In vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative effects of ellagic acid and its colonic metabolite, urolithins, on human bladder cancer T24 cells.

Urolithins were the metabolites of ellagic acid by intestinal flora in gastrointestinal tract. In previous research, it was found that urolithins could mainly inhibit prostate cancer and colon cancer cell growth. However, there is no report about bladder cancer therapy of urolithins.

Influence of N-acetylcysteine on Klotho expression and its signaling pathway in experimental model of chronic cyclosporine nephropathy in mice.

Background: Cyclosporine A (CsA)-associated oxidative stress has been proposed as an important mechanism of renal injury. This study was designed to examine whether N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a well-known antioxidant, affects Klotho, antiaging gene, expression and its signaling pathway in an experimental model of chronic CsA nephropathy.

Methods: Mice maintained on a low-sodium diet were given vehicle (olive oil, 1 mL/kg/day), CsA (30 mg/kg/day), NAC (150 mg/kg/day), or a combination of CsA and NAC for 4 weeks.

Ampere force based magnetic field sensor using dual-polarization fiber laser.

A magnetic field sensor is proposed by placing a dual-polarization fiber grating laser under a copper wire. With a perpendicular magnetic field applied, an electrical current flowing through the copper wire can generate Ampere force to squeeze the fiber grating laser, resulting in the birefringence change inside the laser cavity and hence the change of the beat note frequency. When an alternating current is injected into the copper wire, the magnetic field induced beat note frequency change can be discriminated from environment disturbances.

The relationship of placement experience to school absenteeism and changing schools in young, school-aged children in foster care.

Background: Chronic school absenteeism and frequent school changes, particularly among younger children, may be antecedents for the high rates of school failure and subsequent dropout among youth in foster care. However, the relationship of foster care experience to absenteeism and school change has not been well studied.

Objective: This study examined the association of placement experience with absenteeism and changing schools among 209 urban children in foster care enrolled in public elementary schools.

Nocardioides daeguensis sp. nov., a nitrate-reducing bacterium isolated from activated sludge of an industrial wastewater treatment plant.

A Gram-reaction-positive, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacterium (strain 2C1-5(T)) was isolated from activated sludge of an industrial wastewater treatment plant in Daegu, South Korea. Its taxonomic position was investigated by using a polyphasic approach. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, the closest phylogenetic relatives were the type strains of Nocardioides nitrophenolicus (98.

Ginseng treatment attenuates chronic cyclosporine nephropathy via reducing oxidative stress in an experimental mouse model.

Background: This study was performed to investigate whether ginseng extract has a protective effect in an experimental mouse model of chronic cyclosporine (CsA) nephropathy.

Methods: Mice were treated with CsA (30 mg/kg/day, subcutaneously) with or without Korean red ginseng extract (KRG) (0.2, 0.

Faraday-rotation-based miniature magnetic field sensor using polarimetric heterodyning fiber grating laser.

A polarimetric heterodyning fiber grating laser is proposed to sense a magnetic field. When a magnetic field is parallel to the fiber grating laser, a circular birefringence is induced into the laser cavity. An elliptical birefringence results due to the circular birefringence and the intrinsic linear birefringence of the laser cavity.

Pathological and computed tomography findings of lymphoepithelioma-like gastric carcinoma with epithelioid granulomas: A case report.

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma is a distinct entity among Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric carcinomas, characterized by the presence of a lymphoid stroma with small nests of cancer cells uniformly distributed throughout. Epithelioid granulomas with multinucleated giant cells are extremely rare in the tumor tissue. The presence of epithelioid granulomas with prominent lymphocyte infiltration is associated with a favorable prognosis.

Anti-Escherichia coli O157:H7 properties of purple prairie clover and sainfoin condensed tannins.

Condensed tannins (CT) from purple prairie clover (PPC; Dalea purpurea Vent.) and sainfoin (SF; Onobrychis viciifolia) were assessed for anti-Escherichia coli activity by comparing their ability to react with proteins and liposome, cause cell aggregation, and alter outer membrane (OM) morphology and permeability. The PPC CT had greater (P < 0.

Microfiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on long period grating for sensing applications.

A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) composed by a pair of long period gratings (LPGs) fabricated in silica microfiber for sensing applications is demonstrated. Each LPG is fabricated with a pulsed CO2 laser by creating six periodical deformations along fiber length with only one scanning cycle. The length of the MZI can reach as short as 8.

Aquihabitans daechungensis gen. nov., sp. nov., an actinobacterium isolated from reservoir water.

A novel Gram-reaction-positive bacterium, strain CH22-21(T), was isolated from a water sample taken from Daechung Reservoir, Republic of Korea, during the late-blooming period of cyanobacteria. Cells of strain CH22-21(T) were non-motile, ciliated short rods that formed creamy-white colonies on half-strength modified R2A agar. Chemotaxonomic results showed menaquinone MK-9(H6) as the predominant respiratory menaquinone, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositolmannoside as major polar lipids, 16 : 1ω5c, 16 : 0, 17 : 1ω8c and 18 : 1ω9c as major fatty acids, and a DNA G+C content of 71.

Mitochondrial DNA evidence indicates the local origin of domestic pigs in the upstream region of the Yangtze River.

Previous studies have indicated two main domestic pig dispersal routes in East Asia: one is from the Mekong region, through the upstream region of the Yangtze River (URYZ) to the middle and upstream regions of the Yellow River, the other is from the middle and downstream regions of the Yangtze River to the downstream region of the Yellow River, and then to northeast China. The URYZ was regarded as a passageway of the former dispersal route; however, this assumption remains to be further investigated. We therefore analyzed the hypervariable segements of mitochondrial DNA from 513 individual pigs mainly from Sichuan and the Tibet highlands and 1,394 publicly available sequences from domestic pigs and wild boars across Asia.

