Lactose fermentation by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae capable of fermenting cellobiose.

Lactose is an inevitable byproduct of the dairy industry. In addition to cheese manufacturing, the growing Greek yogurt industry generates excess acid whey, which contains lactose. Therefore, rapid and efficient conversion of lactose to fuels and chemicals would be useful for recycling the otherwise harmful acid whey.

Propofol protects hippocampal neurons from apoptosis in ischemic brain injury by increasing GLT-1 expression and inhibiting the activation of NMDAR via the JNK/Akt signaling pathway.

Ischemic brain injury (IBI) can cause nerve injury and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The neuroprotective effects of propofol against IBI have been previously demonstrated. However, the neuroprotective effects of propofol on hippocampal neurons are not yet entirely clear.

In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging of Transplanted Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Their Rejection Mediated by Intrahepatic NK Cells.

Purpose: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) hold promise in the treatment of liver disease. However, short survival time of MSCs after intrahepatic transplantation limits their value; therefore, understanding the basis of MSCs survival and rejection may increase their utility. This study was aimed at determining the role of intrahepatic natural killer (NK) cells on MSCs survival and their retention in the liver shortly after transplant.

[Curative Effect of Jiedu Shengji Recipe in Preventing and Treating Acute Radiation Esophagitis in Radiotherapy Induced Esophageal Carcinoma Patients].

Objective: To observe the curative effect of Jiedu Shengji Recipe (JSR) in preventing and treating acute radiation esophagitis in radiotherapy induced esophageal carcinoma patients.

Methods: Totally 86 mid-late stage esophageal carcinoma patients were assigned to the treatment group and the control group according to random digit table, 43 in each group. All patients received concurrent radiochemotherapy.

[Effect of Rhubarb Combined Medicinal Activated Carbon on Levels of Serum Phosphorus, Calci- um-Phosphorus Product, and Parathyroid Hormone in Hemodialysis Patients with Hyperphosphatemia].

Objective To study the effect of rhubarb combined medicinal activated carbon on levels of serum phosphorus and calcium-phosphorus product, as well as parathyroid hormone in hemodi- alysis patients with hyperphosphatemia. Methods Totally 126 hemodialysis patients with hyperphos- phatemia who had received treatment of calcium containing phosphorus binders were assigned to the treatment group and the control group according to random digit table, 63 in each group. Patients in the treatment group took rhubarb (80 mg/kg, twice per day, soaked in 150 mL boiled water, taken before dinner) combined with medicinal activated carbon (1.

Protein Metabolism and Signal Pathway Regulation in Rumen and Mammary Gland.

Protein is an important yet the most expensive dietary component for farm ruminant animals. Understanding the mechanism behind protein utilization in animals for maintenance and milk production is critical for raising animals efficiently. Once the protein has been ingested, it undergoes various transformations in the gut before it is absorbed into blood and its precursors are harnessed by the mammary gland for milk protein synthesis in lactating animals.

miR-218 Involvement in Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy Is Likely through Targeting REST.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as key players in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, which is associated with significant risks of heart failure. However, many microRNAs are still not recognized for their functions in pathophysiological processes. In this study, we evaluated effects of miR-218 in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy using both in vitro and in vivo models.

[Screening of meaningful endophytic fungi in Dendrobium officinale based on polysaccharides and flavonoids].

To reveal the relationship between endophytic fungi and the functional components, saccharides and flavonoids in the mycelia or fermented liquor of 21 endophytic fungi in D.officinale were detected using HPLC and UV spectrophotometer.The results showed that the ethyl acetate extracts from 21 fungal strains all contain flavonoids.

[Effect of Qingfei Quyu Decoction in Prevention of Radiation Pneumonitis Induced by Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Esophageal Carcinoma Patients].

Objective: To assess the effect of Qingfei Quyu Decoction (QQD) in preventing radiation pneumonitis in esophageal carcinoma patients by concurrent using it with chemoradiotherapy.

Methods: A total of 120 patients with mid-late stage esophageal carcinoma were randomly assigned to the treatment group (60 cases) and the control group (60 cases). All patients received concurrent radiochemotherapy.

[Effects of endophytic fungi from Dendrobium officinale on host growth and components metabolism of tissue culture seedlings].

The paper aims to study the effects of endophytic fungi from D. officinale cultivated on living trees on growth and components metabolism of tissue culture seedlings. Morphological characteristics and agronomic characters of tissue culture seedlings infected and uninfected by endophytic fungus were observed and measured.

GroE chaperonins assisted functional expression of bacterial enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Rapid advances in the capabilities of reading and writing DNA along with increasing understanding of microbial metabolism at the systems-level have paved an incredible path for metabolic engineering. Despite these advances, post-translational tools facilitating functional expression of heterologous enzymes in model hosts have not been developed well. Some bacterial enzymes, such as Escherichia coli xylose isomerase (XI) and arabinose isomerase (AI) which are essential for utilizing cellulosic sugars, cannot be functionally expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Metabolic Engineering of Probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii.

Saccharomyces boulardiiis a probiotic yeast that has been used for promoting gut health as well as preventing diarrheal diseases. This yeast not only exhibits beneficial phenotypes for gut health but also can stay longer in the gut than Saccharomyces cerevisiae Therefore, S. boulardiiis an attractive host for metabolic engineering to produce biomolecules of interest in the gut.

Circulating tumor cell counts/change for outcome prediction in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer.

