GCN5 modulates osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells through DKK1 acetylation in inflammatory microenvironment.

Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) from periodontitis patients showed defective osteogenic differentiation. However, the mechanism of impaired osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs in inflammatory microenvironments is still unclear. In this study, we found that inflammation in the microenvironment resulted in downregulation of histone acetyltransferase GCN5 expression and lack of GCN5 caused decreased osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs.

Bioprospecting potential of halogenases from Arctic marine actinomycetes.

Background: Halometabolites, an important group of natural products, generally require halogenases for their biosynthesis. Actinomycetes from the Arctic Ocean have rarely been investigated for halogenases and their gene clusters associated, albeit great potential of halometabolite production has been predicted. Therefore, we initiated this research on the screening of halogenases from Arctic marine actinomycetes isolates to explore their genetic potential of halometabolite biosynthesis.

Downregulation of selenium-binding protein 1 is associated with poor prognosis in lung squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: We found that selenium-binding protein 1 (SBP1) was progressively decreased in the human bronchial epithelial carcinogenic processes. Knockdown of SBP1 in immortalized human bronchial epithelial cell line 16HBE cells significantly increased the efficiency of B[a]P-induced cell transformation. However, the relationship between SBP1 expression and clinicopathological factors of patients has not been defined completely.

Inference of protein-protein interaction networks from multiple heterogeneous data.

Protein-protein interaction (PPI) prediction is a central task in achieving a better understanding of cellular and intracellular processes. Because high-throughput experimental methods are both expensive and time-consuming, and are also known of suffering from the problems of incompleteness and noise, many computational methods have been developed, with varied degrees of success. However, the inference of PPI network from multiple heterogeneous data sources remains a great challenge.

Motion-robust intensity-modulated proton therapy for distal esophageal cancer.

Purpose: To develop methods for evaluation and mitigation of dosimetric impact due to respiratory and diaphragmatic motion during free breathing in treatment of distal esophageal cancers using intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT).

Methods: This was a retrospective study on 11 patients with distal esophageal cancer. For each patient, four-dimensional computed tomography (4D CT) data were acquired, and a nominal dose was calculated on the average phase of the 4D CT.

[Establishment of Humanized Mouse Model by Using Transplantation of Mobilized Peripheral Blood Stem Cells].

Objective: To investigate the hematopoietic reconstitution in immunodeficiency NPG(TM) mice after transplantation of G-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood CD34(+) hemopoietic stem cells.

Methods: CD34(+) cells were isolated from peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) by magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS), and then were transplanted into NPG(TM) mice irradiated with sublethal dose of X ray by marrow cavity transplantation. The hemogram of mice after transplantation for 2, 4 weeks was observed; human cell populations (CD45(+), CD19(+)) in the peripheral blood of mice were dynamically analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM) at 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks after transplantation.

TNF-α Inhibits FoxO1 by Upregulating miR-705 to Aggravate Oxidative Damage in Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells during Osteoporosis.

Decline of antioxidant defense after estrogen deficiency leads to oxidative damage in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs), resulting a defect of bone formation in osteoporosis. Forkhead box O1 (FoxO1) protein is crucial for defending physiological oxidative damage in bone. But whether FoxO1 is involved in the oxidative damage during osteoporosis is largely unknown.

Antiviral Merosesquiterpenoids Produced by the Antarctic Fungus Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis SCSIO 05702.

Five new highly oxygenated α-pyrone merosesquiterpenoids, ochraceopones A-E (1-5), together with one new double bond isomer of asteltoxin, isoasteltoxin (6), and two known asteltoxin derivatives, asteltoxin (7) and asteltoxin B (8), were isolated from an Antarctic soil-derived fungus, Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis SCSIO 05702. Their structures were determined through extensive spectroscopic analysis, CD spectra, quantum mechanical calculations, and X-ray single-crystal diffraction. Ochraceopones A-D (1-4) are the first examples of α-pyrone merosesquiterpenoids possessing a linear tetracyclic carbon skeleton, which has not been previously described.

Self-assembly mechanism of Ni nanowires prepared with an external magnetic field.

Nickel nanowires with a mean diameter of about 95 nm and lengths of up to 26 μm were prepared by a chemical reduction method in aqueous solution under an external magnetic field. The self-assembly mechanism was investigated in detail. The results indicate that the self-assembly process of Ni nanowires consists of three stages: nucleation and growth, ordered alignment and self-assembly, and deposition on the surface and gaps between the nickel particles.

Preparation, characterization and in vitro dissolution behavior of porous biphasic α/β-tricalcium phosphate bioceramics.

The ideal bone tissue engineering scaffolds are long-cherished with the properties of interconnected macroporous structures, adjustable degradation and excellent biocompatibility. Here, a series of porous α/β-tricalcium phosphate (α/β-TCP) biphasic bioceramics with different phase ratios of α-TCP and β-TCP were successfully synthesized by heating an amorphous calcium phosphate precursor. The chemical and morphological characterization showed that α- and β-TCP phases co-existed in the α/β-TCP bioceramics and they had interconnected pore structures with size between 200 and 500μm.

Behavioral characterization of CD36 knockout mice with SHIRPA primary screen.

CD36 is a member of the class B scavenger receptor family of cell surface proteins, which plays a major role in fatty acid, glucose and lipid metabolism. Besides, CD36 functions as a microglial surface receptor for amyloid beta peptide. Regarding this, we suggest CD36 might also contribute to neuropsychiatric disease.

Identification and validation of argininosuccinate synthase as a candidate urinary biomarker for major depressive disorder.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating psychiatric mood disorder. However, no objective laboratory-based test is yet available to aid in the diagnosis of this disorder.

