Diabetes mellitus might be a protective factor of glioma.

Aims: Several studies suggested that diabetes mellitus (DM) was associated with the risk of glioma. However, other studies did not confirm the result. Therefore, I conducted this meta-analysis.

Polypharmacological Profiles Underlying the Antitumor Property of Root (Danshen) Interfering with NOX-Dependent Neutrophil Extracellular Traps.

Danshen, the dried root of , one of the most investigated medicinal plants with well-defined phytochemical constituents, has shown prominent clinical outcomes for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticoagulant activities to attain vascular protection and additional benefits for cancer therapy. More recently, activation of neutrophil and excessive formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been observed in pathological conditions of metastatic cancers; thus, we hypothesized that suppression of NETs could account for an essential cellular event underlying Danshen-mediated reduction of the incidence of metastasis. Using an experimental pulmonary metastases model of red fluorescent protein- (RFP-) labeled gastric cancer cells in combination with macroscopic ex vivo live-imaging system, our data indicated that Danshen impaired the fluorescent intensity and quantity of metastatic nodules.

Extract Potentiates the Sensitivity of Cisplatin Caspase-Depenent Apoptosis in Gastric Cancer.

Background: Cisplatin-based treatment often leads to therapeutic failure because the acquisition of cisplatin resistance. The combination of cisplatin with other agents has been recognized as a promising strategy to overcome cisplatin resistance.

Objective: Celastrus orbiculatus is a traditional Chinese medicine from Celastraceae family with multiple pharmacological activities.

High Throughput, Absolute Determination of the Content of a Selected Protein at Tissue Levels Using Quantitative Dot Blot Analysis (QDB).

Lacking a convenient, quantitative, high throughput immunoblot method for absolute determination of the content of a specific protein at cellular and tissue level significantly hampers the progress in proteomic research. Results derived from currently available immunoblot techniques are also relative, preventing any efforts to combine independent studies with a large-scale analysis of protein samples. In this study, we demonstrate the process of quantitative dot blot analysis (QDB) to achieve absolute quantification in a high throughput format.

Fast-forming BMSC-encapsulating hydrogels through bioorthogonal reaction for osteogenic differentiation.

An injectable in situ fast-forming hydrogel was easily fabricated through the inverse electron demand Diels-Alder click reaction between trans-cyclooctene and tetrazine. This hydrogel system simultaneously encapsulated bone morphogenetic protein-2 and BMSCs which showed potential applications in 3D bio-printing and tissue engineering.

Jinlong Capsule (JLC) inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells in vivo and in vitro.

Background: As a representative traditional Chinese medicine made by modern pharmaceutical technology, Jinlong Capsule (JLC) has been used for several decades to treat liver cancer with significantly improved clinical outcomes as adjuvant therapy. JLC consists of three medicinal animals including freshly prepared Bungarus, Agkistrodon and Gecko. The active components were extracted by the process of modern cryogenic and biochemical separation from raw animals.

Sodium chloride improves pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans but reduces the molecular weight of pullulan.

The effect of sodium chloride (NaCl) on pullulan production by batch culture of Aureobasidium pullulans CCTCC M 2012259 was investigated. NaCl at 3 g/L improved the pullulan titer by 26.7% but reduced the molecular weight of pullulan to only 46.

Gene transcription in bursting: a unified mode for realizing accuracy and stochasticity.

There is accumulating evidence that, from bacteria to mammalian cells, messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are produced in intermittent bursts - a much 'noisier' process than traditionally thought. Based on quantitative measurements at individual promoters, diverse phenomenological models have been proposed for transcriptional bursting. Nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanisms and significance for cellular signalling remain elusive.

Knockdown of Herp alleviates hyperhomocysteinemia mediated atherosclerosis through the inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype switching.

Background: Phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays a key role in atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate whether Homocysteine-responsive endoplasmic reticulum protein (Herp) was involved in VSMC phenotypic switching and affected atheroprogression.

Methods: To assess the role of Herp in homocysteine (Hcy)-associated atherosclerosis, Herp and LDLR double knockout mice were generated and fed with a high methionine diet (HMD) to induce Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy).

Effects of NLRP6 on the proliferation and activation of human hepatic stellate cells.

Nod-like receptor pyrin domain-containing proteins (NLRPs) are known to take part in the pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases, including liver fibrosis. However, no known direct role of NLRP6, a member of NLRPs, has been reported in liver fibrosis. Here, we found that NLRP6 expression was decreased in fibrotic and cirrhotic livers.

miR‑214 mediates vascular inflammation and apoptosis via PTEN expression.

The present study aimed to investigate the role of miR‑214 on inflammation and apoptosis in the vascular system and to examine its potential mechanisms. Anti‑miR‑214 mimics were used to downregulate miR‑214 expression in HUVECs. Cell viability and the apoptosis rate were measured using MTT assay and flow cytometry.

The correlation of copy number variations with longevity in a genome-wide association study of Han Chinese.

Copy number variations (CNVs) have been shown to cause numerous diseases, however, their roles in human lifespan remain elusive. In this study, we investigate the association of CNVs with longevity by comparing the Han Chinese genomes of long-lived individuals from 90 to 117 years of age and the middle-aged from 30 to 65. Our data demonstrate that the numbers of CNVs, especially deletions, increase significantly in a direct correlation with longevity.

Different MR features for differentiation of intrahepatic mass-forming cholangiocarcinoma from hepatocellular carcinoma according to tumor size.

