Preparation, Characterization and Preservation of Composite Membranes of Polyvinyl Alcohol-Enoki Mushroom Aqueous Extract Based on Principal Component Analysis

To develop a new type of food packaging film and improve the level of resource utilization of enoki mushroom, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was used as the film-forming substrate, and the composite film of PVA-enoki mushroom aqueous extract was prepared by blending with enoki mushroom aqueous extract. The physical properties of the composite film, such as tensile strength, elongation at break, water resistance, thickness, opacity and water vapor transmission rate were taken as parameters to study the effects of PVA addition, 2-acetyltriethyl citrate (ATEC) addition, enoki mushroom aqueous extract addition, drying time and drying temperature on the physical properties of the composite film. Principal component analysis was used to comprehensive evaluation of composite film performance. The multiple regression equation model was established for the preparation of PVA-enoki mushroom aqueous extract composite film by response surface analysis, and the conditions for the preparation of the composite film were optimized. The effects of composite film on freshness indexes such as browning degree, weight loss, vitamin C and malondialdehyde of strawberries during storage (6 d) at 20 ℃ were also investigated. The results showed that 4.0 g of PVA, 4.0 g of ATEC, 3.9 g of aqueous extract of enoki mushroom, 62 ℃ drying temperature and 3.5 h drying time were the optimal conditions for composite film preparation. The tensile strength of the composite film was 31.76±0.50 N/cm2, elongation at break was 97.99%±0.25%, water vapor transmission rate was 1.44×10−9±1.53×10−11 g·mm/m2·h·kPa, water resistance was 549.14±0.94 s/mm, film thickness was 0.062±0.002 mm, opacity was 20.97±0.39, and a combined physical property score of 102.25±0.16, with a relative error of 0.57% from the model prediction. Infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses showed that the composite film was structurally intact, and the aqueous extract of enoki mushroom was compatible with the matrix and bound by hydrogen bonding. According to the indicators including the browning degree, weight loss, vitamin C, and malondialdehyde, the prepared composite film showed a better preservation effect during strawberry storage

L-arginine combination with 5-fluorouracil inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma cells through suppressing iNOS/NO/AKT-mediated glycolysis

L-arginine can produce nitric oxide (NO) under the action of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), while 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) can induce the increase of iNOS expression. The present study was to investigate the mechanism of L-arginine combined with 5-FU regulating glucose metabolism of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through iNOS/NO/AKT pathway. The combination of L-arginine and 5-FU resulted in decreased cell survival and exhibited synergistic cytotoxic effects in HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells. Meanwhile, L-arginine increased 5-FU inhibitory effect on HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells by increasing NO production. Co-treatment with L-arginine and 5-FU resulted in a significant decrease in both G6PDH and LDH enzymatic activities, as well as reduced levels of ATP and LD compared to treatment with L-arginine or 5-FU alone. Moreover, the combination of L-arginine and 5-FU resulted in a decrease in the expression of GLUT1, PKM2, LDHA, p-PI3K and p-AKT. Furthermore, the combination demonstrated a synergistic effect in downregulating the expression of HIF-1α and β-catenin, which were further diminished upon the addition of shikonin, a specific inhibitor of PKM2. LY294002 treatment further reduced the expression of GLUT1, PKM2, and LDHA proteins induced by combined L-arginine and 5-FU treatment compared to the combined group. However, the reduction in p-PI3K, p-AKT, and GLUT1 expression caused by L-arginine and 5-FU combination was also reversed in HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells with iNOS knockdown, respectively. Additionally, the combination of L-arginine and 5-FU led to a greater reduction in the enzymatic activity of ALT, AST, G6PDH and LDH, as well as a significant reduction in hepatic index, AFP, AFP-L3, ATP and LD levels in a rat model of HCC. Moreover, the simultaneous administration of L-arginine and 5-FU significantly improved the gross morphology of the liver, reduced nuclear atypia, inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells, and decreased the expression levels of p-PI3K, p-AKT, GLUT1, PKM2, and LDHA, while iNOS expression was increased in the combination group. Taking together, L-arginine and 5-FU combination resulted in the inhibition of enzymes in aerobic glycolysis via the iNOS/NO/AKT pathway, which led to the suppression of glucose metabolism and downregulation of nuclear transcription factors, thereby impeding the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Adjuvant Chemotherapy Versus Adjuvant Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy After Radical Surgery for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer: A Randomized, Non-Inferiority, Multicenter Trial

