[Study of the expression and function of Syk and VEGF-C in the development of non-small cell lung cancer].

Objective: To explore the role of Syk and VEGF-C in the development of NSCLC.

Methods: Transfered these genes(eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1-VEGF-C and pLNCX-syk)into A549 cells with the liposomes.

ADAMTS-7 forms a positive feedback loop with TNF-α in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis.

Objective: To examine the expression of ADAMTS-7 during the progression of osteoarthritis (OA), defining its role in the pathogenesis of OA, and elucidating the molecular events involved.

Methods: ADAMTS-7 expression in cartilage of a rat OA model was assayed using immunohistochemistry. Cartilage-specific ADAMTS-7 transgenic mice and ADAMTS-7 small interfering (si)RNA knockdown mice were generated and used to analyse OA progression in both spontaneous and surgically induced OA models.

Inhibitory effects of syk transfection on lung cancer cell invasion.

Objective: Spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) is closely related to tumor invasion and metastasis, and has been shown to have potential inhibitory effects in tumors. In this study, we constructed a eukaryotic expression vector for Syk and analyzed its effects on invasive ability of the A549 non-small cell lung cancer cell line in vitro.

Methods: A fragment of Syk was obtained by RT-PCR from human lung cancer cells and cloned into the expression vector pLNCXSyk.

Synergic effect of methanol and water on pine liquefaction.

Pine liquefaction (PL) and re-liquefaction of its liquefaction residues in sub- and supercritical methanol, water or methanol/water mixed solvents (MWMSs) was investigated. The results show that isometric MWMS has the highest synergic effect on PL. Moreover, the total yield of bio-oil (BO) and conversion from pine and its residue both liquefied in the MWMS were obvious higher than those from PL in methanol (water) and re-liquefaction of its residue in water (methanol), suggesting that the interaction between the two solvents is responsible for synergic effect.

The promotion of bone healing by progranulin, a downstream molecule of BMP-2, through interacting with TNF/TNFR signaling.

Endochondral ossification plays a key role in the bone healing process, which requires normal cartilage callus formation. Progranulin (PGRN) growth factor is known to enhance chondrocyte differentiation and endochondral ossification during development, yet whether PGRN also plays a role in bone regeneration remains unknown. In this study we established surgically-induced bone defect and ectopic bone formation models based on genetically-modified mice.

Progranulin deficiency exaggerates, whereas progranulin-derived Atsttrin attenuates, severity of dermatitis in mice.

PGRN and its derived engineered protein, Atsttrin, were reported to antagonize TNFα and protect against inflammatory arthritis [Tang, W. et al. (2011) The growth factor progranulin binds to TNF receptors and is therapeutic against inflammatory arthritis in mice.

Investigation on infrared laser desorption of solid matrix using scanning electron microscope and fast photography.

Infrared light from a pulsed optical parametric oscillator laser system was used to irradiate succinic acid (SA), a usual solid matrix used in matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization, under vacuum. Ablated SA particles were trapped using a silica plate mounted 3.0 mm above and parallel to the sample surface.

Comparative phylogeography of the Smilax hispida group (Smilacaceae) in eastern Asia and North America--implications for allopatric speciation, causes of diversity disparity, and origins of temperate elements in Mexico.

The Smilax hispida group (Smilacaceae) exhibits a discontinuous distribution in eastern Asia, eastern and western United States, and Mexico. A broad scale phylogeographic analysis was conducted for this group to evaluate the hypotheses of accelerated allopatric divergence in eastern Asia and a northern origin of the temperate elements in Mexico. Phylogeny was inferred using seven plastid and nuclear DNA sequences.

Phylogeography of North American herbaceous Smilax (Smilacaceae): Combined AFLP and cpDNA data support a northern refugium in the Driftless Area.

Premise Of The Study: The genetic structure of North American herbaceous Smilax, a clade of closely related understory herbs that has a wide and disjunct distribution, was investigated to test the hypothesis of whether a northern refugium in the upper Midwest may have existed for these plants during the last glaciation.

Methods: We analyzed 33 populations sampled from California and throughout the eastern United States using AFLP and chloroplast DNA sequence data.

Key Results: Individuals of S.

Expression of alpha 1,6-fucosyltransferase 8 in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma influences tumour progression.

Background: Alpha 1,6-fucosyltransferase 8 expression was demonstrated to be enhanced during hepatocarcinogenesis.

Aims: Our study aimed to find out the clinical significance and biological function of alpha 1,6-fucosyltransferase 8 in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: Alpha 1,6-fucosyltransferase 8 expression levels were determined in 52 pairs of tissues to compare its expression between tumour tissues [with/without portal vein tumour thrombus] and adjacent noncancerous liver tissues.

A micro-cantilever sensor chip based on contact angle analysis for a label-free troponin I immunoassay.

Cantilever sensors have been extensively explored as a promising technique for real-time and label-free analyses in biological systems. A major sensing principle utilized by state-of-the-art cantilever sensors is based on analyte-induced surface stress changes, which result in static bending of a cantilever. The sensor performance, however, suffers from the intrinsically small change in surface stress induced by analytes, especially for molecular recognition such as antigen-antibody binding.

