Initiator-Free Thiol-Aldehyde Photo Polycondensation.

Traditional photopolymerizations generally requires an initiator for initiating the polymerization while few cases have created degradable chemical bonds. Moreover, the migration instability and cytotoxicity of photo initiators are posing issues to human health and the environment. In this work, we discovered an initiator-free photo polycondensation system (IFPPC) between polymercaptans and aldehyde monomers, producing high strength plastic materials with exchangeable and degradable dithioacetal groups.

Application of molecular dynamics-based pharmacophore and machine learning approaches to identify novel Mcl1 inhibitors through drug repurposing and mechanics research.

Myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl1), a critical protein that regulates apoptosis, has been considered as a promising target for antitumor drugs. The conventional pharmacophore screening approach has limitations in conformation sampling and data mining. Here, we offered an innovative solution to identify Mcl1 inhibitors with molecular dynamics-refined pharmacophore and machine learning methods.

TRIF-dependent signaling and its role in liver diseases.

TIR domain-containing adaptor inducing IFN-β (TRIF) is a crucial adaptor molecule downstream of toll-like receptors 3 (TLR3) and 4 (TLR4). TRIF directly binds to TLR3 through its TIR domain, while it associates with TLR4 indirectly through the bridge adaptor molecule TRIF-related adaptor molecule (TRAM). TRIF plays a pivotal role in regulating interferon beta 1 (IFN-β) response, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling, apoptosis, and necroptosis signaling mediated by TLR3 and TLR4.

MicroRNA Landscape in Endometrial Carcinomas in an Asian population: Unraveling Subtype-Specific Signatures.

MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that function in RNA silencing and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. We analyzed the differential expression of miRNAs in 119 endometrial carcinomas, measuring their expression in histological subtypes, molecular subtypes, and tumors with mutations. Tumors were subdivided into histological and molecular subtypes as defined by The Cancer Genome Atlas.

Characteristics of the Cajal interstitial cells and intestinal microbiota in children with refractory constipation.

Background: Children with refractory constipation experience intense and persistent symptoms that greatly diminish their quality of life. However, the underlying pathophysiological mechanism responsible for this condition remains uncertain. Our objective was to evaluate characteristics of colonic motor patterns and interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) to refractory constipation children, as well as intestinal microbiota compositions.

Tissue-Specific microRNA Expression Profiling to Derive Novel Biomarkers for the Diagnosis and Subtyping of Small B-Cell Lymphomas.

Accurate diagnosis of the most common histological subtypes of small B-cell lymphomas is challenging due to overlapping morphological features and limitations of ancillary testing, which involves a large number of immunostains and molecular investigations. In addition, a common diagnostic challenge is to distinguish reactive lymphoid hyperplasia that do not require additional stains from such lymphomas that need ancillary investigations. We investigated if tissue-specific microRNA (miRNA) expression may provide potential biomarkers to improve the pathology diagnostic workflow.

Progress of HOTAIR-microRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The Hox transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) has been identified as a tumor gene, and its expression in HCC is significantly increased. HOTAIR is associated with the proliferation, invasion, metastasis and poor prognosis of HCC. In addition, HOTAIR can also regulate the expression and function of microRNA by recruiting the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) and competitive adsorption, thus promoting the occurrence and development of HCC.

Understanding of the Site-Specific Microbial Patterns towards Accurate Identification for Patients with Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Fecal microbial community could not fully represent the intestinal microbial community. However, most studies analyzing diarrhea-dominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) were mainly based on fecal samples. We aimed to characterize the IBS-D microbial community patterns using samples at multiple intestinal sites.

The Mechanism Exploration of Follicular Fluids on Granulose Cell Apoptosis in Endometriosis-Associated Infertility.

Objective: To explore the mechanisms of follicular fluids (FFs) on granulose cell (GC) apoptosis in endometriosis-associated infertility.

Materials And Methods: 60 infertile women were enrolled. The FFs from 30 endometriosis-associated infertility (EI) patients were collected and processed by ELISA hormone assay and proteomic profiling.

Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Compounds Isolated from the Rhizome of .

Fifteen unreported compounds in , iriflophene (), hostaplantagineoside C (), tuberoside G (), spicatoside B (), platycodin D (), platycoside A (), platycodin D2 (), polygalacin D2 (), platycodin D3 (), isovitexin (), vitexin (), 3,4-dihydroxyallylbenzene-3--α-l-rhamnopyranosyl(1→6)-β-d-glucopyranoside (), iryptophan (), adenosine (), α-d-Glucose monoallyl ether (), together with eleven known compounds (, , ⁻, ⁻, and ), were isolated from the rhizomes of . The chemical structures of these compounds were characterized using HRMS and NMR. The anti-inflammatory activities of the compounds were evaluated by investigating their ability to inhibit LPS-induced NO production in N9 microglial cells.

