A novel ZnO nanostructure: rhombus-shaped ZnO nanorod array.

A facile scalable two-step approach based on a low-temperature aqueous electrodeposition and a solid-state crystal phase transformation process was developed to grow rhombus-shaped ZnO nanorod arrays which showed markedly improved hydrogen storage capacity.

Direct interaction of the mouse cytomegalovirus m152/gp40 immunoevasin with RAE-1 isoforms.

Cytomegaloviruses (CMVs) are ubiquitous species-specific viruses that establish acute, persistent, and latent infections. Both human and mouse CMVs encode proteins that inhibit the activation of natural killer (NK) cells by downregulating cellular ligands for the NK cell activating receptor, NKG2D. The MCMV glycoprotein m152/gp40 downregulates the surface expression of RAE-1 to prevent NK cell control in vivo.

[Inhibition of leukemia cell proliferation by G-rich oligonucleotides].

G-rich oligonucleotides (GROs) belong to a novel class of phosphodiester oligonucleotides. They can form G-tetramer structure which contributes to cell cycle arrest and growth inhibitory effects by non-antisense pathway. This study was aimed to investigate the biological effects of GRO-26B on leukemia cell lines.

[Role of N-cadherin in maintaining leukemic stem cell properties].

Self-renewal and drug resistance are key features of leukemic stem cells (LSC). To clarify the mechanism of maintaining LSC properties, the CD34(+) leukemic cell line KGla was used as study model to elucidate the role of N-cadherin in self-renewal and drug resistance. N-cadherin positive and N-cadherin negative KG1a cell groups were sorted by flow cytometry.

2-Chloro-N-methyl-N-phenyl-acetamide.

In the title compound, C(9)H(10)ClNO, the non-H atoms, excluding the phenyl group, are almost coplanar (r.m.s.

Molecular population genetics of human CYP3A locus: signatures of positive selection and implications for evolutionary environmental medicine.

Background: The human CYP3A gene cluster codes for cytochrome P450 (CYP) subfamily enzymes that catalyze the metabolism of various exogenous and endogenous chemicals and is an obvious candidate for evolutionary and environmental genomic study. Functional variants in the CYP3A locus may have undergone a selective sweep in response to various environmental conditions.

Objective: The goal of this study was to profile the allelic structure across the human CYP3A locus and investigate natural selection on that locus.

Is damage control orthopedics essential for the management of bilateral femoral fractures associated or complicated with shock? An animal study.

Background: The maximum score of a single anatomic system, the Injury Severity Score, may not reflect the overall damage inflicted by bilateral femoral fractures and justify the strategy of damage control orthopedics (DCO). It is necessary to investigate effects of various therapeutic procedures on such fractures with or without shock to facilitate correct decision making on DCO.

Methods: A model of bilateral femoral fractures was made in 36 of 48 male New Zealand White rabbits.

Enhanced susceptibility to Leishmania infection in resistant mice in the absence of immediate early response gene X-1.

Immediate early response gene X-1 (IEX-1) is a stress-inducible gene abundantly expressed in macrophages and T cells following various stimuli. To explore a potential role for IEX-1 in control of the susceptibility to Leishmania major infection, the inflammatory response during cutaneous leishmaniasis was evaluated in 129Sv/C57BL/6-resistant mice in the presence or absence of IEX-1. Null mutation of IEX-1 enhanced the susceptibility of the mice to L.

Clear cell meningioma with anaplastic features: case report and review of literature.

Clear cell meningioma (CCM) is an uncommon variant of meningioma, corresponding to WHO grade II. We present two cases of CCMs with anaplastic features in the intracranial and intraspinal region. The first case is a 65-year-old male who gradually developed changes in behavior over a period of 1 year.

Functionalization of self-assembled hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene fibers with peptides for bioprobing.

A novel water-soluble hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC) derivative with peripheral functional groups, which facilitates a two-step assembly process in water that includes fiber formation via pi stacking and subsequent peptide probing via electrostatic interactions, is reported. In the first step, the HBC derivative self-assembles into water-soluble red-fluorescent fibers that serve as templates for further functionalization with biomolecules. In the second assembly step, the peripheral functional groups bind green-fluorescent fluorescein-conjugated peptides, leading to the formation of well-defined fibers that were visualized as dual-color fibers in double-fluorescence imaging.

Transparent, highly conductive graphene electrodes from acetylene-assisted thermolysis of graphite oxide sheets and nanographene molecules.

Transparent and highly conductive graphene electrodes have been fabricated through acetylene-assisted thermolysis of graphite oxide (GO) sheets. This novel procedure uses acetylene as a supplemental carbon source to repair substantial defects within GO sheets, leading to the enhancement of graphitization of synthesized graphene electrodes. The as-prepared graphene on quartz substrates exhibits an electrical conductivity of 1425 S cm(-1) with an optical transmittance of more than 70% at a wavelength of 500 nm.

