Improved ultraviolet upconversion emissions of Ho3+ in hexagonal NaYF4 microcrystals under 980 nm excitation.

Under 980 nm excitation, enhanced ultraviolet (UV) upconversion (UC) emissions at 242.4 nm, 276.1 nm, 289.

Therapeutic effects and influencing factors in sixty-eight cases of peripheral T-cell lymphoma unspecified.

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics, therapeutic short-term efficacy, long-term survival and influencing factors in 68 cases of peripheral T-cell lymphoma unspecified.

Methods: Sixty-eight cases of peripheral T-cell lymphoma unspecified were retrospectively studied. The effect of different treatments on survival of patients was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method.

Expression profiling of PPARγ-regulated microRNAs in human subcutaneous and visceral adipogenesis in both genders.

Clinical evidence shows that visceral fat accumulation decreases whereas sc fat increases in patients treated with thiazolidinediones (TZDs), a type of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ agonist. To clarify the molecular mechanism of the differential effects of PPARγ agonists on sc and visceral adipose, we investigated expression profiling of PPARγ-regulated micro-RNAs (miRNAs) using miRNA microarray. The level of 182 miRNAs changed in human sc adipose treated with pioglitazone, whereas only 46 miRNAs changed in visceral adipose.

Cisplatin-alginate conjugate liposomes for targeted delivery to EGFR-positive ovarian cancer cells.

Systemic side effects and low aqueous solubility have limited the clinical use of cisplatin (CDDP) in ovarian carcinoma and have contributed to failures in developing effective drug delivery systems. In order to develop a novel drug delivery system with enhanced efficacy and minimal adverse effects, we exploited the properties of sodium alginate (SA) to synthesize CDDP-SA conjugate (CS), which is highly soluble and readily incorporated into liposomes (CS-PEG-Lip). Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in many ovarian cancers, therefore we modified EGF on the liposomes (CS-EGF-Lip) to specifically target EGFR-expressing tumors, thereby increasing the bioavailability and efficacy of CDDP.

White matter lesions in chronic migraine with medication overuse headache: a cross-sectional MRI study.

Analgesic overuse often happens to migraine patients, especially chronic migraineurs, and migraine has been demonstrated to be associated with white matter lesions (WMLs). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between medication overuse headache (MOH) and WMLs in chronic migraine (CM) patients. Subjects were enrolled and divided into three groups: healthy controls, CM without MOH (CMwoMOH), and CM with MOH (CM-MOH).

A satisfaction survey of current medicines used for migraine therapy in China: is Chinese patent medicine effective compared with Western medicine for the acute treatment of migraine?

Objective: To investigate the patient satisfaction with medications commonly used for migraine therapy in patients seen in headache clinic in China with emphasis on the evaluation of Chinese patent medicine (CPM) in relieving acute migraine attack.

Methods: Patients admitted at headache clinics in the neurological departments of four hospitals during April to October 2011 were enrolled in the investigation. The questionnaire was designed based on the validation of a diagnostic questionnaire for a population-based survey in China in 2009.

A high M1/M2 ratio of tumor-associated macrophages is associated with extended survival in ovarian cancer patients.

Background: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are classified into two major phenotypes, M1 and M2. M1 TAMs suppress cancer progression, while M2 TAMs promote it. However, little is known regarding the role of TAMs in the development of ovarian cancer.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate: a potential molecular target for ovarian cancer therapy?

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is an important signaling regulator involved in tumor progression in multiple neoplasms. However, the role of S1P in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer remains unclear. Herein, we summarize recent advances in understanding the impact of S1P signaling in ovarian cancer progression.

Scale effects of low-dimensional relaxor ferroelectric single crystals and their application in novel pyroelectric infrared detectors.

Scaling effects of low-dimensional relaxor ferroelectric single crystals have induced large delocalization of domain switching, leading to a dramatic increase in pyro-electric performances by 2-5.5 times, and promoting the detectivity of fabricated pyroelectric detectors to an international leading level of 2.21 × 10(9) cmHz(1/2) /W at 10 Hz, 4 times higher than that of commercial LiTaO3 -based detectors.

Synthesis of porous upconverting luminescence α-NaYF4:Ln(3+) microspheres and their potential applications as carriers.

The present work reports a self-sacrificing template strategy to synthesize porous α-NaYF4 microspheres via the reaction of as-prepared Y(OH)CO3·H2O@SiO2 with NH4F and NaNO3 solutions. XRD, SEM, TEM and N2 adsorption-desorption measurements were used to characterize the resulting product. The surface SiO2 shell was shown to play a vital role in size and shape control and porosity formation.

Sphingosine kinase (SphK) 1 and SphK2 play equivalent roles in mediating insulin's mitogenic action.

Insulin, an established mitogen that promotes breast cancer cell growth, has been implicated in the link between obesity and an increased risk of breast cancer. However, the current understanding of signaling pathways that mediate the mitogenic action of insulin remains incomplete. Here we provide the first evidence that insulin is capable of activating both sphingosine kinase (SphK) 1 and SphK 2, two isoenzymes that often exhibit opposing effects in the regulation of cell survival and growth.

[Expression of thyroid stimulating hormone receptor in differentiated thyroid carcinoma and its clinical significance].

Objective: To explore the expression of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor in differentiated thyroid carcinoma and its clinical significance.

Methods: Seventy-four patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma treated in our department from January 2009 to January 2011 were selected as the observation group, and 28 patients with nodular goiter were selected as the control group. Expression of TSH receptor in the two groups were detected by immunohistochemistry.

Phase I study protocol for ex vivo lentiviral gene therapy for the inherited skin disease, Netherton syndrome.

Netherton syndrome (NS) is a serious inherited skin disorder caused by mutations in the serine protease inhibitor Kazal type 5 gene (SPINK5), which encodes for a serine protease inhibitor lymphoepithelial Kazal type-related inhibitor (LEKTI). Patients with NS have defective keratinization, hair shaft defects, recurrent infections, atopy, and a predisposition to skin malignancies. Historically, 1 in 10 infants has died before their first birthday.

High MUC2 expression in ovarian cancer is inversely associated with the M1/M2 ratio of tumor-associated macrophages and patient survival time.

Mucin 2 (MUC2) is a mucin molecule aberrantly expressed by ovarian cancer cells. Previous in vitro studies have indicated that MUC2 promotes cancer growth and metastasis through a tumor-associated macrophage (TAM)-dependent mechanism. However, this mechanism has never been linked to clinical oncology, and its prognostic significance needed to be clarified.

MiR-124 inhibits the migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells by targeting SphK1.

Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is still a major gynecologic problem with poor 5 year survival rate due to distance metastases, despite routine surgery and chemotherapy. The precise underlying molecular mechanisms that trigger EOC migration and invasion are unclear. Recent studies suggest that the expression of microRNAs is widely dysregulated in ovarian cancer; and that they have evolved into tumorigenic processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis and motility.

The effect of minimal concentration of ethylene glycol (EG) combined with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on mouse oocyte survival and subsequent embryonic development following vitrification.

Purpose: Vitrification techniques employ a relatively high concentration of cryoprotectant in vitrification solutions. Exposure of oocytes to high concentrations of cryoprotectant is known to damage the oocytes via both cytotoxic and osmotic effects. Therefore, the key to successful vitrification of oocytes is to strike a balance between the usage of minimal concentration of cryoprotectant without compromising their cryoprotective actions.

Prognostic value of survivin and EGFR protein expression in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particular type of breast cancer which is characterized by its biological aggressiveness, worse prognosis, and lack of prognostic markers or therapeutic targets in contrast with hormonal receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancers. We aimed to evaluate survivin and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression and their prognostic value and determine their relationships with the clinicopathological parameters of TNBC. A total of 136 patients who had undergone a resection of primary TNBC were enrolled at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from March 2003 to September 2005.

