affects the virulence of and the uptake of multiple carbon sources present in different host niches.

Background: is a commensal yeast that may cause life-threatening infections. Studies have shown that the cytochrome b-c1 complex subunit 7 gene () of encodes a protein that forms a component of the mitochondrial electron transport chain complex III, making it an important target for studying the virulence of this yeast. However, to the best of our knowledge, the functions of have not yet been characterized.

Ginsenoside Rg1 attenuates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury through inhibiting the inflammatory activation of microglia.

It is recognized that the cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury triggers inflammatory activation of microglia and supports microglia-driven neuronal damage. Our previous studies have shown that ginsenoside Rg1 had a significant protective effect on focal cerebral I/R injury in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats. However, the mechanism still needs further clarification.

The Dose-Response Relationship of bacillus Calmette-Guérin and Urothelial Carcinoma Cell Biology.

Purpose: Attenuated mycobacterium bacillus Calmette-Guérin is widely used as intravesical immunotherapy of nonmuscle invasive urothelial carcinoma. Currently there are limited data on the relationship between bacillus Calmette-Guérin dose intensity and tumor response. We evaluated the dose-response relationship of bacillus Calmette-Guérin to nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer in vitro using urothelial carcinoma cell lines and in vivo using an orthotopic mouse model.

Suppression of phosphatase and tensin homolog protects insulin-resistant cells from apoptosis.

In the present study, a glucosamine-induced model of insulin-resistant skeletal muscle cells was established in order to investigate the effect of inhibition of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)/5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) on these cells. The glucosamine-induced insulin-resistant skeletal muscle cells were produced and the rate of glucose uptake was measured using the glucose oxidase-peroxidase method. The expression levels of PTEN and phosphorylated PTEN (p-PTEN) were assessed using western blotting.

Effect of propofol and ketamine anesthesia on cognitive function and immune function in young rats.

Objective: To investigate the effects of propofol and ketamine on the cognitive function and immune function in young rats.

Method: A total of 80 young rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control group, ketamine group (experimental group A), propofol group (experimental group B), ketamine and propofol group (experimental group C). All rats had continuous injection for three times, serum IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 and whole brain IL-1β level, hippocampal neuronal apoptosis level were measured.

H2O2 generation by bacillus Calmette-Guérin induces the cellular oxidative stress response required for bacillus Calmette-Guérin direct effects on urothelial carcinoma biology.

Purpose: Exposure of urothelial carcinoma cells to bacillus Calmette-Guérin affects cellular redox status and tumor cell biology but the mechanism(s) remain unclear. We examined free radical production by bacillus Calmette-Guérin in tumor cells in response to the bacillus using global profiling of reactive oxygen species/reactive nitrogen species. The relationship between free radical generation and downstream cellular events was evaluated.

Loss of bacillus Calmette-Guérin viability adversely affects the direct response of urothelial carcinoma cells to bacillus Calmette-Guérin exposure.

Purpose: The attenuated mycobacterium bacillus Calmette-Guérin is widely used as intravesical immunotherapy for nonmuscle invasive urothelial carcinoma. Previous studies demonstrated that in the laboratory and clinical settings bacillus Calmette-Guérin viability is a variable that correlates with antitumor efficacy. We evaluated how loss of viability impacted a number of molecular and phenotypic intermediate end points that characterize and/or contribute to the direct effect of bacillus Calmette-Guérin on urothelial carcinoma cells.

[Retrospective analysis of clinical and epidemiological characteristics of hand-foot-and-mouth disease deceased cases in Zhejiang Province].

Objective: To understand the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) deceased cases.

Method: Information of demographics, diagnosis and treatment, clinical symptoms and signs, laboratory test results, and epidemiological contact history of 72 HFMD cases who died between May 2008 and September 2011, in Zhejiang Province, were collected and analyzed.

Result: The average age of the 72 cases was 1.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of argininosuccinate lyase from Streptococcus mutans.

Argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) is an important enzyme in arginine synthesis and the urea cycle, which are highly conserved from bacteria to eukaryotes. The gene encoding Streptococcus mutans ASL (smASL) was amplified and cloned into expression vector pET28a. The recombinant smASL protein was expressed in a soluble form in Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3) and purified to homogeneity by two-step column chromatography.

[Evidence-based quality assessment of 10-year orthodontic clinical trials in 4 major dental journals].

Objective: To assess the quality of orthodontic clinical trials published in 4 major dental journals in the past 10 years and establish the reference standard for orthodontic clinical trials and quality control of dental journals.

Methods: All the clinical trials published in Chinese Journal of Stomatology, West China Journal of Stomatology, Journal of Practice Stomatology and Chinese Journal of Orthodontics from 1999 to 2008 were searched. The demographic information of the papers was extracted and the quality of the clinical trials according to the consolidated standards of reporting trials (CONSORT) was assessed.

Inhibitory effect of ghrelin on nicotine-induced VCAM-1 expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Endothelial dysfunction is thought to be a major cause of vascular injury in smokers. Ghrelin is a recently discovered peptide that plays a modulatory role in atherosclerosis. However, it is unknown how ghrelin regulates nicotine-induced vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression.

Expression of TNF-alpha protein in omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue in obesity.

Background: During the last several years the role of adipose tissue in contributing to obesity-associated cardiovascular and metabolic risk has gained much attention.

Aim: To examine the expression of TNF-alpha protein in omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue in correlation with plasma PAI-1 and other clinical parameters in obesity subjects.

Material And Methods: Paired biopsies of omental and subcutaneous fat were collected during surgery in 32 obesity subjects.

Correlation between omental TNF-alpha protein and plasma PAI-1 in obesity subjects.

Background: The role of TNF-alpha in contributing to obesity-associated cardiovascular and metabolic risk has gained much attention.

Materials And Methods: Paired biopsies of omental and subcutaneous fat were collected from 16 lean subjects and 32 central obesity subjects. The expression of TNF-alpha in omental and subcutaneous fat was quantified by western blotting method, and correlations with plasma PAI-1, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and lipid were investigated.