All-trans retinoic acid potentiates the chemotherapeutic effect of cisplatin by inducing differentiation of tumor initiating cells in liver cancer.

Background & Aims: Systemic chemotherapy serves as an adjuvant treatment for post-operation patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and provides curative option for the patients with unresectable HCC. However, its efficiency is largely limited because of the high incidence of chemo-resistance. Increasing evidence has shown that tumor initiating cells (TICs) not only have the ability to self-renew and drive the initiation and progression of cancer, but also exhibit greater resistance to conventional chemo- and radio-therapies than non-TICs.

The occurrence of endometriosis with ovarian carcinomas is not purely coincidental.

Objective: To explore the association between epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and common benign gynecological disorders.

Study Design: The medical records of 226 patients with EOC treated at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between March 2011 and March 2012 were reviewed. Histological evaluations had been performed to determine the presence of coexisting pelvic endometriosis (n=17), uterine leiomyoma (n=66), adenomyosis (n=22), or endometrial polyps (n=17).

Detecting well-being via computerized content analysis of brief diary entries.

Two studies evaluated the correspondence between self-reported well-being and codings of emotion and life content by the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC; Pennebaker, Booth, & Francis, 2011). Open-ended diary responses were collected from 206 participants daily for 3 weeks (Study 1) and from 139 participants twice a week for 8 weeks (Study 2). LIWC negative emotion consistently correlated with self-reported negative emotion.

The antiparasitic drug ivermectin is a novel FXR ligand that regulates metabolism.

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) has important roles in maintaining bile acid and cholesterol homeostasis. Here we report that the antiparasitic drug ivermectin is a ligand for nuclear FXR. We identify ivermectin using a high-throughput compound library screening and show that it induces the transcriptional activity of the FXR with distinctive properties in modulating coregulator recruitment.

[Advancement in the research of growth hormone in treating pediatric burn patients].

The serious and persistent hypercatabolic state caused by severe burn injury leads to weight loss, weakening of muscles, immunity decline, and delayed wound healing in injured patients. Pediatric burn patients also suffer growth retardation. How to ameliorate the persistent hypercatabolic response is what the medical professionals should concern.

Prognostic analysis of endometrioid epithelial ovarian cancer with or without endometriosis: a 12-year cohort study of Chinese patients.

Objective: Clinicopathological characteristics and possible prognostic factors among women with endometrioid epithelial ovarian cancer (EEOC) with or without concurrent endometriosis were investigated.

Study Design: A search of medical charts at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2000 through 2012 identified patients with EEOC with or without endometriosis.

Results: Of 188 patients with EEOC, concurrent endometriosis was identified in 32 (17.

[The antagonistic effect of folic acid and resveratrol on cleft palate in mice induced by TCDD].

Objective: To evaluate whether or not administration of folic acid and resveratrol have preventive effects on cleft palate formation as well as the comparison of the two drugs' s effects.

Methods: Pregnant mice were randomly divided into 9 groups, with 8 mice in each group. The TCDD group mice were dosed with TCDD 28 microg/kg body weight on gestation day 10 (GD 10) animals in folic acid group were respectively dosed with folic acid 15, 10, 5 mg/kg and TCDD 28 microg/kg; resveratrol treated mice were divided into 3 groups: resveratrol 50 mg/kg were orally administered for 6 consecutive days, from gestational day GD 8 to GD13 in resveratrol (GD8-13 ) group; resveratrol 50 mg/kg were orally administered for 6 consecutive days, from gestational day GD 8 to GD13, followed hy an oral administered with TCDD on GD10 in resveratrol (GD8-13) + TCDD group; resveratrol 50mg/kg and TCDD 28 microg/kg were used by gavage administration at GD10 in resveratrol (GD10) + TCDD group.

[Efficacy of infliximab combined with surgery in the treatment of perianal fistulizing Crohn disease].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of infliximab combined with surgery in the treatment of perianal fistulizing Crohn disease (CD).

Methods: Clinical data of 15 patients with perianal fistulizing CD receiving infliximab combined with surgery in the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from March 2010 to June 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. One week after operation, all the patients received infliximab infusion thrice at weeks 0, 2, and 6.

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in neonates: an 8-year retrospective study in a single institution.

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) is a rare disorder in children. Complications may occur without timely treatment. Mortality in children with SSSS is approximately 4%.

Assessment of levator ani morphology and function in asymptomatic nulliparous women via static and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: To evaluate levator ani morphology and function in healthy nulliparous women using static and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods: Eighty asymptomatic, healthy nulliparous Chinese women (mean age, 25.3±3.

Identification of gene expression profile during fertilization in Brassica campestris subsp. chinensis.

Fertilization is controlled by a complex gene regulatory network. To study the fertilization mechanism, we determined time courses of the four developmental stages of fertilization in Chinese cabbage pak-choi (Brassica campestris subsp. chinensis) by cytological observation.

Enantioselective trapping of phosphoramidate ammonium ylides with imino esters for synthesis of 2,3-diaminosuccinic acid derivatives.

A highly enantioselective trapping of protic phosphoramidate ammonium ylides with α-imino esters is reported. The intriguing Rh2(OAc)4 and chiral Brønsted acid co-catalyzed three-component Mannich-type reaction of a diazo compound, a phosphoramidate, and an α-imino ester provides a rapid and efficient access to 2,3-diaminosuccinic acid derivatives with a high level control of diastereo- and enantioselectivity.

c-Jun N-terminal kinase is upregulated in patients with hypospadias.

