Rapamycin reverses ferroptosis by increasing autophagy in MPTP/MPP+-induced models of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder,and fe rroptosis plays a significant role in the pathological mechanism underlying Parkinson’s disease.Rapamycin,an autophagy inducer,has been shown to have neuroprotective effects in Parkinson’s disease.However,the link between rapamycin and ferroptosis in Parkinson’s disease is not entirely clear.In this study,rapamycin was administe red to a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced Parkinson’s disease mouse model and a 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium-induced Parkinson’s disease PC12 cell model.The results showed that rapamycin improved the behavioral symptoms of Parkinson’s disease model mice,reduced the loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta,and reduced the expression of ferroptosis-related indicators(glutathione peroxidase 4,recombinant solute carrier family 7,member 11,glutathione,malondialdehyde,and reactive oxygen species).In the Parkinson’s disease cell model,rapamycin improved cell viability and reduced ferro ptosis.The neuroprotective effect of rapamycin was attenuated by a ferroptosis inducer(methyl(1S,3R)-2-(2-chloroacetyl)-1-(4-methoxycarbonylphenyl)-1,3,4,9-tetrahyyridoindole-3-carboxylate)and an autophagy inhibitor(3-methyladenine).Inhibiting ferro ptosis by activating autophagy may be an important mechanism by which rapamycin exerts its neuroprotective effects.Therefo re,the regulation of ferroptosis and autophagy may provide a therapeutic target for drug treatments in Parkinson’s disease.

Treatment Results of Adjuvant Chemotherapy after Radical Hysterectomy for Intermediate-Risk Stage IB-IIB Cervical Cancer

Objective: The objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of chemotherapy as postoperative adjuvant therapy for stage IB-IIB cervical cancer with intermediate-risk factors. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 119 cervical cancer patients with intermediate-risk factors treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy from December 1997 to September 2010. The intermediate-risk factors included bulky tumor (≥4 cm), lymphovascular space invasion, and deep stromal invasion. Sixteen patients did not receive adjuvant therapy (observation group);73 were treated with chemotherapy (CT group);30 were treated with adjuvant radiation therapy (RT group). The significance of the clinical parameters, 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of each group, was analyzed. Results: The 3- and 5-year OS rates between the observation group and adjuvant therapy group (CT plus RT groups) were not statistically different (3-year OS: 100% and 94.4%, respectively;5-year OS: 100% and 92.3%, respectively;p > 0.05). The 3- and 5-year OS rates between the CT group and RT group were also not statistically different (3-year OS: 93.6% and 96.4%, respectively;5-year OS: 80.7% and 96.4%, respectively;p < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate analysis of survival indicated that different adjuvant therapies were not independent prognostic indicators for IB-IIB cervical cancer patients with intermediate-risk factors. Conclusions: CT may have equivalent therapeutic effect as RT for stage IB-IIB cervical cancer patients with intermediate-risk factors after radical surgery, and prospective randomized trial is needed to study the effect of CT in these patients.

Optimization of Agrobacterium tumefaciens-Mediated Genetic Transformation of Maize

Immature embryos of inbred maize(Zea mays)lines(H8183,H8184,and H8185)were used for Agrobacterium infection.We used theβ-glucuronidase gene(GUS)as the target gene and the glufosinate resistance gene(bar)as the selection marker.We conducted research on several aspects,such as different genotypes,coculture conditions,screening agent concentrations,and concentrations of indole-3-butytric acid(IBA),6-benzylaminopurine(6-BA),and ascorbic acid(Vc)in the differentiation medium.We optimized the genetic transformation system,and the obtained results indicated that among the three lines studied,the induction rate of H8185 was the highest at 93.2%,followed by H8184,with H8183 having the lowest induction rate(80.1%).The best coculture method was that using the N6 coculture medium layered with a sterile filter paper.Using orthogonal analysis,we found that the optimal combination of the three factors in the differentiation medium was A_(3)(1 mg mL^(−1)IBA),B_(3)C_(1)(1.6 mg mL^(−1)6-BA),and D_(3)(1.5 mg mL^(−1)Vc).Through GUS staining analysis,Bar test-strip analysis,and polymerase chain reaction,five transgenic plants were finally obtained.This study established the optimal conditions for genetic transformation in maize.

