Long non-coding RNA VPS9D1-AS1 enhances proliferation, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in endometrial cancer via miR-377-3p/SGK1.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is a kind of gynecologic malignancy with a rising incidence rate. This study aimed to explore the role of VPS9D1 antisense RNA1 (VPS9D1-AS1) in EC. The expression of VPS9D1-AS1, microRNA (miR)-377-3p, and serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) was detected by Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR).

Shenmai Injection Improves Hypertensive Heart Failure by Inhibiting Myocardial Fibrosis via TGF-β 1/Smad Pathway Regulation.

Objective: To study effects of Shenmai Injection on hypertensive heart failure and its mechanism for inhibiting myocardial fibrosis.

Methods: Salt-sensitive (Dahl/SS) rats were fed with normal diet (0.3% NaCl) and the high-salt diet (8% NaCl) to observe the changes in blood pressure and heart function, as the control group and the model group.

Relationship between the benefits of paraspinal mapping and diffusion tensor imaging and the increase of decompression levels determined by conventional magnetic resonance imaging in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.

Background: In lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), at most times, several levels are impaired and selecting the correct level remains a common problem for surgeons, as surgery remains invasive, and extended laminectomy may lead to secondary surgical complications. Therefore, helping to select the correct level may be useful for surgeons. The use of diffuse tensor imaging (DTI) and paraspinal mapping (PM) in addition to conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be helpful (Chen et al.

Differentiating between malignant and benign solid solitary pulmonary lesions: are intravoxel incoherent motion and diffusion kurtosis imaging superior to conventional diffusion-weighted imaging?

Objective: To quantitatively compare the diagnostic values of various diffusion parameters obtained from mono- and biexponential diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) models and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in differentiating between benign and malignant solitary pulmonary lesions (SPLs).

Methods: Multiple b-value DWIs and DKIs were performed in 89 patients with SPL by using a 3-T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging unit. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of various b-value sets, true diffusivity (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion fraction (f), apparent diffusional kurtosis (K), and kurtosis-corrected diffusion coefficient (D) were calculated and compared between the malignant and benign groups using a Mann-Whitney U test.

Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted MR imaging in assessing and characterizing solitary pulmonary lesions.

This study aimed to investigate the potential of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted MR imaging in assessing solitary pulmonary lesions (SPLs). Sixty-two patients with pathologically confirmed SPLs, including 51 and 11 cases of malignant and benign lesions, respectively, were assessed. Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) with 13 b values was used to derive apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and IVIM parameters, including true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f).

Proteomic identification of the oncoprotein STAT3 as a target of a novel Skp1 inhibitor.

The S phase kinase-associated protein 1 (Skp1), an adaptor protein of the Skp1-Cul1-F-box protein complex, binds the ubiquitin E3 ligase Skp2 and is critical to its biological functions. Targeting of Skp1 by a small compound 6-O-angeloylplenolin (6-OAP) results in dissociation and degradation of Skp2 and mitotic arrest of lung cancer cells. Here, by using a proteome microarray containing 16,368 proteins and a biotinylated 6-OAP, we identified 99 proteins that could bind 6-OAP, with Skp1 and STAT3 sitting at the central position of the 6-OAP interactome.

Changes in lumbosacral spinal nerve roots on diffusion tensor imaging in spinal stenosis.

Lumbosacral degenerative disc disease is a common cause of lower back and leg pain. Conventional T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) and T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) scans are commonly used to image spinal cord degeneration. However, these modalities are unable to image the entire lumbosacral spinal nerve roots.

Skp1 in lung cancer: clinical significance and therapeutic efficacy of its small molecule inhibitors.

Skp1 is an essential adaptor protein of the Skp1-Cul1-F-box protein complex and is able to stabilize the conformation of some ubiquitin E3 ligases. However, the role Skp1 plays during tumorigenesis remains unclear and Skp1-targeting agent is lacking. Here we showed that Skp1 was overexpressed in 36/64 (56.

Tobacco smoke induces production of chemokine CCL20 to promote lung cancer.

Tobacco kills nearly 6 million people each year, and 90% of the annual 1.59 million lung cancer deaths worldwide are caused by cigarette smoke. Clinically, a long latency is required for individuals to develop lung cancer since they were first exposed to smoking.

