Complete genome sequence of a variant porcine epidemic diarrhea virus strain isolated in China.

Since October 2010, an outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) has been observed in some provinces of China. Here we report the complete genome sequence of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) strain LC, which was recently isolated from sucking piglets that suffered from severe watery diarrhea in Guangdong. It will help in understanding the epidemiological and molecular characteristics of PEDV in China.

microRNA-450a targets DNA methyltransferase 3a in hepatocellular carcinoma.

microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proven to play key regulatory roles in hepatocarcinogenesis. In the present study, the possible role of microRNA-450a (miR-450a) in hepatocarcinogenesis was investigated. Our study revealed that miR-450a was significantly down-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues compared with that in normal liver (NL) and para-tumorous (PT) tissues, and miR-450a expression in HepG2 cells was significantly lower than that in L02 cells.

Isolation and characterization of a variant porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in China.

An outbreak of diarrhea in pigs started in Guangdong, South China in January 2011. Cases were characterized by watery diarrhea, dehydration and vomiting, with 80-100% morbidity and 50-90% mortality in suckling piglets. The causative agent of the diarrhea was ultimately identified as porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV).

Downregulation of indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase in cervical cancer cells suppresses tumor growth by promoting natural killer cell accumulation.

This study examined the role of the immunosuppressive enzyme indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in cervical cancer progression and the possible use of this enzyme for cervical cancer therapy. We analyzed IDO protein expression in 9 cervical cancer cell lines (SKG-I, -II, -IIIa, -IIIb, SiHa, CaSki, BOKU, HCS-2 and ME-180) stimulated with interferon-γ. IDO expression was observed in all cell lines except for SKG-IIIb.

[A preliminary report of apoA5 gene novel receptor-binding domain mutation in a patient with severe hypertriglyceridemia].

Objective: To find novel variants and explore potential mechanism of triglyceride metabolism by resequencing apoA5 gene in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia.

Methods: The apoA5 gene in the patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia were resequenced, who had been excluded with variants in LPL or apoCII. With constructed apoA5 cDNA expression vectors, transiently expression was observed in vitro and the protein expression was detected by Western blot and (35)S-labeled immunoprecipitation.

Photoluminescent silicon nanocrystal-based multifunctional carrier for pH-regulated drug delivery.

A core-shell structured multifunctional carrier with nanocrystalline silicon (ncSi) as the core and a water-soluble block copolymer as the shell based on a poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) inner shell and polyethylene glycol (MPEG) outer shell (ncSi-MPM) was synthesized for drug delivery. The morphology, composition, and properties of the resulting ncSi-MPM were determined by comprehensive multianalytical characterization, including (1)H NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, XPS spectroscopy, TEM, DLS, and fluorescence spectroscopy analyses. The size of the resulting ncSi-MPM nanocarriers ranged from 40 to 110 nm under a simulated physiological environment.

Complete genome sequence of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus strain QY2010 reveals a novel subgroup emerging in China.

QY2010 is a highly pathogenic North American-type porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). The complete genome sequence shows that QY2010 shares low sequence identity (60 to 88.7%) to all known PRRSV isolates.

Mutation-Screening in l-(+)-Lactic Acid Producing Strains by Ion Implantation.

In this paper, in order to obtain some industrial strains with high yield of l-(+)-lactic acid, the wild type strain Lactobacillus casei CICC6028 was mutated by nitrogen ions implantation. By study, it was found that the high positive mutation rate was obtained when the output power was 10 keV and the dose of N(+) implantation was 50 × 2.6 × 10(13) ions/cm(2).

Variant brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism alters vulnerability to stress and response to antidepressants.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays important roles in cell survival, neural plasticity, learning, and stress regulation. However, whether the recently found human BDNF Val66Met (BDNF(Met)) polymorphism could alter stress vulnerability remains controversial. More importantly, the molecular and structural mechanisms underlying the interaction between the BDNF(Met) polymorphism and stress are unclear.