Meta-Analysis of Flowering-Related Traits and Mining of Candidate Genes in Maize

Maize flowering is an important agronomic character,which is controlled by quantitative trait loci(QTL).Over the years,a large number of flowering-related QTL have been found in maize and exist in public databases.However,combining these data,re-analyzing and mining candidate loci and fine mapping of flowering-related traits to reduce confidence intervals has become a hot issue in maize.In this study,the QTL of 6 important agronomic traits of maize flowering were collected from 15 published articles,including flowering period(DA),Days to tasseling(DTT),Days to silking(DS),Days to pollen shedding(DTP),anthesis-silking interval(ASI)and the photosensitive(PS).Through meta-analysis,622 QTL were integrated into 26 meta-QTLs(MQTL).Finally,the candidate genes related to maize flowering(Gene IDs:ZM00001D005791,ZM00001D019045,ZM00001D050697,ZM00001D011139)were identified by Gene Ontology(GO)enrichment and hierarchical cluster analysis of expression profile.Based on the results of this study,the genetic characteristics of maize flowering traits will be further analyzed,which is of great significance to guide the improvement of important agronomic characters and improve the efficiency of breeding.

CENPA-driven STMN1 Transcription Inhibits Ferroptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background and Aims:The growing knowledge of ferroptosis has suggested the regulatory role of ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),but the pertinent molecular mechanisms remain unclear.Herein,this study investigated the mechanistic basis of ferroptosis-related genes(ferrGenes)in the growth of HCC.Methods:Differentially expressed human ferrGenes and tumor-related transcription factors(TFs)were obtained from the The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)dataset and the GTEx dataset.Spearman method-based correlation analysis were conducted to construct TF-ferrGene coexpression regulatory network.Key genes associated with prognosis were singled out with Lasso regression and multivariate Cox analysis to construct the prognostic risk model.Then the accuracy and independent prognostic ability of the model were evaluated.Expression of CENPA and STMN1 was determined in clinical HCC tissues and HCC cells,and their binding was analyzed with dual-luciferase and chromatin immunoprecipitation(ChIP)assays.Furthermore,ectopic expression and knockdown assays were performed in HCC cells to assess the effect of CENPA and STMN1 on ferroptosis and malignant phenotypes.Results:The prognostic risk model constructed based on the eight TF-ferrGene regulatory network-related genes accurately predicted the prognosis of HCC patients.It was strongly related to the clinical characteristics of HCC patients.Moreover,CENPA/STMN1 might be a key TF-ferrGene regulatory network in ferroptosis of HCC.CENPA and STMN1 were overexpressed in HCC tissues and cells.Additionally,CENPA facilitated STMN1 transcription by binding to STMN1 promoter,thus facilitating the malignant phenotypes and suppressing the ferroptosis of HCC cells.Conclusions:Taken together,CENPA curbs the ferroptosis of HCC cells by upregulating STMN1 transcription,thereby promoting HCC growth.

Research on the Surface Subsidence Monitoring Technology Based on Fiber Bragg Grating Sensing

In order to monitor the process of surface subsidence caused by mining in real time, we reported two types of fiber Bragg grating （FBG） based sensors. The principles of the FBG-based displacement sensor and the FBG-based micro-seismic sensor were described. The surface subsidence monitoring system based on the FBG sensing technology was designed. Some factual application of using these FBG-based sensors for subsidence monitoring in iron mines was presented.

