Biodegradable poly(amine-co-ester) terpolymers for targeted gene delivery.

Many synthetic polycationic vectors for non-viral gene delivery show high efficiency in vitro, but their usually excessive charge density makes them toxic for in vivo applications. Here we describe the synthesis of a series of high molecular weight terpolymers with low charge density, and show that they exhibit efficient gene delivery, some surpassing the efficiency of the commercial transfection reagents Polyethylenimine and Lipofectamine 2000. The terpolymers were synthesized via enzyme-catalyzed copolymerization of lactone with dialkyl diester and amino diol, and their hydrophobicity adjusted by varying the lactone content and by selecting a lactone comonomer of specific ring size.

Identification of a natural compound by cell-based screening that enhances interferon regulatory factor-1 activity and causes tumor suppression.

The transcription factor interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) is induced by many tumor-suppressive stimuli and can mediate antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects in cancer cells. Thus, identifying agents that enhance IRF-1 activity may be an effective approach to cancer therapy. A cell-based screening assay was developed to identify extracts and compounds that could enhance IRF-1 activity, using an IRF-1-dependent luciferase reporter cell line.

Celastrol-induced apoptosis in human HaCaT keratinocytes involves the inhibition of NF-κB activity.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting 1-3% of the world's population. Traditional Chinese medicines have been extensively used for treating psoriasis with promising clinical results. Celastrol, a triterpenoid isolated from a Chinese herb Celastrus orbiculatus caulis, has been known to have diverse pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and antioxidant activities.

Robotic prostate biopsy and its relevance to focal therapy of prostate cancer.

Focal therapy is an individualized treatment option for prostate cancer, which destroys localized cancerous tissue but not normal tissue, thus avoiding the morbidities associated with whole-gland therapy. Accurate cancer localization and precise ablation are integral to the success of focal therapy, which remains unproven owing to suboptimal patient selection. Currently, there are no clinical or biopsy features that can identify unifocal prostate cancer and no imaging modality that can accurately diagnose or localize prostate cancer.

The truncated ghrelin receptor polypeptide (GHS-R1b) is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum where it forms heterodimers with ghrelin receptors (GHS-R1a) to attenuate their cell surface expression.

The ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) is remarkable amongst G-protein-coupled receptors for its high degree of constitutive activity, and this agonist-independent activity may be important for its physiological function in the control of food intake and body weight. Ghrelin receptors form heterodimers with the truncated ghrelin receptor polypeptide (GHS-R1b), which has a dominant-negative effect on ghrelin receptor function. Here we show that GHS-R1b has an intracellular localization distinct from ghrelin receptors, being primarily localized in the endoplasmic reticulum.

Sodium coupled bicarbonate influx regulates intracellular and apical pH in cultured rat caput epididymal epithelium.

Background: The epithelium lining the epididymis provides an optimal acidic fluid microenvironment in the epididymal tract that enable spermatozoa to complete the maturation process. The present study aims to investigate the functional role of Na(+)/HCO(3)(-) cotransporter in the pH regulation in rat epididymis.

Method/principal Findings: Immunofluorescence staining of pan cytokeratin in the primary culture of rat caput epididymal epithelium showed that the system was a suitable model for investigating the function of epididymal epithelium.

Bufalin induces autophagy-mediated cell death in human colon cancer cells through reactive oxygen species generation and JNK activation.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the world and about half of the patients with colorectal cancer require adjuvant therapy after surgical resection. Therefore, the eradication of cancer cells via chemotherapy constitutes a viable approach to treating patients with colorectal cancer. In this study, the effects of bufalin isolated from a traditional Chinese medicine were evaluated and characterized in HT-29 and Caco-2 human colon cancer cells.

Prognostic factors and predictive models in renal cell carcinoma: a contemporary review.

Context: The natural history of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is highly unpredictable. Small renal masses may be accompanied by metastatic disease. Conversely, patients with locally advanced disease may enjoy long-term disease-free survival.

Discovery of a new reproductive hormone in teleosts: pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide-related peptide (PRP).

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP)-related peptide (PRP) is a peptide encoded with PACAP in the same precursor protein. Non-mammalian PRPs were previously termed growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH)-like peptide, and was regarded as the mammalian GHRH homologue in non-mammalian vertebrates until the discovery of authentic GHRH genes in teleosts and amphibians. Although a highly specific receptor for PRP, which is lost in mammals, is present in non-mammals, a clear function of PRP in vertebrates remains unknown.

Enhanced siRNA delivery into cells by exploiting the synergy between targeting ligands and cell-penetrating peptides.

We have developed a polymer nanoparticle-based siRNA delivery system that exploits a cell surface binding synergism between targeting ligands and cell-penetrating peptides. Nanoparticles were coated with folate and penetratin via a PEGylated phospholipid linker (DSPE-PEG): the combination of both of these ligands represents a strategy for enhancing intracellular delivery of attached polymer nanoparticles. Nanoparticles were characterized for size, morphology, density of surface modification, and ligand association and retention.

The Karakiewicz nomogram is the most useful clinical predictor for survival outcomes in patients with localized renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Outcomes after surgical removal of localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are variable. There have been multiple prognostic nomograms and risk groups developed for estimation of survival outcomes, with different models in use for evaluating patient eligibility in ongoing trials of adjuvant therapy. The authors aimed to establish the most useful prognostic model for patients with localized RCC to guide trial design, biomarker research, and clinical counseling.

Hemodynamic changes quantified in abdominal aortic aneurysms with increasing exercise intensity using mr exercise imaging and image-based computational fluid dynamics.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a vascular disease resulting in a permanent, localized enlargement of the abdominal aorta. We previously hypothesized that the progression of AAA may be slowed by altering the hemodynamics in the abdominal aorta through exercise [Dalman, R. L.

