SRY gene transferred by extracellular vesicles accelerates atherosclerosis by promotion of leucocyte adherence to endothelial cells.

We set out to investigate whether and how SRY (sex-determining region, Y) DNAs in plasma EVs (extracellular vesicles) is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. PCR and gene sequencing found the SRY gene fragment in plasma EVs from male, but not female, patients; EVs from male patients with CAD (coronary artery disease) had a higher SRY GCN (gene copy number) than healthy subjects. Additional studies found that leucocytes, the major source of plasma EVs, had higher SRY GCN and mRNA and protein expression in male CAD patients than controls.

Neighborhood support network, perceived proximity to community facilities and depressive symptoms among low socioeconomic status Chinese elders.

Objectives: Depressive symptoms are common in older people; most previous research on elderly depression focused on individual-level characteristics or neighborhood socioeconomic status. Modifiable neighborhood characteristics of older people dwelling in low-income communities are under-studied. This study aims to identify potentially modifiable social and physical neighborhood characteristics that influence depressive symptoms independent of individual-level characteristics among older Chinese.

Recent advances in the genome-wide study of DNA replication origins in yeast.

DNA replication, one of the central events in the cell cycle, is the basis of biological inheritance. In order to be duplicated, a DNA double helix must be opened at defined sites, which are called DNA replication origins (ORIs). Unlike in bacteria, where replication initiates from a single replication origin, multiple origins are utilized in the eukaryotic genomes.

Upregulation of PD-L1 and APE1 is associated with tumorigenesis and poor prognosis of gastric cancer.

Introduction: Gastric cancer is a fatal malignancy with a rising incidence rate. Effective methods for early diagnosis, monitoring metastasis, and prognosis are currently unavailable for gastric cancer. In this study, we examined the association of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) expression with the prognosis of gastric cancer.

Combination of exosomes and circulating microRNAs may serve as a promising tumor marker complementary to alpha-fetoprotein for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis in rats.

Purpose: Due to unsatisfying prognosis of AFP for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we aim to evaluate the prognostic value of combination of exosomes and miRNAs in detecting HCC.

Methods: HCC was induced with diethylnitrosamine in rats and using a scoring system based on histological examination six different stages (normal liver, degeneration, fibrosis, cirrhosis, early HCC and late HCC) were identified in the development of HCC. The expression levels of AFP, exosomes and miRNAs (miRNA-10b, miRNA-21, miRNA-122 and miRNA-200a) were detected in both tissue and blood samples from those six stages.

Oxidative stress causes imbalance of renal renin angiotensin system (RAS) components and hypertension in obese Zucker rats.

Background: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of hypertension, especially in obesity-related hypertension. The natriuretic and antinatriuretic components of the renal renin angiotensin system (RAS) maintain sodium homeostasis and blood pressure. Here, we test the hypothesis that increased oxidative stress leads to the imbalance of RAS components and hypertension in obese Zucker rats.

Gene essentiality analysis based on DEG 10, an updated database of essential genes.

The database of essential genes (DEG, available at http://www.essentialgene.org), constructed in 2003, has been timely updated to harbor essential-gene records of bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes.

[Curative effects of kinesitherapy in combination with self-made simple orthosis in treatment of scar contracture of burned hand in children].

Objective: To survey the curative effects of kinesitherapy in combination with self-made simple orthosis (SO) in treatment of scar contracture of burned hand in children.

Methods: Fifty-eight children with burns of unilateral hand and received treatment in our rehabilitation center from January 2012 to January 2014 were divided into common rehabilitation (CR) and SO groups according to the random number table, with 29 cases in each group. After the wounds were healed, patients in group CR were treated with kinesitherapy combined with hand game exercises and pressure gloves, while patients in group SO were treated with kinesitherapy combined with hand game exercises and self-made SO, which was composed of finger web dividing belt, self-adhesive bandage, and infusion set fixing plate.

Comparison on structural modification of industrial lignin by wet ball milling and ionic liquid pretreatment.

As the most abundant aromatic compounds, lignin is still underutilized due to its relatively low quality. In order to improve its quality, two pretreatment technologies, wet ball milling (WBM) and ionic liquid pretreatment (ILP) were tested on the industrial lignin and evaluated on the average molecular weight and polydispersity, surface morphology, and functional groups changes. The results showed that the lignin pretreated by the WBM with phosphoric acid presented dramatic decrease of polydipersity (23%) and increase of phenolic hydroxyl content (9%).

Sequential treatment with AT-101 enhances cisplatin chemosensitivity in human non-small cell lung cancer cells through inhibition of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1-activated IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway.

AT-101, known as R-(-)-gossypol, is a potent anticancer agent, but its chemosensitizing effects remain elusive. The present study aimed to examine whether AT-101 could increase the sensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells to cisplatin (CDDP) and the underlying mechanisms. We evaluated the efficacy of the sequential treatment with AT-101 and CDDP using both in vitro and in vivo models.

Effect of percutaneous catheter drainage on pancreatic injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis induced by sodium taurocholate.

Objective: This study investigated the effect of percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) on pancreatic injury in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) rats.

Methods: Sixty Wistar rats were equally randomized into three groups: a sham operated control group, an SAP control group, and a PCD group. The levels of inflammatory cytokines, the activity of group II phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in blood and ascitic fluid, and the pancreas level of group II PLA2 and trypsin activity were measured 24 h after the operation.

Exome sequencing identifies novel ApoB loss-of-function mutations causing hypobetalipoproteinemia in type 1 diabetes.

