Frequency and reactivity of antigen-specific T cells were concurrently measured through the combination of artificial antigen-presenting cell, MACS and ELISPOT.

Conventional peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) multimer staining, intracellular cytokine staining, and enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay cannot concurrently determine the frequency and reactivity of antigen-specific T cells (AST) in a single assay. In this report, pMHC multimer, magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS), and ELISPOT techniques have been integrated into a micro well by coupling pMHC multimers onto cell-sized magnetic beads to characterize AST cell populations in a 96-well microplate which pre-coated with cytokine-capture antibodies. This method, termed AAPC-microplate, allows the enumeration and local cytokine production of AST cells in a single assay without using flow cytometry or fluorescence intensity scanning, thus will be widely applicable.

Levels and spatial distributions of levoglucosan and dissolved organic carbon in snowpits over the Tibetan Plateau glaciers.

In this study, we collected 60 snowpit samples in nine glaciers from the northern to the southern Tibetan Plateau (TP), to study the levels and spatial distributions of levoglucosan and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The lowest concentration of levoglucosan was found in the Yuzhufeng (YZF) glacier with a mean value of 0.24±0.

Inconsistence between number and function of autoreactive T cells in the course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Background: Mouse experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is widely used model of multiple sclerosis (MS). The role of autoreactive CD4 and CD8 T cells in the development of mouse EAE has been demonstrated. However, little information is available about the relation between the frequency and reactivity of myelin antigen-reactive CD4 and CD8 T cells in secondary lymphoid organs and their relevance with the inflammation and pathological lesion of CNS during the course of EAE mouse model.

[Clinical experience of combined laparoscopic-endoscopic Heller myotomy and modified Dor fundoplication for cardiochalasia].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of combined laparoscopic-endoscopic lower esophageal sphincterotomy and modified Dor fundoplication for cardiochalasia patients.

Methods: Clinical data of 11 cardiochalasia patients who underwent combined laparoscopic-endoscopic lower esophageal sphincterotomy and modified Dor fundoplication by the same medical team from January 2015 to December 2016 at The Second Hospital of Jilin University were retrospectively analyzed. The procedure was as follows: an incision was made in the anterior wall of esophagus and dissection of esophageal muscular layer was performed, then the bulged esophageal mucosa was covered by the fundus after 180 degrees fold to the right (fundoplication), finally the gastric fundus was joined to the right diaphragmatic foot by 3 to 5 knotted suture.

Expression and purification of norovirus virus like particles in Escherichia coli and their immunogenicity in mice.

Norovirus (NoV) virus like particles (VLPs) produced in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells have been tested in human volunteers as vaccine candidate and were shown to be protective against NoV induced acute gastroenteritis. In this study, prevailing Sydney-2012-like NoV major capsid protein gene with or without N-terminal deletions (N26 and N38, 26 and 38 amino acids deleted from N terminus，respectively) were sub-cloned into prokaryotic expression vector, pCold III and pCold IV. Soluble and insoluble proteins were detected for both vectors after induction and higher levels of protein expression were observed for constructs pCold III-N26 and pCold III-N38.

An Antigen-Presenting and Apoptosis-Inducing Polymer Microparticle Prolongs Alloskin Graft Survival by Selectively and Markedly Depleting Alloreactive CD8 T Cells.

Selectively depleting the pathogenic T cells is a fundamental strategy for the treatment of allograft rejection and autoimmune disease since it retains the overall immune function of host. The concept of killer artificial antigen-presenting cells (KaAPCs) has been developed by co-coupling peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) multimer and anti-Fas monoclonal antibody (mAb) onto the polymeric microparticles (MPs) to induce the apoptosis of antigen-specific T cells. But little information is available about its therapeutic potential and mechanism.

Paracrine release of IL-2 and anti-CTLA-4 enhances the ability of artificial polymer antigen-presenting cells to expand antigen-specific T cells and inhibit tumor growth in a mouse model.

Accumulating evidence indicates that bead-based artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPCs) are a powerful tool to induce antigen-specific T cell responses in vitro and in vivo. To date, most conventional aAPCs have been generated by coupling an antigen signal (signal 1) and one or two costimulatory signals, such as anti-CD28 with anti-LFA1 or anti-4-1BB (signal 2), onto the surfaces of cell-sized or nanoscale magnetic beads or polyester latex beads. The development of a biodegradable scaffold and the combined use of multiple costimulatory signals as well as third signals for putative clinical applications is the next step in the development of this technology.

[Silencing of PKG1 expression enhances the efficacy of vemurafenib against melanoma cell].

Objective: To explore whether targeting phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) can enhance the sensitivity of BRAF mutation melanoma cells to vemurafenib.

Methods: The methods of cell biology, molecular biology and pharmacology(MTT assay, Western blot, FCM, Colongenic assay) were used in this study.

Results: ① Silencing of PGK1 expression increased the efficacy of vemurafenib in melanoma cells, as evidenced by greater killing in the tumor cells subjected to combined treatment of vemurafenib with siPGK1; ②The mechanism of enhanced sensitivity of melanoma cells to vemurafenib was associated with activation of apoptotic signaling pathway.

Reassessment of Acute Kidney Injury after Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Study.

Objective To evaluate the incidence, risk, or protective factors of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients after cardiac surgery based on the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Methods A retrospective analysis of 2,575 patients undergoing their first documented cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was conducted. Perioperative variables were collected and analyzed.