A polyacrylamide-based silica stationary phase for the separation of carbohydrates using alcohols as the weak eluent in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography.

A hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) stationary phase was prepared by a two-step synthesis method, immobilizing polyacrylamide on silica sphere particles. The stationary phase (named PA, 5μm dia) was evaluated using a mixture of carbohydrates in HILIC mode and the column efficiency reached 121,000Nm. The retention behavior of carbohydrates on PA stationary phase was investigated with three different organic solvents (acetonitrile, ethanol and methanol) employed as the weak eluent.

Preparative separation of the polar part from the rhizomes of Anemarrhena asphodeloides using a hydrophilic C18 stationary phase.

The goal of this study was to develop a method that utilized a hydrophilic C18 stationary phase in the preparative high performance liquid chromatography to isolate the polar part from the rhizomes of Anemarrhena asphodeloides. The results showed that an initial mobile phase of pure water for the separation could greatly increase the retention and solubility of the polar compounds at the preparative scale. Introducing polar groups on the surface of the hydrophilic C18 column together with the use of optimized mobile phase compositions improved the column separation selectivity for polar compounds.

Self-Adjusting, Polymeric Multilayered Roll that can Keep the Shapes of the Blood Vessel Scaffolds during Biodegradation.

A self-adjusting, blood vessel-mimicking, multilayered tubular structure with two polymers, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), can keep the shape of the scaffold during biodegradation. The inner (PCL) layer of the tube can expand whereas the outer (PLGA) layers will shrink to maintain the stability of the shape and the inner space of the tubular shape both in vitro and in vivo over months. This approach can be generally useful for making scaffolds that require the maintenance of a defined shape, based on FDA-approved materials.

The heterogeneity of islet autoantibodies and the progression of islet failure in type 1 diabetic patients.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is heterogeneous in many facets. The patients suffered from type 1 diabetes present several levels of islet function as well as variable number and type of islet-specific autoantibodies. This study was to investigate prevalence and heterogeneity of the islet autoantibodies and clinical phenotypes of type 1 diabetes mellitus; and also discussed the process of islet failure and its risk factors in Chinese type 1 diabetic patients.

Improvement of chiral stationary phases based on cinchona alkaloids bonded to crown ethers by chiral modification.

To improve the chiral recognition capability of a cinchona alkaloid crown ether chiral stationary phase, the crown ether moiety was modified by the chiral group of (1S, 2S)-2-aminocyclohexyl phenylcarbamate. Both quinine and quinidine-based stationary phases were evaluated by chiral acids, chiral primary amines and amino acids. The quinine/quinidine and crown ether provided ion-exchange sites and complex interaction site for carboxyl group and primary amine group in amino acids, respectively, which were necessary for the chiral discrimination of amino acid enantiomers.

Cancer risks and long-term community-level exposure to pentachlorophenol in contaminated areas, China.

Widespread use of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in schistosomiasis endemic areas had led to ubiquitous exposure to PCP and its residues. Numerous studies had revealed that occupational PCP exposure probably increased risk of cancers, but whether long-term community-level exposure to PCP generates the similarly carcinogenic effect, seldom studies focused on it. This study was to explore the cancer risks of long-term community-level PCP exposure from drinking water in a Chinese general population.

Glutathione-S-transferase polymorphisms (GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1) and acute leukemia risk in Asians: a meta-analysis.

The association between glutathione-S-transferase polymorphisms (GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1) and risk of acute leukemia in Asians remains controversial. This study was therefore designed to evaluate the precise association in 23 studies identified by a search of PubMed and several other databases, up to December 2013. Using random or fixed effects models odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Disparities in prevalence and risk indicators of loneliness between rural empty nest and non-empty nest older adults in Chizhou, China.

Aim: The goal of the present study was to determine the disparities in prevalence and risk factors of loneliness between rural empty nest and non-empty nest older adults in Chizhou, China.

Methods: A sample of 730 participants (381 empty nest older adults and 349 non-empty nest older adults) were surveyed using the University of California at Los Angeles-Loneliness Scale, the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-30), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Social Support Rate Scale, the Perceived Social Support from Family Scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire abbreviated version.

Results: The present study showed that the mean level of loneliness did significantly differ between empty nest older adults and non-empty nest older adults (41.

[Molecular and epidemiological study on among children under 5 years old in Nanjing].

Objective: To study the infected information, clinical symptom and molecular epidemiological characteristics of HuCV infection among children under 5 years old in Nanjing.

Methods: In Nanjing Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from July 2010 to June 2011, we collected 428 stool specimens from children with diarrhea and 428 asymptomatic controls. Human Calicivirus were tested by using RT-PCR.