Fabrication of silicon-based template-assisted nanoelectrode arrays and ohmic contact properties investigation.

A convenient fabrication technology for large-area, highly-ordered nanoelectrode arrays on silicon substrate has been described here, using porous anodic alumina (PAA) as a template. The ultrathin PAA membranes were anodic oxidized utilizing a two-step anodization method, from Al film evaporated on substrate. The purposes for the use of two-step anodization were, first, improving the regularity of the porous structures, and second reducing the thickness of the membranes to 100-200 nm we desired.

Peroxiredoxin1: a potential obesity-related factor in the hypothalamus.

Background: Obesity has become a global epidemic and contributes to the increasing burden of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers worldwide. However, the precise molecular mechanisms of obesity remain poorly elucidated. Recent data indicate monitoring of brain energy status especially in the hypothalamus, is crucial for energy homeostasis.

DBB1a, involved in gibberellin homeostasis, functions as a negative regulator of blue light-mediated hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis.

Double B-box 1a (DBB1a) belongs to the zinc-finger family proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana. Transcriptional analysis uncovered that the DBB1a gene expression was blue light-dependently regulated, and the transcript level of DBB1a in cry1cry2 was decreased but not in phyAphyB compared to wild type under blue light conditions. Transgenic plants containing pDBB1a:GUS (β-glucuronidase) displayed GUS activity in the vascular system of leaves and petioles.

Erlotinib-based perioperative adjuvant therapy for a case of unresectable stage IIIA (N2) nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Treatment of unresectable nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains challenging. The epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors are promising for patients with aberrant epidermal growth factor receptor activation in tumors. However, little is known whether erlotinib alone could benefit patients with advanced NSCLC.

Estrogen analogues: promising target for prevention and treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in high risk areas.

Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the six most common cancers across the world. The striking 3-4: 1male predominance of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not yet been well explained. Our hypothesis is that the changes in level of estrogen and/or subtype of estrogen receptor (ER) may exert a protective factor in esophageal carcinogenesis and thus estrogen analogues may represent a promising target for prevention and treatment of ESCC.

[Mechanism of combined use of cyclopamine and hydroxycamptothecin in inducing the apoptosis of human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line].

Objective: To study the mechanism underlying the effect of combined use of cyclonpamine and hydroxycamptothecin in inducing the apoptosis of human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line (OSCC) HSQ-89.

Methods: CCK8 assay was used to investigate the inhibitory effect of cyclopamine on HSQ-89 cells. Flow cytometry (FCM) was employed to examine the cell apoptosis following combined treatment with cyclonpamine and hydroxycamptothecin.

A polymorphism in the visfatin gene promoter is related to decreased plasma levels of inflammatory markers in patients with coronary artery disease.

Visfatin, a newly identified proinflammatory adipokine, has been linked to coronary artery disease (CAD). The -1535C>T polymorphism (rs61330082) located in the visfatin gene promoter is reportedly associated with proinflammatory status. However, it is unclear whether this polymorphism correlates with plasma levels of inflammatory markers including visfatin, hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α in CAD patients.

Relevance of serum estradiol and estrogen receptor beta expression from a high-incidence area for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in China.

The striking 3-4:1 male predominance of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not yet been well explained. Our hypothesis is that the changes in level of estrogen and/or subtype of estrogen receptor (ER) may exert a protective factor in esophageal carcinogenesis and prognosis of ESCC. Radioimmunoassay (RIA) was used to determine the serum level of estradiol in healthy cohort from high-incidence area (HIA) and low-incidence area (LIA) for esophageal cancer as well as patients with ESCC from HIA in Henan, northern China.

Proposal of Mingxiaea gen. nov. for the anamorphic basidiomycetous yeast species in the Bulleribasidium clade (Tremellales) based on molecular phylogenetic analysis, with six new combinations and four novel species.

The distinction and monophyletic property of the basidiomycetous yeast species in the Bulleribasidium clade of the order Tremellales was resolved by molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the combined sequences of the 18S rRNA gene, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region including 5.8S rRNA gene and 26S rRNA gene D1/D2 domain. The addition to the clade of new anamorphic species identified among ballistoconidium-forming yeasts isolated from China confirmed and strengthened the separation of this clade from other clades or lineages in the order Tremellales.

Arabidopsis cryptochrome-1 restrains lateral roots growth by inhibiting auxin transport.

Cryptochromes are blue-light photoreceptors that control many aspects of plant development. In this study, cryptochrome mutants of Arabidopsis were examined to assess the role of cryptchrome-1 (CRY1) in lateral roots growth. When grown in blue light for 12d, mutant seedlings (cry1) showed increased growth of lateral roots, while CRY1-overexpressing transgenic seedlings (CRY1ox) exhibited a marked decrease.

[Somatosensory-evoked potential monitoring for evaluation of spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury in rabbits].

Objective: To assess the changes of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) during spinal cord ischemia and reperfusion injury and the value of SEP monitoring in evaluating neurological functions in this setting.

Methods: Spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced in 28 rabbits by clamping the infrarenal aorta for 45 min, and the SEPs were monitored before and at 5, 10, and 15 min after ischemia, and at 15, 30, and 60 min and 2, 24 and 48 h after reperfusion. The neurological function score (NFS) of the rabbits was evaluated at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after reperfusion, and the pathological changes of the spinal cord were observed 48 h after reperfusion.

Association between green tea intake and coronary artery disease in a Chinese population.

Background: There is still conflicting evidence that green tea may protect against coronary atherosclerosis therefore the present study investigated the association between green tea consumption and arteriographically determined coronary atherosclerosis in a Chinese population.

Methods And Results: The study population consisted of 520 consecutive patients (379 men and 141 women) who underwent coronary arteriography for the first time. Patients were divided into 2 groups (Non-coronary artery disease [CAD] and CAD groups) according to the results of coronary arteriography.

