Feedback loop between p66(Shc) and Nrf2 promotes lung cancer progression.

p66(Shc), one of the SHC1 gene encoding proteins, promotes cell death and reports cell anchorage status, mediating anoikis in vitro and functioning as a metastasis suppressor in vivo. However, very little is known about p66(Shc) gene regulation in cancer cells. Here, we show that methylation of a specific CpG site in the early post-transcriptional region correlates with p66(Shc) repression in clinical human lung cancer samples and cancer cell lines.

A novel zwitterionic copolymer with a short poly(methyl acrylic acid) block for improving both conjugation and separation efficiency of a protein without losing its bioactivity.

PEGylation of protein drugs has thus far been the most important method used in improving the stability and the circulation time, while lowering the immunogenicity of protein drugs. However, the loss of bioactivity of PEGylated protein drugs and the low recovery through the complicated separation process are the most challenging issues. To overcome these problems, a zwitterionic block copolymer poly(methyl acrylic acid-b-sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PMAA-b-PSBMA or abbreviated to PMS) has been chosen to modify a protein drug (uricase) since zwitterionic materials are superior to polyethylene glycol (PEG) in resistance to nonspecific protein adsorption, chemical stability and also low cytotoxicity.

A metabolomics-driven elucidation of the anti-obesity mechanisms of xanthohumol.

Mild, mitochondrial uncoupling increases energy expenditure and can reduce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Activation of cellular, adaptive stress response pathways can result in an enhanced capacity to reduce oxidative damage. Together, these strategies target energy imbalance and oxidative stress, both underlying factors of obesity and related conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

Carbonate-mediated Fe(II) oxidation in the air-cathode fuel cell: a kinetic model in terms of Fe(II) speciation.

Due to the high redox activity of Fe(II) and its abundance in natural waters, the electro-oxidation of Fe(II) can be found in many air-cathode fuel cell systems, such as acid mine drainage fuel cells and sediment microbial fuel cells. To deeply understand these iron-related systems, it is essential to elucidate the kinetics and mechanisms involved in the electro-oxidation of Fe(II). This work aims to develop a kinetic model that adequately describes the electro-oxidation process of Fe(II) in air-cathode fuel cells.

Framing effects in medical situations: distinctions of attribute, goal and risky choice frames.

Objective: To verify whether three different framing effects (risky choice, attribute and goal) exist in simulated medical situations and to analyse any differences.

Methods: Medical decision-making problems were established, relating to medical skill evaluation, patient compliance and a selection of treatment options. All problems were described in positive and negative frame conditions.

Fractal H-shaped plasmonic nanocavity.

Based on complementary fractal geometry structures, we design a novel infrared quasi-three-dimensional (3D) nanocavity with a localized enhanced field with multiband resonant frequencies. The fractals offer the nanostructure two important characteristics, multiband functionality and a subwavelength effect. The electric field, power flow, and the field intensity distributions are given to indicate the internal mechanism of the localized enhanced field in the nanocavity.

Tobacco control challenges in East Asia: proposals for change in the world's largest epidemic region.

East Asia is one of the world's largest tobacco epidemic regions. Although several international studies have evaluated the status of tobacco control in this region, the findings have not been integrated with knowledge on domestic activities at the national and municipal levels. We analysed the current tobacco control situation in three East Asian countries, Japan, China and the Republic of Korea, using both international and domestic data sources.

Time perspective as a predictor of smoking status: findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Surveys in Scotland, France, Germany, China, and Malaysia.

Background: Prior studies have demonstrated that time perspective-the propensity to consider short-versus long-term consequences of one's actions-is a potentially important predictor of health-related behaviors, including smoking. However, most prior studies have been conducted within single high-income countries. The aim of this study was to examine whether time perspective was associated with the likelihood of being a smoker or non-smoker across five countries that vary in smoking behavior and strength of tobacco control policies.

Evaluating the efficacy of different smoking policies in restaurants and bars in Beijing, China: a four-year follow-up study.

Introduction: In 2006, the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control became effective in mainland China. In 2007, advocacy on voluntary smoking bans in restaurants was initiated in Beijing, and in 2008 the Beijing government implemented a smoking regulation, requiring big restaurants to prohibit or restrict smoking.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of different smoking policies adopted by Beijing restaurants and bars from 2006 to 2010.

RNA interference of GADD153 protects photoreceptors from endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis after retinal detachment.

Background: Apoptosis of photoreceptors plays a critical role in the vision loss caused by retinal detachment (RD). Pharmacologic inhibition of photoreceptor cell death may prevent RD. This study investigated the role of GADD153 that participates in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis of photoreceptor cells after RD.

Linezolid versus vancomycin for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Linezolid is the first available oxazolidinone, possessing broad-spectrum activity against Gram-positive bacteria and a favourable pharmacokinetic profile. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of linezolid with vancomycin, the gold-standard treatment, for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-related infections. A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) identified in PubMed, the Cochrane Library and Embase was performed.

NCK2 is significantly associated with opiates addiction in African-origin men.

Substance dependence is a complex environmental and genetic disorder with significant social and medical concerns. Understanding the etiology of substance dependence is imperative to the development of effective treatment and prevention strategies. To this end, substantial effort has been made to identify genes underlying substance dependence, and in recent years, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have led to discoveries of numerous genetic variants for complex diseases including substance dependence.

