Morphological and biochemical characteristics associated with autophagy in gastrointestinal diseases.

Autophagy is a cellular catabolic process characterized by the formation of double-membrane autophagosomes. Transmission electron microscopy is the most rigorous method to clearly visualize autophagic engulfment and degradation. A large number of studies have shown that autophagy is closely related to the digestion, secretion, and regeneration of gastrointestinal (GI) cells.

An Active Bio-Based Food Packaging Material of ZnO@Plant Polyphenols/Cellulose/Polyvinyl Alcohol: DESIGN, Characterization and Application.

Active packaging materials protect food from deterioration and extend its shelf life. In the quest to design intriguing packaging materials, biocomposite ZnO/plant polyphenols/cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol (ZnPCP) was prepared via simple hydrothermal and casting methods. The structure and morphology of the composite were fully analyzed using XRD, FTIR, SEM and XPS.

Evaluation of the PSMA-Binding Ligand Pb-NG001 in Multicellular Tumour Spheroid and Mouse Models of Prostate Cancer.

Radioligand therapy targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is rapidly evolving as a promising treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. The PSMA-targeting ligand p-SCN-Bn-TCMC-PSMA (NG001) labelled with Pb efficiently targets PSMA-positive cells in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this preclinical study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of Pb-NG001 in multicellular tumour spheroid and mouse models of prostate cancer.

[Effects of three drying methods on the physical properties and drug delivery in chitosan microspheres].

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of different drying methods on the physical properties and drug delivery of chitosan microspheres.

Methods: Three types of drying methods were utilized, including air drying and freeze drying after freezing at -20 ℃ (slow cooling) and at -80 ℃ (fast cooling). The physical properties of microspheres were characterized.

Comparison of postoperative ciliary body changes associated with the use of 23-gauge and 20-gauge system for pars plana vitrectomy.

Background: To compare the ciliary body changes associated with the use of 23-gauge (23G) and 20-gauge (20G) systems for pars plana vitrectomy.

Methods: A total of 60 patients (60 eyes) with idiopathic epiretinal membrane who were scheduled for surgical treatment were selected and randomly assigned to 20G group or 23G group. Time required for incision making, vitrectomy, and incision closure was compared between the two groups.

miR-211 promotes lens epithelial cells apoptosis by targeting silent mating-type information regulation 2 homolog 1 in age-related cataracts.

Aim: To detect the expression of miR-211 in age-related cataract tissue, explore the effects of miR-211 on lens epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis, and identify its target gene.

Methods: This study used real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to measure the expression of miR-211 and its predicted target gene [silent mating-type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (SIRT1)] in 46 anterior lens capsules collected from age-related cataract patients. Human lens epithelial cell line (SRA01/04) cells were transfected with either miR-211 mimics, mimic controls, miR-211 inhibitors or inhibitor controls, 72h after transfection, miRNA and protein expression of SIRT1 were measured using RT-qPCR and Western blotting; then cells were exposed to 200 µmol/L HO for 1h, whereupon cell viability was measured by MTS assay, caspase-3 assay was performed.

miR-24-p53 pathway evoked by oxidative stress promotes lens epithelial cell apoptosis in age-related cataracts.

MicroRNA-24 (miR-24) serves an important role in cell proliferation, migration and inflammation in various types of disease. In the present study, the biological function and molecular mechanism of miR‑24 was investigated in association with the progression of age‑associated cataracts. To the best of our knowledge the present study is the first to report that the expression of miR‑24 was significantly increased in human anterior lens capsules affected by age‑associated cataracts as well as lens epithelial cells (LECs) exposed to oxidative stress.

TOX3 protein expression is correlated with pathological characteristics in breast cancer.

TOX3 is a newly identified gene that has been observed to correlate with breast cancer by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in recent years. In addition, it has been noted that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TOX3 gene have a strong correlation with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors. However, the role of TOX3 in breast carcinoma development is still unclear.

Folic acid and its photoproducts, 6-formylpterin and pterin-6-carboxylic acid, as generators of reactive oxygen species in skin cells during UVA exposure.

Folic acid (FA) is the synthetic form of folate (vitamin B9), present in supplements and fortified foods. During ultraviolet (UV) radiation FA is degraded to 6-formylpterin (FPT) and pterin-6-carboxylic acid (PCA) which generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and may be phototoxic. The aim of the present study was to investigate the production of ROS and phototoxicity of FA, FPT and PCA in skin cells during UVA exposure.

[Seedling regeneration and affecting factors of Quercus variabilis in different distribution regions].

Twenty four fixed plots in three distribution regions of Quercus variabilis (Loess Plateau, marginal distribution zone; north slope of Qinling Mountains, semi-arid core area; and south slope of Qinling Mountains, moist core area) were installed, respectively, to investigate the age structure, growth status, and dry mass accumulation and allocation of 1-8 years old Q. variabilis seedlings, and path analysis was adopted to determine the key factors affecting the regeneration of the seedlings. In the distribution regions, the density of the seedlings decreased with their increasing age, and the density of the 1-8 years old seedlings all decreased in the order of south slope of Qin-ling Mountains > north slope of Qinling Mountains > Loess Plateau.

Visual function and higher order aberration after implantation of aspheric and spherical multifocal intraocular lenses: a meta-analysis.

Aim: To assess the visual outcomes of aspheric multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) compared with spherical multifocal IOL after cataract surgery.

Methods: Potential prospective controlled trials that comparing aspheric multifocal IOL implantation with spherical multifocal IOL group were extracted from the computer database. The statistical analysis was carried out using Stata 10 software.

