A series of NiCo2P-based electrocatalysts, which were wrapped by CeO2 whose oxygen vacancies (VO) are partially filled with phosphorus atoms (named as NiCo2P x /P x FVo-CeO2, where x refers to the ...consumption of NaH2PO2·H2O), have been fabricated to improve the electrocatalytic reactivity of NiCo2P toward hydrogen evolution in alkaline solution. In the novel catalysts, the P atoms fill the oxygen vacancies, elevate the chemical valence state of Ni2+ and Co3+, and increase the hydride acceptors, which reinforcing the promoting effect of CeO2 in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Moreover, the negatively charged P atoms capture the positively charged protons more easily, benefiting the Volmer step during HER. Furthermore, the synergistic effect between oxygen vacancies and the filled P atoms accelerates the migration rate of electrons/ions and increases the electrochemical active area. All of the above are advantageous to the hydrogen evolution of NiCo2P x /P x FVo-CeO2 in alkaline electrolyte. As a result, the overpotential as low as 33.6 mV is achieved for NiCo2P0.3/P0.3FVo-CeO2 in alkaline media to drive a current density of 10 mA cm–2. The reactivity is superior to that of Pt/C at a large current density along with a Tafel slope of 61.24 mV dec–1 and long-term durability, which giving a new technology for efficient transition-metal catalyst candidates toward HER in alkaline solution.
•Reviews the latest development of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology in HIV drug-resistance associated mutations (DRAMs) detection.•Elucidates principles underlying HTS.•Forecasts the ...potential of HTS technology in HIV prevention and clinical application.
Drug resistance via drug-resistant mutations in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) genome is the primary cause of antiviral therapy failure. Consequently, HIV drug resistance genotyping has become a critical approach in HIV prevention and control. Compared to the Sanger sequencing technology, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology has superior sensitivity and timeliness, with strong detection capabilities for low-frequency mutations. With the continued advancement of HTS technologies, their prominence in HIV drug resistance detection techniques has increased accordingly. This article will review the latest developments in HTS technology and its applications in HIV drug resistance testing.
Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill, 2n = 2× = 24, Rhamnaceae) is an economically important Chinese native species. It has high nutritional value, and its medicinal properties have led to extensive ...use in traditional oriental medicine. The characterization of genotypes using molecular markers is important for genetic studies and plant breeding. However, few simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are available for this species. In this study, 1,488 unique SSR clones were isolated from Z. jujuba 'Dongzao' using enriched genomic libraries coupled with a three-primer colony PCR screening strategy, yielding a high enrichment rate of 73.3%. Finally, 1,188 (80.87%) primer pairs were amplified successfully in the size expected for 'Dongzao'. A total of 350 primer pairs were further selected and evaluated for their ability to detect polymorphisms across a panel of six diverse cultivars; among these, 301 primer pairs detected polymorphisms, and the polymorphism information content (PIC) value across all loci ranged from 0.15 to 0.82, with an average of 0.52. An analysis of 76 major cultivars employed in Chinese jujube production using 31 primer pairs revealed comparatively high genetic diversity among these cultivars. Within-population differences among individuals accounted for 98.2% of the observed genetic variation. Neighbor-joining clustering divided the cultivars into three main groups, none of which correspond to major geographic regions, suggesting that the genetics and geographical origin of modern Chinese jujube cultivars might not be linked. The current work firstly reports the large-scale development of Chinese jujube SSR markers. The development of these markers and their polymorphic information represent a significant improvement in the available Chinese jujube genomic resources and will facilitate both genetic and breeding applications, further accelerating the development of new cultivars.
Metastasis is the main cause of tumor-associated death and mainly responsible for treatment failure of breast cancer. Autophagy accelerates tumor metastasis. In our work, we aimed to investigate the ...possibility of microRNAs (miRNAs) which participate in the regulation of autophagy to inhibit tumor metastasis.
MiRNA array and comprehensive analysis were performed to identify miRNAs which participated in the regulation of autophagy to inhibit tumor metastasis. The expression levels of miR-3653 in breast cancer tissues and cells were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In vivo and in vitro assays were conducted to determine the function of miR-3653. The target genes of miR-3653 were detected by a dual luciferase reporter activity assay and Western blot. The relationship between miR-3653 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was assessed by Western blot. Student's t-test was used to analyze the difference between any two groups, and the difference among multiple groups was analyzed with one-way analysis of variance and a Bonferroni post hoc test.