Albuminuria is an independent risk factor of T4 elevation in chronic kidney disease.

This study was to explore the association between thyroid dysfunction and albuminuria. 581 cases with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were included in this study. The clinical characteristics consisted of sex, age, serum creatinine, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), thyroid function were recorded.

Role of miR-223/paired box 6 signaling in temozolomide chemoresistance in glioblastoma multiforme cells.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the predominant and most fatal type of brain tumor in adults. The prognosis of GBM remains poor despite advances in surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. It is common that patients with GBM exhibit innate or acquired resistance to temozolomide (TMZ), a standard chemotherapeutic agent for GBM, and a previous report demonstrated that miRNA‑233 (miR‑223) promotes the growth and invasion of GBM cells by targeting tumor suppressor paired box 6 (PAX6).

Prediction and evaluation of the lipase inhibitory activities of tea polyphenols with 3D-QSAR models.

The extraordinary hypolipidemic effects of polyphenolic compounds from tea have been confirmed in our previous study. To gain compounds with more potent activities, using the conformations of the most active compound revealed by molecular docking, a 3D-QSAR pancreatic lipase inhibitor model with good predictive ability was established and validated by CoMFA and CoMISA methods. With good statistical significance in CoMFA (r = 0.

Chimeric VLPs with GII.3 P2 domain in a backbone of GII.4 VP1 confers novel HBGA binding ability.

Noroviruses (NoVs) are a leading cause of non-bacterial acute gastroenteritis worldwide. The prevalence of Genogroup II, genotype 3 (GII.3) NoVs is secondary to the epidemic GII.

A Memory of Majorana Modes through Quantum Quench.

We study the sudden quench of a one-dimensional p-wave superconductor through its topological signature in the entanglement spectrum. We show that the long-time evolution of the system and its topological characterization depend on a pseudomagnetic field Reff(k). Furthermore, Reff(k) connects both the initial and the final Hamiltonians, hence exhibiting a memory effect.

High-level expression and characterization of the Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis str. BSP1 YwaD aminopeptidase in Pichia pastoris.

Aminopeptidases are widely used for creating protein hydrolysates and peptide sequencing. The ywaD gene from a new Bacillus isolate, named Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis str.

Ulinastatin administration is associated with a lower incidence of acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery: a propensity score matched study.

Background: Systemic inflammation is involved in the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Ulinastatin, a urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI), possesses a variety of anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, we hypothesized that the administration of ulinastatin would reduce the occurrence of AKI in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB.

Abnormal O-GlcNAcylation of Pax3 Occurring from Hyperglycemia-Induced Neural Tube Defects Is Ameliorated by Carnosine But Not Folic Acid in Chicken Embryos.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are among the most common of the embryonic abnormalities associated with hyperglycemic gestation. In this study, the molecular mechanisms of embryonic neurogenesis influenced by hyperglycemia was investigated using chicken embryo models. High-concentration glucose was administered into chicken eggs and resulted in increased plasma and brain tissue glucose, and suppressed expression of glucose transporters (GLUTs).

MicroRNA-663 inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion of glioblastoma cells via targeting TGF-β1.

Cell migration and invasion are key processes involved during tumor metastasis. Recently, microRNAs (miRs) have been demonstrated to play important roles in the regulation of cancer metastasis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown.

Source appointment of fine particle number and volume concentration during severe haze pollution in Beijing in January 2013.

Extreme haze episodes repeatedly shrouded Beijing during the winter of 2012-2013, causing major environmental and health problems. To better understand these extreme events, particle number size distribution (PNSD) and particle chemical composition (PCC) data collected in an intensive winter campaign in an urban site of Beijing were used to investigate the sources of ambient fine particles. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis resolved a total of eight factors: two traffic factors, combustion factors, secondary aerosol, two accumulation mode aerosol factors, road dust, and long-range transported (LRT) dust.

Concurrent radiotherapy with oral fluoropyrimidine versus gemcitabine in locally advanced pancreatic cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Gemcitabine (GEM) is the most widely utilized systemic agent in combination with radiation therapy (RT) for treating locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) in the concurrent setting. Despite recent interest in using two novel oral fluoropyrimidines (FUs), capecitabine and S-1, in this setting, there is a lack of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to support this approach.

Methods: Trials published between 1994 and 2014 were identified by an electronic search of public databases (Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library).

Biological and immunological characterization of norovirus major capsid proteins from three different genotypes.

Noroviruses (NoVs) are the leading cause of non-bacterial acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Due to a lack of cell culture system and animal model, our understanding of NoVs has been lagging behind. In this study, NoV major capsid proteins (VP1) from three different genotypes (GI.

CD24 promotes HCC progression via triggering Notch-related EMT and modulation of tumor microenvironment.

CD24 is known as a cell surface molecule in hematopoiesis and also described as a diagnostic marker for tumors. Previous studies suggested the important role of CD24 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) pathogenesis. However, precise functions of CD24 in HCC are still unknown.

Prevailing Sydney like Norovirus GII.4 VLPs induce systemic and mucosal immune responses in mice.

The newly emerged Norovirus (NoV) Sydney 2012 strain has been sweeping all over the world, causing acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis in adults and children. Due to a lack of cell culture system, virus like particles (VLPs) has been assembled and used as vaccine candidates in preclinical and clinical studies. Expression of the major capsid protein of NoVs using recombinant baculovirus expression system in Sf9 cells leads to formation of VLPs that are morphologically and antigenically similar to true virions.