Objective: To identify reliable magnetic resonance (MR) features for distinguishing mass-forming type of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IMCC) from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on tumor size.

Methods: This retrospective study included 395 patients with pathologically confirmed IMCCs (n = 180) and HCCs (n = 215) who underwent pre-operative contrast-enhanced MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). MR features were evaluated and clinical data were also recorded.

Structures of monomeric and oligomeric forms of the perforin-like protein 1.

and are the parasitic agents of toxoplasmosis and malaria, respectively, and use perforin-like proteins (PLPs) to invade host organisms and complete their life cycles. The PLP1 (PLP1) is required for efficient exit from parasitophorous vacuoles in which proliferation occurs. We report structures of the membrane attack complex/perforin (MACPF) and Apicomplexan PLP C-terminal β-pleated sheet (APCβ) domains of PLP1.

Photochemical tissue bonding promotes the proliferation and migration of injured tenocytes through ROS/RhoA/NF-κB/Dynamin 2 signaling pathway.

Photochemical tissue bonding (PTB) has been found to promote the healing of Achilles tendon tissue injury and to reduce postoperative complications. However, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are not clear. In this study, the cell proliferation, ROS generation, migration and the protein expression of DNM2, NF-κB p65, TGF-β1 and VEGF in tenocytes after PTB treatment were measured by CCK-8, flow cytometry, Transwell and western blot assay, respectively.

Position-specific intron retention is mediated by the histone methyltransferase SDG725.

Background: Intron retention (IR), the most prevalent alternative splicing form in plants, plays a critical role in gene expression during plant development and stress response. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying IR regulation remain largely unknown.

Results: Knockdown of SDG725, a histone H3 lysine 36 (H3K36)-specific methyltransferase in rice, leads to alterations of IR in more than 4700 genes.

Green synthesis of balsam pear-shaped BiVO/BiPO nanocomposite for degradation of organic dye and antibiotic metronidazole.

A novel BiVO4/BiPO4 composite with a balsam pear-shaped morphology was fabricated by a green hydrothermal synthesis approach, which didn't employ a strong acid and base, and neither a template or surfactant. The co-precipitation hydrothermal process had significant influence not only on particle size and shape, but also on the BiVO4 oriented growth along the (040) facet. The morphology, microstructure, light absorption and emission properties were analyzed by several characterization techniques.

Quinone skeleton as a new class of irreversible inhibitors against Staphylococcus aureus sortase A.

Sortase A (SrtA) anchors surface proteins to the cell wall and aids biofilm formation during infection, which functions as a key virulence factor of important Gram-positive pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus. At present researchers need a way in which to validate whether or not SrtA is a druggable target alternative to the conventional antibiotic targets in the mechanism. In this study, we performed a high-throughput screening and identified a new class of potential inhibitors of S.

Down-regulation of cancer-associated gene CDC73 contributes to cellular senescence.

Dysregulated gene expression is another important contributor in explaining cancer-related phenotypes in addition to mutations. Cellular senescence is a mechanism for the prevention of cancer and thus it is important to understand the regulation of gene expression in senescence due to its potential in anti-cancer therapy. Here, we found that CDC73, which encodes the cell division cycle 73 and acts as a tumor suppressor, was unexpectedly up-regulated in several cancer types but down-regulated in a variety of senescent cells.

Intra-abdominal pressure, vertebral column length, and spread of spinal anesthesia in parturients undergoing cesarean section: An observational study.

Background: In parturients with increased physiologically intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and a short stature, a greater cephalad spread of spinal anesthesia is often observed after a fixed amount of plain bupivacaine is administered. Therefore, we designed this prospective study to test whether IAP and vertebral column length (VCL) were predictors of spinal spread in parturients undergoing a cesarean section.

Methods: A total of 113 parturients, all undergoing elective cesarean sections with single-shot spinal anesthesia, were enrolled.

Low-frequency band gap of locally resonant phononic crystals with a dual-base plate.

To achieve a wider band gap and a lower cut-on frequency, a locally resonant phononic crystal (LRPC) with a dual-base plate is investigated in this paper. Compared with the LRPC with a single plate, the band structure of the LRPC with a dual-base plate is calculated using the method of plane wave expansion and verified by the finite element method. According to the analysis of the band curves of the LRPC with a dual-base plate, the mechanisms are explained.

Experimental Study on the Fire Performance of Tubular Steel Columns with Membrane Protections for Prefabricated and Modular Steel Construction.

Experimental research was conducted to study the fire resistance of steel tubular columns used in prefabricated and modular construction. In order to achieve high-efficient prefabrication and fast on-site installation, membrane protections using board products and thermal insulation blankets are adopted as the favorable protection method. Three protected tubular columns were tested in a full-scale column furnace with axial load applied.

Ago2 and Dicer1 are involved in METH-induced locomotor sensitization in mice via biogenesis of miRNA.

microRNA (miRNA) play important roles in drug addiction and act as a post-transcriptional regulator of gene expression. We previously reported extensive downregulation of miRNAs in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of methamphetamine (METH)-sensitized mice. However, the regulatory mechanism of this METH-induced downregulation of miRNAs has yet to be elucidated.

Disruption of Causes Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract in Mice.

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are among the most common developmental defects in humans. Despite of several known CAKUT-related loci (, , , etc.), the genetic etiology of CAKUT remains to be elucidated for most patients.