Assessment of tumor vascularization with functional computed tomography perfusion imaging in patients with cirrhotic liver disease.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor in China, and early diagnosis is critical for patient outcome. In patients with HCC, it is mostly based on liver cirrhosis, developing from benign regenerative nodules and dysplastic nodules to HCC lesions, and a better understanding of its vascular supply and the hemodynamic changes may lead to early tumor detection. Angiogenesis is essential for the growth of primary and metastatic tumors due to changes in vascular perfusion, blood volume and permeability.

[Predictive value of three surgical scoring systems for estimation of life expectancy in patients with extradural spinal metastasis].

Objective: To evaluate the predictive values of Tokuhashi score, revised Tokuhashi score and Tomita score systems for life expectancy and treatment options in patients with spinal metastasis.

Methods: From February 1996 to January 2009, spinal operations in 104 cases with spinal metastasis were performed in our hospital. There were 65 males and 39 females, with an average of 53.

Turnover of BRCA1 involves in radiation-induced apoptosis.

Background: Germ-line mutations of the breast cancer susceptibility gene-1 (BRCA1) increase the susceptibility to tumorigenesis. The function of BRCA1 is to regulate critical cellular processes, including cell cycle progression, genomic integrity, and apoptosis. Studies on the regulation of BRCA1 have focused intensely on transcription and phosphorylation mechanisms.

Nuclear translocation of Skp2 facilitates its destruction in response to TGFβ signaling.

Skp2, a F-box protein that determines the substrate specificity for SCF ubiquitin ligase, has recently been demonstrated to be degraded by Cdh1/APC in response to TGFβ signaling. The TGFβ-induced Skp2 proteolysis results in the stabilization of p27 that is necessary to facilitate TGFβ cytostatic effect. Previous observation from immunocytochemistry indicates that Cdh1 principally localizes in the nucleus while Skp2 mainly localizes in the cytosol, which leaves us a puzzle on how Skp2 is recognized and then ubiquitylated by Cdh1/APC in response to TGFβ stimulation.

Phosphorylation of the anaphase-promoting complex/Cdc27 is involved in TGF-beta signaling.

Loss of TGF-β-induced growth inhibition is a hallmark of many human tumors. Previous studies implied that activation of the anaphase-promoting complex (APC/cyclosome) is involved in the TGF-β signaling pathway, which facilitates the destruction of SnoN, a transcriptional co-suppressor, which leads in turn to the transactivation of TGF-β-responsive genes for cell cycle arrest. The function of APC was demonstrated in TGF-β signal transduction, but the mechanism by which it is activated in response to TGF-β signaling remains unclear.

Regulation of Krüppel-like factor 4 by the anaphase promoting complex pathway is involved in TGF-beta signaling.

Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), a zinc finger-containing transcriptional factor, regulates a variety of biological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and stem cell reprogramming. Post-translational modifications of KLF4, including phosphorylation, acetylation, and sumoylation, regulate its transcriptional activity. Most recent studies also demonstrate that KLF4 is targeted for ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis during cell cycle progression.

Isolation and characterization of endophytic bacterium LRE07 from cadmium hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum L. and its potential for remediation.

Valuable endophytic strains facilitating plants growth and detoxification of heavy metals are required because the application of plant-endophyte symbiotic system is a promising potential technique to improve efficiency of phytoremediation. In this study, endophytic bacterium LRE07 was isolated from cadmium hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum L. It was identified as Serratia sp.

APC/C-Cdh1: from cell cycle to cellular differentiation and genomic integrity.

Anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is a multifunctional ubiquitin-protein ligase that targets various substrates for proteolysis inside and outside of the cell cycle. The activation of APC/C is dependent on two WD-40 domain proteins, Cdc20 and Cdh1. While APC/Cdc20 principally regulates mitotic progression, APC/Cdh1 shows a broad spectrum of substrates in and beyond cell cycle.

Bioremediation of heavy metals by growing hyperaccumulaor endophytic bacterium Bacillus sp. L14.

Heavy metal bioremediation by a multi-metal resistant endophytic bacteria L14 (EB L14) isolated from the cadmium hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum L. was characterized for its potential application in metal treatment. 16S rDNA analysis revealed that this endophyte belonged to Bacillus sp.

Effect of the agglomeration of TiO2 nanoparticles on their photocatalytic performance in the aqueous phase.

TiO(2) nanoparticles have been widely explored as photocatalysts in the degradation of organic matters present in water. However, spontaneous agglomeration of TiO(2) nanoparticles in a suspension is a crucial issue that must be addressed before the photocatalyst can be used for water treatment. In the present work, the nature of the agglomeration of TiO(2) nanoparticles in aqueous suspension was investigated.

Proteolysis of Rad17 by Cdh1/APC regulates checkpoint termination and recovery from genotoxic stress.

Recent studies have shown a critical function for the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in regulating the signalling network for DNA damage responses and DNA repair. To search for new UPS targets in the DNA damage signalling pathway, we have carried out a non-biased assay to identify fast-turnover proteins induced by various types of genotoxic stress. This endeavour led to the identification of Rad17 as a protein exhibiting a distinctive pattern of upregulation followed by subsequent degradation after exposure to UV radiation in human primary cells.

Biosorption of cadmium by endophytic fungus (EF) Microsphaeropsis sp. LSE10 isolated from cadmium hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum L.

