Optimization of rhabdomyosarcoma disseminated disease assessment by flow cytometry.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma in children. Circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood or disseminated to bone marrow, a concept commonly referred to as minimal residual disease (MRD), are thought to be key to the prediction of metastasis and treatment efficacy. To date, two MRD markers, MYOD and MYOGENIN, have been tested; however, MRD detection continues to be challenging mainly owing to the closeness of the detection limit and the discordance of both markers in some samples.

Modulation of chemotherapeutic drug resistance in neuroblastoma SK-N-AS cells by the neural apoptosis inhibitory protein and miR-520f.

The acquisition of multidrug resistance is a major impediment to the successful treatment of neuroblastoma, a clinically heterogeneous cancer accounting for ∼15% of all pediatric cancer deaths. The MYCN transcription factor, whose gene is amplified in ∼30% of high-risk neuroblastoma cases, influences drug resistance by regulating a cadre of genes, including those involved with drug efflux, however, other high-risk subtypes of neuroblastoma lacking MYCN amplification, such as those with chromosome 11q deletions, also acquire multidrug resistance. To elucidate additional mechanisms involved with drug resistance in non-MYCN amplified tumour cells, an SK-N-AS subline (SK-N-AsCis24) that is significantly resistant to cisplatin and cross resistant to etoposide was developed through a pulse-selection process.

Nanomechanical Optical Fiber with Embedded Electrodes Actuated by Joule Heating.

Nanomechanical optical fibers with metal electrodes embedded in the jacket were fabricated by a multi-material co-draw technique. At the center of the fibers, two glass cores suspended by thin membranes and surrounded by air form a directional coupler that is highly temperature-dependent. We demonstrate optical switching between the two fiber cores by Joule heating of the electrodes with as little as 0.

Involvement of chlororespiration in chilling stress in the tropical species Spathiphyllum wallisii.

Spathiphyllum wallisii plants were used to study the effect of chilling stress under high illumination on photosynthesis and chlororespiration. Leaves showed different responses that depended on root temperature. When stem, but not root, was chilled, photosystem II (PSII) was strongly photoinhibited.

Latest developments on Streptococcus suis: an emerging zoonotic pathogen: part 2.

First International Workshop on Streptococcus suis, Beijing, China, 12-13 August 2013. This second and final chapter of the report on the First International Workshop on Streptococcus suis follows on from Part 1, published in the April 2014, volume 9, issue 4 of Future Microbiology. S.

Uridine 5'-triphosphate promotes in vitro Schwannoma cell migration through matrix metalloproteinase-2 activation.

In response to peripheral nerve injury, Schwann cells adopt a migratory phenotype and modify the extracellular matrix to make it permissive for cell migration and axonal re-growth. Uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) and other nucleotides are released during nerve injury and activate purinergic receptors expressed on the Schwann cell surface, but little is known about the involvement of purine signalling in wound healing. We studied the effect of UTP on Schwannoma cell migration and wound closure and the intracellular signaling pathways involved.

Latest developments on Streptococcus suis: an emerging zoonotic pathogen: part 1.

First International Workshop on Streptococcus suis, Beijing, China, 12-13 August 2013 The first international workshop on Streptococcus suis, which is an important swine pathogen and emerging zoonotic agent, took place in Beijing, jointly organized by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, Canada and the National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC. The aim of the meeting was to gather together, for the first time, more than 80 researchers working on S. suis, from countries including China, Canada, Japan, The Netherlands, Germany, Thailand, the UK and Vietnam.

Variation in body size of Phanocerus clavicornis Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera: Elmidae: Larainae) in Atlantic Rainforest streams in response to hydraulic disturbance.

In this study, patterns of body size of Phanocerus clavicornis Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera: Elmidae: Larainae) were investigated along a gradient of change in speed of flow conditions in streams of low order in the Atlantic Rainforest in southeastern Brazil. Specifically, the hypothesis that the distribution of P. clavicornis larvae vary in size in response to variations in the speed of flow in streams was tested.

Transcriptional approach to study porcine tracheal epithelial cells individually or dually infected with swine influenza virus and Streptococcus suis.

Background: Swine influenza is a highly contagious viral infection in pigs affecting the respiratory tract that can have significant economic impacts. Streptococcus suis serotype 2 is one of the most important post-weaning bacterial pathogens in swine causing different infections, including pneumonia. Both pathogens are important contributors to the porcine respiratory disease complex.

Deregulated balance of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids following infection by the zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis.

Streptococcus suis is an important swine pathogen and an emergent zoonotic pathogen. Excessive inflammation caused by S. suis is responsible for early high mortality in septic shock-like syndrome cases.

Altered peripheral BDNF mRNA expression and BDNF protein concentrations in blood of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.

Findings from molecular genetic studies and analyses of postmortem and peripheral tissue led to the hypothesis that neurotrophins-as crucial moderators of neuroplasticity-impact on the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study projects aimed to complement former results on the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family with fundamental impact on brain development and function. The purpose of this work was to investigate peripheral BDNF mRNA expression and BDNF protein concentrations in ASD as potential surrogates for the effects observed in the central nervous system.

In vitro effect of deoxynivalenol (DON) mycotoxin on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus replication.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium spp. Among monogastric farm animals, swine are the most susceptible to DON as it markedly reduces feed intake and decreases weight gain. DON has also been shown to increase susceptibility to viral infections; therefore the objective of this study was to investigate in vitro impact of DON on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV).

FAIM-L is an IAP-binding protein that inhibits XIAP ubiquitinylation and protects from Fas-induced apoptosis.

