41 research outputs found

    Toward Building a Physical Proxy for Gas-Phase Sulfuric Acid Concentration Based on Its Budget Analysis in Polluted Yangtze River Delta, East China

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    Gaseous sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is a crucial precursor for secondary aerosol formation, particularly for new particle formation (NPF) that plays an essential role in the global number budget of aerosol particles and cloud condensation nuclei. Due to technology challenges, global-wide and long-term measurements of gaseous H2SO4 are currently very challenging. Empirical proxies for H2SO4 have been derived mainly based on short-term intensive campaigns. In this work, we performed comprehensive measurements of H2SO4 and related parameters in the polluted Yangtze River Delta in East China during four seasons and developed a physical proxy based on the budget analysis of gaseous H2SO4. Besides the photo-oxidation of SO2, we found that primary emissions can contribute considerably, particularly at night. Dry deposition has the potential to be a non-negligible sink, in addition to condensation onto particle surfaces. Compared with the empirical proxies, the newly developed physical proxy demonstrates extraordinary stability in all the seasons and has the potential to be widely used to improve the understanding of global NPF fundamentally.Peer reviewe

    Expression of Foxp3 and TLR4 in human papillary thyroid carcinoma and its clinical significance

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    This study aimed to explore the association of Foxp3 and TLR4 with clinical pathological characteristics in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients. Methods 78 cases of PTC were used as experimental group and 20 cases of normal thyroid tissue were used as control group. The expression of Foxp3 and TLR4 in thyroid tissue from the two groups was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the experimental group was divided into several groups on the basis of different clinicopathological indicators. The association between Foxp3 and TLR4 expression and clinicopathological parameters was statistically analyzed. Results Foxp3 and TLR4 were expressed in higher levels in PTC than in normal thyroid tissue (P<0.05). Foxp3 was mainly localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus of PTC cells, while TLR4 was found in the cytoplasm and cell membrane of cancer cells. The expression of both proteins associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM clinical stage (P<0.05). The expression of Foxp3 correlated with the expression of TLR4 in tested PTC tissues (P<0.05). In addition, the result of confocal fluorescence microscopy showed that Foxp3 and TLR4 co-localized in PTC cells. Conclusion Foxp3 and TLR4 were upregulated and associated with lymph node metastasis and advanced TNM stage in PTC tissues. Together they may act as valuable factors for the identification of high-risk PTC patients

    Inhibitional effects of metal Zn²⁺ on the reproduction of Aphis medicaginis and its predation by Harmonia axyridis.

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    BACKGROUND: Contamination, including metals, can disturb the reproductive processes of many organisms, including both prey and predatory insects. However, there is virtually no information on the effects of high level Zinc (Zn) pollution on aphids and ladybirds. The high concentrations of Zn²⁺ or Zn pollution inhibit reproduction in the phytophagous aphid, Aphis medicaginis, and the predatory ladybird Harmonia axyridis could provide important information. RESULTS: It was observed in this study that Zn concentrations in Vicia faba (broad bean) seeds and seedlings in all Zn²⁺ treatments were significantly higher than that in the control group, and increased with increasing Zn²⁺ concentrations in the solution. The rate of reproduction in A. medicaginis declined significantly (p<0.05) over time in the five groups fed on broad bean seedlings treated with different concentrations of Zn²⁺ solution compared with the control group. These results showed that higher concentrations of Zn²⁺ significantly inhibited the reproductive capacity of A. medicaginis. We also cloned and identified a gene encoding vitellogenin (Vg) from A. medicaginis, which has an important role in vitellogenesis, and therefore, reproduction was affected by exposure to Zn²⁺. Expression of AmVg was reduced with increasing exposure to Zn²⁺ and also in the F1-F3 generations of aphids exposed to different Zn²⁺ concentrations. Predation by H. axyridis was also reduced in aphids exposed to high-levels of Zn²⁺. Similarly, ovipositioning by H. axyridis was also reduced. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that Zn²⁺ can significantly affect the reproductive capacity of both A. medicaginis and its predator H. axyridis, the former through effects on the expression of AmVg and the latter through avoidance of aphids containing high levels of Zn²⁺

    DIAPH1 Is Upregulated and Inhibits Cell Apoptosis through ATR/p53/Caspase-3 Signaling Pathway in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

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    Cancer bioinformatics has been used to screen possible key cancer genes and pathways. Here, through bioinformatics analysis, we found that high expression of diaphanous related formin 1 (DIAPH1) was associated with poor overall survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). The effect of DIAPH1 in LSCC has not been previously investigated. Therefore, we evaluated the expression, function, and molecular mechanisms of DIAPH1 in LSCC. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis confirmed the significant upregulation of DIAPH1 in LSCC. We used DIAPH1 RNA interference to construct two DIAPH1-knockdown LSCC cell lines, AMC-HN-8 and FD-LSC-1, and validated the knockdown efficiency. Flow cytometry data showed that DIAPH1 inhibited apoptosis. Further, western blot analysis revealed that DIAPH1 knockdown increased the protein levels of ATR, p-p53, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3, -8, and -9. Thus, DIAPH1 is upregulated in LSCC and may act as an oncogene by inhibiting apoptosis through the ATR/p53/caspase-3 pathway in LSCC cells

    The AS87_04050 gene is involved in bacterial lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and pathogenicity of Riemerella anatipestifer.

