Melanoma is highly resistant to most conventional treatment, and the incidence and mortality rates are increasing rapidly worldwide. The objective of this study was to determine the anticancer effects of lobaplatin on the melanoma carcinoma cell line B16-F10 in vitro, and explored its mechanisms of action. Our results have shown that lobaplatin inhibited cell proliferation in human melanoma A375 and CHL-1 cells and murine melanoma B16-F10 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To determine the performance of HR-HPV E6/E7 massager RNA (mRNA) test for detecting high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in cervical cancer screening and compare the clinical performance of HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA test with HC-2 and Cervista HPV DNA tests for cross-sectional positivity in women with and without cervical neoplasia.
Methods: A total of 172 women underwent cytology, HR-HPV DNA test, HR-HPV E6/7 mRNA test, colposcopy and biopsy. We compared the clinical performance of HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA test with Hybrid Capture 2 DNA test (HC-2) and Cervista HR-HPV DNA test on the cervical brush specimens during colposcopy and routine screening.
The multi-subunit complex Elongator interacts with elongating RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and is thought to facilitate transcription through histone acetylation. Elongator is highly conserved in eukaryotes, yet has multiple kingdom-specific functions in diverse organisms. Recent genetic studies performed in Arabidopsis have demonstrated that Elongator functions in plant growth and development, and in response to biotic and abiotic stress.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRepression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ)-dependent transcription by the nuclear receptor corepressor (NCoR) is important for homeostatic expression of PPARγ target genes in vivo. The current model states that NCoR-mediated repression requires its direct interaction with PPARγ in the repressive conformation. Previous studies, however, have shown that DNA-bound PPARγ is incompatible with a direct, high-affinity association with NCoR because of the inherent ability of PPARγ to adopt the active conformation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntimicrob Agents Chemother
February 2015
The in vitro activity of chloroquine and the interactions of chloroquine combined with fluconazole against 37 Candida isolates were tested using the broth microdilution, disk diffusion, and Etest susceptibility tests. Synergistic effect was detected with 6 of 9 fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans isolates, with Candida krusei ATCC 6258, and with all 12 fluconazole-resistant Candida tropicalis isolates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: To identify the chemical structure of Coreopsis tinctoria extracts and their effect and mechanism on reducing blood lipid in hyperlipemia mice.
Methods: The flavonoids were extracted from Coreopsis tinctoria. The chemical structure was identified by HPLC.
Molecular identification and in vitro antifungal susceptibility tests of 43 Aspergillus section Nigri isolates from China were performed. Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus tubingensis were present in almost equal numbers. All of the isolates had low MIC/MECs (minimum effective concentrations) for the 7 common antifungals, and a paradoxical effect was observed for the first time in response to caspofungin and micafungin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics of atypical polypoid adenomyoma (APA) of endometrium, and investigate the special characteristics of cancerous transformation from APA.
Methods: Fourteen cases of APA were collected in General Hospital of People's Liberation Army from January 2007 to March 2013. The clinical data, morphologic features, immunohistochemistry and the related literature were reviewed.
Understanding how herbicides affect plant reproduction and growth is critical to develop herbicide toxicity model and refine herbicide risk assessment. Although our knowledge of herbicides toxicity mechanisms at the physiological and molecular level in plant vegetative phase has increased substantially in the last decades, few studies have addressed the herbicide toxicity problematic on plant reproduction. Here, we determined the long-term (4-8 weeks) effect of a chiral herbicide, imazethapyr (IM), which has been increasingly used in plant crops, on floral organ development and reproduction in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFResidual soil concentrations of the herbicide diclofop-methyl (DM) can be toxic to other nontarget plant species, but the toxicity mechanisms at play are not fully understood. In the present study, we analyzed the toxic effect of DM on root growth and metabolism in the rice species Oryza sativa. The results show that a 48-h exposure to a trace level (5 μg/L) of DM inhibits rice root growth by almost 70%.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To assess the association between polymorphism in the interleukin (IL)-10 promoter region of 1082 G/A and the risk of cervical cancer and/or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), using meta-analysis.
Methods: The electronic literature databases PubMed®, Embase®, Web of Science, CBMdisc and CNKI were searched for relevant studies. The strength of association between IL-10 gene -1082 G/A polymorphism and cervical cancer and/or CIN was measured using pooled odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals in four genetic models: allelic model (A allele versus G allele); additive model (A/A versus G/G); recessive model (A/A versus G/A+G/G); dominant model (A/A+G/A versus G/G).
Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Its subtype can be distinguished based on the antigenicity of two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). One of the main challenges in anti-influenza drug development is the quick evolution of drug resistance due to virus mutations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Aims: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulate in diabetes and the engagement of receptor for AGE (RAGE) by AGEs contributes to the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy. This study aims to investigate the effects of AGE/RAGE on ryanodine receptor (RyR) activity and Ca(2+) handling in cardiomyocytes to elucidate the possible mechanism underlying cardiac dysfunction in diabetic cardiomypathy.
