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Talin-1 functions to regulate cell-cell adhesion, and its altered expression was reported to be associated with human carcinogenesis.A total of 280 tissue specimens from prostate cancer (PCa) patients who underwent radical prostatectomy, 75 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissue, and 6 cases of normal prostate tissue specimens were collected for construction of tissue microarray and subsequently subjected to immunohistochemical staining of Talin-1 expression.Talin-1 expression was significantly higher in PCa than both normal and BPH tissues (P <0.001). Talin-1 expression in PCa tissues was associated with preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, Gleason score, tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, positive surgical margin, extracapsular extension and seminal vesicle invasion (all P <0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that Talin-1 and Gleason score were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis of PCa (P <0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicated that Talin-1 expression (AUC = 0.766) had a better accuracy to predict PCa lymph node metastasis than Gleason score (AUC = 0.697), whereas their combination could further enhance the prediction accuracy (AUC = 0.803). Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that increased Talin-1 expression was associated with shortened biochemical-free survival of PCa patients after radical prostatectomy (P <0.001).These findings suggested that Talin-1 protein was significantly upregulated in PCa tissues compared with that of BPH tissue and Talin-1 expression was an independent predictor for lymph node metastasis and biochemical recurrence of PCa. Further study will investigate the underlying molecular mechanism and the role of Talin-1 in PCa., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Objective: To investigate the factors upgrading the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) Gleason score using the specimens from preoperative prostatic biopsy and radical prostatectomy., Methods: A total of 164 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer by biopsy underwent radical prostatectomy. We retrospectively analyzed their age, prostate volume, preoperative PSA level, PSA density (PSAD) , the time interval between biopsy and surgery, the number of positive punctures, positive surgical margin, seminal vesicle invasion, lymphatic invasion, and Gleason scores from biopsy and prostatectomy. We also determined the predictors of Gleason score upgrading by logistic regression analysis., Results: Of the 164 cases analyzed, 95 (57.93% ) showed a consistency between the Gleason score of preoperative prostatic biopsy and that after radical prostatectomy, 55 (33.54% ) increased and 14 (8.52%) decreased after prostatectomy as compared with preoperative biopsy. The prostate volume (P < 0.01) and biopsy score (P < 0.05) were independent predictors of Gleason score upgrading. The risk of Gleason score upgrading was 27 times higher in the patients with the prostate volume ≤ 25 ml and 9 times higher in the 25-40 ml group than in the > 60 ml group (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Low Gleason score of biopsy (≤ 6) and small prostate volume (≤ 40 ml) may be the predictors of Gleason score upgrading after radical prostatectomy.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of laparoscopic pyeloplasty relative to retrograde balloon dilatation for the treatment of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO)., Methods: This retrospective study enrolled UPJO patients with stricture length < 2 cm who had been treated with laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP; 44 cases) or balloon dilatation (BD; 38 cases) from Jan 2010 to Jan 2012, according to patients' preference after consultation. Demographics and clinical parameters were collected. Patients were followed-up at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. Ultrasonography, intravenous urography, and diuretic renography were applied to evaluate the remission of hydronephrosis., Results: Both groups were comparable with respect to age, UPJO location, gender, and other baseline parameters. Compared to the LP group, patients receiving BD experienced significantly shorter operative time, analgesia time, hospital stay, and urethral catheter indwelling time, and less cost (P<0.001). Three and 6 months after their respective procedures, the success rates of the LP (97.7%, both) and BD (94.7% and 86.8%) groups were similar, and at 12 and 24 months the long-term success rate of LP (95.5%, both) was better than that of BD (78.9% and 71.0%)., Conclusions: LP showed better long-term success rate than did BD in the management of UPJO with length of stricture < 2 cm. Considering that BD is more minimally invasive, simpler and easier to perform, and costs less, we recommend it for some selective UPJO patients as the first-line therapy.

Objective: To investigate the effects of the quinoline derivative PQ1 combined with cisplatin on the proliferation and gap junction communication of prostate cancer PC3 cells., Methods: We cultured in vitro prostate cancer PC3 cells and divided them into DMSO blank control, cisplatin control, and cisplatin (10 mg/ml) plus PQ1 (1, 2, 5, 10, and 15 μmol/L) groups. We measured the proliferation of the prostate cancer PC3 cells, determined the expressions of the connexin 43 (Cx43) mRNA and protein by RT-PCR and Western blot, and compared the indexes among different groups., Results: Cisplatin combined with PQl at 1 - 10 μmol/L significantly inhibited the proliferation of the PC3 cells and the inhibition rate rose in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, from (48.72 ± 0.98)% vs (50.33 ± 0.62)% at 0 μmol/L to (77.38 ± 1.12)% vs (83.50 ± 1.05)% at 15 μmol/L at 24 and 48 hours (P < 0.05). Compared with the cisplatin control, cisplatin combined with PQ1 at 1, 2, 5, 10, and 15 μmol/L increased the expression of Cx43 mRNA from 0.379 ± 0.113 to 0.669 ± 0.031, 0.831 ± 0. 127, 0.769 ± 0.100, 0.532 ± 0.086, and 0.475 ± 0.134, respectively (P < 0.05), and cisplatin combined with PQ1 at 1, 2, 5, and 10 μmol/L elevated that of Cx43 protein from 0.138 ± 0.146 to 0.263 ± 0.111, 0.306 ± 0.152, 0.415 ± 0.280, and 0.643 ± 0.310, respectively (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: The quinoline derivative PQ1 can promote the gap junction communication of prostate cancer PC3 cells and enhance the killing effect of cisplatin on PC3 cells by upregulating the expressions of Cx43 mRNA and protein.

Background: Raw Moutan Cortex (RMC), derived from the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa, and Processed Moutan Cortex (PMC) is obtained from RMC by undergoing a stir-frying process. Both of them are indicated for different pharmacodynamic action in traditional Chinese medicine, and they have been used in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years., Objective: To establish a method to study the RMC and PMC, revealing their different chemical composition by fingerprint, qualitative, and quantitative ways., Materials and Methods: High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector and electrospray mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESIMS) were used for the analysis. Therefore, the analytes were separated on an Ultimate TM XB-C18 analytical column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5.0 μm) with a gradient elution program by a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and 0.1% (v/v) formic acid water solution. The flow rate, injection volume, detection wavelength, and column temperature were set at 1.0 mL/min, 10 μL, 254 nm, and 30°C, respectively. Besides, principal components analysis and the test of significance were applied in data analysis., Results: The results clearly showed a significant difference among RMC and PMC, indicating the significant changes in their chemical compositions before and after the stir-frying process., Conclusion: The HPLC-DAD-ESIMS coupled with chemometrics analysis could be used for comprehensive quality evaluation of raw and processed Moutan Cortex., Summary: The experiment study the RMC and PMC by HPLC-DAD-ESIMS couple with chemometrics analysis. The results of their fingerprints, qualitative, and quantitative all clearly showed significant changes in their chemical compositions before and after stir-frying processed. Abbreviation used: HPLC-DAD-ESIMS: High-performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector-Electrospray Mass Spectrometry, RMC: Raw moutan cortex, PMC: Processed moutan cortex, TCM: Traditional Chinese medicine, PCA: Principal components analysis, LOD: Limit of detection, LOQ: Limit of quantitation, RSD: Relative standard deviation.

