Perspective on advanced directives among older adults in Shanghai: A qualitative study.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the perception on advanced directives (ADs) among older adults in Shanghai.

Methods: Through purposive sampling, 15 older adults with rich life experiences who were willing to share perceptions and experiences of ADs participated in this study. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the qualitative data.

Pulmonary Function and Retrobulbar Hemodynamics in Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: The primary goals of this study were to evaluate early changes in pulmonary function and retrobulbar hemodynamics and to examine the correlation between these parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes during the preclinical stages of diabetic retinopathy.

Methods: For the single-time point measurements, 63 subjects with type 2 diabetes without diabetic retinopathy (diabetes group) and 32 healthy subjects (control group) were selected to evaluate any early changes in pulmonary function and retrobulbar hemodynamics and to examine the correlation between these parameters. In the longitudinal follow-up study, 32 subjects who were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were divided into 2 groups according to their resistivity index (≤0.

The effect of alogliptin on pulmonary function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled by metformin monotherapy.

Background: To observe the effect of alogliptin combined with metformin on pulmonary function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled by metformin monotherapy (500 mg, bid po, for at least 3 months), and evaluate its efficacy and safety.

Methods: After a 2-week screening period, adult patients (aged 36-72 years) entered a 4-week run-in/stabilization period. Then, patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 55) or the control group (n = 50) for 26 weeks.

A novel agonistic anti-human death receptor 5 monoclonal antibody with tumoricidal activity induces caspase- and mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis in human leukemia Jurkat cells.

An agonistic antibody against TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand death receptor 5 (DR5) is a practicable candidate drug for antitumor therapy. In this study, a novel murine anti-human DR5 monoclonal antibody, mDRA-6(IgG1-κ), has been generated. This study aimed to explore the caspase-dependent and mitochondrial mechanisms of mDRA-6 in inducing apoptosis in human leukemia Jurkat cells.

Caspase-dependent molecular mechanisms of anti-human DR5 monoclonal antibody mDRA-6 inducing apoptosis of human leukemia Jurkat cells.

Background And Objective: Both tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and some monoclonal agonistic antibodies against TRAIL receptors have antitumor activity. We have previously prepared a novel monoclonal agonistic antibody against human death receptor 5 (DR5) and designated it as mDRA-6. This study was to explore the Caspase-dependent molecular mechanisms of mDRA-6 inducing apoptosis of human leukemia Jurkat cells.

[Role of enamel matrix proteins in inducing biomimetic mineralization of the enamel: a study with quartz crystal microbalance technique].

Objective: To investigate the adsorption behavior of enamel matrix proteins (EMPs) on the enamel surface and study their effect on biomineralization of enamel using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique.

Methods And Results: The EMPs were adsorbed on the enamel surface to form a protein film, which was soaked in simulated body fluid solutions. After 30 days of biomimetic mineralization, the hydroxyapatite nucleation, growth and aggregation occurred with hydroxyapatite crystal formation on the enamel surface.

[The study on the enamel remineralization by enamel matrix proteins' inducing].

Objective: To find the enamel matrix proteins on the impact of enamel mineralization through experiments.

Methods: A combination of protein and beneficial carboxyl groups was grafted on the surface of enamel defects of rats through UV radiation then put into the enamel matrix proteins of calcium phosphate agar acetate solution systems, through scanning enamel surface with the electron microscopy to observe the morphological changes of enamel then analyse the regulation that enamel matrix proteins have done to the white hydroxyapatite crystals on the composition and morphology.

Results: In the enamel matrix protein added gel system, we can see the growth of hydroxyapatite crystals, and crystal showed a good degree of crystallinity and contained a small amount of CO3(2-) substituted hydroxyapatite crystals.

[Grafting functional groups on enamel surface by a self-assembled monolayer technique].

Objective: To study the influence of various active groups grafted on the enamel surface by means of self assembly on enamel biomineralization.

Methods: The enamel was prepared by immersing the bicuspid tooth into 1 mmol/L ethanolic solution of a omega-functionalized (omega=PO4H2, SO3H, COOH or OH) group and deionized water solution of HSCH2CH2SO3Na for 24 h at room temperature. The contact angles and infrared (IR) images were used to identify the morphological changes of the enamel with chemisorption of the functional groups.

[Synergistic lethal effect of mDRA-6 and nimesulide on human hepatocellular cancer cell line SMMC-7721].

Background & Objective: Both mDRA-6, a monoclonal antibody of death receptor 5 (DR5) in human cells prepared by our key laboratory, and nimesulide, a specific cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, can induce apoptosis of some malignant tumor cells. This study was to investigate the lethal effects of mDRA-6 and nimesulide on human hepatocellular cancer cell line SMMC-7721, and explore the possible mechanism.

Methods: The expression of DR5 on SMMC-7721 cells was detected by flow cytometry (FCM).

