Combinational concentration gradient confinement through stagnation flow.

Concentration gradient generation in microfluidics is typically constrained by two conflicting mass transport requirements: short characteristic times (τ) for precise temporal control of concentration gradients but at the expense of high flow rates and hence, high flow shear stresses (σ). To decouple the limitations from these parameters, here we propose the use of stagnation flows to confine concentration gradients within large velocity gradients that surround the stagnation point. We developed a modified cross-slot (MCS) device capable of feeding binary and combinational concentration sources in stagnation flows.

The Relationship Between the Adverse Events and Efficacy of Sorafenib in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Study from Northwest China.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the relationship between the adverse events and efficacy of sorafenib in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), with a purpose to guide the judgment of efficacy in sorafenib treatment.Eighty-three mRCC patients who received sorafenib therapy at northwest China were studied retrospectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to correlate tumor response, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) with adverse event types and grades.

Site-specific proteasome phosphorylation controls cell proliferation and tumorigenesis.

Despite the fundamental importance of proteasomal degradation in cells, little is known about whether and how the 26S proteasome itself is regulated in coordination with various physiological processes. Here we show that the proteasome is dynamically phosphorylated during the cell cycle at Thr 25 of the 19S subunit Rpt3. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing, RNA interference and biochemical studies demonstrate that blocking Rpt3-Thr25 phosphorylation markedly impairs proteasome activity and impedes cell proliferation.

Evaluation of the Genetic Basis of Familial Aggregation of Pacemaker Implantation by a Large Next Generation Sequencing Panel.

Background: The etiology of conduction disturbances necessitating permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation is often unknown, although familial aggregation of PPM (faPPM) suggests a possible genetic basis. We developed a pan-cardiovascular next generation sequencing (NGS) panel to genetically characterize a selected cohort of faPPM.

Materials And Methods: We designed and validated a custom NGS panel targeting the coding and splicing regions of 246 genes with involvement in cardiac pathogenicity.

Prognostic significance of peripheral monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells and monocytes in patients newly diagnosed with diffuse large b-cell lymphoma.

Objective: The revised International Prognostic Index (R-IPI) aids in predicting the prognosis of patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), but R-IPI yields no significant differences in assessing different subtypes of DLBCL. It is necessary to identify patients with a high-risk of DLBCL and alternative therapy should be delivered as early as possible.

Methods: In total, 144 patients newly diagnosed with DLBCL including 63 GCB-DLBCL and 81 non-GCB-DLBCL and 30 healthy controls were enrolled.

Aerobic debromination of BDE-209 by Rhodococcus sp. coupled with zerovalent iron/activated carbon.

In this study, an aerobic strain identified as Rhodococcus sp. was isolated from the sediment of a typical electronic waste disassemble site, Taizhou, China. This strain could use BDE-209 as the sole carbon and energy source and degrade 65.

Microfluidic size separation of cells and particles using a swinging bucket centrifuge.

Biomolecular separation is crucial for downstream analysis. Separation technique mainly relies on centrifugal sedimentation. However, minuscule sample volume separation and extraction is difficult with conventional centrifuge.

The effects of preconception examinations on neural tube defects and the primary preventive measures: case-control study.

Background: Preventive measures for neural tube defects (NTDs) have been recommended for many years in China, but the compliance with these measures is unsatisfactory. This study aims to analyze the effects of preconception examinations on NTDs and its primary preventive measures.

Methods: A 1:1 hospital-based case-control study was conducted.

Down-regulation of uterine LIF expression induced by the hormonal level disorder causes embryo implantation loss after mice exposed to carbon disulfide at peri-implantation.

Carbon disulfide (CS2) exposure can cause embryo implantation loss but the mechanism remains unclear. Earlier study revealed that the 4th day of gestation (GD4) and GD5 were the most sensitive exposure time on which the number of implanted embryos decreased obviously in mice. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) in maternal uterine tissue is involved in embryo implantation, which is produced by endometrium and Th2 cells that participate in cellular adhesion of maternal-fetal interface.

The Cardioprotective Effect of Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol) Is Strongly Related to Age and Gender in Mice.

Vitamin E (VitE) only prevented cardiovascular diseases in some patients and the mechanisms remain unknown. VitE levels can be affected by aging and gender. We hypothesize that age and gender can influence VitE's cardioprotective effect.

Protective Effects of KH-204 in the Bladder of Androgen-Deprived Rats.

Purpose: We investigated the protective effects of the herbal formulation KH-204 in the bladder of androgen-deprived rats.

Materials And Methods: Male rats aged eight weeks were randomly divided into four groups, containing eight rats each: sham operation only (normal control group), androgen-deprived only (androgen-deprived control group), and androgen-deprived followed by treatment with 200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg of KH-204. After 0.

