[Effect of solid content on thermal hydrolysis characteristics and flowability of high solid content sewage sludge].

Thermal hydrolysis characteristics of high solid content (7%, 9% and 13%) sludge were studied by thermal hydrolysis test. Anaerobic biodegradation of treated and untreated sludge and the relation of sludge flowability and sludge solid content were tested by biochemical methane potential (BMP) procedure and theological test, respectively. Results show that the dissolving ratio of solid organics increase with the prolonging of thermal hydrolysis time, and solid organics dissolve slowly after 30 min.

Transition from tunneling to hopping in single molecular junctions by measuring length and temperature dependence.

The charge transport characteristics of a family of long conjugated molecular wires have been studied using the scanning tunneling microscope break junction technique. The family consists of four wires ranging from 3.1 to 9.

A randomized double-blind, positive-control trial of topical thalidomide in erosive oral lichen planus.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of topical thalidomide for erosive oral lichen planes (OLP) in a prospective randomized, positive-control, double-blind clinical trial.

Study Design: Sixty-nine patients with erosive OLP received thalidomide 1% paste (n = 37) or dexamethasone 0.043% paste (n = 32) for 1 week.

Programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) mediates the sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by down-regulation of FLIP expression.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis induced ligand (TRAIL) is an important apoptosis inducer in a variety of tumor cells. In the present study, we determined the underlying molecular mechanisms by which certain gastric cancer cells are resistant to TRAIL. We first detected expression of programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) in three gastric cancer cell lines and identified its association with the sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to TRAIL.

Programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) enhances the sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Objective: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is thought to be a promising anti-neoplastic agent because of its ability to selectively induce apoptosis in cancer cells. However, some cancer cells are resistant to TRAIL. The mechanisms underlying this resistance are unclear.

PinX1 inhibits telomerase activity in gastric cancer cells through Mad1/c-Myc pathway.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Mad1/c-Myc in telomerase regulation in gastric cancer cells in order to gain insight into telomerase activity and to evaluate PinX1 as a putative inhibitor of gastric cancer.

Methods: PinX1 and PinX1siRNA eukaryotic expression vectors were constructed by recombinant technology and transfected into gastric carcinoma cells using Lipofectamine 2000. Telomerase activity was measured by the telomeric repeat amplification protocol.

Identification of genomic regions controlling adult-plant stripe rust resistance in Chinese landrace Pingyuan 50 through bulked segregant analysis.

ABSTRACT Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is one of the most widespread and destructive wheat diseases worldwide.

Anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap for correction of facial contour deformities and micromastia.

The anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap has gained popularity, yet the donor site remains problematic. With increased knowledge of the vascular anatomy, we anticipated that we would be able to contour the ALT adipofascial flap when reconstructing facial deformities and micromastia without sacrificing skin at the donor site. A total of 24 cases of hemifacial atrophy and 1 case of micromastia underwent anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap transplantation with vascular anastomosis.

Chemotherapy rescues tumor-driven aberrant CD4+ T-cell differentiation and restores an activated polyfunctional helper phenotype.

The functional development of tumor-specific CD4(+) T cells has a critical impact on the outcome of antitumor immune responses. Adoptive immunotherapy involving tumor-specific CD4(+) T cells has shown encouraging clinical benefits in some cancer patients. To mount an effective antitumor immunity, it is desirable to elicit activated type 1 T helper cells.

Unraveling excited-state dynamics in a polyfluorene-perylenediimide copolymer.

Insight into the exciton dynamics occurring in a polyfluorene-perylenediimide (PF-PDI) copolymer with a reaction mixture ratio of 100 fluorene units to 1 N,N'-bis(phenyl)-1,6,7,12-tetra(p-tert-octylphenoxy)-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid diimide (PDI) is presented here. Time-correlated single photon counting and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy measurements on the PF-PDI copolymer have been employed to investigate the excited-state properties of the polyfluorene subunit where the exciton is localized (PF) and the incorporated PDI chromophore. The experimental results were compared with those obtained from a polyfluorene polymer (model PF) and a N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-1,6,7,12-tetra(p-tert-octylphenoxy)-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid diimide (model PDI) which were used as reference compounds.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of metabolic syndrome-related genes in primary open angle glaucoma.

