Description: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are important in mediating immune responses against various pathogens during pregnancy. However, uncontrolled TLR-triggered inflammation will endanger normal pregnancy, resulting in pregnancy loss. Therefore, maintenance of a moderate inflammatory response is crucial for successful pregnancy under conditions of infection. Here, we demonstrated significantly lowered expression of T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (Tim-3) in miscarried decidual stromal cells (DSCs), indicating that Tim-3 might play important roles in maintaining successful pregnancies. Activation of TLR signaling induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production and apoptosis of DSCs, which was accompanied by up-regulated Tim-3 expression. Tim-3, in turn, protected DSCs from TLR-mediated apoptosis in an ERK1/2 pathway-dependent manner. In addition, Tim-3 inhibited TLR signaling-induced inflammatory cytokine production by DSCs through suppressing NF-κB activation. Tim-3 increased production of T helper 2 (Th2)-type cytokines by DSCs and reversed the inhibitory effect of LPS on Th2 cytokine generation by up-regulation of interferon regulatory factor 4 expression. Tim-3 blockade abolished the effect of Tim-3 on the inflammatory response to LPS stimulation. Thus, Tim-3 signaling could represent a “self-control” mechanism in TLR-triggered inflammation during pregnancy. These findings identify Tim-3 as a key regulator of DSCs and suggest its potential as a target for the treatment of spontaneous abortion. Scientific Reports 5 doi: 10.1038/srep09013

Description: Aims Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) agonists has been applied into cancer immunotherapy, but the heterogeneity of tumor renders TLR7 behaves versatile in tumor microenvironment and the characteristic of TLR7 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is unclear. Methods and results 20 healthy oral tissues, 50 oral leukoplakia tissues and 166 retrospective primary OSCC samples were collected for immunohistochemical staining of TLR7 and showed up-regulated expression during carcinogenesis. Moreover, patients with high expression of TLR7 in tumor cells (TCs) had poor differentiation and prognosis. Interestingly, patients with high expression of TLR7 in stroma fibroblast-like cells (FLCs) had low tumor stage, no lymph node metastasis (LNM) and better prognosis. Furthermore, ki-67, CD3, CD4, CD8 and Foxp3 + tumor-infiltrated lymphocytes were assessed and found that TLR7 high TCs were infiltrated with fewer CD3 + CD4 + but more Foxp3 + lymphocytes. Importantly, patients with TLR7 low TCs and TLR7 high FLCs had less Foxp3 + lymphocytes infiltration and longer survival time than those who with TLR7 high TCs/TLR7 low FLCs, although TLR7 was not an independent prognostic factor for OSCC. Conclusions The low expression of TLR7 in tumor and high expression of TLR7 in stroma predict a good clinical outcome for OSCC patients and stroma FLCs might be conducive to immunotherapy by TLR7 agonist. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Description: Although most studies have reported that high serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels are associated with poor prognosis in several malignancies, the consistency and magnitude of the impact of LDH are unclear. We conducted the first comprehensive meta-analysis of the prognostic relevance of LDH in solid tumors. Overall survival (OS) was the primary outcome; progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were secondary outcomes. We identified a total of 68 eligible studies that included 31,857 patients. High LDH was associated with a HR for OS of 1.48 (95% CI = 1.43 to 1.53; P 〈 0.00001; I2 = 93%), an effect observed in all disease subgroups, sites, stages and cutoff of LDH. HRs for PFS and DFS were 1.70 (95% CI = 1.44 to 2.01; P 〈 0.00001; I2 = 13%) and 1.86(95% CI = 1.15 to 3.01; P = 0.01; I2 = 88%), respectively. Analysis of LDH as a continuous variable showed poorer OS with increasing LDH (HR 2.11; 95% CI = 1.35 to 3.28). Sensitivity analyses showed there was no association between LDH cutoff and reported HR for OS. High LDH is associated with an adverse prognosis in many solid tumors and its additional prognostic and predictive value for clinical decision-making warrants further investigation. Scientific Reports 5 doi: 10.1038/srep09800

Description: Soil respiration in water-limited ecosystems is affected intricately by soil water content (SWC), temperature, and soil properties. Eight sites on sand-fixed dunes revegetated in different years since1950s, with several topographical positions and various biological soil crusts (BSCs) and soil properties, were selected, as well as a moving sand dune (MSD) and a reference steppe in the Tengger Desert of China. Intact soil samples of 20 cm in depth were taken and incubated randomly at twelve levels of SWC (0 to 0.4 m 3 m −3 ) and at nine levels of temperature (5 to 45 °C) in a growth chamber; additionally, cryptogamic and microbial respiration (R M ) were measured. Total soil respiration (R T , including cryptogamic, microbial, and root respiration) was measured for two years at the MSD and five sites of sand-fixed dunes. The relationship between R M and SWC under the optimal SWC condition (0.25 m 3 m −3 ) is linear, as is the entire range of R T and SWC. The slope of linear function describes sensitivity of soil respiration to water (SRW) and reflects to soil water availability, which is related significantly to soil physical properties, BSCs, and soil chemical properties, in decreasing importance. Inversely, Q 10 for R M is related significantly to abovementioned factors in increasing importance. However, Q 10 for R T and respiration rate at 20 °C are related significantly to soil texture and depth of BSCs and subsoil only. In conclusion, through affecting SRW, soil physical properties produce significant influences on soil respiration, especially for R T . This indicates that a definition of the biophysical meaning of SRW is necessary, considering the water-limited and coarse-textured soil in most desert ecosystems.

