Metabolic reprogramming and altered bioenergetics have emerged as hallmarks of cancer and an area of active basic and translational cancer research. Drastically upregulated glucose transport and ...metabolism in most cancers regardless of the oxygen supply, a phenomenon called the Warburg effect, is a major focuses of the research. Warburg speculated that cancer cells, due to defective mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), switch to glycolysis for ATP synthesis, even in the presence of oxygen. Studies in the recent decade indicated that while glycolysis is indeed drastically upregulated in almost all cancer cells, mitochondrial respiration continues to operate normally at rates proportional to oxygen supply. There is no OXPHOS-to-glycolysis switch but rather upregulation of glycolysis. Furthermore, upregulated glycolysis appears to be for synthesis of biomass and reducing equivalents in addition to ATP production. The new finding that a significant amount of glycolytic intermediates is diverted to the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) for production of NADPH has profound implications in how cancer cells use the Warburg effect to cope with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and oxidative stress, opening the door for anticancer interventions taking advantage of this. Recent findings in the Warburg effect and its relationship with ROS and oxidative stress controls will be reviewed. Cancer treatment strategies based on these new findings will be presented and discussed.
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•ROS balancing and the Warburg effect.•ROS-involved gene regulation and the Warburg effect.•Oxygen supply, ATP synthesis, and the Warburg effect.•The Warburg effect at the tumor microenvironment scale.•The Warburg effect as a potential target for cancer treatment.
Cold‐inducible RNA binding protein (CIRP) was discovered after the cells were exposed to a moderate cold shock because its production was induced. Other cellular stresses such as ultraviolet light ...radiation and hypoxia also could increase its expression. Under stress conditions, CIRP could up regulate its own expression by self‐transcriptional activation of alternative promoters. After relocating into cytoplasm from nucleus, CIRP assists cells in adapting to novel environmental conditions via stabilizing specific mRNAs and facilitating their translation. It not only participates in anti‐apoptosis processes under mild hypothermia condition, but also protects cells from ultraviolet radiation and hypoxia induced senescence process. This article focuses on the possible mechanisms of its inducible expression, cytoprotective functions and carcinogenesis. In addition, extracellular CIRP has been shown to be a novel danger‐associated molecular patter (DAMP) member and is able to induce inflammatory response. Finally, based on the distinct roles of CIRP in intracellular and extracellular conditions, a possible model of CIRP‐mediated cell fate has been proposed.
•Residual carbon from slags cannot be commonly considered as “unburnt carbon”.•The micro-structures of residual carbon in slags were illustrated distinctly.•The carbon activity differences between ...two slags were explained clearly.•The activity of carbon from slags is quite higher than that from coal chars.•The activity of carbon with sp2 bond is superior to that with mixed sp2–sp3 bond.
The structure characteristics and gasification activity of residual carbon from entrained-flow coal gasification slag were mainly investigated using a pore structure analyzer, a scanning electron microscopy, a Raman spectroscopy and a thermo-gravimetric analyzer. Simultaneously, a kind of residual carbon from coal chars was used for a reference. Results showed that the residual carbon which was usually considered as “the unburnt carbon” in gasification slags, was potentially originated from volatile matters (especially those with macromolecular structures) of the original coal pyrolysis, partly-gasified carbons and/or unreacted pyrolytic carbons. Compared to the residual carbon in coal chars, that in gasification slags had a higher pore surface area, a larger average pore size, a more ordered carbon crystalline structure and less total active sites, whereas that in both coarse and fine slags presented a distinctly higher gasification activity, mainly ascribed to its quite more abundant porosity. Compared to the residual carbon in the fine slag, that in the coarse slag had a lower pore surface area, a slightly more disordered carbon crystalline structure and more total active sites, but that in the coarse slag presented a higher gasification activity, especially after the carbon conversion of around 0.5. This was probably due to more total active sites in the residual carbon of the coarse slag, especially its more active sites with mixed sp2–sp3 bond form. Besides, it also could be inferred that the activity of active sites with sp2 bond form was superior to that with mixed sp2–sp3 bond form.
Understanding fundamental aspects of the effects of water on both the mesostructure and mechanical characteristics of coal and coal-water interactions is important for increasing the utilization of ...coal and has not been thoroughly addressed by researchers. To fill this gap, a series of laboratory tests were carried out systematically using coal from the Tashan Coal Mine in China; both untreated samples and samples soaked for 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 36 h, 2 d, 4 d, 10 d, and 20 d. The water absorption characteristics, pore structure, mineral composition, surface morphology and wave velocities of the coal samples that varied with water-soaking time were studied comprehensively by using nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and ultrasonic testing. In addition, the mechanical properties, i.e., uniaxial compressive strength σu and elastic modulus E, and the deformation and failure characteristics of the coal under different water-soaking periods were obtained by conducting uniaxial compression tests. The parameters of the water infusion techniques were also analyzed to address the hard coal roof of the Tashan coal mine. The results showed that as the water soaking time increased, the average pore sizes expanded and new pores developed; the pore types changed from micropores to mesopores to macropores. Longer water immersion led to not only greater pore connectivity and coal permeability but also changes in the mineral composition and structural characteristics. In addition, the velocity of the ultrasonic longitudinal wave first increased with seepage, enabling moisture to fill the macropores, and then decreased after 4 d due to the water wedge effect. Moreover, both σu and E decreased and could be expressed by exponential functions in terms of soaking time; after 20 d, σu and E decreased by 21.9% and 28.53%, respectively. The appropriate water infusion time and distance for advance were suggested to be 10–15 d and 60–90 m, respectively.
