Protective effect of resveratrol on lens epithelial cell apoptosis in diabetic cataract rat.

Objective: To study the protective effect of resveratrol on lens epithelial cell apoptosis in diabetic cataract rat.

Methods: A total of 84 Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: 12 in Group A (control group), 24 in Group B (diabetic cataract group), 24 in Group C (therapeutic-dose of resveratrol group) and 24 in Group D (low-dose of resveratrol group). Rats in Group B-D were given with 60 mg/kg streptozotocin through intraperitoneal injection.

UDP-Glucuronosyltransferases 1A6 and 1A9 are the Major Isozymes Responsible for the 7-O-Glucuronidation of Esculetin and 4-Methylesculetin in Human Liver Microsomes.

Esculetin (6,7-dihydroxycoumarin, ET) and 4-methylesculetin (6,7-dihydroxy-4-methylcoumarin, 4-ME) are typical coumarin derivatives that are attracting considerable attention because of their wide spectrum of biologic activities, but their metabolism remains unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the in vitro UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) metabolism characteristics of ET and 4-ME. 7-O-monoglucuronide esculetin (ET-G) and 7-O-monoglucuronide 4-methylesculetin (4-ME-G) were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)HNMR) when ET or 4-ME was incubated with human liver (HLM) in the presence of UDP-glucuronic acid.

Differential Cardiac MicroRNA Expression Predicts the Clinical Course in Human Enterovirus Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Investigation of disease pathogenesis confined to protein-coding regions of the genome may be incomplete because many noncoding variants are associated with disease. We aimed to identify novel predictive markers for the course of enterovirus (CVB3) cardiomyopathy by screening for noncoding elements influencing the grossly different antiviral capacity of individual patients.

Methods And Results: Transcriptome mapping of CVB3 cardiomyopathy patients revealed distinctive cardiac microRNA (miR) patterns associated with spontaneous virus clearance and recovery (CVB3-ELIM) versus virus persistence and progressive clinical deterioration (CVB3-PERS).

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 inhibits angiogenic signaling by uncoupling vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2-αVβ3 integrin cross talk.

Objective: Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) regulates angiogenesis via effects on extracellular matrix proteolysis and cell adhesion. However, no previous study has implicated PAI-1 in controlling vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling. We tested the hypothesis that PAI-1 downregulates VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) activation by inhibiting a vitronectin-dependent cooperative binding interaction between VEGFR-2 and αVβ3.

Structure-based prediction of drug distribution across the headgroup and core strata of a phospholipid bilayer using surrogate phases.

Solvation of drugs in the core (C) and headgroup (H) strata of phospholipid bilayers affects their physiological transport rates and accumulation. These characteristics, especially a complete drug distribution profile across the bilayer strata, are tedious to obtain experimentally, to the point that even simplified preferred locations are only available for a few dozen compounds. Recently, we showed that the partition coefficient (P) values in the system of hydrated diacetyl phosphatidylcholine (DAcPC) and n-hexadecane (C16), as surrogates of the H- and C-strata of the bilayer composed of the most abundant mammalian phospholipid, PC, agree well with the preferred bilayer location of compounds.

Rapid production of novel pre-microRNA agent hsa-mir-27b in Escherichia coli using recombinant RNA technology for functional studies in mammalian cells.

Noncoding microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have been revealed as critical epigenetic factors in the regulation of various cellular processes, including drug metabolism and disposition. However, research on miRNA functions is limited to the use of synthetic RNA and recombinant DNA agents. Herein, we show that novel pre-miRNA-27b (miR-27b) agents can be biosynthesized in Escherichia coli using recombinant RNA technology, and recombinant transfer RNA (tRNA)/mir-27b chimera was readily purified to a high degree of homogeneity (>95%) using anion-exchange fast protein liquid chromatography.

Lack of FGF23 response to acute changes in serum calcium and PTH in humans.

Context: 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25D) administration and long-term increases in phosphate, PTH, and calcium concentrations are associated with increases in circulating fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23); however, whether or not acute changes in serum calcium modulate short-term FGF23 release is unknown.

Objective/design: To assess the direct effect of acute changes in calcium and PTH on circulating FGF23 levels.

