Roles of Long Noncoding RNAs in Conferring Glioma Progression and Treatment

Accompanying the development of biomedicine, our knowledge of glioma, one of the most common primary intracranial carcinomas, is becoming more comprehensive. Unfortunately, patients with glioblastoma (GBM) still have a dismal prognosis and a high relapse rate, even with standard combination therapy, namely, surgical resection, postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The absence of validated biomarkers is responsible for the majority of these poor outcomes, and reliable therapeutic targets are indispensable for improving the prognosis of patients suffering from gliomas. Identification of both precise diagnostic and accurate prognostic markers and promising therapeutic targets has therefore attracted considerable attention from researchers. Encouragingly, accumulating evidence has demonstrated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in the pathogenesis and oncogenesis of various categories of human tumors, including gliomas. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms by which lncRNAs regulate diverse biological behaviors of glioma cells, such as proliferation, invasion and migration, remain poorly understood. Consequently, this review builds on previous studies to further summarize the progress in the field of lncRNA regulation of gliomas over recent years and addresses the potential of lncRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic markers and therapeutic targets

Two Antarctic penguin genomes reveal insights into their evolutionary history and molecular changes related to the Antarctic environment. GigaScience

Abstract Background: Penguins are flightless aquatic birds widely distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The distinctive morphological and physiological features of penguins allow them to live an aquatic life, and some of them have successfully adapted to the hostile environments in Antarctica. To study the phylogenetic and population history of penguins and the molecular basis of their adaptations to Antarctica, we sequenced the genomes of the two Antarctic dwelling penguin species, the Adélie penguin [Pygoscelis adeliae] and emperor penguin [Aptenodytes forsteri]. Results: Phylogenetic dating suggests that early penguins arose~60 million years ago, coinciding with a period of global warming. Analysis of effective population sizes reveals that the two penguin species experienced population expansions from~1 million years ago to~100 thousand years ago, but responded differently to the climatic cooling of the last glacial period. Comparative genomic analyses with other available avian genomes identified molecular changes in genes related to epidermal structure, phototransduction, lipid metabolism, and forelimb morphology. Conclusions: Our sequencing and initial analyses of the first two penguin genomes provide insights into the timing of penguin origin, fluctuations in effective population sizes of the two penguin species over the past 10 million years, and the potential associations between these biological patterns and global climate change. The molecular changes compared with other avian genomes reflect both shared and diverse adaptations of the two penguin species to the Antarctic environment

Combined Effects of the Surface Urban Heat Island with Landscape Composition and Configuration Based on Remote Sensing: A Case Study of Shanghai, China

Rapid urbanization leads to changes in surface coverage and landscape patterns. This results in urban heat island (UHI) effects and a series of negative ecological consequences. Considering this concern and taking Shanghai as an example, this paper concentrates on the effects of surface coverage and landscape patterns on urban land surface temperature (LST). The research is based on quantitative retrieval of remote sensing data with consideration of methods in multiple disciplines, including landscape ecology, geographic information systems, and statistical analysis. It concludes that, over time, the thermal environment of Shanghai is becoming critical. The average LST ranking of different surface coverage is as follows: Construction land (CL) > bare land (BL) > green land (GL) > agricultural land (AL) > water body (WB). LST varies significantly with the type of surface coverage. CL contributes the most to the UHI, while WB and GL have obvious mitigation effects on the UHI. The large area, low degree of landscape fragmentation, and complex outlines lead to low LST rankings for GL, WB, and AL and a high LST ranking for CL. The conclusions indicate that CL should be broken down by GL and WB into discrete pieces to effectively mitigate UHI effects. The research reveals UHI features and changes in Shanghai over the years and provides practical advice that can be used by urban planning authorities to mitigate UHI

A Novel Dual Amino-Functionalized Cation-Tethered Ionic Liquid for CO2 Capture

A novel dual amino-functionalized ionic liquid, 1, 3-di (2'-aminoethyl)-2-methylimidazolium bromide (DAIL), was synthesized and investigated as a potential absorbent for CO2 capture. CO2 absorption behavior on pressure, temperature and concentrations of DAIL in aqueous solution were studied, and the absorption mechanism was investigated by spectroscopic methods and DFT calculations. The CO2 capture capacity of 18.5 wt % and good thermal stability (T-d = 521.6 K) make DAIL a, good candidate for industrial applications for CO2 capture

The Research Progress of Vascular Macrophages and Atherosclerosis

Background/Aims. Vascular macrophages may affect the immune regulation of atherosclerosis (AS). In recent years, there are lots of researches on the association of vascular macrophages and AS which has attracted increasing attention, and the in-depth study of its mechanism is gradually clear. Materials. We made a minireview on the association of vascular macrophages with AS based on recent research studies systematically, from the mechanisms of macrophages accumulating in the walls of blood vessels, and the role of macrophages in AS as well as microenvironmental determinants of macrophage function in AS. The discovery of these mechanisms could reveal the pathogenesis of AS comprehensively and is crucial to provide scientific evidence for formulating the related measures of prevention and treatment for AS. Discussion. Vascular macrophages play important roles in the development of AS, and the vascular macrophages may become new targets for the prevention and treatment of AS. Effective regulation of host genes may help prevent or even treat AS. Conclusion. This minireview focuses on the association of vascular macrophages with the development of AS, which may supply some clues for future therapies and novel drug targets for AS

