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BACKGROUND & AIMS Differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA is associated with various types of neoplasms. Hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma has a high risk of recurrence. Here we determined the role of differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA in hepatitis C virus-related hepatocarcinogenesis and identified potential therapeutic targets and non-invasive prognostic markers for long-term outcome of hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma after surgical resection. METHODS Differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNAs relevant to hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma were identified through comparative RNA-sequencing of tumour and adjacent non-tumour (ANT) tissues in a screening set, and were validated using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Target long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tissues and serum exosomes were used to predict the recurrence of hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma after curative surgical resection in a large application cohort from 2005 to 2012. RESULTS We confirmed that differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA was upregulated following hepatitis C virus infection and identified as the lncRNA most relevant to hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma in tumour tissues as compared to that in ANT tissues. In 183 hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma patients followed for 10 years after curative HCC resection, the expression level of circulating exosomal differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA was positively associated with HCC recurrence and was the most predictive factor associated with HCC recurrence and mortality (hazard ratio/95% confidence intervals: 7.0/4.3-11.6 and 2.7/1.5-5.1 respectively). CONCLUSIONS Differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA is highly relevant to disease progression of hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma. Our finding indicated that circulating exosomal differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA might serve as a non-invasive prognostic biomarker for hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Scope Kefir is an acidic and alcoholic fermented milk product with multiple health-promoting benefits. Our previous study demonstrated that kefir enhanced calcium absorption in intestinal Caco-2 cells. In this study, kefir-fermented peptide-1 (KFP-1) was isolated from the kefir peptide fraction, and its function as a calcium-binding peptide was characterized. Methods and results KFP-1 was identified as a 17-residue peptide with a sequence identical to that of κ-casein (residues 138-154) in milk protein. KFP-1 was demonstrated to promote calcium influx in Caco-2 and IEC-6 small intestinal cells in a concentration-dependent manner. TRPV6, but not L-type voltage-gated calcium channels, was associated with the calcium influx induced by KFP-1. An in vitro calcium binding assay indicated that the full-length KFP-1 peptide has a higher calcium-binding capacity than the two truncated KFP-1 peptides, KFP-1∆C5 and KFP-1C5. Alexa Fluor 594 labeling showed that KFP-1 is taken up by Caco-2 cells and interacts with calcium ions and TRPV6 protein. Moreover, KFP-1 was found moderately resistant to pepsin and pancreatin digestions and enhanced calcium uptake by intestinal enterocytes in vivo. Conclusion These data suggest that KFP-1, a novel calcium-binding peptide, binds extracellular calcium ions and enters Caco-2 and IEC-6 cells, and promotes calcium uptake through TRPV6 calcium channels. The present study is of great importance for developing kefir-derived metal ion-binding peptides as functional nutraceutical additives. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

We have demonstrated efficient speckle reduction techniques by using both overlapping and mixing techniques. A phosphor sample is used for white light generation. The speckle contrast (SC) can be reduced from 38.5% to 7.8% for a MEMS scanning blue LD area. The speckle-free results are achieved for mixed white light source.

We have demonstrated efficient speckle reduction techniques by using both micro-vibrated and mixing light methods for solid-state backlighting source applications. A micro-vibrated-reflectivephosphor paper is used for speckle suppression and white light generation. A mixing speckle contrast (SC) is defined, and the almost speckle-free results are achieved.

In this study, an alternative splicing transcript GtH-alpha 291 was identified by RT-PCR, which is 291 nt and exists not only in the pituitary but also in the ovary in common carp Cyprinus carpio. The analysis of GtH-alpha 291 amino acid sequence by the SignalP server predicted that the 'missing segment' might characterize as a signal peptide. In the secretion experiment, GtH-alpha 357 subunit could be secreted out of HeLa cells while GtH-alpha 291 could not, which confirmed the prediction. Co-immunoprecipitation assay proved that GtH-alpha 291 subunit is able to interact with both FSH-beta and LH-beta as GtH-alpha 357 does. This is the first report concerning an alternative splicing transcript of a GtH alpha subunit. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the specific role of this variant in the regulation of gonadal development and sexual maturation. (c) 2007 The Authors.

Compensatory growth is a phase of accelerated growth apparent when favourable conditions are restored after a period of growth depression. To investigate if F-2 common 'all-fish' growth hormone gene transgenic common carp (Cyprinus carpio) could mount compensatory growth, a 9 week study at 29 degrees C was performed. The control group was fed to satiation twice a day throughout the experiment. The other two groups were deprived of feed for 1 or 2 weeks, respectively, and then fed to satiation during the re-feeding period. At the end of the experiment, the live masses of fish in the deprived groups were still significantly lower than those of the controls. During the re-feeding period, size-adjusted mean specific growth rates and mean feed intakes were significantly higher in the deprived fish than in the controls, indicating a partial compensatory growth response in these fish. No significant differences were found in food conversion efficiency between the deprived and control fish during re-feeding, suggesting that hyperphagia was the mechanism responsible for increased growth rates. The proximate composition of the deprived fish at the end of the experiment was similar to that of the control fish. This study is, to our knowledge, the first to report that fast-growing transgenic fish can achieve partial compensation of growth following starvation. (c) 2007 The Authors Journal compilation (c) 2007 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Digestive cells of Chlorohydra viridissima undergo reversible volume changes when suspended in varying concentrations of sucrose. The cells are isotonic to 50 mM sucrose. At sucrose concentrations higher than 200 mM volume changes are ideal, and correspond to an osmotically inactive volume of 0.71. Below 200 mM, deviations from ideal behavior occur; these indicate the development of an intracellular hydrostatic pressure, which reaches a maximum at about 50 mM. Below this concentration, the pressure remains constant. When suspended in culture medium these cells assume a prolate spheroid shape with axial ratio 0.75 ± 0.07. In sucrose solutions, the axial ratio undergoes systematic changes; as the sucrose concentration is reduced, the axial ratio slowly increases to a maximum value between 50 and 70 mM. On further dilution of the culture medium it drops rapidly. These shape changes are discussed in terms of the osmotic volume changes observed.