Aim: Diabetic patients commonly suffer from disturbances in production and clearance of plasma lipoproteins, known as diabetic dyslipidemia, resulting in an increased risk of coronary heart disease. The study aimed to examine the cause of hypobetalipoproteinemia in two patients with type 1 diabetes.

Methods: The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) is a study demonstrating that intensive blood glucose control delays the onset and progression of type 1 diabetes complications.

Matrix metalloproteinase 1, 3, and 9 polymorphisms and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma risk.

Background: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are multifunctional zinc-dependent proteinases that play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of tumors. We have analyzed the association between 3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; MMP1 -1607 1G/2G, MMP3 -1612 5A/6A, and MMP9 -1562 C/T) and the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Material/methods: We investigated these 3 SNPs in 132 patients and 132 controls using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methods.

Neighborhood Support and Aging-in-Place Preference Among Low-Income Elderly Chinese City-Dwellers.

Objectives: Preferences for aging-in-place are unclear among low-income elderly Chinese city-dwellers, who are more likely to be geographically bound, to have little care support, but possess strong filial values and family cohesiveness. This study investigated the preferences for aging-in-place and its contributing neighborhood factors among low-income Chinese elderly in a metropolitan city.

Method: We conducted interviews with 400 older people residing in public housing estates in Hong Kong.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the mudsnail Cipangopaludina cathayensis (Gastropoda: Viviparidae).

We present the complete mitochondrial genome of Cipangopaludina cathayensis in this study. The mitochondrial genome is 17,157 bp in length, containing 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes. All of them are encoded on the heavy strand except 7 tRNA genes on the light strand.

Ori-Finder 2, an integrated tool to predict replication origins in the archaeal genomes.

DNA replication is one of the most basic processes in all three domains of cellular life. With the advent of the post-genomic era, the increasing number of complete archaeal genomes has created an opportunity for exploration of the molecular mechanisms for initiating cellular DNA replication by in vivo experiments as well as in silico analysis. However, the location of replication origins (oriCs) in many sequenced archaeal genomes remains unknown.

A reduction in both visceral and subcutaneous fats contributes to increased adiponectin by lifestyle intervention in the Diabetes Prevention Program.

Aims: Adiponectin, an insulin-sensitizing adipokine, confers protection against type 2 diabetes. Although adiponectin is secreted exclusively from fat, contributions of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) versus subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) to adiponectin levels have not been fully understood. We aimed to examine correlations between changes in VAT and SAT volumes and changes in adiponectin levels.

The diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging for different types of subscapularis lesions.

Purpose: To investigate the accuracy of preoperative 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) interpreted with standardized procedure for diagnosing subscapularis (SSC) tears identified by arthroscopy. The diagnostic accuracy of MRI for different types of SSC lesions was also evaluated.

A wheat 1-FEH w3 variant underlies enzyme activity for stem WSC remobilization to grain under drought.

In wheat stems, the levels of fructan-dominated water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) do not always correlate well with grain yield. Field drought experiments were carried out to further explain this lack of correlation. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties, Westonia, Kauz and c.

Temporal and spatial dynamics of amphioxus population (Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtaneuse) and its influential factors in Luan River Estuary, China.

Population distribution of amphioxus (Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense) was investigated in the Luan River Estuary from 1999 to 2011, to describe its trends and discover the factors that influence its decline. Amphioxus are distributed on the seabed at 5-10 m depth, between the Xinkai Estuary and the Dapu River Estuary, where the primary sand components of the sediment are medium and fine, with particle size ranging from 0.001 to 1 mm.

Prenatal lipopolysaccharide exposure results in dysfunction of the renal dopamine D1 receptor in offspring.

Adverse environment in early life can modulate the adult phenotype, including blood pressure. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure in utero results in increased blood pressure in the offspring, but the exact mechanisms are not clear. Studies have shown that the renal dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) plays an important role in maintaining sodium homeostasis and normal blood pressure; dysfunction of D1R is associated with oxidative stress and hypertension.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the giant African snail Achatina fulica (Mollusca: Achatinidae).

We present the complete mitochondrial genome of the Achatina fulica in this study. The results show that the mitochondrial genome is 15,057 bp in length, which is comprised of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 21 tRNA genes. The nucleotide compositions of the light strand are 35.

[Pretreatment of industrial lignin and catalytic conversion into phenol].

Recent concerns about the gradual depletion of conventional fossil resources and the pressure from global climate change have accentuated the need for new alternative feedstock. As one of the main components in biomass, lignin is the second most abundant natural polymer after cellulose, and has the potential to serve as a sustainable source of energy and organic carbon to replace petroleum-based chemicals. Efficient conversion of lignin into high value-added chemicals is crucial to improve the economic feasibility of biomass refinery.

Blast-induced tinnitus and spontaneous activity changes in the rat inferior colliculus.

High-pressure blast shockwaves are known to cause tinnitus. Imaging studies have shown that blast-induced tinnitus may result from damage to the inner ear structures and/or direct brain impact that trigger a cascade of neuroplastic changes in both auditory and non-auditory centers. Nevertheless, information is still lacking on the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying blast-induced tinnitus.

Complete sequence of pABTJ2, a plasmid from Acinetobacter baumannii MDR-TJ, carrying many phage-like elements.

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important opportunistic pathogen in hospital, and the multidrug-resistant isolates of A. baumannii have been increasingly reported in recent years. A number of different mechanisms of resistance have been reported, some of which are associated with plasmid-mediated acquisition of genes.