p21WAF1/CIP1 gene transcriptional activation exerts cell growth inhibition and enhances chemosensitivity to cisplatin in lung carcinoma cell

BACKGROUND: Non-small-cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs) exhibit poor prognosis and are usually resistant to conventional chemotherapy. Absence of p21WAF1/CIP1, a cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) inhibitor, has been linked to drug resistance in many in vitro cellular models. RNA activation (RNAa) is a transcriptional activation phenomena guided by double-strand RNA (dsRNA) targeting promoter region of target gene. METHODS: In this study, we explored the effect of up-regulation of p21 gene expression on drug-resistance in A549 non-small-cell lung carcinoma cells by transfecting the dsRNA targeting the promoter region of p21 into A549 cells. RESULTS: Enhanced p21 expression was observed in A549 cells after transfection of dsRNA, which was correlated with a significant growth inhibition and enhancement of chemosensitivity to cisplatin in A549 cells in vitro. Moreover, in vivo experiment showed that saRNA targeting the promoter region of p21 could significantly inhibit A549 xenograft tumor growth. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that p21 plays a role in lung cancer drug-resistance process. In addition, this study also provides evidence for the usage of saRNA as a therapeutic option for up-regulating lower-expression genes in lung cancer

OsbZIP18, a Positive Regulator of Serotonin Biosynthesis, Negatively Controls the UV-B Tolerance in Rice

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) plays an important role in many developmental processes and biotic/abiotic stress responses in plants. Although serotonin biosynthetic pathways in plants have been uncovered, knowledge of the mechanisms of serotonin accumulation is still limited, and no regulators have been identified to date. Here, we identified the basic leucine zipper transcription factor OsbZIP18 as a positive regulator of serotonin biosynthesis in rice. Overexpression of OsbZIP18 strongly induced the levels of serotonin and its early precursors (tryptophan and tryptamine), resulting in stunted growth and dark-brown phenotypes. A function analysis showed that OsbZIP18 activated serotonin biosynthesis genes (including tryptophan decarboxylase 1 (OsTDC1), tryptophan decarboxylase 3 (OsTDC3), and tryptamine 5-hydroxylase (OsT5H)) by directly binding to the ACE-containing or G-box cis-elements in their promoters. Furthermore, we demonstrated that OsbZIP18 is induced by UV-B stress, and experiments using UV-B radiation showed that transgenic plants overexpressing OsbZIP18 exhibited UV-B stress-sensitive phenotypes. Besides, exogenous serotonin significantly exacerbates UV-B stress of OsbZIP18_OE plants, suggesting that the excessive accumulation of serotonin may be responsible for the sensitivity of OsbZIP18_OE plants to UV-B stress. Overall, we identified a positive regulator of serotonin biosynthesis and demonstrated that UV-B-stress induced serotonin accumulation, partly in an OsbZIP18-dependent manner

China’s Industrial Total-Factor Energy Productivity Growth at Sub-Industry Level: A Two-Step Stochastic Metafrontier Malmquist Index Approach

Under the concept of metafrontier, technology gap ratio is alternatively interpreted as potential energy efficiency. Combined with Malmquist index framework and Shephard energy distance function, we then develop a metafrontier Malmquist energy productivity index to analyze the total-factor energy productivity growth with four specific components: groupfrontier efficiency change index, groupfrontier technological change index, efficiency catch-up index and technological catch-up index. Methodologically, a newly developed two-step stochastic metafrontier analysis is applied to address the potentially biased estimation problems in the previous mixed approach. This analytical framework is used to evaluate the energy productivity growth of China’s 35 sub-industries in industrial sector from 2001 to 2015. The main empirical results show that: (1) In terms of cumulative metafrontier Malmquist energy productivity growth, China’s overall industry has witnessed a 25% growth and a U-shaped growing trend bottoming out in 2006; meanwhile, 19 sub-industries have suffered an energy productivity loss and the remaining 16 sub-industries have experienced an energy productivity gain. (2) From the technology heterogeneity perspective, light industry outperforms heavy industry in metafrontier Malmquist energy productivity growth, while the intra-group and inter-group energy productivity develops roughly in balance for overall industry. (3) The change of metafrontier Malmquist energy productivity is mainly driven by technological change components rather than efficiency change components. On average, groupfrontier technological change makes the biggest contribution to energy productivity growth, followed by technological catch-up, then efficiency catch-up, and groupfrontier efficiency change is last. (4) The metafrontier Malmquist energy productivity growth has shown a significant convergence in heavy industry and light industry, as well as overall industry