The neuronal long isoform of Fas Apoptotic Inhibitory Molecule (FAIM-L) protects from death receptor (DR)-induced apoptosis, yet its mechanism of protection remains unknown. Here, we show that FAIM-L protects rat neuronal Type II cells from Fas-induced apoptosis. XIAP has previously emerged as a molecular discriminator that is upregulated in Type II and downregulated in Type I apoptotic signaling.

Hedgehog pathway blockade inhibits melanoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

Previous reports have demonstrated a role for hedgehog signaling in melanoma progression, prompting us to explore the therapeutic benefit of targeting this pathway in melanoma. We profiled a panel of human melanoma cell lines and control melanocytes for altered expression of hedgehog pathway members and determined the consequences of both genetic and pharmacological inhibition of the hedgehog pathway activator Smoothened (SMO) in melanoma, both in vitro and in vivo. We also examined the relationship between altered expression of hedgehog pathway mediators and survival in a well-characterized cohort of metastatic melanoma patients with prospectively collected follow up information.

Canine adenovirus downstream processing protocol.

Adenovirus vectors are efficient gene delivery tools. A major caveat with vectors derived from common human adenovirus serotypes is that most adults are likely to have been exposed to the wild-type virus and exhibit active immunity against the vectors. This preexisting immunity limits their clinical success.

Allelopathic effects of microcystin-LR on the germination, growth and metabolism of five charophyte species and a submerged angiosperm.

Microcystins (MCs) are produced by cyanobacteria in aquatic environments and adversely affect macrophytes at very high concentrations. However, the effects of MC on macrophytes at concentrations of environmental relevance are largely unknown. The main objective of this study was to analyze the allelopathic effects of MC-LR at natural concentrations (1, 8 and 16 μg MC-LR/L) on five charophyte species (Chara aspera, C.

The NOD2 receptor does not play a major role in the pathogenesis of Group B Streptococcus in mice.

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) capsular type III is an important agent of life-threatening invasive infections. It has been previously shown that encapsulated GBS is easily internalized by dendritic cells (DCs) and this internalization has an impact on cytokine production. The intracellular receptors or pathways underlying this response are not well understood.

Capsular sialic acid of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 binds to swine influenza virus and enhances bacterial interactions with virus-infected tracheal epithelial cells.

Streptococcus suis serotype 2 is an important swine bacterial pathogen, and it is also an emerging zoonotic agent. It is unknown how S. suis virulent strains, which are usually found in low quantities in pig tonsils, manage to cross the first host defense lines to initiate systemic disease.

BRD4 sustains melanoma proliferation and represents a new target for epigenetic therapy.

Metastatic melanoma remains a mostly incurable disease. Although newly approved targeted therapies are efficacious in a subset of patients, resistance and relapse rapidly ensue. Alternative therapeutic strategies to manipulate epigenetic regulators and disrupt the transcriptional program that maintains tumor cell identity are emerging.

Halo-tellurite glass fiber with low OH content for 2-5µm mid-infrared nonlinear applications.

We report the fabrication of new dehydrated halo-tellurite glass fibers with low OH content (1ppm in weight) and low OH-induced attenuation of 10dB/m in 3-4 µm region. It shows halo-tellurite glass fibers a promising candidate for nonlinear applications in 2-5µm region.

Group B Streptococcus and Streptococcus suis capsular polysaccharides induce chemokine production by dendritic cells via Toll-like receptor 2- and MyD88-dependent and -independent pathways.

Streptococcus agalactiae (also known as group B Streptococcus [GBS]) and Streptococcus suis are encapsulated streptococci causing severe septicemia and meningitis. Bacterial capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) are poorly immunogenic, but anti-CPS antibodies are essential to the host defense against encapsulated bacteria. The mechanisms underlying anti-CPS antibody responses are not fully elucidated, but the biochemistry of CPSs, particularly the presence of sialic acid, may have an immunosuppressive effect.

Toll-like receptor 2-independent host innate immune response against an epidemic strain of Streptococcus suis that causes a toxic shock-like syndrome in humans.

Streptococcus suis is an emerging zoonotic agent causing meningitis and septicemia. Outbreaks in humans in China with atypical cases of streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome have been described to be caused by a clonal epidemic S. suis strain characterized as sequence type (ST) 7 by multilocus sequence typing, different from the classical ST1 usually isolated in Europe.

Dual Pten/Tp53 suppression promotes sarcoma progression by activating Notch signaling.

Soft tissue sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors associated with poor clinical outcome. Although a subset of soft tissue sarcomas is characterized by simple karyotypes and recurrent chromosomal translocations, the mechanisms driving cytogenetically complex sarcomas are largely unknown. Clinical evidence led us to partially inactivate Pten and Tp53 in the smooth muscle lineage of mice, which developed high-grade undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas, leiomyosarcomas, and carcinosarcomas that widely recapitulate the human disease, including the aberrant karyotype and metastatic behavior.

Development and validation of a quantitation assay for fluorescently tagged HIV-1 virus-like particles.

Upon expression, the Gag polyprotein of HIV-1 assembles spontaneously in the vicinity of the plasma membrane giving rise to enveloped virus-like particles (VLPs). These particulate immunogens offer great promise as HIV-1 vaccines. Robust VLP production and purification processes are required to generate VLPs of sufficient quality and quantity for both pre-clinical and clinical evaluation.

Generation of HIV-1 Gag VLPs by transient transfection of HEK 293 suspension cell cultures using an optimized animal-derived component free medium.

Virus-like particles (VLPs) offer great promise as candidates for new vaccine strategies. Large-scale approaches for the manufacturing of HIV-1 Gag VLPs have mainly focused on the use of the baculovirus expression system. In this work, the development and optimization of an HIV-1 Gag VLP production protocol by transient gene expression in mammalian cell suspension cultures is reported.