We conducted a prospective study to assess the non-inferiority of adjuvant chemotherapy alone versus adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) as an alternative strategy for patients with early-stage (FIGO 2009 stage IB-IIA) cervical cancer having risk factors after surgery. The condition was assessed in terms of prognosis, adverse effects, and quality of life. This randomized trial involved nine centers across China. Eligible patients were randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy or CCRT after surgery. The primary end-point was progression-free survival (PFS). From December 2012 to December 2014, 337 patients were subjected to randomization. Final analysis included 329 patients, including 165 in the adjuvant chemotherapy group and 164 in the adjuvant CCRT group. The median follow-up was 72.1 months. The three-year PFS rates were both 91.9%, and the five-year OS was 90.6% versus 90.0% in adjuvant chemotherapy and CCRT groups, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the PFS or OS between groups. The adjusted HR for PFS was 0.854 (95% confidence interval 0.415-1.757; P = 0.667) favoring adjuvant chemotherapy, excluding the predefined non-inferiority boundary of 1.9. The chemotherapy group showed a tendency toward good quality of life. In comparison with post-operative adjuvant CCRT, adjuvant chemotherapy treatment showed non-inferior efficacy in patients with early-stage cervical cancer having pathological risk factors. Adjuvant chemotherapy alone is a favorable alternative post-operative treatment

Study on microbial cemented backfill mining technology

The microbial induced carbonate precipitation(MICP) technology is proposed in the field of backfill mining to tackle high emission and high energy consumption in the current backfill system.Specifically, mechanical properties of microbial cemented backfill materials are investigated, and a proposal of microbial cemented backfill mining technology is presented in this paper.Results show that the strength of mixed and grouted microbial cemented backfill first increases and then decreases with the increase of cementation solution concentration and bacterial solution dosage.The average strength is 0.88 MPa and 17.95 MPa respectively.The effective CaCO3 crystal in the microbial backfill material is the key to its consolidation.The CaCO3 crystal of the mixing sample exists in the form of calcite and vaterite, and mainly calcite in the grouted sample.Microbial cemented backfill mining technology has significant environmental benefits such as energy conservation and emission reduction.There is happy prospect for this technology under current environmental needs and policies

Dual‐mode smart flipping materials and devices for thermal management

Abstract Thermal management is of great significance for human activities. Attaining thermal comfort not only requires thermal control of building's macroenvironment, but also additionally personal thermal regulation. Radiative cooling technologies are anticipated to effectively lower building energy utilization and provide optimal thermal comfort for individuals in hot weather. Nevertheless, these static and single‐purpose characteristics lack the ability to adjust to rapidly changing weather conditions, often leading to excessive cooling. To overcome this challenge, the emergence of dual‐mode smart flipping technologies has provided a pathway for dynamically adjusting the heating or cooling of objects in response to fluctuations in ambient temperature. First, the underlying principles of dual‐mode smart flipping are shown. Then the evolving materials and approaches of smart flipping are given an introduction to adapt to different environments under external stimuli, such as mechanical flipping, temperature, humidity, and so forth. Afterward, we present the recent applications of dual‐mode smart flipping materials and devices in personal thermal management, thermoelectric generation, energy‐saving buildings, and smart windows. Finally, the challenges and outlook of dual‐mode smart flipping are presented and future directions are identified

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of <i>Caffeic Acid O-Methyltransferase</i> Gene Family in Soybean

Soybean is one of the most important legumes, providing high-quality protein for humans. The caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene has previously been demonstrated to be a critical gene that regulates lignin production in plant cell walls and plays an important function in plant growth and development. However, the COMT gene family has not been studied in soybeans. In this study, 55 COMT family genes in soybean were identified by phylogenetic analysis and divided into two groups, I and II. The analysis of conserved domains showed that all GmCOMTs genes contained Methyltransferase-2 domains. Further prediction of cis-acting elements showed that GmCOMTs genes were associated with growth, light, stress, and hormonal responses. Eventually, based on the genomic data of soybean under different stresses, the results showed that the expression of GmCOMTs genes was different under different stresses, such as salt and drought stress. This study has identified and characterized the COMT gene family in soybean, which provides an important theoretical basis for further research on the biological functions of COMT genes and promotes revealing the role of GmCOMTs genes under stress resistance

