Probing the Behaviors of Gold Nanorods in Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells Based on UV-vis-NIR Absorption Spectroscopy

In this work, behaviors of positively-charged AuNRs in a highly metastatic tumor cell line MDA-MB-231 are examined based on UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy in combination with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dark-field microscopic observation. It is found that characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks of AuNRs can be detected using spectroscopic method within living cells that have taken up AuNRs. The peak area of transverse SPR band is shown to be proportionally related to the amount of AuNRs in the cells determined with ICP-MS, which suggests a facile and real time quantification method for AuNRs in living cells. The shape of longitudinal SPR band in UV-vis-NIR spectrum reflects the aggregation state of AuNRs in the cells during the incubation period, which is proved by TEM and microscopic observations. Experimental results reveal that AuNRs are internalized by the cells rapidly; the accumulation, distribution and aggregation of AuNRs in the cells compartments are time and dose dependent. The established spectroscopic analysis method can not only monitor the behaviors of AuNRs in living cells but may also be helpful in choosing the optimum laser stimulation wavelength for anti-tumor thermotherapy

Upregulation of neuronal ER-phagy improves organismal fitness and alleviates APP toxicity

Summary: ER-phagy, a selective autophagy targeting the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) for lysosomal degradation through cargo receptors, plays a critical role in ER quality control and is linked to various diseases. However, its physiological and pathological roles remain largely unclear due to a lack of animal model studies. This study establishes Drosophila as an in vivo ER-phagy model. Starvation triggers ER-phagy across multiple fly tissues. Disturbing ER-phagy by either globally upregulating or downregulating ER-phagy receptors, Atl or Rtnl1, harms the fly. Notably, moderate upregulation of ER-phagy in fly brains by overexpressing Atl or Rtnl1 significantly attenuates age-associated neurodegenerations. Furthermore, in a Drosophila model of Alzheimer’s disease expressing human amyloid precursor protein (APP), impaired ER-phagy is observed. Enhancing ER-phagy in the APP-expressing fly brain facilitates APP degradation, significantly alleviating disease symptoms. Therefore, our findings suggest that modulating ER-phagy may offer a therapeutic strategy to treat aging and diseases associated with ER protein aggregation

Circulating Soluble Neuropilin-1 in Patients with Early Cervical Cancer and Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Can Be Used as a Valuable Diagnostic Biomarker

Objective. To investigate soluble neuropilin-1 (sNRP-1) in circulating and NRP-1 protein in cervical tissues from patients with cervical cancer or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Methods. sNRP-1 was measured in 64 preoperative patients and 20 controls. NRP-1 protein in cervical tissue was detected in 56 patients and 20 controls. Results. Both sNRP-1 and NRP-1 proteins were correlated with stage. sNRP-1 presented a high diagnostic ability of cervical cancer and CIN, with a sensitivity of 70.97% and a specificity of 73.68%. Conclusions. sNRP-1 in circulating can serve as a possible valuable diagnostic biomarker for cervical cancer and CIN

Resveratrol Reestablishes Mitochondrial Quality Control in Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury through Sirt1/Sirt3-Mfn2-Parkin-PGC-1α Pathway

Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol found in various plants. It has been widely studied on cardiovascular disorders. It is known that resveratrol can activate Sirtuin proteins and participate in cellular energy metabolism through a Sirtuin-dependent pathway. Here, we hypothesized that resveratrol may protect against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI) through the target of Sirt1/Sirt3 on mitochondrial dynamics, cardiac autophagy, bioenergetics and oxidative damage in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. We observed that resveratrol could activate the Sirt1/Sirt3-FoxO pathway on myocardial mitochondria in H/R cardiomyocytes. Subsequently, we found that resveratrol repaired the fission–fusion balance, autophagic flux and mitochondrial biosynthesis compared by H/R group. These changes were followed by increased functional mitochondrial number, mitochondrial bioenergetics and a better mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme system. Meanwhile, these effects were antagonized by co-treatment with Selisistat (Ex527), a Sirtuin inhibitor. Together, our findings uncover the potential contribution of resveratrol in reestablishing a mitochondrial quality control network with Parkin, Mfn2 and PGC-1α as the key nodes

Study on the Preparation and Corrosion Resistance Properties of Superhydrophobic Coatings on Galvanized Steel

The method of atmospheric corrosion protection of metals has always been a research hot spot at home and abroad. In this paper, superhydrophobic coating is prepared on the surface of galvanized steel by chemical etching using 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDTES), graphene oxide (GO), anhydrous ethanol and water-based varnish as the main raw materials. The constitution of the superhydrophobic coating surface and the corrosion resistance of the steel are studied by electrochemical testing, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Meanwhile, COMSOL software is used for the simulation of experiment. The results show that the surface of the superhydrophobic coating is composed of micro–nano sized papillary bulges, which play an important role in the improvement of metal corrosion resistance. The superhydrophobic coating effectively improves the alternating current impedance of the electrode and reduces the corrosion rate of the substrate. In addition, the results calculated by COMSOL software consist of the experimental results

Anti-Proliferation Activity of a Decapeptide from <i>Perinereies aibuhitensis</i> toward Human Lung Cancer H1299 Cells

