Effects of celecoxib on proliferation and tenocytic differentiation of tendon-derived stem cells.

NSAIDs are often ingested to reduce the pain and improve regeneration of tendon after tendon injury. Although the effects of NSAIDs in tendon healing have been reported, the data and conclusions are not consistent. Recently, tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs) have been isolated from tendon tissues and has been suggested involved in tendon repair.

An elastic rod model to evaluate effects of ionic concentration on equilibrium configuration of DNA in salt solution.

As a coarse-gained model, a super-thin elastic rod subjected to interfacial interactions is used to investigate the condensation of DNA in a multivalent salt solution. The interfacial traction between the rod and the solution environment is determined in terms of the Young-Laplace equation. Kirchhoff's theory of elastic rod is used to analyze the equilibrium configuration of a DNA chain under the action of the interfacial traction.

Structural and functional characterization of a TGFβ molecule from amphioxus reveals an ancient origin of both immune-enhancing and -inhibitory functions.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) is a pleiotropic cytokine with important roles in mediating inflammatory response. TGFβ has been shown to be widely present in invertebrates, but little is known about its functions in immune and inflammatory responses. Moreover, structural and functional insights into TGFβ molecules in invertebrates remain completely lacking.

Elementary process for CVD graphene on Cu(110): size-selective carbon clusters.

Revealing the graphene growth mechanism at the atomic-scale is of great importance for achieving high quality graphene. However, the lack of direct experimental observation and density functional theory (DFT) verification hinders a comprehensive understanding of the structure of the carbon clusters and evolution of the graphene growth on surface. Here, we report an in-situ low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM) study of the elementary process of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) graphene growth via thermal decomposition of methane on Cu(110), including the formation of monodispersed carbon clusters at the initial stage, the graphene nucleation and the ripening of graphene islands to form continuous graphene film.

Dipyrithione induces cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in four cancer cell lines in vitro and inhibits tumor growth in a mouse model.

Background: Dipyrithione (PTS2) is widely used as a bactericide and fungicide. Here, we investigated whether PTS2 has broad-spectrum antitumor activity by studying its cytotoxicity and proapoptotic effects in four cancer cell lines.

Methods: We used MTT assays and trypan blue staining to test the viability of cancer cell lines.

Lipopolysaccharide neutralization by a novel peptide derived from phosvitin.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), also known as endotoxin, is the primary trigger of sepsis, which is associated with high mortality in patients. No therapeutic agents are currently efficacious enough to protect patients from sepsis characterized by LPS-mediated tissue damage and organ failure. Previously, a phosvitin-derived peptide, Pt5, which consists of the C-terminal 55 residues of zebrafish phosvitin, has been shown to function as an antibacterial agent.

A microstructural study of individual nacre tablet of Pinctada maxima.

Nacre tablets from the shell of Pinctada maxima were studied with SEM, TEM and STEM. The systematic nanolath morphology on the (001) surface of nacre tablets was observed after acidic etching and mechanical polishing. The nanolaths were along the [100] crystallographic orientation of aragonite crystal.

Triterpene saponins from Tabellae Clinopodii.

Three new triterpene saponins, named Clinoposaponin A, Clinoposaponin B, and Clinoposaponin C along with three known triterpene saponins were isolated from the Tabellae Clinopodii. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by means of various spectroscopic analyses. All of the isolated compounds were tested against Hela, HCT-8, AGS, and MCF-7 human cancer cell lines and showed moderate cytotoxic activities with IC₅₀ values between 4.

Charge transfer and current fluctuations in single layer graphene transistors modified by self-assembled C60 adlayers.

Flicker noise in a "fullerene + graphene" hybrid transistor is investigated to reveal the electrical coupling between the graphene channel and C60 adsorbates. The charge trapping and detrapping events at the C60 /graphene interface induce current fluctuations in the devices. The evolution of noise characteristics at varying temperatures indicates the different contributions related to Coulomb scattering and charge exchange kinetics.

Using mathematical algorithms to modify glomerular filtration rate estimation equations.

Background: The equations provide a rapid and low-cost method of evaluating glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Previous studies indicated that the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD), Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology (CKD-EPI) and MacIsaac equations need further modification for application in Chinese population. Thus, this study was designed to modify the three equations, and compare the diagnostic accuracy of the equations modified before and after.

High-Pressure Phase Favored by a Symmetry-Recognized Nanoconfinement Effect.