A new fossil eomeropid (Insecta, Mecoptera) from the Jiulongshan Formation, Inner Mongolia, China

A new genus and species of eomeropid, Jurathauma simplex n. gen., n. sp., is described from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. It can be distinguished from all known eomeropid genera by a combination of these characters: two rows of cells formed by crossveins between costal margin and ScP; RP + MA with five branches; MP with five branches; and three anal veins. The presence of this new species and Tsuchingothauma shihi Ren & Shih, 2005 of the same family in this locality suggests the early diversification of eomeropids with cockroach-like body during the Middle Jurassic.Fil: Zhang, Junxia. Capital Normal University; ChinaFil: Shih, Chungkun. Capital Normal University; ChinaFil: Petrulevicius, Julian Fernando. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleozoología Invertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Ren, Dong. Capital Normal University; Chin

A Dissipative Particle Dynamics Study of Flow Behaviors in Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene/Polyamide 6 Blends Based on Souza-Martins Method

This paper presents our study on the use of dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations to discover the flow behavior in ultra high molecular weight polyethylene/polyamide 6 (UHMWPE/PA6) blends associated with extensional-shear coupled flow, based on the Souza-Martins method, for the first time. By way of simulations, we aimed at investigating the mesoscopic morphology and alignment behavior in response to extensional-shear coupled flow, in comparison with simple shear flow and simple extensional flow. Our results reveal that the aggregation of polymers is noticeable under zero flow, as expected. Within the considered range of extensional-shear coupled rates, the morphology transforms from micelle-like clusters to a chain-like network structure by increasing coupled rates from 0.01 to 2.0. Furthermore, it shows a linear distribution along the flow direction at a high coupled rate. It can be concluded that the flow behaviors in UHMWPE/PA6 blends are significantly impacted by extensional-shear coupled rates. The orientation behavior induced by extensional-shear coupled flow is more obvious than shear flow, even though flow variations and mass fractions yield less effects on the distribution behaviors of UHMWPE/PA6 blends. The DPD results are verified by mean square displacement (MSD) as a function of simulation time and relative concentration distribution along Z direction

Predicting the potential distribution of the parasitic Cuscuta chinensis under global warming

Abstract Background The climate is the dominant factor that affects the distribution of plants. Cuscuta chinensis is a stem holoparasitic plant without leaves or roots, which develops a haustorium and sucks nutrients from host plants. The potential distribution of the parasitic plant C. chinensis has not been predicted to date. This study used Maxent modeling to predict the potential global distribution of C. chinensis, based on the following six main bioclimatic variables: annual mean temperature, isothermality, temperature seasonality, precipitation seasonality, precipitation of the warmest quarter, and precipitation of the coldest quarter. Results The optimal annual average temperature and isothermality of C. chinensis ranged from 4 to 37 °C and less than 45, respectively, while the optimal temperature seasonality and precipitation seasonality ranged from 4000 to 25,000 and from 50 to 130, respectively. The optimal precipitation of the warmest season ranged from 300 to 1000 mm and from 2500 to 3500 mm, while that of the coldest season was less than 2000 mm. In Asia, C. chinensis is mainly distributed at latitudes ranging from 20° N to 50° N. During three specific historical periods (last glacial maximum, mid-Holocene, and 1960–1990) the habitats suitable for C. chinensis were concentrated in the central, northern, southern, and eastern parts of China. From the last glacial maximum to the mid-Holocene, the total area with suitability of 0.5–1 increased by 0.0875 million km2; however, from the mid-Holocene to 1960–1990, the total area with suitability of 0.5–1 decreased by 0.0759 million km2. The simulation results of habitat suitability in the two representative concentration pathways (RCP) 2.6 (i.e., the low greenhouse gas emissions pathway) and 8.5 (i.e., the high greenhouse gas emissions pathway) indicate that the habitat suitability of C. chinensis decreased in response to the warming climate. Compared with RCP2.6, areas with averaged suitability and high suitability for survival (RCP8.5) decreased by 0.18 million km2. Conclusion Suitable habitats of C. chinensis are situated in central, northern, southern, and eastern China. The habitat suitability of C. chinensis decreased in response to the warming climate. These results provide a reference for the management and control of C. chinensis

Channa argus BMH from Baima Hu Lake: sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial genome

