A Rare Missense Variant in TCF7L2 Associates with Colorectal Cancer Risk by Interacting with a GWAS-Identified Regulatory Variant in the MYC Enhancer.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of colorectal cancer have identified several common susceptible variants in gene regulatory regions. However, low-frequency or rare coding risk variants have not been systematically investigated in patients with colorectal cancer from Chinese populations. In this study, we performed an exome-wide association analysis with 1,062 patients with colorectal cancer and 2,184 controls from a Chinese population.

IL-9 Deficiency Promotes Pulmonary Th17 Response in Murine Model of Infection.

Introduction: pneumonia (PCP) remains a severe complication with high mortality in immunocompromised patients. It has been well accepted that CD4 T cells play a major role in controlling infection. Th9 cells were the main source of IL-9 with multifaced roles depending on specific diseases.

Salicin from Alangium chinense Ameliorates Rheumatoid Arthritis by Modulating the Nrf2-HO-1-ROS Pathways.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder linked to oxidative stress of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLSs). The effects and potential mechanism of salicin on inflammation and oxidative stress of RA-FLSs were examined by MTT, ELISA, and Western blot methods. Salicin significantly reduced cell viability (82.

Activated naïve B cells promote development of malignant pleural effusion by differential regulation of T1 and T17 response.

Inflammatory signaling networks between tumor cells and immune cells contribute to the development of malignant pleural effusion (MPE). B cells have been found in MPE; however, little is known about their roles there. In the present study, by using mouse MPE models, we noted that although the total B cells in MPE were decreased as compared with the corresponding blood and spleen, the percentage of activated naïve B cells expressing higher levels of CD80, CD86, myosin heavy chain-II, CD44, CD69, and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) molecules were increased in wild-type mouse MPE.

Reciprocal Signaling between Glioblastoma Stem Cells and Differentiated Tumor Cells Promotes Malignant Progression.

Glioblastoma is the most lethal primary brain tumor; however, the crosstalk between glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) and their supportive niche is not well understood. Here, we interrogated reciprocal signaling between GSCs and their differentiated glioblastoma cell (DGC) progeny. We found that DGCs accelerated GSC tumor growth.

Apoptosis effects of imperatorin on synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis through mitochondrial/caspase-mediated pathways.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic chronic inflammatory disease associated with a potential imbalance between the growth and death of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLSs). Imperatorin (IPT) is a naturally occurring furanocoumarin found in umbelliferous vegetables, citrus fruits, and some herbs. The effects of IPT on the proliferation and apoptosis of RA-FLSs and its potential underlying mechanisms have remained unclear.

A paclitaxel prodrug with bifunctional folate and albumin binding moieties for both passive and active targeted cancer therapy.

Folate receptor (FR) has proven to be a valuable target for chemotherapy using folic acid (FA) conjugates. However, FA-conjugated chemotherapeutics still have low therapeutic efficacy accompanied with side effects, resulting from complications such as short circulation half-life, limited tumor delivery, as well as high kidney accumulation. Herein, we present a novel FA-conjugated paclitaxel (PTX) prodrug which was additionally conjugated with an Evans blue (EB) derivative for albumin binding.

Research of megasonic electroforming equipment based on the uniformity of electroforming process.

Megasonic has obvious advantages in overcoming the limitations of electroforming process based on its low cavitation effect, high sound intensity and acoustic streaming. In this paper, megasonic was employed to achieve uniform electroformed layer in electroforming process. Impedance values, resonant frequencies were measured in order to get a high-efficiency megasonic source.

Exome-wide analyses identify low-frequency variant in CYP26B1 and additional coding variants associated with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Genome-wide association studies have identified common variants associated with risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, these common variants cannot explain all heritability of ESCC. Here we report an exome-wide interrogation of 3,714 individuals with ESCC and 3,880 controls for low-frequency susceptibility loci, with two independent replication samples comprising 7,002 cases and 8,757 controls.

Diagnostic accuracy of tumor markers for malignant pleural effusion: a derivation and validation study.

Background: The utility of tumor markers (TMs) for differentiating malignant pleural effusion (MPE) from benign pleural effusion (BPE) has been a subject of controversy. The majority of published studies are single center designed and lack validation. We performed a derivation and validation study in China to evaluate the diagnostic value of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as well as carbohydrate antigen (CA) 15-3, CA 19-9 and CA 125 to differentiate between MPE and BPE.

Distant Metastasis and Survival Outcomes after Computed Tomography-Guided Needle Biopsy in Resected Stage I-III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Several reports describe the needle-tract implantation after percutaneous needle lung biopsy. The present study evaluated whether preoperative computed tomography-guided needle biopsy (CTNB) affected the distant metastasis and overall survival in patients with early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A total of 1667 patients with pathological stage I-III NSCLC were assimilated.

Fabrication of shape-tunable macroparticles by seeded polymerization of styrene using non-cross-linked starch-based seed.

Nonspherical colloidal particles with various geometries and different compositions have attracted tremendous attention and been widely researched. The preparation of polymer colloidal particles with controlled shapes by seeded polymerization is recognized as the most promising technique owing to the precise control of various morphologies and using non-cross-linked seed particles are of particular interest. Seeds particles derived from natural biopolymers are seldom applied.

Targeting Glioma Stem Cell-Derived Pericytes Disrupts the Blood-Tumor Barrier and Improves Chemotherapeutic Efficacy.

The blood-tumor barrier (BTB) is a major obstacle for drug delivery to malignant brain tumors such as glioblastoma (GBM). Disrupting the BTB is therefore highly desirable but complicated by the need to maintain the normal blood-brain barrier (BBB). Here we show that targeting glioma stem cell (GSC)-derived pericytes specifically disrupts the BTB and enhances drug effusion into brain tumors.

