A multifunctional azobenzene-based polymeric adsorbent for effective water remediation

The efficient removal of trace carcinogenic organic pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and ionic dyes, from water is an important technical challenge. We report a highly effective recyclable multifunctional azobenzene (AZ)-based silica-supported polymeric adsorbent which can simultaneously remove both PAHs and anionic dyes from water to below parts per billion (ppb) level based on multiple interactions such as the hydrophobic effect, [pi]–[pi] stacking and electrostatic interactions, thus providing a new strategy for designer water remediation materials

PENGARUH GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, LIKUIDITAS, DAN UKURAN PERUSAHAAN TERHADAP PROFITABILITAS PADA PERUSAHAAN BUMN YANG TERMASUK DALAM IICG DENGAN STRUKTUR MODAL SEBAGAI VARIABEL INTERVENING

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji pengaruh Good Corporate Governance, likuiditas, dan ukuran perusahaan terhadap profitabilitas, dimediasi oleh struktur modal. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah metode penelitian kuantitatif. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah perusahaan BUMN yang termasuk dalam IICG. Teknik pengambilan sampel adalah teknik purposive sampling dengan jumlah sampel sebanyak 13 perusahaan. Jenis data yang digunakan adalah data sekunder dan teknik analisis yang digunakan adalah Struktur Equation Model dengan alat uji software SmartPLS. Hasil dalam penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Good Corporate Governance, likuiditas dan ukuran perusahaan berpengaruh signifikan terhadap struktur modal. Hasil penelitian juga menunjukkan bahwa struktur modal memediasi secara penuh pengaruh Good Corporate Governance dan ukuran perusahaan terhadap profitabilitas, namun memediasi parsial pengaruh likuiditas terhadap profitabilitas

β-catenin-mediated YAP signaling promotes human glioma growth

Abstract Background Hippo/YAP pathway is known to be important for development, growth and organogenesis, and dysregulation of this pathway leads to tumor progression.We and others find that YAP is up-regulated in human gliomas and associated with worse prognosis of patients. However, the role and mechanism of YAP in glioma progression is largely unknown. Methods The expression of YAP in glioma tissues was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunoblotting. The effect of YAP on glioma progression was examined using cell growth assays and intracranial glioma model. The effect of YAP on β-catenin protein level, subcellular location and transcription activity was examined by immunoblotting, immunofluorescence and RT-PCR. Results Firstly, knockdown of YAP inhibited glioma cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. In addition, YAP modulated the protein level, subcellular location and transcription activity of β-catenin via regulating the activity of GSK3β. Lastly, β-catenin partially mediated the effect of YAP on glioma cell proliferation. Conclusion Our findings identify that YAP promotes human glioma growth through enhancing Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In addition, this study provides a new crosstalk mechanism between Hippo/YAP and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, which suggests a new strategy for human glioma treatment

Multifunctional microcapsules: A theranostic agent for US/MR/PAT multi-modality imaging and synergistic chemo-photothermal osteosarcoma therapy

Development of versatile theranostic agents that simultaneously integrate therapeutic and diagnostic features remains a clinical urgent. Herein, we aimed to prepare uniform PEGylated (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microcapsules (PB@(Fe3O4@PEG-PLGA) MCs) with superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles embedded in the shell and Prussian blue (PB) NPs inbuilt in the cavity via a premix membrane emulsification (PME) method. On account of the eligible geometry and multiple load capacity, these MCs could be used as efficient multi-modality contrast agents to simultaneously enhance the contrasts of US, MR and PAT imaging. In-built PB NPs furnished the MCs with excellent photothermal conversion property and embedded Fe3O4 NPs endowed the magnetic location for fabrication of targeted drug delivery system. Notably, after further in-situ encapsulation of antitumor drug of DOX, (PB+DOX)@(Fe3O4@PEG-PLGA) MCs possessed more unique advantages on achieving near infrared (NIR)-responsive drug delivery and magnetic-guided chemo-photothermal synergistic osteosarcoma therapy. In vitro and in vivo studies revealed these biocompatible (PB+DOX)@(Fe3O4@PEG-PLGA) MCs could effectively target to the tumor tissue with superior therapeutic effect against the invasion of osteosarcoma and alleviation of osteolytic lesions, which will be developed as a smart platform integrating multi-modality imaging capabilities and synergistic effect with high therapy efficacy

Tissue-Specific and Cation/Anion-Specific DNA Methylation Variations Occurred in <i>C. virgata</i> in Response to Salinity Stress

<div><p>Salinity is a widespread environmental problem limiting productivity and growth of plants. Halophytes which can adapt and resist certain salt stress have various mechanisms to defend the higher salinity and alkalinity, and epigenetic mechanisms especially DNA methylation may play important roles in plant adaptability and plasticity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the different influences of various single salts (NaCl, Na₂SO₄, NaHCO₃, Na₂CO₃) and their mixed salts on halophyte <i>Chloris. virgata</i> from the DNA methylation prospective, and discover the underlying relationships between specific DNA methylation variations and specific cations/anions through the methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism analysis. The results showed that the effects on DNA methylation variations of single salts were ranked as follows: Na₂CO₃> NaHCO₃> Na₂SO₄> NaCl, and their mixed salts exerted tissue-specific effects on <i>C. virgata</i> seedlings. Eight types of DNA methylation variations were detected and defined in <i>C. virgata</i> according to the specific cations/anions existed in stressful solutions; in addition, mix-specific and higher pH-specific bands were the main type in leaves and roots independently. These findings suggested that mixed salts were not the simple combination of single salts. Furthermore, not only single salts but also mixed salts showed tissue-specific and cations/anions-specific DNA methylation variations.</p></div

Specific hypomethylation bands occurred in <i>C.virgata</i> leaves.

<p>The solid rectangles indicated the bands not changed, while hollow rectangles indicated the hypo-methylated bands. “Capital letter +Arabic number” indicated the primer combination of HM, and the arabic numbers indicated the order of variations bands amplified in this primer combination.</p

Effects of NaCl, Na₂SO₄, NaHCO₃, Na₂CO₃, Mix salt stresses on cytosine methylation in <i>C.virgata</i> leaves and roots.

<p>a Full methyl (ation) represents those digested by EcoRI/MspI but not by EcoRI/HpaII.</p><p>b Hemimethyl (ation) represents those digested by EcoRI/HpaII but not by EcoRI/MspI.</p><p>c Total methylated bands = a/b.</p><p>d MSAP (%)  = c/ Total amplified bands*100.</p

Effects of different salt stresses on methylation variation in <i>C.virgata</i> leaves.

<p>B: NaCl, C: Na₂SO₄, D: NaHCO₃, E: Na₂CO₃, F: Mix. Data represent means ±S.E. of four replicates. Different lower-case letters represent significant difference among treatments at the 5% level, according to least significant difference (LSD) test. NE: Not exist.</p

Specific hypermethylation bands occurred in <i>C.virgata</i> leaves.

<p>The hollow rectangles indicated the bands not changed, while solid rectangles indicated the hyper-methylated bands. “Capital letter +Arabic number” indicated the primer combination of HM, and the Arabic numbers indicated the order of variations bands amplified in this primer combination.</p