Setting: A university clinical and translational research center.

Pain relief from combined wound and intraperitoneal local anesthesia for patients who undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has become the treatment of choice for gallbladder lesions, but it is not a pain-free procedure. This study explored the pain relief provided by combined wound and intraperitoneal local anesthetic use for patients who are undergoing LC.

Methods: Two-hundred and twenty consecutive patients undergoing LC were categorized into 1 of the following 4 groups: local wound anesthetic after LC either with an intraperitoneal local anesthetic (W + P) (group 1) or without an intraperitoneal local anesthetic (W + NP) (group 2), or no local wound anesthetic after LC either with intraperitoneal local anesthetic (NW + P) (group 3) or without an intraperitoneal local anesthetic (NW + NP) (group 4).

Small ubiquitin-like modifier 3-modified proteome regulated by brain ischemia in novel small ubiquitin-like modifier transgenic mice: putative protective proteins/pathways.

Background And Purpose: Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) conjugation is a post-translational modification associated with many human diseases. Characterization of the SUMO-modified proteome is pivotal to define the mechanistic link between SUMO conjugation and such diseases. This is particularly evident for SUMO2/3 conjugation, which is massively activated after brain ischemia/stroke, and is believed to be a protective response.

First determination of the weak charge of the proton.

The Q(weak) experiment has measured the parity-violating asymmetry in ep elastic scattering at Q(2)=0.025(GeV/c)(2), employing 145 μA of 89% longitudinally polarized electrons on a 34.4 cm long liquid hydrogen target at Jefferson Lab.

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 signaling negatively modulates lymphatic development in vertebrate embryos.

Rationale: The emergence of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) seems to be highly regulated during development. Although several factors that promote the differentiation of LECs in embryonic development have been identified, those that negatively regulate this process are largely unknown.

Objective: Our aim was to delineate the role of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 2 signaling in lymphatic development.

Selective Kv1.3 channel blocker as therapeutic for obesity and insulin resistance.

Obesity is an epidemic, calling for innovative and reliable pharmacological strategies. Here, we show that ShK-186, a selective and potent blocker of the voltage-gated Kv1.3 channel, counteracts the negative effects of increased caloric intake in mice fed a diet rich in fat and fructose.

Purification and partial characterization of a novel neurotoxic protein from eggs of black widow spiders (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus).

Up to now, there have been a few reports on the toxic components purified from black widow spider (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) eggs. In the present study, a novel neurotoxic protein was purified from the eggs by gel filtration combined with ion-exchange chromatography. Its molecular weight was 23.

Lung cancers with acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors occasionally harbor BRAF gene mutations but lack mutations in KRAS, NRAS, or MEK1.

Acquired resistance to EGF receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is inevitable in metastatic EGFR-mutant lung cancers. Here, we modeled disease progression using EGFR-mutant human tumor cell lines. Although five of six models displayed alterations already found in humans, one harbored an unexpected secondary NRAS Q61K mutation; resistant cells were sensitive to concurrent EGFR and MEK inhibition but to neither alone.

Differences in acetabular morphology related to side and sex in a Chinese population.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the side and sex differences in acetabular dimension and orientation in normal Chinese adults, which are not known well but are important in hip joint replacement surgery. The acetabular parameters, including anteversion angle (AV.A), abduction angle (AB.

Urine TMPRSS2:ERG fusion transcript stratifies prostate cancer risk in men with elevated serum PSA.

More than 1,000,000 men undergo prostate biopsy each year in the United States, most for "elevated" serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Given the lack of specificity and unclear mortality benefit of PSA testing, methods to individualize management of elevated PSA are needed. Greater than 50% of PSA-screened prostate cancers harbor fusions between the transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2) and v-ets erythroblastosis virus E26 oncogene homolog (avian) (ERG) genes.

