[Characteristics, Ecological Risk Assessment, and Source Apportionment of Soil Heavy Metals in the Yellow River Floodplain of Yinchuan City].

In order to study the status and sources of heavy metal pollution in Yinchuan Yellow River floodplain soils, we used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine the presence of eight heavy metals in 92 soil samples from the Yinchuan Yellow River floodplain and used enrichment factors, geological accumulation index, and potential ecological risk index to analyze and evaluate the characteristics of heavy metal pollution in the study area. Combined correlation analysis, absolute factor analysis-multiple linear regression model (APCS-MLR), positive matrix factorization (PMF), and geostatistics were used to analyze the sources of soil heavy metals. The results showed that the content of eight heavy metals in the surface soil of the Yellow River floodplain in Yinchuan City were lower than the screening value of soil pollution risk in agricultural land; Cu and Pb contents were lower than the background value of Yinchuan City soil, and the contents of the remaining six elements were higher than the background value.

Clinical factors affecting the long-term survival of breast cancer patients.

Objective: The average 5-year survival rate of breast cancer (BC) patients has been significantly prolonged with new therapeutic methods. However, their effects on BC patient long-term survival rates are unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the specific clinical factors that can affect BC long-term survival.

miR-381-3p suppresses breast cancer progression by inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that miRNAs are involved in multiple cellular functions and participate in various cancer development and progression, including breast cancer.

Methods: We aimed to investigate the role of miR-381-3p in breast cancer. The expression level of miR-381-3p and EMT transcription factors was examined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).

MicroRNA‑454‑5p promotes breast cancer progression by inducing epithelial‑mesenchymal transition via targeting the FoxJ2/E‑cadherin axis.

MicroRNAs are important for the regulation of multiple cellular functions and are involved in the initiation and progression of various types of cancer, including breast cancer. Although microRNA (miR)‑454‑3p is reported to function as an oncogene in several types of human cancer, the role of miR‑454‑5p in breast cancer remains unknown. The present study demonstrated that miR‑454‑5p was upregulated in breast cancer and was associated with a poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer.

Activation of CD137 Signaling Enhances Vascular Calcification through c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase-Dependent Disruption of Autophagic Flux.

Background: Vascular calcification is widespread and clinically significant, contributing to substantial morbidity and mortality. Calcifying vascular cells are partly derived from local vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which can undergo chondrogenic or osteogenic differentiation under inflammatory environment. Recently, we have found activation of CD137 signaling accelerated vascular calcification.

Analysis of risk factors and establishment of a risk prediction model for cardiothoracic surgical intensive care unit readmission after heart valve surgery in China: A single-center study.

Background: Valvular heart disease is one of the most frequent and challenging heart diseases worldwide. The incidence of complications and cardiothoracic surgical intensive care unit (CSICU) readmission after cardiac valve surgery is high. Because CSICU readmission is costly and adversely impacts the quality life, reducing the risk of CSICU readmission has become one of the main focuses of health care.

Amelioration of Inflammatory Cytokines Mix Stimulation: A Pretreatment of CD137 Signaling Study on VSMC.

Previous studies showed little CD137 expressed in normal vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and it is important to find a valid way to elevate it before studying its function. The level of CD137 was detected by RT-PCR, western blot, and flow cytometry, respectively. CD137 signaling activation was activated by agonist antibody and measured through phenotype transformation indicators and cell functions.

[Degradation of the Nitrogenous Heterocyclic Compound Quinoline by O/UV].

The influences of various factors including initial concentration of quionline solution, static duration after reaction, initial pH, HCOon the degradation of quinoline by O/UV were analyzed in this study. In addition, the degradation mechanism and pathways were also analyzed. The results showed that reaction rate constants and removal rate of quinoline decreased with the increase of the initial concentration of quinoline.

A new cooperative approach for ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients to receive timely and effective percutaneous coronary reperfusion in China.

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the most serious type of coronary heart disease. However, less than 30% of these patients have been treated effectively in China. Delayed treatment is a leading cause.

Influence of microstructural features on thermal expansion coefficient in graphene/epoxy composites.

In this paper, theoretical calculations were conducted to determine the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) based on the effective medium approach using Green's function method. The influences of microstructural features were investigated, including volume fraction, aspect ratio, and the orientation of graphene fillers. Calculated results demonstrated strong anisotropy of CTE when all graphene sheets in the composite were aligned in the in-plane direction due to the large difference between the elastic moduli of the graphene and epoxy.

Genome-wide analysis of phylogeny, expression profile and sub-cellular localization of SKP1-Like genes in wild tomato.

SKP1 is a core component of SCF complex, a major type of E3 ubiquitin ligase catalyzing the last step in ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation pathway. In present study, SKP1 gene family in Solanum pimpinellifolium (SSK), a wild species of tomato, was investigated. A total of 19 SSK genes were identified through homologous search.

