Semilocal modules and quasi-hereditary algebras

the Post-Doctor Foundation of China the National Education Commitee of China

Strontium chloride improves bone mass by affecting the gut microbiota in young male rats

IntroductionBone mass accumulated in early adulthood is an important determinant of bone mass throughout the lifespan, and inadequate bone deposition may lead to associated skeletal diseases. Recent studies suggest that gut bacteria may be potential factors in boosting bone mass. Strontium (Sr) as a key bioactive element has been shown to improve bone quality, but the precise way that maintains the equilibrium of the gut microbiome and bone health is still not well understood.MethodsWe explored the capacity of SrCl2 solutions of varying concentrations (0, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg BW) on bone quality in 7-week-old male Wistar rats and attempted to elucidate the mechanism through gut microbes.ResultsThe results showed that in a Wistar rat model under normal growth conditions, serum Ca levels increased after Sr-treatment and showed a dose-dependent increase with Sr concentration. Three-point mechanics and Micro-CT results showed that Sr exposure enhanced bone biomechanical properties and improved bone microarchitecture. In addition, the osteoblast gene markers BMP, BGP, RUNX2, OPG and ALP mRNA levels were significantly increased to varying degrees after Sr treatment, and the osteoclast markers RANKL and TRAP were accompanied by varying degrees of reduction. These experimental results show that Sr improves bones from multiple angles. Further investigation of the microbial population revealed that the composition of the gut microbiome was changed due to Sr, with the abundance of 6 of the bacteria showing a different dose dependence with Sr concentration than the control group. To investigate whether alterations in bacterial flora were responsible for the effects of Sr on bone remodeling, a further pearson correlation analysis was done, 4 types of bacteria (Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Alistipes and Weissella) were deduced to be the primary contributors to Sr-relieved bone loss. Of these, we focused our analysis on the most firmly associated Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014.DiscussionTo summarize, our current research explores changes in bone mass following Sr intervention in young individuals, and the connection between Sr-altered intestinal flora and potentially beneficial bacteria in the attenuation of bone loss. These discoveries underscore the importance of the “gut-bone” axis, contributing to an understanding of how Sr affects bone quality, and providing a fresh idea for bone mass accumulation in young individuals and thereby preventing disease due to acquired bone mass deficiency

Epidermal growth factor receptor in breast carcinoma: association between gene copy number and mutations

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an available target of effective anti-EGFR therapy for human breast cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of EGFR gene amplification and mutations in breast cancer and to analyze the association between the statuses of these two gene alterations.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>EGFR gene amplification and mutations were investigated in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 139 Chinese female patients with breast cancer by means of fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and fluorescently labeled real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>EGFR gene amplification was observed in 46/139 (33.1%) of cases by FISH. Based on RT-PCR, 2/139 (1.4%) samples had EGFR gene mutations. Overall, only 1 (0.7%) of the cases was identified with both whole gene amplification and mutation, and 92 (66.2%) of cases were negative for both. High gene copy numbers of EGFR had significant correlation with the occurrence of EGFR protein expressions (P = 0.002).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this study, EGFR mutations were presented in only two samples, indicating that EGFR mutations should not be employed in future trials with anti-EGFR therapies for breast cancer. However, EGFR whole gene amplification is frequently observed in patients with breast cancer. It will be of significant interest to investigate whether EGFR gene copy number is a suitable screening test for EGFR-targeted therapy for breast cancer.</p

Automatic obstacle avoidance of quadrotor UAV via CNN-based learning

In this paper, a CNN-based learning scheme is proposed to enable a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to avoid obstacles automatically in unknown and unstructured environments. In order to reduce the decision delay and to improve the robustness for the UAV, a two-stage end-to-end obstacle avoidance architecture is designed, where a forward-facing monocular camera is used only. In the first stage, a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based model is adopted as the prediction mechanism. Utilizing three effective operations, namely depthwise convolution, group convolution and channel split, the model predicts the steering angle and the collision probability simultaneously. In the second stage, the control mechanism maps the steering angle to an instruction that changes the yaw angle of the UAV. Consequently, when the UAV encounters an obstacle, it can avoid collision by steering automatically. Meanwhile, the collision probability is mapped as a forward speed to maintain the flight or stop going forward. The presented automatic obstacle avoidance scheme of quadrotor UAV is verified by several indoor/outdoor tests, where the feasibility and efficacy have been demonstrated clearly. The novelties of the method lie in its low sensor requirement, light-weight network structure, strong learning ability and environmental adaptability

Isolation of archaeal viruses with lipid membrane from Tengchong acidic hot springs

Archaeal viruses are one of the most mysterious parts of the virosphere because of their diverse morphologies and unique genome contents. The crenarchaeal viruses are commonly found in high temperature and acidic hot springs, and the number of identified crenarchaeal viruses is being rapidly increased in recent two decades. Over fifty viruses infecting the members of the order Sulfolobales have been identified, most of which are from hot springs distributed in the United States, Russia, Iceland, Japan, and Italy. To further expand the reservoir of viruses infecting strains of Sulfolobaceae, we investigated virus diversity through cultivation-dependent approaches in hot springs in Tengchong, Yunnan, China. Eight different virus-like particles were detected in enrichment cultures, among which five new archaeal viruses were isolated and characterized. We showed that these viruses can infect acidophilic hyperthermophiles belonging to three different genera of the family Sulfolobaceae, namely, Saccharolobus, Sulfolobus, and Metallosphaera. We also compared the lipid compositions of the viral and cellular membranes and found that the lipid composition of some viral envelopes was very different from that of the host membrane. Collectively, our results showed that the Tengchong hot springs harbor highly diverse viruses, providing excellent models for archaeal virus-host studies

The Protective Effects of Ciji-Hua’ai-Baosheng II Formula on Chemotherapy-Treated H22 Hepatocellular Carcinoma Mouse Model by Promoting Tumor Apoptosis

Ciji-Hua’ai-Baosheng II Formula (CHB-II-F) is a traditional Chinese medical formula that has been shown in clinical practice to relieve side effects of chemotherapy and improve quality of life for cancer patients. In order to understand the mechanism of its protective effects on chemotherapy, mice with transplanted H22 hepatocellular carcinoma were employed in this study. Ninety-two mice were injected subcutaneously with H22 HCC cell suspension into the right anterior armpit. After mice were treated with 5-fluorine pyrimidine (5-FU), they were divided into six groups as untreated group, 5-FU group, 5-FU plus Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule group and three groups of 5-FU plus different concentrations of CHB-II-F. Twenty mice were euthanized after 7 days of treatment in untreated and medium concentration of CHB-II-F groups and all other mice were euthanized after 14 days of treatment. Herbal components/metabolites were analyzed by UPLC-MS. Tumors were evaluated by weight and volume, morphology of light and electron microscope, and cell cycle. Apoptosis were examined by apoptotic proteins expression by western blot. Four major components/metabolites were identified from serum of mice treated with CHB-II-F and they are β-Sitosterol, Salvianolic acid, isobavachalcone, and bakuchiol. Treatment of CHB-II-F significantly increased body weights of mice and decreased tumor volume compared to untreated group. Moreover, CHB-II-F treatment increased tumor cells in G0-G1 transition instead of in S phase. Furthermore, CHB-II-F treatment increased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins and decreased the expression anti-apoptotic protein. Therefore, CHB-II-F could improve mice general condition and reduce tumor cell malignancy. Moreover, CHB-II-F regulates apoptosis of tumor cells, which could contribute its protective effect on chemotherapy