Explore the vast range of titles available.

MicroRNA (miRNAs) is demonstrated to be present in the blood of humans and has been increasingly suggested as a novel biomarker for various pathological processes in the heart, including myocardial infarction, myocardial remodeling and progression to heart failure. In this study, we aim to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of circulating miR-328 and miR-134 in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Circulating levels of miR-328 and miR-134 were detected by quantitative real-time PCR in plasma samples from 359 AMI patients and 30 healthy volunteers. Concentrations of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) were measured using electrochemiluminescence-based methods. MiRNAs were assessed for discrimination of a clinical diagnosis of AMI and for association with primary clinical endpoint defined as a composite of cardiogenic death and development of heart failure within 6 months after infarction. Results showed that levels of plasma miR-328 and miR-134 were significantly higher in AMI patients than in healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed significant diagnostic value of miR-328 and miR-134 for AMI. However, neither of them was superior to hs-cTnT for the diagnosis. Additionally, increased miRNA levels were strongly associated with increased risk of mortality or heart failure within 6 months for miR-328 (OR 7.35, 95 % confidence interval 1.07–17.83, P  < 0.001) and miR-134 (OR 2.28, 95 % confidence interval 1.03–11.32 P  < 0.001). In conclusion, circulating miR-328 and miR-134 could be potential indicators for AMI, and the miRNA levels are associated with increased risk of mortality or development of heart failure.

The reaction of bipyridine 3,7-di(3-pyridyl)-1,5-dioxa-3,7-diazacyclooctane (L) with copper thiocyanate produces a discrete metallamacrocycle [Cu(L)(SCN)2(DMF)]2 (1). In complex 1, two cis-coordinated ligands combine with two copper ions to form an unabridged 24-membered macrocycle. Each copper ion is five-coordinated with two nitrogens from separate ligands, two nitrogens from thiocyanates and one oxygen from the dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent. Complex 1 has been characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, optical and thermal analyses and antimicrobial activity measurements. The solid electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis of complex 1 yielded a characteristic structural g factor value of 2.147. In addition, the thermal analysis established that the complex is thermally stable at up to 176 °C. The antimicrobial activity measurements demonstrated that both the ligand and complex 1 exhibit an inhibitory effect on two strains, where the complex exhibits a significantly greater inhibition relative to that of the free ligand (p < 0.05).

Zirconia ceramics are widely used in many fields because of their excellent physical and mechanical properties. However, there are some challenges to machine zirconia ceramics with high processing efficiency. In order to optimize parameters for milling zirconia ceramics by polycrystalline diamond tool, finite element method was used to simulate machining process based on Johnson-Cook constitutive model. The effects of spindle speed, feed rate, radial and axial cutting depth on cutting force, tool flank wear and material removal rate were investigated. The results of the simulation experiment were analyzed and optimized by the response surface method. The optimal parameter combination was obtained when the spindle speed, feed rate, radial and axial cutting depth were 8000 r/min, 90.65 mm/min, 0.10 mm and 1.37 mm, respectively. Under these conditions, the cutting force was 234.81 N, the tool flank wear was 33.40 μm when the milling length was 60 mm and the material removal rate was 44.65 mm3/min.

Left ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with adverse prognosis. It is becoming increasingly clear that circulating miRNAs could be promising biomarkers for various pathological processes in the heart, including myocardial infarction, myocardial remodeling and progression to heart failure. In the present study, a total of 359 consecutive patients were recruited. Plasma samples were collected on admission. Echocardiographic studies were performed during the admission and at six months follow-up after AMI. Remodeling was defined as an at least 10% increase from baseline in the left ventricular end-diastolic volume. Plasma miRNA levels were assessed for association with six months mortality or development of heart failure. Results showed that levels of plasma miR-208b and miR-34a were significantly higher in patients with remodeling than those without. Increased miRNA levels were strongly associated with increased risk of mortality or heart failure within six months for miR-208b (OR 17.91, 95% confidence interval = 2.07–98.81, p = 0.003), miR-34a (OR 4.18, 95% confidence interval = 1.36–12.83, p = 0.012) and combination of the two miRNAs (OR 18.73, 95% confidence interval = 1.96–101.23, p = 0.000). The two miRNA panels reclassified a significant proportion of patients with a net reclassification improvement of 11.7% (p = 0.025) and an integrated discrimination improvement of 7.7% (p = 0.002). These results demonstrated that circulating miR-208b and miR-34a could be useful biomarkers for predicting left ventricular remodeling after AMI, and the miRNA levels are associated with increased risk of mortality or heart failure.

The reaction of bipyridine 3,7-di(3-pyridyl)-1,5-dioxa-3,7-diazacyclooctane (L) with copper thiocyanate produces a discrete metallamacrocycle [Cu(L)(SCN)[sub.2](DMF)][sub.2] (1). In complex 1, two cis-coordinated ligands combine with two copper ions to form an unabridged 24-membered macrocycle. Each copper ion is five-coordinated with two nitrogens from separate ligands, two nitrogens from thiocyanates and one oxygen from the dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent. Complex 1 has been characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, optical and thermal analyses and antimicrobial activity measurements. The solid electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis of complex 1 yielded a characteristic structural g factor value of 2.147. In addition, the thermal analysis established that the complex is thermally stable at up to 176 °C. The antimicrobial activity measurements demonstrated that both the ligand and complex 1 exhibit an inhibitory effect on two strains, where the complex exhibits a significantly greater inhibition relative to that of the free ligand (p < 0.05).