Long-term and controlled release of chlorhexidine-copper(II) from organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) nanocomposites.

Drug/metal ion complexes exhibit improved antimicrobial activity and intercalating the above complexes into the interlayer of clay endows a long-term and controlled-release behavior. In this study, chlorhexidine was first complexed with copper (II) ion and then intercalated into the interlayer of MMT to form chlorhexidine-copper (II)/montmorillonite (CHX-Cu/MMT) nanocomposites. The nanocomposites were characterized with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) from different sources in China.

A diverse collection of 261 Staphylococcus aureus strains from human, animal, food, and environmental sources were tested for the presence and type of SCCmec elements, antibiotic susceptibility to various antibiotics, and non-ß-lactam antibiotic resistance genes. About 18.39% (48/261) of strains were methicillin-resistant S.

[Mechanism of temozolomide-induced anti-tumor effects on glioblastoma cells in vitro is via ROS-dependent SIRT1 signaling pathway].

Objective: To investigate the new mechanism of temozolomide (TMZ) induced anti-tumor effects on glioblastoma cells in vitro.

Methods: Grade IV glioma cell lines SHG44 and U251 cells were treated with TMZ. MTT test was used to determine the proliferation of glioma cells.

Migration of retinal pigment epithelial cells is EGFR/PI3K/AKT dependent.

Abnormal migration of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) contributes to a variety of disorders such as proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Here, the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF), and signaling by its receptor (ERGR)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) on RPE cell migration was studied. The in vitro wound healing and migration of the human RPE cell line, ARPE19 cell was accelerated, in a dose dependent manner, in response to EGF stimulation, while pretreatment with EGFR, PI3K or AKT inhibitor, inhibited both events.

Electrospray Quadrupole Travelling Wave Ion Mobility Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry for the Detection of Plasma Metabolome Changes Caused by Xanthohumol in Obese Zucker (fa/fa) Rats.

This study reports on the use of traveling wave ion mobility quadrupole time-of-flight (ToF) mass spectrometry for plasma metabolomics. Plasma metabolite profiles of obese Zucker fa/fa rats were obtained after the administration of different oral doses of Xanthohumol; a hop-derived dietary supplement. Liquid chromatography coupled data independent tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MSE) and LC-ion mobility spectrometry (IMS)-MSE acquisitions were conducted in both positive and negative modes using a Synapt G2 High Definition Mass Spectrometry (HDMS) instrument.

Tuberculosis in an urban area in China: differences between urban migrants and local residents.

Background: The increase in urban migrants is one of major challenges for tuberculosis control in China. The different characteristics of tuberculosis cases between urban migrants and local residents in China have not been investigated before.

Methodology/principal Findings: We performed a retrospective study of all pulmonary tuberculosis patients reported in Songjiang district, Shanghai, to determine the demographic, clinical and microbiological characteristics of tuberculosis cases between urban migrants and local residents.

Novel wound dressing based on nanofibrous PHBV-keratin mats.

Keratin is an important protein used for wound healing and tissue recovery. In this study, keratin was first extracted from raw materials and chemically modified to obtain stable keratin (m-keratin). The raw and m-keratin were examined by Raman spectroscopy.

Grafting of carboxybetaine brush onto cellulose membranes via surface-initiated ARGET-ATRP for improving blood compatibility.

Grafting-from has proven to be a very effective way to create high grafting densities and well-controlled polymer chains on different kinds of surfaces. In this work, we aim to graft zwitterionic brush from cellulose membrane (CM) via ARGET-ATRP (Activator Regenerated by Electron Transfer ATRP) method indirectly for blood compatibility improvement. Characterization of the CM substrates before and after modification was carried out by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), water contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, and atomic force microscopy, respectively.

Apoptosis of breast cancer cells induced by hypocrellin B under light-emitting diode irradiation.

Objectives: Breast cancer is a common disease which threatens the life of women. To explore an alternative modality for combating breast cancer, a light-emitting diode (LED) that activates hypocrellin B was used in the present study to investigate apoptosis induction in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells.

Materials And Methods: Photocytotoxicity was investigated 24h after photodynamic treatment of hypocrellin B using MTT reduction assay and light microscopy.

Incidence and correlates of receiving cigarettes as gifts and selecting preferred brand because it was gifted: findings from the ITC China Survey.

Background: Giving cigarettes as gifts is a common practice in China, but there have been few systematic studies of this practice. The present study was designed to estimate the incidence of receiving cigarettes as gifts, correlates of this practice, and its impact on brand selection in a representative sample of urban adult smokers in China.

Methods: Data were analyzed from Wave 2 of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) China Survey, where 4843 adult urban smokers were interviewed in six major Chinese cities between October 2007 and January 2008.

Specification of functional neurons and glia from human pluripotent stem cells.

Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) hold great promise in regenerative medicine as they are an important source of functional cells for potential cell replacement. These human PSCs, similar to their counterparts of mouse, have the full potential to give rise to any type of cells in the body. However, for the promise to be fulfilled, it is necessary to convert these PSCs into functional specialized cells.