Increases prognostic value of clinical-pathological nomogram in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: This study was intended to construct a brand new prognostic nomogram after combine clinical and pathological characteristics to increases prognostic value in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods: A total of 1,634 patients were included. Subsequently, the tumor tissues of all patients were prepared into tissue microarrays.

[Pollen in surface soil at the southern slope of western Tianshan, China.].

We analyzed 52 pollen samples of surface soils from the southern slope of western Tian-shan, China, to understand the relationship between the surface pollen and modern vegetation, and the significance of the Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae (A/C). The results showed that there were five vegetation zones from the mountain top to the foot, i.e.

[Relationship between leaf litter decomposition and colonization of benthic macroinvertebrates during early frost period in a headwater stream in the Changbai Mountains, Northeast China].

Annually, about 70% of the streams in the Changbai Mountains are frosted during November to April, with manifest seasonal freeze-thaw characters. By using monoculture and mixing leaf litters of Tilia amurensis, Acer mono and Quecus mongolica, this research attempted to disentangle the relationship between leaf litter decomposition and colonization of macroinvertebrates in the stream during early frost period. A 35-day investigation was carried out in a headwater stream of the Changbai Mountains.

Prediction of loss to follow-up in long-term supportive periodontal therapy in patients with chronic periodontitis.

Aim: This study examined the predictors of loss to follow-up in long-term supportive periodontal therapy in patients with chronic periodontitis.

Methods: A total of 280 patients with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis in a tertiary care hospital in China were investigated and followed over the course of study. Questionnaires on clinical and demographic characteristics, self-efficacy for oral self-care and dental fear at baseline were completed.

Thrombospondin-4 Promotes Neuronal Differentiation of NG2 Cells via the ERK/MAPK Pathway.

NG2-expressing neural progenitors can produce neurons in the central nervous system, providing a potential cell resource of therapy for neurological disorders. However, the mechanism underlying neuronal differentiation of NG2 cells remains largely unknown. In this report, we found that a thrombospondin (TSP) family member, TSP4, is involved in the neuronal differentiation of NG2 cells.

Serine/threonine-protein kinase PFTK1 modulates oligodendrocyte differentiation via PI3K/AKT pathway.

Oligodendrocytes (OLs) are derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), and their differentiation is a tightly regulated process. It is known that cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) play an essential role as regulators of OPC differentiation. Here, we newly identified a CDK-like protein, PFTK1, to be involved in OPC differentiation.

Community level offset of rain use- and transpiration efficiency for a heavily grazed ecosystem in inner Mongolia grassland.

Water use efficiency (WUE) is a key indicator to assess ecosystem adaptation to water stress. Rain use efficiency (RUE) is usually used as a proxy for WUE due to lack of transpiration data. Furthermore, RUE based on aboveground primary productivity (RUEANPP) is used to evaluate whole plant water use because root production data is often missing as well.

Effect of recombinant Lactobacillus casei expressing interleukin-10 in dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis mice.

Objective: To study the effect of recombinant Lactobacillus casei (L.casei) expressing interleukin (IL)-10 combined with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice.

Methods: Recombinant L.

Angiotropic metastatic malignant melanoma in a canine mammary gland.

An eleven-year-old spayed female Yorkshire Terrier presented with a sublumbar mass and upon ultrasonographic examination, was revealed to have a mammary gland tumor. Black to reddish colored masses, located in the visceral peritoneum of the sublumbar region was observed on laparotomy with masectomy of the right side. In the laparotomy, we observed reddish masses multifocally located in the serosal membrane of the large intestine.

A novel role for neural cell adhesion molecule in modulating insulin signaling and adipocyte differentiation of mouse mesenchymal stem cells.

Neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) has recently been found on adult stem cells, but its biological significance remains largely unknown. In this study, we used bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from wild-type and NCAM knockout mice to investigate the role of NCAM in adipocyte differentiation. It was demonstrated that NCAM isoforms 180 and 140 but not NCAM-120 are expressed on almost all wild-type MSCs.

Neural cell adhesion molecule potentiates the growth of murine melanoma via β-catenin signaling by association with fibroblast growth factor receptor and glycogen synthase kinase-3β.

The neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) was recently shown to be involved in the progression of various tumors with diverse effects. We previously demonstrated that NCAM potentiates the cellular invasion and metastasis of melanoma. Here we further report that the growth of melanoma is obviously retarded when the expression of NCAM is silenced.

Eosinophilic myositis in a slaughtered Korean native cattle.

Histopathological findings of eosinophilic myositis in the carcass of a slaughtered Korean native cow are presented. Lesions contained massive fibrous septae with vacuolar changes in some lesions, and the hypercontraction and rupturing of muscle bundles, with replacement by eosinophils. Necrosis and severe eosinophil infiltration were observed.

Glycerol facilitates the disaggregation of recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 2 on mica surface.

Preparation of distributed virus on a solid substrate is a prerequisite for investigation of the properties and individualism of virus, while many previous studies showed that virus has a tendency to aggregate on solid substrates. In this communication, we report a novel approach by which well-separated recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 2 (rAAV2) could be prepared on bare mica surface. The key technique in this approach is the addition of less than 3% (v/v) glycerol into the virus solution and subsequently deposition onto mica surface for the sample preparation.

Canine renal failure syndrome in three dogs.

Three dead dogs were brought to the College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University for study. Clinically, all the dogs showed emaciation, anorexia, depression, hemorrhagic vomiting and diarrhea for 7-10 days before death. All the clinical signs were first noted for about one month after feeding the dogs with commercial diets.