Effects of curcumin on uterine leiomyoma in a rat model by inhibiting β-catenin/Wnt signaling pathway

Background:Women with uterine leiomyomas may suffer severe symptoms.To avoid risks of side effects,it is necessary to develop an optimal agent to shrink leiomyomas with fewer side effects and a lower recurrence rate.Curcumin may have a lower side effect in uterine leiomyoma treatment.Methods:We established the estrogen-and-progesterone-induced murine model of uterine leiomyoma.Next,we determined the expression of related genes of the β-catenin/Wnt signaling pathway by western blot,reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction,and immunohistochemistry.We also noticed the morphological changes in uterine tissues by hematoxylin-eosin staining.Results:Curcumin plays an important role in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-related expression including β-catenin,adenomatous polyposis coli,glycogen synthase kinase-3β,Wnt-11,and serum hormone concentrations.Conclusions:Curcumin could the down-regulation of serum hormone concentrations and inhibition of the β-catenin/Wnt signaling pathway in the treatment of uterine leiomyoma.

Long noncoding RNA protein-disulfide isomerase-associated 3 regulated high glucose-induced podocyte apoptosis in diabetic nephropathy through targeting miR-139-3p

BACKGROUND Podocyte apoptosis plays a vital role in proteinuria pathogenesis in diabetic nephropathy(DN).The regulatory relationship between long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs)and podocyte apoptosis has recently become another research hot spot in the DN field.AIM To investigate whether lncRNA protein-disulfide isomerase-associated 3(Pdia3)could regulate podocyte apoptosis through miR-139-3p and revealed the underlying mechanism.METHODS Using normal glucose or high glucose(HG)-cultured podocytes,the cellular functions and exact mechanisms underlying the regulatory effects of lncRNA Pdia3 on podocyte apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)were explored.LncRNA Pdia3 and miR-139-3p expression were measured through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.Relative cell viability was detected through the cell counting kit-8 colorimetric assay.The podocyte apoptosis rate in each group was measured through flow cytometry.The interaction between lncRNA Pdia3 and miR-139-3p was examined through the dual luciferase reporter assay.Finally,western blotting was performed to detect the effect of lncRNA Pdia3 on podocyte apoptosis and ERS via miR-139-3p.RESULTS The expression of lncRNA Pdia3 was significantly downregulated in HG-cultured podocytes.Next,lncRNA Pdia3 was involved in HG-induced podocyte apoptosis.Furthermore,the dual luciferase reporter assay confirmed the direct interaction between lncRNA Pdia3 and miR-139-3p.LncRNA Pdia3 overexpression attenuated podocyte apoptosis and ERS through miR-139-3p in HG-cultured podocytes.CONCLUSION Taken together,this study demonstrated that lncRNA Pdia3 overexpression could attenuate HG-induced podocyte apoptosis and ERS by acting as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-139-3p,which might provide a potential therapeutic target for DN.

Efficacy of Different Iron Fortificants in Wheat Flour in Controlling Iron Deficiency

Objective To observe the different impacts of electrolytic iron, FeSO4, and NaFeEDTA on body iron store of anemic school students. Methods Four hundreds anemic students at the age of 11-18 years were divided into four groups. Of which, three consumed different iron fortificants from wheat flour as food vehicle for six months and one consumed non-fortified flour （control）. The fortification level of electrolytic iron, FeSO4, and NaFeEDTA was 60 mg Fe/kg, 30 mg Fe/kg, and 20 mg Fe/kg, respectively. Blood samples were collected at 0, 2, 4, and 6 months and hemoglobin （Hb）, serum ferritin （SF）, and transferrin receptor （TfR） were measured. Results The hemoglobin levels in three intervention groups increased, the increments of Hb in the NaFeEDTA group were significantly higher than that in the other groups. SF and TfR levels increased in the tested groups and body iron store in the NaFeEDTA group was higher than that in the other groups. These parameters did not show any significant changes in the control group. Conclusion NaFeEDTA and FeSO4 tortified wheat flour has positive impacts on iron status in anemic students and NaFeEDTA is more effective than FeSO4, while electrolytic iron is less effective in improving iron store in anemic students.

