Material basis revelation of anti-hepatoma effect of Huachansu (Cinobufacini) through down-regulation of thymidylate synthase.

Objective: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Huachansu (Cinobufacini) is active extract isolated from the dry skin of . It has now been widely used in clinical treatment of cancer, this study is to clarify the material basis of down-regulation of thymidylate synthase (TYMS) induced by Huachansu.

Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses to investigate the anticancer mechanisms of cinobufagin against liver cancer through interfering with lipid, amino acid, carbohydrate, and nucleotide metabolism.

Liver cancer has characteristics of high morbidity, high mortality, and poor prognosis. Metabolic reprogramming is a prominent characteristic of tumors and plays a key role in promoting tumorigenesis. The metabolic process of liver cancer cells has undergone many significant changes including abnormal active glycolysis, enhanced de novo synthesis of fatty acids, and hyperactive metabolism of amino acids and nucleotides.

Cinobufagin restrains the growth and triggers DNA damage of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells via proteasome-dependent degradation of thymidylate synthase.

Anti-tumor candidate drugs from natural products have gained increasing attention. Cinobufagin is a natural product isolated from the traditional chinese medicine Chansu. Herein, we find that cinobufagin inhibits the proliferation and colony-forming ability of human hepatoma HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells.

HuaChanSu suppresses tumor growth and interferes with glucose metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma cells by restraining Hexokinase-2.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become the sixth highly diagnosed cancer and the fourth main reason of cancer deaths worldwide. HuaChanSu, an extract from dried toad skin, exhibits good anticancer effects and has been widely used in the treatment of liver cancer. The reprogramming of glucose metabolism is one remarkable feature of hepatocellular carcinoma, and the effects of HuaChanSu on the abnormal glucose metabolism of cancer cells have not been elucidated.

E-cigarette advertising exposure and implicit attitudes among young adult non-smokers.

Background: This study tested whether exposure to e-cigarette advertising affects the subliminal-spontaneous or automatic-attitudes towards e-cigarettes as a more pleasant or safer alternative to cigarettes among non-smoking young adults.

Methods: 187 young adult (mean age=21.9; SD=4.

On-chip microwave signal generation based on a silicon microring modulator.

A photonic-assisted microwave signal generator based on a silicon microring modulator is demonstrated. The microring cavity incorporates an embedded PN junction that enables a microwave signal to modulate the lightwave circling inside. The DC component of the modulated light is trapped in the cavity, while the high-order sideband components are able to exit the cavity and then generate microwave signals at new frequencies in a photodetector.

Culture and medical decision making: Healthcare consumer perspectives in Japan and the United States.

Objective: Two studies identified core value influences on medical decision-making processes across and within cultures.

Methods: In Study 1, Japanese and American adults reported desired levels of medical decision-making influence across conditions that varied in seriousness. Cultural antecedents (interdependence, independence, and power distance) were also measured.

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of NDUFS4 gene in m. longissimus dorsi of Laiwu pig (Sus scrofa).

To study the molecular basis of intramuscular fat (IMF) deposition, suppression subtractive hybridization was used to investigate the differences in gene expression between m. longissimus dorsi (LD) of high IMF Laiwu pig group and low IMF Laiwu pig group. From two specific subtractive cDNA libraries, the expression-upregulated clone HL-27 was selected by reverse Northern high-density blot, and then identified to be pig mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) Fe-S protein 4 (NDUFS4).

[Cloning, expression and functional analysis of CuZnSOD gene in swine.].

In order to understand the structure and function of CuZnSOD gene, reveal the effect of the anti-oxidant in swine, and find the molecule marker correlated with meat traits, the cDNA of CuZnSOD gene was cloned and sequenced from muscle of Laiwu black swine by RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA end) techniques. The structure and function of CuZnSOD were analyzed by bioinformatics, and the gene expression profile in different tissues was examined by real-time PCR. The results showed that the full sequence of CuZnSOD cDNA is 658 bp (GU944822), containing 76 bp sequence of 5' UTR and 120 bp sequence of 3' UTR, and coding region (CDS, 462 bp) encodes 153 amino acids.

[Relationship of genetic polymorphism of PRLR and RBP4 genes with litter size traits in pig].

The polymorphism of prolactin receptor (PRLR) and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) genes was detected by PCR-RFLP method, and the effects of PRLR and RBP4 genes on litter size traits in pig were analyzed by the least square analysis. Data of total number born (TNB) and number born alive (NBA) from 323 sows, including five Shandong local pig breeds and three foreign pig breeds, were collected. The results showed that the polymorphic sites of both PRLR and RBP4 genes were found in all populations tested.

Developmental changes of Col3a1 mRNA expression in muscle and their association with intramuscular collagen in pigs.

Eighty-four castrated boars including Laiwu Black (LW) (weight 30-90 kg, n=6) and Lulai Black (LL) (weight 40-100 kg, n=6) were used to study the developmental changes of collagen type III alpha 1 (Col3a1) mRNA expression in the muscle and their association with intramuscular collagen (IMC). The muscle total RNA was extracted to determine the abundance of Col3a1 mRNA using relative quantitative RT-PCR with beta-actin mRNA as the internal standard. The results indicated that the developmental patterns of muscle Col3a1 mRNA in LW and LL pigs were similar.

Media usage as health segmentation variables.

The purpose of this research is to contrast a traditional audience segmentation model that uses demographics and health evaluations against a model that uses these same variables plus media usage variables. The goal was to determine whether media usage variables - typically not used in health segmentation studies - add predictive power in determining health behaviors and attitudes. The results of the analysis showed an increase in the ability to predict health behaviors such as aspirin use, vitamin use, diet, and exercise, and suggest that there is predictive value for including media variables as part of the segmentation process.