Loss of expression of the differentially expressed in adenocarcinoma of the lung (DAL-1) protein is associated with metastasis of non-small cell lung carcinoma cells.

The differentially expressed in adenocarcinoma of the lung-1 (DAL-1) protein is a member of the membrane-associated cytoskeleton protein 4.1 family. This protein was previously found to be downregulated or lost in more than half of primary non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC).

3,3,3',3'-Tetra-methyl-6,6'-bis-[(pyridin-4-yl)meth-oxy]-1,1'-spiro-biindane -monohydrate.

The asymmetric unit in the title compound, C(33)H(34)N(2)O(2)·H(2)O, consists of a V-shaped mol-ecule and a water mol-ecule to which it is hydrogen bonded. The angle between the mean planes of the two spiro-connected indane groups is 77.06 (5)°.

[Total laparoscopic sigmoid and rectal surgery combined with transanal endoscopic microsurgery].

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and short-term outcomes of total laparoscopic sigmoid and rectal surgery combined with transanal endoscopic microsurgery(TEM).

Methods: The clinical data of 26 patients with colorectal carcinoma treated by total laparoscopic surgery with TEM between May 2010 and May 2011 in the Shanghai Ruijin Hospital were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: All the 26 operations were successfully accomplished laparoscopically.

Local resection for rectal tumors: comparative study of transanal endoscopic microsurgery vs. conventional transanal excision - the experience in China.

Background/aims: To compare the operative range,safety and therapeutic effect of local resection of rectal tumors by using transanal endoscopic microsurgery and conventional transanal excision.

Methodology: We reviewed data from 76 patients treated using conventional TAE during the period from January 2003 to July 2006 and 53 patients treated using TEM during the period from September 2006 to February 2010 in the Ruijin Hospital affiliated with the Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine.

Results: Age, gender, tumor size, blood loss and postoperative hospital stay were similar in the 2 groups.

[Regulatory role of Syk gene on vascular endothelial growth factor C expression in breast cancer].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Syk on the VEGF-C expression in breast cancer.

Methods: Immunohistochemical EnVision method was used to detect the protein expression of Syk, NFκB and VEGF-C in breast carcinoma; and the relationship between protein expression of Syk, NFκB, VEGF-C and lymph node metastasis was analysed. MDA-MB-231 cells were transfected with pcDNA3.

Active trans-plasma membrane water cycling in yeast is revealed by NMR.

Plasma membrane water transport is a crucial cellular phenomenon. Net water movement in response to an osmotic gradient changes cell volume. Steady-state exchange of water molecules, with no net flux or volume change, occurs by passive diffusion through the phospholipid bilayer and passage through membrane proteins.

Helical heterojunctions originating from helical inversion of conducting polymer nanofibers.

The helical sense of conducting polyaniline nanofibers was induced using chiral acid as dopant, which can be inversed through a copolymerization of aniline with N-methyl aniline. By delicately controlling the inversion driving force of steric hindrance, we successfully obtained "helical heterojunctions" composed of right- and left-handed helical structures in one helical nanofiber.

Potential tumor suppressor NESG1 as an unfavorable prognosis factor in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: Recently we identified nasopharyngeal epithelium specific protein 1 (NESG1) as a potential tumor suppressor in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The purpose of this study is to investigate the involvement of NESG1 in tumor progression and prognosis of human NPC.

Methodology/principal Findings: NESG1 protein expression in NPC was examined.

Self-assembly of graphenelike ZnO superstructured nanosheets and their application in hybrid photoconductors.

Photoconductors require high charge-carrier mobilities, sensitivity over a wide range of light levels, and good stability. Combining an organic semiconductor with environmentally benign inorganic nanoparticles is a rational means to develop photoconductors with such properties. However, an inhomogeneous distribution of nanoparticles in the active layer restricts both charge-carrier mobility and charge collection at an electrode.

Analysis of heat-induced disassembly process of three different monomeric forms of the major light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b complex of photosystem II.

The temperature-dependent disassembly process of three monomeric isoforms, namely Lhcb1, Lhcb2, and Lhcb3, of the major light-harvesting chlorophyll (Chl) a/b complexes of photosystem II (LHCIIb) were characterized by observing the changes of absorption spectra, circular dichroism (CD), and dissociation processes of the bound pigments to the in vitro reconstituted complexes subjected to high temperatures. Our results suggest that the three isoforms of LHCIIb undergo conformational rearrangements, structural changes, and dissociations of the bound pigments when the ambient temperature increases from 20 to 90°C. The conformation of the complexes changed sensitively to the changing temperatures because the absorption peaks in the Soret region (436 and 471 nm) and the Qy region (650-660 and 680 nm) decreased immediately upon elevating the ambient temperatures.

Formation of polypseudorotaxane networks by cross-linking the quadruple hydrogen bonded linear supramolecular polymers via bisparaquat molecules.

The creation of novel crown ether-paraquat polypseudorotaxane networks, constructed by bisparaquat monomers threading into the cavity of the crown ether units of linear supramolecular polymers that are formed based on the quadruple hydrogen bonded unit ureidopyrimidinone (Upy) in the concentrated solution, is described.

