Nrf2 Activation Induced by Sirt1 Ameliorates Acute Lung Injury After Intestinal Ischemia/Reperfusion Through NOX4-Mediated Gene Regulation

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Nuclear erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) is a major stress-response transcription factor that has been implicated in regulating ischemic angiogenesis. We investigated the effects of Nrf2 in regulating revascularization and modulating acute lung injury.

METHODS

The expression of Nrf2 and sirtuin1 (Sirt1) was assessed in lung tissue by western blotting and immunofluorescence staining after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (IIR) in Nrf2-/- and wild-type (WT) mice. The involvement of Nrf2 in angiogenesis, cell viability, and migration was investigated in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs). Additionally, the influence of Nrf2 expression on NOX pathway activation was measured in PMVECs after oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation.

RESULTS

We found activation and nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 in lung tissue after IIR. Compared to IIR in WT mice, IIR in Nrf2-/- mice significantly enhanced leukocyte infiltration and collagen deposit, and inhibited endothelial cell marker CD31 expression. Nrf2 upregulation and translocation into the nucleus stimulated by Sirt1 overexpression exhibited remission of histopathologic changes and enhanced CD31 expression. Nrf2 knockdown repressed non-phagocytic cell oxidase 4 (NOX4), hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression after IIR. Nrf2 upregulation by Sirt1 enhances NOX4, HIF-1α and VEGF expression after IIR in WT mice. Furthermore, Nrf2 knockdown suppressed cell viability, capillary tube formation and cell migration in PMVECs after oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation and also inhibited NOX4, HIF-1 and VEGF expression. Moreover, NOX4 knockdown in PMVECs decreased the levels of VEGF, HIF-1α and angiogenesis.

CONCLUSION

Nrf2 stimulation by Sirt1 plays an important role in sustaining angiogenic potential through NOX4-mediated gene regulation.

TRPV4 Blockade Preserves the Blood-Brain Barrier by Inhibiting Stress Fiber Formation in a Rat Model of Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption and subsequent brain edema play important roles in the secondary neuronal death and neurological dysfunction that are observed following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). In previous studies, transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4), a calcium-permeable mechanosensitive channel, was shown to induce cytotoxicity in many types of cells and to play a role in orchestrating barrier functions. In the present study, we explored the role of TRPV4 in ICH-induced brain injury, specifically investigating its effect on BBB disruption. Autologous arterial blood was injected into the basal ganglia of rats to mimic ICH. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to sham and experimental groups for studies on the time course of TRPV4 expression after ICH. The selective TRPV4 antagonist HC-067047 and TRPV4 siRNA were administered to evaluate the effects of TRPV4 inhibition. GSK1016790A, a TRPV4 agonist, was administered to naive rats to verify the involvement of TRPV4-induced BBB disruption. A PKC inhibitor, dihydrochloride (H7), and a selective RhoA inhibitor, C3 transferase, were administered to clarify the involvement of the PKCα/RhoA/MLC2 pathway following ICH. Post-ICH assessments including functional tests, brain edema measurements, Evans blue extravasation, western blotting and immunohistochemical assays were performed. TRPV4 inhibition remarkably ameliorated neurological symptoms, brain edema, and neuronal death, as well as BBB disruption, 24–72 h following ICH. Meanwhile, TRPV4 blockade preserved the expression of adherens and tight junction proteins, as well as BBB integrity, by inhibiting stress fiber formation, which might be correlated with the regulation of components of the PKCα/RhoA/MLC2 pathway. Furthermore, adherens and tight junction protein degradation induced by GSK1016790A treatment in naive rats was also related to PKCα/RhoA/MLC2-pathway-mediated stress fiber formation. Based on these findings, therapeutic interventions targeting TRPV4 may represent a novel approach to ameliorate secondary brain injury following ICH.