Northern snakehead, Channa argus, is a commercially important food fish species in China. In the present study, the complete mitochondrial genome of C.argus from the Baima Hu Lake was characterized. It is 16,558 bp in length, consist of 22 tRNA genes, 13 PCD genes, 2 rRNA genes, and 1 D-loop region. The overall base composition of the C. argus mitogenome is 27.26% A, 24.21% T, 31.58% C and 16.95% G, exhibits a similar AT bias (51.47%) feature to other vertebrate mitogenomes. The phylogenetic analysis showed that C. argus clustered in genus Channa. The present resultes provide useful information to population genetics and conservation biology studies of Channa fishes

Effect of Fasted Live-Weight Gain during the Cashmere Non-Growing Period on Cashmere Production Performance and Secondary Hair Follicle Activity of Cashmere Goats

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period on cashmere production performance and secondary hair follicle activity, to provide a theoretical basis for appropriate supplementary feeding of cashmere goats. Fifty Inner Mongolian cashmere goats aged 2–4 years old were randomly selected and weighed in May and September 2019, respectively. Based on fasted live-weight gain between the two weights, the experimental ewe goats were divided into two groups: 0–5.0 kg group (n = 30) and 5.0–10.0 kg group (n = 20). Skin samples and cashmere samples were collected. Results of a Pearson correlation analysis showed that fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period had a moderate and strong positive correlation with cashmere yield (p = 0.021) and cashmere staple length (p = 0.002), respectively, but did not correlate with cashmere diameter (p = 0.254). Compared with cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 0–5.0 kg, cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 5.0–10.0 kg had a 17.10% increase in cashmere yield (p = 0.037) and an 8.09% increase in cashmere staple length (p = 0.045), but had no significant difference in cashmere diameter (p = 0.324). Results of a Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a strong positive correlation between fasted live-weight gain and the population of active secondary hair follicles in the skin of cashmere goats (p p < 0.05). In conclusion, the fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period had a significant effect on secondary hair follicle activity and cashmere production performance in cashmere goats. Since fasted live-weight gain reflects nutritional level to a certain extent, this study suggests that nutritional manipulations such as supplementary feeding during cashmere non-growing periods can increase cashmere production performance. However, specific nutritional manipulations during the cashmere non-growing period need further research to increase cashmere production performance

Orientation and Dispersion Evolution of Carbon Nanotubes in Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Composites under Extensional-Shear Coupled Flow: A Dissipative Particle Dynamics Study

The property of carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-based composites are significantly dependent on the orientation and dispersion evolution of CNTs in the polymer matrix. In this work, the dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations are employed to discover the orientation and dispersion evolution of CNTs in ultra&ndash;high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) under extensional&ndash;shear coupled flow conditions for the first time. In this paper, we investigate the roles of the increasing extensional-shear coupled rate in morphology of CNTs/UHMWPE composites by varying CNTs concentration and observe that the system under consideration lies in the same evolution morphologies. When comparing our results for various morphologies, we notice that the orientation is affected more significantly by changing the extensional-shear coupled rates. A good alignment appears with an increase of extensional-shear coupled rates, which transform it into ordered morphology. In addition, a higher extensional-shear coupled rate does not necessarily contribute to better dispersion even though CNTs concentration varies, as shown by the mean square displacement (MSD) and the relative concentration distribution functions of CNTs in CNTs/UHMWPE composites

A double‐mode planar argon plume produced by varying the distance from an atmospheric pressure plasma jet

Abstract Atmospheric pressure planar plumes are desirable for the applications of low temperature plasmas, such as rapid modification of large‐scale surfaces. Up to now, only single‐mode planar plumes with either a streamer mode or a filamentary mode have been reported in the literature. Distinctive from the single‐mode planar plumes, a double‐mode argon planar plume has been generated in this article, which operates in the streamer mode with a larger distance away from a plasma jet and transits to the filamentary mode with decreasing the distance. Discharge characteristics and plasma parameters are compared for the two modes. Results indicate that the streamer mode and the filamentary mode correspond to pulsed and humped discharges respectively. Fast photography reveals that the streamer‐mode plume is composed of stochastically branching streamers, while the filamentary‐mode plume results from a series of moving filaments similar to those in barrier discharge. In contrast to the streamer mode, the filamentary mode has lower excited electron temperature and vibrational temperature, whereas higher electron density and gas temperature. In addition, better hydrophilicity of polyethylene terephthalate surface is achieved in the filamentary mode