Prevention of macrovascular disease in patients with short-duration type 2 diabetes by multifactorial target control: an 8-year prospective study.

A longitudinal prospective study was undertook to investigate the effect of multifactorial target control, recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), on macrovascular disease in patients with short-duration type 2 diabetes. Patients who were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or within 1 year and had no previous vascular diseases or atherosclerosis plaques were enrolled in the present study. All patients received multifactorial intervention, with pharmacologic therapy targeting hyperglycemia, hypertension, dyslipidemia, along with secondary prevention of vascular disease with aspirin when necessary according to the ADA recommendation.

Development of human brain structural networks through infancy and childhood.

During human brain development through infancy and childhood, microstructural and macrostructural changes take place to reshape the brain's structural networks and better adapt them to sophisticated functional and cognitive requirements. However, structural topological configuration of the human brain during this specific development period is not well understood. In this study, diffusion magnetic resonance image (dMRI) of 25 neonates, 13 toddlers, and 25 preadolescents were acquired to characterize network dynamics at these 3 landmark cross-sectional ages during early childhood.

An R2R3-MYB transcription factor as a negative regulator of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway in Ginkgo biloba.

Flavonoids are secondary metabolites that contribute substantially to the quality of Ginkgo biloba. Plant flavonoid accumulation is controlled by transcriptional regulation of the genes that encode the biosynthetic enzymes, in which the R2R3-MYB transcription factor is a key factor. In this study, we describe the cloning and functional characterization of a R2R3-MYB transcription factor gene, GbMYBF2, isolated from G.

Interleukin-21 is associated with disease activity in patients with Graves' disease.

Graves' disease (GD) is a common autoimmune disease mainly caused by thyroid-stimulating antibodies (TSAbs). Interleukin 21 (IL-21) has recently been reported to play a vital role in the production of pathogenic autoantibodies in several autoimmune diseases, but less is known about GD. This study aimed to investigate the serum levels of IL-21 in GD patients and to explore their association with disease activity.

Differences of inter-tract correlations between neonates and children around puberty: a study based on microstructural measurements with DTI.

The human brain development is a complicated yet well-organized process. Metrics derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), including fractional anisotropy (FA), radial (RD), axial (AxD), and mean diffusivity (MD), have been used to noninvasively access the microstructural development of human brain white matter (WM). At birth, most of the major WM tracts are apparent but in a relatively disorganized pattern.

Developing an in vitro model of T cell type of large granular lymphocyte leukemia.

We developed a strategy that can prolong in vitro growth of T cell type of large granular lymphocyte (T-LGL) leukemia cells. Primary CD8+ lymphocytes from T-LGL leukemia patients were stably transduced with the retroviral tax gene derived from human T cell leukemia virus type 2. Expression of Tax overrode replicative senescence and promoted clonal expansion of the leukemic CD8+ T cells.

Predictive factors of thyroid cancer in patients with Graves' disease.

Background: The best preoperative examination in Graves' disease with thyroid cancer still remains uncertain. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the prevalence of thyroid cancer in Graves' disease patients, and to identify the predictive factors and ultrasonographic features of thyroid cancer that may aid the preoperative diagnosis in Graves' disease.

Methods: This retrospective study included 423 patients with Graves' disease who underwent surgical treatment from 2002 to 2012 at our institution.

Co-enhancing and -confining the electric and magnetic fields of the broken-nanoring and the composite nanoring by azimuthally polarized excitation.

We present a novel broken-nanoring, which can realize strongly localized confinement and highly enhancement for both electric and magnetic fields at two resonant modes excited by normal incident azimuthally polarized light. Two resonant modes of the broken-nanoring are formed by different resonant mechanisms as different resonant lengths. The physical model for two resonant modes is also proposed to explain the mechanisms of the electromagnetic enhancement.

Differential transforming activity of the retroviral Tax oncoproteins in human T lymphocytes.