NLRP3 Inflammasome and Its Central Role in the Cardiovascular Diseases

Background/Aims. NLRP3 inflammasome, an inflammasome which consists of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain- (Nod-) like receptor3 (NLRP3) scaffold, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) containing a CARD adaptor, and pro-caspase-1, is assembled after the cytoplasmic leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) of NLRP3 sense pathogens or danger signals. In recent years, the role of inflammasome in cardiovascular diseases has attracted mounting attention, and the in-depth study of its mechanism is gradually clear. Materials. The NLRP3 inflammasome controls the activation of the proteolytic enzyme caspase-1. Caspase-1 in turn regulates the maturation of the proinflammasome cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, which leads to an inflammatory response. We made a mini-review on the association of regulatory mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome with the development of cardiovascular diseases systematically based on the recent research studies. Discussion. The inflammasome plays an indispensable role in the development of atherosclerosis, coronary heart diseases (CHD), and heart ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, and NLRP3 inflammasome may become a new target for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Effective regulation of NLRP3 may help prevent or even treat cardiovascular diseases. Conclusion. This mini-review focuses on the association of regulatory mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome with the development of cardiovascular diseases, which may supply some important clues for future therapies and novel drug targets for cardiovascular diseases

JOINT MARKETING AS A FRAMEWORK FOR TARGETING MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN IN CHINA: A PILOT INTERVENTION STUDY

To apply the joint marketing principle as a new intervention approach for targeting men who have sex with men (MSM) who are often difficult to reach in societies with discrimination towards homosexuality and HIV/AIDS. A pilot intervention according to the principles of joint marketing was carried out by the CDC in Shenzhen, China, in MSM social venues. A self-designed questionnaire of HIV knowledge, condom use, and access to HIV-related services was used before and after the pilot intervention to evaluate its effectiveness. The CDC supported gatekeepers of MSM social venues in running their business and thereby increasing their respectability and income. In return, the gatekeepers cooperated with the CDC in reaching the MSM at the venues with health promotion messages and materials. Thus a win-win situation was created, bringing together two noncompetitive parties in reaching out to a shared customer, the MSM. The pilot intervention succeeded in demonstrating acceptability and feasibility of the joint marketing approach targeting MSM. HIV knowledge, the rate of condom use, and access to HIV-related services of participants in the pilot intervention increased significantly. The joint marketing intervention is an innovative way to create synergies between the gatekeepers of MSM social venues and public health officials for reaching and potentially changing HIV high-risk behaviors among MSM

Growth of hafnium dioxide thin films via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

Metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) is a key technique for depositing thin solid film materials for use in important technological applications. To obtain thin films of the desired standard, it is essential to design volatile, reactive and thermally stable precursors. A metal-organic precursor consisting of Hf with excellent vaporization characteristics and low decomposition temperature has been reported. Hafnium dioxide thin films on a Mo substrate were obtained via thermal MOCVD using Hafnium(IV) acetylacetonate(Hf(acac) _4 ) in a horizontal cold-wall reactor. The Hf(acac) _4 precursor was synthesized from HfCl _4 and Hthd in methanol. Hf(acac) _4 was characterized using elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy. The thermal decomposition properties were studied using thermogravimetric analysis under a nitrogen atmosphere. The results showed that Hf(acac) _4 was completely volatised at 245 °C. The thin films products were investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results from these measurements revealed that the main crystalline phase was the monoclinic phase, the surface consists of hafnium and oxygen and the morphology was densely packed and composed of visible grains

Mechanical force system of double key loop with finite element analysis

Abstract Background The mechanics of double key loop (DKL) are not well defined, and this finite element study was designed to explore its force system. Methods A simplified 3-dimensional finite element model of single and double key loops with an archwire between the lateral incisor and second premolar was established in Ansys Workbench 17.0. Activation in Type-1 (retraction at the distal end), Type-2 (retraction at the distal key) and Type-3 (Type-2 plus ligation between keys) was simulated. The vertical force, load/deflection ratio and moment/force ratio of stainless-steel and titanium-molybdenum alloy (TMA) loops were calculated and compared. Results The double key loop generated approximately 40% of the force of a single key loop. Type-2 loading of DKL showed a higher L/D ratio than Type-1 loading with a similar M/F ratio. Type-3 loading of DKL showed the highest M/F ratio with a similar L/D ratio as single key loop. The M/F ratio in Type-3 loading increased with the decreasing of retraction force. The DKL of TMA produced approximately 40% of the force and moment compared with those of SS in all loading types. When activated at equal distances below 1 mm, the M/F ratios of SS and TMA DKL with equal preactivation angles were almost the same. Conclusion The M/F ratio on anterior teeth increases with the preactivation angle and deactivation of DKL. The M/F ratio at a certain distance of activation mainly depends on the preactivation angle instead of the wire material. TMA is recommended as a substitute for SS in DKL for a lower magnitude of force