Perinereis aibuhitensis peptide (PAP) is a decapeptide (Ile-Glu-Pro-Gly-Thr-Val-Gly-Met-Met-Phe, IEPGTVGMMF) with anticancer activity that was purified from an enzymatic hydrolysate of Perinereis aibuhitensis. In the present study, the anticancer effect of PAP on H1299 cell proliferation was investigated. Our results showed that PAP promoted apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation of H1299 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. When the PAP concentration reached 0.92 mM, more than 95% of treated cells died after 72 h of treatment. Changes in cell morphology were further analyzed using an inverted microscope and AO/EB staining and flow cytometry was adopted for detecting apoptosis and cell cycle phase. The results showed that the early and late apoptosis rates of H1299 cells increased significantly after treatment with PAP and the total apoptosis rate was significantly higher than that of the control group. Moreover, after treatment with PAP, the number of cells in the S phase of cells was significantly reduced and the ability for the cells to proliferate was also reduced. H1299 cells were arrested in the G2/M phase and cell cycle progression was inhibited. Furthermore, the results of western blotting showed that nm23-H1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein levels decreased in a dose-dependent manner, while the pro-apoptotic protein and anti-apoptotic protein ratios and the level of apoptosis-related caspase protein increased in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, our results indicated that PAP, as a natural marine bioactive substance, inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of human lung cancer H1299 cells. PAP is likely to be exploited as the functional food or adjuvant that may be used for prevention or treatment of human non-small cell lung cancer in the future

Palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental implications of late-Pleistocene aeolian sand in the Jin-Shaan Gorges of the Yellow River valley revealed by luminescence chronology

River valleys are critical water-gas-rock interactions zone, where close interaction between fluvial and aeolian deposition are a pronounced feature in arid, semi-arid, and semi-humid environments. Pedo-sedimentological investigations were carried out in the Jin-Shaan Gorges of the Yellow River valley. Two late-Pleistocene and Holocene aeolian sand-loess profiles were identified within the cliff riverbank. The aim of this study is to reveal the palaeoclimatic conditions and driving factors for the formation of palaeo-aeolian sand in the Jin-Shaan Gorges of the Yellow River valley. Five samples were taken from the aeolian sand-loess profiles for optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating. The OSL ages are in stratigraphic order and range from 12.8 +/- 0.7 ka to 11.8 +/- 1.0 ka. By combining OSL ages with additional stratigraphic correlations, the deposition period of the palaeo-aeolian sand is dated to 12.5-11.8 ka, which would place it at the Younger Dryas (YD) time interval that punctuated the last glacial-Holocene transition period. The formation of palaeo-aeolian sand in the region was due to sufficient sediment supply from the riverbed sand of the Yellow River, strong East Asian winter monsoon, and strong wind erosion. These results give insights into the palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental conditions for the formation of aeolian sand associated with the river valleys in semi-arid and sub-humid regions

Prehistoric and historic overbank floods in the Luoyang Basin along the Luohe River, middle Yellow River basin, China

Paleohydrological investigations were carried out in the Luoyang Basin along the Luohe River in the middle reaches of the Yellow River basin. Three units of overbank flood deposits (OFD) were identified in a Holocene aeolian loess-soil profile on the south cliffy river bank at Taixuecun site (TXC). Analytical results including magnetic susceptibility, grain size distribution and geochemical elements indicate that these well-sorted overbank flood deposits were deposited from the suspended sediment load in floodwaters. We identified two episodes of prehistoric extraordinary overbank flooding that were dated to 6000-5500 and 4000-3800 yr BP using AMS C-14 and OSL dating techniques with references to the already-known ages of the archaeological remains. Among of the two episodes, the overbank episode at 4000-3800 yr BP likely had a profound impact on the cultural development from the late Longshan Culture (4500-4000 yr BP) to the Erlitou Culture (3700-3500 yr BP) in the alluvial plain of the Luo River within the Luoyang Basin, providing geological evidence for the legends of ancient floods and their social impacts at ca. 4000 yr BP. In addition, an episode of historic overbank flood event was dated to 1800-1700 yr BP, i.e., from the Han to Wei dynasties, during which the ancient capital (Luoyang City) was subjected to frequent flooding. These aforementioned hydro-climatic events are considered to be regional expressions of known climatic events. The study adds our knowledge of the Holocene extraordinary overbank floods and their relationship with monsoonal climate change and human land-use practices, and the social impact of prehistoric environmental changes on human cultural development

Formation and evolution of the Holocene massive landslide-dammed lakes in the Jishixia Gorges along the upper Yellow River: No relation to China's Great Flood and the Xia Dynasty

The massive Holocene landslide-damming in the Jishixia Gorges along the upper Yellow River was previously suggested to be related to China's Great Flood at 4.20-4.00 ka BP and the initiation of the first dynasty in China: the Xia Dynasty. Here, we present seven sedimentary profiles in the Xunhua Basin and Jishixia Gorges. The lithological, sedimentary and chronological results, including optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and AMS C-14 ages, indicate that there were two separate landslide-dammed lakes rather than one during the Holocene in the Jishixia Gorges. The first lake relates to the Maerpo landslide that occurred at ca. 8.30 ka BP. This lake gradually shallowed and then disappeared by ca. 6.30 ka BP as the landslide dam was slowly incised by the Yellow River. The second Gelongbu landslide occurred at ca. 6.10 ka BP. The consequent lake also gradually shallowed and then disappeared at ca. 5.60 ka BP as the landslide dam was cut through by the Yellow River. Both landslides and their associated lakes preceded The Great Flood in the middle-lower Yellow River by at least 1400 years and preceded the beginning of Xia Dynasty by at least 1600 years. The geomorphic events and therefore unrelated to these historical events. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved