Nonmetric multidimensional scaling and probabilistic ecological risk assessment of trace metals in surface sediments of Daya Bay (China) using diffusive gradients in thin films.

This research is one main objective to assess combined toxicity of trace metal mixtures in aquatic biota in coastal sediments. Coastal sediments around the world are a major reservoir of trace metals from industrial wastewater discharge. Our case study site, Daya Bay in southern China, was selected because it has been under severe man-made impacts.

Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Reveals the Key Molecular Events Driving Bloom and Dissipation.

is a marine-bloom-forming haptophyte with a polymorphic life cycle alternating between free-living cells and a colonial morphotype, that produces high biomass and impacts ecological structure and function. The mechanisms of bloom formation have been extensively studied, and various environmental factors are believed to trigger these events. However, little is known about the intrinsic biological processes that drive the bloom process, and the mechanisms underlying bloom formation remain enigmatic.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the intertidal sediments of Pearl River Estuary: Characterization, source diagnostics, and ecological risk assessment.

The surface intertidal sediments in the Pearl River Estuary of China were analyzed from multiple perspectives, including the distribution characteristics, potential sources, and biological risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The average concentration of PAHs, ranging from 73.68 ng/g to 933.

Influence of GnRH antagonist in reproductive women on in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer in fresh cycles.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist compared with a GnRH agonist on fertilization (IVF) cycle outcome in reproductive women. The characteristics of treatment and outcomes of pregnancy were retrospectively compared between the antagonist (GnRH-A, antagonist group) and agonist (GnRH-a, agonist group) regimens. The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was also used to evaluate whether the endometrial thickness (cm), progesterone (P) level (ng/ml) and estradiol (E) level (pg/ml) on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration (hCG day) had the ideal sensitivity and specificity for predicting clinical pregnancy.

Mutation analysis of the TUBB8 gene in primary infertile women with arrest in oocyte maturation.

Tubulin beta eight class VIII (TUBB8) is a subtype of β-tubulin that only exists in primates. Mutations in the TUBB8 gene have been proven to cause oocyte maturation arrest. The aim of this study was to identify the new types of mutations in TUBB8.

Assessing predictors for the success of GnRH antagonist protocol in reproductive women in IVF/ICSI - in fresh cycles.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the factors that affect the success rate of gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist on fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess the factors that influence the outcomes, such as oocytes retrieved, and the success of pregnancy. The results showed that E, P on human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) day and body mass index (BMI) were positively correlated with the number of oocytes retrieved (P=0.

GnRH antagonist for patients with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for fertilization and embryo transfer in fresh cycles.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist compared with a GnRH agonist on the fertilization cycle outcome in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. The outcomes of pregnancy were evaluated. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was also used to evaluate whether the endometrial thickness (cm) and estradiol (E) level (pg/ml) on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration (the hCG day) had the best sensitivity and specificity for predicting a clinical pregnancy.

The clinicopathological significance of RUNX3 hypermethylation and mRNA expression in human breast cancer, a meta-analysis.

Aberrant promoter methylation of RUNX3 has been reported in several tumors including human breast cancer (BC). However, the association between RUNX3 hypermethylation and incidence of BC remains elusive. In this study, a detailed literature search was performed in Medline and Google Scholar for related research publications.

Impact of XRCC1, GSTP1, and GSTM1 Polymorphisms on the Survival of Ovarian Carcinoma Patients Treated with Chemotherapy.

Background: Single nucleotide polymorphic variants of DNA repair genes may improve drug efficacy through altering expression levels of the encoded proteins. This study evaluated the influence of genetic polymorphism GSTP1 Ile105Val, GSTM1 (null/non-null) and 2 XRCC1 polymorphisms (Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln) on the survival of ovarian carcinoma patients treated with chemotherapy.

Methods: 106 patients received treatment with a carboplatin-based or alternative chemotherapy.

Erratum to "The Characteristics and Significance of Locally Infiltrating B Cells in Lupus Nephritis and Their Association with Local BAFF Expression".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2013/954292.].

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in glutathione S-transferase P1 and M1 genes and overall survival of patients with ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma treated with chemotherapy.