Carnosol is a natural compound extracted from rosemary and sage, which has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-cancer properties. In this report, we evaluated the ...therapeutic potential and elucidated the potential mechanism of action of carnosol in chemoprevention of ultraviolet B-light (UVB) induced non-melanoma skin cancer formation. Our data indicated that carnosol could partially reduce UVB-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) elevation and thus reduce DNA damage. It could also reduce UVB-induced formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CDP) in keratinocytes possibly through its ability in absorbing UVB radiation. In addition, carnosol could inhibit the UVB-induced activation of NF-κB and also reduce UVB-induced transformation of keratinocytes. Taken together, the results indicate the role of carnosol as a potential chemopreventive agent upon UVB radiation.
The cloud intelligent classroom, supported by modern technologies, is the main trend of curriculum design in the future. The purpose of this study is to explore the promotion and integration between ...digital technology and the curriculum design of mental health education in colleges and universities and realize their real value. First, the overall idea and practical value of the study are clarified after the relevant literature is reviewed. Second, the setting, the teaching methods, and the ideas of the cloud classrooms based on digital technology are elaborated in detail. Then, the final effect of mental health education in cloud intelligent classrooms is demonstrated and summarized after the teaching practice, a questionnaire survey, and the expert assessment. Finally, the research conclusions are drawn and the suggestions for constructing the cloud intelligent classrooms of mental health education are proposed based on the practice and surveys. The research is based on the reality of mental health education in colleges and universities, rational thinking, and action. While updating the means and methods of the curriculum design of the mental health education in the high school, it expands the connotation of cloud intelligent classroom and pursues the unity of “form” and “content.” The cloud intelligent classroom helps to improve the teaching quality of mental health education for the music majors in colleges and universities in the short term. Cloud intelligent classrooms can also help to achieve the curriculum design and teaching objectives.
The origin of widespread organic-rich shales on the early Cambrian Yangtze Platform of Nanhua Basin (South China) has been attributed to high primary productivity. To test this hypothesis, we ...generated multiple paleoproductivity (OCAR and PAR), paleoredox (Corg/P ratios), upwelling/restriction (CoEF × MnEF, Co (ppm) × Mn (%), Mo/TOC, and Cd/Mo ratios), and terrigenous flux proxies (Al and unreactive Fe (FeU)) for the lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation in the outer-shelf Jinsha section, which records a typical transition from the organic-rich black shales to overlying organic-lean mudstones or siltstones. These new data were integrated with published paleoredox proxies (iron speciation and redox-sensitive trace metals) for the same section. Our results suggest that the organic-rich (TOC = 4.6 ± 1.8%) lower member (LM; 0–37 m) of the Niutitang Formation records ferruginous conditions, high productivity levels, and low siliciclastic fluxes, and that the organic-poor (TOC = 0.1 ± 0.1%) upper member (UM; 37–329 m) was characterized by dominantly oxic conditions, declining productivity levels, and high siliciclastic fluxes. Our results suggest a redox shift from ferruginous to oxic conditions and enhanced terrigenous fluxes in response to falling sea level from the LM to the UM. Secular variations in primary productivity and redox conditions are strongly correlated, which is consistent with a positive feedback: high primary productivity led to increasing water-column anoxia, which enhanced organic P recycling, stimulating further productivity. Variations in primary productivity may reflect variable upwelling intensity in a semi-restricted shelf setting linked to sea-level changes. Taken together, these findings suggest that a combination of primary productivity, redox conditions, and terrigenous fluxes driven by sea-level changes played a key role in organic matter accumulation on the early-Cambrian western Yangtze Platform.
•Anoxic conditions, high productivity and low terrigenous fluxes were found for LM.•Oxic conditions, low productivity and high terrigenous fluxes were found for UM.•Contrasting conditions between LM and UM were controlled by sea-level changes.•High productivity in LM was caused by upwelling linked to transgressions.•A multiple-factor model controlling OM accumulation for western Yangtze Platform.
To obtain a complete understanding of the stability of deep caverns after excavation disturbance, a laboratory simulation method for testing surrounding rock under excavation disturbance was ...systematically proposed. The rock creep mechanical behavior considering excavation disturbance was compared with that of rock without excavation disturbance, and the results show that the long-term rock strength considering excavation disturbance is significantly lower than that without excavation disturbance at a 2400 m depth. Based on this method, a step-loading triaxial creep and associated acoustic emission (AE) test was carried out with a single-stage loading time of 5 days and a total loading time of approximately 50 days. The results show that with an increase in stress level, the transient strain of the deep rock increases nearly linearly, while the axial creep strain rate increases exponentially. The AE monitoring results demonstrate that when the rock creep transforms from the initial creep stage to the steady-state creep stage, and from the steady-state creep stage to the accelerating stage, the AE amplitude will clearly exhibit a band-shaped distribution, and the AE count rate and AE energy rate will show a single peak or multiple peaks. Multistage AE data can be used to determine the long-term strength of rock. In addition, with an increase in the stress level, the microcracks of the deep rock under excavation disturbance transform from closed primary microcracks to initiating, propagating and coalescence secondary microcracks, which ultimately leads to macroscopic shear failure. The above research results can provide a reference for deep resource exploitation and deep cavern stability evaluation.