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 and type 2 (HTLV-1 and -2) are two closely related retroviruses. HTLV-1 causes adult T cell leukemia and lymphoma, whereas HTLV-2 infection is not etiologically linked to human disease. The viral genomes of HTLV-1 and -2 encode highly homologous transforming proteins, Tax-1 and Tax-2, respectively.

Overexpression of Rho-GDP-dissociation inhibitor-γ inhibits migration of neural stem cells.

Neural stem cell (NSC) migration relies heavily on the regulation of actin and microtubule cytoskeletons by Rho GTPases, which are critical regulators of key steps during NSC migration. However, the migration mechanism remains unclear. Rho-GDP-dissociation inhibitor-γ (Rho-GDIγ) was identified as an important downregulator of the Rho family of GTPases, because of its ability to prevent nucleotide exchange and thus membrane association.

Molecular cloning and characterization of three genes encoding dihydroflavonol-4-reductase from Ginkgo biloba in anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway.

Dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR, EC1.1.1.

[Influence of educational status, burn area and coping behaviors on the complication of psychological disorders in severely burned patients].

Objective: To discuss how the educational status, burn area and coping behaviors influence the psychological disorders in severely burned patients.

Methods: Sixty-four severely burned patients hospitalized in Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangdong Provincial Work Injury Rehabilitation Center, and Guangdong General Hospital were enrolled with cluster random sampling method. Data of their demography and situation of burns were collected.

Targeting mTOR to overcome epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Aims: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have shown dramatic clinical benefits in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, resistance remains a serious problem in clinical practice. The present study analyzed mTOR-associated signaling-pathway differences between the EGFR TKI-sensitive and -resistant NSCLC cell lines and investigated the feasibility of targeting mTOR with specific mTOR inhibitor in EGFR TKI resistant NSCLC cells.

Methods: We selected four different types of EGFR TKI-sensitive and -resistant NSCLC cells: PC9, PC9GR, H1650 and H1975 cells as models to detect mTOR-associated signaling-pathway differences by western blot and Immunoprecipitation and evaluated the antiproliferative effect and cell cycle arrest of ku-0063794 by MTT method and flow cytometry.

Specific changes of sulfatide levels in individuals with pre-clinical Alzheimer's disease: an early event in disease pathogenesis.

To explore the hypothesis that alterations in cellular membrane lipids are present at the stage of pre-clinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) (i.e., cognitively normal at death, but with AD neuropathology), we performed targeted shotgun lipidomics of lipid extracts from post-mortem brains of subjects with pre-clinical AD.

Geometrical and volume changes of the membranous vestibular labyrinth in guinea pigs with endolymphatic hydrops.

Objective: To evaluate geometrical and volume changes of membranous vestibular labyrinths in guinea pigs after endolymphatic hydrops (EH).

Methods: The membranous labyrinths of normal guinea pigs and of those with EH for 4 and 8 weeks were reconstructed after being scanned using micro-computed tomography subseqent to being stained in osmium tetroxide (OsO4). The diameters and volumes of the semicircular ducts, ampullae, utricles and saccules were measured based on the three-dimensional models.

Selection of anti-cancer-associated gene single-chain variable fragments derived from gastric cancer patients using ribosome display.

The aim of this study was to construct a human single-chain variable fragment (scFv) gene library for gastric cancer, from which human anti-cancer-associated gene (CAGE) scFvs are selected. Human lymphocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood of 10 gastric cancer patients and whole human heavy and light chain genes were cloned by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). VH and VL were rearranged randomly by splicing by overlap extension PCR.

Stealth cationic liposomes modified with anti-CAGE single-chain fragment variable deliver recombinant methioninase for gastric carcinoma therapy.

Stealth cationic liposomes (SCLs) modified with tumor-targeting single-chain fragment variable (scFV) antibody for systemic delivery of recombinant methioninase (rMETase) for gastric cancer were prepared successfully. These functional SCL nanoparticles are composed of cationic lipids, dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine, and distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine-polyethylene glycol, which have lower gene transfection efficiencies compared with Lipofectamine 2000, and can also be used as effective gene delivery vectors. Increased therapeutic efficiency of rMETase-loaded scFV-SCLs were tested in SGC-7901 cells and compared with free rMETase in solution and rMETase-loaded SCLs.

Mid-infrared tunable optical polarization converter composed of asymmetric graphene nanocrosses.

We present a mid-IR highly tunable optical polarization converter composed of asymmetric graphene nanocrosses. It can convert linearly polarized light to circularly and elliptically polarized light or exhibit a giant optical activity at different wavelengths. The transmitted wavelength and polarization states can also be dynamically tuned by varying the Fermi energy of graphene, without reoptimizing and refabricating the nanostructures.

Realization of near-field linear nano-polarizer by asymmetric nanoaperture and bowtie nanoantenna.

We present a linear nano-polarizer composed of asymmetric nanoaperture and bowtie nanoantenna, which provides a new way to freely control the polarization azimuth of the translated optical field in the near-field. It can not only generate large localized field enhancement and outstanding spatial confinement, but also maintain the polarization azimuth of linearly polarized optical field excited by arbitrary linearly, circularly or elliptically polarized lights. The response wavelength of the linear nano-polarizer can be easily tuned in a wide range by adjusting the geometrical parameters of asymmetric nanoaperture.

Thermal evaporation-induced anhydrous synthesis of Fe3O4-graphene composite with enhanced rate performance and cyclic stability for lithium ion batteries.

We present a high-yield and low cost thermal evaporation-induced anhydrous strategy to prepare hybrid materials of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and graphene as an advanced anode for high-performance lithium ion batteries. The ~10-20 nm Fe3O4 nanoparticles are densely anchored on conducting graphene sheets and act as spacers to keep the adjacent sheets separated. The Fe3O4-graphene composite displays a superior battery performance with high retained capacity of 868 mA h g(-1) up to 100 cycles at a current density of 200 mA g(-1), and 539 mA h g(-1) up to 200 cycles when cycling at 1000 mA g(-1), high Coulombic efficiency (above 99% after 200 cycles), good rate capability, and excellent cyclic stability.

Dynamically tunable plasmonically induced transparency by planar hybrid metamaterial.

We design and numerically analyze a dynamically tunable, plasmonically induced transparency (PIT) planar hybrid metamaterial (MM) in a near-infrared regime, which combines the near-field coupling effect into dynamic MM. The embedded position of tunable material in dynamic MM is optimized. Thermal-tunable VO(2) stripes are filled in the cut-out slots as components of a plasmonic system, which dramatically improve the dynamic modulation depth of the PIT.

Human monoclonal antibodies in cancer therapy: a review of recent developments.

In the last decade, phage-display technology for the generation of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has improved significantly. Several novel human mAbs directed to a wide range of targets have been generated for the treatment of common malignancies. These targets include antigens associated with apoptosis, angiogenesis and solid tumors, as well as tumor growth-related antigens, insulin-like growth factor I receptor and hepatocyte growth factor.

Expression patterns of a cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase gene involved in lignin biosynthesis and environmental stress in Ginkgo biloba.

The cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) is a key enzyme in lignin biosynthesis as it catalyzes the final step in the synthesis of monolignols. A cDNA sequence encoding the CAD gene was isolated from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba L, designated as GbCAD1. The full-length cDNA of GbCAD1 was 1,494 bp containing a 1,074 bp open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 357 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 38.

Combinations of laminin 5 with PTEN, p-EGFR and p-Akt define a group of distinct molecular subsets indicative of poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Laminin 5 (Ln5) is an extracellular matrix protein that plays an important role in cell migration and tumor invasion. This study explored the expression of Ln5 and the role of its relationships with PTEN, phospho-EGFR (p-EGFR) and phospho-Akt (p-Akt) in the prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The protein expression of Ln5, PTEN, p-EGFR and p-Akt was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis, and their relationships to prognosis were analyzed.