A lab-on-a-chip system integrating tissue sample preparation and multiplex RT-qPCR for gene expression analysis in point-of-care hepatotoxicity assessment.

A truly practical lab-on-a-chip (LOC) system for point-of-care testing (POCT) hepatotoxicity assessment necessitates the embodiment of full-automation, ease-of-use and "sample-in-answer-out" diagnostic capabilities. To date, the reported microfluidic devices for POCT hepatotoxicity assessment remain rudimentary as they largely embody only semi-quantitative or single sample/gene detection capabilities. In this paper, we describe, for the first time, an integrated LOC system that is somewhat close to a practical POCT hepatotoxicity assessment device - it embodies both tissue sample preparation and multiplex real-time RT-PCR.

Periconceptional folic acid fortification for the risk of gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia: a meta-analysis of prospective studies.

Published literatures report controversial results about the association of folic acid-containing multivitamins with gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia. A comprehensive search was performed to identify related prospective studies to assess the effect of folic acid fortification on gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia. The Q test and I(2) statistic were used to examine between-study heterogeneity.

Genome-Wide Mapping and Interrogation of the Nmp4 Antianabolic Bone Axis.

PTH is an osteoanabolic for treating osteoporosis but its potency wanes. Disabling the transcription factor nuclear matrix protein 4 (Nmp4) in healthy, ovary-intact mice enhances bone response to PTH and bone morphogenetic protein 2 and protects from unloading-induced osteopenia. These Nmp4(-/-) mice exhibit expanded bone marrow populations of osteoprogenitors and supporting CD8(+) T cells.

Intermittent hormone therapy versus continuous hormone therapy for locally advanced prostate cancer: a meta-analysis.

Few randomized studies have compared intermittent hormone therapy (IHT) with continuous hormone therapy (CHT) for the treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer (PCa). Here, we report the results of a meta-analysis of a randomized controlled trial, evaluating the effectiveness of IHT versus CHT for patients with locally advanced PCa. Types of intervention were IHT versus CHT.

Detrimental effects of postnatal exposure to propofol on memory and hippocampal LTP in mice.

Acute effects of propofol on memory and hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) in adult animals were reported. However, long-term effect of early postnatal application of propofol on memory was not totally disclosed. In this study, experiments were designed to verify the mechanisms underlying the long-term detrimental effects of propofol on memory and hippocampal synaptic plasticity.

Circulating microparticles from patients with valvular heart disease and cardiac surgery inhibit endothelium-dependent vasodilation.

Objective: Vascular function is very important for maintaining circulation after cardiac surgery. Circulating microparticles (MPs) generated in various diseases play important roles in causing inflammation, coagulation, and vascular injury. However, the impact of MPs generated from patients who have valvular heart disease (VHD), before and after cardiac surgery, on vascular function remains unknown.

Association between p53 Arg72Pro polymorphism and recurrent pregnancy loss: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

The p53 tumour suppressor gene plays an important role in angiogenesis and apoptosis. The association between Arg72Pro polymorphism and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) has been studied but with inconsistent results. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine whether p53 Arg72Pro polymorphism is a risk factor for RPL.

Diversity and functions of bacterial community in drinking water biofilms revealed by high-throughput sequencing.

The development of biofilms in drinking water (DW) systems may cause various problems to water quality. To investigate the community structure of biofilms on different pipe materials and the global/specific metabolic functions of DW biofilms, PCR-based 454 pyrosequencing data for 16S rRNA genes and Illumina metagenomic data were generated and analysed. Considerable differences in bacterial diversity and taxonomic structure were identified between biofilms formed on stainless steel and biofilms formed on plastics, indicating that the metallic materials facilitate the formation of higher diversity biofilms.

DNA repair genes XRCC1 and ERCC1 polymorphisms and the risk of sporadic breast cancer in Han women in the Gansu Province of China.

Aims: Polymorphisms in DNA damage repair genes may affect DNA repair capacity and modulate breast cancer susceptibility. In this study, we aimed to analyze two polymorphisms for each of the DNA repair genes X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) rs25487 and rs1799782 and excision repair cross-complementing group 1 (ERCC1) rs3212964 and rs11615, to evaluate their associations with the risk of sporadic breast cancer in Han women in the Gansu Province of China.

Methods: Genotypes were determined by a polymerase chain reaction-based approach for 101 patients with breast cancer and in 101 disease-free controls.

Understanding device-structure-induced variations in open-circuit voltage for organic photovoltaics.

We investigate the structural influences on the device performance, especially on open-circuit voltage (V(OC)) in squaraine (SQ)/fullerene (C60) bilayer cells. Simply changing the SQ thickness could lead to 40% variation in V(OC) from 0.62 to 0.