Aim: To analyze single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of primary open angle glaucoma- and metabolic syndrome-related genes in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), in order to elucidate the roles of metabolic syndrome as a risk factor in POAG progress.

Methods: SNP genotypes and alleles of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), dopamine D(2) receptor (DRD(2)), beta-fibrinogen (FGB), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ2 (PPARG), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), E-selectin (E-Sel), apolipoprotein A-5 (APOA5), C-reactive protein (CRP), ectonueleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1), hepatic lipase (LIPC), adiponectin (ADIPOQ), paraoxonase 1 (PON1) and serine protease inhibitor E (SERPINE1) genes in POAG (n=37) and normal control (n=100) groups were measured with ABI Prism 7900HT Fluorescence Quantitative PCR and TaqMan SNP Genotyping fluorescence probe kit.

Results: Genotypes and allele frequencies of IL-6R, IL-6, FGB, CRP, ENPP1, LIPC, ADIPOQ, PON1, and SERPINE1 in total POAG group were significantly different compared to the control group.

Clinical application of the anterolateral thigh flap for soft tissue reconstruction.

The purpose of this article is to describe the author's experience using the anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap for the reconstruction of a variety of soft tissue defects. The flap utility and donor site morbidity were evaluated in 126 cases from March 1985 to August 2007. The ALT flaps were harvested as either free fasciocutaneous, free adipofascial, fasciocutaneous island, or reversed fasciocutaneous island flaps to repair facial, neck, breast, trunk, and extremity defects.

Enhancement of IL-10 bioactivity using an IL-10 peptide-based vaccine exacerbates Leishmania major infection and improves airway inflammation in mice.

IL-10 is a regulatory cytokine that plays important roles in promoting disease progression in cutaneous leishmaniasis and suppressing allergic responses in asthma. We sought to develop an IL-10 peptide-based vaccine for the control of IL-10-related diseases. To break self-tolerance, hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) was used as a carrier.

Down-regulated expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP) involved in the development and progression of esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Background/aims: To analyze the differential expression genes (DEGs) between esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and para-cancerous tissue (PCT) and explore the target genes related to the development and progression of EAC.

Methodology: The total RNAs of matched EAC and para-cancerous tissue of EAC patients were isolated using one step Trizol method. Matched RNAs were qualified using 10 g/L agarose gel electrophoresis.

Targeting TGF-beta1 by employing a vaccine ameliorates fibrosis in a mouse model of chronic colitis.

Background: Intestinal fibrosis and stricture formation are major complications of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), for which there are currently few effective treatments. We sought to investigate whether targeting transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), a key profibrotic mediator, with a peptide-based virus-like particle vaccine would be effective in suppressing intestinal fibrosis by using a mouse model of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced chronic colitis.

Methods: The vaccine was prepared by inserting a peptide derived from mouse TGF-beta1 into a carrier hepatitis B core antigen using gene recombination methods.

Development of recombinant vaccines against IL-12/IL-23 p40 and in vivo evaluation of their effects in the downregulation of intestinal inflammation in murine colitis.

Overexpression of IL-12 and IL-23, which share the p40 subunit, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease. Targeting these cytokines with monoclonal antibodies has emerged as a new and effective therapy, but one with adverse reactions. In this study, we sought to develop p40 peptide-based virus-like particle vaccines that elicit autoantibodies to IL-12 and IL-23 for a long-term treatment of the disease.

A divergent synthesis of very large polyphenylene dendrimers with iridium(III) cores: molecular size effect on the performance of phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes.

This is a first report on a novel divergent procedure to synthesize higher generation polyphenylene dendrimers with an Ir(III) core up to G4, which up to now is the largest Ir(III) dendrimer, having a molecular diameter of 8 nm. Our synthetic method provides a much higher yield (>80%) than earlier reported traditional convergent strategies (<35%). Moreover, with a stepwise synthesis, the molecular sizes are controlled by different dendrimer generations from G1 (R(1) approximately 15 A) to G4 (R(4) approximately 40 A).