[Comparisons of prevalence and clinical and environmental characteristics between Tibetan and Han Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome in Tibetan Plateau].

By the preliminary comparison study on the constituent ratio and clinical characteristics of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in Tibetan and Han women in Tibetan Plateau, we aimed to find the relevance of its pathogenic factors, and to guide the treatment of PCOS in the plateau region and improve the prognosis. The general situation and clinical data of 165 patients who were diagnosed with PCOS from December 1, 2015 to November 30, 2016 in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region were analyzed retrospectively. The prevalence of PCOS among Tibetan and Han women in Tibetan Plateau were compared.

A Method to Encapsulate Small Organic Molecules in Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles Based on the Supramolecular Chemistry of Cyclodextrin.

Calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CPNPs) encapsulating small organic molecules, such as imaging agents and drugs, are considered to be ideal devices for cancer diagnosis or therapy. However, it is generally difficult to encapsulate small organic molecules in CPNPs because of the lack of solubility in water or binding affinity to calcium phosphate. To solve these issues, we utilized the carboxymethyl β-cyclodextrin (CM-β-CD) to increase the solubility and binding affinity to small organic molecules for the encapsulation into CPNPs in this work.

Giant magnetoelectric effects achieved by tuning spin cone symmetry in Y-type hexaferrites.

Multiferroics materials, which exhibit coupled magnetic and ferroelectric properties, have attracted tremendous research interest because of their potential in constructing next-generation multifunctional devices. The application of single-phase multiferroics is currently limited by their usually small magnetoelectric effects. Here, we report the realization of giant magnetoelectric effects in a Y-type hexaferrite BaSrMgFeO single crystal, which exhibits record-breaking direct and converse magnetoelectric coefficients and a large electric-field-reversed magnetization.

Diagnostic accuracy of interleukin 27 for tuberculous pleural effusion: two prospective studies and one meta-analysis.

Background: Accurate differentiating diagnosis is essential for choosing treatment for exudative pleural effusions.

Objective: To establish the diagnostic accuracy of interleukin 27 for tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE).

Methods: First, the concentrations of pleural interleukin 27, interferon-gamma and adenosine deaminase were compared between 51 patients with TPE and 103 with non-TPEs (Beijing cohort), and their diagnostic values were evaluated.

Bioinformatics analysis of gene expression profiling for identification of potential key genes among ischemic stroke.

This study aimed to identify the key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) following ischemic stroke (IS).The GSE22255 microarray dataset, which contains samples from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 20 IS patients and 20 sex- and age-matched controls, was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus. After data pre-processing, DEGs were identified using the Linear Models for Microarray Data package in R.

Protective effects of paeonol on inflammatory response in IL-1β-induced human fibroblast-like synoviocytes and rheumatoid arthritis progression via modulating NF-κB pathway.

Various investigations have demonstrated that human fibroblast-like synoviocytes rheumatoid arthritis (HFLS-RA) take part in the chronic inflammatory responses and RA progression. Inhibition of synovium activation and inflammatory processes may represent a therapeutic target to alleviate RA. Paeonol, a major natural product, has many biological and pharmacological activities.

Preparation and Electrocapacitive Properties of Hierarchical Porous Carbons Based on Loofah Sponge.

Four porous carbon samples denoted as LSC-1, LSC-2, LCS-3, and LSC-4 were prepared by carbonization of loofah sponge pretreated by ZnCl₂ activation, immersion in ,-dimethylformamide (DMF), DMF-assisted solvothermal and melamine-assisted hydrothermal processes, and the specific surface areas were 1007, 799, 773, and 538 m²·g with mainly micropores, respectively. Electrocapacitive properties of four porous carbon-based electrodes were investigated with cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in symmetric supercapacitors. All the cyclic voltammetries of four types of supercapacitors showed a rectangular shape, even under a high scan rate of 500 mV·s.

The G-BHQ synergistic effect: Improved double quenching molecular beacons based on guanine and Black Hole Quencher for sensitive simultaneous detection of two DNAs.

We designed two double quenching molecular beacons (MBs) with simple structure based on guanine (G base) and Black Hole Quencher (BHQ), and developed a new analytical method for sensitive simultaneous detection of two DNAs by synchronous fluorescence analysis. In this analytical method, carboxyl fluorescein (FAM) and tetramethyl-6-carboxyrhodamine (TAMRA) were respectively selected as fluorophore of two MBs, Black Hole Quencher 1 (BHQ-1) and Black Hole Quencher 2 (BHQ-2) were respectively selected as organic quencher, and three continuous nucleotides with G base were connected to organic quencher (BHQ-1 and BHQ-2). In the presence of target DNAs, the two MBs hybridize with the corresponding target DNAs, the fluorophores are separated from organic quenchers and G bases, leading to recovery of fluorescence of FAM and TAMRA.

Expression and function of phosphodiesterases (PDEs) in the rat urinary bladder.

Background: It has been shown that hosphodiesterases (PDEs) play an important role in mediating the smooth muscle tone of rat urinary bladder. However, the gene expression profiles of them were still unknown.

Methods: Urinary bladder Strips were obtained from both neonatal and adult Sprague-Dawley rats.

Orthoborates LiCdRE(BO) (RE = Sm-Lu and Y) with Rare-Earth Ions on a Triangular Lattice: Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Optical and Magnetic Properties.

Single crystals of LiCdY(BO) were successfully grown from a LiO-BO flux, and its lanthanide homotypic compounds, LiCdRE(BO) (RE = Sm-Lu), have been prepared by solid-state reaction. They crystallize in the noncentrosymmetric space group P622 with cell parameters in the ranges of a = 7.0989(2)-6.