Paeoniflorin exerts neuroprotective effects by modulating the M1/M2 subset polarization of microglia/macrophages in the hippocampal CA1 region of vascular dementia rats via cannabinoid receptor 2

Background

Cerebral hypoperfusion is a pivotal risk factor for vascular dementia (VD), for which effective therapy remains inadequate. Persistent inflammatory responses and excessive chemotaxis of microglia/macrophages in the brain may accelerate the progression of VD. Endocannabinoids are involved in neuronal protection against inflammation-induced neuronal injury. Cannabinoids acting at cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB₂R) can decrease inflammation. Based on the identification of paeoniflorin (PF) as a CB₂R agonist, we investigated the neuroprotective and microglia/macrophages M1 to M2 polarization promoting effects of PF in a permanent four-vessel occlusion rat model.

Methods

One week after surgery, PF was intraperitoneally administered at a dose of 40 mg/kg once a day for 28 successive days. The effects of PF on memory deficit were investigated by a Morris water maze test, and the effects of PF on hippocampal neuronal damage were evaluated by light microscope and electron microscope. The mRNA and protein expression levels of key molecules related to the M1/M2 polarization of microglia/macrophages were assessed by RT-qPCR and Western blotting, respectively.

Results

Administration of PF could significantly attenuate cerebral hypoperfusion-induced impairment of learning and memory and reduce the morphological and ultrastructural changes in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats. Moreover, PF promoted an M1 to M2 phenotype transition in microglia/macrophages in the hippocampus of rats. In addition to its inhibitory property against proinflammatory M1 mediator expression, such as IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and NO, PF dramatically up-regulated expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β1. Importantly, CB₂R antagonist AM630 abolished these beneficial effects produced by PF on learning, memory and hippocampus structure in rats, as well as the polarization of microglia/macrophages to the M2 phenotype. Additionally, PF treatment significantly inhibited cerebral hypoperfusion-induced mTOR/NF-κB proinflammatory pathway and enhanced PI3K/Akt anti-inflammatory pathway. Effects of PF on these signaling pathways were effectively attenuated when rats were co-treated with PF and AM630, indicating that the mTOR/NF-κB and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways were involved in the PF effects through CB₂R activation.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrated PF exerts its neuroprotective effect and shifts the inflammatory milieu toward resolution by modulation of microglia/macrophage polarization via CB₂R activation.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13020-018-0173-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

miR-25 enhances cell migration and invasion in non-small-cell lung cancer cells via ERK signaling pathway by inhibiting KLF4

In recent years, microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) have gained increasing interest in cancer research. Increasing evidences demonstrated that miRNAs are important for tumor early detection and prognosis. The present study aimed to explore the function of miR-25 in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its underlying mechanisms. The expression levels of miR-25 and Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) were assessed in 31 pairs of tissue from patients with NSCLC. In addition, the biological roles of miR-25 in NSCLC were analyzed via a cell wound healing assay, Transwell invasion and migration assays. Target genes of miR-25 were predicted using TargetScan and verified via a dual luciferase activity assay, western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The downstream signaling pathway was confirmed by western blot analysis. In the present study, miR-25 was overexpressed in 31 NSCLC samples compared with in corresponding normal tissues. Overexpression of miR-25 using miR-25 mimics markedly promoted NSCLC cell migration and invasion, while inhibition of miR-25 exerted the opposite effect. KLF4 was suggested to be a novel target gene of miR-25 in NSCLC cells. Knockdown of KLF4 promoted the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells, whereas rescue of KLF4 expression reduced cell motion ability in miR-25-overexpressing NSCLC cells. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that miR-25 activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway, which eventually led to increased vimentin, matrix metalloproteinase 11 and N-cadherin levels, and the downregulation of E-cadherin expression by inhibiting the expression of KLF4. In conclusion, miR-25 was demonstrated to activate the ERK signaling pathway by directly targeting KLF4, promoting cell migration and invasion. The findings of the present study indicated that miR-25 or KLF4 may serve as a therapeutic target for the treatment of NSCLC.