[Study on complex formation of quercetin reacting with Cu2+ using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy].

Using an intensified spectroscopic detector ICCD, the real-time UV-Vis absorption spectra of quercetin (Q) reacting with Cu2+ under neutral and acid conditions were acquired. The exposure time was 0. 1 ms for each spectrum, and the molar ratio of Cu2+:Q was 0.

The common variant in the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes is related to markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in patients with coronary artery disease: a case-only study.

Recent studies suggest that the common variant in the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes modifies the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), however, it is unclear whether the risk of CAD modulated by variants in the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes was associated with alterations of indices of oxidative stress and inflammation. Our study is an attempt to provide insight into the role of GST genetic variant and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in CAD patients. A total of 719 Chinese CAD patients were successfully genotyped.

Genetic variant in visfatin gene promoter is associated with decreased risk of coronary artery disease in a Chinese population.

Background: Visfatin is a newly identified pro-inflammatory adipokine expressed predominantly in visceral fat. Previous studies have suggested a role for visfatin in low-grade inflammation and regulation of lipid metabolism. Most recently, a genetic polymorphism -1535C>T located in the visfatin gene promoter has been identified, and suggested to be associated with the regulation of visfatin expression, lipid levels.

Torulaspora quercuum sp. nov. and Candida pseudohumilis sp. nov., novel yeasts from human and forest habitats.

Strains XZ-46A, XZ-105, XZ-129 and XZ-281(T) isolated from the oral cavities of healthy Tibetan volunteers were revealed to represent two novel ascomycetous yeast species by molecular taxonomic characterizations. Strain XZ-281(T) was most closely related to Candida humilis, but differed from the type strain of the species by eight (1.2%) substitutions in the 26S rRNA gene D1/D2 domain and by >100 (>20%) mismatches in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region.

Kazachstania taianensis sp. nov., a novel ascomycetous yeast species from orchard soil.

Three teleomorphic ascomycetous yeast isolates (TA11TR-1(T), TA11TR-4 and TA11TR-6) from orchard soil from Tai'an, Shandong province, China, were shown to represent a novel species within the genus Kazachstania based on phenotypic characterization and sequence analyses of the 18S rRNA gene, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and 26S rDNA gene D1/D2 domain. The name Kazachstania taianensis sp. nov.

[Transient UV absorption spectra of artemisinin reacting with sodium hydroxide].

UV absorption spectrum of artemisinin and transient absorption spectra of various concentrations of artemisinin reacting with sodium hydroxide were measured by using an intensified spectroscopic detector ICCD. The exposure time of each spectrum was 0.1 ms.

Development, validation and implementation of immobilized metal affinity for phosphochemicals (IMAP)-based high-throughput screening assays for low-molecular-weight compound libraries.

This protocol describes assay development, validation and implementation of automated immobilized metal affinity for phosphochemicals (IMAP)-based fluorescence polarization (FP) and time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) high-throughput screening (HTS) assays for identification of low-molecular-weight kinase inhibitors. Both procedures are performed in miniaturized kinase reaction volumes and involve the stepwise addition of test or control compounds, enzyme and substrate/ATP. Kinase reactions are stopped by subsequent addition of IMAP-binding buffer.

Molecular phylogeny of basidiomycetous yeasts in the Cryptococcus luteolus lineage (Tremellales) based on nuclear rRNA and mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequence analyses: proposal of Derxomyces gen. nov. and Hannaella gen. nov., and description of eight novel Derxomyces species.

Phylogenetic relationships among the hymenomycetous yeasts in the Cryptococcus luteolus lineage of the Tremellales were examined based on sequence analyses of the 18S rRNA gene, 26S rRNA gene D1/D2 domain, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region including 5.8S rRNA gene and mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. In addition to the Dioszegia clade, two clades represented by Bullera mrakii and Bullera sinensis, respectively, were revealed to be well-separated monophyletic groups in the lineage.

Protein kinase D3 (PKD3) contributes to prostate cancer cell growth and survival through a PKCepsilon/PKD3 pathway downstream of Akt and ERK 1/2.

Protein kinase D (PKD) is a family of novel diacylglycerol/phorbol ester targets that regulate many important cellular functions including cell growth and survival. We now provide experimental evidence to indicate that PKD3 contributes to prostate cancer cell growth and survival. Expression of PKD3 as well as PKD1 was significantly higher in human prostate tumors compared with normal tissues as revealed by immunohistochemistry.

Rapid differentiation of phenotypically similar yeast species by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of ribosomal DNA.

Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was investigated for rapid differentiation of phenotypically similar yeast species. Sensitive tests indicated that some yeast strains with one, most strains with two, and all strains with three or more nucleotide differences in the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) or ITS2 region could be distinguished by PCR SSCP analysis. The discriminative power of SSCP in yeast species differentiation was demonstrated by comparative studies of representative groups of yeast species from ascomycetes and basidiomycetes, including Saccharomyces species, medically important Candida species, and phylloplane basidiomycetous yeast species.

Diversity of basidiomycetous phylloplane yeasts belonging to the genus Dioszegia (Tremellales) and description of Dioszegia athyri sp. nov., Dioszegia butyracea sp. nov. and Dioszegia xingshanensis sp. nov.

From approximately 200 basidiomycetous yeast isolates forming orange or orange-red colonies isolated from senescent leaves collected in different regions of China, 29 representative strains varying in their geographic distribution and ballistoconidium forming ability were selected for further phenotypic and molecular taxonomic studies. Sequence analysis of the large subunit (26S) rDNA D1/D2 domain and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region including 5.8S rRNA from the strains resulted in the recognition of seven Dioszegia species, including four described species, namely D.