WITHDRAWN: Efficacy and safety of short-term treatment of naproxcinod in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip: A prospective, randomized study.

This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.

The mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis suppresses plant defense responses by manipulating JA-SA crosstalk.

Induced plant defenses against herbivores are modulated by jasmonic acid-, salicylic acid-, and ethylene-signaling pathways. Although there is evidence that some pathogens suppress plant defenses by interfering with the crosstalk between different signaling pathways, such evidence is scarce for herbivores. Here, we demonstrate that the mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis suppresses the induced defenses in tomato.

Can Carrier-Mediated Delivery System Promote the Development of Antisense Imaging?

Purpose: We aimed to explore the feasibility of transfection methods for antisense imaging.

Procedures: Antisense oligonucleotides (ASON) targeted to the mRNA of hTERT gene were synthesized and labeled with Technetium-99m and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), respectively. Then, ASON was combined with transfection reagent Lipofectamine 2000 and Xfect(TM), named Lipo-ASON and Xfect-ASON, respectively.

[Lengthened pedicle of rectus abdominis flap to repair defect on neck and chest].

Objective: To explore the feasibility to repair defect on the neck and chest with the rectus abdominis flap which pedicle is lengthened by measuring the width, thickness, and the intercostal space of the inferior costicartilage using CT angiography (CTA).

Methods: Thirty cases receiving CTA and three-dimensional reconstruction between July and December 2013 were included in the study. Of 30 cases, 17 were male and 13 were female, aged 44-70 years (mean, 56 years).

Effects of Jitai tablet, a traditional Chinese medicine, on spontaneous withdrawal symptoms and modulation of dopaminergic functions in morphine-dependent rats.

Chronic opioid abuse can cause damage to dopamine neurons. However, there are currently no effective pharmacotherapies to reverse this damage, even though progress has been made in the development of therapeutic strategies for opioid dependence. The Jitai tablet (JTT) is a traditional Chinese medicine formulation most commonly used for opioid addiction treatment in China.

[Validation of standardized uptake values for ¹⁸F-FDG in normal organs: comparison of whole-body PET/CT and PET/MRI].

Objective: To validate whether PET/MR could provide a semi-quantitative measurement (SUV(max)) comparable to that produced by PET/CT in normal organs.

Methods: 277 subjects underwent an ordinary ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT followed by a PET/MR scan with a 25-45 min interval. Region of interest (ROIs) were drawn in 4 reference normal organs/tissues in both MRAC-PET and CTAC-PET images and the liver and erector spinae in the dual-time point PET/CT images.

[Interpretation of contemporary positioning of traditional Chinese medicine injections and analysis of key problems].

According to the current situations and development of (TCMIs), the author of the article reveals the scientific connotation of TCMIs in theory, preparations and clinic application, and points out that TCMIs are an innovative and breakthrough of conventional dosage forms of traditional Chinese medicines, the combination of traditional theory and modern technology as well as a type of modern dosage form with the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicines, which conforms to the principle of including the essence and excluding the wastes for traditional Chinese medicine preparations, meets the demands for quick-acting of traditional Chinese medicines and guides one of the development orientation of traditional Chinese medicines. In the meantime, an analysis was also made on key issues, such as adverse reactions of TCMIs, modern clinical application, special drug delivery route and diversity of components and ingredients.

[The imaging study of internal mammary artery and its branches ].

Objective: To investigate the distribution of the internal mammary artery and its branches by the multi-slice spiral CT angiography, and to explore the feasibility of transferring pedicled transverse rectus abdomials myocataneous (TRAM) flap for breast reconstruction through resection of inferior costicartilages.

Methods: 30 female patients received abdominal CT angiography. (1) The distance between internal mammary artery and the sternum midline were recorded; (2) The position and the numbers of branches from bilateral internal mammary arteries at the level of 5th, 6th, 7th rib was observed; (3) The points where the superior epigastric artery gets through the rectus abdominis muscle were located.

Effect of honey solution and water acquisition on survival of starved solenopsis mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis.

