Prognostic significance of preoperative platelet count in patients with gallbladder cancer.

Aim: To investigate the prognostic value of preoperative platelet count (PLT) in patients with primary gallbladder cancer (GBC).

Methods: The clinical data of 223 GBC patients after surgery was retrospectively reviewed. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to verify the optimum cutoff point for PLT.

Diagnosis of Gleason pattern 5 prostate adenocarcinoma on core needle biopsy: an interobserver reproducibility study among urologic pathologists.

Accurate recognition of Gleason pattern 5 (GP5) prostate adenocarcinoma on needle biopsy is critical as it is associated with disease progression and adverse clinical outcome. Despite important implications of this diagnosis, interobserver variation in the diagnosis of GP5 has not been adequately studied. Digital images of 66 prostate adenocarcinoma cases that potentially contained a GP5 component were distributed to 16 urologic pathologists who were asked to classify whether GP5 was present.

Analysis of Atrophy After Clamped Partial Nephrectomy and Potential Impact of Ischemia.

Objective: Ischemia is a potential contributor to decline of function after partial nephrectomy (PN), although loss of parenchymal mass related to excision and reconstruction appears to be a more significant factor. However, loss of parenchymal mass could also be due to global effects of ischemia leading to parenchymal atrophy. In this study, we evaluated parenchymal volumes in regions away from the operated site to assess for atrophy.

Hsf and Hsp gene families in Populus: genome-wide identification, organization and correlated expression during development and in stress responses.

Background: Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are molecular chaperones that are involved in many normal cellular processes and stress responses, and heat shock factors (Hsfs) are the transcriptional activators of Hsps. Hsfs and Hsps are widely coordinated in various biological processes. Although the roles of Hsfs and Hsps in stress responses have been well characterized in Arabidopsis, their roles in perennial woody species undergoing various environmental stresses remain unclear.

Genetic stability of a recombinant adenovirus vaccine vector seed library expressing human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7 proteins.

The aim of the present study was to understand the genetic stability of a master seed bank (MSB) and a working seed bank (WSB) of an adenovirus vector vaccine expressing the human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 E6 and E7 fusion proteins (Ad-HPV16E6E7). Microscopic examination and viral infectious efficacy were used to measure the infectious titers of the Ad-HPV16E6E7 MSB and WSB. Polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze the stability of the Ad-HPV16E6E7 target gene insertion, while western blot analysis and immunofluorescence were used to assess the expression levels of the Ad-HPV16E6E7 target protein.

The reverse Warburg effect and 18F-FDG uptake in non-small cell lung cancer A549 in mice: a pilot study.

Unlabelled: The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of fasting and feeding on (18)F-FDG uptake in a mouse model of human non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: In in vivo studies, (18)F-FDG small-animal PET scans were acquired in 5 mice bearing non-small cell lung cancer A549 xenografts on each flank with continuous feeding and after overnight fasting to observe the changes in intratumoral distribution of (18)F-FDG and tumor (18)F-FDG standardized uptake value (SUV). In ex vivo studies, intratumoral spatial (18)F-FDG distribution assessed by autoradiography was compared with the tumor microenvironment (including hypoxia by pimonidazole and stroma by hematoxylin and eosin stain).

Molecular cloning, expression and purification of lactoferrin from Tibetan sheep mammary gland using a yeast expression system.

This paper reports the successful expression of a lactoferrin gene-obtained from the mammary gland tissue of Tibetan sheep-in the yeast Pichia pastoris GS115 using pPICZαA as the recombinant plasmid and α-factor signal sequence for secretion. The recombinant lactoferrin was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange column chromatography and gel-filtration chromatography, and it had a molecular mass of 76kDa. We obtained an expression yield of >60mgL(-1) and specific activity of 2533.

Efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation to treat muscle spasticity following brain injury: a double-blinded, multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

Objective: This study was aimed at evaluating the clinical efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) to treat muscle spasticity after brain injury (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-TRC-11001310).

Methods: A total of 60 patients with muscle spasticity after brain injury were randomized to the following 3 groups: 100, 2, and 0 Hz (sham) TEAS. The acupoints Hegu (LI4)--Yuji (LU10) and Zusanli (ST36)--Chengshan (BL57) on the injured side were stimulated at 0, 2, or 100 Hz, 5 times per week for 4 weeks.

In vitro and in vivo gene transfection using biodegradable and low cytotoxic nanomicelles based on dendritic block copolymers.

Dendritic block copolymers with different chain length of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(2-(dimethyl-amino)ethylmethacrylate) (PDMAEMA) were prepared and investigated as non-viral vectors for gene transfection in vitro and in vivo. Gel retardation analysis showed that all these dendritic copolymers could completely retard the mobility of DNA at and above an N/P ratio of 2.5/1.

Evaluation of patients' perceptions of mesh usage in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery.

Objective: To evaluate if new patients presenting to a female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery clinic are aware of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement regarding transvaginal mesh placement for pelvic organ prolapse repair and do they believe there is a mesh recall.

Methods: A voluntary anonymous 25-question survey was administered to new-clinic patients. Participants were aged at least 18 years and had either urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse.

