Serum nerve grow factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor profiles in Sjögren's syndrome concomitant with interstitial lung disease.

The aim of this study is to investigate the serum levels and clinical significance of nerve grow factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in Sjogren's syndrome (SS) with interstitial lung disease (ILD). Fifty two untreated patients with SS were enrolled in the study. Of them, 25 patients only displayed salivary glands damage and/or lacrimal gland injury (simple SS group).

Detection of arsenic(III) through pulsed laser-induced desorption/ionization of gold nanoparticles on cellulose membranes.

We have developed an assay based on gold nanoparticle-modified mixed cellulose ester membrane (Au NPs-MCEM) coupled with laser-induced desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS)-for the detection of arsenic(III) ions (arsenite, AsO2(-)) in aqueous solution. When the Au NPs reacted with lead ions (Pb(2+)) in alkaline solution (5 mM glycine-NaOH, pH 12), Au-Pb complexes, PbO, and Pb(OH) were formed immediately on the Au NP surfaces. The Pb species reacted rapidly with subsequently added AsO2(-) to form PbOAs2O3, (PbO)2As2O3, and/or (PbO)3As2O3 shells (2-5 nm) on the Au NPs' surfaces.

Membrane-based assay for iodide ions based on anti-leaching of gold nanoparticles.

We report a label-free colorimetric strategy for the highly selective and sensitive detection of iodide (I(-)) ions in human urine sample, seawater and edible salt. A poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone)-stabilized Au nanoparticle (34.2-nm) was prepared to detect I(-) ions using silver (Ag(+)) and cyanide (CN(-)) ions as leaching agents in a glycine-NaOH (pH 9.

The Role of MicroRNA in Hepatitis C Virus Replication.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major global health problem. There is no effective vaccine and the current treatment regimen with pegylated interferon α and ribavirin is associated with significant adverse events. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify new antiviral targets for HCV therapy.

Gold-nanoparticles-modified cellulose membrane coupled with laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry for detection of iodide in urine.

We report an efficient method for the determination of iodide (I(-)) ions by using gold-iodide hybrid cluster ions on gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) modified mixed cellulose ester membrane (Au NPs-MCEM) by pulsed laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS). When I(-) ions were deposited and concentrated on the surfaces of Au NPs (32 nm) via strong Au(+)-I(-) interaction on the MECM, the Au NPs-MCEM was observed to function as an efficient surface-assisted LDI substrate with very low background noise. When pulsed laser radiation (355 nm) was applied, I(-) binding to Au NPs ions induced the enhancement of the desorption and ionization efficiency of gold-iodide hybrid cluster ions from the Au NPs surfaces.

Human apolipoprotein A-I is associated with dengue virus and enhances virus infection through SR-BI.

Diseases caused by dengue virus (DV) infection vary in severity, with symptoms ranging from mild fever to life threatening dengue hemorrhage fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Clinical studies have shown that significant decrease in the level of lipoproteins is correlated with severe illness in DHF/DSS patients. Available evidence also indicates that lipoproteins including high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are able to facilitate cell entry of HCV or other flaviviruses via corresponding lipoprotein receptors.

Ubiquitin-like protein modifiers and their potential for antiviral and anti-HCV therapy.

All viral infections subvert the host immune response. Targeting the host mechanisms that are modulated by viral infection offers new avenues for antiviral drug development. Host ubiquitin and multiple ubiquitin-like modifiers (Ubls) are commonly altered by, or important for, viral infection.

Study of magnetization evolution by using composite spin-lock pulses for T₁ρ imaging.

B(0) and B(1) field inhomogeneities may generate banding-like artifacts in T(1ρ)-weighted images and hence result in errors of T(1ρ) quantification. Several types of composite spin-lock pulses have been proposed to alleviate such artifacts. In this study, magnetization evolution with T(1ρ) and T(2ρ) relaxation by using these composite spin-lock pulses are theoretically derived.

Information derived from cluster ions from DNA-modified gold nanoparticles under laser desorption/ionization: analysis of coverage, structure, and single-nucleotide polymorphism.

In this study, we employed laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) to explore the interactions between thiolated DNA (HS-DNA) and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). Under nanosecond-pulsed laser irradiation (Nd:YAG, 355 nm), the efficiency of Au cluster ion formation from the Au NPs decreased in the presence of HS-DNA. At the optimal laser power density (2.

Quantification of T(1ρ) relaxation by using rotary echo spin-lock pulses in the presence of B(0) inhomogeneity.

T(1ρ) relaxation is traditionally described as a mono-exponential signal decay with spin-lock time. However, T(1ρ) quantification by fitting to the mono-exponential model can be substantially compromised in the presence of field inhomogeneities, especially for low spin-lock frequencies. The normal approach to address this issue involves the development of dedicated composite spin-lock pulses for artifact reduction while still using the mono-exponential model for T(1ρ) fitting.

