Bio-inducing growth of ZnO hollow spheres in lotus root.

In this paper, ZnO hollow spheres are prepared via an antitoxic bio-inducing process in lotus roots. FESEM images indicate that the tannin cells coated with ZnO are spherical with diameters ranging from 1.5 microm to 3 microm.

The translocon Sec61beta localized in the inner nuclear membrane transports membrane-embedded EGF receptor to the nucleus.

Accumulating evidence indicates that endocytosis plays an essential role in the nuclear transport of the ErbB family members, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and ErbB-2. Nevertheless, how full-length receptors embedded in the endosomal membrane pass through the nuclear pore complexes and function as non-membrane-bound receptors in the nucleus remains unclear. Here we show that upon EGF treatment, the biotinylated cell surface EGFR is trafficked to the inner nuclear membrane (INM) through the nuclear pore complexes, remaining in a membrane-bound environment.

Activation of murine double minute 2 by Akt in mammary epithelium delays mammary involution and accelerates mammary tumorigenesis.

Amplification or overexpression of murine double minute 2 (MDM2) promotes a variety of human tumors by degrading tumor suppressor proteins such as p53. Phosphorylation of MDM2 on Ser(166) and Ser(186) by the survival kinase Akt inhibits p53-mediated apoptosis. However, it is unclear whether this pathway contributes to normal or malignant pathophysiology in vivo.

Human auditory cortex activity shows additive effects of spectral and spatial cues during speech segregation.

In noisy social gatherings, listeners perceptually integrate sounds originating from one person's voice (e.g., fundamental frequency (f(0)) and harmonics) at a particular location and segregate these from concurrent sounds of other talkers.

Hollow silica nanoparticles in UV-visible antireflection coatings for poly(methyl methacrylate) substrates.

We have demonstrated the utility of hollow silica nanoparticles in fabricating conformal thin film nanoporous antireflection (AR) coatings on both poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and glass substrates. Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly was successfully used to produce ultrathin AR coatings on planar and textured surfaces. Hollow silica nanoparticles were synthesized to extend the range of apparent refractive indices possible in an AR coating, enabling the design of both single index and graded index AR coatings on PMMA substrates.

Peptidomic profiling of human cerebrospinal fluid identifies YPRPIHPA as a novel substrate for prolylcarboxypeptidase.

Prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP) is a serine protease that catalyzes the cleavage of C-terminal amino acids linked to proline in peptides. It is ubiquitously expressed and is involved in regulating blood pressure, proliferation, inflammation, angiogenesis, and weight maintenance. To identify the candidate proximal target engagement markers for PRCP inhibition in the central nervous system, we profiled the peptidome of human cerebrospinal fluid to look for PRCP substrates using a MS-based in vitro substrate profiling assay.

Activation of FOXO3a is sufficient to reverse mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase inhibitor chemoresistance in human cancer.

Drug resistance is a central challenge of cancer therapy that ultimately leads to treatment failure. In this study, we characterized a mechanism of drug resistance that arises to AZD6244, an established mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK) 1/2 inhibitor currently being evaluated in cancer clinical trials. AZD6244 enhanced the expression of transcription factor FOXO3a, which suppressed cancer cell proliferation.

Resin-assisted solvothermal synthesis of transition metal-organic frameworks.

Cation-exchanged polymer resin beads have been used as a heterogeneous controlled-release source of metal cations in phase pure and/or high yielding solvothermal syntheses of novel transition metal-organic frameworks. The introduction of the resin beads has a dramatic effect on the outcome of solvothermal reactions. We report the syntheses of a series of transition metal-containing MOFs via the resin-assisted solvothermal methods, four novel MOFs are reported that could not be synthesised by traditional methods.

ARD1 stabilization of TSC2 suppresses tumorigenesis through the mTOR signaling pathway.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) regulates various cellular functions, including tumorigenesis, and is inhibited by the tuberous sclerosis 1 (TSC1)-TSC2 complex. Here, we demonstrate that arrest-defective protein 1 (ARD1) physically interacts with, acetylates, and stabilizes TSC2, thereby repressing mTOR activity. The inhibition of mTOR by ARD1 inhibits cell proliferation and increases autophagy, thereby inhibiting tumorigenicity.

Two crossed axonal projections contribute to binaural unmasking of frequency-following responses in rat inferior colliculus.

Frequency-following responses (FFRs) are sustained potentials based on phase-locked neural activities elicited by low- to medium-frequency periodical sound waveforms. Human brainstem FFRs, which are able to encode some critical acoustic features of speech, can be unmasked by binaural processing. However, the underlying unmasking mechanisms have not previously been reported.

KEAP1 E3 ligase-mediated downregulation of NF-kappaB signaling by targeting IKKbeta.