Lipoxin A4 (LXA4), as an endogenously produced lipid mediator, promotes the resolution of inflammation. Previously, we demonstrated that LXA4 stimulated alveolar fluid clearance through alveolar epithelial sodium channel gamma (ENaC-γ). In this study, we sought to investigate the mechanisms of LXA4 in modulation of ENaC-γ in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory lung injury. miR-21 was upregulated during an LPS challenge and downregulated by LXA4 administration in vivo and in vitro. Serum miR-21 concentration was also elevated in acute respiratory distress syndrome patients as compared with healthy volunteers. LPS increased miR-21 expression by activation of activator protein 1 (AP-1). In A549 cells, miR-21 upregulated phosphorylation of AKT activation via inhibition of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), and therefore reduced the expression of ENaC-γ. In contrast, LXA4 reversed LPS-inhibited ENaC-γ expression through inhibition of AP-1 and activation of PTEN. In addition, an miR-21 inhibitor mimicked the effects of LXA4; overexpression of miR-21 abolished the protective effects of LXA4. Finally, both AKT and ERK inhibitors (LY294002 and UO126) blocked effects of LPS on the depression of ENaC-γ. However, LXA4 only inhibited LPS-induced phosphorylation of AKT. In summary, LXA4 activates ENaC-γ in part via the miR-21/PTEN/AKT signaling pathway.

Background and Aim: Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed neoplasm and the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Despite the high incidence of lung cancer, the diagnosis of solitary thin-walled cavity lung cancer is rare. The aim of this review is to explore the potentials of computed tomography (CT) as diagnostic tool for solitary thin-walled cavity lung cancer., Method: The literature search was made in electronic databases including PudMed, Ovid SP, Embase, Web of Sciences, EBSCO and Wiley online by using relevant key terms. Because of the rarity of the subject, no precise exclusion or inclusion criteria were used for article selection and the outcome dissemination was decided to be more descriptive rather than quantitative., Results: The detection of cavitation in lungs is frequently done utilizing chest radiographs CT scans. However, the diagnostic challenge remains the accurate detection of solitary thin-walled cavity lung cancer among the prevalence of cavitary lung lesions in multiple thoracic disorders including benign disorders, infectious disease and malignant tumors. Moreover, an accurate diagnosis of solitary thin-walled cavity lung cancer is further complicated by its subjective classification within the literature. In order to facilitate early diagnosis of this disease and circumvent the need for more invasive tests that may not be warranted, the overarching goal is to establish definitive radiological features of lung cavities that are indicative of malignancy. Herein, we describe the benefits of using CT to identify and diagnose solitary thin-walled cavity lung cancer, as well as explore the underlying mechanisms that contribute to thin-walled cavity formation in oncology patients., Conclusion: CT is the best modality for the noninvasive differentiation between malignant and nonmalignant cavities as it provides reliable information regarding the morphology and density of lesions. Besides, CT densitometry can efficiently detect the calcifications in lesions., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A new kind of pregnane-type alkaloid, 20α-dimethylamino-3β-senecioylamino-16β-hydroxy-pregn-5-ene (K-6), was isolated from Pachysandra terminalis Sieb. et Zucc., and its antibacterial activity against MRSA and MRSE was evaluated. We found that K-6 showed antibacterial effects against MRSA and MRSE with minimum inhibitory concentration values (25 mg/L), but did not induce antibiotic resistance in bacteria easily. The administration of K-6 dose-dependently improved the animal survival rate of mice infected with MRSA, with survival rates of 36.34% and 66.67% in the low-dose and high-dose groups, respectively. The protective effects were associated with the reduction of the bacterial titers in the blood and with the morphological amelioration of infected tissues. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy analyses indicated that the cytoplasm shrink of bacterial cells led to noticeable gaps between the cell membrane and cell cytoplasm, and the severely damaged cell membrane resulted in leakage of intracellular content, which ultimately caused the lethal effect of K-6 on bacteria. These findings demonstrated that K-6 is a potential agent against MRSA and MRSE., (Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The pandemic of multidrug-resistant Gram negative bacteria (GNB) is a worldwide healthcare concern, and very few antibiotics are being explored to match the clinical challenge. Recently, amino-terminated poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers have shown potential to function as broad antimicrobial agents. However, PAMAM displays a generation dependent cytotoxicity to mammalian cells and low selectivity on bacterial cells, which limits PAMAM to be developed as an antibacterial agent for systemic administration. We conjugated G3 PAMAM with LED209, a specific inhibitor of quorum sensor QseC of GNB, to generate a multifunctional agent PAMAM-LED209. Intriguingly, PAMAM-LED209 showed higher selectivity on GNB and lower cytotoxicity to mammalian cells, yet remained strong antibacterial activity. PAMAM-LED209 also inhibited virulence gene expression of GNB, and did not induce antibiotic-resistance. The present work firstly demonstrated that PAMAM-LED209 conjugate had a highly selective anti-GNB activity and low cytotoxicity, which offered a feasible strategy for combating multidrug-resistant GNB infections., From the Clinical Editor: This research team demonstrated that a novel PAMAM-LED209 conjugate had highly selective activity against Gram-negative bacteria, coupled with low cytotoxicity, offering a potential strategy for combating multidrug-resistant infections., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The biological roles of stem cell marker LGR5, the receptor for the Wnt-agonistic R-spondins, for nervous system are poorly known. Bioinformatics analysis in normal human brain tissues revealed that LGR5 is closely related with neuron development and functions. Interestingly, LGR5 and its ligands R-spondins (RSPO2 and RSPO3) are specifically highly expressed in projection motor neurons in the spinal cord, brain stem and cerebral. Inhibition of Notch activity in neural stem cells (NSCs) increased the percentage of neuronal cells and promoted LGR5 expression, while activation of Notch signal decreased neuronal cells and inhibited the LGR5 expression. Furthermore, knockdown of LGR5 inhibited the expression of neuronal markers MAP2, NeuN, GAP43, SYP and CHRM3, and also reduced the expression of genes that program the identity of motor neurons, including Isl1, Lhx3, PHOX2A, TBX20 and NEUROG2. Our data demonstrated that LGR5 is highly expressed in motor neurons in nervous system and is involved in their development by regulating transcription factors that program motor neuron identity., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles are uniformly coated on the surface of α-MoO3 nanorods through a two-step hydrothermal synthesis method. As the anode of a lithium-ion battery, α-Fe2O3@α-MoO3 core-shell nanorods exhibit extremely high lithium-storage performance. At a rate of 0.1 C (10 h per half cycle), the reversible capacity of α-Fe2O3@α-MoO3 core-shell nanorods is 1481 mA h g(-1) and a value of 1281 mA h g(-1) is retained after 50 cycles, which is much higher than that retained by bare α-MoO3 and α-Fe2O3 and higher than traditional theoretical results. Such a good performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect between α-Fe2O3 and α-MoO3 , the small size effect, one-dimensional nanostructures, short paths for lithium diffusion, and interface spaces. Our results reveal that core-shell nanocomposites have potential applications as high-performance lithium-ion batteries., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Four dicoumarols (DC, 2-PyDC, 3-PyDC and 4-PyDC) were synthesized and characterized via IR, (1)H NMR, HRMS, and single crystal X-ray crystallography. Two classical intramolecular O-H···O hydrogen bonds (HBs) stabilized their structures. The total HB energies in DC, 2-PyDC, 3-PyDC and 4-PyDC were calculated with the density functional theory (DFT) [B3LYP/6-31G*] method. The in vitro antibacterial activity of DC, 2-PyDC, 3-PyDC and 4-PyDC against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus ATCC 29213), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA XJ 75302), vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (Mu50 ATCC 700699), and USA 300 (Los Angeles County clone, LAC) was evaluated by observing the minimum inhibitory concentration and time-kill curves. The results showed that among all the compounds, 2-PyDC exhibited the most potent antibacterial activity.

