Bioactive gentixanthone and gentichromone from the whole plants of Gentianella acuta (Michx.) Hulten.

Five new compounds, gentixanthones A1 (1), A2 (2), and gentichromones A1-A3 (3-5), together with thirteen known xanthones (6-18) were obtained from the whole plants of Gentianella acuta (Michx.) Hulten. Their structures were elucidated by chemical and spectroscopic methods.

Microvesicles derived from hypoxia/reoxygenation-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells promote apoptosis and oxidative stress in H9c2 cardiomyocytes.

Background: Vascular endothelial dysfunction is the closely related determinant of ischemic heart disease (IHD). Endothelial dysfunction and ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) have been associated with an increase in microvesicles (MVs) in vivo. However, the potential contribution of endothelial microvesicles (EMVs) to myocardial damage is unclear.

[Iptakalim ameliorates relaxation to acetylcholine in thoracic aortic rings impaired by microvesicles derived from hypoxia/reoxygenation-treated HUVECs].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Iptakalim (Ipt) preventing injury of endothelial microvesicles (EMVs) derived from hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-treated HUVECs on the relaxation of rat thoracic aortic rings and explore the underlying mechanism.

Methods: H/R injury model was established to release H/R-EMVs from HUVECs. H/R-EMVs from HUVECs were isolated by ultracentrifugation from the conditioned culture medium.

Anti-inflammatory steroids from the rhizomes of Dioscorea septemloba Thunb.

Seven new steroid glycosides, dioscorosides A1 (1), A2 (2), B1 (3), B2 (4), C1 (5), C2 (6), and D (7), together with 22 known ones (8-29) were isolated from the rhizomes of Dioscorea septemloba, their structures were elucidated by chemical and spectroscopic methods. All isolates were evaluated for in vitro anti-inflammatory potential using LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages.

Flow cytometric analysis of circulating microvesicles derived from myocardial Ischemic preconditioning and cardioprotection of Ischemia/reperfusion Injury in rats.

Objective: To establish a flow cytometric method to detect the alteration of phenotypes and concentration of circulating microvesicles (MVs) from myocardial ischemic preconditioning (IPC) treated rats (IPC-MVs), and to investigate the effects of IPC-MVs on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats.

Methods: Myocardial IPC was elicited by three.cycles of 5-min ischemia and 5-min reperfusion of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery.

Up-Regulation of CREG Expression by the Transcription Factor GATA1 Inhibits High Glucose- and High Palmitate-Induced Apoptosis in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells.

Background: Endothelial cell (EC) apoptosis plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes (CREG) is a novel gene reported to be involved in maintaining the homeostasis of ECs. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the role of CREG in high glucose/high palmitate-induced EC apoptosis and to decipher the upstream regulatory mechanism underlying the transcriptional regulation of CREG.

Integrated analysis of miRNAs and transcriptomes in Aedes albopictus midgut reveals the differential expression profiles of immune-related genes during dengue virus serotype-2 infection.

Mosquito microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in host-virus interaction, and have been reported to be altered by dengue virus (DENV) infection in Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae). However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of Aedes albopictus midgut-the first organ to interact with DENV-involved in its resistance to DENV. Here we used high-throughput sequencing to characterize miRNA and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression patterns in Aedes albopictus midgut in response to dengue virus serotype 2.

Aromatic Constituents from the Stems of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. Mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao.

Four new aromatic constituents, astraflavonoids A (1), B (2), C (3), and astramemoside A (4), along with sixteen known ones 5-20 were obtained from the stems of A. membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge.

Dephosphorylation and mitochondrial translocation of cofilin sensitizes human leukemia cells to cerulenin-induced apoptosis via the ROCK1/Akt/JNK signaling pathway.

In this study, we determined that cerulenin, a natural product inhibitor of fatty acid synthase, induces mitochondrial injury and apoptosis in human leukemia cells through the mitochondrial translocation of cofilin. Only dephosphorylated cofilin could translocate to mitochondria during cerulenin-induced apoptosis. Disruption of the ROCK1/Akt/JNK signaling pathway plays a critical role in the cerulenin-mediated dephosphorylation and mitochondrial translocation of cofilin and apoptosis.

YAP Induces Human Naive Pluripotency.

The human naive pluripotent stem cell (PSC) state, corresponding to a pre-implantation stage of development, has been difficult to capture and sustain in vitro. We report that the Hippo pathway effector YAP is nuclearly localized in the inner cell mass of human blastocysts. Overexpression of YAP in human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced PSCs (iPSCs) promotes the generation of naive PSCs.

Translocation of Endogenous Danger Signal HMGB1 From Nucleus to Membrane Microvesicles in Macrophages.