IkappaB kinase beta (IKKbeta) is involved in tumor development and progression through activation of the nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB pathway. However, the molecular mechanism that regulates IKKbeta degradation remains largely unknown. Here, we show that a Cullin 3 (CUL3)-based ubiquitin ligase, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), is responsible for IKKbeta ubiquitination.

A study of phosphate absorption by magnesium iron hydroxycarbonate.

A study of the mechanism of phosphate adsorption by magnesium iron hydroxycarbonate, [Mg(2.25)Fe(0.75)(OH)(6)](CO(3))(0.

Emotional learning enhances stimulus-specific top-down modulation of sensorimotor gating in socially reared rats but not isolation-reared rats.

Prepulse inhibition (PPI), the suppression of the startle reflex by a preceding sensory stimulus (prepulse), can be top-down modulated in both humans and rats. This study investigated whether emotional-learning-induced enhancement of PPI in rats is prepulse specific. The results show that in socially reared rats, PPI elicited by a narrowband-noise prepulse on the broadband-noise background (masker) was enhanced after the prepulse became fear conditioned.

Top-down modulation of prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex in humans and rats.

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is the attenuation of the startle reflex when the sudden intense startling stimulus is shortly preceded by a weaker, non-startling sensory stimulus (prepulse). PPI reflects a protective function of reducing disruptive influences to the processing of prepulse signals and is recognized as a model of sensorimotor gating. In humans, PPI is modulated by both attentional and emotional responses to prepulse, indicating that this early-stage gating is top-down modulated by higher-order cognitive processes.

Growth mechanism for ZnO nanorod array in a metastable supersaturation solution.

ZnO nanorod array with vertical orientation was fabricated by a simple aqueous solution way in the mild condition. ZnO granular film coated on glass substrate was used as a seeds film for the growth of ZnO ordered array. A metastable supersaturation area where there was no homogeneous nucleation of ZnO in the bulk solution but heterogeneous nucleation on the ZnO granular film was found.

Precedence-effect-induced enhancement of prepulse inhibition in socially reared but not isolation-reared rats.

Attention to a prepulse presented shortly before a startling stimulus enhances prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle in normal people, but not in schizophrenics. Fear conditioning for the prepulse enhances PPI in socially reared, but not isolation-reared, rats. In humans, selective attention to acoustic signals against masking can be facilitated by precedence-effect-induced perceived spatial separation between the signal and the masker.

Nuclear expression of epidermal growth factor receptor is a novel prognostic value in patients with ovarian cancer.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has previously been detected in the nucleus of cancer cells and primary tumors. We have reported that EGFR translocates from the plasma membrane to the nucleus. Accumulation of nuclear EGFR is linked to increased DNA synthesis and proliferation; however, the pathological significance of nuclear EGFR is not completely understood.

Binaural unmasking of frequency-following responses in rat amygdala.

Survival in natural environments for small animals such as rats often depends on precise neural coding of life-threatening acoustic signals, and binaural unmasking of species-specific pain calls is especially critical. This study investigated how species-specific tail-pain chatter is represented in the rat amygdala, which receives afferents from both auditory thalamus and auditory association cortex, and whether the amygdaloid representation of the chatter can be binaurally unmasked. The results show that chatter with a fundamental frequency (F0) of 2.

Resin-assisted solvothermal synthesis of metal-organic frameworks.

Transition metal-exchanged polymer resin beads have been used as a heterogeneous controlled-release source of metal cations in high yielding, phase pure solvothermal syntheses of novel transition metal-organic frameworks.

Observation of staging during intercalation in layered alpha-cobalt hydroxides: a synthetic and kinetic study.

The anion-exchange reaction of the layered alpha-cobalt hydroxides Co(OH)(1.75)(DDS)(0.25).

Differential mass spectrometry of rat plasma reveals proteins that are responsive to 17beta-estradiol and a selective estrogen receptor modulator PPT.

Estrogens are a class of steroid hormones that interact with two related but distinct nuclear receptors, estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta. To identify potential ER biomarkers, we profiled the rat plasma glycoproteome after treatment with vehicle or 17beta-estradiol (E2) or an ERalpha-selective agonist PPT by differential mass spectrometry. Our comparative proteomic experiment identifies novel E2- and PPT-responsive proteins, such as serine protease inhibitor family members.

[Evaluation of literature quality of acupuncture for treatment of herpes zoster and approach to the laws of treatment].

Objective: To assess the quality of literature of clinical studies on acupuncture in treatment of herpes zoster.

Methods: The literatures between 1994-2006 were searched by means of electronic retrieval. Type and methodology, general condition, diagnosis of diseases and enrolled and excluded criteria, assessment of sample content, treatment condition, criteria for assessment of therapeutic effects, following-up, etc.