Objective: To investigate the expression of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) 1/2 in human hypospadiac tissue compared with that in normal penile tissue.

Materials And Methods: Penile skin tissue specimens obtained at surgery during hypospadias repair or during elective circumcision were divided into 3 groups according to the position of the urethral meatus: children with mild hypospadias (n=16), severe hypospadias (n=16), and normal controls (n=16). The expression of total and phosphorylated JNK1 and JNK2 at the messenger ribonucleic acid and protein levels were assessed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunochemistry, and Western blot analysis.

Dose-related effect by maternal exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate plasticizer on inducing hypospadiac male rats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate dose-related effects on external genitalia of adult male offspring rats by maternal exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) plasticizer. Timed-pregnant rats were given DEHP by gastric intubation at doses of 0, 500, 750 or 1000mg/kg body weight/day from gestation day 12-19 to establish a hypospadiac rat model. The hypospadias was observed and the incidence in three DEHP dosage levels was 10.

Clinical analysis of ovarian epithelial carcinoma with coexisting pelvic endometriosis.

Objectives: To explore the differences between women with endometriosis associated ovarian cancer and typical epithelial ovarian cancer.

Study Design: The medical charts of total 226 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer treated at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between March 2011 and March 2012 were reviewed. Histology evaluation determined endometriosis associated ovarian cancer (n = 17) or non-endometriosis associated ovarian cancer (n = 209).

A GFP-labeled human colon cancer metastasis model featuring surgical orthotopic implantation.

Colorectal cancer has become a major disease threatening human health. To establish animal models that exhibit the characteristics of human colorectal cancer will not only help to study the mechanisms underlying the genesis and development effectively, but also provide ideal carriers for the screening of medicines and examining their therapeutic effects. In this study, we established a stable, colon cancer nude mouse model highly expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) for spontaneous metastasis after surgical orthotopic implantation (SOI).

[Effects of Baicalin on an orthotopic transplantation mouse model of mismatch repair gene deficient colorectal cancer].

Objective: To study the anticancer effects of Baicalin on an orthotopic transplantation mouse model of mismatch repair gene deficient colorectal cancer.

Methods: Sixty orthotopic transplantation mice model of human colon cancer cell line HCT-116 expressing eGFP were established, which were divided randomly into negative controlled group (5% NaHCO3) and 50, 100, 200 mg/kg Baicalin groups. The nude mice were treated with intragastric infusion twice a day.

Self-priming compartmentalization digital LAMP for point-of-care.

Digital nucleic acid amplification provides unprecedented opportunities for absolute nucleic acid quantification by counting of single molecules. This technique is useful for molecular genetic analysis in cancer, stem cell, bacterial, non-invasive prenatal diagnosis in which many biologists are interested. This paper describes a self-priming compartmentalization (SPC) microfluidic chip platform for performing digital loop-mediated amplification (LAMP).

Putting their best foot forward: emotional disclosure on Facebook.

Facebook has become a widely used online self-representation and communication platform. In this research, we focus on emotional disclosure on Facebook. We conducted two studies, and results from both self-report and observer rating show that individuals are more likely to express positive relative to negative emotions and present better emotional well-being on Facebook than in real life.

Inhibitory effects of baicalin on orthotopic xenografts of colorectal cancer cells that are deficient in a mismatch repair gene in nude mice.

Objective: The aim of this article is to study the inhibitory effects of baicalin on the growth and metastasis of orthotopic xenografts consisting of human HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells that are deficient in the mismatch repair gene hMLH1 in nude mice.

Methods: A fluorescent orthotopic transplantation model of HCT-116 cells was established. The treatment groups were administered baicalin 50 mg/kg (G2), 100 mg/kg (G3), and 200 mg/kg (G4), and the negative control group (G1) was administered 5 % NaHCO₃.

The role of 18F-FDG PET or PET/CT in the detection of fever of unknown origin.

Even with the recent advance in diagnostic tools and techniques, fever of unknown origin (FUO) remains a clinical challenge. A wide range of diseases, mainly infections, autoimmune conditions (inflammatory diseases), malignancies and miscellaneous can cause FUO. Positron emission tomography (PET) or positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning makes a great contribution to the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of FUO due to the high sensitivity of pathological accumulation of 18F-FDG.

Structural and functional conservation of CLEC-2 with the species-specific regulation of transcript expression in evolution.

CLEC-2 was first identified by sequence similarity to C-type lectin-like molecules with immune functions and has been reported as a receptor for the platelet-aggregating snake venom toxin rhodocytin and the endogenous sialoglycoprotein podoplanin. Recent researches indicate that CLEC-2-deficient mice were lethal at the embryonic stage associated with disorganized and blood-filled lymphatic vessels and severe edema. In view of a necessary role of CLEC-2 in the individual development, it is of interest to investigate its phylogenetic homology and highly conserved functional regions.

Fast self-assembly kinetics of quantum dots and a dendrimeric peptide ligand.

Engineered peptide ligands with exceptionally high affinity for metal can self-assemble with nanoparticles in biological fluids. A high-affinity dendrimeric peptide ligand for CdSe-ZnS quantum dots (QDs) exhibited very fast association kinetics with QDs and reached equilibrium within 2 s. Here, we have combined a droplet-based microfluidic device with fluorescence detection based on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to provide subsecond resolution in dissecting this fast self-assembly kinetics in solution.