A Coal Mine Multi-Point Fiber Ethylene Gas Concentration Sensor

Spontaneous combustion of the coal mine goaf is one of the main disasters in the coal mine. The detection technology based on symbolic gas is the main means to realize the spontaneous combustion prediction of the coal mine goaf, and ethylene gas is an important symbol gas of spontaneous combustion in the coal accelerated oxidation stage. In order to overcome the problem of current coal ethylene detection, the paper presents a mine optical fiber multi-point ethylene concentration sensor based on the tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. Based on the experiments and analysis of the near-infrared spectrum of ethylene, the system employed the 1.62 μm （DFB） wavelength fiber coupled distributed feedback laser as the light source. By using the wavelength scanning technique and developing a stable fiber coupled Herriot type long path gas absorption cell, a ppm-level high sensitivity detecting system for the concentration of ethylene gas was realized, which could meet the needs of coal mine fire prevention goaf prediction.

A Precision Fiber Bragg Grating Interrogation System Using Long-Wavelength Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser

This paper presents the development of a cost-effective precision fiber Bragg grating （FBG） interrogation system using long-wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser （VCSEL）. Tuning properties of a long-wavelength VCSEL have been studied experimentally. An approximately quadratic dependence of its wavelength on the injection current has been observed. The overall design and key operations of this system including intensity normalization, peak detection, and quadratic curve fitting are introduced in detail. The results show that the system achieves an accuracy of 1.2 pm with a tuning range of 3 nm and a tuning rate of 1 kHz. It is demonstrated that this system is practical and effective by applied in the FBG transformer temperature monitoring.

Fiber Bragg Grating （FBG） Sensors Used in Coal Mines

The fiber Bragg grating （FBG） strain sensors were used for on-line monitoring of the stress variation of the lined wall in the gateway retained along the goaf of No. 3203 coal mining face in Dongtan Mine. The results showed that the FBG strain sensor with the wide measuring range could measure the stress variation accurately during the support process of the gateway retained along the goaf and could provide the basis to further optimize the support structure and to determine the support plan of the gateway retained along the goaf. The FBG micro-seismic sensors were used in Xinglong Mine to detect the micro-seismic signal. The signals were well received and analyzed to determine the location and energy level of the source of the micro-seismic event warning. The FBG sensors and detecting system show a significant potential for micro-seismic detection and geological disasters detection.

Research on a New Fiber-Optic Axial Pressure Sensor of Transformer Winding Based on Fiber Bragg Grating

Based on the principle of the fiber Bragg grating, a new type of fiber-optic pressure sensor for axial force measurement of transformer winding is designed, which is designed with the structure of bending plate beam, the optimization of the packaging process, and material of the sensor. Through the calibration experiment to calibrate the sensor, the field test results of the Taikai transformer factory show that the sensitivity of the sensor is 0.133 pm/kPa and the repeatability error is 2.7%FS. The data of the fiber-optic pressure sensor in different positions maintain consistent and repeatable, which can meet the requirement of the real-time monitoring of the axial force of transformer winding.

Stabilities,mechanical and thermodynamic properties of Al-RE intermetallics:A first-principles study

Stabilities,mechanical and thermodynamic properties of 87 intermetallics in Al-RE binary system were studied by first-principles based on density functional theory(DFT).The results show that the calculated stabilities at T=0 K are in good agreement with experimental values.Al2 RE intermetallics exhibit the best stability in Al-RE binary compounds;and the stabilities in descending order are Al2 RE,Al3 RE,AlRE,Al11RE_(3),AlRE2 and AlRE_(3).The calculated Al-RE intermetallics possess mechanical stabilities.The hardness and strength of the most Al-RE intermetallics are greater than pure aluminum except AlCe,AlPr,AlEu and AlYb.The hardness and strength in descending order are Al11RE_(3),Al3 RE,Al2 RE and AIRE.Part of AlRE intermetallics exhibit ductility;the others are brittle.The heat capacities of Al-RE intermetallics in ascending order are Al-Sc,Al-Y,Al-lanthanides.On the contrary,the coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE)in ascending order is Al-lanthanides,Al-Y and Al-Sc.