Somatostatin receptor type 2 contributes to the self-renewal of murine embryonic stem cells.

Aim: The roles of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) in stem cell biology remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify GPCRs that might contribute to the self-renewal of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs).

Methods: The expression levels of pluripotent genes and GPCR gene were detected in E14 mESCs using PCR array and RT-PCR.

A Study to Draw a Normative Database of Laryngopharynx pH Profile in Chinese.

Background/aims: To draw a normative database of laryngopharynx pH profile in Chinese subjects.

Methods: Normal volunteers were recruited from "www.Ganji.

Cytoplasmic localization of Lrh-1 down-regulates ovarian follicular cyp19a1a expression in a teleost, the orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides.

Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) is a conserved member of the NR5A subfamily in vertebrates and a potential regulator of estrogen synthesis in the ovarian granulosa cells. An Lrh-1 homologue was obtained from the orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides that contains the conserved structural features of NR5A and is phylogenetically closely related to NR5A2. The expression of the orange-spotted grouper Lrh-1 is tissue-specific with relatively higher levels in the liver and ovary.

Knockdown of hTERT by siRNA inhibits cervical cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is the catalytic component of telomerase that facilitates tumor cell invasion and proliferation. It has been reported that telomerase and hTERT are significantly upregulated in majority of cancers including cervical cancer, thus, downregulation of hTERT is a promising target in malignant tumor treatment. We established a short interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting hTERT, and transfected it into HeLa cells (a cervical cancer cell line) to investi-gate the effect of cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion in cervical cancer cells.

Genes encoding aromatases in teleosts: evolution and expression regulation.

Cytochrome P450 aromatases, encoded by cyp19a1 genes, catalyzes the conversion of androgens to estrogens and plays important roles in the reproduction of vertebrates. Vertebrate cyp19a1 genes showed high synteny in chromosomal locations and conservation in sequences during evolution. However, amphioxus cyp19a1 does not show synteny to vertebrate cyp19a1.

Development of biodegradable polymeric implants of RGD-modified PEG-PAMAM-DOX conjugates for long-term intratumoral release.

Context: The sustained release implants can be directly implanted in tumor site by surgery and are promising for cancer treatment.

Objective: RGD-modified PEGylated polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer with doxorubicin (DOX) conjugated by acid-sensitive linkage (RGD-PPCD) was a potential conjugate for tumor-targeted therapy. In order to enhance tumor retention ability and long-term effect of drug, we developed the DOX and its conjugate implants using poly(dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), poly(dl-lactic acid) (PLA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as carrier materials.

Effects of hypoxia on progranulin expression in HT22 mouse hippocampal cells.

The present study evaluated the effect of hypoxia on the expression of progranulin in HT22 mouse hippocampal cells. To investigate progranulin (PGRN) and the alterations in its expression following hypoxia, the HT22 cells were treated with various concentrations of sodium hydrosulfite (Na2S2O4; 1-20 mM) for a fixed time (6 h) or with a fixed concentration (5 mM) for different lengths of time (2-0 h). The expression of PGRN in the HT22 cells following hypoxia was analyzed by an immunocytochemistry assay and western blot analysis.

The novel long noncoding RNA linc00467 promotes cell survival but is down-regulated by N-Myc.

The worst subtype of neuroblastoma is caused by MYCN oncogene amplification and N-Myc oncoprotein over-expression. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators of gene expression and tumourigenesis. While Myc oncoproteins are well-known to exert tumourigenic effects by regulating the expression of protein-coding genes and microRNAs, little is known about which lncRNAs are Myc targets and whether the Myc target lncRNAs play a role in Myc-induced oncogenesis.

Synthesis and characterization of PEG-conjugated quaternized chitosan and its application as a gene vector.

Poly(ethylene glycol)-conjugated N-(2-hydroxy) propyl-3-trimethyl ammonium chitosan chloride (PHTAC) derivatives were prepared by incorporating PEG molecules onto quaternized chitosan backbone. The copolymers were characterized by FTIR, (1)H NMR and XRD. Agarose gel retardation assay indicated that PHTAC had good plasmid DNA (pDNA) binding capability and the particle sizes of PHTAC/pDNA complexes determined by DLS were about 200 nm.

Histone demethylase JARID1B promotes cell proliferation but is downregulated by N-Myc oncoprotein.

Myc oncoproteins induce tumor initiation and promote tumor progression by modulating gene transcription. We have previously shown that N-Myc represses gene transcription by recruiting histone deacetylases to Sp1-binding site-enriched regions of target gene promoters. The histone demethylase JARID1B plays a dual role in cancer.

An analysis of 1256 cases of sporadic ruptured cerebral aneurysm in a single Chinese institution.

Background: To review the epidemiology of sporadic ruptured cerebral aneurysm.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of consecutive 1256 Chinese patients between January 2006 and January 2013, who were admitted to the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, China, for spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a rupture of cerebral artery aneurysm. In 288 males and 478 females, the size of aneurysms was measured by a neuroradiologist on DSA.

Effects of the fibroblast activation protein on the invasion and migration of gastric cancer.

Objective: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most important components of tumor microenvironment. CAFs are believed to play an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Recently, fibroblast activation protein (FAP), a type II integral membrane glycoprotein belonging to the serine protease family, has emerged as a specific marker of CAFs.

Favipiravir (T-705) inhibits Junín virus infection and reduces mortality in a guinea pig model of Argentine hemorrhagic fever.

Background: Junín virus (JUNV), the etiologic agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF), is classified by the NIAID and CDC as a Category A priority pathogen. Presently, antiviral therapy for AHF is limited to immune plasma, which is readily available only in the endemic regions of Argentina. T-705 (favipiravir) is a broadly active small molecule RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor presently in clinical evaluation for the treatment of influenza.