QTL mapping for adult-plant resistance to stripe rust in Italian common wheat cultivars Libellula and Strampelli.

Italian common wheat cultivars Libellula and Strampelli, grown for over three decades in Gansu province of China, have shown effective resistance to stripe rust. To elucidate the genetic basis of the resistance, F(3) populations were developed from crosses between the two cultivars and susceptible Chinese wheat cultivar Huixianhong. The F(3) lines were evaluated for disease severity in Beijing, Gansu and Sichuan from 2005 to 2008.

Controlling the charge transfer in phenylene-bridged borylene-amine pi-conjugated systems.

Novel boron-nitrogen-containing pi-conjugated compounds 3,3'- and 4,4'-((2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)borylene)bis(N,N-diarylbenzenamine) (1-2), m- and p-phenylene bridged to the boron center, respectively, have been synthesized and characterized. Optical studies by means of UV-vis absorption and emission measurements as well as DFT calculations reveal a different charge transfer behavior between the para series and the meta series at ground and excited states.

Correction of hemifacial atrophy using free anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap.

Treatment of hemifacial atrophy presents a challenge for reconstructive surgeons. Previous studies have described numerous methods for the correction of facial asymmetry. We present our experience with treatment of hemifacial atrophy using a microsurgical anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap procedure and other adjunctive measures.

A simple and effective approach towards biomimetic replication of photonic structures from butterfly wings.

A general sonochemical process is reported for the replication of photonic structures from Morpho butterfly wings in several hours. By selecting appropriate precursors, we can achieve exact replications of photonic structures in a variety of transparent metal oxides, such as titania, tin oxide and silica. The exact replications at the micro- and nanoscales were characterized by a combination of FE-SEM, TEM, EDX and Raman measurements.

Acid and bile salt up-regulate BMP4 expression in human esophageal epithelium cells.

Objective: Barrett's esophagus (BE) with an intestinal-type epithelium is thought to be a precancerous lesion of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. The pathophysiology of Barrett's metaplasia is poorly understood. Previous studies suggest that differentiation of multipotent cells to columnar epithelium may be one of the possible mechanisms.

Activation of nuclear factor-kappa B correlates with tumor necrosis factor-alpha in oral lichen planus: a clinicopathologic study in atrophic-erosive and reticular form.

Background: Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) is believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory diseases, including oral lichen planus (OLP). The objective of the present study was to investigate the possible relationship between NF-kappaB activation and expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in OLP and their expression pattern in relation to several clinical features.

Methods: Thirty OLP cases were divided into atrophic-erosive form (14 cases) and reticular form (16 cases) according to their clinical manifestations.

Inhibition of nucleostemin upregulates CDX2 expression in HT29 cells in response to bile acid exposure: implications in the pathogenesis of Barrett's esophagus.

Background: Barrett's esophagus (BE), a squamous-to-columnar metaplasia, may originate from growth-promoting mutations in metaplastic stem cells. Nucleostemin is a protein highly expressed in undifferentiated embryonic stem cells. The objectives of this study were to explore the potential role of nucleostemin in the pathogenesis of BE METHODS: The expression profiles of 30,968 genes were compared between BE and normal esophageal tissues (n = 6 in each group) by using oligo microarray.

Single feature polymorphisms between two rice cultivars detected using a median polish method.

Expression levels measured in microarrays of oligonucleotide probes have now been adapted as a high throughput approach for identifying DNA sequence variation between genotypes, referred to as single feature polymorphisms (SFPs). Although there have been increasing interests in this approach, there is still need for improving the algorithm in order to achieve high sensitivity and specificity especially with complex genome and large datasets, while maintaining optimal computational performance. We obtained microarray datasets for expression profiles of two rice cultivars and adapted a median polish method to detect SFPs.