Ligustrazine Inhibits the Migration and Invasion of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Ligustrazine is a Chinese herb (Chuanxiong) approved for use as a medical drug in China. Recent evidence suggests that ligustrazine has promising antitumor properties. Our preliminary results showed that ligustrazine could inhibit the growth of human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines. However, the complicated molecular mechanism has not been fully revealed. Therefore, the purpose of this study to investigate the mechanism of ligustrazine resistance in human RCC cells. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and colony-formation ability of RCC cells A498 were detected by MTT assay, clonal formation rates, and transwell chamber assay in vitro. The expression of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)–related proteins were analyzed using western blot test. The effect of ligustrazine on the growth of A498 cells in nude mice was investigated in vivo. Our results showed that ligustrazine could significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of A498 both in vivo and vitro. Western blot analysis showed that the expressions of EMT-related, N-cadherin, snail, and slug proteins were significantly decreased in A498 in the ligustrazine treatment group. This study indicated that ligustrazine could significantly inhibit the malignant biological behaviors of RCC cell lines, possibly by inhibiting the EMT process

Ligustrazine Inhibits the Migration and Invasion of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Ligustrazine is a Chinese herb (Chuanxiong) approved for use as a medical drug in China. Recent evidence suggests that ligustrazine has promising antitumor properties. Our preliminary results showed that ligustrazine could inhibit the growth of human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines. However, the complicated molecular mechanism has not been fully revealed. Therefore, the purpose of this study to investigate the mechanism of ligustrazine resistance in human RCC cells. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and colony-formation ability of RCC cells A498 were detected by MTT assay, clonal formation rates, and transwell chamber assay in vitro. The expression of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)–related proteins were analyzed using western blot test. The effect of ligustrazine on the growth of A498 cells in nude mice was investigated in vivo. Our results showed that ligustrazine could significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of A498 both in vivo and vitro. Western blot analysis showed that the expressions of EMT-related, N-cadherin, snail, and slug proteins were significantly decreased in A498 in the ligustrazine treatment group. This study indicated that ligustrazine could significantly inhibit the malignant biological behaviors of RCC cell lines, possibly by inhibiting the EMT process

Comprehensive analysis of the prognostic and immunological signature of TNFAIP8 family genes in human glioma

Abstract TNFAIP8 family molecules have been recognized for their involvement in the progression of tumors across a range of cancer types. Emerging experimental data suggests a role for certain TNFAIP8 family molecules in the development of glioma. Nonetheless, the comprehensive understanding of the genomic alterations, prognostic significance, and immunological profiles of TNFAIP8 family molecules in glioma remains incomplete. In the study, using the comprehensive bioinformatics tools, we explored the unique functions of 4 TNFAIP8 members including TNFAIP8, TNFAIP8L1, TNFAIP8L2 and TNFAIP8L3 in glioma. The expressions of TNFAIP8, TNFAIP8L1, TNFAIP8L2, and TNFAIP8L3 were notably upregulated in glioma tissues compared to normal tissues. Furthermore, survival analysis indicated that elevated expression levels of TNFAIP8, TNFAIP8L1 and TNFAIP8L2 were correlated with unfavorable outcomes in terms of overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and progression-free interval (PFI) among glioma patients. Genetic modifications, such as mutations and copy number alterations, within the TNFAIP8 family exhibited a significant association with extended OS, DSS and PFS in individuals diagnosed with glioma. The findings suggest a noteworthy correlation between TNFAIP8 family members and the age and 1p/19q codeletion status of glioma patients. We also found that there were significant relationships between TNFAIP8 family expression and tumor immunity in glioma. Furthermore, functional annotation of TNFAIP8 family members and their co-expressed genes in gliomas was carried out using GO and KEGG pathway analysis. The GO analysis revealed that the primary biological processes influenced by the TNFAIP8 family co-expressed genes included cell chemotaxis, temperature homeostasis, and endocytic vesicle formation. Additionally, the KEGG analysis demonstrated that TNFAIP8 family co-expressed genes are involved in regulating various pathways such as inflammatory mediator regulation of TRP channels, pathways in cancer, prolactin signaling pathway, and Fc gamma R-mediated phagocytosis. Overall, the findings suggest that TNFAIP8 family members may play a significant role in the development of glioma and have the potential to serve as prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets for individuals with glioma

The Taihang Mountain Region of North China is Experiencing A Significant Warming Trend