Ketamine induces apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma cells by regulating the expression of CD69

Ketamine, an anesthetic, analgesic, or sedative, is widely used for the treatment of cancer pain. Recently, ketamine has been also reported to be tumor repressor for inhibiting proliferation, invasion, and migration, and inducing apoptosis in many cancers. However, whether ketamine can induce the apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and which downstream molecular mediates its function remain largely unknown. A LUAD cell line A549 was incubated with ketamine at 0, 1, 10, and 100 μmol/L for 24 h. Trypan blue staining was used to detect the cell viability. Flow cytometry (FACS) was applied to evaluate cell apoptosis proportion. The expression of CD69 was quantitated by western blotting. Ketamine induced the A549 cell apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. CD69 was downregulated in LUAD patients' cancer tissue compared with the normal tissue. CD69 can be upregulated in ketamine treating A549 cells and induce the A549 cell apoptosis. Rescue experiment showed that downregulation of CD69 significantly blocked the function of ketamine on inducing apoptosis. Taken together, our results demonstrated that ketamine induced LUAD cells apoptosis by upregulating the CD69 expression. This study suggests that the ketamine can be potential drug for LUAD treatment, and the ketamine/CD69 signaling may be the new potential therapeutic target LUAD therapy.

Aligner-mediated cleavage of nucleic acids and its application to isothermal exponential amplification

A programmable sequence-specific aligner-mediated cleavage endows strand displacement amplification with excellent universality, high sensitivity, high specificity and simple primer design.

We herein describe a simple and versatile approach to use conventional nicking endonuclease (NEase) for programmable sequence-specific cleavage of DNA, termed aligner-mediated cleavage (AMC), and its application to DNA isothermal exponential amplification (AMC-based strand displacement amplification, AMC-SDA). AMC uses a hairpin-shaped DNA aligner (DA) that contains a recognition site in its stem and two side arms complementary to target DNA. Thus, it enables the loading of an NEase on DA's stem, localization to a specific locus through hybridization of the side arms with target DNA, and cleavage thereof. By using just one NEase, it is easy to make a break at any specific locus and tune the cleavage site to the single-nucleotide scale. This capability also endows the proposed AMC-SDA with excellent universality, since the cleavage of target DNA, followed by a polymerase-catalyzed extension along a particular primer as a key step for initiating SDA, no longer relies on any special sequence. Moreover, this manner of initiation facilitates the adoption of 3′-terminated primers, thus making AMC-SDA highly sensitive and highly specific, as well as simple primer design.

Abstract P4-04-10: Molecular features of dormancy in ER+ breast cancers

Background:Late recurrence (emergence from dormancy) is characteristic of ER+ breast cancers. Despite adjuvant endocrine therapy, many breast cancers recur decades after their initial diagnosis and treatment. Why this occurs is poorly understood.

Methods: We studied 2 independent datasets of endocrine treated, ER+ breast cancers with up to 20 years follow-up. The 1st comprised matched samples from the primary tumor pretreatment at diagnosis and the first recurrence after or during adjuvant endocrine therapy (all FFPE). The 2nd dataset comprised pretreatment biopsies only (all snap frozen). For both datasets, high quality RNA was amplified, labelled, and subjected to transcriptome analysis using the Affymetrix technology (U133 Plus 2.0). Low quality data were identified using 'simpleaffy' and 'ffpe', and removed; all tools were from the R package unless otherwise noted. Remaining data were normalized using 'frma'. Genes differentially expressed between early (≤3 years) and late (≥ 5 years) were selected using limma. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering and PCA explored the structure of the data.

A similar molecular analysis was done on the 2nd dataset. A classification scheme that robustly separated early from late recurrences was validated in an independent public dataset of comparable patients, array platform, and frozen tissues. We also explored features in pretreatment samples that predetermined response duration.

Results: Genes that separated pretreatment specimens by recurrence time did not separate posttreatment specimens. Specimens did not cluster in patient pairs or by site of recurrence.

8245 genes were differentially expressed between early and late recurrences in the FFPE samples, while 2400 genes were significantly different in the same comparison in the frozen samples. Initial pathway analysis was done on each dataset independently using IPA (Ingenuity® Systems, www.ingenuity.com). 70 canonical pathways were identified in common between the two datasets (pretreatment). We then looked for genes regulated in both datasets (ignores FFPE and frozen tissue as source). There were 279 genes in common that differentially regulated in the same direction (upregulated; downregulated). IPA analysis of these genes identified 49 canonical pathways. We also explored the differentially expressed gene sets using 'GSEA' (www.software.broadinstitute.org/gsea/index.jsp). Pathways consistently associated with early vs. late recurrence include integrin signaling, the unfolded protein response, endoplasmic reticulum stress, actin-based motility, and estrogen biosynthesis.

