Oxidized HDL, as a Novel Biomarker for Calcific Aortic Valve Disease, Promotes the Calcification of Aortic Valve Interstitial Cells.

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is characterized by progressive mineralization of the aortic valve. Lipid infiltration and oxidative stress are the driving forces for the initiation and development of this disease. However, it remains unknown whether oxidized high-density lipoprotein (ox-HDL) plays a role in the mineralization of aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs).

Combined Search for a Lorentz-Violating Force in Short-Range Gravity Varying as the Inverse Sixth Power of Distance.

Precision measurements of the inverse-square law via experiments on short-range gravity provide sensitive tests of Lorentz symmetry. A combined analysis of data from experiments at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Indiana University sets simultaneous limits on all 22 coefficients for Lorentz violation correcting the Newton force law as the inverse sixth power of distance. Results are consistent with no effect at the level of 10^{-12}  m^{4}.

Genistein ameliorated obesity accompanied with adipose tissue browning and attenuation of hepatic lipogenesis in ovariectomized rats with high-fat diet.

Estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women is linked to the higher prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndromes. Development of beige adipocytes (browning of WAT) increases energy expenditure and could be a promising strategy for obesity management. This study aimed to investigate the effects of phytoestrogen genistein (GEN) on white adipose tissue (WAT) inflammation, browning and hepatic lipogenesis in ovariectomized rats with high-fat diet (HFD) and further explore the underlying mechanism.

Development and Characterization of the Recombinant Human VEGF-EGF Dual-Targeting Fusion Protein as a Drug Delivery System.

The design, preparation, as well as structural and functional characterizations of the recombinant fusion protein hVEGF-EGF as a dual-functional agent that may target both EGFR (R: receptor) and angiogenesis are reported. hVEGF-EGF was found to bind to EGFR more strongly than did EGF, and to bind to VEGFR similarly to VEGF. Mass spectrometry measurements showed that the sites of DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) conjugated hVEGF-EGF (for radiolabeling) were the same as those of its parent hEGF and hVEGF proteins.

Mutational spectrum of phenylketonuria in Jiangsu province.

Unlabelled: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is caused by variants in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene. We systematically investigated all 13 exons of the PAH gene and their flanking introns in 31 unrelated patients and their parents using next-generation sequencing (NGS). A total of 33 different variants were identified in 58 of 62 mutant PAH alleles.

Determination of accurate protein monoisotopic mass with the most abundant mass measurable using high-resolution mass spectrometry.

While recent developments in mass spectrometry enable direct evaluation of monoisotopic masses (M(mi)) of smaller compounds, protein M(mi) is mostly determined based on its relationship to average mass (Mav). Here, we propose an alternative approach to determining protein M(mi) based on its correlation with the most abundant mass (M(ma)) measurable using high-resolution mass spectrometry. To test this supposition, we first empirically calculated M(mi) and M(ma) of 6158 Escherichia coli proteins, which helped serendipitously uncover a linear correlation between these two protein masses.

Early predictors of hematoma resorption rate in medically treated patients with spontaneous supratentorial hemorrhage.

Spontaneous intracranial hemorrhages are associated with a relatively high mortality rate, and there is no effective treatment so far. Hematoma resorption speed after intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is believed to correlate with clinical outcome. However, little is known about hematoma resorption rates following spontaneous ICH.

The formation stability, hydrolytic behavior, mass spectrometry, DFT study, and luminescence properties of trivalent lanthanide complexes of H2ODO2A.

The trivalent lanthanide complex formation constants (log K(f)) of the macrocyclic ligand H(2)ODO2A (4,10-dicarboxymethyl-1-oxa-4,7,10-triazacyclododecane) have been determined by pH titration techniques to be in the range 10.84-12.62 which increase with increasing lanthanide atomic number, and are smaller than those of the corresponding H(2)DO2A (1,7-dicarboxylmethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) complexes.