Description: Clinical characteristics of protracted bacterial bronchitis in Chinese infants Scientific Reports, Published online: 4 September 2015; doi:10.1038/srep13731

Description: ABSTRACT We propose new implicit staggered-grid finite-difference schemes with optimal coefficients based on the sampling approximation method to improve the numerical solution accuracy for seismic modelling. We first derive the optimized implicit staggered-grid finite-difference coefficients of arbitrary even-order accuracy for the first-order spatial derivatives using the plane-wave theory and the direct sampling approximation method. Then, the implicit staggered-grid finite-difference coefficients based on sampling approximation, which can widen the range of wavenumber with great accuracy, are used to solve the first-order spatial derivatives. By comparing the numerical dispersion of the implicit staggered-grid finite-difference schemes based on sampling approximation, Taylor series expansion, and least squares, we find that the optimal implicit staggered-grid finite-difference scheme based on sampling approximation achieves greater precision than that based on Taylor series expansion over a wider range of wavenumbers, although it has similar accuracy to that based on least squares. Finally, we apply the implicit staggered-grid finite difference based on sampling approximation to numerical modelling. The modelling results demonstrate that the new optimal method can efficiently suppress numerical dispersion and lead to greater accuracy compared with the implicit staggered-grid finite difference based on Taylor series expansion. In addition, the results also indicate the computational cost of the implicit staggered-grid finite difference based on sampling approximation is almost the same as the implicit staggered-grid finite difference based on Taylor series expansion.

Description: Shear stress provided by a hydrocyclone was employed to remove the oil from oil-contaminated catalysts. Understanding the deoiling mechanism and providing quantitative analysis of the interaction between shear stress fields and deoiling are necessary to improve deoiling efficiency. In this study, a numerical simulation was conducted for the velocity field and shear stress field of a hydrocyclone, both of which are difficult to measure using other methods. Results showed that the shear stress field in the wall layer, where oil-contaminated catalysts are usually located, was robust. Increasing inlet flow rates resulted in a higher shear rate distribution along the wall layer. Numerical results were also compared with the experimental data. In the deoiling process, higher shear stress rates promoted faster transport of oil from catalysts into the fluid, thereby increasing the deoiling efficiency. Deoiling by the shear stress of a hydrocyclone is an efficient method for cleaning oil-contaminated catalysts within a short period of time.

Description: Four new iridoids, incarvoids D–F ( 1 – 3 , resp.) and incarvoid B 9- O - β - D -glucopyranoside ( 4 ), and one new monoterpenoid, argutoid B ( 5 ), along with 14 known compounds, were isolated from Rhododendron microphyton. Their structures were established by comprehensive 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic analysis.

Description: The deep sea is one of the most extensive ecosystems on earth. Organisms living there survive in an extremely harsh environment, and their mitochondrial energy metabolism might be a result of evolution. As one of the most important organelles, mitochondria generate energy through energy metabolism and play an important role in almost all biological activities. In this study, the mitogenome of a deep-sea sea anemone ( Bolocera sp.) was sequenced and characterized. Like other metazoans, it contained 13 energy pathway protein-coding genes and two ribosomal RNAs. However, it also exhibited some unique features: just two transfer RNA genes, two group I introns, two transposon-like noncanonical open reading frames (ORFs), and a control region-like (CR-like) element. All of the mitochondrial genes were coded by the same strand (the H-strand). The genetic order and orientation were identical to those of most sequenced actiniarians. Phylogenetic analyses showed that this species was closely related to Bolocera tuediae . Positive selection analysis showed that three residues (31 L and 42 N in ATP6 , 570 S in ND5 ) of Bolocera sp. were positively selected sites. By comparing these features with those of shallow sea anemone species, we deduced that these novel gene features may influence the activity of mitochondrial genes. This study may provide some clues regarding the adaptation of Bolocera sp. to the deep-sea environment. The deep sea is regarded as the most extensive ecosystem on earth, and the organisms living there survive in an extremely harsh environment. The mitochondrial energy metabolism of some organisms may be different from that of shallow sea species. We uncovered a number of mitochondrial genome features that may provide some clues for Bolocera sp. on the adaptation of the seamount Bolocera sp. to the deep-sea environment.

Description: Cervical squamous cell carcinoma-secreted exosomal miR-221-3p promotes lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis by targeting VASH1 Cervical squamous cell carcinoma-secreted exosomal miR-221-3p promotes lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis by targeting VASH1, Published online: 25 September 2018; doi:10.1038/s41388-018-0511-x Cervical squamous cell carcinoma-secreted exosomal miR-221-3p promotes lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis by targeting VASH1