miR-3653 was downregulated in breast cancer cells with high metastatic ability, and high expression of miR-3653 blocked autophagic flux in breast cancer cells. Clinically, low expression of miR-3653 in breast cancer tissues (0.054 ± 0.013 vs. 0.131 ± 0.028, t = 2.475, P = 0.014) was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis (0.015 ± 0.004 vs. 0.078 ± 0.020, t = 2.319, P = 0.023) and poor prognosis (P < 0.001). miR-3653 ameliorated the malignant phenotypes of breast cancer cells, including proliferation, migration (MDA-MB-231: 0.353 ± 0.013 vs. 1.000 ± 0.038, t = 16.290, P < 0.001; MDA-MB-468: 0.200 ± 0.014 vs. 1.000 ± 0.043, t = 17.530, P < 0.001), invasion (MDA-MB-231: 0.723 ± 0.056 vs. 1.000 ± 0.035, t = 4.223, P = 0.013; MDA-MB-468: 0.222 ± 0.016 vs. 1.000 ± 0.019, t = 31.050, P < 0.001), and colony formation (MDA-MB-231: 0.472 ± 0.022 vs. 1.000 ± 0.022, t = 16.620, P < 0.001; MDA-MB-468: 0.650 ± 0.040 vs. 1.000 ± 0.098, t = 3.297, P = 0.030). The autophagy-associated genes autophagy-related gene 12 (ATG12) and activating molecule in beclin 1-regulated autophagy protein 1 (AMBRA1) are target genes of miR-3653. Further studies showed that miR-3653 inhibited EMT by targeting ATG12 and AMBRA1.
Our findings suggested that miR-3653 inhibits the autophagy process by targeting ATG12 and AMBRA1, thereby inhibiting EMT, and provided a new idea and target for the metastasis of breast cancer.
New synthetic procedures for the pyrrolo2,3-bindole skeleton have been developed via intramolecular annulation of indole derivatives under iodine(III). A series of indole derivatives with different ...protecting groups or substitutions were explored to facilitate the corresponding pyrrolo2,3-bindole compounds in excellent yields.
Background Hypoxia is one of most typical features in the tumor microenvironment of solid tumor and an inducer of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and HIF-1alpha functions as a key transcription ...factor regulator to promote tumor angiogenesis in the adaptive response to hypoxia. Increasing evidence has suggested that hypoxia plays an important regulatory role of ER homeostasis. We previously identified TMTC3 as an ER stress mediator under nutrient-deficiency condition in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), but the molecular mechanism in hypoxia is still unclear. Methods RNA sequencing data of TMTC3 knockdown cells and TCGA database were analyzed to determine the association of TMTC3 and hypoxia. Moreover, ChIP assay and dual-luciferase reporter assay were performed to detect the interaction of HIF-1alpha and TMTC3 promoter. In vitro and in vivo assays were used to investigate the function of TMTC3 in tumor angiogenesis. The molecular mechanism was determined using co-immunoprecipitation assays, immunofluorescence assays and western blot. The TMTC3 inhibitor was identified by high-throughput screening of FDA-approved drugs. The combination of TMTC3 inhibitor and cisplatin was conducted to confirm the efficiency in vitro and in vivo. Results The expression of TMTC3 was remarkably increased under hypoxia and regulated by HIF-1alpha. Knockdown of TMTC3 inhibited the capability of tumor angiogenesis and ROS production in ESCC. Mechanistically, TMTC3 promoted the production of GTP through interacting with IMPDH2 Bateman domain. The activity of Rho GTPase/STAT3, regulated by cellular GTP levels, decreased in TMTC3 knockdown cells, whereas reversed by IMPDH2 overexpression. Additionally, TMTC3 regulated the expression of VEGFA through Rho GTPase/STAT3 pathway. Allopurinol inhibited the expression of TMTC3 and further reduced the phosphorylation and activation of STAT3 signaling pathway in a dose-dependent manner in ESCC. Additionally, the combination of allopurinol and cisplatin significantly inhibited the cell viability in vitro and tumor growth in vivo, comparing with single drug treatment, respectively. Conclusions Collectively, our study clarified the molecular mechanism of TMTC3 in regulating tumor angiogenesis and highlighted the potential therapeutic combination of TMTC3 inhibitor and cisplatin, which proposed a promising strategy for the treatment of ESCC. Keywords: Hypoxia, Tumor angiogenesis, TMTC3, IMPDH2, Rho GTPase/STAT3
Understanding the demographic characteristics of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) infected through commercial heterosexual contact (CHC) or nonmarital noncommercial heterosexual contact (NMNCHC) ...is important for HIV/AIDS prevention and control.
Cases reported through the Chinese HIV/AIDS Case Reporting System (CRS) from 2015 to 2018 were analyzed. A descriptive and preliminary inferential analysis were performed for those demographic characteristics deemed of interest.
