Interannual sea level variability in the tropical Pacific Ocean from 1993 to 2006

Three net surface heat flux products, namely from 1) version 2 of Common Ocean Reference Experiment (CORE.2), 2) Objectively Analyzed Air-Sea Fluxes (OAFlux), and 3) the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts operational ocean analysis/reanalysis system (ECMWF ORA-S3), and three wind stress products, namely from I) CORE.2, 2) Simple Ocean Data Assimilation Reanalysis, version 2.1.6 (SODA 2.1.6), and 3) ECMWF ORA-S3 are used to investigate the abilities of four simple oceanic mechanisms in explaining the interannual variance of altimetry-derived sea surface height (SSH) anomalies in the tropical Pacific Ocean over the period 1993-2006. It is found that local response to surface heating plays an important role in sea level rise along the western equatorial Pacific (150 degrees-180 degrees E). The dominant processes affecting interannual variability of observed SSH anomalies vary regionally in the tropical Pacific; local response to surface heating, local Ekman pumping, wind-induced first baroclinic mode Rossby waves and the eastern boundary forcing are all important. Both the local response to surface heating and the eastern boundary forcing are important in explaining the interannual variance of observed SSH anomalies in the northeastern tropical Pacific; while the dominant contribution to interannual sea level variability in the southeastern tropical Pacific is from the eastern boundary forcing, the local Ekman pumping plays a relatively minor role in the interannual SSH change there. The wind-induced first baroclinic mode Rossby waves dominate interannual SSH variability in the western tropical Pacific, excluding the area of 2 degrees-10 degrees N, west of 170 degrees E. Although a large part of the interannual sea level variability in the western tropical Pacific is related to the oceanic remote adjustment to wind stress forcing, the contributions of local responses to surface heating and wind forcing cannot be overlooked. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Three net surface heat flux products, namely from 1) version 2 of Common Ocean Reference Experiment (CORE.2), 2) Objectively Analyzed Air-Sea Fluxes (OAFlux), and 3) the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts operational ocean analysis/reanalysis system (ECMWF ORA-S3), and three wind stress products, namely from I) CORE.2, 2) Simple Ocean Data Assimilation Reanalysis, version 2.1.6 (SODA 2.1.6), and 3) ECMWF ORA-S3 are used to investigate the abilities of four simple oceanic mechanisms in explaining the interannual variance of altimetry-derived sea surface height (SSH) anomalies in the tropical Pacific Ocean over the period 1993-2006. It is found that local response to surface heating plays an important role in sea level rise along the western equatorial Pacific (150 degrees-180 degrees E). The dominant processes affecting interannual variability of observed SSH anomalies vary regionally in the tropical Pacific; local response to surface heating, local Ekman pumping, wind-induced first baroclinic mode Rossby waves and the eastern boundary forcing are all important. Both the local response to surface heating and the eastern boundary forcing are important in explaining the interannual variance of observed SSH anomalies in the northeastern tropical Pacific; while the dominant contribution to interannual sea level variability in the southeastern tropical Pacific is from the eastern boundary forcing, the local Ekman pumping plays a relatively minor role in the interannual SSH change there. The wind-induced first baroclinic mode Rossby waves dominate interannual SSH variability in the western tropical Pacific, excluding the area of 2 degrees-10 degrees N, west of 170 degrees E. Although a large part of the interannual sea level variability in the western tropical Pacific is related to the oceanic remote adjustment to wind stress forcing, the contributions of local responses to surface heating and wind forcing cannot be overlooked. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

MiR-495-3p facilitates colon cancer cell proliferation via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by restraining Wnt inhibitory factor

Purpose: To demonstrate whether miR-495-3p promote the occurrence of colon cancer and development of colon cancer stem cells by inhibiting Wnt inhibitory factor (WIF1).Methods: The level of MiRNA and mRNA in cells were tested by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cell viability was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cell spheroid formation was measured by colony assay. Expression protein was tested using Western blotting. β-catenin binding ability was detected by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. MiRNA target gene was defined by luciferase assay.Results: Compared with normal colon cells and tissue, miR-495-3p is elevated in colon cancer cells and tissues, which regulate proliferation, level of stemness factors SOX-9, Bmil, and OCT-4 in HCT-116 cells, even spheroid formation. Overexpression of miR-495-3p inhibits the expression of WIF1 in HCT-116 cells and promotes colon tumorigenesis by binding with 3’-UTR. MiR-495-3p inhibitor downregulated WIF1-enhanced sphere formation of colon cancer cells.Conclusion: These results indicate that miR-495-3p/WIF1 can modulate the development of colon cancer and is a potential target for prevention and treatment of cancer.Keywords: MiR-495-3p, Wnt inhibitory factor, Colon cancer, Stemness, Tumorigenesi

