Mechanical Design with Experimental Verification of a Lightweight Exoskeleton Chair

In this study,a human-chair model was developed as the basis for a wearable-chair design.Aprototype chair,HUST-EC,based on the model was fabricated and evaluate...     

Intracellular phosphorus metabolism of Microcystis aeruginosa under various redox potential in darkness

Phosphorus metabolism of Microcystis aeruginosa was studied under gradient redox potential from 252 mV to –70 mV in darkness. The release of phosphorus occurred in all the treatments, and this process was accelerated in darkness when the redox potential was lowered. Low redox potential in darkness stimulated the accumulation of polyphosphate (PolyP) and the degradation of polyglucose. The synthesis of PolyP delayed the decrease of intracellular orthophosphate. The death of M. aeruginosa was slowered when the redox potential was low in darkness. The accumulation of PolyP under low redox potential in the dark was very important to M. aeruginosa for endurance through the unfavorable growth conditions for maintaining phosphorus concentration, energy storage, and other physiological functions. The ability to accumulate PolyP in the dark and negative redox potential may be of considerable advantage in the low-light, organically rich, and low-redox habitats.     

Survival mechanisms for Streptomyces linear replicons after telomere damage

The ability of linear replicons to propagate their DNA after telomere damage is essential for perpetuation of the genetic information they carry. We introduced deletions at specific locations within telomeres of streptomycete linear plasmids and investigated mechanisms that enable survival. Here, we report that rescue of such plasmids in Streptomyces lividans occurs by three distinct types of events: (i) repair of the damaged telomere by homologous recombination; (ii) circularization of the plasmid by non-homologous end-to-end joining; and (iii) formation of long palindromic linear plasmids that duplicate the intact telomere by a non-recombinational process. The relative frequency of use of these survival mechanisms depended on the location and length of the telomeric DNA deletion. Repair by intermolecular recombination between the telomeres of chromosomes and plasmids, deletion of additional DNA during plasmid circularization, and insertion of chromosomal DNA fragments into plasmids during end-to-end joining were observed. Our results show that damage to telomeres of Streptomyces linear replicons can promote major structural transformations in these replicons as well as genetic exchange between chromosomes and extrachromosomal DNA. Our findings also suggest that spontaneous circularization of linear Streptomyces chromosomes may be a biological response to instances of telomere damage that cannot be repaired by homologous recombination.     

Impact of nutrient loading on phytoplankton: a mesocosm experiment in the eutrophic Lake Taihu,China

Hydrobiologia - An increased nutrient loading drives eutrophication of lake ecosystems. Nutrient loading has two different origins: (1) internal loading due to nutrients release from sediments and...     

Effects of aluminum on nucleoli in root tip cells and selected physiological and biochemical characters in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allium cepa</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">agrogarum</Emphasis>L

Background  

Increased Al concentration causes reduction of mitotic activity, induction of nucleolar alteration, increase of the production of ROS and alteration of several antioxidant enzyme activities in plant cells. Allium cepa is an excellent plant and a useful biomarker for environmental monitoring. Limited information is available about the effects of Al on nucleoli, antioxidant enzyme system, contents of MDA and soluble protein in A. cepa. Therefore, we carried out the investigation in order to better understand the effects of Al on the growth, nucleoli in root tip cells and selected physiological and biochemical characters.     

Synergistic effect of indomethacin and NGX6 on proliferation and invasion by human colorectal cancer cells through modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

This study was designed to investigate whether indomethacin and NGX6 synergistically inhibit the growth and invasiveness of human colon cancer cells (HT-29 and SW620) and to elucidate the molecular mechanism of their action. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was assessed by acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining (AO–EB) and annexin-V-FITC/PI assay. Invasive behaviors of colorectal cancer cells were examined by cell adhesion, migration, and invasion assays. Gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) was assessed by the scrape-loading/dye transfer technique. The subcellular localization and expression of β-catenin protein was examined by immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis, respectively. Indomethacin and NGX6 had a synergistic effect on inhibiting proliferation and invasiveness of colon cancer HT-29 and SW620 cells, restoring GJIC of HT-29 and SW620, and suppressing translocation of β-catenin from the nucleus and cytoplasm to the plasma membrane. However, they did not have synergistic effects on enhancing apoptosis and suppressing extracellular matrix adhesion of HT-29 and SW620 cells. Indomethacin and NGX6 inhibit the proliferation and invasiveness of HT-29 and SW620 colon cancer cells by attenuating the WNT/ß-catenin signaling pathway.     

Antiosteoporotic activity of phenolic compounds from Curculigo orchioides

Six phenolic compounds isolated from Curculigo orchioides, including 2,6-dimethoxy benzoic acid (1), curculigoside A (2), curculigoside B (3), curculigine A (4), curculigine D (5) and 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethoxy-7,9′:7′,9-diepoxylignan-4,4′-di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (6), together with the ethanol extract of Curculigo orchioides were evaluated for their activity on osteoblasts in neonatal rat calvaria cultures and multinucleated osteoclasts derived from rat marrow cells so as to characterize the antiosteoporotic components of this plant and explore the relationship of chemical structure with antiosteoporotic activity. The proliferation of osteoblast was assayed by MTT methods. The activity of ALP (alkaline phosphatase) and TRAP (tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase) was measured by p-nitrophenyl sodium phosphate assay. The TRAP stain was used to identify osteoclast in morphology. The resorption pit area on the bone slices formed by osteoclast was measured by computer image processing. The ethanol extract exhibited stimulatory effect on both the osteoblast proliferation and the ALP activity. Six compounds all increased the osteoblast proliferation, and compounds (1), (2) and (4) also slightly increased the osteoblastic ALP activity. Compounds (1), (2), (3), (6) and the ethanol extract decreased area of bone resorption pit, osteoclastic formation and TRAP activity. These results indicated that phenolic compounds are antiosteoporotic chemical constituents from Curculigo orchioides, and their activities are related with chemical structures.     

Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles impede the progression of cervical cancer via the miR-144-3p/CEP55 pathway

Cervical cancer is the most common gynaecological malignancy, with a high incidence rate and mortality rate in middle-aged women. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) have been implicated in the initiation and subsequent development of cancer, along with the involvement of extracellular vesicles (EVs) mediating intracellular communication by delivering microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs). This study is aimed at investigating the physiological mechanisms by which EVs-encapsulated miR-144-3p derived from hBMSCs might mediate the progression of cervical cancer. The expression profiles of centrosomal protein, 55 Kd (CEP55) and miR-144-3p in cervical cancer cell lines and tissues, were quantified by RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis. The binding affinity between miR-144-3p and CEP55 was identified using in silico analysis and luciferase activity determination. Cervical cancer cells were co-cultured with EVs derived from hBMSCs that were treated with either miR-144-3p mimic or miR-144-3p inhibitor. Cervical cancer cell proliferation, invasion, migration and apoptosis were detected in vitro. The effects of hBMSCs-miR-144-3p on tumour growth were also investigated in vivo. miR-144-3p was down-regulated, whereas CEP55 was up-regulated in cervical cancer cell lines and tissues. CEP55 was targeted by miR-144-3p, which suppressed cervical cancer cell proliferation, invasion and migration and promoted apoptosis via CEP55. Furthermore, similar results were obtained by hBMSCs-derived EVs carrying miR-144-3p. In vivo assays confirmed the tumour-suppressive effects of miR-144-3p in hBMSCs-derived EVs on cervical cancer. Collectively, hBMSCs-derived EVs-loaded miR-144-3p impedes the development and progression of cervical cancer through target inhibition of CEP55, therefore providing us with a potential therapeutic target for treating cervical cancer.