Applying biochar products from sewage sludge (SS) pyrolysis as soil amendment for plant cultivation was investigated in this study with special attention paid to heavy metal accumulation in the plants when pyrolysis temperature and biochar-to-soil mass ratio (C:S) were changed. Biochar obtained at four different temperatures were adopted as soil amendment for Allium sativum L. garlic plant cultivation. Experimental results revealed that biochars were rich in nutrient contents and they improved garlic yields. Although contents of heavy metals including As, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cd, Cr and Cu, etc. were elevated in the biochars compared to local soil, they fell within the acceptable limits for land application and SS is a suitable biochar resource, especially biochar produced at 450°C had rich micropores, relatively stable functional groups in structure and rugged surface to contact well with soil, conducive to its usage as a biochar. The garlic grew faster when planted in the biochar-amended soil and had higher final dry matter yields than those planted in the reference soil, especially biochar produced at 450°C corresponding to the highest final yields. The C:S ratio related to the highest garlic yields changed when the pyrolysis temperature was changed and this ratio was 1:4 for the biochar produced at 450°C. General heavy metal accumulation in the garlic occurred only for the most enriched Zn and Cu, and mainly in the roots & bulbs; in addition this bioaccumulation was increasing as leaching from biochar increased but not increasing with C:S ratio. The garlic planted in soil amended with biochar of 450°C contained the lowest level of heavy metals compared to other biochars. Those results indicated that heavy metal accumulation in plants can be inhibited through proper pyrolysis temperature choice and prevention of heavy metal leaching from the SS biochar., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

There have only been a few reports of thyroid-like follicular carcinoma of the kidney (TLFCK) to date. In the present study, two patients with TLFCK are reported. Patient 1 was a 65-year-old male exhibiting repeated hematuria and right back pain. No tumors were located in the patient's thyroid or lungs. The physical examination revealed percussion tenderness over the right kidney region was noticed. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) indicated a right renal pelvic carcinoma, for which the patient underwent a radical right nephrectomy. Patient 2 was a 59-year-old male with a mass in the right kidney, located during a health examination and who exhibited no obvious clinical symptoms. The patient was clinically diagnosed with right renal carcinoma, confirmed by an enhanced CT. The patient underwent a radical right nephrectomy. The clinical features, imaging results, pathology, immune phenotypes, treatment and prognosis were analyzed. The associated literature was also reviewed. The cut surface of each tumor showed gray-white material with a central solid area, including scattered gray-brown necrotic and gray hemorrhagic areas and small cystic cavities. Microscopically, the arrangement of the tumor cells mimicked thyroid follicles with red-stained colloid-like material in the lumen. No renal hilar lymph node involvement was noted. The tumor tissue of patient 1 was immunohistochemically positive for vimentin, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), cytokeratin (CK), CK7, and neuron specific enolase; and negative for CK34BE12, synapsin (Syn), CK20, cluster of differentiation 56 (CD56), CD10, Wilm's tumor-1 (WT-1), CD34, CD57, P53, CD99, thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1), CD15 and thyroglobulin (TG); with a Ki-67 labeling index (LI) of 30%. The tumor tissue of patient 2 was immunohistochemically positive for vimentin, EMA, CK7 and CK20; and negative for CD56, CD10, WT-1, CD34, CD57, P53, CD117, TTF-1, CD15, CD99, TG, chromogranin A and Syn; with a Ki-67 LI of 20%. TLFCK is a rare renal tumor with low malignancy but medium invasiveness. It morphologically resembles thyroid follicular carcinoma but does not express TTF-1 or TG. Radical nephrectomy can achieve good patient outcomes.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of intramuscular meperidine injection with periprostatic nerve block (PNB) during transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy., Methods: This study was carried out from July 2010 to June 2012 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China. This controlled, double-blinded, randomized study included 186 patients. These patients were randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups: PNB by injection 10 minutes prior to the prostate biopsy; intramuscular meperidine injection administered 30 minutes before the biopsy, and a control group (n = 62, each). At the time of ultrasound probe insertion, during biopsy, and 30 minutes after biopsy, patients graded their level of pain on a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS)., Results: There was no statistical difference in clinical features of the 3 groups. The patients administered meperidine had the minimum mean VAS score during probe insertion. During the prostate biopsy, there was no significant difference in VAS scores between patients in the PNB and meperidine groups, and both were significantly lower than that of the control group. The VAS scores recorded 30 minutes after biopsy were similar among the 3 groups., Conclusion: Intramuscular meperidine injection is a safe and effective analgesic for use during transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy, and provides better analgesia than PNB during the probe insertion.

The miR156-targeted squamosa promoter binding protein like (SPL) transcription factors function as an endogenous age cue in regulating plant phase transition and phase-dependent morphogenesis, but the control of SPL output remains poorly understood. In Arabidopsis thaliana the spatial pattern of trichome is a hallmark of phase transition and governed by SPLs. Here, by dissecting the regulatory network controlling trichome formation on stem, we show that the miR171-targeted lost meristems 1 (LOM1), LOM2 and LOM3, encoding GRAS family members previously known to maintain meristem cell polarity, are involved in regulating the SPL activity. Reduced LOM abundance by overexpression of miR171 led to decreased trichome density on stems and floral organs, and conversely, constitutive expression of the miR171-resistant LOM (rLOM) genes promoted trichome production, indicating that LOMs enhance trichome initiation at reproductive stage. Genetic analysis demonstrated LOMs shaping trichome distribution is dependent on SPLs, which positively regulate trichome repressor genes TRICHOMELESS 1 (TCL1) and TRIPTYCHON (TRY). Physical interaction between the N-terminus of LOMs and SPLs underpins the repression of SPL activity. Importantly, other growth and developmental events, such as flowering, are also modulated by LOM-SPL interaction, indicating a broad effect of the LOM-SPL interplay. Furthermore, we provide evidence that MIR171 gene expression is regulated by its targeted LOMs, forming a homeostatic feedback loop. Our data uncover an antagonistic interplay between the two timing miRNAs in controlling plant growth, phase transition and morphogenesis through direct interaction of their targets.