Conclusion: Analysis of pretreatment tumors can predict early recurrences from those that will remain dormant and recur much later. Recurrent tumors exhibit a remodeled molecular landscape that likely reflects the effects of treatments and/or a recreation of a niche with potentially common features at the site of recurrence. Changes in molecular signaling associated with duration of recurrence are consistent with our experimental model studies in vitro implicating UPR signaling as a major integrator of response to endocrine therapy and duration of survival. Additional data sets are being arrayed and more detailed molecular signaling studies are in progress.

Citation Format: Clarke R, Dixon MJ, Jin L, Turnbull A, Hu R, Zwart A, Wang Y, Xuan J, Sengupta S, Renshaw L, Sims A, Liu MC. Molecular features of dormancy in ER+ breast cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-04-10.

Fasudil increases temozolomide sensitivity and suppresses temozolomide-resistant glioma growth via inhibiting ROCK2/ABCG2

Resistance to temozolomide (TMZ) is a major clinical challenge in glioma treatment, but the mechanisms of TMZ resistance are poorly understood. Here, we provided evidence that ROCK2 acted redundantly to maintain resistance of TMZ in TMZ-resistant gliomas, and as a ROCK2 phosphorylation inhibitor, fasudil significantly suppressed proliferation of TMZ-resistant gliomas in vivo and vitro via enhancing the chemosensitivity of TMZ. Additionally, the membrane translocation of ABCG2 was decreased with fasudil by ROCK2/moesin pathway. We also showed that fasudil suppressed the expression of ABCG2 via ROCK2/moesin/β-catenin pathway. Our results reveal an indispensable role for ROCK2 and provide strong evidence for the therapeutic use of fasudil in the clinical setting for TMZ-resistant gliomas.

Therapeutic drug monitoring of isoniazid and rifampicin during anti-tuberculosis treatment in Auckland, New Zealand

SETTING

There is uncertainty as to the optimal therapeutic concentrations of anti-tuberculosis drugs to achieve cure.

OBJECTIVE

To characterise the use of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), and identify risk factors and outcomes for those with concentrations below the drug interval.

DESIGN

Patients treated for tuberculosis (TB) who had rifampicin (RMP) or isoniazid (INH) concentrations measured between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2012 were studied retrospectively. Matched concentrations and drug dosing time were assessed according to contemporary regional drug intervals (RMP > 6 μmol/l, INH > 7.5 μmol/l) and current international recommendations (RMP > 10 μmol/l, INH > 22 μmol/l). Outcomes were assessed using World Health Organization criteria.

RESULTS

Of 865 patients, 121 had concentrations of either or both medications. RMP concentrations were within the regional drug intervals in 106/114 (93%) and INH in 91/100 (91%). Concentrations were within international drug intervals for RMP in 76/114 (67%) and INH in 53/100 (53%). Low weight-based dose was the only statistically significant risk factor for concentrations below the drug interval. Of the 35 patients with low concentrations, 21 were cured, 9 completed treatment and 5 transferred out. There were no relapses during follow-up (mean 66.5 months).

CONCLUSION

There were no clinically useful characteristics to guide use of TDM. Many patients had concentrations below international therapeutic intervals, but were successfully treated.

Epothilone B Benefits Nigrostriatal Pathway Recovery by Promoting Microtubule Stabilization After Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background

Many previous clinical studies have demonstrated that the nigrostriatal pathway, which plays a vital role in movement adjustment, is significantly impaired after stroke, according to medical imaging and autopsies. However, the basic pathomorphological changes have been poorly investigated to date. This study was designed to explore the pathomorphological changes, mechanism, and therapeutic method of nigrostriatal impairment after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