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a nuclear protein that can be released from activated or dead cells. Extracellular HMGB1 can serve as a "danger signal" and novel cytokine that mediates sterile inflammation. In addition to its soluble form, extracellular HMGB1 can also be carried by membrane microvesicles.

Expression of CD11a in lymphocyte subpopulation in immune thrombocytopenia.

Recent research demonstrates that the underlying mechanism in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is very complex. Lymphocyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) plays important roles in autoimmune diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of CD11a on lymphocytes and explore its possible role in ITP.

[Effects of circulating microvesicles derived from myocardial ischemic preconditioning on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effects of circulating microvesicles (MVs) derived from ischemic preconditioning (IPC) on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats and explore the underlying mechanism.

Methods: To establish the IPC model, the rats were subjected to brief cycles of left anterior descending (LAD) coronary occlusion and reperfusion. The blood was drawn from abdominal aorta once the operation was finished.

Transcription factor competition allows embryonic stem cells to distinguish authentic signals from noise.

Stem cells occupy variable environments where they must distinguish stochastic fluctuations from developmental cues. Here, we use optogenetics to investigate how the pluripotency network in embryonic stem (ES) cells achieves a robust response to differentiation cues but not to gene expression fluctuations. We engineered ES cells in which we could quantitatively ontrol the endogenous mechanism of neural differentiation through a light-inducible Brn2 transgene and monitor differentiation status through a genome-integrated Nanog-GFP reporter.

Tunable photoluminescence and magnetic properties of Dy(3+) and Eu(3+) doped GdVO4 multifunctional phosphors.

A series of Dy(3+) or/and Eu(3+) doped GdVO4 phosphors were successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The results indicate that the as-prepared samples are pure tetragonal phase GdVO4, taking on nanoparticles with an average size of 45 nm. Under ultraviolet (UV) light excitation, the individual Dy(3+) or Eu(3+) ion activated GdVO4 phosphors exhibit excellent emission properties in their respective regions.

Methylprednisolone suppresses the Wnt signaling pathway in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cell line MEC-1 regulated by LEF-1 expression.

High dose methylprednisolone (HDMP) has been an effective salvage therapy for patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), while little is known about the exact mechanisms implicated in glucocorticoid-induced cell death. To explore the mechanism of glucocorticoid-induced cell death, we investigated the effect of HDMP on canonical Wnt signaling which emerged as a key pathway implicated in the pathogenesis of CLL. In this study, the human CLL cell line MEC-1 was incubated with various concentrations of methylprednisolone.

Characterization of bacterial diversity associated with deep sea ferromanganese nodules from the South China Sea.

Deep sea ferromanganese (FeMn) nodules contain metallic mineral resources and have great economic potential. In this study, a combination of culture-dependent and culture-independent (16S rRNA genes clone library and pyrosequencing) methods was used to investigate the bacterial diversity in FeMn nodules from Jiaolong Seamount, the South China Sea. Eleven bacterial strains including some moderate thermophiles were isolated.

Draft Genome Sequence of Thermophilic Exiguobacterium sp. Strain JLM-2, Isolated from Deep-Sea Ferromanganese Nodules.

Exiguobacterium sp. strain JLM-2 is a thermophilic bacterium isolated from deep-sea ferromanganese (FeMn) nodules. The estimated genome of this strain is 2.

Pyrite-enhanced degradation of chloramphenicol by low concentrations of H2O2.

A pyrite-catalyzed reaction was used to degrade chloramphenicol. Chloramphenicol could be almost 100% removed within 60 minutes when 1 mM H2O2 and 0.1 g/L pyrite were added at an initial pH=3.

Cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes inhibits inflammation to decrease atherosclerosis in ApoE(-/-) mice.

Aims: Macrophage inflammation response is important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We investigated the role and mechanism of cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes (CREG) in regulating TNF-α induced inflammation response in macrophages and explore whether CREG might be a therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.

Method And Results: Immunostaining and western blotting showed that expression of CREG was reduced in human atherosclerotic coronary artery.

Microvesicles derived from hypoxia/reoxygenation-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells impair relaxation of rat thoracic aortic rings.

Objective: To investigate the effects of microvesicles (MVs) derived from hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) on endothelium-dependent relaxation of rat thoracic aortic rings.

Methods: H/R injury model was established to induce HUVECs to release H/R-EMVs. H/R-EMVs from HUVECs were isolated by ultracentrifugation from the conditioned culture medium.

[Study on whorl swarming growth phenomenon of Proteus mirabilis].

The present paper is aimed to explore the origins of Proteus mirabilis (PM) whorl swarming growth phenomenon. The whorl swarming growth phenomenon of PM was observed by changed bacterial culture inoculation time, humidity, vaccination practices, cultured flat placement, magnetic field, pH and other factors. Bacterial ring spiral direction of rotation is counterclockwise and the volatile growth process of PM was whorl swarming growth phenomenon.