Klotho was first identified in 1997 and has been considered as an anti-aging gene. Emerging evidence demonstrates that klotho has a close relationship with cancers, including lung cancer, breast cancer, etc, by inhibiting the proliferation and promoting apoptosis of cancer cells. Cisplatin has been the most widely used drug in the first-line chemotherapy. However, the increase in cisplatin-resistant cancer cells has become a major obstacle in clinical management of cancers. In our study, we for the first time demonstrated that klotho could attenuate the resistance of lung cancer to cisplatin based chemotherapy and the apoptosis of the resistant cells with klotho overexpression was markedly increased. However, klotho knockdown cells showed enhanced resistance to chemotherapy. Further analysis showed that inhibition of PI3K/Akt pathway with specific inhibitor (LY294002) attenuated the promotive effects on cancer growth following interfering with klotho shRNA. Moreover, we demonstrated that klotho modulated the resistance to cisplatin in a xenograft nude mice model. These observations suggested that klotho could improve the resistance of lung cancer cells to chemotherapy and may serve as a potential target for the gene therapy of lung cancers resistant to cisplatin based chemotherapy.
Legumes and rhizobia exchange at least three different, but sometimes complementary sets of signals. Amongst the variety of substances normally and continuously secreted into the rhizosphere by plants are phenolic compounds. Flavonoid components of these mixtures are especially active in inducing rhizobial nodulation genes. Many nodgenes exist. Some (e.g., nodD) serve as regulators of transcription, but most code for enzymes involved in the synthesis of a family of lipo-chito-oligosaccharides (LCOs) called Nod-factors. Nod-factors possess hormonelike properties, are key determinants in nodulation, and allow rhizobia to enter the plant. As Nod-factors also stimulate the synthesis and release of flavonoids from legume roots, the response to inoculation is amplified. Once the bacteria enter the plant, other sets of signals are exchanged between the symbionts. These include extra-cellular polysaccharides (EPSs) as well as proteins externalised via type-three secretion systems. These carbohydrates/proteins may be active in invasion of the root. At the time of writing, only flavonoids and Nodfactors have been chemically synthesised and of these only the former are available in large quantities. Field trials in North America show that seed application of flavonoids stimulates nodulation and nitrogen fixation in soybeans grown at low soil temperatures. The biological basis to these responses is discussed.
Using the nationally representative dataset of the 2007 Pakistan Time-Use Survey, this paper examines gender differences in daily trip rate, mode choice, travel duration, and purpose of travel, which are previously unreported because of limited data availability. Wide gender mobility gaps are observed in the country, where women are less likely to travel, are half as mobile as men and may rely heavily on walking. The particular social and cultural context of the country, that renders women as private, secluded and family honor, seems influential in shaping their mobility and choice of activities. Demographic factors such as age, household income, and marital status significantly decrease female mobility levels. Hence, these findings call for a gender-based culturally responsive transportation policy in the country.
Developing new optimized bifunctional photocatalyst is of great significant for achieving the high-performance photo-assisted Li-O 2 batteries. Herein, a novel bifunctional photo-assisted Li-O 2 system is constructed by using siloxene nanosheets with ultra-large size and few-layers due to its superior light harvesting, semiconductor characteristic, and low recombination rate. An ultra-low charge potential of 1.90 V and ultra-high discharge of 3.51 V have been obtained due to the introduction of this bifunctional photocatalyst into Li-O 2 batteries, and these results have realized the round-trip efficiency up to 185 %. In addition, this photo-assisted Li-O 2 batteries exhibits a high rate (129 % round-trip efficiency at 1 mAcm À2 ), a prolonged cycling life with 92 % efficiency retention after 100 cycles, and the highly reversible capacity of 1170 mAh g À1 at 0.75 mA cm À2 . This work will open the vigorous opportunity for high-efficiency utilization of solar energy into electric system.
Cannibalisation is a major concern for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) when they outsource remanufacturing operations to third-party remanufacturers (3PRs). In dealing with the cannibalisation from the 3PRs, many OEMs (such as Sun, Apple, Hewlett Packard, Bosch Tools, and Gateway) use core collecting or remanufactured product remarketing. Motivated by examples from industry, we have developed two models in which an OEM produces new products but outsources remanufacturing operations to a 3PR. The two potential strategies for dealing with the cannibalisation from remanufactured products are: (1) collecting used cores from consumers, or (2) remarketing all remanufactured products to consumers. Among other results, we have found the minimising cannibalisation problems do not equate with maximising profits.In particular, if the collection cost coefficient is not pronounced, the aggressive response by the OEM minimises the cannibalisation problems from the 3PR's remanufacturing.On the other hand, it induces lower profitability for the OEM in Model C. Further, as the collection cost coefficient is moderate, remarketing remanufactured products can secure Pareto improvements. As such, we suggest that practising managers combine the cannibalisation problems of remanufacturing with the costs of collecting used cores.
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