Overall, 523,121 identified PLWHA between 2015 and 2018 in the CRS were analyzed. The constituent ratio of heterosexual transmission increased from 66.25% in 2015 to 71.48% in 2018. The proportion of CHC heterosexual transmission decreased from 40.18% in 2015 to 37.99% in 2018, while that of NMNCHC increased from 46.33% in 2015 to 49.02% in 2018. PLWHA infected through NMNCHC were significantly younger than those who were infected through CHC (Student's t test, P < 0.0001), with an average age gap ranging from 5.63 (2015) to 7.46 (2018) years, and the average age of both groups increased annually. The frequency of newly identified PLWHA who were infected through CHC had a remarkable increase among the ages of 65 and above. Gender distribution was significantly different between CHC and NMNCHC (χ
= 8909.00(2015), 9941.90(2016), 11,004.00 (2017), 12,836.00(2018), all P < 0.0001), and the ratio of men to women in the NMCHC group was 1.50:1 (2015), 1.51:1 (2016), 1.54:1 (2017), and 1.52:1 (2018), while in the commercial heterosexual contact (CHC) group, these ratios were 11.45:1 (2015), 12.08:1 (2016), 12.53:1 (2017), and 13.28:1 (2018). Marital status was significantly different between CHC and NMNCHC (χ
= 94.67 (2015), 109.88(2016), 58.18(2017), 152.38(2018), all P < 0.0001). As the educational level improved, the proportion of NMNCHC also increased (Cochran - Armitage test, P < 0.0001).
We found that heterosexual transmission was the primary mode of HIV transmission in China from 2015 to 2018. PLWHA infected through CHC and NMNCHC had different characteristics in age, gender, marital status, and educational level. The frequency of PLWHA infected through CHC increased substantially in the age group of 65 and above. This study provides useful baseline data for future studies on the heterosexual transmission of HIV in China.
The present study was designed to assess the bioequivalence of two agomelatine formulations (25-mg tablets) in healthy Chinese male subjects. This single-dose, open-label, randomized, four-way ...replicate study with a 1-week washout period was conducted in 60 healthy Chinese male volunteers under fasting conditions. Blood samples were collected over a 12-h period after a single dose of the 25-mg agomelatine test (T) formulation or a reference (R) formulation, and the drug concentrations were assayed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using a non-compartmental model. Bioequivalence between the formulations was assessed. Tolerability and safety were monitored by physical examination, electrocardiogram (12-lead ECG), clinical laboratory tests, and adverse events (AEs). A total of 56 out of 60 subjects completed the study. No AEs were observed. The values of maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), maximum concentration (Tmax), area under curve (AUC)0–t and t1/2 were 12.032 ng/mL, 0.658 h, 12.637 ng·h/mL, and 0.813 h, respectively, for the test formulation, and 10.891 ng/mL, 0.709 h, 11.572 ng·h/mL, and 0.96 h, respectively, for the reference formulation. The intra-individual variability of Cmax and AUC0−t were 78.3 and 61.8%, respectively. The inter-individual coefficients of variance (CVs) of Cmax and AUC0−t were approximately 100%. The 90% confidence intervals for the ratio of means for the log-transformed Cmax (97.7–124.9%), AUC0−t (98.2–118%), and AUC0−∞ (97.8–117.2%) were within the guideline range of bioequivalence (80–125%). The test and reference formulations of agomelatine met the regulatory criteria for bioequivalence of the Chinese Food and Drug Administration. Significant intra-individual and inter-individual variations were found.
New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) is capable of hydrolyzing nearly all β-lactam antibiotics, posing an emerging threat to public health. There are currently less effective treatment options for ...treating NDM-1 positive “superbug”, and no promising NDM-1 inhibitors were used in clinical practice. In this study, structure–activity relationship based on thiosemicarbazone derivatives was systematically characterized and their potential activities combined with meropenem (MEM) were evaluated. Compounds 19bg and 19bh exhibited excellent activity against 10 NDM-positive isolate clinical isolates in reversing MEM resistance. Further studies demonstrated compounds 19bg and 19bh were uncompetitive NDM-1 inhibitors with Ki = 0.63 and 0.44 μmol/L, respectively. Molecular docking speculated that compounds 19bg and 19bh were most likely to bind in the allosteric pocket which would affect the catalytic effect of NDM-1 on the substrate meropenem. Toxicity evaluation experiment showed that no hemolysis activities even at concentrations of 1000 mg/mL against red blood cells. In vivo experimental results showed combination of MEM and compound 19bh was markedly effective in treating infections caused by NDM-1 positive strain and prolonging the survival time of sepsis mice. Our finding showed that compound 19bh might be a promising lead in developing new inhibitor to treat NDM-1 producing superbug.
Structure–activity relationship based on thiosemicarbazone derivatives was systematically characterized. Compound 19bh exhibited excellent activity against 10 New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) producing clinical isolates in reversing meropenem resistance in vitro. Combination of meropenem and 19bh was markedly effective in treating infections caused by NDM-1 positive strain and prolonging the survival time of sepsis mice. Display omitted
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