Purpose: The optimal management of proximal hypospadias remains uncertain. In this study, the surgical outcomes of tubularized incised plate repair (TIP) and transverse island flap (TVIF) onlay urethroplasty in boys with hypospadias were compared., Methods: A total of 176 patients with proximal hypospadias underwent TIP (n = 83) or TVIF onlay repairs (n = 93) by a single surgeon and were evaluated retrospectively. No patient received a testosterone injection prior to surgery. A retrospective review of their medical records collected data regarding age at surgery, chordee, dorsal plication, hypospadias site, penoscrotal transposition, bifid scrotum, congenital hernia, undescended testis and any postoperative complications, including fistula, recurrent curvature, dehiscence, diverticulum, meatal stenosis and urethral stricture. The pediatric penile perception score (PPPS) was completed by parents to evaluate their perception of cosmetic outcomes., Results: There was no statistical difference in age or any of the anatomical and clinical features of hypospadias. The median follow-up duration was 22 months (range 12-48 months) and 25 months (14-51 months) for the TIP and TVIF onlay groups, respectively. The overall complication rate in the TVIF onlay group was 21.5% (20/93), which was higher than 18.1% (15/83) in the TIP group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.569). The most common complication was urethrocutaneous fistula, occurring in 9.6% (8/83) of the TIP group and 10.8% (10/93) of the TVIF onlay group. There were no significant differences in the rate of any complication and the overall PPPS between the two groups., Conclusion: TIP and TVIF onlay are clinically equivalent for the repair of proximal hypospadias.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term outcomes of hypospadias surgery relating to penile appearance, sexual function and sexual satisfaction, and analyze the influencing factors by comparing them with those of healthy male adults., Methods: We conducted follow-up visits to 128 hypospadias patients surgically treated in our hospital between January 1990 and June 1994. We retrospectively analyzed their clinical data in comparison with 136 healthy male adults., Results: The rate of satisfaction with penile appearance was significantly lower in the hypospadia patients than in the healthy men, and the main reason for the patients'dissatisfaction was inadequate penile size. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in sexual function and sexual satisfaction. The rate of sexual satisfaction was lower in the patients treated for proximal and middle shaft hypospadias but higher in those treated for distal shaft hypospadias than in the healthy adults, particularly high in those successfully treated by one-stage surgery at the age of < or = 3 years. The factors influencing postoperative sexual satisfaction included penile appearance, severity of hypospadias, surgical complications, surgical stage, age of surgery, and premature ejaculation. However, sexual satisfaction was not affected by surgical complications and surgical staging in those successfully treated by one-stage surgery at the age of < or = 3 years., Conclusion: Importance should be attached to the long-term follow-up of hypospadias patients after surgery. Sexual satisfaction could be achieved by successful one-stage urethroplasty at the age of < or = 3 years. Appropriate surgical procedures based on the characteristics of different cases may help the patients to establish confidence in their future sexual activities.

Four novel 4-hydroxycoumarin derivatives (4-MBH, 3-MBH, 4-MDT and 3-MDT) were successfully synthesized and their structures were verified by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. All target compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus ATCC 29213), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA XJ 75302), vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (Mu50 ATCC 700699), and USA 300 (Los Angeles County clone, LAC). The minimum inhibitory concentration and time-kill curves were obtained for the test compounds and antibiotics. Among the tested compounds, 3-MBH showed the most potent antibacterial activities., (© 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a debilitating condition with progressive remodeling of the pulmonary resistance vessels. PAH is characterized by multifocal, polyclonal lesions inhabited by cells that underwent phenotypic transition, resulting in altered cell proliferation and contractility, ultimately resulting in increased vascular resistance. Diagnosis of PAH is confounded by the fact that it is largely asymptomatic in the initial stages. In fact, idiopathic PAH patients >65 years of age cannot be diagnosed hemodynamically due to high pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. This highlights the need for defining more robust molecular biomarkers for PAH diagnosis and progression. Recent studies have indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression, play a discrete role in vascular inflammation and in the etiology of cardiovascular pathologies inclusive of PAH and can potentially serve as diagnostic biomarkers. However, a cohesive understanding of global miRNA-mediated molecular events that control pulmonary vasculature plasticity is lacking which, if addressed systematically, can lead to detailed elucidation of the downstream cellular pathways that are affected by activation/silencing of silenced cognate transcripts. In turn, this can lead to not only robust biomarkers, but also to novel therapeutic strategies targeting more upstream regulators than the existing ones targeting more downstream effectors. The current review aims to provide a summary understanding of PAH, its associated pathophysiology, current knowledge of the role of miRNAs in PAH, and identifies grey areas that need further research for successful bench-to-bedside transition of these exciting new discoveries., (Copyright © 2013 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To study the neurotrophic effects of senegenin on the expression of MAP2 mRNA and BDNF mRNA in cultured cerebral cortical neurons., Methods: The newborn rat cerebral cortex neurons were cultured in vitro. LDH assay was used to investigate the effect of senegenin on the neuronal viability and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out to determine the expression level of MAP2 mRNA and BDNF mRNA., Results: LDH assay showed that senegenin at the concentration of 0. 5 micromol/L,1 micromol/L and 2 micromol/L could obviously enhance the survival of cells and the survival rates were in dose-dependent manner to some extent. Moreover, the low, medium and high concentrations of senegenin significantly increased the expression of MAP2 mRNA and BDNF mRNA., Conclusion: The study suggests that suitable dose of senegenin can increase the expression of MAP2 mRNA and BDNF mRNA in cultured cerebral cortical neurons, and its mechanism needs further study.

Oral ingestion of plant-expressed double stranded RNA (dsRNA) triggers target gene suppression in insect. An important step of this process is the transmission of dsRNA from plant to midgut cells. Insect peritrophic matrix (PM) presents a barrier that prevents large molecules from entering midgut cells. Here, we show that uptake of plant cysteine proteases, such as GhCP1 from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) and AtCP2 from Arabidopsis, by cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) larvae resulted in attenuating the PM. When GhCP1 or AtCP2 pre-fed larvae were transferred to gossypol-containing diet, the bollworm accumulated higher content of gossypol in midgut. Larvae previously ingested GhCP1 or AtCP2 were more susceptible to infection by Dendrolimus punctatus cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (DpCPV), a dsRNA virus. Furthermore, the pre-fed larvae exhibited enhanced RNAi effects after ingestion of the dsRNA-expressing plant. The bollworm P450 gene CYP6AE14 is involved in the larval tolerance to gossypol; cotton plants producing dsRNA of CYP6AE14 (dsCYP6AE14) were more resistant to bollworm feeding (Mao et al. in Transgenic Res 20:665-673, 2011). We found that cotton plants harboring both 35S:dsCYP6AE14 and 35S:GhCP1 were better protected from bollworm than either of the single-transgene lines. Our results demonstrate that plant cysteine proteases, which have the activity of increasing PM permeability, can be used to improve the plant-mediated RNAi against herbivorous insects.