Aims: As data on the use of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to predict patient outcomes in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) remain inconclusive, we investigated the clinical value of CTC determination in an open-label, multicenter study of 91 patients with newly diagnosed ES-SCLC.

Materials & Methods: Blood CTC counts were determined using the CellSearch® system at baseline, after the second cycle of chemotherapy, and on disease progression.

Results & Conclusion: Following the second cycle of treatment, CTC numbers and the change in CTCs were strong, significant and independent indicators for both progression-free survival and overall survival in ES-SCLC.

[Analysis of fatty composition from different parts of Ganoderma lucidum].

The oil content and fatty acid composition of Ganoderma lucidum collected from different producing areas, varieties, tissue types and growth periods were measured and analyzed. The results showed that the oil content was 23. 61%-34.

[Study on accumulation of polysaccharides and alcohol-soluble extracts contents of Dendrobium officinale leaves].

This paper revealed the accumulation regularity of polysaccharides and alcohol-soluble extracts contents of Dendrobium officinale leaves, which have provided basis for the development and utilization of the leaves. The polysaccharides and alcohol-soluble extracts contents of three D. officinale strains leaves collected in different growing periods were determined by phenol-sulfric acid method and hot-dip method respectively.

Modified titration intratympanic gentamicin injection for unilateral intractable Ménière's disease.

This study looked into the efficacy of a modified titration protocol of intratympanic gentamicin injection (ITG) in the patients with unilateral intractable Ménière's disease (MD). Modified titration protocol of ITG at a low dose (20 mg/mL) was administered to 10 patients with definite unilateral intractable MD. After initial first two fixed ITGs on weekly basis, the patients might or might not be given any more injections, depending on the appearance of unilateral vestibular loss (UVL).

Combining C6 and C5 sugar metabolism for enhancing microbial bioconversion.

Mixed sugars, which are often obtained from renewable biomass, can be converted into biofuels and chemicals by microbial conversion. This sustainable production process can also mitigate man-made climate change when used to petroleum-based fuel and chemical production. In contrast to single sugar fermentations, such as corn-based or sugarcane-based ethanol fermentations, mixed sugar fermentations present significant challenges for cost-effective production of the target products.

Hybrid upconversion nanomaterials for optogenetic neuronal control.

Nanotechnology-based approaches offer the chemical control required to develop precision tools suitable for applications in neuroscience. We report a novel approach employing hybrid upconversion nanomaterials, combined with the photoresponsive ion channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), to achieve near-infrared light (NIR)-mediated optogenetic control of neuronal activity. Current optogenetic methodologies rely on using visible light (e.

Role of acetylcholinesterase in lung cancer.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) plays a key role in catalytic hydrolysis of cholinergic neurotransmitters. Intensive research has proven the involvement of this protein in novel functions, such as cell adhesion, differentiation, and proliferation. In addition, several recent studies have indicated that acetylcholinesterase is potentially a marker and regulator of apoptosis.

Endogenous Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Suppresses High-Fat Food Intake by Reducing Synaptic Drive onto Mesolimbic Dopamine Neurons.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and its analogs act as appetite suppressants and have been proven to be clinically efficacious in reducing body weight in obese individuals. Central GLP-1 is expressed in a small population of brainstem cells located in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), which project to a wide range of brain areas. However, it remains unclear how endogenous GLP-1 released in the brain contributes to appetite regulation.

Evolutionary trends and functional anatomy of the human expanded autophagy network.

All eukaryotic cells utilize autophagy for protein and organelle turnover, thus assuring subcellular quality control, homeostasis, and survival. In order to address recent advances in identification of human autophagy associated genes, and to describe autophagy on a system-wide level, we established an autophagy-centered gene interaction network by merging various primary data sets and by retrieving respective interaction data. The resulting network ('AXAN') was analyzed with respect to subnetworks, e.

[Comparison of different harvest ways of Dendrobium officinale].

To standardize the harvest ways of Dendrobium officinale and improve the quality and yield of D. officinale, a field experiment was carried out to study the effect of two kinds of harvest ways, which were keeping some of the axial shoot and harvesting all of the shoot by the end of the year. Then, the agronomic traits and yield were measured and the contents of polysaccharides and extractum were determined.

A stepwise assembly of a molecular box from 16-electron half-sandwich precursors [Cp*M(pdt)] (M = Rh, Ir).

The coordinatively-unsaturated 16-electron half-sandwich precursors [Cp*M(pdt)] (M = Rh, Ir; pdt = pyrazine-2,3-dithiol) have been synthesized. X-ray crystallography in combination with (1)H NMR analysis was used to elucidate the nature of the precursors. The Rh(iii) precursor displays a dimeric form in the trans arrangement in the solid state, formulated as [(Cp*Rh)2(μ(S)-pdt)2] (), in which covalent Rh-S bonds bridge the metal centers.

Efficacy and feasibility of the immunomagnetic separation based diagnosis for detecting sentinel lymph node metastasis from breast cancer.

A purpose of this study was to establish a novel molecular diagnostic model and provide new insight into the intraoperative evaluation of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis in breast cancer. A total of 124 breast cancer patients who met the criteria of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and underwent intraoperative biopsy were consecutively enrolled in this study. After the SLNs obtained from each patient were labeled, MOC-31 monoclonal antibody-mediated immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and flow cytometry were used to determine the expressions of breast cancer metastasis-related markers, including Mucin 1 (MUC1), CD44v6, and HER2.