Mechanisms of utilisation of arabinoxylans by a porcine faecal inoculum: competition and co-operation.

Recent studies show that a single or small number of intestinal microbes can completely degrade complex carbohydrates. This suggests a drive towards competitive utilisation of dietary complex carbohydrates resulting in limited microbial diversity, at odds with the health benefits associated with a diverse microbiome. This study investigates the enzymatic metabolism of wheat and rye arabinoxylans (AX) using in vitro fermentation, with a porcine faecal inoculum.

-Acetyl-l-leucine-polyethylenimine-mediated miR-34a delivery improves osteogenesis and bone formation and .

Oral bone defects are difficult to treat. Recently, endogenous miR-34a was shown to be involved in bone anabolism. Clinical application of such microRNAs requires the inherent instability of microRNAs to be overcome by an efficient delivery system.

Cryoablation inhibition of distant untreated tumors (abscopal effect) is immune mediated.

Cryoablation is moderately effective against prostate cancer. Of note, the off-target or enlarged therapeutic effect after cryoablation is reported in routine clinical practice. To uncover it, we constructed a bilateral inguinal transplantation model of prostate cancer.

Interleukin-6 -Signaling Pathway Promotes Immunosuppressive Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Suppression of Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 in Breast Cancer.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been reported to stimulate myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in multiple cancers, but the molecular events involved in this process are not completely understood. We previously found that cancer-derived IL-6 induces T cell suppression of MDSCs the activation of STAT3/IDO signaling pathway. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

-AC-l-Leu-PEI-mediated miR-34a delivery improves osteogenic differentiation under orthodontic force.

Rare therapeutic genes or agents are reported to control orthodontic bone remodeling. MicroRNAs have recently been associated with bone metabolism. Here, we report the and effects of miR-34a on osteogenic differentiation under orthodontic force using an -acetyl-L-leucine-modified polyethylenimine (-Ac-l-Leu-PEI) carrier.

Heat shock protein 70 suppresses neuroinflammation induced by α-synuclein in astrocytes.

Neuroinflammation triggered by activation of glial cells plays an important role in the pathophysiology of several neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD). Besides microglia, astrocytes are also critical in initiating and perpetuating inflammatory process associated with PD. Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is originally described as intracellular chaperone, however, recent study revealed that it had anti-inflammatory effects as well.

Mutation analysis of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene and prenatal diagnosis of phenylketonuria in Shaanxi, China.

Background: This study aims to investigate the spectrum and frequency of phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene mutations and the power to prenatally diagnose phenylketonuria (PKU) patients in Shaanxi, China.

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing analyses were performed to examine the PAH gene in 33 PKU patients and seven amniotic fluid samples. Thirty-four pathogenic variants were indicated in all 63 alleles, in which two probands carried three variants.

Herceptin Enhances the Antitumor Effect of Natural Killer Cells on Breast Cancer Cells Expressing Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2.

Optimal adoptive cell therapy (ACT) should contribute to effective cancer treatment. The unique ability of natural killer (NK) cells to kill cancer cells independent of major histocompatibility requirement makes them suitable as ACT tools. Herceptin, an antihuman epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (anti-HER2) monoclonal antibody, is used to treat HER2 breast cancer.

Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells Modulates Resistance to Cisplatin in the A549/DDP Cell Line.

Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells can potentially enhance the tumor-killing activity of chemotherapy. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of CIK cells on cisplatin (DDP) resistance in the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549/DDP. The detect resistance index, drug resistance related-genes and cytokine secretion of A549/DDP co-cultured with CIK cells were assayed .

Uncertainty in positive matrix factorization solutions for PAHs in surface sediments of the Yangtze River Estuary in different seasons.

To examine the variabilities of source contributions in the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE), the uncertainty based on the positive matrix factorization (PMF) was applied to the source apportionment of the 16 priority PAHs in 120 surface sediment samples from four seasons. Based on the signal-to-noise ratios, the PAHs categorized as "Bad" might drop out of the estimation of bootstrap. Next, the spatial variability of residuals was applied to determine which species with non-normal curves should be excluded.

FGF1 and IGF1-conditioned 3D culture system promoted the amplification and cancer stemness of lung cancer cells.

Lung cancer stem cells (LCSCs) are considered as the cellular origins of metastasis and relapse of lung cancer. However, routine two-dimensional culture system (2D-culture) hardly mimics the growth and functions of LCSCs in vivo and therefore significantly decreases the stemness activity of LCSCs. In this study, we constructed a special BME-based three-dimensional culture system (3D-culture) to amplify LCSCs in human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 cells and found 3D-culture promoted the enrichment and amplification of LCSCs in A549 cells displaying higher proliferation potential and invasion activity, but lower apoptosis.

The adsorption of α-amylase on barley proteins affects the in vitro digestion of starch in barley flour.

The conversion of barley starch to sugars is a complex enzymic process. Most previous work concerned the biotechnical aspect of in situ barley enzymes. However, the interactions among the macromolecular substrates and their effects on enzymic catalysis has been little examined.