The biological functional roles of LGR5 (leucine-rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptor 5, also known as GPR49), a novel potential marker for stem-like cells in glioblastoma (GSCs), is poorly acknowledged. Here, we demonstrated that LGR5 was detected in glioblastoma tissues and GSCs. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that LGR5 is closely related to neurogenesis and neuronal functions, and preferentially expressed in Proneural subtype of GBMs. Furthermore, LGR5 is regulated by Proneural factor OLIG2, which is important for both neurogenesis and GSC maintenance. Biological experiments in GSC cells validated the bioinformatics analysis results and revealed that LGR5 regulated the tumor sphere formation capacity, an important stem cell property for GSCs. Therefore, LGR5 expression may be functionally correlated with the neurogenic competence, and be regulated by OLIG2 in GSCs.

Background: A proportion of glioblastoma stemlike cells (GSCs) expressing endothelial cell marker CDH5 (vascular-endothelial-cadherin or CD144) can transdifferentiate into endothelial cells and form blood vessels. However, the implications of CDH5 expression in gliomas and how it is regulated in GSCs remain to be clarified., Methods: The mRNA and protein levels of CDH5 were detected in glioma samples and cultured cell lines, and the prognostic value of the CDH5 expression level for GBM patients was evaluated. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to reveal the potential functional roles of CDH5 in glioblastoma multiforme. Gene knockdown induced by short hairpin RNA, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis, and a vasculogenic tube formation assay were performed to investigate the relationships among hypoxia, CDH5 expression level, and angiogenesis., Results: CDH5 was overexpressed in gliomas, correlated with tumor grades, and was an independent adverse prognostic predictor for glioblastoma multiforme patients. CDH5 was specifically activated in GSCs but not in non-GSCs or neural stem cells, and CDH5(+) cells could produce xenografts in immunocompromised mice. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that CDH5 might interact directly with hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)2α. CDH5 expression was significantly upregulated in GSCs, but not in non-GSCs or normal neural stem cells, under a 1% O2 condition. Both HIF1α and HIF2α positively regulated CDH5 level in GSCs and could bind to the promoter of CDH5. Furthermore, CDH5 contributed to the vasculogenic mimicry of GSCs, especially under hypoxic conditions., Conclusions: The specific expression of CDH5 in GSCs may contribute to GSC-derived neovasculogenesis in glioblastoma multiforme, especially under hypoxic conditions, revealing novel tumorigenic mechanisms contributed by GSCs.

High reversible lithium storage capacity is obtained from novel SnO2/ZnWO4 core-shell nanorods. At C/20 (20 h per half cycle) rate, the reversible capacity of SnO2/ZnWO4 core-shell nanorods is as high as 1000 mA h g(-1), much higher than that of pure ZnWO4, SnO2, or the traditional theoretical result of the simple mixture. Such performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect between the nanostructured SnO2 and ZnWO4. The distinct electrochemical activity of ZnWO4 nanorods probably activates the irreversible capacity of the SnO2 nanoparticles. These results indicate that high-performance lithium ion batteries can be realized by introducing the synergistic effect of one-dimensional core-shell nanocomposites., (Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The structures and electronic properties of the SiAu(n) (n = 17-20) clusters are systematically investigated using DFT calculations. The result shows that doping with silicon would significantly change the structures of the gold clusters. For the SiAu(n) (n = 17-20) clusters, the lowest-energy structures exhibit shell-like cage configuration in which the dopant Si atom binds to the cage surface and one Au atom skips to the top of the Si atom forming a SiAu5 or SiAu6 subunit except SiAu19, which is a tetrahedron-like structure with a protruding Au atom. The Au atoms of the SiAu(n) (n = 17-20) clusters carry different partial charges due to their different locations.

Taking the core part of Yancheng national nature reserve as the study area, according to soil sampling analysis of coastal wetlands in April and May 2011 land the 2011 ETM + remote sensing image, the spatial difference characteristic of coastal wetlands soil moisture and salinity, and the relationship with vegetation under natural conditions, were investigated with the model of correspondence analysis (CCA), linear regression simulation and geo-statistical method. The results showed: Firstly, the average level of the soil moisture was fluctuating between 36.820% and 46.333% , and the soil salinity was between 0.347% and 1.328% , in a more detailed sense, the Spartina swamp was the highest, followed by the mudflats swamp, the Suaeda salsa swamp, and the Reed marsh. Secondly, the spatial variation of soil moisture was consistent with that of the salinity, and the degree of variation in the east-west direction was greater than that in the north-south. The maximum soil moisture and salinity were found in the southwest Spartina swamp. The minimum was in the Reed swamp. The soil moisture and salinity were divided into 5 levels, from I to V. Level IV occupied the highest proportion, which were 36.156% and 28.531% , respectively. Finally, different landscape types with the combination of soil moisture and salinity showed a common feature that the moisture and salinity were from both high to low. The soil moisture value of Reed marshes was lower than 40.116% and the salinity value was lower than 0. 676% . The soil moisture value of Suaeda salsa marshes was between 38. 162% and 46. 403% and the salinity value was between 0.417% and 1.295%. The soil moisture value of Spartina swamp was higher than 43.214% and the salinity was higher than 1.090%. The soil moisture value of beach was higher than 43.214% and the salinity was higher than 0.677%.

There is no effective drug to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease affecting an estimated 30 million people around the world. Strongly supported by preclinical and clinical studies, amyloid-beta (Aβ) may be a target for developing drugs against AD. Meanwhile, the fact that localized neuronal death/loss and synaptic impairment occur in AD should also be considered. Neuronal regeneration, which does not occur normally in the mammalian central nervous system, can be promoted by neurotrophic factors (NTFs). Evidence from clinical trials has shown that both Aβ clearance and NTFs are potentially effective in treating AD, thus a new approach combining Aβ clearance and administration of NTFs may be an effective therapeutic strategy.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is often characterized by reduced lung compliance, which suggests dysfunction of the endogenous surfactant system. The effectiveness of exogenous surfactants as replacements for the endogenous system in the treatment of ARDS in adults was assessed. Randomized controlled trials from Medline (1950-2011), Embase (1989-2011), the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (1994-2011) were analyzed. Two reviewers identified trials for inclusion and the results of included trials were quantitatively pooled with a fixed-effects model. Seven trials (2,144 patients) with good methodological quality were included in the analysis. Pulmonary surfactant treatment was not associated with reduced mortality [relative risk (RR), 1.00; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89-1.12]. Subgroup analysis revealed no reduced mortality for various surfactant types. Heterogeneity was not significant in the primary outcome analysis (I(2)=0%). There was no evidence of publication bias. Oxygenation, ventilation-free days, duration of ventilation and APACHE II scores did not undergo pooled analysis due to insufficient data. Exogenous surfactant did not reduce mortality in adults with ARDS in our meta-analysis, and we cannot accurately define whether exogenous surfactant has an effect on oxygenation from the included studies.