Recently, a high-pressure phase (B2) of KI has been experimentally observed in the inner space of single-walled carbon nanotubes. Our first-principles calculations indicate that in a confined nanospace, relative stabilities of the high-pressure B2 phase and the low-pressure B1 phase of KI are not necessarily determined by their external pressures. As a result of crystal symmetry differences, different phases are preferred at different K/I ratios.

Therapeutic time window of hypothermia is broader than cerebral artery flushing in carotid saline infusion after transient focal ischemic stroke in rats.

Object: Intracarotid cold saline infusion (ICSI) protects against ischemic stroke not only due to the resulting hypothermia, but also as a result of the cerebral artery flushing. To assess the relative benefit of hypothermia and cerebral artery flushing in neuroprotection, hypothermic and normothermic saline infusions were administrated over a serial time points after the initiation of reperfusion in a rat ischemia model.

Methods: Ischemic strokes were induced in Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 115) by occluding the middle cerebral artery for 2 hours using an intraluminal filament.

[Risk factors analysis of outcomes for patients with primary pontine hemorrhage].

Objective: To evaluate the risk factors of prognosis in patients with primary pontine hemorrhage.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from 60 patients admitted with a diagnosis of primary pontine hemorrhage to the Department of Neurology of Nanfang Hospital in Guangzhou City. Patients were classified as survivors (n=34) and non-survivors (n=26) according to their outcomes on 30 days from the onset of symptoms.

Intra-carotid cold magnesium sulfate infusion induces selective cerebral hypothermia and neuroprotection in rats with transient middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Local hypothermia induced by intra-arterial infusion of cold saline reduces brain injury in ischemic stroke. Administration of magnesium sulfate through the internal carotid artery is also known to reduce ischemic brain damage. The neuroprotective effects of combination therapy with local endovascular hypothermia and intra-carotid magnesium sulfate infusion has not been evaluated.

Nanoscale charge distribution and energy band modification in defect-patterned graphene.

Defects were introduced precisely to exfoliated graphene (G) sheets on a SiO(2)/n(+) Si substrate to modulate the local energy band structure and the electron pathway using solution-phase oxidation followed by thermal reduction. The resulting nanoscale charge distribution and band gap modification were investigated by electrostatic force microscopy and spectroscopy. A transition phase with coexisting submicron-sized metallic and insulating regions in the moderately oxidized monolayer graphene were visualized and measured directly.

Determination of relative binding affinities of labeling molecules with amino acids by using scanning tunneling microscopy.

The binding behaviour of labeling molecule copper phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate sodium (PcCu(SO(3)Na)(4)) on the assemblies of representative polyamino acids has been studied by using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). By directly visualizing the adsorption and distribution of the labeling species on the peptide assemblies in STM images, one could obtain relative binding affinities of the labeling molecule with different amino acid residues.

A uniform framework for estimating illumination chromaticity, correspondence, and specular reflection.

Based upon a new correspondence matching invariant called illumination chromaticity constancy, we present a new solution for illumination chromaticity estimation, correspondence searching, and specularity removal. Using as few as two images, the core of our method is the computation of a vote distribution for a number of illumination chromaticity hypotheses via correspondence matching. The hypothesis with the highest vote is accepted as correct.

Control of carrier type and density in exfoliated graphene by interface engineering.

Air-stable, n-doped or p-doped graphene sheets on a chip were achieved by modifying the substrates with self-assembled layers of silane and polymer. The interfacial effects on the electronic properties of graphene were investigated using micro-Raman and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Raman studies demonstrated that the phonon vibrations were sensitive to the doping level of graphene on the various substrates.

Microreactor of Pd nanoparticles immobilized hollow microspheres for catalytic hydrodechlorination of chlorophenols in water.

A microreactor of Pd nanoparticles immobilized shell-corona hollow microspheres of poly[styrene-co-2-(acetoacetoxy) ethyl methacrylate-co-acrylamide] has been designed for catalytic hydrodechlorination (HDC) of chlorophenols in the sole solvent of water. The strategy of the combined use of the shell-corona hollow microspheres as microcapsule and catalyst scaffold endues the microreactor several advantages. First, the microreactor can be dispersed in the sole solvent of water and acts as a quasi-homogeneous catalyst for catalytic HDC of chlorophenols.

[Gefitinib improves insulin sensitivity in Wistar diabetes rats models].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Gefitinib on insulin sensitivity in rats of type-2 diabetes and its mechanism.

Methods: Normal Wistar rats were fed with high sucrose-fat diet for 1 month and then injected intraperitoneally with streptozotocin (STZ). The rats satisfying the definity of type-2 diabetes were divided into 3 groups and given control solution (0.