Imaging of olfactory bulb and gray matter volumes in brain areas associated with olfactory function in patients with Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy.

Unlabelled: We explored if magnetic resonance imaging sequences might aid in the clinical differential diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). We measured the volumes of the olfactory bulb, the olfactory tract, and olfaction-associated cortical gray matter in 20 IPD patients, 14 MSA patients, and 12 normal subjects, using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging sequences in combination with voxel-based statistical analysis. We found that, compared to normal subjects and MSA patients, the volumes of the olfactory bulb and tract were significantly reduced in IPD patients.

[Measurement of plasma parameters in cluster hexagon pattern discharge by optical emission spectrum].

The cluster hexagon pattern was obtained in a dielectric barrier discharge in air/argon for the first time. Three plasma parameters, i. e.

[Study on spectral line profile of different types of filaments in dielectric barrier discharge].

The variations of width and shifts of Ar I (2P2 --> 1S(5)) spectral line emitted from two types of filaments, whose diameters and states are different, in argon/air dielectric barrier discharge with the change in air content were researched for the first time. In order to measure the wavelength shift, Ar I (2P2 --> 1S(5)) spectral line emitted from argon discharge at pressure of 10 Pa was used as a reference line. Regular arrangements of static wide filaments (static big dots) and moving thin filaments (reciprocating moving small dots whose traces are lines) were obtained in discharge at atmospheric pressure when the air content was in the range of 0.

An automated fluid-transport device for a microfluidic system.

An automated fluid-transport device for a chip-based capillary electrophoresis system has been developed. The device mainly consists of six peristaltic micropumps, two vacuum micropumps, microvalves, multi-way joints, titanium tubes, and a macro-to-micro connector. Various solutions used for the cleaning and activation of chip channels, and electrophoresis separation, are allowed to automatically transport to chip reservoirs by the electric control module.

Association of FAS and FAS ligand polymorphisms with the susceptibility and severity of lumbar disc degeneration in Chinese Han population.

Context: Apoptosis is involved in the mechanism of lumbar disc degeneration (LDD).

Objective: We aim to determine whether the polymorphisms of FAS and FASL are associated with the presence and severity of LDD.

Methods: A total of 348 patients with LDD and 215 healthy controls were genotyped.

A facile light-emitting-diode induced fluorescence detector coupled to an integrated microfluidic device for microchip electrophoresis.

In this paper, a compact and inexpensive light emitting diode induced fluorescence (LED-IF) detector with simplified optical configuration was developed and assembled in an integrated microfluidic device for microscale electrophoresis. The facile detector mainly consisted of an LED, a focusing pinhole, an emission filter and a photodiode, and was encapsulated in the upper layer of an aluminum alloy device with two layers. At the bottom layer, integrated circuit (IC) was assembled to manipulate the voltage for sample injection and separation, LED emission and signal amplifying.

[Measurement of plasma parameters in slot microplasma by optical emission spectrum].

Slot microplasma was generated in argon and air mixture by using dielectric barrier discharge device with two parallel water electrodes. The molecular vibrational temperature, molecular rotational temperature and average electron energy of the slot plasma were studied by optical emission spectrum. The molecular vibrational temperature was calculated using the second positive system of nitrogen molecules ( C3 pi(u) --> B3 pi(g)).

[Comparison of serum biochemistry between specific pathogen-free and conventional aged Wistar rats].

Objective: To investigate the differences in serum biochemistry between specific pathogen-free (SPF) and conventional aged Wistar rats.

Methods: Coulter-JT Analyzer was used to measure the values of serum biochemistry in the two grades of rats.

Results: The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total protein (TP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, Fe, P, glucose, uric acid (UA), and low density lipoprotein (LDL) were very significantly different between male and female Wistar rats of either conventional or SPF grade (P<0.

[MRI diagnosis of tumor involving brachial plexus].

Background & Objective: The incidence rate of tumor involving brachial plexus was rare and its clinical diagnosis is difficult. Several foreign authors have reported that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the best imaging diagnosis method. Howev, there was little report about this in China.