Inhibition of chemical dose in biological phosphorus and nitrogen removal in simultaneous chemical precipitation for phosphorus removal

A study on the influence of chemical dosing on biological phosphorus and nitrogen removal was carried out through batch experimental tests by lab-scale and a full-scale wastewater treatment plant (employing a typical anaerobic-anoxic-oxic treatment). Results indicated that the inhibition of aluminum salt on biological phosphorus release and uptake processes is significant, as well as the inhibition of aluminum salt on Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB) is dominantly observed in the nitrification process and is recoverability. The inhibition of iron salt in biological phosphorus and nitrogen removal is weak, and only the inhibition of iron salt on phosphorus release at anaerobic periods emerge under large dosing. Evidence shows persistent inhibition from the accumulation of chemical doses in sludge mass. Intermittent chemical dosing proves recommendable for simultaneous chemical phosphorus removal.     

Rapamycin attenuates the paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis through activating Nrf2 pathway

Oxidative stress is a key regulator of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Paraquat (PQ)-induced pulmonary fibrosis seriously endangers people's health. Rapamycin has been reported to alleviate PQ-induced pulmonary fibrosis, but its underlying mechanism is unclear. The nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays an important regulatory role in the antioxidant therapy of PQ-induced pulmonary fibrosis. In this study, we tried to confirm that rapamycin attenuates PQ-induced pulmonary fibrosis by regulating Nrf2 pathway. In vivo, we proved that rapamycin could inhibit the degree of PQ-induced oxidant stress as well as enhanced the expression of Nrf2. In vitro, rapamycin decreased the upregulated effects of cell death and apoptosis, fibrosis-related factors expression and fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transformation by PQ treatment. In vivo, rapamycin treatment reduced fibrosis degree and the expression of fibrosis-related factors in lung tissues of rat treated PQ. Furthermore, we also found that Nrf2 knockdown reduced the inhibitory effect of rapamycin on PQ-induced pulmonary fibrosis, as well as decreased Nrf2 transfer from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. Our findings demonstrated that the protective effect of rapamycin is associated with the activation of the Nrf2 pathway in pulmonary fibrosis induced by PQ poisoning.     

Influenza A virus-induced downregulation of miR-26a contributes to reduced IFNα/β production

Innate immunity provides immediate defense against viral infection. Influenza A virus(IAV) is able to get past the first line of defense. Elucidation of the molecular interaction between influenza factors and the newly recognized host players in the innate response might help in our understanding of the root causes of virulence and pathogenicity of IAV. In this study, we show that expression of miR-26 a leads to a significant inhibition of IAV replication. miR-26 a does not directly target IAV genome. Instead, miR-26 a activates the type I interferon(IFN) signaling pathway and promotes the production of IFN-stimulated genes, thus suppressing viral replication. Furthermore,ubiquitin-specific protease 3(USP3), a negative regulator of type I IFN pathway, is targeted by miR-26 a upon IAV challenge. However, miR-26 a is significantly downregulated during IAV infection.Thus, downregulation of miR-26 a is a new strategy evolved by IAV to counteract cellular antiviral responses. Our findings indicate that delivery of miR-26 a may be a potential strategy for anti-IAV therapies.     

Determination of selected monohydroxy metabolites of 2-, 3- and 4-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine by solid-phase microextraction and isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Eighteen monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites (OH-PAHs) representing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) containing up to four rings in human urine have been measured. The method includes the addition of carbon-13 labeled internal standards, enzymatic hydrolysis, and solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry. By using response factors calculated with the carbon-13 labeled standards, results are presented for calibration, relative standard deviations and analyte levels from an unspiked human urine pool. The method detection limits ranged from 0.78 ng/l for hydroxyphenanthrenes to 15.8 ng/l for 1-hydroxynaphthalene, and the recoveries ranged between 6% for hydroxychrysene and 47% for 1-hydroxypyrene. The relative standard deviation was lowest for 3-hydroxyphenanthrene at 2.4% and went up to 18.7% for 6-hydroxychrysene. The method was calibrated from 10 to 1200 ng/l. Eleven of the 18 metabolites were found in background pooled urine samples. This validated method is a convenient and reliable tool for determining urinary OH-PAHs as biomarkers of exposure to eight PAHs.     

Oncogene addiction: pathways of therapeutic response,resistance, and road maps toward a cure

A key goal of cancer therapeutics is to selectively target the genetic lesions that initiate and maintain cancer cell proliferation and survival. While most cancers harbor multiple oncogenic mutations, a wealth of preclinical and clinical data supports that many cancers are sensitive to inhibition of single oncogenes, a concept referred to as ‘oncogene addiction’. Herein, we describe the clinical evidence supporting oncogene addiction and discuss common mechanistic themes emerging from the response and acquired resistance to oncogene‐targeted therapies. Finally, we suggest several opportunities toward exploiting oncogene addiction to achieve curative cancer therapies.     