A novel technology to obtain highly efficient biosorbent from the endophytes of a hyperaccumulator is reported. This technology is more convenient than the traditional method of obtaining biosorbents by experimentally screening many types of biomass by trial and error. Using this technology, endophytic fungus (EF) LSE10 was isolated from the cadmium hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum L.

An interactive visualization tool for multi-channel confocal microscopy data in neurobiology research.

Confocal microscopy is widely used in neurobiology for studying the three-dimensional structure of the nervous system. Confocal image data are often multi-channel, with each channel resulting from a different fluorescent dye or fluorescent protein; one channel may have dense data, while another has sparse; and there are often structures at several spatial scales: subneuronal domains, neurons, and large groups of neurons (brain regions). Even qualitative analysis can therefore require visualization using techniques and parameters fine-tuned to a particular dataset.

Binary colloidal crystals fabricated with a horizontal deposition method.

We describe the use of a horizontal deposition method to prepare large-area binary colloidal crystals (bCCs). Two different sets of binary polystyrene spheres were employed to demonstrate the validity of this method. By varying the number ratios of small spheres with respect to large spheres, the stoichiometric configuration of the bCCs can be altered.

Two kinds of posterior approach for Kvmmell's disease after osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture.

Objective: To compare the surgical results of two kinds of posterior approach for osteoporotic thoracolumbar Kvmmell's disease.

Methods: Clinical and radiographic results of 1-segmental pedicle screw fixation combined with vertebroplasty (Group A, n equal to 12) or posterior shortening osteotomy (Group B, n equal to 16) for osteoporotic thoracolumbar Kvmmell's disease were analyzed retrospectively. Japanese orthopedic association (JOA) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were used for clinical evaluation.

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the spine with neurologic compression treated by radiotherapy and chemotherapy alone or combined with surgical decompression.

Neurologic compression is a disastrous consequence for the patients with primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of the spine, and such a condition has not been carefully taken into account in the treatment guidelines. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of radiotherapy and chemotherapy alone or combined with surgical decompression on primary NHL of the spine with neurologic compression. Sixteen patients with primary NHL in the vertebrae of the spine were treated between 1994 and 2006.

Quantification of angiogenesis by CT perfusion imaging in liver tumor of rabbit.

Background: Tumor angiogenesis is essential for primary and metastatic tumor growth. Computed tomography perfusion (CTP) is a new imaging method, made possible by the recent development of fast CT scanners and improved data analysis techniques, which allows measurement of the physiologic and hemodynamic properties of tissue vasculature. This study aimed to evaluate CTP in the quantification of angiogenesis and to assess the relationship between tissue perfusion parameters and microvascular density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), attempting to detect the physiologic properties of angiogenesis.

An in vivo study of Cdh1/APC in breast cancer formation.

Dysregulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has been implicated in several types of tumorigenesis. Our previous studies have shown the potential role of Cdh1/APC in regulating tumor formation via governing the Skp2-p27-cyclinE/CDK2 axis. In this work, we used a xenograft mouse breast cancer model to identify the mechanism by which Cdh1/APC potentially suppresses tumor growth in vivo.

Regulation of the anaphase-promoting complex-separase cascade by transforming growth factor-beta modulates mitotic progression in bone marrow stromal cells.

Alteration of the tumor microenvironment by aberrant stromal cells influences many aspects of cell biology, including differentiation of stem cells and tumor metastasis. The role of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta signaling in stromal cells of the tissue microenvironment is critical to both pathways. We examined murine marrow stromal cells with deletion of Smad3 and found that they have an altered cell cycle profile, with a higher fraction of cells in G2/M phase.

Functional CT for assessment of early vascular physiology in liver tumors.

Background: CT perfusion has been reported to have great advantages in detecting hepatic diseases. However, currently there are no studies showing the potential value of multi-slice CT perfusion with the deconvolution model method in diagnosing early hemodynamic changes caused by liver tumors. This study was undertaken to determine if early hemodynamic changes caused by liver tumors can be depicted with the perfusion imaging of multi-slice CT.

General synthesis and phase control of metal molybdate hydrates MMoO4.nH2O (M = Co, Ni, Mn, n = 0, 3/4, 1) nano/microcrystals by a hydrothermal approach: magnetic, photocatalytic, and electrochemical properties.

Different phases and morphologies of molybdate hydrates MMoO 4. nH 2O (M = Co, Ni, Mn, n = 0, 3/4, 1) nano/microcrystals, which include NiMoO 4.H 2O microflowers, MnMoO 4.

Regulation of Skp2-p27 axis by the Cdh1/anaphase-promoting complex pathway in colorectal tumorigenesis.

Abrogated entry into S phase is a common hallmark of cancer cells. Skp2, a subunit of ubiquitin ligase, is critical for regulating the G(1)/S transition. Uncontrolled Skp2 activity is detected frequently in human tumors, often correlated with poor prognosis.

Dissection of the APCCdh1-Skp2 cascade in breast cancer.

Purpose: Skp2 is a subunit of the SCF ubiquitin protein ligase, which plays a vital role in the control of tumorigenesis via its regulation of G(1)-S transition. Deregulation of Skp2 in various types of cancers correlates with aggressive clinical behavior and poor prognosis. Recent studies suggest that cell cycle-dependent fluctuation of Skp2 is governed by APC(Cdh1), another important E3 ligase, thereby preventing premature entry into S phase.