Phospholipase C-γ1 expression correlated with cancer progression of potentially malignant oral lesions.

Background: Phospholipase C-γ1 (PLCγ1) is required for cellular migration during tumor progression and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. The objective of the current study was to determine immunoexpression pattern of PLCγ1 in oral potentially malignant lesions (OPLs) and evaluate PLCγ1 usefulness as a biomarker for predicting clinical behavior in the carcinogenesis of OPL.

Methods: In a retrospective follow-up study, the expression pattern of PLCγ1 protein was determined using immunohistochemistry in samples from 68 patients, including untransformed cases (n = 38) and malignant-transformed cases (n = 30).

Expression of podoplanin and ABCG2 in oral erythroplakia correlate with oral cancer development.

Oral erythroplakia (OE) is a notoriously aggressive oral premalignant lesion with a high tendency to oral cancer development, but it's biological behavior is largely unknown. The objective of the current study was to determine podoplanin and ABCG2 immunoexpression in OE and both correlation to malignant transformation of OE. In a retrospective follow-up study, the expression patterns of podoplanin and ABCG2 were determined using immunohistochemistry in samples from 34 patients with OE, including patients with untransformed lesions (n=17) and patients with malignant transformed lesions (n=17).

[Clinical evaluation of quality of vision with age-related cataract of different morphologies].

Objective: To investigate influence of cataract morphology on quality of vision in measurement of straylight and contrast sensitivity (CS), and to determine which type of cataract presents higher impairment of quality of vision.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 76 eyes of 76 age-related cataract patients who treated in the Eye Hospital of China Medical University from February 2010 to December 2010 with a best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 0.5 or better, were classified into 3 groups: cortical cataract group (33 eyes of 33 subjects), nuclear cataract group (20 eyes of 20 subjects), posterior cataract group (23 eyes of 23 subjects), as well as normal control group (26 eyes of 26 subjects).

[Dynamics of Quercus variabilis seed rain and soil seed bank in different habitats on the north slope of Qinling Mountains].

In order to explore the dynamics of Quercus variabilis seed rain and soil seed bank in different habitats on the north slope of Qinling Mountains, three kinds of micro-habitats (understory, forest gap, and forest edge) were selected, with the seed rain quantity and quality of Q. variabilis, seed amount and viability in soil seed bank, as well as the seedling development of Q. variabilis studied.

Phosphorylated p120-catenin expression has predictive value for oral cancer progression.

Aims: Recent studies have shown that phosphorylation of p120-catenin (p120) promotes progression and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the usefulness of phosphorylated p120-catenin (pp120) as a biomarker for predicting clinical behaviour in the carcinogenesis of potentially malignant oral lesions.

Methods: In a retrospective follow-up study, the expression pattern of pp120 protein was determined using immunohistochemistry in samples from 68 patients with potentially malignant oral lesions, including patients with untransformed lesions (n=38) and patients with malignant transformed lesions (n=30).

Fluorescence photobleaching of ALA and ALA-heptyl ester induced protoporphyrin IX during photodynamic therapy of normal hairless mouse skin: a comparison of two light sources and different illumination schemes.

This study investigated photobleaching of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) induced by 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and ALA-heptyl ester during superficial photodynamic therapy (PDT) in normal skin of the female BALB/c-nu/nu athymic mouse. We examined the effects of two light sources (laser and broadband lamp) and two different illumination schemes (fractionated light and continuous irradiation) on the kinetics of photobleaching. Our results show that light exposure (0-30 minutes, 10 mW/cm2) of wavelengths of approximately 420 nm (blue light) and 635 nm (red light) induced time-dependent PpIX photobleaching for mouse skin of 2% ALA and ALA-heptyl ester.

Corneal astigmatism correction with scleral flaps in trans-scleral suture-fixed posterior chamber lens implantation: a preliminary clinical observation.

Aim: To study the impact of scleral flap position, under which the posterior chamber intraocular lenses (PC-IOL) were sulcus-fixed by trans-scleral suture, on cornea astigmatism.

Methods: Twenty-six aphakic or cataract eyes were comprised in this prospective noncomparative case series study. Eleven eyes had traumatic cataract removed without sufficient capsular support, 3 had blunt trauma with subluxated traumatic cataract, 8 had undergone vitreoretinal surgery and 4 had congenital cataract removed.

Distance vision after bilateral implantation of AcrySof toric intraocular lenses: a randomized, controlled, prospective trial.

Aim: To evaluate the distance vision of Chinese patients with cataracts and corneal astigmatism after implantation of bilateral AcrySof toric intraocular lens (IOL) versus bilateral AcrySof spherical IOL.

Methods: This study randomized 60 patients into equal groups to receive toric IOL or spherical IOL. IOL powers targeting emmetropia were selected for 93% of toric IOL patients and for 90% of spherical IOL patients.

The seasonality of pandemic and non-pandemic influenzas: the roles of solar radiation and vitamin D.

Objectives: Seasonal variations in ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation cause seasonal variations in vitamin D status. This may influence immune responses and play a role in the seasonality of influenza.

Methods: Pandemic and non-pandemic influenzas in Sweden, Norway, the USA, Singapore, and Japan were studied.

Hydrogen peroxide induces p16(INK4a) through an AUF1-dependent manner.

Elevation of p16(INK4a) has been described as an important mechanism for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced replicative senescence. However, the mechanisms underlying remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrate an important role of RNA-binding protein AUF1-mediated mRNA turnover in H2O2-induced p16(INK4a) expression.