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    Riemerella anatipestifer is reported worldwide as a cause of septicemic and exudative diseases of domestic ducks. In this study, we identified a mutant strain RA2640 by Tn4351 transposon mutagenesis, in which the AS87_04050 gene was inactivated by insertion of the transposon. Southern blot analysis indicated that only one insertion was found in the genome of the mutant strain RA2640. SDS-PAGE followed by silver staining showed that the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) pattern of mutant strain RA2640 was different from its wild-type strain Yb2, suggesting the LPS was defected. In addition, the phenotype of the mutant strain RA2640 was changed to rough-type, evident by altered colony morphology, autoaggregation ability and crystal violet staining characteristics. Bacterial LPS is a key factor in virulence as well as in both innate and acquired host responses to infection. The rough-type mutant strain RA2640 showed higher sensitivity to antibiotics, disinfectants and normal duck serum, and higher capability of adherence and invasion to Vero cells, compared to its wild-type strain Yb2. Moreover, the mutant strain RA2640 lost the agglutination ability of its wild-type strain Yb2 to R. anatipestifer serotype 2 positive sera, suggesting that the O-antigen is defected. Animal experiments indicated that the virulence of the mutant strain RA2640 was attenuated by more than 100,000-fold, compared to its wild-type strain Yb2. These results suggested that the AS87_04050 gene in R. anatipestifer is associated with the LPS biosynthesis and bacterial pathogenicity

    Micro‐Engineered Organoid‐on‐a‐Chip Based on Mesenchymal Stromal Cells to Predict Immunotherapy Responses of HCC Patients

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    Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. Patient‐derived organoid (PDO) has great potential in precision oncology, but low success rate, time‐consuming culture, and lack of tumor microenvironment (TME) limit its application. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) accumulate in primary site to support tumor growth and recruit immune cells to form TME. Here, MSC and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) coculture is used to construct HCC organoid‐on‐a‐chip mimicking original TME and provide a high‐throughput drug‐screening platform to predict outcomes of anti‐HCC immunotherapies. HCC‐PDOs and PBMC are co‐cultured with MSC and Cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAF). MSC increases success rate of biopsy‐derived PDO culture, accelerates PDO growth, and promotes monocyte survival and differentiation into tumor‐associated macrophages. A multi‐layer microfluidic chip is designed to achieve high‐throughput co‐culture for drug screening. Compared to conventional PDOs, MSC‐PDO‐PBMC and CAF‐PDO‐PBMC models show comparable responses to chemotherapeutic or targeted anti‐tumor drugs but more precise prediction potential in assessing patients’ responses to anti‐PD‐L1 drugs. Moreover, this microfluidic platform shortens PDO growth time and improves dimensional uniformity of organoids. In conclusion, the study successfully constructs microengineered organoid‐on‐a‐chip to mimic TME for high‐throughput drug screening, providing novel platform to predict immunotherapy response of HCC patients

    Reproduction of <i>Aphis medicaginis</i> at different Zn<sup>2+</sup> concentrations.

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    <p>The reproductive capacity of <i>Aphis medicaginis</i> on seedlings watered with different Zn<sup>2+</sup> solutions (50, 75, 100, 125 or 150 mg/kg) or with tap water (control: CK). Each treatment was repeated 30 times, and the numbers of <i>A. medicaginis</i> were recorded at intervals of 24 h. (Tukey's test, α = 0.05, a>b>c)</p

    Zn accumulation in <i>Vicia faba</i> seeds and seedlings.

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    <p><i>Vicia faba</i> (broad bean) seeds were water-soaked for 12 h with 0 (only tap water was added as the control: CK), 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 mg/kg Zn<sup>2+</sup>-containing solutions, planted in soil and then watered with the corresponding solutions. The Zn concentrations in the seeds water-soaked for 12 h and in five-day seedlings were determined. Each treatment was repeated 3 times. (Tukey's test, α = 0.05, a>b>c>d>e>f or A>B>C>D>E>F)</p

    The sequence analysis of <i>Aphis medicaginis</i> Vg cDNA.

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    <p>Deduced nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the <i>Vg</i> gene of <i>Aphis medicaginis</i>. Both initiation and termination codons are indicated by bold and italics, the termination codon before the first Met is also indicated by bold and italic.</p

    Feeding of <i>Harmonia axyridis</i> on aphids at different densities.

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    <p><i>Aphis medicaginis</i> was predated by <i>Harmonia axyridis</i>. Different densities of <i>A. medicaginis</i> adults (20, 60, 100 or 140 per tube) were exposed to either female (A) or male (B) <i>H. axyridis</i> adults that had been denied food for 24 h. One <i>H. axyridis</i> adult was put in each tube and allowed to feed on the aphids for 24 h. The number of aphids remaining was used to determine the predation rate and, therefore, the aphid survival rate. (Tukey's test, α = 0.05, a>b>c)</p
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