Parental Alcoholism,Adverse Childhood Experiences,and Later Risk of Personal Alcohol Abuse among Chinese Medical Students

Objective To determine the status of adverse childhood experiences （ACEs） and the association of multiple ACEs with both parental alcoholism and later personal alcohol abuse among Chinese medical students with a view of improving adolescent health and reducing alcohol abuse among them. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 2073 Chinese medical students completed a survey on ten categories of ACEs in Anhui province of China. The association of parental alcoholism with ACEs and personal alcohol abuse was assessed by logistic regression analyses. Results The adjusted odds ratio （OR） for each category of ACEs in the subjects whose parents （either fathers or mothers or both） had alcohol abuse was 2 to 14 times higher than that in those with parental alcoholism （P〈0.05）. Subjects with bi-parental alcoholism had the highest likelihood of ACEs. Compared with the subjects without ACEs, therisk of personal alcohol abuse was increased by 2-4-folds in the subjects with ACEs, irrespective of parental alcoholism （P〈0.05）. The total number of ACEs （ACE score） had a graded relationship to 4 categories of personal alcohol abuse with or without parental alcoholism. The prevalence of personal alcohol abuse among the subjects with parental alcoholism was higher, which was independent of ACE scores. Conclusion The prevalence of ACEs is generally serious in China. Efforts should be made to prevent and treat children with ACEs and subsequently to reduce alcohol abuse and later problems.

M1 transition energy and rate in the ground configuration of Ag-like ions with 62 ≤ Z ≤ 94

Systematic calculations and assessments are performed for the magnetic dipole(M1)transition energies and rates between the ^(2)F^(o)_(5/2,7/2) levels in the ground configuration 4d104f along the Ag-like isoelectronic sequence with 62≤Z≤94 based on the second-order many-body perturbation theory implemented in the Flexible Atomic Code.The electron correlations,Breit interaction and quantum electrodynamics effects are taken into account in the present calculations.The accuracy and reliability of our results are evaluated through comprehensive comparisons with available measurements and other theoretical results.For transition energies,our results are in good agreement with the recent experimental data obtained from the electron beam ion traps within 0.18%.The maximum discrepancy between our results and those obtained with the large-scale multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartee–Fock calculations by Grumer et al.[Phys.Rev.A 89062501(2014)]is less than 0.13%along the isoelectronic sequence.Furthermore,the corresponding M1 transition rates are also reported.The present results can be used as the benchmark and useful for spectra simulation and diagnostics of astrophysical and fusion plasmas.

Recent progress in thermal/environmental barrier coatings and their corrosion resistance

Thermal/environmental barrier coatings(T/EBCs)play important roles in jet and/or gas turbine engines to protect the Ni-based superalloys and/or ceramic matrix composite substrates from the high-temperature airflow damage.Great efforts have been contributed to searching for enhanced T/EBC materials to improve the efficiency of the engines,which is the key of improving thrust-to-weight ratio and energy saving.The practical candidates,rare earth-contained materials,are widely used for T/EBCs in gas turbines due to their excellent properties such as low thermal conductivity,high melting point,hightemperature strength and durability as exhibited in yttriastabilized zirconia,pyrochlore oxides and rare earth silicates.In addition to the intrinsic properties,the microstructures obtained by different synthesis processes and the service performances,as well as the underlying failure mechanism,are also significant to this specific application.However,the main challenges for T/EBCs developments are T/EBC materials selection with balanced properties and their anti-corrosion performances at higher operating temperature.In this review,we summarized the progress in their fabrication techniques and mechanical/thermal properties of typically rare earth-contained T/EBCs,together with their anti-corrosion performance under the condition of molten salts or oxides(such as Na2SO4,V2O5and NaVO3),calcium–magnesium–alumina–silicate(CMAS)and high-temperature water vapor.

Structural, ferromagnetic, and optical properties of Fe and Al co-doped ZnO diluted magnetic semiconductor nanoparticles synthesized under high magnetic field

In this study, 2% Fe and 3% Al co-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using a hydrothermal method under high magnetic field (HMF). The influences of HMF on the structural, optical, and ferromagnetic properties of Fe and Al co-doped ZnO nanoparticles were characterized and analyzed. The single-phase wurtzite structure of the synthesized samples was confirmed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Raman spectroscopy analysis. The application of HMF decreases the particle size of the spherical nanocrystal as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Optical analysis indicated that the absoqjtion edge shifted towards a higher wavelength (red shift). The nanoparticles synthesized under the HMF exhibited high room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) performance because of the high oxygen vacancy (VO) content as revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which was in agreement with the prediction of the bound magnetic polarons theory.