Methods and Results

Intrastriatal injection of autologous blood or microtubule depolymerization reagent nocodazole was performed to mimic the pathology of ICH in C57/BL6 mice. Immunofluorescence, Western blotting, electron microscopy, functional behavioral tests, and anterograde and retrograde neural circuit tracking techniques were used in these mice. The data showed that the number of dopamine neurons and the dopamine concentration were severely decreased and that fine motor function was impaired after ICH. Microtubule depolymerization was the main contributor to the loss of dopamine neurons and to motor function deficits after ICH, as was also proven by intrastriatal injection of nocodazole. Moreover, administration of the microtubule stabilizer epothilone B (1.5 mg/kg) improved the integrity of the nigrostriatal pathway neural circuit, increased the number of dopamine neurons (4598±896 versus 3125±355; P=0.034) and the dopamine concentration (4.28±0.99 versus 3.08±0.75 ng/mg; P=0.041), and enhanced fine motor functional recovery associated with increased acetylated α‐tubulin expression to maintain microtubule stabilization after ICH.

Conclusions

Our results clarified the pathomorphological changes of the nigrostriatal pathway after ICH and found that epothilone B helped alleviate nigrostriatal pathway injury after ICH, associated with promoting α‐tubulin acetylation to maintain microtubule stabilization, thus facilitating motor recovery.

Multicenter study of diagnostic procedures, genetic aberration analysis, and first-line treatment of lung cancer in Jiangsu Province, China

BACKGROUND

Jiangsu Province, China, is highly developed economically and culturally, and has a high prevalence of lung cancer. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic procedures, genetic aberration analysis status, and first-line treatment models of lung cancer in Jiangsu Province.

METHODS

Lung cancer patients diagnosed in 2016 at 22 tertiary care hospitals were evaluated. Demographic characteristics, tumor histology, staging, family history of lung cancer, auxiliary examinations, genetic testing, and first-line treatment were collected on discharge. Diagnostic and treatment data were analyzed by descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

A total of 928 patients were enrolled. Chest computed tomography was the most frequently used diagnostic method; pathology diagnosis was carried out by transbronchial lung biopsy and transthoracic needle aspiration. Stage T1-2N0M0 small-cell lung cancer patients experienced surgical resection, and others received cisplatin and etoposide chemotherapy. Stage I and stage II non-small cell lung cancer patients experienced surgical resection; stage III and stage IV patients received cisplatin and pemetrexed chemotherapy as first-line treatment. Detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations occurred in 29.9% of non-selective, 36.5% of locally advanced or metastatic, and 42.1% of advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. The overall EGFR-positive rates were 49.0%, 52.5%, and 53.9%. A total 72.0% of patients with EGFR mutations were treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

CONCLUSION

Chest computed tomography was the most commonly performed diagnostic method for lung cancer. First-line treatment was primarily determined by disease stages and EGFR mutation status, with few expectations.

[Aconite cake-separated moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis with kidney-marrow deficiency]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effects among aconite cake-separated moxibustion, moxibustion and acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) with kidney-marrow deficiency and to explore the feasibility of cake-separated moxibustion as a home remedy solution.

METHODS

Ninety patients were randomized into an aconite cake-separated moxibustion group, a moxibustion group and an acupuncture group, 30 cases in each one. The acupoints in the three groups were Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Dubi (ST 35) in the affected side, and bilateral Xuehai (SP 10), Liangqiu (ST 34), Heding (EX-LE 2), Shenshu (BL 23) and Zusanli (ST 36). All the treatment was given for 3 sessions, 10 days as a session with 2 to 3 days between 2 sessions, and once a day. The first 2 courses of aconite cake-separated moxibustion was applied in the hospital and the other 1 session was used at home guided by officer physician. Symptoms and physical signs classification score and life quality scores were recorded before and after treatment and 6 months after treatment, including walking pain, knee pain in stoop and squat, knee discomfort in stair activity and daily discomfort. The effects were evaluated.

