Description: Ag-modified In2O3/ZnO bundles with micro/nano porous structures have been designed and synthesized with by hydrothermal method continuing with dehydration process. Each bundle consists of nanoparticles, where nanogaps of 10–30 nm are present between the nanoparticles, leading to a porous structure. This porous structure brings high surface area and fast gas diffusion, enhancing the gas sensitivity. Consequently, the HCHO gas-sensing performance of the Ag-modified In2O3/ZnO bundles have been tested, with the formaldehyde-detection limit of 100 ppb (parts per billion) and the response and recover times as short as 6 s and 3 s, respectively, at 300 °C and the detection limit of 100 ppb, response time of 12 s and recover times of 6 s at 100 °C. The HCHO sensing detect limitation matches the health standard limitation on the concentration of formaldehyde for indoor air. Moreover, the strategy to synthesize the nanobundles is just two-step heating and easy to scale up. Therefore, the Ag-modified In2O3/ZnO bundles are ready for industrialization and practical applications.

Description: VOLUME 288 (2013) PAGES 24247–24263This article has been withdrawn by the authors. After reviewing the data, the authors found that the first author of the paper made inappropriate modifications to the background of the following figures: Figs. 2C, 2D, 3B, 3E, 4A, 4E, 5E, 6D, 8A, 8C, and supplemental Figs. S1A, S2B, and S5B. The first author admits to making the modifications. The modifications include covering cells not expressing RFP-GFP-LC3, GFP-LC3, or RFP-Lamp, incomplete cells on the edge of the images, or contaminant staining dots outside of the cells in images (Figs. 2C, 2D, 3B, 3E, 4A, 4E, 6D, 8A, 8C, and supplemental Figs. S1A and S2B). Additionally, other modifications include covering dirty dots above the bands in the Western blots (Fig. 5E and supplemental Fig. S5B) and inadvertently inserting a box in LC3 blot of Fig. 4E. Although these modifications did not change the results or interpretations of this work, these figures were not prepared according to the publication policy of the journal. Therefore, the authors wish to withdraw this article and sincerely apologize for these mistakes.

Description: Two new C 22 -steroidal lactone glycosides, ypsilactosides A ( 1 ) and B ( 2 ), were isolated from the EtOH extract of the whole plant of Ypsilandra thibetica. Their structures were established as (3 β ,5 α ,16 β ,20 S )-3,16-dihydroxy-6-oxopregnane-20-carboxylic acid γ -lactone 3-( β - D -glucopyranoside) ( 1 ) and (3 β ,16 β )-3,16-dihydroxypregna-5,20-diene-20-carboxylic acid γ -lactone 3-{ O - α - L -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)- O - α - L -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)- O -[ α - L -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)]- β - D -glucopyranoside} ( 2 ) on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses and chemical degradations.

Description: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major health problem worldwide. The covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) minichromosome, which serves as the template for the transcription of viral RNAs, plays a key role in viral persistence. While accumulating evidence suggests that cccDNA transcription is regulated by epigenetic machinery, particularly the acetylation of cccDNA-bound histone 3 (H3) and H4, the potential contributions of histone methylation and related host factors remain obscured. Here, by screening a series of methyltransferases and demethylases, we identified protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) as an effective restrictor of HBV transcription and replication. In the cell culture-based models for HBV infection and the liver tissues of patients with chronic HBV infection, we found that symmetric dimethylation of arginine 3 on H4 (H4R3me2s) on cccDNAwas a repressive marker of cccDNA transcription and was regulated by PRMT5 depending on its methyltransferase domain. Moreover, PRMT5-triggered H4R3me2s on the cccDNA minichromosome involved an interaction with the HBV core protein and the Brg1-based hSWI/SNF chromatin remodeler, which resulted in the downregulation of the binding of RNA Pol II to cccDNA. In addition to the inhibitory effect on cccDNA transcription, PRMT5 inhibited HBV core particle DNA production independent of its methyltransferase activity. Further study revealed that PRMT5 interfered with pre-genomic RNA (pgRNA) encapsidation by preventing its interaction with viral polymerase protein through binding to the RT-RH region of polymerase which is crucial for the polymerase-pgRNA interaction. Conclusion : PRMT5 restricts HBV replication via two-part mechanisms including epigenetic suppression of cccDNA transcription and interference with pgRNA encapsidation. These findings improve the understanding of epigenetic regulation of HBV transcription and host-HBV interaction, thus provide new insights into targeted therapeutic intervention. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Description: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have potential applications in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering as well as being potential carriers for tumour therapy. However, the safety of using MSCs in tumours is unknown. Herein, we analyse malignant transformation of MSCs in the tumour microenvironment. Rat bone marrow MSCs were cultured with malignant rat glioma C6 cells without direct cell–cell contact. After 7 days, the cells were assessed for transformation using flow cytometry, real-time quantitative PCR, immunofluorescence and chromosomal analysis. In addition, wild-type (WT) p53, mutant p53 and mdm2 was determined using Western blotting. Almost all MSCs became phenotypically malignant cells, with significantly decreased WT p53 expression and increased expression of mutant p53 and mdm2, along with an aneuploid karyotype. To evaluate tumorigenesis in vivo , the MSCs indirect co-cultured with C6 cells for 7 days were transplanted subcutaneously into immuno-deficient mice. The cells developed into a large tumour at the injection site within 8 weeks, with systemic symptoms including cachexia and scoliosis. Pathological and cytological analysis revealed poorly differentiated pleomorphic cells with a dense vascular network and aggressive invasion into the adjacent muscle. These data demonstrate that MSCs became malignant cancer cells when exposed to the tumour microenvironment and suggest that factors released from the cancer cells have a critical role in the malignant transformation of MSCs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Description: IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 780: Air Pollution Forecasts: An Overview International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15040780 Authors: Lu Bai Jianzhou Wang Xuejiao Ma Haiyan Lu Air pollution is defined as a phenomenon harmful to the ecological system and the normal conditions of human existence and development when some substances in the atmosphere exceed a certain concentration. In the face of increasingly serious environmental pollution problems, scholars have conducted a significant quantity of related research, and in those studies, the forecasting of air pollution has been of paramount importance. As a precaution, the air pollution forecast is the basis for taking effective pollution control measures, and accurate forecasting of air pollution has become an important task. Extensive research indicates that the methods of air pollution forecasting can be broadly divided into three classical categories: statistical forecasting methods, artificial intelligence methods, and numerical forecasting methods. More recently, some hybrid models have been proposed, which can improve the forecast accuracy. To provide a clear perspective on air pollution forecasting, this study reviews the theory and application of those forecasting models. In addition, based on a comparison of different forecasting methods, the advantages and disadvantages of some methods of forecasting are also provided. This study aims to provide an overview of air pollution forecasting methods for easy access and reference by researchers, which will be helpful in further studies.