Effect of Cholesterol on Cellular Uptake of Cancer Drugs Pirarubicin and Ellipticine.

The cell membrane is a major barrier for drug transport. Given that many cancer drugs must passively cross the cell membrane, understanding drug-membrane interactions is crucial. We used fluorescence-activated cell sorting to investigate how cholesterol influences the transport of the cancer drugs ellipticine and pirarubicin across cell membranes.

Orexin-A facilitates emergence of the rat from isoflurane anesthesia via mediation of the basal forebrain.

Previous studies have demonstrated that orexinergic neurons involve in promoting emergence from anesthesia of propofol, an intravenous anesthetics, while whether both of orexin-A and orexin-B have promotive action on emergence via mediation of basal forebrain (BF) in isoflurane anesthesia has not been elucidated. In this study, we observed c-Fos expressions in orexinergic neurons following isoflurane inhalation (for 0, 30, 60, and 120min) and at the time when the righting reflex returned after the cessation of anesthesia. The plasma concentrations of orexin-A and -B in anesthesia-arousal process were measured by radioimmunoassay.

Diet and adipose tissue distributions: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Background And Aims: Dietary quality affects cardiometabolic risk, yet its pathways of influence on regional adipose tissue depots involved in metabolic and diabetes risk are not well established. We aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary quality and regional adiposity.

Methods And Results: We investigated 5079 individuals in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) who had food-frequency questionnaires and measurement of pericardial fat and hepatic attenuation at the baseline study visit in MESA, as well as a subgroup with imaging for visceral and subcutaneous fat (N = 1390).

The influence of a caveolin-1 mutant on the function of P-glycoprotein.

The genetic heterogeneity in cancer cells has an increased chance in the acquisition of new mutant such as drug-resistant phenotype in cancer cells. The phenotype of drug resistance in cancer cells could be evaluated by the number or function of drug transporters on cell membranes, which would lead to decreased intracellular anti-cancer drugs concentration. Caveolae are flask-shaped invaginations on cell membrane that function in membrane trafficking, endocytosis, and as a compartment where receptors and signaling proteins are concentrated.

Pathological Assessment of the AJCC Tumor Regression Grading System After Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy for Chinese Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

We used American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging Manual system to assess the prognostic significance of tumor regression grading (TRG) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) (T3/4 or N+) patients who were treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT).The 4 AJCC-TRG classifications were evaluated on surgical specimens from 295 LARC patients receiving CRT. Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were estimated using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model.

Evaluation of Body Mass Index and Survival of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma by Propensity-Matched Analysis: An Observational Case-Control Study.

The effect of pretreatment body mass index on survival of nasopharyngeal carcinoma remains contradictory.All patients (N = 1778) underwent intensity-modulated radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. Body mass index was categorized as underweight (<18.

Preparation and evaluation of ziprasidone-phospholipid complex from sustained-release pellet formulation with enhanced bioavailability and no food effect.

Objectives: The purpose of this work was to develop ziprasidone-phospholipid complex (ZIP-PLC) in sustained-release pellets to enhance the oral bioavailability and overcome the food effect of ziprasidone.

Methods: Ziprasidone-phospholipid complex was formulated by solvent-evaporation method. The complexes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and solubility testing.

Production of Rebaudioside A from Stevioside Catalyzed by the Engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Rebaudioside A has superior taste quality among the steviol glycosides extracted from Stevia rebaudiana leaves. Given its high purity as a general-purpose sweetener, rebaudioside A has received significant attention and has been widely applied in food and beverages in recent decades. Stevioside is one of the major steviol glycosides and can be converted to rebaudioside A by the uridine-diphosphate dependent glucosyltransferase UGT76G1 in S.

Improved pinocembrin production in Escherichia coli by engineering fatty acid synthesis.

The development of efficient microbial processes for pinocembrin production has attracted considerable attention. However, pinocembrin biosynthetic efficiency is greatly limited by the low availability of the malonyl-CoA cofactor in Escherichia coli. Fatty acid biosynthesis is the only metabolic process in E.

Target disruption of ribosomal protein pNO40 accelerates aging and impairs osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

pNO40/PS1D, a novel nucleolar protein, has been characterized as a core protein of eukaryotic 60S ribosome and at least two splicing forms of pNO40 mRNAs with alternative starting sites have been identified. Through production of knockout (ko) mice with either exon 2 (△E2), exon 4 (△E4) or △E2+E4 targeted disruption we identified a cryptic splicing product occurring in the ko tissues examined which in general cannot be observed in regular RT-PCR detection of wild-type (wt) animals. Among ko animals, △E4 null embryos exhibited prominent senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining, a marker for senescent cells, in notochord, forelimbs and heart while bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from △E4 null mice developed accelerated aging and osteogenic differentiation defects compared to those from wt and other isoform mutant mice.

Enhanced succinic acid production from corncob hydrolysate by microbial electrolysis cells.

In this study, Actinobacillus succinogenes NJ113 microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) were used to enhance the reducing power responsible for succinic acid production from corncob hydrolysate. During corncob hydrolysate fermentation, electric MECs resulted in a 1.31-fold increase in succinic acid production and a 1.

Association of Serum Sex Hormones with Hemostatic Factors in Women On and Off Hormone Therapy: The Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Background: Hormone therapy (HT) is associated with increased risk of both venous and arterial thrombosis, which are multifactorial in origin.