Objective: Tubularized incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty is performed by many pediatric urologists and has been widely accepted for repair of distal and mid-shaft hypospadias. However, the role of urethral catheter placement in TIP repair remains controversial. In this study, the surgical outcomes of indwelling urethral catheter and non-catheter TIP repairs in boys with hypospadias were compared., Methods: A total of 254 patients with primary distal and mid-shaft hypospadias underwent TIP repair and were evaluated retrospectively. A urethral catheter was placed in 103 patients (group A) and non-catheter repair was performed in 151 patients (group B). Information obtained included age, toilet training, chordee, type of hypospadias, presence or absence of a catheter, and postoperative complications. The complications recorded included wound infection, urinary tract infection, bladder spasm, urinary retention, urinary extravasation, meatal stenosis, urethral stricture, and urethrocutaneous fistula., Results: There was no statistical difference in age, toilet training, chordee, hypospadias site, or performing surgeon between the two groups. The median follow-up time was 22 and 24 months for groups A and B, respectively. The rate of bladder spasms (10.7 vs. 0%, p < 0.001) and urinary tract infection (9.7 vs. 3.3%, p = 0.034) was significantly higher for group A than group B. Although the rate of urinary retention was higher in group B than in group A (4.0 vs. 0%), there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.084). Likewise, the incidence of urethrocutaneous fistula and meatal stenosis was not significantly different., Conclusion: Non-catheter TIP repair is feasible and positive outcomes can be achieved with minimal complications and less patient discomfort., (Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Primary pulmonary amyloidosis is a relatively rare condition, characterized by amyloid deposition in the lungs and other associated structures. We report a case of primary nodular parenchymal pulmonary amyloidosis in a 44-year-old male. The patient was referred to our hospital for further evaluation of multiple lobulated nodules in both lungs. As the multiple lung nodules were suspected to be metastatic, (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) was conducted, which revealed that the nodules had a mild uptake of (18)F-FCG. Amyloidosis was confirmed by conducting a percutaneous CT-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy in the left lung nodule. A literature review of previous studies on primary nodular parenchymal pulmonary amyloidosis from Medline (1970-October 2011) and Embase (1989-October 2011) was also included. Despite its rarity, primary nodular parenchymal pulmonary amyloidosis with a pattern of multiple nodules also forms part of the differential diagnosis of pulmonary metastases with high (18)F-FDG uptake on PET/CT.

Introduction and Hypothesis: Intravesical instillation of hyaluronic acid (HA) may restore the integrity of glycosaminoglycan layer in patients with painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis (PBS/IC), and the benefit may be improved with addition of alkalinized lidocaine (AL)., Methods: 48 women with severe PBS/IC who failed oral medications were enrolled and divided into one trial and two control groups. The trial group received intravesical 40 mg HA, 10 ml of 2 % lidocaine and 5 ml of 8.4 % sodium bicarbonate on a weekly basis for 8 weeks and then monthly for 4 months with a subsequent follow-up of 24 weeks, while the two control groups received 40 mg HA and mixture of 10 ml of 2 % lidocaine and 5 ml of 8.4%sodium bicarbonate respectively following the same procedure. Response to therapy was evaluated by Global Response Assessment, voids per day, Visual Analogue Scale for pain, frequency and urgency, O'leary-Sant Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index and Problem Index, cystoscopy and bladder capacity., Results: Overall 45 patients finished this study protocol. The HA + AL group and the AL group showed significant improvement at week 2 (P < 0.01), while the HA group began to show effect at week 4 (P < 0.01). There was no improvement in the AL group at week 24 and these patients quitted the study without follow up. Contrarily, the HA + AL and HA group kept on improving till the end of the study without significant difference between the two groups., Conclusions: Intravesical instillation of HA and AL may provide both immediate and sustained relief of symptoms in severe PBS/IC in this preliminary study.

Objective: To investigate the mechanisms underlying protocatechuic acid (PCA)-induced neurotrophic effects on cultured cortical neurons., Methods: The mRNA expression of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were measured by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Subsequently, antagonists were used to study the signaling pathways activated by PCA and western blotting was used to detect the phosphorylation level of kinase-related protein., Results: The mRNA expression of MAP2 and BDNF were upregulated in neurons treated with PCA compared with vehicle control. PCA-induced neurite outgrowth and neuronal survival in cultured cortical neurons were significantly inhibited by ZM241385 (an A(2A) receptor antagonist) and LY294002 (a PI3K inhibitor), but not by K252a (a TrkA receptor antagonist), GÖ6976 (a protein kinase C inhibitor) and PD98059 (a MEK inhibitor). PCA enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt, which could be blocked by LY294002., Conclusion: The PI3K/Akt signaling pathway might play an important role in the neurotrophic activity of PCA.

Objective: To investigate the effect of protocatechuic acid on the mRNA expression of APP in double transfected (human APP gene and presenlin-1 gene) Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells (M146L)., Methods: Abeta42 overexpressing cell model was established in vitro by culturing Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing amyloid beta-protein precursor and mutant presenilin (M146L). The MTT assay was used to test cytotoxicity of protocatechuic acid, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out to determine the mRNA expression level of APP., Results: The MTT assay showed that protocatechuic acid at suitable concentrations didn't have cytotoxicity on M146L cell survival. Protocatechuic acid at the concentration of 0.25 mmol/L, 0.5 mmol/L and 1.0 mmol/L significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of APP., Conclusion: The study suggests that the suitable dose of protocatechuic acid could inhibit the mRNA expression of APP in M146L cell,and its mechanism needs further study.