Association of DLC1 gene polymorphism with susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma in Chinese hepatitis B virus carriers.

Background: Lost or downexpression of the gene deleted in liver cancer 1 (DLC1) has been implicated in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We examined the relationship between DLC1 polymorphisms and HCC risk among Chinese.

Methods: Three DLC1 polymorphisms, Ex11+255T>G (rs3739298), Ex11-620G>A (rs532841) and IVS19+108C>T (rs621554), were genotyped in 434 patients with HCC and 480 controls by PCR-RFLP.

Predictors and short-term prognosis of angiographically detected distal embolization after emergency percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction.

Objective: Distal embolization after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is one of the major mechanisms of no-reflow. The aim of the study was to investigate clinical, angiographic predictors of distal embolization on angiography in patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after PCI, and to assess the short-term prognosis of patients with distal embolization.

Methods: There were 318 consecutive AMI patients, who underwent primary PCI within 12 h of symptom onset, and were divided into distal embolization group (N = 97) and non-distal embolization group (N = 221), based on cineangiograms performed during PCI.

Conservation biology in Asia: the major policy challenges.

With about half the world's human population and booming economies, Asia faces numerous challenges to its biodiversity. The Asia Section of the Society for Conservation Biology has identified some key policy issues in which significant progress can be made. These include developing new sources of funding for forest conservation; identifying potential impacts of energy alternatives on the conservation of biodiversity; curbing the trade in endangered species of plants and animals; a special focus on the conservation of mountain biodiversity; enhancing relevant research; ensuring that conservation biology contributes to major international conventions and funding mechanisms; using conservation biology to build a better understanding of zoonotic diseases; more effectively addressing human-animal conflicts; enhancing community-based conservation; and using conservation biology to help address the pervasive water-deficit problems in much of Asia.

Metal-free phenanthrenequinone cyclotrimer as an effective heterogeneous catalyst.

A phenanthrenequinone macrocyclic trimer was synthesized and used as a heterogeneous catalyst for oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. This model molecule under comparable kinetic conditions is up to 47 times more active than extended solid catalysts including nanocarbons, metal phosphates, and oxides, confirming the hypothesis that diketone-like groups can serve as active sites.

Hepatocyte growth factor suppresses tumor cell apoptosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by upregulating Bcl-2 protein expression.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a multifunctional cytokine, but cell apoptosis related to HGF in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and the potential mechanisms involved have not yet been identified. In this study, we aimed at determining whether HGF is a potent inhibitor of cell apoptosis in NPC, and tried to find out which antiapoptotic or proapoptotic protein is involved in this process. A hundred and forty-seven cases of NPC and CNE-1, CNE-2 NPC cell line were collected.

A simple approach towards one-dimensional mesoporous carbon with superior electrochemical capacitive activity.

One-dimensional (1D) mesoporous carbons with highly ordered 3D interconnected pore structure and large-diameter pore size (10-20 nm) have been synthesized by a simple precursor-controlled thermolysis approach; such unique carbonaceous frameworks show superior capacitive behavior in electrochemical double-layer capacitors.

Cystic papillary meningioma with subarachnoid dissemination: a case report and review of the literature.

Meningiomas usually present as benign tumors corresponding to WHO grade I. The development of the papillary variant of meningiomas with cyst formation in the central nervous system is extremely rare. We report a case of cystic papillary meningioma in a young female occurring in the lateral ventricle with invasion of brain parenchyma and dissemination of subarachnoid space.

Controlled self-assembly of C3-symmetric hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronenes with alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic substituents in solution, in the bulk, and on a surface.

In this work, we introduce a class of C(3)-symmetric hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronenes (HBCs) 1 with alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic substituents to achieve control over the self-assembly of discotic nanographene molecules. Our studies show that the following structural parameters and experimental conditions are essential for tailoring the formation of the liquid-crystalline phase in the bulk as well as the self-assembly in solution and on surfaces: (1) steric demand of alkyl and alkylphenyl substituents; (2) noncovalent hydrophilic-hydrophobic interactions of the substituents; and (3) processing conditions, such as the type and mixture of solvents of different polarities along with the nature of the surface. The substitution of HBC with linear alkyl side chains possessing less steric demand (1b) leads to high crystallinity in the bulk solid state and at the liquid-solid interface, and the additional feature of alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic substituents promotes a high aggregation tendency in polar/apolar solvent mixtures.

Systematic -omics analysis of HBV-associated liver diseases.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes acute and chronic liver diseases and increases the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the pathogenesis of HBV infection and carcinogenesis of HBV-associated HCC are still elusive. In this review, systematic -omics studies made in the scales of genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics were discussed.