The current study examined the effects of honey solution and water access on feeding behavior and survival of starving solenopsis mealybugs, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). The electrical penetration graph technique and an artificial membrane system were used to check whether P. solenopsis could imbibe free water or other liquid, such as the honey solution used here, in its natural environment.

Preparation and properties of self-reinforced cellulose composite films from Agave microfibrils using an ionic liquid.

The applications of natural fibers and their microfibrils are increasing rapidly due to their environment benefits, specific strength properties and renewability. In the present work, we successfully extracted cellulose microfibrils from Agave natural fibers by chemical method. The extracted microfibrils were characterized by chemical analysis.

TPGS-g-PLGA/Pluronic F68 mixed micelles for tanshinone IIA delivery in cancer therapy.

Tanshinone IIA (TAN) has few clinical applications for anti-cancer therapy mainly due to its high lipophicity, low cellular uptake, and poor bioavailability. To improve the anti-cancer effect and bioavailability of TAN, we developed a mixed micelle system constituted with D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate-graft-poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (TPGS-g-PLGA) copolymer and Pluronic F68. TAN was encapsulated in the TPGS-g-PLGA/Pluronic F68 mixed micelles by using the thin film hydration technology optimized by the central composite design/response surface method (CCD/RSM).

Host plant probing analysis reveals quick settlement of the solenopsis mealybug during host shift.

Quantitative feeding behaviors were analyzed by electronic penetration graph technique to evaluate the resources utilization efficiency of the solenopsis mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis (Tinsley) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), transferred to a novel host. Both nonphloem and phloem factors were contributed to the host availability during host shift; while only "prephloem" factor was involved with their offspring's fitness to the transferred host, on which they fed as effectively as their mothers did on the origin host. Different performances on different hosts were supposed to have relations with the diverse phloem components, rather than feeding behaviors.

Synthesis and evaluation of a 18F-labeled spirocyclic piperidine derivative as promising σ1 receptor imaging agent.

Several spirocyclic piperidine derivatives were designed and synthesized as σ1 receptor ligands. In vitro competition binding assays showed that the fluoroalkoxy analogues with small substituents possessed high affinity towards σ1 receptors and subtype selectivity. Particularly for ligand 1'-((6-(2-fluoroethoxy)pyridin-3-yl)methyl)-3H-spiro[2-benzofuran-1,4'-piperidine] (2), high σ1 receptor affinity (Ki=2.

Genome duplication improves rice root resistance to salt stress.

Background: Salinity is a stressful environmental factor that limits the productivity of crop plants, and roots form the major interface between plants and various abiotic stresses. Rice is a salt-sensitive crop and its polyploid shows advantages in terms of stress resistance. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of genome duplication on rice root resistance to salt stress.

An-jun-ning, a traditional herbal formula, attenuates spontaneous withdrawal symptoms via modulation of the dopamine system in morphine-dependent rats.

Background: The dopamine system, which is involved in drug dependence, can be damaged by opioid abuse. However, current clinical medicines cannot reverse these damages in the brain, which are believed to be a key reason for the high relapse rate after abstinence treatment. This study aimed to investigate the effects of An-jun-ning (AJN), a commercial traditional Chinese medicine formula used for the treatment of opioid addiction, on the dopamine system in morphine-dependent rats and to explore the possible mechanism underlying its therapeutic effects.

Comparison of dual-biomarker PIB-PET and dual-tracer PET in AD diagnosis.

Objectives: To identify the optimal time window for capturing perfusion information from early (11)C-PIB imaging frames (perfusion PIB, (11)C-pPIB) and to compare the performance of (18)F-FDG PET and "dual biomarker" (11)C-PIB PET [(11)C-pPIB and amyloid PIB ((11)C-aPIB)] for classification of AD, MCI and CN subjects.

Methods: Forty subjects (14 CN, 12 MCI and 14 AD patients) underwent (18)F-FDG and (11)C-PIB PET studies. Pearson correlation between the (18)F-FDG image and sum of early (11)C-PIB frames was maximised to identify the optimal time window for (11)C-pPIB.