Cotton plants accumulate phytotoxins, including gossypol and related sesquiterpene aldehydes, to resist insect herbivores and pathogens. To counteract these defensive plant secondary metabolites, cotton bollworms (Helicoverpa armigera) elevate their production of detoxification enzymes, including cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s). Besides their tolerance to phytotoxin, cotton bollworms have quickly developed resistance to deltamethrin, a widely used pyrethroid insecticide in cotton field. However, the relationship between host plant secondary metabolites and bollworm insecticide resistance is poorly understood. Here, we show that exogenously expressed CYP6AE14, a gossypol-inducible P450 of cotton bollworm, has epoxidation activity towards aldrin, an organochlorine insecticide, indicating that gossypol-induced P450s participate in insecticide metabolism. Gossypol-ingested cotton bollworm larvae showed higher midgut P450 enzyme activities and exhibited enhanced tolerance to deltamethrin. The midgut transcripts of bollworm larvae administrated with different phytochemicals and deltamethrin were then compared by microarray analysis, which showed that gossypol and deltamethrin induced the most similar P450 expression profiles. Gossypol-induced P450s exhibited high divergence and at least five of them (CYP321A1, CYP9A12, CYP9A14, CYP6AE11 and CYP6B7) contributed to cotton bollworm tolerance to deltamethrin. Knocking down one of them, CYP9A14, by plant-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) rendered the larvae more sensitive to the insecticide. These data demonstrate that generalist insects can take advantage of secondary metabolites from their major host plants to elaborate defence systems against other toxic chemicals, and impairing this defence pathway by RNAi holds a potential for reducing the required dosages of agrochemicals in pest control., (© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

We report a rare case of a 38-year-old woman with metastatic colonic adenocarcinoma from primary lung adenocarcinoma detected by PET/CT. She underwent colonoscopy and adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in the pathology report, which was the same as that for lymph node biopsy from a left supraclavicular lymph node. We used immunohistochemistry to diagnose primary adenocarcinoma of the lung with colonic metastasis. Owing to mutation in exon 19 of EGFR gene, targeted therapy was given to her with a prescription of oral gefitinib for 1 month as first-line treatment. It was chosen to further treat the patient with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As the patient was suffering from increasing coughing and sputum, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were subsequently cancelled. Since the general condition of the patient was relatively poor, Tarceva was therefore prescribed. The patient had lived for 5 more months since the diagnosis of metastatic colonic adenocarcinoma.

Arabidopsis thaliana flowers emit volatile terpenes, which may function in plant-insect interactions. Here, we report that Arabidopsis MYC2, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, directly binds to promoters of the sesquiterpene synthase genes TPS21 and TPS11 and activates their expression. Expression of TPS21 and TPS11 can be induced by the phytohormones gibberellin (GA) and jasmonate (JA), and both inductions require MYC2. The induction of TPS21 and TPS11 results in increased emission of sesquiterpene, especially (E)-β-caryophyllene. DELLAs, the GA signaling repressors, negatively affect sesquiterpene biosynthesis, as the sesquiterpene synthase genes were repressed in plants overaccumulating REPRESSOR OF GA1-3 (RGA), one of the Arabidopsis DELLAs, and upregulated in a penta DELLA-deficient mutant. Yeast two-hybrid and coimmunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that DELLAs, represented by RGA, directly interact with MYC2. In yeast cells, the N terminus of MYC2 was responsible for binding to RGA. MYC2 has been proposed as a major mediator of JA signaling and crosstalk with abscisic acid, ethylene, and light signaling pathways. Our results demonstrate that MYC2 is also connected to GA signaling in regulating a subset of genes. In Arabidopsis inflorescences, it integrates both GA and JA signals into transcriptional regulation of sesquiterpene synthase genes and promotes sesquiterpene production.

In this study, we evaluated the neurotrophic effects of magnesium fructose 1, 6-diphosphate (FDP-Mg) on cortical neurons. The results demonstrated that FDP-Mg promoted dendrite outgrowth and neuronal survival in a dose-dependent manner. In order to investigate the associated mechanisms, we determined adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression in cortical neurons. Treatment with FDP-Mg significantly increased ATP levels and BDNF mRNA expression in cortical neurons. These data suggest that FDP-Mg can exert neurotrophic effects on cortical neurons. The increases in BDNF mRNA expression and cellular ATP levels are involved in the neurotrophic effects produced by FDP-Mg.

To find potential enhancers for facilitating the buccal delivery of insulin, a TR146 cell-culture model of buccal epithelium, cultured on commercially available insert plates, was used to evaluate the permeability-enhancing effects of several traditional and new types of chemical enhancers, including N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), sodium deoxycholate (SDC), sodium nitroprusside (SNP), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutamine (Gln), chitosan (CS), L-arginine (Arg), 1-dodecylazacycloheptan-2-one (Azone), and soybean lecithin (SPC) (50 and 10 μg/mL respectively). Permeability studies were performed to determine the enhancing effects of these compounds on insulin permeation across the cell-culture model. The enhancing effects of the enhancers were assessed by calculating the apparent permeability coefficients and enhancement ratio. Cytotoxicity of the permeation enhancers at different concentrations was investigated by using the methylthiazolydiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Results showed that 50 μg/mL of NAC, SDC, GSH, CS, Arg, Azone, SPC, SNP, and 10 μg/mL of SNP had a significant enhancing effect on promoting the transport of insulin across the TR146 cell model. MTT assays showed that 50 μg/mL of Gln, Azone, SDC, SNP, Arg, 10 μg/mL SDC, and Arg had obvious toxic effects on TR146 cells. Therefore, NAC, GSH, CS, SPC, and SNP appear to be safe, effective permeability enhancers that promote the transport of insulin across the TR146 cell-culture model of buccal epithelium and may be potential enhancers for buccal delivery of insulin with both low toxicity and high efficiency.

The ciliary marginal zone (CMZ) of fish and frog retinas contains cells that proliferate throughout postembryonic development as the retina grows with increasing body size, indicating the presence of stem cells in this region. However, neither the location nor the molecular identity of retinal stem cells has been identified. Here, we show in Xenopus that c-myc and n-myc are sequentially expressed both during development and in the post-embryonic retina. The c-myc+/n-myc- cells near the extreme periphery of the CMZ cycle more slowly and preferentially retain DNA label compared to their more central cmyc+/n-myc+ neighbors which cycle rapidly and preferentially dilute DNA label. During retinal development c-myc is functionally required earlier than n-myc, and n-myc expression depends on earlier c-myc expression. The expression of c-myc but not n-myc in the CMZ depends on growth factor signaling. Our results suggest that c-myc+/n-myc- cells in the far peripheral CMZ are candidates for a niche-dependent population of retinal stem cells that give rise to more centrally located and rapidly dividing n-myc+ progenitors of more limited proliferative potential. Analysis of homologues of these genes in the zebrafish CMZ suggests that the transition from c-myc to n-myc expression might be conserved in other lower vertebrates whose retinas growth throughout life., (Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The paper describes for the first time the successful synthesis of Fe(2)O(3)/TiO(2) tube-like nanostructures, in which TiO(2) shell is of quasi-single crystalline characteristic and its thickness can be controlled through adjusting the added amount of aqueous Ti(SO(4))(2) solution. The characterization of samples obtained at different stages using transmission electron microscope indicates that the outer TiO(2) shell is changed gradually from amorphous and polycrystalline phase into quasi-single crystal under thermal actions through the Ostwald ripening process, accompanying the corrosion of the central parts of Fe(2)O(3) nanorods, and the formation of small particles separating each other, leading to the special core/shell nanorods. Furthermore, Fe(2)O(3)/TiO(2) tube-like nanostructures can be transformed into Fe(2)TiO(5) nanostructures after they are thermally treated at higher temperatures. Those nanostructures exhibit enhanced ethanol sensing properties with respect to the monocomponent. Our results imply that not only hollow nanostructures, but also a novel type of nanostructures can be fabricated by the present method for nanodevices.