Preparation and Characterization of Visible-Light-Activated Fe-N Co-Doped TiO 2

The Fe-N co-doped TiO2 nanocomposites were synthesized by a sol-gel method and characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Then the photocatalytic inactivation of Fe-N-doped TiO2 on leukemia tumors was investigated by using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Additionally, the ultrastructural morphology and apoptotic percentage of treated cells were also studied. The experimental results showed that the growth of leukemic HL60 cells was significantly inhibited in groups treated with TiO2 nanoparticles and the photocatalytic activity of Fe-N-TiO2 was significantly higher than that of Fe-TiO2 and N-TiO2, indicating that the photocatalytic efficiency could be effectively enhanced by the modification of Fe-N. Furthermore, when 2 wt% Fe-N-TiO2 nanocomposites at a final concentration of 200 μg/mL were used, the inactivation efficiency of 78.5% was achieved after 30-minute light therapy

Enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of programmed death ligand 1 antibody for metastasized liver cancer by overcoming hepatic immunotolerance in mice

Background and aimsImmunotherapy with programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade has shown low response rates in liver cancer patients, with the underlying mechanisms unclear. To decipher a specific impact of the liver microenvironment, we compared the effects of anti-PD-L1 antibody (αPD-L1) blockade on the same tumor grown s.c. or in the liver.Approach and resultsWe generated s.c. tumors in mice by inoculating MC38 colorectal cancer (CRC) cells under the skin and metastatic liver tumors by portal vein or splenic injection of CRC cells. Tumor-bearing mice were treated by i.p. injection of αPD-L1, polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly[I:C]), or both. αPD-L1 monotherapy significantly suppressed s.c. tumor growth, but showed no effect on metastatic liver tumors. However, the combination of αPD-L1 with poly(I:C), an innate immunity-stimulating reagent, robustly inhibited tumor progression in liver. The combination therapy effectively down-regulated myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), but up-regulated ratios of M1/M2 macrophages, CD8/CD4, and CD8/regulatory T (Treg) cells infiltrated into liver tumors and whole liver. A group of long-lasting T-bet+ Eomes- PD-1- cytotoxic T cells was maintained in the combo-treated liver, leading to resistance to tumor recurrence. Depleting macrophages or blocking type Ⅰ interferon signaling abrogated the synergistic antitumor effect of αPD-L1 and poly(I:C), indicating a requirement of boosting innate immunity for optimized activation of cytotoxic T cells by PD-1/PD-L1 blockade.ConclusionsThe poor response of liver cancers to αPD-L1 therapy is largely attributable to a unique hepatic immunotolerant microenvironment, independent of tumor origins or types. The success of a combinatorial immunotherapy relies on coordinated inhibition or activation of various innate and adaptive immune cell activities

Evidence for association between Disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene polymorphisms and autism in Chinese Han population: a family-based association study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia 1 (<it>DISC1</it>) gene is one of the most promising candidate genes for major mental disorders. In a previous study, a Finnish group demonstrated that <it>DISC1 </it>polymorphisms were associated with autism and Asperger syndrome. However, the results were not replicated in Korean population. To determine whether <it>DISC1 </it>is associated with autism in Chinese Han population, we performed a family-based association study between <it>DISC1 </it>polymorphisms and autism.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We genotyped seven tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in <it>DISC1</it>, spanning 338 kb, in 367 autism trios (singleton and their biological parents) including 1,101 individuals. Single SNP association and haplotype association analysis were performed using the family-based association test (FBAT) and Haploview software.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found three SNPs showed significant associations with autism (rs4366301: G > C, Z = 2.872, <it>p </it>= 0.004; rs11585959: T > C, Z = 2.199, <it>p </it>= 0.028; rs6668845: A > G, Z = 2.326, <it>p </it>= 0.02). After the Bonferroni correction, SNP rs4366301, which located in the first intron of <it>DISC1</it>, remained significant. When haplotype were constructed with two-markers, three haplotypes displayed significant association with autism. These results were still significant after using the permutation method to obtain empirical <it>p </it>values.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study provided evidence that the <it>DISC1 </it>may be the susceptibility gene of autism. It suggested <it>DISC1 </it>might play a role in the pathogenesis of autism.</p