A study on the functional interaction between the GH/PRL family of polypeptides with their receptors in zebrafish: Evidence against GHR1 being the receptor for somatolactin.

The growth hormone (GH)/prolactin (PRL) family of polypeptide hormones plays important roles in many aspects of vertebrate physiology. In fish, there is an additional member in this family called somatolactin (SL). Specifically, zebrafish contains five ligands (GH, SLα, SLβ, PRL1 and PRL2) and four cognate receptors including two GH receptors (GHR1 and GHR2) and two PRL receptors (PRLR1 and PRLR2).

Synthesis of biocompatible, mesoporous Fe(3)O(4) nano/microspheres with large surface area for magnetic resonance imaging and therapeutic applications.

This article reports the fabrication of mesoporous Fe(3)O(4) nano/microspheres with a high surface area value (163 m(2)/g, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) and demonstrates their use for drug loading, release, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These monodispersed, mesoporous Fe(3)O(4) nano/microspheres with controllable average sizes ranging from 50 to 200 nm were synthesized using a Fe(3)O(4)/poly(acrylic acid) hybrid sphere template and subsequent silica shell formation and removal. We found that the SiO(2) coating is a crucial step for the successful synthesis of uniform mesoporous Fe(3)O(4) nano/microspheres.

Evaluation of data completeness of the prostate cancer registry after robotic radical prostatectomy.

Introduction: This study evaluated the data completeness in the registration of prostate cancer after robotic radical prostatectomy (RRP) in the Urological Cancer Registry at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), and its compliance to the international standards of US Commission on Cancer (CoC).

Materials And Methods: A certified cancer registrar reviewed all RRP cases between June 2003 and July 2008 in the Urological Cancer Registry at SGH.

Results: A total of 365 cases were reviewed.

Quantification of particle residence time in abdominal aortic aneurysms using magnetic resonance imaging and computational fluid dynamics.

Hemodynamic conditions are hypothesized to affect the initiation, growth, and rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), a vascular disease characterized by progressive wall degradation and enlargement of the abdominal aorta. This study aims to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to quantify flow stagnation and recirculation in eight AAAs by computing particle residence time (PRT). Specifically, we used gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography to obtain images of the vessel lumens, which were used to generate subject-specific models.

Insulin-like growth factor 3 is involved in oocyte maturation in zebrafish.

The gonad-specific expression of a recently discovered Igf subtype (Igf3) in teleost has indicated the important role of this novel Igf in the reproductive functions of fish. In the present study using zebrafish as the model organism, we have further examined the gene expression patterns and the physiological role of Igf3 in the ovary. The igf3 gene in zebrafish was found to be alternatively spliced into two transcripts, with transcript variant 1 exclusively expressed in the gonads, and transcript variant 2 only expressed during early development.

Outcome of laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy and impact of double renal arteries: results from two transplant centres.

Objective: Live donor kidney transplantation is consistently superior to deceased donor kidney transplantation. Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) is increasingly accepted as a safe and preferred surgical option. To evaluate the outcome of LDN and the impact of multiple arteries, a retrospective review was conducted on patients in two transplant centres.

Prostate Cancer Working Group report.

The incidence of prostate cancer, while still lower than in Western nations, is increasing rapidly in Asian countries due to a more westernized lifestyle. Prostate cancer mortality is declining in the USA, where most prostate cancers are diagnosed in the early stage. In contrast, the mortality rates of prostate cancer in Asian countries are expected to continue to increase, because the percentage of advanced-stage prostate cancers remains high.

Tyrosine phosphorylation modulates store-operated calcium entry in cultured rat epididymal basal cells.

Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) is essential for many cellular processes. In this study, we investigated modulation of SOCE by tyrosine phosphorylation in rat epididymal basal cells. The intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]i) measurement showed that SOCE occurred in rat epididymal basal cells by pretreating the cells with thapsigargin (Tg), the inhibitor of sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase.

Application of a combined sulphorhodamine B and melanin assay to the evaluation of Chinese medicines and their constituent compounds for hyperpigmentation treatment.

Aim Of The Study: To investigate the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of hyperpigmentation problems, extracts of herbs selected based on traditional Chinese medical literature were screened.

Materials And Methods: Forty extracts were extracted from 10 selected herbs using hexane, dichloromethane, methanol and water. They were then screened using melan-a cells, an immortalized non-tumorigenic mouse melanocyte cell line.

Program effectiveness of a Restorative Whole-school Approach for tackling school bullying in Hong Kong.

With bullying in schools high on policy makers' agendas, researchers are looking for effective strategies to tackle its disruptive effects. The present study sets out to address this issue. First, the prevalence of bullying is examined in Hong Kong High Schools, and second, the effectiveness of a Restorative Whole-school Approach (RWsA) in reducing bullying is examined in a quasi-experimental design.

Disrupting actions of bisphenol A and malachite green on growth hormone receptor gene expression and signal transduction in seabream.

Environmental estrogen could mimic natural estrogens thereby disrupting the endocrine systems of human and animals. The actions of such endocrine disruptors have been studied mainly on reproduction and development. However, estrogen could also affect the somatotropic axis via multiple targets such as growth hormone (GH).

Molecular identification of the Kiss2/Kiss1ra system and its potential function during 17alpha-methyltestosterone-induced sex reversal in the orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides.

The Kiss1/Kiss1r system is a component of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, which plays a crucial role in regulating gonadotropins and gonadotropin-releasing hormone. The sex reversal process is a special reproductive phenomenon regulated by the HPG axis. To better understand the neuroendocrine mechanisms of sex reversal, cDNAs encoding kiss2 and kiss1ra have been cloned and functionally characterized from the orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides, a protogynous hermaphroditic teleost.