Self-assembled single-crystal polyaniline microplates and their anisotropic electrical transport property.

Self-assembly of two-dimensional (2D) structures from functional molecules is of great scientific importance. Herein, using a typical linear conducting polymer, polyaniline as building blocks, 2D single crystalline microplates are successively produced. The structure of 2D microplates is clearly defined by selected area electron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy.

Genome-wide association study identifies susceptibility loci for polycystic ovary syndrome on chromosome 2p16.3, 2p21 and 9q33.3.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common metabolic disorder in women. To identify causative genes, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of PCOS in Han Chinese. The discovery set included 744 PCOS cases and 895 controls; subsequent replications involved two independent cohorts (2,840 PCOS cases and 5,012 controls from northern Han Chinese; 498 cases and 780 controls from southern and central Han Chinese).

Microwave pretreatment can enhance tolerance of wheat seedlings to CdCl2 stress.

In order to determine the role of microwave in cadmium stress tolerance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), seeds were exposed to microwave radiation for 0, 5, 10 and 15 s (wavelength 125 mm, power density 126 mW cm(-2), 2450 MHz), and when the seedlings were 7 d old (with one fully expanded leaves), they were treated with 150 μM CdCl(2) solution for 10 d. Changes in a number of physiological and biochemical characteristics were measured and used as indicators of the protective capacity of microwave radiation in this experiment.

Organic single-crystalline p-n junction nanoribbons.

This article focuses on the growth and transport properties of organic single-crystalline p-n junction nanoribbons. The development of organic nanoelectronics requires the fabrication of organic nanometer-sized p-n junctions for high-performance devices and integrated circuits. Here we demonstrate the formation of single-crystalline p-n junction nanoribbons of organic semiconductors by selective crystallization of copper hexadecafluorophthalocyanine (F(16)CuPc, n-type) on copper phthalocyanine (CuPc, p-type) single-crystalline nanoribbons.

[Role of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 and vascular endothelial growth factor C in lymph node metastasis of breast cancer].

Objective: To study the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C in breast cancer and their role in lymph node metastasis.

Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of VEGF-C, MMP-2, MMP-9 and LYVE-1 in 84 cases of breast cancer, including 52 cases with and 32 cases without lymph node metastases. The recombinant vector (pSIREN-VEGF-C) was transfected into human breast cancer cell MCF-7 by liposome, and the RNA expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF-C in MCF-7 cells after transfection was detected by PCR.

Discrimination of intra- and extracellular 23Na+ signals in yeast cell suspensions using longitudinal magnetic resonance relaxography.

This study tested the ability of MR relaxography (MRR) to discriminate intra- (Nai+) and extracellular (Nae+)23Na+ signals using their longitudinal relaxation time constant (T1) values. Na+-loaded yeast cell (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) suspensions were investigated. Two types of compartmental 23Na+T1 differences were examined: a selective Nae+T1 decrease induced by an extracellular relaxation reagent (RRe), GdDOTP5-; and, an intrinsic T1 difference.

Synthesis, self-assembly, and solution-processed nanoribbon field-effect transistor of a fused-nine-ring thienoacene.

A new thienoacene with a sulfur-rich fused-nine-ring core was synthesized; bulk quantities of nanoribbons with mobilities as high as 0.42 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) were obtained by a direct solution process under ambient conditions.

[Comparison of subtotal colectomy with antiperistaltic cecoproctostomy and total colectomy with ileoproctostomy in treating slow transit constipation].

Objective: To compare clinical outcome and quality of life of subtotal colectomy with antiperistaltic cecoproctostomy and total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (TAC-IRA) in patients with severe slow transit constipation (STC).

Methods: Of the 56 patients enrolled in this study from January 1999 to June 2008, 32 cases underwent subtotal colectomy with antiperistaltic cecoproctostomy, and 20 patients underwent TAC-IRA. The patients' clinical characteristics, operative data, postoperative outcome, functional result and gastrointestinal quality of life index (GIQLI) survey were compared between the two groups.

[Role of short haipin RNA targeting vascular endothelial growth factor-C on biological characteristics of human breast cancer cell MCF-7].

Objective: To study the effect of short haipin RNA (shRNA) on expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) and proliferation and invasion behavior of human breast cancer cell MCF-7.

Methods: The recombinant vector (pSIREN-VEGF-C) was transfected into the human breast cancer cell MCF-7 by liposome and the positive transfected cell clones were screened with puromycin. Expression of VEGF-C in MCF-7 cells after gene transfer was detected by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot assay, respectively.

Tyr130 phosphorylation triggers Syk release from antigen receptor by long-distance conformational uncoupling.

The Syk protein-tyrosine kinase plays a major role in signaling through the B cell receptor for antigen (BCR). Syk binds the receptor via its tandem pair of SH2 domains interacting with a doubly phosphorylated immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (dp-ITAM) of the BCR complex. Upon phosphorylation of Tyr-130, which lies between the two SH2 domains distant to the phosphotyrosine binding sites, Syk dissociates from the receptor.