WO(3) nanorods are uniformly coated with SnO(2) nanoparticles via a facile wet-chemical route. The reversible capacity of SnO(2)/WO(3) core-shell nanorods is 845.9 mA h g(-1), higher than that of bare WO(3) nanorods, SnO(2) nanostructures, and traditional theoretical results. Such behavior can be attributed to a novel mechanism by which nanostructured metallic tungsten makes extra Li(2)O (from SnO(2)) reversibly convert to Li(+). This mechanism is confirmed by x-ray diffraction results. Our results open a way for enhancing the reversible capacity of alloy-type metal oxide anode materials.

Aim: To detect the expression of 60 microRNAs (miRNAs) in gastric cancer tissues and find new predictive biomarkers of gastric cancer with metastasis., Methods: The expressions of 60 candidate miRNAs in 30 gastric cancer tissues and paired normal tissues were detected by stem-loop real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. After primary screening of miRNAs expression, 5 selected miRNAs were further testified in another 22 paired gastric tissues. Based on the expression level of miRNAs and the status of metastasis to lymph node (LN), receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve were used to evaluate their ability in predicting the status of metastasis to LN., Results: Thirty-eight miRNAs expressions in gastric cancer tissues were significantly different from those in paired normal tissues (P < 0.01). Among them, 31 miRNAs were found to be up-expressed in cancer tissues and 1 miRNAs were down-expressed ≥ 1.5 fold vs paired normal gastric tissue. Five microRNAs (miR-125a-3p, miR-133b, miR-143, miR-195 and miR-212) were differently expressed between different metastatic groups in 30 gastric cancer biopsies (P < 0.05). Partial correlation analysis showed that hsa-mir-212 and hsa-mir-195 were correlated with the status of metastasis to LN in spite of age, gender, tumor location, tumor size, depth of invasion and cell differentiation. ROC analysis indicated that miR-212 and miR-195 have better sensitivities (84.6% and 69.2%, respectively) and specificities (both 100%) in distinguishing biopsies with metastasis to LN from biopsies without metastasis to LN., Conclusion: miR-212 and miR-195 could be independent biomarkers in predicting the gastric cancer with metastasis to LN.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive and common kind of primary brain tumor in adults, and is thought to be driven by a subpopulation of glioma stem cells (GSCs). GSCs reside in a specialized hypoxic niche, which can regulate the tumorigenic capacity of GSCs primarily through the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), HIF1α and HIF2α. ZNF217 is an oncogene frequently amplified in many kinds of tumors. It is associated with aggressive tumor behavior and poor clinical prognosis, but its role in gliomas is poorly known. Gene expression and copy number analysis from TCGA data reveal that ZNF217 is amplified in 32% and overexpressed in 71.2% of GBMs. Quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting of a cohort of glioma samples showed that ZNF217 was highly expressed in gliomas and increased with tumor grade. Analysis of a molecular database demonstrated that ZNF217 expression correlated with poor survival of glioma patients. Investigation of ZNF217 expression in GSCs, non-GSCs and normal neural stem cells (NSCs) indicated that ZNF217 was more highly expressed in GSCs than in non-GSCs and NSCs. Knockdown of ZNF217 in GSCs by small-interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibited their growth and promoted their differentiation. Interestingly, ZNF217 was upregulated in GSCs and the GBM cell line U87 when exposed to the hypoxic environment of 1% oxygen. Knockdown of either HIF1α or HIF2α, which has a central role in the hypoxia-induced responses of these cells, inhibited ZNF217 expression. In addition, ZNF217 upregulation was compromised under hypoxia in U87 and GSCs when either HIF1α or HIF2α was targeted by siRNA. HIF2α knockdown inhibited ZNF217 expression more efficiently in both normoxia and hypoxia than HIF1α knockdown. Therefore, ZNF217 is overexpressed in GBMs and contributes to the maintenance of GSCs, which is regulated by HIFs released by the hypoxic environment of the tumor.

Extremely high sensitivity and low working temperature of gas sensors are realized from SnO(2)/α-MoO(3) heterostructure nanobelts. Their sensitivity against 500 ppm ethanol is up to 67.76 at the working temperature of 300 °C, which is higher than that of bare α-MoO(3) and SnO(2) nanostructures. Also the working temperature can be lowered down to 120 °C. Such behaviors are attributed to the variation of the junction barrier at the SnO(2)/α-MoO(3) interface. The present results imply that heterostructured 1D nanomaterials may yield gas sensors with improved characteristics, and can be applied to a wide range of gas sensors.

RNA interference (RNAi) plays an important role in regulating gene expression in eukaryotes. Previously, we generated Arabidopsis and tobacco plants expressing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) targeting a cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) P450 gene, CYP6AE14. Bollworms fed on transgenic dsCYP6AE14 plants showed suppressed CYP6AE14 expression and reduced growth on gossypol-containing diet (Mao et al., in Nat Biotechnol 25: 1307-1313, 2007). Here we report generation and analysis of dsRNA-expressing cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) plants. Bollworm larvae reared on T2 plants of the ds6-3 line exhibited drastically retarded growth, and the transgenic plants were less damaged by bollworms than the control. Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) showed that the CYP6AE14 expression level was reduced in the larvae as early as 4 h after feeding on the transgenic plants; accordingly, the CYP6AE14 protein level dropped. These results demonstrated that transgenic cotton plants expressing dsCYP6AE14 acquired enhanced resistance to cotton bollworms, and that RNAi technology can be used for engineering insect-proof cotton cultivar.

Pd-ZnO nanoflowers with high uniformity were prepared via a novel one-step hydrothermal route. High sensitivity, fast response, high selectivity and low work temperature are obtained from Pd-ZnO nanoflower sensors. The sensitivity upon exposure to 300 ppm ethanol is up to 168 at 300  °C and maintains 2.6 at 120  °C. Such behaviors can be attributed to Schottky contact at the Pd/ZnO interface and catalytic activity of Pd nanoparticles. The present results open a way for uniform surface modification of one-dimensional nanostructures with Pd nanoparticles and further enhancing their gas sensing performance.

Extraordinarily high reversible capacity of lithium-ion battery anodes is realized from SnO(2)/α-MoO(3) core-shell nanobelts. The reversible capacity is much higher than traditional theoretical results. Such behavior is attributed to α-MoO(3) that makes extra Li(2)O reversibly convert to Li(+)., (© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011)

Ultrafast charging/discharging of lithium-ion battery anodes is realized from porous Co(3)O(4) nanoneedle arrays growing on copper foils. Their charge time can be shortened to ∼6 s, their reversible capacity at 0.5C rate is 1167 mAh/g. This implies that nano-arrays growing directly on copper foils are good candidates for anodes., (© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011)