The effects of platinum-based drugs are controlled by genes that are involved in DNA detoxification, including glutathione S-transferase (GST)P1 and GSTM1, which have been associated with increased benefits in the chemotherapeutic treatment of patients with ovarian cancer. The present study assessed the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms in GST genes on the overall survival (OS) of patients with ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma that were treated with chemotherapy. A total of 95 patients received treatment with a carboplatin-based or alternative chemotherapy.

Toll-like receptor 4 single-nucleotide polymorphisms Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile in ovarian cancers.

Toll-like receptor (TLR4) 4 is present in numerous cell types and serves as the first point of defense in the innate immune system. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are present in a number TLR genes and have been associated with various infection and inflammation disorders. Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile, TLR4 SNPs, are associated with tumor progression.

TLR4 induces tumor growth and inhibits paclitaxel activity in MyD88-positive human ovarian carcinoma .

In ovarian cancer patients, chemotherapy resistance is the principal factor restricting long-term treatment. Paclitaxel (Pac) has been previously reported to be a ligand to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). It was determined that TLR4 signaling is divided into the following two pathways: Myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)-dependent and MyD88-independent.

The Characteristics and Significance of Locally Infiltrating B Cells in Lupus Nephritis and Their Association with Local BAFF Expression.

Introduction. Dysfunction of the B lymphocyte is considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis (LN). Intrarenal B cells have been found in several forms of inflammatory kidney disease.

Quantitative assessment of gait and neurochemical correlation in a classical murine model of Parkinson's disease.

Background: Gait deficits are important clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, existing behavioral tests for the detection of motor impairments in rodents with systemic dopamine depletion only measure akinesia and dyskinesia, and data focusing on gait are scarce. We evaluated gait changes in the methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced C57BL/6 murine model of PD by using a computer-assisted CatWalk system.

Association of intrarenal B-cell infiltrates with clinical outcome in lupus nephritis: a study of 192 cases.

Background: Lupus nephritis (LN) remains a major cause of morbidity and end-stage renal disease. Dysfunction of B lymphocytes is thought to be important in the pathogenesis of SLE/LN. Intrarenal B cells have been found in several forms of inflammatory kidney diseases although their role in LN renal is not well defined.

The detection of autoantibodies to ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 and its role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of autoantibodies against ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in SLE patients, and evaluate the association between anti-ABCA1 autoantibodies and atherosclerosis in SLE.

Design And Methods: The sera of 75 SLE patients and 75 healthy controls were tested by immunoblotting. Then, we examined the effect of anti-ABCA1 autoantibodies on cholesterol efflux in vitro.

Anti-class a scavenger receptor autoantibodies from systemic lupus erythematosus patients impair phagocytic clearance of apoptotic cells by macrophages in vitro.

Introduction: Inadequate clearance of apoptotic cells by macrophages is one of the reasons for the breakdown of self-tolerance. Class A scavenger receptors, macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO) and scavenger receptor A (SR-A), which are expressed on macrophages, play important roles in the uptake of apoptotic cells. A previous study reported the presence of the anti-MARCO antibody in lupus-prone mice and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

Expression of FLICE-inhibitory protein in synovial tissue and its association with synovial inflammation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: To examine the expression of FLICE-inhibitory protein (FLIP) in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and analyze its correlation with synovial inflammation.

Methods: The expression of FLIP was assessed in 11 JIA and 3 normal synovial tissue samples by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. The cell types expressing FLIP were further characterized, and the correlation of FLIP expression with the degree of synovial inflammation, as well as the activity of caspase 8 was then analyzed.

[Detection of a copy number mutation on chromosome 7q36 using the Affymetrix SNP Array 6.0].

Objective: To refine the extent of a 7q36 duplication in a Chinese family with triphalangeal thumb-polysyndactyly syndrome and syndactyly type IV using the Affymetrix SNP Array combined with quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR).

Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted and genotyped with the Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP Array 6.0.

Expression of CC chemokine ligand 5 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and its correlation with disease activity and medication.

Objective: To determine the levels of CC chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) in serum and synovial fluid (SF) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their relations with disease activity and medication.

Methods: CCL5 in serum and SF was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 28 RA patients and 21 osteoarthritis (OA) patients. In RA patients, the correlations of CCL5 levels in serum and SF with disease activity were analyzed.