Effect of titanium dioxide nanomaterials and ultraviolet light coexposure on African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis).

Titanium dioxide nanomaterials (nano-TiO(2) ) exhibit stronger photochemical oxidation/reduction capacity compared with their bulk counterparts, but the effectiveness of nano-TiO(2) interaction with ultraviolet (UV) light strongly depends on particle size. In this study, the dependence of nano-TiO(2) toxicity on particle size and interaction with UV light were investigated. Toxicity tests with Xenopus laevis included eight concentrations of nano-TiO(2) in the presence of either white light or UVA (315-400 nm).

catena-Poly[[bis-[2-(2-pyrid-yl)-1-H-imidazole-κN,N]cadmium]-μ-benzene-1,3-dicarboxyl-ato-κO:O].

In the title coordinaltion polymer, [Cd(C(8)H(4)O(4))(C(8)H(7)N(3))(2)](n), the Cd(II) atom, lying on a twofold rotation axis, is six-coordinated by two carboxyl-ate O atoms from two benzene-1,3-dicarboxyl-ate (m-BDC) ligands and four N atoms from two chelating 2-(2-pyrid-yl)imidazole mol-ecules, forming a slightly distorted octa-hedral geometry. The m-BDC ligand is located over a twofold rotation axis. The Cd(II) atoms are bridged by the m-BDC ligands, leading to a wave-shaped chain structure along [010].

[Effects of the +83C/T polymorphism in apolipoprotein AI gene on the changes of serum biochemical traits of gluocse and lipid metabolism induced by high-carbohydrate diets].

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible effects of the +83C/T polymorphism in apolipoprotein AI gene (apoA1) on the changes of serum lipids, glucose, insulin and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) induced by a high-carbohydrate diet in healthy youth.

Methods: Fifty-six participants were given a washout diet for 7 d, followed by a high-carbohydrate diet for 6 d. The washout diet contained 15% protein, 31% fat and 54% carbohydrate.

[Effects of adiponectin gene SNP45T/G on changes of serum lipid ratios induced by high-carbohydrate/low-fat diet in healthy Chinese youth].

Objective: To investigate the effects of adiponectin gene (APM1) SNP45T/G on serum lipid ratios and their responses to high-carbohydrate/low-fat (HC/LF) diet in healthy young Chinese.

Methods: Fifty-six healthy young subjects were given two consecutive diets. The first was control diet (54% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 31% fat) for 7 days, and the second was HC/LF diet (70% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 15% fat) for 6 days.

Optical properties of photonic crystal heterostructure cavity lasers.

We design, fabricate, and test photonic crystal heterostructure cavity lasers in the InP material system. A heterostructure cavity is formed by interfacing two different photonic crystals such that a dispersion maximum of the inner lattice lies within the band gap of the surrounding lattice. Feedback to slow light modes of the central region results in a lower threshold and single mode operation.

Syntheses, structures, and electrochemical properties of platinum(II) complexes containing di-tert-butylbipyridine and crown ether annelated dithiolate ligands.

A series of new platinum(II) complexes containing both 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine (dbbpy) and the extended tetrathiafulvalenedithiolate ligands have been prepared and characterized. These complexes include [Pt(dbbpy)(C8H4S8)] (1; C8H4S82- = 2-{(4,5-ethylenedithio)-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene}-1,3-dithiol-4,5-dithiolate), [Pt(dbbpy)(ptdt)] (2; ptdt = 2-{(4,5-cyclopentodithio)-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene}-1,3-dithiol-4,5-dithiolate), [Pt(dbbpy)(mtdt)] (3; mtdt = 2-{(4,5-methylethylenedithio)-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene}-1,3-dithiol-4,5-dithiolate), [Pt(dbbpy)(btdt)] (4; btdt = benzotetrathiafulvalenedithiolate), [Pt(dbbpy)(C8H6S8)] (5; C8H6S82- = 2-{4,5-bis(methylthio)-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene}-1,3-dithiol-4,5-dithiolate), [Pt(dbbpy)(3O-C6S8)] (6; 3O-C6S82- = 2-{4,5-dithia-(3',6',9'-trioxaundecyl)-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene}-1,3-dithiol-4,5-dithiolate), and [Pt(dbbpy)(4O-C6S8)] (7; 4O-C6S82- = 2-{4,5-dithia-(3',6',9',12'-tetraoxatetradecyl)-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene}-1,3-dithiol-4,5-dithiolate). The crystal structures of a new ligand precursor (2-[4,5-dithia-(3',6',9',12'-tetraoxatetradecyl)-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene]-4,5-bis(2-cyanoethylsulfanyl)-1,3-dithiole, IIIc) and complexes 5-7 have been determined by X-ray crystallography.