High density lipoprotein from patients with valvular heart disease uncouples endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

Normal high density lipoprotein (HDL) protects vascular function; however these protective effects of HDL may absent in valvular heart disease (VHD). Because vascular function plays an important role in maintaining the circulation post-cardiac surgery and some patients are difficult to stabilize, we hypothesized that a deleterious vascular effect of HDL may contribute to vascular dysfunction in VHD patients following surgery. HDL was isolated from age-match 28 healthy subjects and 84 patients with VHD and during cardiac surgery.

Aerobic degradation of trichloroethylene by co-metabolism using phenol and gasoline as growth substrates.

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a common groundwater contaminant of toxic and carcinogenic concern. Aerobic co-metabolic processes are the predominant pathways for TCE complete degradation. In this study, Pseudomonas fluorescens was studied as the active microorganism to degrade TCE under aerobic condition by co-metabolic degradation using phenol and gasoline as growth substrates.

Effects of OX40-OX40L interaction on the nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 in ApoE-deficient mice.

We previously reported the emerging role of OX40-OX40L interaction in inflammation and atherosclerosis. However, the mechanism by which OX40-OX40L interaction contributes to pathogenesis is poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of OX40-OX40L interaction on the nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1) in ApoE(-/-) mice.

[Clinicopathologic features and expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor in adrenocortical tumors].

Objective: To study the clinicopathologic features and expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in adrenocortical tumors.

Methods: Forty-two cases of adrenocortical tumors operated at the Beijing Union Medical College Hospital during the period from July, 2001 to July, 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Immunohistochemical study for EGFR and VEGF was carried out.

[Bioremediation of PAHs contaminated soil from Beijing coking plant by Lasiodiplodia theobromae].

Bioremediation of PAHs contaminated soil from Beijing Coking Plant was performed using a novel fungal strain Lasiodiplodia theobromae (L. theobromae). Moreover, enhanced bioremediation of PAHs contaminated soil was investigated in the presence of different concentrations of Tween 80 and hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPCD).

[Effects of indocyanine green on near-infrared optical properties and optical coherence tomographic image of cerebral blood vessel in vivo in rats].

The scope of this research lies in the effects of indocyanine green (ICG) on the near-infrared optical properties and optical coherence tomographic image of cerebral blood vessel in vivo in rats. The skulls of SD rats were opened under nembutal anesthesia to expose and mark the middle cerebral artery. The reflectance spectra of middle cerebral artery were monitored by Vis/ NIR spectrometer and the optical attenuation coefficients of middle cerebral artery were detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT) when indocyanine green was administrated intravenously through tail veins.

2-(4-Fluoro-phen-yl)quinoxaline.

In the title compound, C(14)H(9)FN(2), the dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the quinoxaline ring system is 22.2 (3)°. Any aromatic π-π stacking in the crystal must be very weak, with a minimum centroid-centroid separation of 3.

Methyl 4-(5-meth-oxy-1H-indol-3-yl)benzoate.

In the title compound, C(17)H(15)NO(3), the dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the indole ring system is 22.5 (3)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯π and C-H⋯O inter-actions.

[Isolation of highly-effective benzo[a]pyrene degrading strain and its degradation capacity].

One new mycete, which could degrade high concentration (up to 100 mg/L) of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in liquid, was isolated from contaminated soil of Beijing Coking Plant by gradually increasing the concentration of BaP in mineral salt medium (MSM) in order to get new microorganism species for remediation of BaP contamination. The strain was identified as Lasiodiplodia theobromae, and its biodegradation ability in liquid was further investigated. The results showed that L.

Differentially expressed profiles in the larval testes of Wolbachia infected and uninfected Drosophila.

Background: Wolbachia are endosymbiotic bacteria that are frequently found in arthropods and nematodes. These maternally inherited bacteria manipulate host reproduction by several mechanisms including cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). CI is the most common phenotype induced by Wolbachia and results in the developmental arrest of embryos derived from crosses between Wolbachia-infected males and uninfected females.

[Effect of the costimulatory molecules OX40-OX40 ligand interaction on the expression of NFATc1 in leukocytes of apolipoprotein E-deficient mice].

Objective: To investigate the effect of OX40/OX40L interaction on the nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1) in ApoE-/- mice.

Methods: Lymphocytes were prepared from mouse spleens after Collar-treated Surgery, then incubated with a range of agonistic anti-OX40 mAbs and inhibitory anti-OX40L mAb to stimulate or inhibit OX40-OX40L interaction in vitro. The expression of NFATc1 mRNA and protein in lymphocytes of ApoE-/- mice was measured by Real Time PCR and flow cytometry, respectively.

Upregulation of OX40-OX40 ligand system on T lymphocytes in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Objective: To investigate whether upregulation of OX40-OX40 ligand (OX40L) system is related to stability of coronary atherosclerotic plaque in patients with coronary heart diseases.

Methods: Thirty normal controls and 250 patients, including 80 with stable angina (SA), 110 with unstable angina (UA), and 60 with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), were enrolled in our study. The expression of OX40 and OX40L in peripheral CD4 T lymphocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry.