Γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT prevents neuronal death and memory impairment in sepsis associated encephalopathy in septic rats.

Background: Brain dysfunction is a frequent complication of sepsis, usually defined as sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE). Although the Notch signaling pathway has been proven to be involved in both ischemia and neuronal proliferation, its role in SAE is still unknown. Here, the effect of the Notch signaling pathway involved γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT on SAE in septic rats was investigated in a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model.

MiR-361-5p acts as a tumor suppressor in prostate cancer by targeting signal transducer and activator of transcription-6(STAT6).

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), whose pathogenesis is known to be regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs), has a poor prognosis. In our present study, we found that the expression of miR-361-5p in CRPC was lower than in androgen-dependent prostate cancer (ADPC), indicating that miR-361-5p may play an important role in the progression of ADPC to CRPC. The role of miR-361-5p in prostate cancer (PCa) has not been evaluated until date.

Expression of the long non-coding RNAs MEG3, HOTAIR, and MALAT-1 in non-functioning pituitary adenomas and their relationship to tumor behavior.

Purpose: It is becoming evident that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in diverse biological processes via distinct mechanisms. Many lncRNAs have altered expression and likely to have functional roles in tumorigenesis. Although loss of maternally-expressed gene 3 (MEG3) expression has been detected in non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs), there are no published reports regarding the association between MEG3 expression and the invasive ability of NFPAs.

Copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidative coupling of aromatic alcohols and acetonitrile to β-ketonitriles.

A practical, convenient, and cheap copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidative coupling of aromatic alcohols and acetonitrile to β-ketonitriles has been developed. The green C-C bond formation involving the loss of two hydrogen atoms from the corresponding two carbons, respectively, unlocks opportunities for markedly different synthetic strategies.

Clinical and pathological analysis of the kidney in patients with hypertensive nephropathy.

The aim of the present study was to identify the association between pathological types of kidney and clinical manifestations in patients with hypertensive nephropathy. The blood pressure, fundus, urinalysis test results and renal function changes were analysed in patients who were treated for hypertensive nephropathy. Downward kidney puncture biopsy was performed using a 16G ejection needle with the aid of B ultrasound in 47 cases.

The complex roles of microRNAs in the metastasis of renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for approximately 3% of cancers in adults as well as the most common neoplasm of the adult kidney with the highest mortality rate at over 40%. Metastasis is the most significant process affecting the clinical management of RCC patients. It occurs in multiple sequential steps.

Long non-coding RNAs and prostate cancer.

A new class of transcripts, long non-coding RNAs (IncRNAs), has been recently found to be pervasively transcribed in the genome. These mRNA-like molecules, which lack significant protein-coding capacity, once thought to be a part of the dark matter, now have been implicated in a wide range of biological functions through diverse and as yet poorly understood molecular mechanisms. Multiple facets of evidence increasingly link mutations and dysregulations of IncRNAs to prostate cancer (PCA).

A heterozygous moth genome provides insights into herbivory and detoxification.

How an insect evolves to become a successful herbivore is of profound biological and practical importance. Herbivores are often adapted to feed on a specific group of evolutionarily and biochemically related host plants, but the genetic and molecular bases for adaptation to plant defense compounds remain poorly understood. We report the first whole-genome sequence of a basal lepidopteran species, Plutella xylostella, which contains 18,071 protein-coding and 1,412 unique genes with an expansion of gene families associated with perception and the detoxification of plant defense compounds.

AsnB, regulated by diffusible signal factor and global regulator Clp, is involved in aspartate metabolism, resistance to oxidative stress and virulence in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola.

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc) causes bacterial leaf streak in rice, which is a destructive disease worldwide. Xoc virulence factors are regulated by diffusible signal factor (DSF) and the global regulator Clp.

Baicalein inhibits DMBA/TPA-induced skin tumorigenesis in mice by modulating proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammation.

Baicalein, one of the four major flavanoids extracted from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis, has been shown to exert chemopreventive effect against several cancers, including skin cancer. However, the precise mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the chemopreventive activity of baicalein against 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-mediated skin tumorigenesis in C57BL/6 mice.

Anti-metastatic and anti-angiogenic activities of sulfated polysaccharide of Sepiella maindroni ink.

A previous study demonstrated that SIP-SII, a sulfated Sepiella maindroni ink polysaccharide, suppressed the invasion and migration of cancer cells via the inhibition of the proteolytic activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). Therefore, this study investigated the anti-metastatic effect of SIP-SII in vivo. SIP-SII (15 and 30 mg/kg d) markedly decreased B16F10 pulmonary metastasis in mice models by 85.

epv, Encoding a hypothetical protein, is regulated by DSF-mediating quorum sensing as well as global regulator Clp and is required for optimal virulence in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola.

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola causes bacterial leaf streak in rice, a destructive disease worldwide. In this study, six putative hypothetical secreted proteins, which were absent in X.

[Function of a two-component system RpfCxoc/RpfGxoc in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola].

Objective: To elucidate the biological functions of a two-component system RpfCxoc/RpfGxoc in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc).

Method: Based on the genome template from Xoc wild-type strain Rs105, the rpfCxoc and rpfGxoc genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Diverse genetic basis of field-evolved resistance to Bt cotton in cotton bollworm from China.

Evolution of pest resistance reduces the efficacy of insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) used in sprays or in transgenic crops. Although several pests have evolved resistance to Bt crops in the field, information about the genetic basis of field-evolved resistance to Bt crops has been limited. In particular, laboratory-selected resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac based on recessive mutations in a gene encoding a toxin-binding cadherin protein has been identified in three major cotton pests, but previous work has not determined if such mutations are associated with field-selected resistance to Bt cotton.

[Construction and expression of eukaryotic expression vector for pEGFP-GPC3].

Aim: To construct and expression of eukaryotic expression vector of glypican-3 (GPC3) pEGFP-GPC3 in mouse dendritic cells (DCs).

Methods: The target gene fragment of GPC3 and empty vector were obtained from plasmid pCMV-SPORT6-GPC3 and vector pEGFP-N1 digested by double enzymes. GPC3 and empty vector were linked by ligase T4, and then transfected into E.

[Effects of different stress force stimulations on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in Beagle dogs in the repairing process of osteonecrosis of the femoral head].

Objective: To explore the changes and its significance of the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein and messenger RNA in the Beagle dogs femoral head during the repairing process of the osteonecrosis of femoral head (ONFH) under different stress force stimulations.

Methods: Twenty-four Beagle dogs were selected to establish the model of ONFH through the method of liquid nitrogen cryopreservation. In the mean time, the necrotic femoral heads stimulated by different stress forces were enrolled into 3 groups: group B (low stress force stimulation group), group C (high stress force stimulation group) and group D (average stress force stimulation group).

Developmental and insecticide-resistant insights from the de novo assembled transcriptome of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella.

We present here the de novo assembly and annotation of the transcriptome of Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth (DBM)), a widespread destructive pest of cruciferous plants, using short reads generated by Illumina sequencing from different developmental stages and insecticide-resistant strains. A total of 171,262 non-redundant sequences, denoted as unigenes, were obtained. They represented approximately 100-fold of all DBM mRNA and EST sequences in GenBank thus far.

Identification and characterization of a novel gene, hshB, in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola co-regulated by quorum sensing and clp.

Virulence factors of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola, the causal agent of bacterial leaf streak in rice, are regulated by a diffusible signal factor (DSF)-dependent quorum-sensing (QS) system. In this study, a novel pathogenicity-related gene, Xoryp_010100018570 (named hshB), of X.

[Analysis of the flgD and figE genes regulated by diffusible signal factor in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola].

Objective: To investigate functions of flgDxoc and flgExoc genes regulated by diffusible signal factor (DSF) in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola(Xoc)Rs105.

Methods: TheflgDxoc and flgExoc genes were amplified by PCR.

Enhanced anti-angiogenesis and anti-tumor activity of endostatin by chemical modification with polyethylene glycol and low molecular weight heparin.

Endostatin (ES), a potent endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor found in 1997 by O'Reilly, can effectively inhibit angiogenesis, inhibit the growth and metastasis of tumors. ES can also decrease drug resistance in long term and repeated treatment when it is used in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents. But there are still lots of obstacles on its clinical application, such as the need of a high dose to maintain its efficacy short half-life, poor stability, expensive, and some other shortcomings just like other protein drugs.

Density functional theory study of BnC clusters.

B(n)C clusters (n = 3-10) were studied at the density functional theory (DFT) (B3LYP)/6-311G** level of theory. The calculations predicted that the most stable configurations of the B(n) C clusters are the (n + 1)-membered cyclic structures. For boron-carbon clusters, the configurations containing greater numbers of three-membered boron rings are more favorable, except for the B(7)C and B(9)C clusters.

Proteomic analysis of the regulatory function of DSF-dependent quorum sensing in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola.

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc), which caused bacterial leaf streak in rice, is a bacterial pathogen limited to the apoplast of the mesophyll tissue. The rpfF that encodes diffusible signal factor (DSF) synthase, played a key role in the virulence of many plant pathogenic bacteria.

Effect of medium-chain triglycerides on the release behavior of Endostar encapsulated PLGA microspheres.

The incomplete release of Endostar from PLGA microspheres was observed in our previous study. In the present study, we focused on the effect of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) on the in vitro/in vivo release behavior of Endostar encapsulated PLGA microspheres, which were prepared by a water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double-emulsion method with or without MCT. The in vitro accumulated release of Endostar from microspheres co-encapsulated with 30% MCT was found to be 79.

Isolation, structural characterization and immunological activity of an exopolysaccharide produced by Bacillus licheniformis 8-37-0-1.

A strain of Bacillus licheniformis 8-37-0-1 with high exopolysaccharide (EPS) production ability was isolated and identified based on morphological and physiological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA sequences. A new type of EPS was isolated from the strain fermentation broth by enzymolysis, isopropanol precipitation, anion-exchange, and gel-filtration chromatography. The new EPS was determined as homogeneous, with a molecular weight of 2.

[Study on the involvement of ZO-1 gene in leukemogenesis].

Objective: To explore ZO-1 gene expression and methylation in leukemia cells and the involvement of ZO-1 gene in leukemogenesis.

Methods: Restriction landmark genomic scanning (RLGS) was used to identify new leukemia related gene, and methylation specific PCR (MSP) for ZO-1 methylation status. ZO-1 specific siRNA was designed and prepared by in vitro transcription and transfected into K562 cells, the transfected cells were cultured for 48 hours before harvesting.