Potential relationship among three antioxidant enzymes in eliminating hydrogen peroxide in penaeid shrimp.

Antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and peroxiredoxin (Prx), are essential components in cells to eliminate excessive reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)). GPx, CAT, and Prx genes have been reported in penaeid shrimp, and they showed different expression profiles at transcription or protein level when shrimps were challenged by microbes. In order to learn the relationship among the above three genes in their function, GPx, CAT, and Prx transcripts were analyzed, and the variation of GPx and CAT enzyme activity was detected when shrimp was injected with H(2)O(2) or one antioxidant enzyme gene was silenced in shrimp by double-strand RNA injection.

Cetuximab inhibits the growth of mucinous ovarian carcinoma tumor cells lacking KRAS gene mutations.

The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility of targeted molecular therapy with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) antibody (cetuximab) for the treatment of mucinous ovarian carcinoma. We analyzed EGFR protein expression and KRAS gene mutations in 5 mucinous ovarian carcinoma cell lines RMUG-L, RMUG-S, MN-1, OMC-1 and MCAS and evaluated the in vitro and in vivo effects of cetuximab on each. EGFR expression was observed in all cell lines except for MN-1 cells, and a KRAS gene mutation at codon 12 was detected only in the MCAS cell line.

Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase, an immunosuppressive enzyme that inhibits natural killer cell function, as a useful target for ovarian cancer therapy.

This study examined the role of the immuno-suppressive enzyme indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in ovarian cancer progression, and the possible application of this enzyme as a target for ovarian cancer therapy. We transfected a short hairpin RNA vector targeting IDO into the human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3, that constitutively expresses IDO and established an IDO downregulated cell line (SKOV-3/shIDO) to determine whether inhibition of IDO mediates the progression of ovarian cancer. IDO downregulation suppressed tumor growth and peritoneal dissemination in vivo, without influencing cancer cell growth.

Downregulating hypoxia-inducible factor-2α improves the efficacy of doxorubicin in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The hypoxic microenvironment inside solid tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a major cause of tumor resistance to chemotherapy. The recently identified hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-2 executes the hypoxia response. Its expression feature and transcriptional targets indicate a possible dominance of HIF-2 in regulating genes in HCC.

Antitussive, expectorant and anti-inflammatory activities of four alkaloids isolated from Bulbus of Fritillaria wabuensis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Bulbus Fritillaria Cirrhosae (BFC), known by the Chinese name "Chuan-Bei-Mu", is used as an antitussive, antiasthmatic and expectorant drug for more than 2000 years in China, and Bulbus of Fritillaria wabuensis S. Y. Tang & S.

Microproteomic analysis of 10,000 laser captured microdissected breast tumor cells using short-range sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and porous layer open tubular liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Precise proteomic profiling of limited levels of disease tissue represents an extremely challenging task. Here, we present an effective and reproducible microproteomic workflow for sample sizes of only 10,000 cells that integrates selective sample procurement via laser capture microdissection (LCM), sample clean-up and protein level fractionation using short-range SDS-PAGE, followed by ultrasensitive LC-MS/MS analysis using a 10 μm i.d.

Antitussive, expectorant and anti-inflammatory alkaloids from Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae.

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the antitussive, expectorant and anti-inflammatory effects of alkaloids imperialine (I), chuanbeinone (II), verticinone (III), and verticine (IV), which were isolated from the Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae (BFC) using phytochemical method. The results showed that all the alkaloids significantly inhibited cough frequency and increased latent period of cough in mice induced by ammonia. Besides, imperialine(I), verticinone(III) and verticine(IV) markedly enhanced mice's tracheal phenol red output in expectorant evaluation, and imperialine(I), chuanbeinone(II) significantly inhibited the development of ear edema in a dose-dependent manner in anti-inflammatory assessment.