Paleomagnetic Study of Mesozoic Continental Sediments Along the Northern Tien Shan (China) and Heterogeneous Strain in Central Asia

A paleomagnetic study of rocks from the northern foot of the Tien Shan and the southern border of the Dzungar Basin, east of Urumqi (44.2°N, 86.0°E), spanning ages from middle Jurassic to early Tertiary was carried out to constrain the tectonic evolution in central Asia since Mesozoic time. Five middle Jurassic sites reveal a remagnetized direction close to the present Earth field in geographic coordinates: D = 6.6°, I = 72.6° (α_(95) = 7.4°). Thirteen out of 17 upper Jurassic and lower Cretaceous sites yield a characteristic direction (stratigraphic coordinates) of D = 12.7°, I = 48.6° (α_(95) = 5.5°). Nine of 16 upper Cretaceous and lower Tertiary sites provide a characteristic direction of D = 12.5°, I = 51.3° (α_(95) = 6.9°). The latter two directions pass fold and reversal tests. The pole positions are close to each other and to the Besse and Courtillot [1989, 1990] Eurasian apparent polar wander path, for ages ranging from 130 to 70 Ma. However, the difference in paleolatitudes amounts to about 5.9° ± 3.7°, which could indicate significant continental shortening in the Altai Mountains and perhaps further north, subsequent to India-Asia collision. The pole positions from the Dzungar Basin are close to those found for the Tarim [Li et al., 1988a], leading to an insignificant paleolatitude difference (3.0° ± 6.9°), but showing a larger difference in declination (8.6° ± 8.7°). These paleomagnetic results are compatible with a model of heterogeneous deformation in the western part of the collision zone between India and Siberia. A significant shortening in the Altai, a slight counterclockwise rotation of the Dzungar block, the westward-increasing shortening in the Tien Shan with attendant clockwise rotation of the Tarim block are all consistent with this model, in which Tibet, the Tien Shan and the Altai undergo differential strain along strike in a relay fashion, with the total India-Siberia convergence remaining approximately constant

Changes of cardiac function: cardiac adaptation in patients with hypothyroidism assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance-a meta-analysis

ObjectiveThe meta-analysis aimed to explore the cardiac adaptation in hypothyroidism patients by cardiac magnetic resonance.Research methods and proceduresDatabases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, and Sinomed for clinical studies of hypothyroidism on cardiac function changes. Databases were searched from the earliest data to 15 June 2023. Two authors retrieved studies and evaluated their quality. Review Manager 5.4.1 and Stata18 were used to analyze the data. This study is registered with the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (INPLASY), 202440114.ResultsSix studies were selected for further analysis. Five of them reported differences in cardiac function measures between patients with hypothyroidism and healthy controls, and three studies reported cardiac function parameters after treatment in patients with hypothyroidism. The fixed-effect model combined WMD values for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) had a pooled effect size of -1.98 (95% CI -3.50 to -0.44], P=0.01), implying that LVEF was lower in patients with hypothyroidism than in healthy people. Analysis of heterogeneity found moderate heterogeneity (P = 0.08, I² = 50%). WMD values for stroke volume (SV), cardiac index (CI), left ventricular end-diastolic volume index(LVEDVI), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LESVI), and left ventricular mass index(LVMI) were also analyzed, and pooled effect sizes showed the CI and LVEDVI of patients with hypothyroidism ware significantly decrease (WMD=-0.47, 95% CI [-0.93 to -0.00], P=0.05, WMD=-7.99, 95%CI [-14.01 to -1.96], P=0.009, respectively). Patients with hypothyroidism tended to recover cardiac function after treatment [LVEF (WMD = 6.37, 95%CI [2.05, 10.69], P=0.004), SV (WMD = 7.67, 95%CI [1.61, 13.74], P=0.01), CI (WMD = 0.40, 95%CI [0.01, 0.79], P=0.05)], and there was no difference from the healthy controls.ConclusionHypothyroidism could affect cardiac function, although this does not cause significant heart failure. It may be an adaptation of the heart to the hypothyroid state. There was a risk that this adaptation may turn into myocardial damage. Cardiac function could be restored after treatment in patients with hypothyroidism. Aggressive levothyroxine replacement therapy should be used to reverse cardiac function.Systematic review registrationhttps://inplasy.com, identifier (INPLASY202440114)