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Glioma is a common type of tumor in human central nervous system, and it is characterized with high mobility and mortality. The prognosis of patients with advanced glioma remains poor. Thus, it is necessary to develop novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of this disease. Circular RNAs are a group of noncoding RNAs which have been detected in eukaryotic cells. They are tissue-specific and characterized with a more stable structure compared with linear RNAs. Recently, studies have revealed that certain circular RNAs are involved in biological processes such as gene regulation; however, the functions of most circular RNAs remain unknown and require further investigation. Furthermore, circular RNAs can act as “sponges” of its target microRNA, consequently suppressing their activity. Additionally, impaired expression of circular RNAs is reported in different diseases including cancer. In our study, low expression of circular RNA Scm like with 4 Mbt domains 2 was detected in glioma samples. Furthermore, reduced circRNA Scm like with 4 Mbt domains 2 expression was observed in human glioma cell lines compared to normal astrocyte cells. Additionally, overexpression of circRNA Scm like with 4 Mbt domains 2 suppressed the growth and metastasis of glioma cells in vitro. Moreover, microRNA-182-5p could be a downstream molecule of circRNA Scm like with 4 Mbt domains 2. The influenced of microRNA-182-5p-induced proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioma cells could be abrogated by overexpressed circRNA Scm like with 4 Mbt domains 2. In addition, metastasis suppressor 1 was predicted as a novel target of microRNA-182-5p, and its expression was restored by circRNA Scm like with 4 Mbt domains 2. In summary, our findings provided novel insight into the roles of circRNA Scm like with 4 Mbt domains 2 in glioma. More importantly, circRNA Scm like with 4 Mbt domains 2/microRNA-182-5p/metastasis suppressor 1 axis could be a putative therapeutic target for the treatment of patients with glioma.Four new ferrocenyl substituted thiosemicarbazone ligands (L1-L4) and their corresponding binuclear ruthenium(II) arene complexes of the general type [(η6-p cym)(L)Ru(μ-im)Ru(L)(η6-p-cym)]Cl (C1-C4) and [(η6-p cym)(L)Ru(μ-azpy)Ru(L)(η6-p-cym)]Cl2 (C5-C8) (cym = cymene, im = imidazole, azpy = 4,4′-azopyridine) have been synthesized and characterized. The structures of the complexes were established through DFT calculations and geometry optimization. The interactions of the binuclear complexes with DNA were investigated by absorption, emission and viscosity studies which indicated that the complexes bind to DNA via intercalation. Meanwhile, the interaction of complexes with the protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), has also been studied using fluorescence emission spectroscopy. The experimental results show that the binuclear complexes exhibit good binding propensities to BSA. The complexes can quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA remarkably through a static or dynamic quenching process. In addition, the in vitro cytotoxicity of complexes C1-C8 against HeLa cell line was assayed which showed lower IC50 values indicating their higher cytotoxicity and potency in killing the cancer cells at low concentrations. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.Enzymes related to β-hydroxyacid dehydrogenases/3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenases are ubiquitous, but most of them have not been characterized. An uncharacterized protein with moderate sequence similarities to Gluconobacter oxydans succinic semialdehyde reductase and plant glyoxylate reductases/succinic semialdehyde reductases was found in the genome of Acetobacter aceti JCM20276. The corresponding gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The gene product was purified and identified as a glyoxylate reductase that exclusively catalyzed the NAD(P)H-dependent reduction of glyoxylate to glycolate. The strict substrate specificity of this enzyme to glyoxylate, the diverged sequence motifs for its binding sites with cofactors and substrates, and its phylogenetic relationship to homologous enzymes suggested that this enzyme represents a novel class of enzymes in the β-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase family. This study may provide an important clue to clarify the metabolism of glyoxylate in bacteria. Abbreviations GR glyoxylate reductase; GRHPR glyoxylate reductase/hydroxypyruvate reductase; HIBADH 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase; SSA succinic semialdehyde; SSAR succinic semialdehyde reductase.Background There is a growing awareness that nutritional habits may influence risk of several inflammatory and immune-mediated disorders, including autoimmune diseases, through various mechanisms. The aim of the present study was to investigate dietary habits and their relationship with redox homeostasis in the setting of thyroid autoimmunity. Materials and Methods Two hundred subjects (173 females and 27 males; median age, 37 years) were enrolled. None were under any pharmacological treatment. Exclusion criteria were any infectious/inflammatory/autoimmune comorbidity, kidney failure, diabetes, and cancer. In each subject, serum thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine, antithyroid antibodies, and circulating oxidative stress markers were measured. A questionnaire on dietary habits, evaluating the intake frequencies of food groups and adherence to the Mediterranean diet, was submitted to each participant. Results Among the 200 recruited subjects, 81 (71 females and 10 males) were diagnosed with euthyroid Hashimoto’sely), indicating a condition of oxidative stress. Stepwise regression models demonstrated a significant dependence of oxidative stress