Cellular microRNAs contribute to HIV-1 latency in resting primary CD4+ T lymphocytes

The latency of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in resting primary CD4+ T cells is the major barrier for the eradication of the virus in patients on suppressive highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Even with optimal HAART treatment, replication-competent HIV-1 still exists in resting primary CD4+ T cells. Multiple restriction factors that act upon various steps of the viral life cycle could contribute to viral latency. Here we show that cellular microRNAs (miRNAs) potently inhibit HIV-1 production in resting primary CD4+ T cells. We have found that the 3' ends of HIV-1 messenger RNAs are targeted by a cluster of cellular miRNAs including miR-28, miR-125b, miR-150, miR-223 and miR-382, which are enriched in resting CD4+ T cells as compared to activated CD4+ T cells. Specific inhibitors of these miRNAs substantially counteracted their effects on the target mRNAs, measured either as HIV-1 protein translation in resting CD4+ T cells transfected with HIV-1 infectious clones, or as HIV-1 virus production from resting CD4+ T cells isolated from HIV-1-infected individuals on suppressive HAART. Our data indicate that cellular miRNAs are pivotal in HIV-1 latency and suggest that manipulation of cellular miRNAs could be a novel approach for purging the HIV-1 reservoir.     

Inhibition of P53/miR‐34a improves diabetic endothelial dysfunction via activation of SIRT1

Endothelial dysfunction contributes to diabetic macrovascular complications, resulting in high mortality. Recent findings demonstrate a pathogenic role of P53 in endothelial dysfunction, encouraging the investigation of the effect of P53 inhibition on diabetic endothelial dysfunction. Thus, high glucose (HG)‐treated endothelial cells (ECs) were subjected to pifithrin‐α (PFT‐α)—a specific inhibitor of P53, or P53‐small interfering RNA (siRNA), both of which attenuated the HG‐induced endothelial inflammation and oxidative stress. Moreover, inhibition of P53 by PFT‐α or P53‐siRNA prohibited P53 acetylation, decreased microRNA‐34a (miR‐34a) level, leading to a dramatic increase in sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) protein level. Interestingly, the miR‐34a inhibitor (miR‐34a‐I) and PFT‐α increased SIRT1 protein level and alleviated the HG‐induced endothelial inflammation and oxidative stress to a similar extent; however, these effects of PFT‐α were completely abrogated by the miR‐34a mimic. In addition, SIRT1 inhibition by EX‐527 or Sirt1‐siRNA completely abolished miR‐34a‐I's protection against HG‐induced endothelial inflammation and oxidative stress. Furthermore, in the aortas of streptozotocin‐induced diabetic mice, both PFT‐α and miR‐34a‐I rescued the inflammation, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction caused by hyperglycaemia. Hence, the present study has uncovered a P53/miR‐34a/SIRT1 pathway that leads to endothelial dysfunction, suggesting that P53/miR‐34a inhibition could be a viable strategy in the management of diabetic macrovascular diseases.     

聚乙烯亚胺包裹小环DNA形成的纳米颗粒传输外源基因的性质表征

聚乙烯亚胺(PEI)是一种具有良好生物安全性和生物相容性的非病毒载体,能高效转染肿瘤细胞。小环DNA是一种去除质粒细菌骨架,只含有目的基因表达框的环状DNA分子。与普通质粒相比,小环DNA具有表达效率高、持续时间长的优势。使用PEI包裹携带报告基因gfp和抑癌基因pten小环DNA载体,并利用各种技术手段分析了该传输系统的理化性质和生物学效应。凝胶阻滞实验、电镜实验及MTT实验分析结果表明利用PEI包裹小环DNA和质粒DNA体系性质无显著的差别,并且2种复合物对细胞毒性亦无明显差别;但是动态光散射实验结果显示由于PEI可以包裹更多数量的小环DNA,所以PEI包裹小环DNA形成的复合物粒径要略大于包裹质粒DNA形成的复合物粒径。荧光显微镜实验、real-time PCR分析和Western blotting分析结果表明,PEI包裹小环DNA形成的复合物对细胞的转染效率要远远高于PEI包裹质粒DNA所形成的复合物,并且小环所携带的外源基因的表达效率要远远高于质粒DNA所携带的外源基因的表达效率。实验结果表明,PEI包裹小环DNA形成的纳米颗粒在细胞转染过程中具有很高的表达效率,这一研究结果为PEI包裹小环DNA的非病毒载体系统在传输外源基因过程中的应用提供理论基础和技术支持。