RESULTS

The symptoms and physical signs classification scores in the three groups after treatment and at follow-up were lower than those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the scores in the aconite cake-separated moxibustion group were better than those in the moxibustion group and acupuncture group (all P<0.01). The scores of walking pain, knee pain in stoop and squat, knee discomfort in stair activity and daily discomfort were lower in the three groups after treatment and 6 months after treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the scores of walking pain and daily discomfort in the aconite cake-separated moxibustion group were lower than those in the moxibustion group and acupuncture group (P<0.01, P<0.05). After treatments, the cured and markedly effective rate in the aconite cake-separated moxibustion group was 63.3% (19/30); that in the moxibustion group was 50.0% (15/30) and one in the acupuncture group was 43.3% (13/30). The cured and markedly effective rate of aconite cake-separated moxibustion group was more promising than those in the other two groups (both P<0.05). At follow-up, the cured and markedly effective rate in the aconite cake-separated moxibustion group was 56.7% (17/30), which was better than 36.7% (11/30) in the moxibustion group and 40.0% (12/30) in the acupuncture group (both P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Aconite cake-separated moxibustion can be used for KOA patients with kidney-marrow deficiency, which can improve patients' life quality and is better than moxibustion and acupuncture. The method is feasible as a home remedy solution.

RAPID COMMUNICATION: Generation of FGF5 knockout sheep via the CRISPR/Cas9 system

Sheep are an important source of fiber production. Fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF5) is a dominant inhibitor of length of the anagen phase of the hair cycle. Knockout or silencing of the gene results in a wooly coat in mice, donkeys, dogs, and rabbits. In sheep breeding, wool length is one of the most important wool quality traits. However, traditional breeding cannot accurately and efficiently mediate an advanced genotype into the sheep genome. In this study, we generated 3 knockout sheep via the 1-step clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 system. Sequencing analysis confirmed that mutations in the gene existed in all germ lines of 3 founders: besides the intact sequence, 3 kinds of deletions in the gene (including 5, 13, and 33 bp) were detected. The changes in the primary and senior structure of the FGF5 protein due to the 3 deletions in founders suggested that the FGF5 protein was dysfunctional. In addition, the expression level of intact mRNA in heterozygous individuals decreased compared with the wild types ( < 0.01). Functionally, we discovered that wool length in founders was significantly longer than in wild types ( < 0.05). Collectively, the knockout sheep with the longer wool length phenotype will provide an efficient way for fast genetic improvement of sheep breeding and promote the development of wool industry.

Solution growth and thermal treatment of crystals lead to two new forms of 2-((2,6-dimethylphenyl)amino)benzoic acid

We report the discovery of two new forms (II and III) of a potential non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and thyroid drug, 2-((2,6-dimethylphenyl)amino)benzoic acid (HDMPA) through solution growth and thermal treatment of crystals. Form II has been discovered through crystal growth in a variety of solvents, and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), FT-IR, and Raman spectroscopy. Form II converts into form III upon thermal treatment, as indicated by the phase behavior study of form II with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Form III has been characterized by IR, Raman and PXRD. Conformational flexibility of the molecule seems to lead to the polymorphism of the system. A conformational scan shows the conformational minima correspond to the conformers in the polymorphs. Lattice energy calculations show energies of −48.14 and −50.31 kcal mol⁻¹ for forms I and II, providing information on the relative stability for each form. Hirshfeld analysis revealed that intermolecular interactions such as C⋯C, H⋯H, C⋯H, and H⋯O contribute to the stability of the crystal forms.

Two new forms of a potential non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and thyroid drug, 2-((2,6-dimethylphenyl)amino)benzoic acid were discovered and investigated experimentally and theoretically.

Structural and magneto-electronic properties of transition metal doped phosphorus nanotubes

Transition metal doped phosphorus nanotubes can show particular magnetic properties and act as electric field-controllable magnetic/nonmagnetic switch devices.

Laser Capture Microdissection and Transcriptional Analysis of Sub-Populations of the Osteoblast Lineage from Undecalcified Bone

Transcriptional analysis of tissue samples is a useful and widely applied approach to provide insight into the molecular mechanisms engaged in response to phenotypic changes or external stimuli. We describe a method that overcomes the technical challenges associated with the application of Laser Capture Microdissection to undecalcified bone enabling us to collect high-quality bone tissue with maintained cellular morphology that is suitable for cryosectioning, fixation, and cutting. Using this method, we obtain samples enriched for specific cell types from the mature osteoblast lineage (osteoblasts, lining cells, i.e., quiescent osteoblasts, and osteocytes). RNA is well preserved and following extraction and amplification can be used as input to both low and high-throughput RNA analysis formats.