The Earth’s climate has warmed by approximately 0.6 °C over the last century, but temperature change in the Taihang Mountain region—an important transition zone in North China which functions as an ecological barrier for Beijing, Tianjin, and other big cities—is still unknown. In this study, we analyze the spatial and temporal trends in the average annual and seasonal surface air temperature in the Taihang Mountain region from 1968 to 2017. The effect of elevation, longitude, latitude, percent forestland, percent farmland, and gross domestic product (GDP) on temperature was also determined. Our results show that the Taihang Mountain has warmed by 0.3 °C/decade over the past five decades. Partitioned seasonally, average warming was 0.38, 0.14, 0.21, and 0.47 °C/decade in spring, summer, fall, and winter, respectively. Elevation and latitude were significantly negatively correlated with temperature but had no correlation with the temporal warming trend (i.e., the Z value from a Mann–Kendall test). The Z value was significantly negatively correlated with percent forestland and positively correlated with GDP, indicating that economic development has induced warming, but afforestation may reduce the rate of warming increase. Together, our results provide important insights into the rates and drivers of climate change within mountainous regions

The Taihang Mountain Region of North China is Experiencing A Significant Warming Trend

The Earth’s climate has warmed by approximately 0.6 °C over the last century, but temperature change in the Taihang Mountain region—an important transition zone in North China which functions as an ecological barrier for Beijing, Tianjin, and other big cities—is still unknown. In this study, we analyze the spatial and temporal trends in the average annual and seasonal surface air temperature in the Taihang Mountain region from 1968 to 2017. The effect of elevation, longitude, latitude, percent forestland, percent farmland, and gross domestic product (GDP) on temperature was also determined. Our results show that the Taihang Mountain has warmed by 0.3 °C/decade over the past five decades. Partitioned seasonally, average warming was 0.38, 0.14, 0.21, and 0.47 °C/decade in spring, summer, fall, and winter, respectively. Elevation and latitude were significantly negatively correlated with temperature but had no correlation with the temporal warming trend (i.e., the Z value from a Mann–Kendall test). The Z value was significantly negatively correlated with percent forestland and positively correlated with GDP, indicating that economic development has induced warming, but afforestation may reduce the rate of warming increase. Together, our results provide important insights into the rates and drivers of climate change within mountainous regions

Design of lump coal transshipping anti-fracturing system based on PLC

For a problem that lump coal fractures easily because of large drop of transshipping point during lump coal transport in coal preparation plant, a lump coal transshipping anti-fracturing system based on PLC was proposed. Working principle of the system and a design scheme of PLC control system were introduced. The system detects coal level signals by use of ultrasonic level-meter，and uses PLC to control frequency converter to adjust speed of electric spin wheel according to the coal level signals for outputting lump coal slowly, so as to reduce lump coal fracturing

Spatial and Temporal Differences in the Green Efficiency of Water Resources in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and Their Influencing Factors

Using panel data from 11 regions (9 provinces and two cities) in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) during 2002–2017, the regional differences in and spatial characteristics of the green efficiency of water resources along the YREB were analyzed. The undesirable outputs slacks-based measure-data envelopment analysis, Malmquist index, and social network analysis models were employed. A dynamic panel using a system generalized method of moments model was established to empirically examine the main factors influencing green efficiency. The results show the following. First, temporally, green efficiency fluctuates while showing an overall decreasing trend; spatially, green efficiency generally decreases in this order: downstream, upstream, then midstream. Second, the change in the total factor productivity (TFP) index shows an overall increasing trend, with TFP improvement mainly attributable to technology. Third, green efficiency shows a significant spatial correlation. All provinces are in the spatial correlation network, and the network, as a whole, has strong stability. Finally, water resource endowment, water prices, government environmental control strength, and the water resources utilization structure have a significant impact on green efficiency

Frictional Performance and Temperature Rise of a Mining Nonasbestos Brake Material during Emergency Braking

By simulating emergency braking conditions of mine hoisters, tribological experiments of a mining nonasbestos brake material sliding on E355CC steel friction disc investigated a pad-on-disc friction tester. It is shown that, under combined influence of braking velocity and pressure, the lubricating film and micro-convex-apices on wear surface would have complex physicochemical reactions which make the instant friction coefficient rise gradually while the instant surface temperature rises first and then falls. With the antifriction effect from lubricating film and the desquamating of composite materials, the mean friction coefficient decreases first, then rises, and decreases again with the increasing of initial braking velocity. And with the existence of micro-convex-apices and variation from increment ratio of load and actual contacting area, it rises first and then falls with the increasing of braking pressure. However, the mean surface temperature rises obviously with the increasing of both initial braking velocity and braking pressure for growth of transformed kinetic energy. It is considered that the friction coefficient cannot be considered as a constant when designing brake devices for mine hoisters. And special attention should be paid to the serious influence of surface temperature on tribological performance of brake material during emergency braking