A sensitive and selective chemiluminescence sensor for the determination of dopamine based on silanized magnetic graphene oxide-molecularly imprinted polymer.

Based on silanized magnetic graphene oxide-molecularly imprinted polymer (Si-MG-MIP), a sensitive and selective chemiluminescence sensor for dopamine measurement was developed. Si-MG-MIP, in which silanes was introduced to improve the mass transfer, graphene oxide was employed to improve absorption capacity, Fe3O4 nanoparticles were applied for separation easily and molecularly imprinted polymer was used to improve selectivity, demonstrated the advantages of the sensor. All the composites were confirmed by SEM, TEM, XRD and FTIR.

Clinical experience of seropositive ganglionic acetylcholine receptor antibody in a tertiary neurology referral center.

Introduction: Antibody against the acetylcholine receptor of autonomic ganglia (gAChR-Ab) is implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG) and several other disorders.

Methods: This study was a retrospective evaluation of 95 patients positive for gAChR-Ab.

Results: Twenty-one (22%) patients had AAG, with a greater median gAChR-Ab level (0.

A genomic classifier improves prediction of metastatic disease within 5 years after surgery in node-negative high-risk prostate cancer patients managed by radical prostatectomy without adjuvant therapy.

Background: Surgery is a standard first-line therapy for men with intermediate- or high-risk prostate cancer. Clinical factors such as tumor grade, stage, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are currently used to identify those who are at risk of recurrence and who may benefit from adjuvant therapy, but novel biomarkers that improve risk stratification and that distinguish local from systemic recurrence are needed.

Objective: To determine whether adding the Decipher genomic classifier, a validated metastasis risk-prediction model, to standard risk-stratification tools (CAPRA-S and Stephenson nomogram) improves accuracy in predicting metastatic disease within 5 yr after surgery (rapid metastasis [RM]) in an independent cohort of men with adverse pathologic features after radical prostatectomy (RP).

Analysis of semen parameters in male referrals: impact of reference limits, stratification by fertility categories, predictors of change, and comparison of normal semen parameters in subfertile couples.

Objective: To [1] determine the impact of semen reference limits on referrals for male fertility evaluations, [2] analyze the stratification of subjects based on published "normal" thresholds, [3] analyze the odds of changing fertility categories during serial tests and thereby the potential impact of inherent variability of semen parameters on referrals, and [4] determine variable(s) predictive of change.

Design: Retrospective chart review.

Setting: Academic referral center for male fertility.

Expression of tmp21 in normal adult human tissues.

TMP21, known as p23 protein, is one important member of the p24 protein families. The degradation of TMP21 is mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, as with the other presenilin-associated γ-secretase complex members. NFAT plays a very important role in regulation of human TMP21 gene expression.

Scopine as a novel brain-targeting moiety enhances the brain uptake of chlorambucil.

The blood brain barrier (BBB) represents the biggest challenge for therapeutic drugs to enter the brain. In our study, we selected chlorambucil (CHL), an alkylating agent, as the model therapeutic agent, and used scopine as a novel brain-targeting moiety. Here, we synthesized Chlorambucil-Scopine (CHLS) prodrug and evaluated its brain-targeting efficacy.

Assessment of outcomes in partial nephrectomy incorporating detailed functional analysis.

Objective: To assess perioperative morbidity and margins after conventional clamped partial nephrectomy (PN) while also using volumetric analysis to differentiate the contributions of parenchymal volume loss and recovery from ischemia.

Materials And Methods: The study analyzed 163 patients who underwent PN with appropriate studies to allow analysis of function and parenchymal mass specifically in the operated kidney. Recovery from ischemia (glomerular filtration rate saved/volume saved) would be 100% if all nephrons recovered from ischemia.

Enhanced magnetic fluid hyperthermia by micellar magnetic nanoclusters composed of Mn(x)Zn(1-x)Fe(2)O(4) nanoparticles for induced tumor cell apoptosis.

Monodispersed MnxZn1-xFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles of 8 nm are synthesized and encapsulated in amphiphilic block copolymer for development of the hydrophilic magnetic nanoclusters (MNCs). These MNCs exhibit superparamagnetic characteristics, high specific absorption rate (SAR), large saturation magnetization (Ms), excellent stability, and good biocompatibility. MnFe2O4 and Mn0.

A hop count based heuristic routing protocol for mobile delay tolerant networks.

Routing in delay tolerant networks (DTNs) is a challenge since it must handle network partitioning, long delays, and dynamic topology. Meanwhile, routing protocols of the traditional mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) cannot work well due to the failure of its assumption that most network connections are available. In this paper, we propose a hop count based heuristic routing protocol by utilizing the information carried by the peripatetic packets in the network.

Expression, Purification, and Characteristic of Tibetan Sheep Breast Lysozyme Using Pichia pastoris Expression System.

A lysozyme gene from breast of Tibetan sheep was successfully expressed by secretion using a-factor signal sequence in the methylotrophic yeast, Pichia pastoris GS115. An expression yield and specific activity greater than 500 mg/L and 4,000 U/mg was obtained. Results at optimal pH and temperature showed recombinant lysozyme has higher lytic activity at pH 6.