[Risk of cervical cancer and precancerous diseases in the oral HPV carriers].

Objective: To evaluate the risk of the occurrence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and invasive cervical cancer in the oral HPV carriers through a population-based investigation in Shanghai.

Methods: A total of 1200 cases of outpatients who attended the annual cervical examination and 50 preoperational cases of inpatients with CINIII or invasive cervical cancer were enrolled from three clinical centers in Shanghai. The oral HPV infection was determined by real-time PCR.

Progesterone receptor PROGINS and +331G/A polymorphisms confer susceptibility to ovarian cancer: a meta-analysis based on 17 studies.

Progesterone and its receptor, progesterone receptor (PGR), have been widely studied for their roles in the onset and development of ovarian cancer. Although numerous epidemiological studies have focused on the association of PGR PROGINS and +331G/A polymorphisms with ovarian cancer susceptibility, presently, available results remain controversial, in part due to low sample sizes. Thus, a meta-analysis is required to evaluate this association.

[Identification and characterization of Aspergillus aculeatus JMUdb058 for naringinase production].

Objective: A new naringinase-producing strain, JMUdb058 was identified and characterized.

Methods: The strain was identified by morphological observation and 28S rDNA homogeneous analysis. Naringinase was identified by monitoring the hydrolysis of naringin to prunin and naringenin using a reversed phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

Specific cell targeting with APRPG conjugated PEG-PLGA nanoparticles for treating ovarian cancer.

Good biocompatibility, specific tumor targeting, effective drug loading capacity and persistence in the circulation in vivo are imperative prerequisites for the antitumor efficiency of nanoparticles and their further clinical application. In this study, APRPG (Ala-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly) peptide-modified poly (ethylene glycol)-poly (lactic acid) (PEG-PLA) nanoparticles (NP-APRPG) encapsulating inhibitors of angiogenesis (TNP-470) (TNP-470-NP-APRPG) were fabricated. TNP-470-NP-APRPG was designed to feature maleimide-PEG-PLA and mPEG-PLA as carrier materials, the APRPG peptide for targeting angiogenesis, PEG for prolonging circulation in vivo and PLA for loading TNP-470.

Enhanced near-infrared photocatalysis of NaYF4:Yb, Tm/CdS/TiO2 composites.

The previous works by our group (Chem. Commun., 2010, 46, 2304-2306; ACS Catal.

Phase I study protocol for ex-vivo lentiviral gene therapy for the inherited skin disease, Netherton Syndrome.

Netherton syndrome (NS) is a serious inherited skin disorder caused by mutations in the gene SPINK5 (serine protease inhibitor Kazal type 5) which encodes for a serine protease inhibitor LEKTI (lymphoepithelial Kazal type-related inhibitor). Patients with NS have defective keratinization, hair shaft defects, recurrent infections, atopy and a predisposition to skin malignancies. Historically, one in ten infants has died before their first birthday.

[Annual changes of phytoplankton's ecological features in Qinzhou Bay of South China].

Four cruise surveys were conducted on the phytoplankton in Qinzhou Bay of South China in different seasons in 2008-2009. A total of 131 phytoplankton species were identified, among which, diatom (101 species) accounted for 30.0% of the total, followed by pyrrophyta (23 species), and other groups (7 species).

Knockdown of CRM1 inhibits the nuclear export of p27(Kip1) phosphorylated at serine 10 and plays a role in the pathogenesis of epithelial ovarian cancer.

In a previous study, the nuclear export protein chromosomal region maintenance (CRM1) was correlated with p27(Kip1) in glioma. The aims of the present study were to investigate the expression of CRM1 and pSer10p27 and their functional roles in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) tissues. Using immunohistochemical analysis, CRM1 and pSer10p27 expression levels were shown to be associated with histologic stage and grade (P<0.