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A number of scientific studies have revealed that Lactobacillus strains have beneficial bioactivities in the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the amounts of intracellular calcium, protein kinase C activity, cytochrome c, Bid, Bcl-2, Bax and the apoptosis-mediated proteins [caspase-8, caspase-3 and poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP)] were evaluated to understand the induction of programmed cell death in HT-29 cells by Lactobacillus plantarum L67. The results obtained from this study indicated that the relative intensities of the apoptotic-related factors (intracellular ROS and intracellular calcium) and of apoptotic signals (Bax and t-Bid) increased with increasing concentrations of the membrane proteins isolated from heat-killed L. plantarum L67, whereas the relative intensities of cytochrome c, Bcl-2, caspase-8, caspase-3 and PARP decreased. This study determines whether proteins (12 and 15 kDa) isolated from heat-killed L. plantarum L67 induce programmed cell death in HT-29 cells. Proteins isolated from L. plantarum L67 can stimulate the apoptotic signals and then consequently induce programmed cell death in HT-29 cells. The results in this study suggest that the proteins isolated from L. plantarum L67 could be used as an antitumoural agent in probiotics and as a component of supplements or health foods. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid which is widely distributed in nature. It is normally present as arsenate under oxic conditions while arsenite is predominant under reducing condition. The major discharges of arsenic in the environment are mainly due to natural sources such as aquifers and anthropogenic sources. It is known that arsenite salts are more toxic than arsenate as it binds with vicinal thiols in pyruvate dehydrogenase while arsenate inhibits the oxidative phosphorylation process. The common mechanisms for arsenic detoxification are uptaken by phosphate transporters, aquaglyceroporins, and active extrusion system and reduced by arsenate reductases via dissimilatory reduction mechanism. Some species of autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms use arsenic oxyanions for their regeneration of energy. Certain species of microorganisms are able to use arsenate as their nutrient in respiratory process. Detoxification operons are a common form of arsenic resistance in microorganisms. Hence, the use of bioremediation could be an effective and economic way to reduce this pollutant from the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the ultrasonographic features of adenoma malignum, a minimal deviation adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. Methods Eighteen consecutive patients with pathologically confirmed adenoma malignum were enrolled in this study at two institutions. Preoperative ultrasound examination was performed and the results were available in 11 patients. We analyzed retrospectively the gray-scale ultrasound findings for the following morphologic characteristics: cervical enlargement, as well as size, location and ultrasonographic characteristics of lesions. In five patients we also evaluated Doppler features with regard to intralesional vascularity. Results The cervix was enlarged in 73% (8/11) of cases. The mean greatest tumor diameter was 4.2 (range, 2.5-6.8) cm. In five (45%) cases, the cervix was completely infiltrated by the tumor. At gray-scale ultrasound examination, three (27%) tumors were multilocular lesions, four (36%) were multilocular lesions with solid components and four (36%) were solid lesions. In the multilocular lesions with or without a solid component, locules tended to be 1 cm or less in average diameter (86%, 6/7 cases) and there tended to be 11-20 in number (57%, 4/7 cases). In most (57%, 4/7) cases the locular fluid was homogeneously hypoechoic. Most (75%, 3/4) solid lesions manifested heterogeneous echogenicity. The five (100%) tumors examined with Doppler manifested moderate or abundant color content on color or power Doppler. Conclusions Adenoma malignum can appear sonographically as solid, multilocular and multilocular solid cervical lesions. Awareness of its clinical and ultrasonographic features might improve diagnosis before surgery. Copyright © 2011 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modulation of mast-cell activation may provide novel ways to control allergic diseases. Here, we show that protein tyrosine phosphatase ε (PTPε; Ptpre) plays key regulatory roles during mast-cell activation mediated by the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI). Bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) from Ptpre−/− mice exhibited enhanced FcεRI-induced Ca2+ mobilization and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) (JNK and p38) activation, and showed corresponding enhancement of evoked degranulation and cytokine production, but not leukotriene production. Examination of proteins linking tyrosine kinase activation and Ca2+ mobilization revealed that the absence of PTPε leads to increased phosphorylation of the linker for activation of T cells and SH2 domain-containing leucocyte phosphoproteins of 76 kDa, but not Grb2-associated binder-2 (Gab2). Because Gab2 is considered to be situated downstream of Fyn kinase, we reasoned that Fyn may not be a target of PTPε. In the event, Syk but not Lyn was hyperphosphorylated in PTPε-deficient BMMC. Thus, PTPε most likely exerts its effects at the level of Syk, inhibiting downstream events including phosphorylation of SLP-76 and linker of activated T cells and mobilization of Ca2+. Consistent with the in vitro data, antigen- and IgE-mediated passive systemic anaphylactic reactions were augmented in Ptpre−/− mice. Given that the number of mast cells is unchanged in these mice, this observation most likely reflects alterations of mast cell-autonomous signalling events. These data suggest that PTPε negatively regulates FcεRI-mediated signalling pathways and thus constitutes a novel target for ameliorating allergic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Al(OH)3/PMMA nanocomposites were prepared by the emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of surface-functionalized Al(OH)3 particles. Nanosized Al(OH)3 particles were previously functionalized with a silane coupling agent, 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate ( γ-MPS), which was confirmed by FT-IR and XRF analysis. The average size of seed particles was around 70 nm, and the density of the coupling agent on the particles was calculated to be 8.9 µmol m−2. The emulsion polymerization was attempted at relatively high solid content of 40-46 wt%. The ratio of the seed particles to MMA had a strong influence on the stability of latex as well as the morphology of composites. Nanocomposites where several PMMA nodules were attached on the surface of Al(OH)3 core were produced with stable latex emulsion when the weight percents of Al(OH)3 to MMA were below 20. In the case of higher ratio of 30%, however, the latexes became unstable with an aggregation, and the product morphology was in the shape of large composite. Thermogravimetric analysis showed an improved thermal stability of PMMA composites with the incorporation of Al(OH)3 nanoparticles. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BSTRACT: Glycoprotein of Solanum nigrum Linne (SNL glycoprotein) was isolated and identified using SDS-PAGE. SNL glycoprotein's antioxidative effects were tested in vitro and its cytotoxicity effects were tested using MCF-7 cells. One glycoprotein was isolated from SNL fruits, the other from stems and leaves. SNL glycoprotein is reactive with oxygen radicals, such as the -OH and O2- in vitro. Moreover, the SNL glycoprotein's radical scavenging activity is sensitive to the superoxide anion radical and the hydroxyl radical. In the MCF-7 cell, SNL glycoprotein I had a cytotoxic effect at 1 μg/mL and SNL glycoprotein II at 100 μg/mL. When MCF-7 cells were treated with SNL glycoproteins, nitrite oxide production was induced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]