Carbon dot decorated CoO nanozymes responsive to the NIR-II window for mild photothermal-enhanced nanocatalytic therapy.

Although NIR-II laser-mediated photothermal therapy (PTT) is considered as an emerging strategy for tumor therapy, its therapeutic effects are still seriously hampered by low photothermal conversion efficacy, limited tissue penetration depth, and inevitable damage to adjoining healthy tissues. Herein, we report a mild second-near-infrared (NIR-II) photothermal-augmented nanocatalytic therapy (NCT) nanoplatform based on CD@CoO heterojunctions by depositing NIR-II-responsive carbon dots (CDs) onto the surface of CoO nanozymes. The as-prepared CoO nanozymes possess multi-enzyme-mimicking catalytic activity including peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione-peroxidase to realize the cascade amplification of ROS levels owing to the presence of multivalent Co and Co.

Blockage of glioma cell survival by truncated TEAD-binding domain of YAP.

Background: Gliomas are highly aggressive and lack of efficient targeted therapy. YAP, as a Hippo pathway downstream effector, plays a key role in promoting tumor development through the interaction with transcription factor TEAD on the NH3-terminal proline-rich domain. Therefore, targeting TEAD-interacting domain of YAP may provide a novel approach for the treatment of gliomas.

Effects of aging on gene expression in blood of captive Tibetan macaques ( ) and comparisons with expression in humans.

Changes in gene expression occur as animals, including primates, age. Macaques have long been used as a model species for primate evolution and biomedical studies. Here, to study gene expression in Tibetan macaques (, TMs) and its differences to humans, we applied RNA-Seq to obtain the blood transcriptomes of 24 TMs.

Inhibition of eIF4F complex loading inhibits the survival of malignant glioma.

The eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)4E‑binding proteins (4E‑BPs) regulate cap‑dependent protein translation and control the assembly of the eIF4F complex. In the present study, a phosphorylation‑deficient truncated 4E‑BP2 (eIF4FD) was constructed into the eukaryotic expression vector pSecTag2, and the in vitro and in vivo effects on malignant glioma survival were determined through inhibiting eIF4F complex assembly. Cell cycle distribution analysis and TUNEL staining show that overexpression of eIF4FD suppressed cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in U251 cells.

Identification of sources and transformations of nitrate in the Xijiang River using nitrate isotopes and Bayesian model.

Coupled nitrogen and oxygen isotopes of nitrate have proven useful in identifying nitrate sources and transformation in rivers. However, isotopic fractionation and low-resolution monitoring limit the accurate estimation of nitrate dynamics. In the present study, the spatio-temporal variations of nitrate isotopes (N and O) and hydrochemical compositions (NO and Cl) of river water were examined to understand nitrate sources in the Xijiang River, China.

ARHI overexpression induces epithelial ovarian cancer cell apoptosis and excessive autophagy.

Objective: ARHI is a maternally imprinted tumor suppressor gene that is responsible for initiating programmed cell death and inhibiting cancer cell growth. However, the influence of ARHI on epithelial ovarian cancer cell death and the underlying mechanisms behind how ARHI regulates cancer cells still require further studies.

Methods: Epithelial ovarian cancer cells TOV112D and ES-2 were used in this in vitro study.

The expression of hepatoma-derived growth factor in primary central nervous system lymphoma and its correlation with angiogenesis, proliferation and clinical outcome.

Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF), a potential predictive and prognostic marker in several human cancers, is the firstly reported member of the HDGF family of proteins containing a well-conserved N-terminal amino acid sequence. HDGF is implicated in tumorigenesis by direct angiogenic activity, and its expression is correlated with aggressive biological ability of cancer cells including proliferation and angiogenesis. So, we propose that HDGF may be a valuable factor in progression and prognosis for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) through its angiogenic and proliferative activity.

STAT3 acetylation-induced promoter methylation is associated with downregulation of the ARHI tumor-suppressor gene in ovarian cancer.

ARHI is a Ras-related imprinted tumor-suppressor gene that inhibits cancer cell growth and motility. ARHI is downregulated in the majority of ovarian cancer cells, and promoter methylation is considered to be associated with its loss of expression. however, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood.

Human amniotic fluid-derived stem cells can differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells in vitro and in vivo.

Although human amniotic fluid is an attractive source of multipotent stem cells, the potential of amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs) to differentiate into hepatic cells has not been extensively evaluated. In this study, we examined whether human AFSCs can differentiate into a hepatic cell lineage in vitro and in vivo. After being treated with cytokines (fibroblast growth factor 4, basic fibroblast growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor, and oncostatin), AFSCs developed a morphology similar to that of hepatocytes.

[Effects of different culture conditions on isolation and expansion of stem cells from second-trimester amniotic fluids].

Objective: To investigate the effects of different culture conditions on the isolation and expansion of stem cells from second-trimester amniotic fluids.

Methods: Amniotic fluids were obtained from 15 pregnant women undergone amniocenteses for medical indications between 16 - 24 gestation weeks by transabdominal amniocenteses from September 2007 to June 2008. Amniotic fluids (10 - 20 ml) samples were collected and each was cultured under different conditions or groups.

Cells extract from fetal liver promotes the hematopoietic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells.

Here, we have now developed a new inducing system to promote the differentiation of human stem cells (hESCs) toward hematopoietic lineages by the treatment with cells extract of human fetal liver tissue (hFLT). The embryoid bodies (EBs) obtained from human H1 embryonic stem cells were exposed to buffer, hFLT cells extract, heated hFLT cell extract, and cell extract of human liver cells lines-LO2. Then, the feature of EBs in different groups was characterized by real-time RT-PCR and colony-forming assays.

[Genetic diversity evaluation of ex-situ conservation population of Phellodendron amurense detected by AFLP markers].

Objective: To evaluate the genetic diversity from ex-situ conservation population of Phellodendron amurense.

Method: Genetic diversity in 67 individuals from ex-situ conservation population of P. amurense were assessed using AFLP technique by eight fluorescent labeled primer groups.

[The application of DNA molecular markers in conservation of the rare and endangered medicinal plants].

In this paper, the advance in DNA molecular markers techniques in recent years was reviewed. The application of DNA markers in conservation of the rare and endangered medicinal plants was explicated, of which included identification of germ-plasm resource, determination of the habitats unite which should be protected in situ, sampling strategies of ex-situ conservation, evaluation of the conservation effects of the rare and endangered medicinal plants, as well as elucidation of their endangered mechanism etc. The information could help drawing up conservation strategies and conservation measures for references.