[The cleavage activity of GCV transfer vector-mediated hammerhead ribozyme for KRR1 in vitro transcript].

Objective: To detect the cleavage activity of Giardia canis virus (GCV) transfer vector-mediated hammerhead ribozyme for KRR1 in vitro transcript.

Methods: Giardia, a most primitive eukaryote, has KRR1 protein responsible for ribosome biosynthesis. cDNA encoding hammerhead ribozyme flanked with various lengths of antisense RNA was cloned into a viral vector pGCV634/GFP/GCV2174 derived from the genome of GCV, KRzS flanked with 21 nt KRR1 antisense RNA on each arm, or KRzL flanked with 288 nt and 507 nt KRR1 antisense RNA.

[Giardia canis virus transfection vector-mediated expression of green fluorescent protein in the parasite].

Objective: To construct Giardia canis virus (GCV) transfection vector.

Methods: According to transcriptional start site, replication origin and packaging site of GCV genome (DQ238861), a system was developed for the expression of a foreign gene in this organism by flanking the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene with the fragments of GCV positive-strand RNA. The transcript of the construct was synthesized in vitro with T7 RNA polymerase and used to transfect GCV-infected trophozoites by electroporation.

[Cloning and sequence analysis of a partial gene of Trichomonas vaginalis dsRNA virus].

A pair of degenerate primers were designed following the published nucleotide sequence of Trichomonas vaginalis virus(U08999, NC003873, NC003824, NC003834). Using the total nucleic acids extracted from the Trichomonas vaginalis as template, RT-PCR was performed with the primers to obtain a fragment of the TVV. The product was cloned, sequenced and compared with the sequences available in the GenBank.

[Establishment of in vitro cultivation of Giardia canis trophozoites infected with Giardia canis virus].

Objective: To cultivate a Giardia canis isolate with G. canis virus (GCV).

Methods: Five-day-old Meriones unguiculatus was infected with the cysts of G.

[Cytotoxic mechanism of anti-human death receptor 5 monoclonal antibody mDRA-6].

Aim: To investigate the cytotoxic action and its mechanism of a novel anti-human DR5 monoclonal antibody (mAb mDRA-6).

Methods: The cytotoxic action of mAb mDRA-6 on Jurkat cells and the effects of inhibitors of caspase 8 and caspase 9 on apoptosis of Jurkat cells induced with mAb mDRA-6 were detected by flow cytometry. The effects of mAb mDRA-6 on the morpha of Jurkat cells was observed by fluorescence microscope.

[Isolation and structural elucidation of a bioactive saponin from tubers of Bolbostemma paniculatum].

Objective: To study the bioactive constituents from tubers of Bolbostemma paniculatum.

Method: Compounds were isolated by extraction and partition as well as several-chromatographic techniques guided with Pyricularia oryzae bioassay method. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectral analysis and chemical evidence.

Asterosaponins from the starfish Culcita novaeguineae and their bioactivities.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the n-BuOH extract of the starfish Culcita novaeguineae resulted in the isolation of one new sulfated steroidal glycoside (asterosaponin) (1), along with three known asterosaponins, thornasteroside A (2), marthasteroside A(1) (3) and regularoside A (4), as active compounds causing morphological abnormality of Pyricularia oryzae mycelia. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectral studies and chemical evidences. All the saponins showed moderate cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines K-562 and BEL-7402.

Three new asterosaponins from the starfish Culcita novaeguineae and their bioactivity.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the active n-BuOH extract of the starfish Culcita novaeguineae resulted in the isolation of three new sulfated steroidal glycosides (asterosaponins) 1, 2 and 3, as active compounds causing morphological abnormality of Pyricularia oryzae mycelia. Compounds 1-3 possess the same pentasaccharide moiety, beta-D-fucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->4)-[beta-D-quinovopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D-quinovopyranosyl, linked to C-6 of 3beta-sulfated steroidal aglycones and differ from each other in the side chains. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectral studies and chemical evidences.

Bioactive asterosaponins from the starfish Culcita novaeguineae.

Two new sulfated steroidal pentaglycosides (asterosaponins), novaeguinosides I (2) and II (3), along with the known regularoside B (1) were isolated from the starfish Culcita novaeguineae. Their structures were elucidated by extensive NMR techniques as well as chemical evidence. The new asterosaponins showed marginal in vitro cytotoxicity against two human tumor cell lines.

[Correlation between sensitivity to TRAIL and expression level of DR5 on surface of tumor cells].

Objective: To investigate the correlation between sensitivity to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) and expression level of death receptor 5 (DR5) on tumor cell surface.

Methods: Anti-DR5 mAb was used to detect expression level of DR5 on surface of tumor cells by flow cytometry. Sensitivity to apoptosis induced by TRAIL was determined by TRAIL apoptosis kit.