[Role of microRNA-223 and its target gene oncogene c-myc in hepatocellular carcinoma pathogenesis].

To investigate the regulatory role of microRNA-223 (miR-223) on c-myc and its role in hepatocarcinogenesis. miR-223 and c-myc mRNA expressions in normal tissue, paraneoplastic tissue, liver cancer tissue and liver cancer cells were tested with microRNA microarray and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). C-myc protein expression was detected by Western blot.

Ultrasensitive characterization of site-specific glycosylation of affinity-purified haptoglobin from lung cancer patient plasma using 10 μm i.d. porous layer open tubular liquid chromatography-linear ion trap collision-induced dissociation/electron transfer dissociation mass spectrometry.

Site-specific analysis of protein glycosylation is important for biochemical and clinical research efforts. Glycopeptide analysis using liquid chromatography-collision-induced dissociation/electron transfer dissociation mass spectrometry (LC-CID/ETD-MS) allows simultaneous characterization of the glycan structure and attached peptide site. However, due to the low ionization efficiency of glycopeptides during electrospray ionization, 200-500 fmol of sample per injection is needed for a single LC-MS run, which makes it challenging for the analysis of limited amounts of glycoprotein purified from biological matrixes.

Region-specific involvement of BDNF secretion and synthesis in conditioned taste aversion memory formation.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor, tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB), play a critical role in activity-dependent plasticity processes such as long-term potentiation, learning, and memory. It has been shown that BDNF exerts different or even opposite effects on behavior depending on the neural circuit. However, the detailed role of BDNF in memory process on the basis of its location has not been fully understood.

Association of β-catenin, Wnt1, Smad4, Hoxa9, and Bmi-1 with the prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

In our previous study, Human Signal Transduction in Cancer Gene Array was used in 12 fresh tumor samples to detect the gene expression profiles in the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues matched adjacent non-cancerous samples. Among genes up-regulated at least twofold, β-catenin, Wnt1, Smad4, Hoxa9, and Bmi-1 were found. So subsequently, the aim of this study was to investigate the prognosis and clinicopathologic roles of β-catenin, Wnt1, Smad4, Hoxa9, and Bmi-1 in ESCC tissue.

Thermoreversible hydrogel for in situ generation and release of HepG2 spheroids.

Organ printing is an alternative to the classic scaffold-based tissue engineering approach in which functional living macrotissues and organ constructs are fabricated by assembly of the building blocks: microtissue spheroids. However, the method for scalable fabrication of cell spheroids does not exist yet. We propose here that it may be a suitable one to generate cell spheroids in thermoreversible hydrogel scaffold, followed by liquefying the scaffold and releasing the generated spheroids.

[Studies on the chemical constituents from pine needles of Cedrus deodara (II)].

Objective: To study the chemical constituents from pine needles of Cedrus deodara.

Methods: Chemical constituents were isolated from 95% ethanol extract by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. The structures were elucidated through spectroscopic analysis.

[A prospective comparison between surgery alone and postoperative chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the role of postoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) as a multimodality treatment option for locally advanced thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by a prospective comparison between surgery alone and postoperative CRT.

Methods: Using preoperative computed tomography (CT)-based staging criteria, 158 patients with ESCC (stage II-III) were enrolled in this prospective study. With informed consent, the patients were randomized into two groups: postoperative CRT (78 cases) and surgery alone (S, 80 cases).

[The enhancement of electric field distribution in one-dimensional metallic-dielectric photonic crystals].

The authors theoretically study the transmission properties and electric filed distribution in one-dimensional metallic-dielectric photonic crystals with the transfer matrix method. The results show that the physical properties can be improved considerably after the introduction of antireflection layer and optimizing structural parameters, e. g.

[Study on the chemical constituents from pine needles of Cedrus deodara].

Objective: To study the chemical constituents from pine needles of Cedrus deodara.

Methods: Chemical constituents were isolated by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated through spectroscopic analysis.