogel for Smart Switch

To achieve both fast response and structural integrity during the repeating volume changes are the most significant challenges for thermoresponsive hydrogels. In this work, AuNRs/PNIPAM composite hydrogel with fast thermal/optical response and structural integrity is facilely prepared by electrospinning and following a curing treatment. By combining the photothermal property of AuNRs and thermal-responsive effect of PNIPAM, the composite hydrogel shows fast thermal/photoresponse, high heating rate, and high structural integrity with fierce size change. When laser irradiation begins, the temperature of the film increases from room temperature to 34.5 °C in 1 s and will further increase even to 60 °C in 5 s. Both the porous structure of the hydrogel and the assemble effect of AuNRs within the PNIPAM fibers facilitate the fast responsibility. Furthermore, to take advantage of this fibrous hydrogel adequately, one novel kind of thermal/photocontrolled switch based on the composite hydrogel is prepared, which exhibits fast responsivity and high stability even under acidic or basic conditions

Aberrantly Expressed lncRNAs in Primary Varicose Great Saphenous Veins

<div><p>Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are key regulatory molecules involved in a variety of biological processes and human diseases. However, the pathological effects of lncRNAs on primary varicose great saphenous veins (GSVs) remain unclear. The purpose of the present study was to identify aberrantly expressed lncRNAs involved in the prevalence of GSV varicosities and predict their potential functions. Using microarray with 33,045 lncRNA and 30,215 mRNA probes, 557 lncRNAs and 980 mRNAs that differed significantly in expression between the varicose great saphenous veins and control veins were identified in six pairs of samples. These lncRNAs were sub-grouped and mRNAs expressed at different levels were clustered into several pathways with six focused on metabolic pathways. Quantitative real-time PCR replication of nine lncRNAs was performed in 32 subjects, validating six lncRNAs (AF119885, AK021444, NR_027830, G36810, NR_027927, uc.345-). A coding-non-coding gene co-expression network revealed that four of these six lncRNAs may be correlated with 11 mRNAs and pathway analysis revealed that they may be correlated with another 8 mRNAs associated with metabolic pathways. In conclusion, aberrantly expressed lncRNAs for GSV varicosities were here systematically screened and validated and their functions were predicted. These findings provide novel insight into the physiology of lncRNAs and the pathogenesis of varicose veins for further investigation. These aberrantly expressed lncRNAs may serve as new therapeutic targets for varicose veins. The Human Ethnics Committee of Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine approved the study (NO.: 2011-DF-53).</p></div

Validation of microarray data and the Q-RT-PCR data.

<p>Nine lncRNAs were chosen for validation in 32 pairs of VVs samples compared with NVs samples by Q-RT-PCR. seven of the nine lncRNAs showed the same trends with respect to up- or down- regulation as the microarray data and six lncRNAs (AK021444, AF119885, G36810, uc.345, NR_027927 and NR_027830) showed statistically significant differences (<i>P</i><0.05). The heights of the columns in the chart represent the mean expression value of log2 fold changes (VVs/NVs) for each of the nine validated lncRNAs in the microarray and Q-RT-PCR data; The bars represent standard errors. The validation results indicated that the microarray data were closely correlate with the Q-RT-PCR results. *: <i>P</i><0.05, **: <i>P</i><0.01.</p

Top 20 significantly differential expressed mRNAs from the microarray data.

<p>NCBI accession: the reference ID of mRNA in NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information).</p

The 11 significantly aberrantly expressed mRNAs correlated with the four validated lncRNAs.

<p>NCBI accession: the standard reference ID of mRNA in NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information).</p