Methods And Results: Confocal imaging Ca(2+) spark, the elementary Ca(2+) release event reflecting RyR activity in intact cell, as well as SR Ca(2+) content and systolic Ca(2+) transient were performed in cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes.
Cell-cell contacts and interactions between pancreatic β-cells and/or other cell populations within islets are essential for cell survival, insulin secretion, and functional synchronization. Three-dimensional (3D) culture systems supply the ideal microenvironment for islet-like cluster formation and functional maintenance. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSphingomyelin synthase (SMS) plays an important role in plasma atherogenic lipoprotein metabolism, inflammation, and the development of atherosclerosis. To understand whether the impaired apoB secretion and inflammation response is a direct result from lack of SMS activity, in this study, we prepared a series of compounds that inhibit SMS activity. Further, we characterized Dy105, the most potent inhibitor.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study investigated the effects of glufosinate, a widely used herbicide, on the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum through short-term toxicity tests at the physiological and gene transcriptional levels. Glufosinate (4 mg L(-1)) decreased the amount of pigments but increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde levels. As a glutamine synthetase (GS) inhibitor, glufosinate affected the transcripts and activities of key enzymes related to nitrogen assimilation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntimicrob Agents Chemother
September 2014
The in vitro activities of nine antifungal drugs and their combinations against 31 clinical and 15 environmental Phialophora verrucosa strains were tested. The MIC90/90% minimum effective concentration (MIC/MEC90) values (μg/ml) across all strains were as follows: for terbinafine, 0.25; for posaconazole, 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndometriosis is a complex and enigmatic disease that arises from the interplay among multiple genetic and environmental factors. The defining feature of endometriosis is the deposition and growth of endometrial tissues at sites outside of the uterine cavity. Studies to date have established that endometriosis is heritable but have not addressed the causal genetic variants for this disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA significant hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is the formation of senile plaques in the brain due to the unbalanced levels of amyloid-beta (Aβ). However, although how Aβ is produced from amyloid precursor proteins is well understood, little is known regarding the clearance and metabolism of various Aβ aggregates from the brain. Similarly, little is known regarding how astrocytes internalize and degrade Aβ, although astrocytes are known to play an important role in plaque maintenance and Aβ clearance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNotch1 signaling plays a key role in the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Carfilzomib (CFZ), a second-generation proteasome inhibitor, has potent cytotoxicity against myeloma cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of CFZ on the osteogenic differentiation potential of MSCs derived from myeloma patients (MM-MSCs) in vitro.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBreast cancer has a high fatality rate. Early diagnosis reduces the rate of mortality; therefore, novel diagnostic methods are urgently required. The present study investigated the correlation of serum microRNA (miRNA/miR) expression with breast cancer, and tested a panel of miRNAs as promising potential biomarkers for breast cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To investigate the value of maternal plasma cell-free fetal DNA (cff-DNA) examination in detection of fetal chromosomal aneuploidy in pregnant women at advanced maternal ages during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Methods: A total of 136 pregnant women (11 to 13+6 gestational weeks) with advanced maternal ages were screened for fetal chromosomal aneuploidy with ultrasound and maternal plasma cff-DNA examination during March 1, 2011 to August 31, 2013, and the results were then confirmed by karyotype analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
Results: Of the 136 women examined, cff-DNA screening detected chromosomal aneuploidy in 5 cases, including trisome-21 in 3 cases, trisome-18 in 1 case, and 45,X in 1 case as confirmed subsequently by karyotype analysis.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun
June 2014
Background: Calreticulin (CRT), a Ca(2+)-binding chaperone of the endoplasmic reticulum, can also be found in several other locations including the cytosol, nucleus, secretory granules, the outer side of the plasma membrane, and the extracellular matrix. Whether CRT is localized at mitochondria of cardiomyocytes and whether such localization is affected under DCM are still unclear.
Methods And Results: The DCM model was generated in rats by the daily oral administration of furazolidone for thirty weeks.
IEEE Trans Image Process
April 2014
This paper focuses on the problem of detecting a number of different class objects in images. We present a novel part-based model for object detection with cascaded classifiers. The coarse root and fine part classifiers are combined into the model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To investigate the effects of secondary left-sided portal hypertension (LSPH) on the radical operation rate of patients with pancreatic cancer and systemically evaluate the prognosis of patients with LSPH secondary to pancreatic cancer after radical surgery.
Materials And Methods: The data of patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent laparotomy over a 15-year period in Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Chinese PLA Air Force General Hospital from Jan. 1, 1997, to Jun.