Determination of critical power in trained rowers using a three-minute all-out rowing test.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the hyperbolic relationship between power output and time to exhaustion (work - time and power - [1/time] models) could be estimated from a modified version of a three-minute all-out rowing test (3-min RT), and to investigate the test-retest reliability of the 3-min RT. Eighteen male rowers volunteered to participate in this study and underwent an incremental exercise test (IRT), three constant-work rate tests to establish the critical power (CP) and the curvature constant (W'), and two 3-min RTs against a fixed resistance to estimate the end-test power (EP) and work-done-above-EP (WEP) on a rowing ergometer. Peak VO(2max) and maximal VO(2max) oxygen uptakes were calculated as the highest 30 s average achieved during the 3-min RT and IRT tests.

Optimization of dosing for EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer with evolutionary cancer modeling.

Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) that harbor mutations within the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene are sensitive to the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) gefitinib and erlotinib. Unfortunately, all patients treated with these drugs will acquire resistance, most commonly as a result of a secondary mutation within EGFR (T790M). Because both drugs were developed to target wild-type EGFR, we hypothesized that current dosing schedules were not optimized for mutant EGFR or to prevent resistance.

Evaluation of low-cost cathode catalysts for high yield biohydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cell.

As an ideal fuel due to the advantages of no pollution, high combustion heat and abundant sources, hydrogen gas can be produced from organic matter through the electrohydrogenesis process in microbial electrolysis cells. But in many MECs, platinum is often used as catalyst, which limits the practical applications of MECs. To reduce the cost of the MECs, Ni-based alloy cathodes were developed by electrodepositing.

Effect of viscosity, basicity and organic content of composite flocculant on the decolorization performance and mechanism for reactive dyeing wastewater.

A coagulation/flocculation process using the composite flocculant polyaluminum chloride-epichlorohydrin dimethylamine (PAC-EPI-DMA) was employed for the treatment of an anionic azo dye (Reactive Brilliant Red K-2BP dye). The effect of viscosity (eta), basicity (B = [OH]/[Al]) and organic content (W(P)) on the flocculation performance as well as the mechanism of PAC-EPI-DMA flocculant were investigated. The eta was the key factor affecting the dye removal efficiency of PAC-EPI-DMA.

Lysophosphatidic acid level and the incidence of silent brain infarction in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), which is proposed to play an important role in normal physiological situations such as wound healing, vascular tone, vascular integrity and reproduction, may be involved in the etiology of some diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer, obesity or myocardial infarction. Abnormal findings, including silent brain infarction (SBI), are frequently observed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). However, whether there is a relationship between LPA level and the prevalence of SBI has not been extensively studied.

Activation of brain somatostatin 2 receptors stimulates feeding in mice: analysis of food intake microstructure.

We recently reported that the oligosomatostatin receptor agonist, ODT8-SST increases food intake in rats via the somatostatin 2 receptor (sst(2)). We characterized ingestive behavior following intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of a selective sst(2) agonist in freely fed mice during the light phase. The sst(2) agonist (0.

Feasibility and safety of transradial approach for catheter ablation of idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia.

Background: The feasibility and safety of the transradial approach for catheter ablation of idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia (ILVT) have not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and safety of transradial approach for catheter ablation in ILVT patients.

Methods: Thirty consecutive ILVT patients with negative Allen's test undergoing catheter ablation via transradial approach were enrolled to compare the safety and efficacy with 30 other ILVT patients who previously underwent catheter ablation via transfemoral approach.

Microwave ablation: results with double 915 MHz antennae in ex vivo bovine livers.

Purpose: To investigate the settings for the optimal microwave ablation geometry with the simultaneous application of double 915 MHz antennae in ex vivo bovine livers, so as to provide the technical basis for treating large liver tumor in one ablation session.

Materials And Methods: MWAs were performed on ex vivo bovine livers by simultaneously application of double 915 MHz internally cooled-shaft antennae. Four power settings (50, 60, 70 and 80 W) were used during MWAs, while application time was fixed at 10 min.

915MHz microwave ablation with implanted internal cooled-shaft antenna: initial experimental study in in vivo porcine livers.

Purpose: To explore a preferred power output for further clinical application based on the ablated lesions induced by the four power outputs of 915 MHz microwave in experimental study of in vivo porcine livers.

Materials And Methods: A KY 2000-915 microwave ablation system with an implanted 915 MHz internal cooled-shaft antenna was used in this study. A total of 24 ablations were performed in eight in vivo porcine livers.