Although the vortex is ubiquitous in nature, its definition is somewhat ambiguous in the field of fluid dynamics. In this absence of a rigorous mathematical definition, considerable confusion appears to exist in visualizing and understanding the coherent vortical structures in turbulence. Cited in the previous studies, a vortex cannot be fully described by vorticity, and vorticity should be further decomposed into a rotational and a non-rotational part to represent the rotation and the shear, respectively. In this paper, we introduce several new concepts, including local fluid rotation at a point and the direction of the local fluid rotation axis. The direction and the strength of local fluid rotation are examined by investigating the kinematics of the fluid element in two- and three-dimensional flows. A new vector quantity, which is called the vortex vector in this paper, is defined to describe the local fluid rotation and it is the rotational part of the vorticity. This can be understood as that the direction of the vortex vector is equivalent to the direction of the local fluid rotation axis, and the magnitude of vortex vector is the strength of the location fluid rotation. With these new revelations, a vortex is defined as a connected region where the vortex vector is not zero. In addition, through direct numerical simulation (DNS) and large eddy simulation (LES) examples, it is demonstrated that the newly defined vortex vector can fully describe the complex vertical structures of turbulence.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has a high rate of treatment failure due to increased prevalence of therapy resistance. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the leukemia microenvironment contribute to chemoresistance in AML, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. The critical role of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐like profile in AML chemoresistance has been gradually recognized. However, there is no research to suggest that the AML‐derived bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (AML‐MSCs) induce the EMT program in AML thus far. We isolated AML‐MSCs and cocultured them with AML cells. We found that AML‐MSCs induced a significant mesenchymal‐like morphology in drug‐resistant AML cells, but it was scarce in parental AML cells. The AML‐MSCs promoted growth of AML cells in the presence or absence of chemotherapeutics in vitro and in vivo. Acute myeloid leukemia MSCs also induced EMT marker expression in AML cells, especially in chemoresistant AML cells. Mechanistically, AML‐MSCs secreted abundant interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and upregulated IL‐6 expression in AML cells. Acute myeloid leukemia cells upregulated IL‐6 expression in AML‐MSCs in turn. Meanwhile, AML‐MSCs activated the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in AML cells. Two JAK/STAT pathway inhibitors counteracted the AML‐MSCs induced morphology change and EMT marker expression in AML cells. In conclusion, AML‐MSCs not only promote the emergence of chemoresistance but also enhance it once AML acquires chemoresistance. AML‐MSCs induce EMT‐like features in AML cells; this phenotypic change could be related to chemoresistance progression. AML‐MSCs induce the EMT‐like program in AML cells through IL‐6/JAK2/STAT3 signaling, which provides a therapeutic target to reverse chemoresistance in AML.

Varieties of the European pear (Pyrus communis) can produce trees with both red-and green-skinned fruits, such as the Max Red Bartlett (MRB) variety, although little is known about the mechanism behind this differential pigmentation. In this study, we investigated the pigmentation of MRB and its green-skinned sport (MRB-G). The results suggest that a reduction in anthocyanin concentration causes the MRB-G sport. Transcript levels of PcUFGT (for UDP-glucose:flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase), the key structural gene in anthocyanin biosynthesis, paralleled the change of anthocyanin concentration in both MRB and MRB-G fruit. We cloned the PcMYB10 gene, a transcription factor associated with the promoter of PcUFGT. An investigation of the 2-kb region upstream of the ATG translation start site of PcMYB10 showed the regions -604 to -911 bp and -1,218 to -1,649 bp to be highly methylated. A comparison of the PcMYB10 promoter methylation level between the MRB and MRB-G forms indicated a correlation between hypermethylation and the green-skin phenotype. An Agrobacterium tumefaciens infiltration assay was conducted on young MRB fruits by using a plasmid constructed to silence endogenous PcMYB10 via DNA methylation. The infiltrated fruits showed blocked anthocyanin biosynthesis, higher methylation of the PcMYB10 promoter, and lower expression of PcMYB10 and PcUFGT. We suggest that the methylation level of PcMYB10 is associated with the formation of the greenskinned sport in the MRB pear. The potential mechanism behind the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis is discussed.

Background The WRKY transcription factors play significant roles in plant growth, development, and defense responses. However, in cotton, the molecular mechanism of most WRKY proteins and their involvement in Verticillium wilt tolerance are not well understood. Results GhWRKY70 is greatly up-regulated in cotton by Verticillium dahliae . Subcellular localization suggests that GhWRKY70 is only located in the nucleus. Transcriptional activation of GhWRKY70 further demonstrates that GhWRKY70 function as a transcriptional activator. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing GhWRKY70 exhibited better growth performance and higher lignin content, antioxidant enzyme activities and jasmonic acid (JA) levels than wild-type plants after infection with V. dahliae . In addition, the transgenic Arabidopsis resulted in an enhanced expression level of AtAOS1 , a gene related to JA synthesis, further leading to a higher JA accumulation compared to the wild type. However, the disease index (DI) values of the VIGS-treated cotton plants with TRV:WRKY70 were also significantly higher than those of the VIGS-treated cotton plants with TRV:00 . The chlorophyll and lignin contents of TRV:WRKY70 plants were significantly lower than those of TRV:00 plants. GhAOS1 expression and JA abundance in TRV:WRKY70 plants were decreased. The GhWRKY70 protein was confirmed to bind to the W-box element in the promoter region of GhAOS by yeast one-hybrid assay and transient expression. Conclusion These results indicate that the GhWRKY70 transcription factor is a positive regulator in Verticillium wilt tolerance of cotton, and may promote the production of JA via regulation of GhAOS1 expression.