Novel ¹⁸F-labeled dibenzylideneacetone derivatives as potential positron emission tomography probes for in vivo imaging of β-amyloid plaques.

A series of dibenzylideneacetones were synthesized and evaluated as imaging probes for β-amyloid plaques. They displayed high binding affinity to Aβ(1-42) aggregates (K(i) = 6.4 for 8, K(i) = 3.

Correcting Glanular Dislocation in Hypospadias With Up-to-Tip Technique and Double Wing Flaps.

Background: The surgical treatment of hypospadias contains urethral reconstruction and correction of penile curvature. In some severe type of hypospadias, it also needs correction of penoscrotal transposition and cleft of scrotum. However, there are few literatures that refer to the correcting of deformity of glanular dislocation.

Andrographolide-loaded PLGA-PEG-PLGA micelles to improve its bioavailability and anticancer efficacy.

Background: Andrographolide (ADG) isolated from Andrographis paniculata exhibits anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities, but high hydrophobicity and poor bioavailability greatly restricts its clinical application.

Objectives: In this study, ADG was encapsulated in a micelle formulation based on poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)-b-poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA-PEG-PLGA) amphiphilic triblock copolymers, in order to enhance the anticancer efficacy and bioavailability in vivo.

Methods: The physicochemical properties of the ADG-loaded PLGA-PEG-PLGA micelles were investigated for encapsulation efficiency, particle size, zeta potential and critical micelle concentration.

Inverse association between toenail arsenic and body mass index in a population of welders.

Recent data show that arsenic may play a role in obesity-related diseases. However, urinary arsenic studies report an inverse association between arsenic level and body mass index (BMI). We explored whether toenail arsenic, a long-term exposure measure, was associated with BMI in 74 welders with known arsenic exposure.

Potential antineoplastic effects of Aloe-emodin: a comprehensive review.

Aloe-emodin (AE), a bioactive anthraquinone derived from both Aloe vera and Rheum officinale, has recently been demonstrated to have various pharmacological activities. With the widespread popularity of natural products, such as antineoplastic drugs, AE has attracted much attention due to its remarkable antineoplastic activity on multiple tumor cells involving multi-channel mechanisms, including the disruption of cell cycle, induction of apoptosis, anti-metastasis, antiangiogenic, and strengthening of immune function. Experimental data have revealed AE as a potentially potent anti-cancer candidate.

Lobelia chinensis: chemical constituents and anticancer activity perspective.

Research has demonstrated that many chemical constituents dominated by piperidine alkaloids and flavonoids, such as lobelanidine, lobeline, and lobelanine, have been obtained from Lobelia chinensis Lour. Experimental studies and clinical applications have also indicated that L. chinensis possesses a number of pharmacological activities (e.

Does the novel integrated PET/MRI offer the same diagnostic performance as PET/CT for oncological indications?

Background: We compared PET/MRI with PET/CT in terms of lesion detection and quantitative measurement to verify the feasibility of the novel integrated imaging modality for oncological applications.

Methodology/principal Findings: In total, 285 patients referred to our PET/CT center for oncological indications voluntarily participated in this same-day PET/CT and PET/MRI comparative study. PET/CT images were acquired and reconstructed following routine protocols, and then PET/MRI was performed at a mean time interval of 28±11 min (range 15-45 min).

Leptin promotes metastasis by inducing an epithelial-mesenchymal transition in A549 lung cancer cells.

Leptin, an adipocyte-derived cytokine associated with obesity, has been reported to participate in carcinogenesis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is also considered as a key event in tumor metastasis. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanism of leptin in the promotion of EMT leading to metastasis in A549 lung cancer cells.

Aloe-emodin loaded solid lipid nanoparticles: formulation design and in vitro anti-cancer study.

Aloe-emodin (AE) is a promising anti-tumor candidate for its significant activity against various tumors such as lung cancer, hepatic cancer, breast cancer and so on. Nevertheless, AE is clinically limited due to its poor water solubility and low bioavailability. This study was designed to prepare AE-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (AE-SLNs) in an attempt to improve the anti-cancer efficacy of AE.