parameters on consumption of animal foods, mainly meat. Conclusions The present study suggests a protective effect of low intake of animal foods toward thyroid autoimmunity and a positive influence of such nutritional patterns on redox balance and potentially on oxidative stress-related disorders.Drug-loaded nanoparticles have been widely used in the field of tumor treatment due to their low side effects and reduced frequency of administration. In this study, keratin-dopamine conjugate was first synthesized by amidation reaction and then formed nanoparticles by self-polymerization of dopamine segment. Keratin-dopamine conjugate nanoparticles (KNPs) exhibited pH and glutathione (GSH) dual responsiveness in the simulated tumor environment. These nanoparticles were able to load anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) through electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds. These drug-loaded KNPs (DKNPs) exhibited controlled drug release in a tumor simulation environment. Meanwhile, DKNPs performed a stronger inhibitory effect on tumor cells compared with human normal tissue cells. Based on the above results, keratin-dopamine conjugate based drug carriers had a broad prospect in the field of cancer treatment.Transesophageal echocardiography is a relatively non-invasive, mobile, safe imaging technique that is ideal for providing real-time information on cardiac anatomy and function during heart surgery. The technology has evolved from two-dimensional to real-time three-dimensional imaging during cardiac procedures, which has significantly benefited preoperative planning, intraoperative guidance, evaluation, and postoperative follow-up. Transesophageal echocardiography may serve the clinical perfusionist by providing imaging guidance for identifying potential problems before cardiopulmonary bypass, guiding the proper placement of cannulas, monitoring cardiac performance on cardiopulmonary bypass, and providing useful feedback during weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass. Although the perfusionist should be able to understand all echocardiographic images and measurements in depth, perfusion-related echocardiographic information can or should be used to optimize the clinical practice of the modern perfusionist. Vice versa, whenever the perfusionist suspects a problem, the surgical team including the sonographer should verify this “clinical treat” by echocardiography whenever possible.In order to find out the response mechanism of nitrogen assimilation and glutamine/glutamine family of amino acids metabolism in mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves under NaCl and NaHCO3 stress, and to reveal its role in salt alkali adaptation. The effects of the nitrogen metabolism of mulberry leaves were studied under 100 mmol L-1 NaCl and NaHCO3 stress.The results showed that the activity of NR and the content of TN and SP did not change significantly, the expression of NiR, Fd-NiR, Fd-NiR gene and theactivity of NiR increased significantly under NaCl stress, but nitrogen assimilation was inhibited under NaHCO3 stress. NaCl stress had no significant effect on the expression and activity of GS and GOGAT in mulberry leaves. Under NaHCO3 stress, the expression of Fd-GOGAT, Fd-GOGAT2, Fd-GOGAT gene, and the activity of GS and GOGAT were significantly decreased. NaCl stress can promote the accumulation of Pro, Put and Spd in mulberry leaves. The accumulation of Pro under NaHCO3 stress is greater than that under NaCl stress. NaCl stress also induced the up-regulation of GAD, GAD1 and GAD1 gene expression, so promoting the synthesis of GABA may be an adaptive mechanism for mulberry to cope with NaCl stress, but the expression of GAD did not change significantly and GAD gene expression lower than CK under NaHCO3 stress. Although both NaCl and NaHCO3 stress could promote the synthesis of GSH by up-regulation of GCLM expression, GSH under NaHCO3 stress was significantly higher than that under NaCl stress, the content of H2O2 was still significantly higher than that of NaCl stress, that means GSH may not play a key role in alleviating the oxidative damage in mulberry leaves caused by salt and alkali.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has created a significant threat to global health. It originated in Wuhan, China and caused a total of 83,483 confirmed cases and 4634 deaths until June 2020. This novel virus spread primarily through respiratory droplets and close contact. The person-to-person transmission by direct transmittance through cough, sneeze, droplet inhalation, and contact spreading from dry surfaces contaminated with secretions of nose, mouth, and eyes of an infected person has been proven about SARS-CoV-2 transmission. As disease progressed, a series of complications tends to develop, especially in critically ill and immunocompromised patients. Pathological studies showed representative features of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and implications on multiple organs as well. However, no specific antiviral drugs or vaccines are immediately available for the treatment of this lethal disease. The efficacy of some promising antivirals needs to be investigated by ongoing clinical trials. In current circumstances, supportive care, precautions, and social distancing are the only preventive options to ameliorate COVID-19. selleck kinase inhibitor To disinfect the environment, mainly chemical disinfectants are being used robustly. However, due to panic state, fright, and unawareness, people are using it violently, which can have an adverse effect on human health and environment. This review discusses about the potential harmful effect of disinfectants, if used inappropriately. Here, we will also discuss safe preventive options as an alternative to robust use of disinfection methods to fight against COVID-19.