Sodium fluoride induces apoptosis and autophagy via the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - Fluorosis and bone pathologies can be caused by chronic and/or excessive fluoride intake. Despite this, few studies have been conducted on the cellular...     

九华山土壤跳虫的生态分布

在九华山4种生境中共获土壤跳虫5904个,分隶10科52属,等跳科有14属,数量占各科总数72.09%,其中以符跳属个体数占绝对优势,不同群落组成成分及各项指标差异显著,混交林土层中种、数量丰富,若以土层和Aoo层总和计算,则有高海拔生境各落比低海拔多的趋势,灌丛草甸土壤跳虫群落的H和E值高而且季节变化不大,秋冬季节各群落种、数都有增加,而以山上两个群落Aoo层增加更多,表聚现象十分突出。     

Boosting Superior Lithium Storage Performance of Alloy‐Based Anode Materials via Ultraconformal Sb Coating–Derived Favorable Solid‐Electrolyte Interphase

Alloy materials such as Si and Ge are attractive as high‐capacity anodes for rechargeable batteries, but such anodes undergo severe capacity degradation during discharge–charge processes. Compared to the over‐emphasized efforts on the electrode structure design to mitigate the volume changes, understanding and engineering of the solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) are significantly lacking. This work demonstrates that modifying the surface of alloy‐based anode materials by building an ultraconformal layer of Sb can significantly enhance their structural and interfacial stability during cycling. Combined experimental and theoretical studies consistently reveal that the ultraconformal Sb layer is dynamically converted to Li₃Sb during cycling, which can selectively adsorb and catalytically decompose electrolyte additives to form a robust, thin, and dense LiF‐dominated SEI, and simultaneously restrain the decomposition of electrolyte solvents. Hence, the Sb‐coated porous Ge electrode delivers much higher initial Coulombic efficiency of 85% and higher reversible capacity of 1046 mAh g^?1 after 200 cycles at 500 mA g^?1, compared to only 72% and 170 mAh g^?1 for bare porous Ge. The present finding has indicated that tailoring surface structures of electrode materials is an appealing approach to construct a robust SEI and achieve long‐term cycling stability for alloy‐based anode materials.     

Distinct Expression Levels and Patterns of Stem Cell Marker,Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Isoform 1 (ALDH1), in Human Epithelial Cancers

Aldehyde dehydrogenase isoform 1 (ALDH1) has been proved useful for the identification of cancer stem cells. However, our knowledge of the expression and activity of ALDH1 in common epithelial cancers and their corresponding normal tissues is still largely absent. Therefore, we characterized ALDH1 expression in 24 types of normal tissues and a large collection of epithelial tumor specimens (six cancer types, n = 792) by immunohistochemical staining. Using the ALDEFUOR assay, ALDH1 activity was also examined in 16 primary tumor specimens and 43 established epithelial cancer cell lines. In addition, an ovarian cancer transgenic mouse model and 7 murine ovarian cancer cell lines were analyzed. We found that the expression levels and patterns of ALDH1 in epithelial cancers are remarkably distinct, and they correlate with their corresponding normal tissues. ALDH1 protein expression levels are positively correlated with ALDH1 enzymatic activity measured by ALDEFLUOR assay. Long-term in vitro culture doesn''t significantly affect ALDH1 activity in epithelial tumor cells. Consistent with research on other cancers, we found that high ALDH1 expression is significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes in serous ovarian cancer patients (n = 439, p = 0.0036). Finally, ALDH^br tumor cells exhibit cancer stem cell properties and are resistant to chemotherapy. As a novel cancer stem cell marker, ALDH1 can be used for tumors whose corresponding normal tissues express ALDH1 in relatively restricted or limited levels such as breast, lung, ovarian or colon cancer.     

试析中国长江中游地区大型尖状类石器遗存的区域传统

大型尖状类石器在长江中游地区相邻或相近的汉水上游、丹江口库区、三峡地区和澧阳平原等不同区域保存有不同的技术传统。汉中盆地的大型尖状类石器多选自河滩砾石为毛坯直接加工。丹江口库区无论是调查数据还是发掘数据其比例均高于汉中盆地,现有发掘材料来看其大型尖状类石器有稳定的传统,即选自砾石直接单面或两面加工而成,但调查的材料显示存在另外一种传统,即选取砾石生产长度大于10cm的大石片,以大石片为毛坯加工大型尖状类石器。三峡地区古人类在更新世期间似乎不存在有生产大型尖状类石器的传统,为数不多的手镐与当地的砾石砍砸器和石片砍砸器应当为"同质异型"类器物。澧阳平原及周边丘陵区内发现的大型尖状类石器相比于汉中盆地和丹江口库区,发现数量最多,技术传统也最为复杂,至少包括三种不同的技术。大型尖状类石器在不同区域显示不同的技术传统,暗示从中更新世开始长江中游地区可能在一定程度上形成了并不简单的文化关系。     

Augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) gene therapy attenuates CCl₄-induced liver injury and fibrosis in rats

Liver fibrosis represents a process of healing and scarring in response to chronic liver injury. Augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) has been shown to protect hepatocytes from various toxins. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ALR gene therapy on liver injury and fibrosis induced by CCl(4) in rats and further explore the underlying mechanisms. Human ALR expression plasmid was delivered via the tail vein. ALR gene therapy might protect the liver from CCl(4)-induced injury and fibrogenesis by attenuating the mitochondrial dysfunction, suppressing oxidative stress, and inhibiting activation of HSCs. This report demonstrated that ALR gene therapy protected against the ATP loss, increased the activity of ATPase, decreased intrahepatic reactive oxygen species level, and down-regulated transforming growth factor-β1, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, and α-smooth muscle actin expression. Following gene transfer liver function tests were significantly improved. In brief, ALR gene therapy might be an effective therapeutic reagent for liver fibrosis with potential clinical applications.     

Association of genetic variants in enamel-formation genes with dental caries: A meta- and gene-cluster analysis

Previous studies have reported the association between multiple genetic variants in the enamel-formation genes and the risk of dental caries with inconsistent results. We performed a systematic literature search of the PubMed, Cochrane Library, HuGE and Google Scholar databases for studies published before March 21, 2020 and conducted meta-, gene-based and gene-cluster analysis on the association between genetic variants in the enamel-formation genes and the risk of dental caries. We identified 21 relevant publications including a total of 24 studies for analysis. The genetic variant rs17878486 in AMELX was significantly associated with dental caries risk (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.02–1.93, P = 0.037). We found no significant association between the risk of dental caries with rs12640848 in ENAM (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 0.88–1.52, P = 0.310), rs1784418 in MMP20 (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.76–1.49, P = 0.702) and rs3796704 in ENAM (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.96–1.17, P = 0.228). Gene-based analysis indicated that multiple genetic variants in AMELX showed joint association with the risk of dental caries (6 variants; P < 10⁻⁵), so did genetic variants in MMP13 (3 variants; P = 0.004), MMP2 (3 variants; P < 10⁻⁵), MMP20 (2 variants; P < 10⁻⁵) and MMP3 (2 variants; P < 10⁻⁵). The gene-cluster analysis indicated a significant association between the genetic variants in this enamel-formation gene cluster and the risk of dental caries (P < 10⁻⁵). The present meta-analysis revealed that genetic variant rs17878486 in AMELX was associated with dental caries, and multiple genetic variants in the enamel-formation genes jointly contributed to the risk of dental caries, supporting the role of genetic variants in the enamel-formation genes in the etiology of dental caries.     

LASP1 promotes proliferation,metastasis, invasion in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and through direct interaction with HSPA1A

LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) is a specific focal adhesion protein that promotes metastasis in a variety of tumours. However, its role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not been fully validated. The purpose of this study was to analyse the interaction of LASP1 and its binding partner in HNSCC. The expression of LASP1 and HSPA1A in HNSCC was analysed by real‐time PCR and Western blot. The effects of LASP1 on the biology behaviour of HNSCC cell lines were observed in vivo and in vitro. Co‐immunoprecipitation analysis was performed to confirm the interaction between LASP1 and HSPA1A. LASP1 was highly expressed in HNSCC and associated with poor prognosis for patients. LASP1 also promoted cell proliferation, colony formation, invasion and cell cycle G2/M phase transition. Heat shock protein family A member 1A (HSPA1A) is identified as a chaperone protein of LASP1 and co‐localized in the cytoplasm. HSPA1A positively regulates the interaction of LASP1 with P‐AKT and enhances the malignant behaviour of HNSCC cells. LASP1 and HSPA1A are both up‐regulated in HNSCC, and directly binds to each other. Double inhibition of LASP1 and HSPA1A expression may be an effective method for the treatment of HNSCC.