Complete cpDNA genome sequence of Smilax china and phylogenetic placement of Liliales--influences of gene partitions and taxon sampling.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the chloroplast genome (cpDNA) of Smilax china L. (Smilacaceae) is reported. It is the first complete cp genome sequence in Liliales.

Transforming growth factor beta1 gene variation Leu10Pro affects secretion and function in hepatic cells.

Background: Our previous work revealed transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFβ1) gene polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis. However, no further study of functional substitution in hepatic cells has yet been reported.

Aims: This study was designed to uncover the functional mechanisms of TGFβ1 gene polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of liver diseases.

Polyprenols from Taxus chinensis var. mairei prevent the development of CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis in rats.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-fibrotic effects and the possible underlying mechanisms of taxus polyprenols (TPs) isolated from the needles of Taxus chinensis var. mairei.

Materials And Methods: The animals were randomly divided into normal control with vehicles only (olive oil), rat model given CCl₄ only, CCl₄+low TPs (48 mg/kg), CCl₄+medium TPs (120 mg/kg), CCl₄+high TPs (300 mg/kg), and CCl₄+Polyene phosphatidylcholine (PP, 120 mg/kg).

Serum N-glycomic markers in combination with panels improves the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B.

Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the changes in the serum N-glycome profiles in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and to assess the role of N-glycome-derived markers in the noninvasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis.

Materials And Methods: After liver biopsy for pathological grading and staging, 128 CHB patients underwent serum N-glycomic analysis using DNA sequencer-assisted fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis (DSA-FACE) and sensitive markers were screened.

Results: Peaks 1, 2, 8 and 10 in the N-glycome profiles could, to some extents, distinguish liver fibrosis at different stages.

Polyprenols from the needles of Taxus chinensis var. mairei.

Polyprenols with various pharmacological activities were first isolated from Taxus chinensis var. mairei, which is native to China, and were identified by a high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS), (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR), (13)C NMR and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The taxus polyprenols (TPs) had two maxima of polyprenol-17 and polyprenol-21 and different from polyprenols distributed in other plant species.

Modified yeast-two-hybrid system to identify proteins interacting with the growth factor progranulin.

Progranulin (PGRN), also known as granulin epithelin precursor (GEP), is a 593-amino-acid autocrine growth factor. PGRN is known to play a critical role in a variety of physiologic and disease processes, including early embryogenesis, wound healing, inflammation, and host defense. PGRN also functions as a neurotrophic factor, and mutations in the PGRN gene resulting in partial loss of the PGRN protein cause frontotemporal dementia.

Tolerogenic dendritic cells and rheumatoid arthritis: current status and perspectives.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by the influxation of synovia and synovial compartments with immune cells including dendritic cells (DCs). DCs that induce autoimmune tolerance are called tolerogenic DCs (tolDCs). As a promising immunotherapeutic strategy for RA, tolDCs have received increasing attention.

Identification and assessment of new biomarkers for colorectal cancer with serum N-glycan profiling.

Background: The objectives of this study were to identify and validate the diagnostic value of N-glycan markers in colorectal cancer (CRC) and to uncover their underlying molecular mechanism.

Methods: In total, 347 individuals, including patients with CRC, patients with colorectal adenoma, and healthy controls, were divided randomly into a training group (n = 287) and retrospective validation groups (n = 60). Serum N-glycan profiling was analyzed by DNA sequencer-assisted/flurophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis (DSA-FACE).

[Review on biosynthesis of podophyllotoxin].

Podophyllotoxin (PTOX) is an extremely important plant-derived natural product, of which derivatives, like etoposide and teniposide, have been widely applied in therapies for cancers and venereal wart. A durable, intense plant extraction of podophyllotoxin posed a severe pressure on wild resources; researchers consequently sought to explore new sources, like cultivation, plant cell or organ culture, and chemical synthesis. Understanding biosynthesis of PTOX is one of the basic necessary steps for standard cultivation of medicinal plants and metabolite engineering.

Association between metabolic abnormalities and HBV related hepatocelluar carcinoma in Chinese: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Previous studies suggested that the abnormality of metabolism is a newly identified risk factor in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The association between metabolic factors and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been clarified up to now. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of metabolic abnormalities in HCC and to probe the association between metabolic parameters and liver function as well, so as to evaluate the interactions between metabolism and the development of HBV-related HCC.

Community extraction for social networks.

Analysis of networks and in particular discovering communities within networks has been a focus of recent work in several fields and has diverse applications. Most community detection methods focus on partitioning the entire network into communities, with the expectation of many ties within communities and few ties between. However, many networks contain nodes that do not fit in with any of the communities, and forcing every node into a community can distort results.

Harpagoside variation is positively correlated with temperature in Scrophularia ningpoensis Hemsl.

Scrophularia ningpoensis Hemsl. is an important Chinese medicinal herb with a history of domestication of over 1000 years. Phytochemical variation of S.