Chronic hypoxia enhances aggressiveness of MCF-7 breast cancer cells through EMT

AIM: To investigate the effects of chronic hypoxia on the aggressiveness of MCF-7, a human breast cancer cell line, and the underlying mechanisms.METHODS: MCF-7 cells were cultured under hypoxia (1% O₂, 5% CO₂ and 94% N₂) or control (95% O₂ and 5% CO₂) condition. The viability, proliferation, and invasion and migration abilities of the MCF-7 cells were determined by MTT assay, CCK-8 assay, cell counting, and cell invasion and migration assays. Anchorage-independent growth and the alteration of cellular polarization of the MCF-7 cells were tested by soft agar colony formation assay and Matrigel-3D culture assay, respectively. The effects of chronic hypoxia on the growth and metastasis of MCF-7 cells in vivo were investigated by xenograft in nude mice. The morphological changes of the MCF-7 cells were observed under an inverted microscope. Hypoxia-induced alterations in the levels of hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3β (p-GSK-3β) as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) molecules, such as E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and MMP-9, were determined by Western blot.RESULTS: Chronic hypoxia significantly increased the viability, proliferation, and invasion and migration abilities of MCF-7 cells in vitro, enhanced the anchorage-independent growth, facilitated cellular polarization alteration in Matrigel-3D culture, and promoted cancer metastasis in vivo. Hypoxia up-regulated HIF-1, activated GSK-3β, down-regulated E-cadherin and increased the protein levels of N-cadherin, vimentin, MMP-3 and MMP-9. CONCLUSION: Chronic hypoxia enhances the aggressiveness of breast cancer cells probably through EMT.     

农业专业镇中小微企业服务平台发展战略初探——以广东省为例

农业专业镇是广东省农村经济发展的重要推动力。如今农业专业镇的发展面临着结构调整、产业升级和增长方式转变的巨大挑战，服务平台发展的战略选择对农业专业镇发展至关重要。专业镇的中小微企业服务平台建设发展呈现出以创新为核心、产学研紧密结合的趋势：加快中小微企业服务平台发展，在战略上必须以政府为主导，市场化配合运作，将载体建设与功能培育协同运作，将产学研合作与联盟服务协同运作，将品牌建设与重点扶持紧密结合，形成协同运作体系网。     

Inhibitory effect of AuNPs-Endostar on melanoma lung metastasis in mice

AIM: To observe the influence of gold nanoparticles combined with Endostar (AuNPs-Endostar) on the melanoma lung metastasis of mice and the underlying mechanism. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice (n=24) were selected for constructing the model of spontaneous lung metastasis of melanoma B16-F10 cells. Subsequently, the mice were randomly divided into Endostar group, AuNPs group, AuNPs-Endostar group and model group. After the formation of melanoma, the mice in each group were injected with different drugs through tail vein for 0.1 mL daily. After 9 d, the mice were narcotized for cutting the tumors in situ. After the operation, they were raised for 2 weeks before killed for obtaining the lung tissues to observe the situation of the metastasis. HE staining was utilized for observing the necrosis status of the tumors in situ, while immunostaining was applied for testing the expression of CD31, carbonic anhydrase-IX (CA-IX), vimentin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in the tumors. RESULTS: Compared with model group, the pulmonary metastasis in the groups with medical treatment was obviously reduced. In AuNPs-Endostar group, the metastasis inhibition rate was the highest, and the tumor necrosis was also decreased obviously, with the significant reduction of CD31, CA-IX and vimentin expression in the tumors and significant increase in ZO-1 expression. CONCLUSION: Compared with using Endostar or AuNPs alone, the combination of AuNPs with Endostar significantly improves the curative effect of inhibiting the pulmonary metastasis of melanoma in the mice. The mechanism may be related to reducing the tumor angiogenesis, norma-lizing the blood vessels and improving tumor hypoxia, thus inhibiting the tumor epithelial-mesenchymal transition, increasing the tight junctions between tumor cells and decreasing the invasiveness.     

过渡乳营养价值和对犊牛生产性能影响的研究进展

过渡乳是初乳向常乳过渡的乳汁。目前国内对于过渡乳的概念还没有深刻的认识。根据调研,目前在犊牛灌服初乳后,为了节省人力、节约成本,牧场对于过渡乳的使用并不充分,有的完全废弃,有的违规操作进行售卖,而采用代乳粉、常乳等代替过渡乳对犊牛进行饲喂。针对这一问题,本文从过渡乳的定义、营养价值和对犊牛生产性能的影响三个方面进行综述,以为过渡乳的使用以及犊牛7日龄内饲喂方案的制定提供参考。     

The tyranny of taste: the case of organic rice in Cambodia

Fair-trade and organic products are often sold at price premiums justified by smaller production volumes that are associated with greater social and environmental responsibility. The consumption of these products confers on the consumer a greater sense of morality – and usually a claim to better taste. This paper tells the story of attempts to promote organic/fair-trade rice production by de facto organic Cambodian farmers for export to North American and European markets in order to assist poor farmers to trade their way out of poverty. It demonstrates that instead of promoting sustainable agriculture and fair trade between developed and developing markets, organic/fair-trade projects may impose First World consumer ideals and tastes that are out of step with the larger realities of agrarian transition in Cambodia and the wider region of developing Southeast Asia.     

Role of voltage-dependent anion channel in cardiomyocytes subjected to anoxia/reoxygenation

AIM: To investigate the role of voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) in H9c2 cardiomyocytes subjected to anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R).METHODS: The shRNAs targeting VDAC1 mRNA were inserted into pSUPER plasmid.H9c2 cells were randomly divided into 5 groups as follows: control group, A/R group, anoxia preconditioning (APC) group, pSUPER-VDAC1-A/R group and pSUPER-A/R group. The expression of VDAC1 was detected by Western blotting. Cellular injury was evaluated by measuring the cell viability and the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine phosphokinase (CPK). The mitochondria membrane potential was determined by flow cytometry.RESULTS: VDAC1 expression was up-regulated in A/R group and was inhibited in APC group. Similarly, down-regulation of VDAC1 expression by shRNA protected H9c2 cells from A/R injury. Moreover, we found that, with silencing VDAC1 expression, mitochondrial membrane potential was well preserved in H9c2 cells subjected to A/R.CONCLUSION: Down-regulation of VDAC1 protects H9c2 cells against A/R injury and its possible mechanism appears to be related to the regulation of mitochondial permeability transition pore opening.     

空调制冷行业与环保的关系

本文就大气保护制冷行业的关系并从保护臭氧层、大气变暖的角度，论述了空调制冷行业与环保的关系。     

FRW阻燃胶合板的DMA分析

目前世界范围内木材资源短缺的情况日益加剧,发展人造板工业已成为世界各国解决木材资源严重不足的重要途径.其中,胶合板作为室内装饰的主要材料,其产量和需求量都在急剧增长.我国胶合板产量从1980年的33.00万m3增长到2004年的2 098.62万m3,呈现大幅度增长的趋势(张文标等,2000).但由于普通胶合板具有易燃性,在许多领域的应用上受到限制.因为一旦发生火灾,不仅造成重大的经济损失,而且往往会发生人员伤亡.1950-2003年全国共发生火灾4 177 730起,直接经济损失2 434.525 1亿元,因火灾死亡174 855人,受伤329 352人.