UVA irradiation induced heme oxygenase-1: a novel phototherapy for morphea.

Long wave UVA radiation (340-400 nm) causes detrimental as well as beneficial effects on human skin. Studies of human skin fibroblasts irradiated with UVA demonstrate increased expression of both antifibrotic heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1). The use of UVA-induced MMP-1 is well-studied in treating skin fibrotic conditions such as localized scleroderma, now called morphea.

Compatibility of Schistosoma japonicum from the hilly region and Oncomelania hupensis hupensis from the marshland region within Anhui, China.

Schistosome japonicum remains one main public concern in China. This is exemplified in the hilly region in Anhui Province, where rodents have served as reservoirs for the parasite and no effective intervention could target such wild animals. The closer relationship between the hilly region and the near marshland induces the worry of spread of the hill parasite to the marshland region.

Gender differences in associations of serum ferritin and diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity in the China Health and Nutrition Survey.

Scope: This study examines gender differences in associations of serum ferritin and diabetes, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and obesity in Chinese.

Methods And Results: Based on a nationwide, population-based China Health and Nutrition survey this study included 8564 men and women aged 18 years or older. Anthropometric and fasting blood glucose, insulin, lipids, ferritin, and transferrin data were collected.

Response of soil CO2 emission and summer maize yield to plant density and straw mulching in the North China Plain.

Demand for food security and the current global warming situation make high and strict demands on the North China Plain for both food production and the inhibition of agricultural carbon emissions. To explore the most effective way to decrease soil CO2 emissions and maintain high grain yield, studies were conducted during the 2012 and 2013 summer maize growing seasons to assess the effects of wheat straw mulching on the soil CO2 emissions and grain yield of summer maize by adding 0 and 0.6 kg m(-2) to fields with plant densities of 100,000, 75,000, and 55,000 plants ha(-1).

Comparative population genomics reveals the domestication history of the peach, Prunus persica, and human influences on perennial fruit crops.

Background: Recently, many studies utilizing next generation sequencing have investigated plant evolution and domestication in annual crops. Peach, Prunus persica, is a typical perennial fruit crop that has ornamental and edible varieties. Unlike other fruit crops, cultivated peach includes a large number of phenotypes but few polymorphisms.

Successful ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia in a patient with coexistent congenitally corrected transposition of the great vessels and situs inversus.

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great vessels (CTGV) is a rare congenital cardiac and great vessel abnormality. The anomalous inversion of the ventricles and great vessels makes performing catheter ablation difficult. We herein report a successful case of atrioventricular node reentrant tachycardia ablation in a patient with coexistent CTGV and situs inversus.

Elevated urinary levels of cystatin C and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in Henoch-Schönlein purpura patients with renal involvement.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a commonest systemic vasculitis in childhood. The long-term prognosis of HSP is determined by the degree of renal involvement. The aim of this study is to search novel clinically applicable biomarkers to evaluate renal involvement in HSP patients.

Regional specific regulation of steroid receptor coactivator-1 immunoreactivity by orchidectomy in the brain of adult male mice.

Androgens including testosterone and dihydrotestosterone play important roles on brain structure and function, either directly through androgen receptor or indirectly through estrogen receptors, which need coactivators for their transcription activation. Steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) has been shown to be multifunctional potentials in the brain, but how it is regulated by androgens in the brain remains unclear. In this study, we explored the effect of orchidectomy (ORX) on the expression of SRC-1 in the adult male mice using nickel-intensified immunohistochemistry.

Effect of thickness ratio on load-bearing capacity of bilayered dental ceramics.

Purpose: The aims of this study were to reveal the mechanism of failure of bilayered beams and to assess the thickness ratio effect on the load-bearing capacity of the bilayered beams.

Materials And Methods: Both analytical and finite element analysis methods were used to analyze the stress distributions of bilayered beams subjected to three-point bending test and the residual thermal stresses due to coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch. Then, the ideal load-bearing capacity of the beams as a function of core thickness was evaluated based on the mechanical models.

Characterization of recombinant influenza A virus as a vector expressing respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein epitopes.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of respiratory infection in infants and the elderly, and no vaccine against this virus has yet been licensed. Here, we report a recombinant PR8 influenza virus with the RSV fusion (F) protein epitopes of the subgroup A gene inserted into the influenza virus non-structural (NS) gene (rFlu/RSV/F) that was generated as an RSV vaccine candidate. The rescued viruses were assessed by microscopy and Western blotting.

Total synthesis of herbimycin A.

Benzoquinone ansamycin antibiotic herbimycin A was synthesized in 19 linear steps and 4.2% yield. Highlighted is the design of a chiral γ-lactone as the C11-C15 synthon that enabled a facile catalytic asymmetric synthesis of the challenging C8-C20 fragment of the target molecule.

The sheep genome illuminates biology of the rumen and lipid metabolism.

Sheep (Ovis aries) are a major source of meat, milk, and fiber in the form of wool and represent a distinct class of animals that have a specialized digestive organ, the rumen, that carries out the initial digestion of plant material. We have developed and analyzed a high-quality reference sheep genome and transcriptomes from 40 different tissues. We identified highly expressed genes encoding keratin cross-linking proteins associated with rumen evolution.