Methods: In order to identify urinary protein biomarker candidates for MDD, the differential proteomic analysis of urine samples from first-episode drug-naïve MDD subjects and healthy controls (HC) was carried out by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis separation followed by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS/MS identification.

Evolutionary Model Selection and Parameter Estimation for Protein-Protein Interaction Network Based on Differential Evolution Algorithm.

Revealing the underlying evolutionary mechanism plays an important role in understanding protein interaction networks in the cell. While many evolutionary models have been proposed, the problem about applying these models to real network data, especially for differentiating which model can better describe evolutionary process for the observed network remains a challenge. The traditional way is to use a model with presumed parameters to generate a network, and then evaluate the fitness by summary statistics, which however cannot capture the complete network structures information and estimate parameter distribution.

Suppression of EZH2 Prevents the Shift of Osteoporotic MSC Fate to Adipocyte and Enhances Bone Formation During Osteoporosis.

During osteoporosis, the shift of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) lineage commitment to adipocyte leads to the imbalance between bone mass and fat, which increases the risk of fracture. The Enhancer of Zeste homology 2 (EZH2), which methylates histone H3 on lysine 27 (H3K27me3), controls MSC cell lineage commitment. However, whether EZH2 is related to osteoporosis remains elusive.

Selective robust optimization: A new intensity-modulated proton therapy optimization strategy.

Purpose: To develop a new robust optimization strategy for intensity-modulated proton therapy as an important step in translating robust proton treatment planning from research to clinical applications.

Methods: In selective robust optimization, a worst-case-based robust optimization algorithm is extended, and terms of the objective function are selectively computed from either the worst-case dose or the nominal dose. Two lung cancer cases and one head and neck cancer case were used to demonstrate the practical significance of the proposed robust planning strategy.

Preparation of Ni/Cu composite nanowires.

Ni/Cu composite nanowires were synthesized in an aqueous solution for the first time. The synthetic process consisted of two steps. Firstly, pure nickel nanowires were prepared through chemical reduction in solution under a magnetic field.

Estrogen preserves Fas ligand levels by inhibiting microRNA-181a in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to maintain bone remodeling balance.

Estrogen protects bone loss by promoting Fas ligand (FasL) transcription in osteoclasts and osteoblasts to induce apoptosis of osteoclasts. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) express FasL protein, which is necessary for BMMSCs to induce T-cell apoptosis in cell therapy. However, the physiologic function of FasL in BMMSCs is unknown.

MiR-26a Rescues Bone Regeneration Deficiency of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived From Osteoporotic Mice.

Osteoporosis, caused by a relative increase of bone resorption over bone formation, is characterized by decreased bone mass and bone strength, resulting in an increased incidence of bone fractures, which often leads to further disability and early mortality in the elderly due to impaired bone healing ability. The majority of therapeutics currently used in clinics for the treatment of osteoporosis are antiresorptive agents that exert their clinical effect by decreasing the rate of bone resorption. However, strategies solely aimed at antiresorption have limited therapeutic efficacy in restoring bone remodeling balance and enhancing osteoporotic fracture healing.

Draft genome of Marinomonas sp. BSi20584 from Arctic sea ice.

Life surviving in extremely cold frozen environments has been largely uninvestigated. Here we described the draft genome of Marinomonas sp. BSi20584, isolated from Arctic sea ice in the Canada Basin.

Evaluation and mitigation of the interplay effects of intensity modulated proton therapy for lung cancer in a clinical setting.

Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the interplay effects of intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) plans for lung cancer in the clinical setting. The secondary aim was to explore the technique of isolayered rescanning to mitigate these interplay effects.

Methods And Materials: A single-fraction 4-dimensional (4D) dynamic dose without considering rescanning (1FX dynamic dose) was used as a metric to determine the magnitude of dosimetric degradation caused by 4D interplay effects.

The immunologic and hematopoietic profiles of mesenchymal stem cells derived from different sections of human umbilical cord.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been widely used in allogeneic stem cell transplantation. We compared immunologic and hematopoietic characteristics of MSCs derived from whole human umbilical cord (UC), as well as from different sections of UCs, including the amniotic membrane (AM), Wharton's jelly (WJ), and umbilical vessel (UV). Cell phenotypes were examined by flow cytometry.

The genome of the intracellular bacterium of the coastal bivalve, Solemya velum: a blueprint for thriving in and out of symbiosis.

Background: Symbioses between chemoautotrophic bacteria and marine invertebrates are rare examples of living systems that are virtually independent of photosynthetic primary production. These associations have evolved multiple times in marine habitats, such as deep-sea hydrothermal vents and reducing sediments, characterized by steep gradients of oxygen and reduced chemicals. Due to difficulties associated with maintaining these symbioses in the laboratory and culturing the symbiotic bacteria, studies of chemosynthetic symbioses rely heavily on culture independent methods.

Study on the promotion of bacterial biofilm formation by a Salmonella conjugative plasmid and the underlying mechanism.

To investigate the effect of the pRST98 plasmid, originally isolated from Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi), on biofilm (BF) formation, we carried out in vitro experiments using S. Typhi, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S.

Proton energy optimization and reduction for intensity-modulated proton therapy.

Intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) is commonly delivered via the spot-scanning technique. To 'scan' the target volume, the proton beam is controlled by varying its energy to penetrate the patient's body at different depths. Although scanning the proton beamlets or spots with the same energy can be as fast as 10-20 m s(-1), changing from one proton energy to another requires approximately two additional seconds.