Next-Generation Sequencing of MicroRNAs for Breast Cancer Detection

It is reported that different microRNA (miRNA) profiles can be detected in the blood of cancer patients. We investigated that whether the key serum miRNAs could discriminate patients with and without breast cancer. This study was divided into three parts: (1) miRNA marker discovery using SOLiD sequencing-based miRNA profiling on cancerous and adjacent noncancerous breast tissue of one breast cancer patient; (2) marker selection and validation by real-time PCR on a small set of serum; (3) gene ontology analysis of the key miRNA target genes. Of genome-wide tissue miRNA expression analysis, five miRNAs were found to be altered more than fivefold by SOLiD sequencing (i.e., miR-29a, miR-23a, miR-23b, miR-192, and miR-21). All the five miRNAs were validated on the 20 breast cancer patients and 20 controls. miR-29a and miR-21 were significantly increased in the serum of breast cancer patients (P < .05). Gene ontology analysis of the target genes revealed enrichment for special biological process categories, that is, signal transduction, development, apoptosis, cell proliferation, and cell adhesion. SOLiD sequencing provides a promising method for cancer-related miRNA profiling. Serum miRNAs may be useful biomarkers for breast cancer detection

Using the ADDIE model to design and develop physical education lessons incorporated with a functional training component

IntroductionGood physical fitness is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. For students, the school becomes the main place to improve their physical fitness. The traditional physical education class places little emphasis on improving physical fitness and students’ physical fitness have continued to decline. To address these challenges, this study aimed to design and develop a functional training program that can be incorporated into existing physical education lessons to improve students’ physical fitness levels.MethodsThis study adopted the instructional design framework of the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation (ADDIE) model to guide the design and development of the functional training program. After development, the program was implemented and evaluated.ResultsThe results showed the program aroused students’ interest and significantly improved students’ physical fitness.ConclusionThis study showed the usefulness of functional training in improving the physical fitness of primary school students. In addition, it provided a reference for how to use functional training in conjunction with the physical education syllabus

An Analysis of Mode III Doubly Periodic Crack-Tip Field of Orthotropic Composite Materials

The mechanical behavior near the doubly periodic crack tips for orthotropic composite materials plate subjected to antiplane shear loading is studied. This is done by complex function theory and conformal mapping of the Jacobi elliptic function with the help of boundary conditions. The analytical solution of the crack-tips stress intensity factor and the expression of stress fields are obtained. Numerical examples are given to analyze the impact of the different transverse spacing, longitudinal spacing, and the ratio of cracks periods on stress intensity factors. The results show that the crack-tip field increases with reducing either the transverse spacing or the longitudinal spacing. At the same time, the crack-tip field increases with the decrease of the ratio of cracks periods. This shows that the distribution form makes an important effect on the crack-tip field, but the crack density parameter is not the only cause

Prediction of Depth Distribution Curve of Dissolution Rates Based on the Undulating Features of Rock Surfaces

In karst regions, the drilling into the rock layer is restricted, if the construction site has a thick overburden and a small upper load. The evaluation of karst development features beneath the site becomes a common technical difficulty in building foundation engineering. Drawing on our previous research into the depth distribution features of dissolution rate, this paper collects 1000 plus data on typical karst regions across China, and selects 65 data for detailed analysis. Specifically, the rock surface dissolution features were analyzed on the top and bottom of the strong dissolution zone, and used to set up the control conditions for the top and bottom predictions of the strong dissolution zone. On this basis, the authors provided a prediction method for the depth distribution curve of dissolution rates. The results show that the elevation of 75% dissolution rate can be regarded as the top elevation of the strong dissolution zone at the site, which controls the prediction error within 0.5 m. If the pores and fissures are not so developed at the karst site, the elevation of 15% dissolution rate can be regarded as the bottom elevation of the strong dissolution zone at the site. According to the top and bottom elevations, the authors derived the predicted curve of the depth distribution function for the dissolution rates at each site. The predicted curve basically overlapped the curve and scatterplot of the dissolution rates measured at the site, a sign of reliable prediction. The proposed prediction method for the depth distribution curve of the dissolution rates at karst construction sites mainly applies to the sites with undeveloped to moderately developed pores and fissures. Further research is needed to verify its effectiveness in sites with strongly developed pores and fissures

Effect of JUNCAO-cultivated Ganoderma lucidum spent mushroom substrate-hot water extract on immune function in mice

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of JUNCAO-cultivated Ganoderma lucidum spent mushroom substratehot water extract (SMSG-HWE) on murine immunity.Methods: Five groups of mice (n = 10) received water with 0.00, 0.14, 0.28, 0.84, or 1.68 g/kg of SWSG-HWE, respectively, orally for 30 days. Various biochemical parameters of serum and tissues, including spleen and thymus indices, were determined were determined for the miceResults: The following markers were significantly higher in the 0.84 g/kg SMSG-HWE group than in the control group (all p &lt; 0.05): splenic lymphocyte proliferation, a marker of cell-mediate immunity; dinitrofluorobenzene-induced delayed hypersensitivity; and the number of haemolytic plaque-forming cells, as a marker of humoral immunity. Phagocytic rate, which evaluates mononuclear-macrophage function as a marker of innate immunity, was significantly higher in both the 0.84 g/kg HWE and 1.68 g/kg SWSG-HWE groups, while phagocytic index was significantly higher in the 0.28 g/kg SWSG-HWE group, compared to the control group (all p &lt; 0.05). Natural killer cell activity also was significantly enhanced in the 0.84 g/kg and 1.68 g/kg SWSG-HWE groups (p &lt; 0.05).Conclusion: These findings indicate that SWSG-HWE enhances murine immune function, and may be suitable as a potential additive in animal feed.Keywords: Hot water extract, Cell-mediated immune function, Concanavalin A, Mononuclearmacrophage function, Haemolytic plaque, Humoral immunity, Innate immunity, Animal feed additiv

Blockade of Renin Angiotensin System Increased Resistance to STZ-Induced Diabetes in Rats with Long-Term High-Fat Diet

This study aimed to investigate whether rennin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockade through telmisartan would increase the resistance to streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced diabetes in insulin resistance rats. There were sixty Wistar rats that were divided into four groups: normal control (NC), high-fat diet (HF), high-fat diet plus STZ injection (HF+S), and high-fat diet plus STZ injection and telmisartan intervention (HF+S+T). Five rats were chosen randomly and respectively from groups NC and HF to undergo a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp. Another five rats were selected randomly from the four groups, respectively, for intravenous injection insulin releasing test (IVIRT), and the other five rats for pancreas specimens used in islet cell immunohistochemistry staining (stained for insulin, NF-κB, and caspase-3), islet cell apoptosis staining, and reverse transcription PCR (AT1R and IL-1 beta). There was a significant difference of overt diabetes incidence between groups HF+S+T and HF+S (P<0.05). Furthermore, inflammatory markers and islet cell apoptosis were found to be significantly reduced in group HF+S+T compared with group HF+S (all P<0.01 or P<0.05). Overall, telmisartan-treated rats were found to have reduced RAS activity, increased resistance to STZ-induced diabetes, reduced inflammatory markers, and improvement of islet cell function and morphology