Electrochemical microsensor based on gold nanoparticles modified electrode for total phosphorus determinations in water.

This work mainly describes an electrochemical microsensor based on the reduction of molybdophosphate complex for total phosphorus (TP) determinations in water. The microelectrode was fabricated using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) techniques and porous, branching gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were electrodeposited on the microelectrode to improve its sensitivity. Calibration of the microsensor was performed with standard phosphate solutions prepared with KH2PO4 with pH adjusted to 1.

Immunohistochemical localization of steroid receptor coactivators in chondrosarcoma: an in vivo tissue microarray study.

Chondrosarcoma is the second most common type of primary bone malignancy following up osteosarcoma, characterized by resistance to conventional chemotherapeutic agents and radiation regimens. The p160 family members steroid receptor coactivator-1 and -3 (SRC-1 and SRC-3) have been implied in the regulation of cancer growth, migration, invasion, metastasis and chemotherapeutic resistance; but we still lack detailed information about the levels of SRCs in chondrosarcoma. In this study, expression of SRC-1 and SRC-3 in chondrosarcoma was examined by immunohistochemistry with tissue microarrays; the four score system (0, 1, 2 and 3) was used to evaluate the staining.

Hierarchical porous bioactive glasses/PLGA-magnetic SBA-15 for dual-drug release.

The hierarchical porous bioglass combined with magnetic SBA-15 was synthesized. The bioactive glass materials possess a hierarchical porous structure with the macroporous (50μm) and the mesoporous (3.86nm) structures derived from the plant template (cattail stem) and triblock polyethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer (P123), respectively.

Fabrication of robust hydrogel coatings on polydimethylsiloxane substrates using micropillar anchor structures with chemical surface modification.

A durable hydrophilic and protein-resistant surface of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based devices is desirable in many biomedical applications such as implantable and microfluidic devices. This paper describes a stable antifouling hydrogel coating on PDMS surfaces. The coating method combines chemical modification and surface microstructure fabrication of PDMS substrates.

Structural basis for histone mimicry and hijacking of host proteins by influenza virus protein NS1.

Pathogens can interfere with vital biological processes of their host by mimicking host proteins. The NS1 protein of the influenza A H3N2 subtype possesses a histone H3K4-like sequence at its carboxyl terminus and has been reported to use this mimic to hijack host proteins. However, this mimic lacks a free N-terminus that is essential for binding to many known H3K4 readers.

Effect of zirconia surface treatment on zirconia/veneer interfacial toughness evaluated by fracture mechanics method.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the airborne-particle abrasion and liner application on the interfacial toughness between veneering porcelain and zirconia core by means of a fracture mechanics test.

Methods: Beam-shaped zirconia specimens were sectioned and divided into 4 groups according to different surface treatments as follows: Group C (control): no treatment; Group L: application of liner; Group A: airborne-particle abrasion with Al2O3 (sandblasting); and Group AL: airborne-particle abrasion and application of liner. The zirconia surfaces before and after sandblasting were observed and analyzed by SEM and white light interferometer.

Intriguing roles of hippocampus-synthesized 17β-estradiol in the modulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity.

Accumulated studies have shown that 17β-estradiol (E2) can be de novo synthesized in the hippocampus, and its role in the regulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity, which is the basis of learning and memory, has long been exploring. Steroidogenic enzymes (e.g.

Expression of estrogen receptors, androgen receptor and steroid receptor coactivator-3 is negatively correlated to the differentiation of astrocytic tumors.

Astrocytic tumors are the most common primary brain tumors. It has been reported that androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptors alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ) and their coactivator SRC-1 and SRC-3 are involved in the regulation of the growth and development of many tumors, but their expression profiles and significances in the astrocytic tumors remain largely unknown. In this study, the expression of AR, ERs, and SRCs, and the possible roles of them in astrocytic neoplasm were evaluated and compared to normal brain tissues by nickel-intensified immunohistochemistry with tissue microarrays.

Interface toughness of a zirconia-veneer system and the effect of a liner application.

Statement Of Problem: Chipping of veneering porcelain and delamination of a zirconia-veneer interface are 2 common clinical failure modes for zirconia-based restorations and may be partially due to weak interface bonding. The effect of liner on the bond strength of the interface has not been clearly identified.

Purpose: The purpose of the research was to evaluate the interface toughness between the zirconia core and veneering porcelain by means of a fracture mechanics test and to assess the effect of liner on the bond strength of the interface.

Landiolol hydrochloride for prevention of atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmic complication after cardiac surgery. Several studies have compared the efficacy of landiolol and placebo or other agents in preventing new-onset AF in patients after cardiac surgery. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine whether landiolol is effective in preventing new-onset AF after cardiac surgery.

[Research on conditional fluctuation characteristics of CHF heart rate variation].

In this study, we applied generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model to conditional fluctuation characteristics of heart rate variation (HRV) series (congestive heart failure, Normal), with all the data from PhysioNet ECG database. Research results proved the existence of condition fluctuation characteristic in the series of changing rate of HRV. In the GARCH model family, threshold GARCH (1,1)(TGARCH (1,1)) model performs best in fitting changing rate of HRV.