[Comparison on content of ligustilides in different danggui samples].

Bioactivity of Danggui is linked to the content of ligustilide, but the relationship between ligustilide with herb shape, cultivating areas and plant species is still unknown. The relationship was investigated by quantifying on the amounts of Z-ligustilide and E-ligustilide by HPLC-DAD-MS method, and then comparing the content of ligustilides (the sum of Z-ligustilide and E-ligustilide) among forty-four various "Danggui" samples containing thirty Chinese Danggui (CDG), six Japanese Danggui (JDG), four Korea Danggui (KDG) and four European Danggui (EDG). Results showed that the content of ligustilides in CDG samples (Angelica sinensis) was in the range of 5.

Role of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in preconditioning-induced protection of retinal ganglion cells in glaucoma.

Purpose: We recently demonstrated in a mouse model of glaucoma that endogenous epigenetic mechanisms can be activated by a repetitive hypoxic preconditioning (RHP) stimulus to provide robust retinal ganglion cell (RGC) protection. Although we also provided evidence that RHP prevents or delays the apoptotic demise of the RGC soma, the mechanisms responsible for signaling this epigenetic response, as well as the effectors of the glaucoma-tolerant phenotype at the somatic and axonal levels, remain unidentified. In the present study, we used conditional mutant mice lacking hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in RGCs (HIF-1α RGC-knockout [KO] mice) to test the hypothesis that RHP-mediated activation of this transcription factor in these cells protects them from glaucomatous injury.

Non-aggregation based label free colorimetric sensor for the detection of Cu2+ based on catalyzing etching of gold nanorods by dissolve oxygen.

A label-free non-aggregation colorimetric sensor has been designed for the detection of Cu(2+), based on Cu(2+) catalyzing etching of gold nanorods (AuNRs) along longitudinal axis induced by dissolve oxygen in the presence of S2O3(2-), which caused the aspect ratio (length/width) of AuNRs to decrease and the color of the solution to distinctly change. The linear range and the detection limit (LD, calculated by 10 Sb/k, n=11) of this sensor were 0.080-4.

Ultra-sensitive non-aggregation colorimetric sensor for detection of iron based on the signal amplification effect of Fe3+ catalyzing H2O2 oxidize gold nanorods.

Fe(3+) can catalyze H2O2 to oxidize along on the longitudinal axis of gold nanorods (AuNRs), which caused the aspect ratio of AuNRs to decrease, longitudinal plasmon absorption band (LPAB) of AuNRs to blueshift (Δλ) and the color of the solution to change obviously. Thus, a rapid response and highly sensitive non-aggregation colorimetric sensor for the determination of Fe(3+) has been developed based on the signal amplification effect of catalyzing H2O2 to oxidize AuNRs. This simple and selective sensor with a wide linear range of 0.

A minimal nitrogen fixation gene cluster from Paenibacillus sp. WLY78 enables expression of active nitrogenase in Escherichia coli.

Most biological nitrogen fixation is catalyzed by molybdenum-dependent nitrogenase, an enzyme complex comprising two component proteins that contains three different metalloclusters. Diazotrophs contain a common core of nitrogen fixation nif genes that encode the structural subunits of the enzyme and components required to synthesize the metalloclusters. However, the complement of nif genes required to enable diazotrophic growth varies significantly amongst nitrogen fixing bacteria and archaea.

[Study on the consistency of reflux score evaluated by three different level of throat physicians].

Objective: The consistency of reflux finding score (RFS) was studied by three different level of throat physicians.

Methods: One hundred and ten laryngeal photos were chosen to assess the RFS test-retest reliability on two separate occasions at least more than one week.

Results: The mean total RFS scores for doctor A were 9.

Helicobacter pylori infection synergizes with three inflammation-related genetic variants in the GWASs to increase risk of gastric cancer in a Chinese population.

Background: Three recent genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have reported that three SNPs (rs4072037, rs13361707 and rs2274223) located on genes related to host inflammatory response are significantly associated with susceptibility to gastric cancer (GC) in Chinese populations. Helicobacter pylori infection is also an important risk factor for GC through causing inflammatory response in the gastric mucosa. However, no study has established whether there are potential gene-environment interactions between these genetic variants and H.

Modeling pre-existing immunity to adenovirus in rodents: immunological requirements for successful development of a recombinant adenovirus serotype 5-based ebola vaccine.

Pre-existing immunity (PEI) to human adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) worldwide is the primary limitation to routine clinical use of Ad5-based vectors in immunization platforms. Using systemic and mucosal PEI induction models in rodents (mice and guinea pigs), we assessed the influence of PEI on the type of adaptive immune response elicited by an Ad5-based vaccine for Ebola with respect to immunization route. Splenocytes isolated from vaccinated animals revealed that immunization by the same route in which PEI was induced significantly compromised Ebola Zaire glycoprotein (ZGP)-specific IFN-γ+ CD8+ T cells and ZGP-specific multifunctional CD8+ T cell populations.

Sulfur and iron co-doped titanoniobate nanosheets: a novel efficient solid acid catalyst for alcoholysis of styrene epoxide at room temperature.

Sulfur and iron co-doped titanoniobate nanosheets were prepared and evaluated in alcoholysis of styrene epoxide. The resultant co-doped catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic performance (yield of 99% with methanol as the nucleophile in only 1 h at room temperature) and may act as a promising candidate in many acid-catalyzed reactions.

The effect of calcium chloride on growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant responses of Zoysia japonica under drought conditions.

Few attempts have been made to study the alleviating effects of signal molecules on zoysiagrass (Zoysiajaponica) under drought stress. Calcium chloride has been shown to ameliorate the adverse effects of drought stress on many plants. It is necessary to investigate how to enhance drought tolerance of zoysiagrass using calcium chloride.