Self-Calibration 3D Hybrid SERS Substrate and Its Application in Quantitative Analysis.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been widely applied in many fields as a sensitive vibrational fingerprint technique. However, SERS faces challenges in quantitative analysis due to the heterogeneity of hot spots. An internal standard (IS) strategy has been employed for correcting the variation of hot spots.

Long-term exposure to copper induces mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in mouse hearts.

Copper is a trace element necessary for the normal functioning of organisms, but excessive copper contents may be toxic to the heart. The goal of this study was to investigate the role of excessive copper accumulation in mitochondrial damage and cell apoptosis inhibition. In vivo, the heart copper concentration and cardiac troponin I (c-TnI) and N-terminal forebrain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) levels increased in the copper-laden model group compared to those of the control group.

Xin-Ji-Er-Kang protects myocardial and renal injury in hypertensive heart failure in mice.

Background: Xin-Ji-Er-Kang (XJEK) as a herbal formula of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown the protective effects on myocardial function as well as renal function in mouse models of myocardial infarction.

Hypothesis/purpose: We investigated the effects of XJEK on cardiovascular- and renal-function in a heart failure mouse model induced by high salt (HS) and the associated mechanisms.

Study Design: For the purpose of assessing the effects of XJEK on a hypertensive heart failure model, mice were fed with 8% high salt diet.

Cholesterol gallstones: Focusing on the role of interstitial Cajal-like cells.

Cholesterol gallstone (CG) is a common, frequent biliary system disease in China, with a complex and multifactorial etiology. Declined gallbladder motility reportedly contributes to CG pathogenesis. Furthermore, interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLCs) are reportedly present in human and guinea pig gallbladder tissue.

Effect of cholesterol on cultured interstitial Cajal-like cells isolated from guinea pig gallbladders.

Background: Loss and/or dysfunction of interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLCs) in the gallbladder may promote cholesterol gallstone formation by decreasing gallbladder motility.

Aim: To study the effect of cholesterol on the proliferation and apoptosis of ICLCs from guinea pig gallbladders.

Methods: Guinea pig gallbladder ICLCs were isolated and cultured .

Cellular and molecular mechanism study of declined intestinal transit function in the cholesterol gallstone formation process of the guinea pig.

The aim of this study was to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of declined intestinal transit (IT) function in the cholesterol gallstone (CG) formation process. Forty guinea pigs were divided into an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CoG), and the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed for the analysis of c-kit and stem cell factor (scf) mRNA expression in the small bowel. In addition, immunofluorescence staining and confocal laser microscopy were performed for the observation of the changes in the number of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) in the terminal ileum of each group.

Decreased number of interstitial cells of Cajal play an important role in the declined intestinal transit during cholesterol gallstone formation in guinea pigs fed on high cholesterol diet.

To study the changes of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) and expression of c-kt and scf mRNA in terminal ileum tissue during cholesterol gallstone formation in guinea pigs fed on high cholesterol diet, forty guinea pigs were divided into the gallstone group and the control group. The animals in the gallstone group were fed on a high cholesterol diet (HCD), while those in the control group fed on a standard diet (StD). The guinea pigs were sacrificed at the 8th week.

[Effect of different concentrations of bortezomib on the expression of ERK, JNK and P38 in daunorubicin-resistant K562 cells].

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of proteasome inhibitor bortezomib on the expression of ERK, JNK, and P38 in daunorubicin (DNR)-resistant K562 cells and its mechanism. MTT method was used to determine the drug-resistant K562 cells and the cellular toxicity of bortezomib; Western blot was used to detect the expression of protein ERK, JNK and P38 in K562 cells after treatment with 100 nmol/L DNR alone or combined with 1 nmol/L and 10 nmol/L bortezomib for 36 hours. Flow cytometry assay was used to detect the apoptosis rate in each group cells.

Reversion of Multidrug-Resistance by Proteasome Inhibitor Bortezomib in K562/DNR Cell Line.

Objective: To observe the reversion of multi-drug resistance by proteasome inhibitor bortezomib in K562/DNR cell line and to analyze the possible mechanism of reversion of multidrug-resistance.

Methods: MTT method was used to determine the drug resistance of K562/DNR cells and the cellular toxicity of bortezomib. K562/DNR cells were cultured for 12 hours, 24 hours and 36 hours with 100 μg/ml DNR only or plus 4 μg/L bortezomib.

[Effect of bortezomib on MAPK signaling pathway of K562/DNR cells].

The study was aimed to investigate the effects of bortezomib (BTZ) on the expression of ERK, JNK and P38 in daunorubicin (DNR)-resistant K562 cells (K562/DNR) and to clarify the molecular mechanism of BTZ in reversing the drug-resistance in leukemic cells. The K562/DNR cells and the cellular toxicity of BTZ was determined by MTT, then 4 µg/L of BTZ was chosen to do the experiment. The expression of ERK, JNK, p38 and P-gp of K562/DNR cells treated with DNR only or DNR combined with BTZ for 12, 24 and 36 hours was detected by Western blot.

Possible relationship between intestinal barrier function and formation of pigment gallstones in hamsters.

Background: The presence of bacteria in bile is an important factor in the formation of pigment gallstones. The bile of healthy people is sterile and bacteria in the biliary system come from endogenous infection from the gut. Yet, the route of bacterial translocation into the bile duct is still unclear.

Effect of intestinal transit on the formation of cholesterol gallstones in hamsters.

Background: The effect of "intestinal transit" has become a new field of interest in the study of the pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstones. This study was undertaken to further test this notion and ascertain the relationship between impaired intestinal transit function and cholesterol gallstones.

Methods: A total of 64 hamsters were divided into 2 groups, experimental and control.

Systemic delivery of full-length C/EBP beta/liposome complex suppresses growth of human colon cancer in nude mice.

C/EBP beta (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta) is an important transcription factor involved in cellular proliferation and differentiation. Overexpression of the full-length C/EBP beta protein results in cellular growth arrest and apoptosis. Using a nonviral liposome as carrier, we delivered the full-length C/EBP beta expression plasmid, pCN, into nude mice bearing CW-2 human colon cancer tumors via tail vein.

Gene expression profile favoring phenotypic reversion: a clue for mechanism of tumor suppression by NF-IL6 3'UTR.

Transfection of cDNA in 3'untranslated region of human nuclear factor for interleukin-6 (NF-IL6 3'UTR) induced tumor suppression in a human hepatoma cell line. cDNA array analysis was used to reveal changes in gene expression profile leading to tumor suppression The results indicate that this suppression was not due to activation of dsRNA-dependent protein kinase, nor to inactivation of oncogenes; rather, all the changes in expression of known genes, induced by NF-IL6 3'UTR cDNA may be ascribed to the suppression of cellular malignancy. Therefore, our results imply that this 3'untranslated region may have played role of a regulator of gene expression profile.