Objectives: Our objectives were twofold: first, we sought to examine associations between endogenous serum sex hormone levels and biomarkers of thrombosis and/or coagulation in postmenopausal hormone nonusers. Second, we separately studied the associations between serum sex hormone levels and biomarkers of thrombosis and/or coagulation in postmenopausal hormone users considering the fact that pattern of circulating hormones is different in women taking exogenous hormones.

Tumor deposits: markers of poor prognosis in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

Background: Tumor deposits (TDs) were reported to be poor prognoses in colorectal carcinoma, but the significance in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) (T3-4/N+) following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (neo-CRT) and surgery is unclear. Since adjuvant chemotherapy showed no benefit for LARC following neo-CRT, it is of great value to investigate whether TDs can identify the subgroup of patients who may benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods: Between 2004 and 2012, 310 LARC patients following neo-CRT and surgery were retrospectively reviewed.

Association of endogenous testosterone with subclinical atherosclerosis in men: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.

Objectives: Whether endogenous sex hormones play a role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in men is unclear. Few studies have examined associations of sex hormones with atherosclerosis measured by coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). We evaluated the association of testosterone (T) and other sex hormones with CACS and cIMT.

Higher Estradiol and Lower Dehydroepiandrosterone-Sulfate Levels Are Associated with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Men.

Rationale: Recent studies have focused on the role of female sex and estradiol (E2) in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but it is not known whether sex hormones are risk factors for PAH in men.

Objectives: We performed a case-control study to determine whether hormone levels (E2, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate [DHEA-S], and testosterone) are associated with PAH in men.

Methods: Plasma sex hormone levels in men with idiopathic, heritable, or connective tissue disease-associated PAH were compared with those from age- and body mass index-matched men without clinical cardiovascular disease.

Oestradiol metabolism and androgen receptor genotypes are associated with right ventricular function.

Sex hormones are linked to right ventricular (RV) function, but the relationship between genetic variation in these pathways and RV function is unknown.We performed a cross-sectional study of 2761 genotyped adults without cardiovascular disease. The relationships between RV measures and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 10 candidate genes were assessed.

Adjuvant Immune Enhancement of Subunit Vaccine Encoding pSCPI of Streptococcus iniae in Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus).

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) is an important agricultural fish that has been plagued by Streptococcus iniae (S. iniae) infections in recent years, some of them severe. C5a peptidase is an important virulent factor of S.

Beautiful Math, Part 5: Colorful Archimedean Tilings from Dynamical Systems.

The art of tiling originated very early in the history of civilization. Almost every known human society has made use of tilings in some form or another. In particular, tilings using only regular polygons have great visual appeal.

Enhanced oral bioavailability of lurasidone by self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system in fasted state.

Objective: The purpose of this work was to develop a new formulation to enhance the bioavailability and reduce the food effect of lurasidone using self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDSs).

Methods: The formulation of lurasidone-SNEDDS was selected by the solubility and pseudo-ternary phase diagram studies. The prepared lurasidone-SNEDDS formulations were characterized for self-emulsification time, effect of pH and robustness to dilution, droplet size analysis, zeta potential and in vitro drug release.

Elevated CA19-9 as the Most Significant Prognostic Factor in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer Following Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy.

It remains controversial regarding the prognostic significance of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) (T3-4/N+) patients with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (neo-CRT). And it is unknown whether CA19-9 can identify patients who may benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy.Overall, 303 LARC patients with neo-CRT between 2004 and 2010 were recruited.

Enhancement of cellulose degradation in freshwater sediments by a sediment microbial fuel cell.

Objective: To demonstrate that an enhanced sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) system can accelerate the degradation of cellulose in fresh water sediments as the accumulation of cellulose in lake sediments may aggravate the lake marsh, increase organic matter content and result in rapid deterioration of water quality and damage the ecosystem.

Results: After 330 days the highest cellulose removal efficiency (72.7 ± 2.

Propensity score matching analysis of cisplatin-based concurrent chemotherapy in low risk nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy era.

Background: Patients with stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma were reported to benefit from adding cisplatin-based concurrent chemotherapy to two-dimensional conventional radiotherapy. But this benefit becomes uncertain in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) era, owing to its significant advantage.

Methods: We enrolled 661 low risk (T1N1M0, T2N0-1M0 or T3N0M0, the 2010 UICC/AJCC staging system) patients who underwent IMRT with or without concurrent chemotherapy.

Long-term outcomes of concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone in stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with IMRT: a retrospective study.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). A total of 249 patients were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were treated with IMRT.

Engineering a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate supply for cadaverine production by using Escherichia coli whole-cell biocatalysis.

Although the routes of de novo pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) biosynthesis have been well described, studies of the engineering of an intracellular PLP supply are limited, and the effects of cellular PLP levels on PLP-dependent enzyme-based whole-cell biocatalyst activity have not been described. To investigate the effects of PLP cofactor availability on whole-cell biocatalysis, the ribose 5-phosphate (R5P)-dependent pathway genes pdxS and pdxT of Bacillus subtilis were introduced into the lysine decarboxylase (CadA)-overexpressing Escherichia coli strain BL-CadA. This strain was then used as a whole-cell biocatalyst for cadaverine production from L-lysine.

Study of metabolic profile of Rhizopus oryzae to enhance fumaric acid production under low pH condition.

Ensuring a suitable pH is a major problem in industrial organic acid fermentation. To circumvent this problem, we used a metabolic profiling approach to analyze metabolite changes in Rhizopus oryzae under different pH conditions. A correlation between fumaric acid production and intracellular metabolic characteristics of R.