Geodermatophilus soli sp. nov. and Geodermatophilus terrae sp. nov., two actinobacteria isolated from grass soil.

Two strains, PB34(T) and PB261(T), were isolated from grass soil sampled in Daejeon, Republic of Korea. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence studies showed the two bacteria to be clearly affiliated with the phylum Actinobacteria and most closely related to the genus Geodermatophilus, showing 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to the type strains of species of the genus Geodermatophilus of 95.0-96.

Caulobacter daechungensis sp. nov., a stalked bacterium isolated from a eutrophic reservoir.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, curved, rod-shaped bacterium, H-E3-2(T), was isolated from a water sample taken from Daechung Reservoir, Republic of Korea, during the late-blooming period of cyanobacteria. Strain H-E3-2(T) was motile with a single polar flagellum or non-motile (stalked cell). Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence studies showed the isolate had a clear affiliation with the class Alphaproteobacteria and was most closely related to Caulobacter fusiformis ATCC 15257(T) and Caulobacter mirabilis LMG 24261(T), showing 97.

[Experimental study of jiangtang xiaozhi tablet on decreasing the levels of blood glucose and serum lipids in transgenic mice with diabetes mellitus].

Objective: To observe the effects of Jiangtang Xiaozhi Tablet (JTXZT) on decreasing the levels of blood glucose and serum lipids in KK-Ay transgenic model mice with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: KK-Ay transgenic mice were fed with high fat diet to induce DM obesity model. The C57 mice of the same age were recruited as the control group.

Temperature compensated microfiber Bragg gratings.

In this paper, temperature compensated microfiber Bragg grating (mFBG) is realized by use of a liquid with a negative thermo-optic coefficient. The effects of grating elongation and the index change of silica glass are compensated by refractive index change of the liquid through evanescent-field interaction. A reduced thermal sensitivity of 0.

Structural microfiber long-period gratings.

We experimentally demonstrate a novel structural long-period grating by helically coiling one microfiber onto another with the relatively thicker diameter. Owing to the strong periodic modulation of the coiled microfiber to the evanescent field of the straight microfiber, a resonance transmission notch of ~16.2 dB can be induced for a compact device length of ~450 μm only (4 helical periods).

Belnapia soli sp. nov., a proteobacterium isolated from grass soil.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming, cocci-shaped, red-pigmented bacterium, designated strain PB-K8(T), was isolated from grass soil sampled in Daejeon, Republic of Korea. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence studies showed that the isolate was clearly affiliated with the class Alphaproteobacteria, and was most closely related to Belnapia moabensis DSM 16746(T) and Belnapia rosea DSM 23312(T), showing a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the type strains of each species of 98.4 and 97.

Altitudinal variation in age and body size in Yunnan pond frog (Pelophylax pleuraden).

Large-scale systematic patterns of body size are a basic concern of evolutionary biology. Identifying body size variation along altitudinal gradients may help us to understand the evolution of life history of animals. In this study, we investigated altitudinal variation in body size, age and growth rate in Chinese endemic frog, Pelophylax pleuraden.

Beclin 1 influences cisplatin-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer CaSki cells by mitochondrial dependent pathway.

Purpose: To investigate the role of Beclin 1 expression on the cisplatin-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer CaSki cells and to explore the potential mechanism underlying this effect.

Materials And Methods: After overexpression or partial silencing of Beclin 1 in cervical cancer CaSki cells, the transfected group and the control group were treated with cisplatin for 24 hours. The percentage of apoptotic cells were assessed by flow cytometry.

Bragg gratings in rectangular microfiber for temperature independent refractive index sensing.

We present fiber Bragg grating fabricated in rectangular microfiber for temperature-independent refractive index (RI) measurement. The grating has two Bragg peaks due to the high geometrical birefringence of the rectangular microfiber. The two peaks present different RI responses because the modes along the orthogonal polarizations have different energy fractions in terms of evanescent field outside the silica microfiber and hence the light/liquid interaction strength are different.

FOXL2 mutations in granulosa cell tumors occurring in males.

Context: Granulosa cell tumors comprise less than 5% of ovarian tumors in women and are much rarer in men, with only about 20 cases reported, to our knowledge. Recently, a somatic mutation of FOXL2 was reported in virtually all adult-type granulosa cell tumors in women.

Objective: To investigate FOXL2 mutations in granulosa cell tumors occurring in males.

Co-methylated genes in different adipose depots of pig are associated with metabolic, inflammatory and immune processes.

It is well established that the metabolic risk factors of obesity and its comorbidities are more attributed to adipose tissue distribution rather than total adipose mass. Since emerging evidence suggests that epigenetic regulation plays an important role in the aetiology of obesity, we conducted a genome-wide methylation analysis on eight different adipose depots of three pig breeds living within comparable environments but displaying distinct fat level using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing. We aimed to investigate the systematic association between anatomical location-specific DNA methylation status of different adipose depots and obesity-related phenotypes.

Testis asymmetry and sperm length in Rhacophorus omeimontis.

Theory predicts that the degree of testes asymmetry should be positively correlated with male body condition in species with directional testis asymmetry. We tested this prediction in Rhacophorus omeimontis, a species in which females mate with more than one male. Our results showed that the treefrogs did not exhibit the absence of directional asymmetry in testis size, but rather the occurrence of fluctuating asymmetry.