Effects of Anterior Capsulotomy on Decision Making in Patients with Refractory Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder

Despite various lines of evidence implicating impaired decision-making ability in individuals with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), neuropsychological investigation has generated inconsistent findings. Although the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuitry has been suggested, the involvement of the cortex has not yet been fully demonstrated. Moreover, it is unknown whether surgical intervention on the CSTC circuitry results in a predicted improvement of decision-making ability of OCD. Here we present a study of decision making based on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) to investigate decision making in a large sample of individuals with treatment-resistant OCD with and without anterior capsulotomy (AC). Task performance was evaluated in healthy subjects, individuals with OCD that had not undergone surgery, and postsurgical OCD patients with AC. The latter group was further divided into a short-term postsurgical group and a long-term postsurgical group. We found that the OCD patients without surgery performed significantly worse than the healthy controls on the IGT. There were no significant differences in decision-making between the presurgical OCD patients and those at the short-term postsurgical follow-up. Decision-making ability of the long-term postsurgical OCD patients was improved to the level comparable to that of healthy controls. All clinical symptoms (OCD, depression, and anxiety) assessed by psychiatric rating scales were significantly alleviated post-surgically, but exhibited no correlation with their IGT task performance. Our findings provide strong evidence that OCD is linked to impairments in decision-making ability; that impaired CSTC circuitry function is directly involved in the manifestation of OCD; and that AC related improvements in cognitive functions are caused by long-term plasticity in the brain circuitry

ATF3 induction prevents precocious activation of skeletal muscle stem cell by regulating H2B expression

Abstract Skeletal muscle stem cells (also called satellite cells, SCs) are important for maintaining muscle tissue homeostasis and damage-induced regeneration. However, it remains poorly understood how SCs enter cell cycle to become activated upon injury. Here we report that AP-1 family member ATF3 (Activating Transcription Factor 3) prevents SC premature activation. Atf3 is rapidly and transiently induced in SCs upon activation. Short-term deletion of Atf3 in SCs accelerates acute injury-induced regeneration, however, its long-term deletion exhausts the SC pool and thus impairs muscle regeneration. The Atf3 loss also provokes SC activation during voluntary exercise and enhances the activation during endurance exercise. Mechanistically, ATF3 directly activates the transcription of Histone 2B genes, whose reduction accelerates nucleosome displacement and gene transcription required for SC activation. Finally, the ATF3-dependent H2B expression also prevents genome instability and replicative senescence in SCs. Therefore, this study has revealed a previously unknown mechanism for preserving the SC population by actively suppressing precocious activation, in which ATF3 is a key regulator

Adjuvant Chemotherapy, a Valuable Alternative Option in Selected Patients with Cervical Cancer

<div><p>Radiotherapy is the standard treatment for cervical cancer, but causes radiotherapy-induced complications. Recently, chemotherapy has been more extensively utilized. Here, we perform a large-scale comparison of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. From 2002 to 2008, 2,268 patients were grouped according to adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy before and/or after surgery, and we compared the 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates, recurrence rates, side effects, quality of life (QoL), and sexual activity. There were no significant differences between the treatment groups for the 5-year OS and DFS rates (OS: <i>p = </i>0.053, DFS: <i>p</i> = 0.095), although marginally improved outcomes were observed in the chemotherapy group (OS: 86.5% vs. 82.8%; DFS: 84.5% vs. 81.4%). However, patients with early-stage disease, clinical response, and younger age had increased 5-year OS and DFS rates following chemotherapy compared to radiotherapy (<i>p</i><0.05). The chemotherapy group exhibited significantly lower 5-year recurrence and distant failure rates compared to the radiotherapy group (<i>p</i><0.001 and <i>p</i> = 0.007, respectively). Nausea and vomiting were the most frequent short-term complications of chemotherapy, whereas bowel and urinary complications were more frequent in the radiotherapy group. Compared to the chemotherapy group, patients who received radiotherapy reported a lower QoL, less frequent sexual activity, and more severe menopausal symptoms (<i>p</i><0.05). Cervical cancer patients treated with chemotherapy, especially those with early-stage disease, clinical responses, and younger ages, have more positive outcomes, fewer complications, better QoL and sexual activity, suggesting that chemotherapy may be a valuable alternative option for selected patients.</p></div