Deletion of NADH oxidase in Listeria monocytogenes promotes the bacterial infection of brain.

NADH oxidase (NOX) plays important roles in respiration and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in cells. In this study, we explored the function of NOX in Listeria monocytogenes by gene deletion. From our results, nox mutant strain (∆nox) had lower HO level and showed no significant alteration in bacteria growth activity.

Mechanism of Non-receptor Tyrosine Kinase Src Regulating Neuroinflammation Through Phosphatase and Tensin Homology Protein in Microglia.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of non-receptor tyrosine kinase Src regulating neuroinflammation through phosphatase and tensin homology protein(PTEN)in microglia. Methods BV2 cells were incubated with PTEN inhibitor bpv(HOpic)for 2 hours,and then added with lipopolysaccharide(LPS)to induce neuroinflammation,Western blot was performed to determine the expression of phosphorylated protein kinase B(Akt)to investigate the activity of PTEN. Enzyme-linked immunosorben assay(ELISA)was used to determine the release of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α)to assess neuroinflammation.

Changes in tumor oxygen state after sorafenib therapy evaluated by F-fluoromisonidazole hypoxia imaging of renal cell carcinoma xenografts.

A mechanistic dissociation exists between tumor starvation and vascular normalization after antiangiogenic therapy. Thus, improved understanding of tumor responses (tumor starvation or vascular normalization) is important for optimizing treatment strategies. F-fluoromisonidazole (F-FMISO) is widely used for imaging tumor hypoxia.

Assessing natural and anthropogenic influences on water discharge and sediment load in the Yangtze River, China.

The water discharge and sediment load of rivers are changing substantially under the impacts of climate change and human activities, becoming a hot issue in hydro-environmental research. In this study, the water discharge and sediment load in the mainstream and seven tributaries of the Yangtze River were investigated by using long-term hydro-meteorological data from 1953 to 2013. The non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and double mass curve (DMC) were used to detect trends and abrupt change-points in water discharge and sediment load and to quantify the effects of climate change and human activities on water discharge and sediment load.

Molecular structures and properties of starches of Australian wild rice.

Australian wild rices have significant genetic differences from domesticated rices, which might provide rices with different starch molecular structure and thus different functional properties. Molecular structure, gelatinization properties, and pasting behaviours of starch of three Australian wild rices (Oryza australiensis, taxa A (O. rufipogon like) and taxa B (O.

Study on the Short-Time Remolding of Upper Airway After Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.

Objective: To verify the short-time remolding of upper airway in patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep disordered breathing after Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP).

Methods: Twenty-one male adult patients aged 27 to 52 years followed up ranged from preoperation to 6 months after the operation. Lateral cephalometric radiographs (conventional and when pronouncing "i") were obtained 2 weeks preoperatively, 3 days postoperatively, and 1, 2, 3, 6 months after the surgery.

Changes in Synaptic Plasticity and Glutamate Receptors in Type 2 Diabetic KK-Ay Mice.

In the present study, the progressive alteration of cognition and the mechanisms of reduction in long-term potentiation (LTP) in spontaneous obese KK-Ay type 2 diabetic mice were investigated. In the study, 3-, 5-, and 7-month-old KK-Ay mice were used. The results indicated that KK-Ay mice showed cognitive deficits in the Morris water maze test beginning at the age of 3 months.

Expression of GARP Is Increased in Tumor-Infiltrating Regulatory T Cells and Is Correlated to Clinicopathology of Lung Cancer Patients.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are immunosuppressive T cells that play an important role in immune homeostasis. Multiple markers have been associated with the characterization, as well as function of Tregs. Recently, glycoprotein A repetitions predominant (GARP), a transmembrane protein containing leucine-rich repeats, has been found to be highly expressed on the surface of activated Tregs.

Counterclockwise maxillomandibular advancement: a choice for Chinese patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Purpose: Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) is an effective alternative for treating severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, the promotion of MMA in China is limited by many Chinese patients having a convex facial profile. To achieve maximal upper airway enlargement without an esthetic disaster, we added counterclockwise rotation of the maxillomandibular complex (MMC) in the routine MMA.

Dysregulation of SOCS-Mediated Negative Feedback of Cytokine Signaling in Carcinogenesis and Its Significance in Cancer Treatment.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are major negative feedback regulators of cytokine signaling mediated by the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathway. In particular, SOCS1 and SOCS3 are strong inhibitors of JAKs and can play pivotal roles in the development and progression of cancers. The abnormal expression of SOCS1 and SOCS3 in cancer cells is associated with the dysregulation of cell growth, migration, and death induced by multiple cytokines and hormones in human carcinomas.

An approach based on M-AMBI for assessing benthic ecological status of a broad intertidal zone: A case study in the Jiangsu intertidal zone, China.

Intensive anthropogenic activities have a serious negative effect on the Jiangsu coastal area of China, especially on the distinctive intertidal zone. Humans are trying to eliminate this effect by taking protection and eco-compensation measures. However, when trying to determine the ecological status and quantify the anthropogenic impact for this area, the complex relationship between ecosystems and environmental stress leads to difficulties in reflecting general environmental quality.