microRNA-183 down-regulates the expression of BKCaβ1 protein that is related to the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the expression of microRNA (miRNA)-183 and Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels β1 subunit (BKCaβ1) in the lung tissues of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

METHODS

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used for detecting the expression of miRNA-183 and BKCaβ1 in the lung tissues from 45 COPD patients and 30 lung cancer patients without COPD. Possible miRNAs that target BKCaβ1 were forecasted by bioinformatics. The expression of these miRNAs in the peripheral blood of COPD patients was also examined. After transfecting vascular smooth muscle cells with pGCMV/EGFP/miR-183 plasmid, the expression of miRNA-183 and BKCaβ1 were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting.

RESULTS

The expression of BKCaβ1 in the lung tissues of COPD patients was significantly lower than control. Western blotting data showed that the expression of BKCaβ1 protein in COPD group was significantly lower than control. After transfecting the vascular smooth muscle cells with pGCMV/EGFP/miR-183 plasmid, we found that the level of BKCaβ1 mRNA was not significantly reduced by the increase of miRNA-183 level, but the expression of BKCaβ1 protein was down-regulated.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study indicated that miRNA-183 might play a role in the expression of BKCaβ1, and the expression of miRNA-183 and BKCaβ1 were possibly related with the pathogenetic pathways of COPD. Hippokratia 2014; 18 (4): 328-332.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Live Cells Decreased In vitro Methane Production in Intestinal Content of Pigs

An in vitro gas production technique was used in this study to elucidate the effect of two strains of active live yeast on methane (CH₄) production in the large intestinal content of pigs to provide an insight to whether active live yeast could suppress CH₄ production in the hindgut of pigs. Treatments used in this study include blank (no substrate and no live yeast cells), control (no live yeast cells) and yeast (YST) supplementation groups (supplemented with live yeast cells, YST1 or YST2). The yeast cultures contained 1.8×10¹⁰ cells per g, which were added at the rates of 0.2 mg and 0.4 mg per ml of the fermented inoculum. Large intestinal contents were collected from 2 Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire pigs, mixed with a phosphate buffer (1:2), and incubated anaerobically at 39°C for 24 h using 500 mg substrate (dry matter (DM) basis). Total gas and CH₄ production decreased (p<0.05) with supplementation of yeast. The methane production reduction potential (MRP) was calculated by assuming net methane concentration for the control as 100%. The MRP of yeast 2 was more than 25%. Compared with the control group, in vitro DM digestibility (IVDMD) and total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration increased (p<0.05) in 0.4 mg/ml YST1 and 0.2 mg/ml YST2 supplementation groups. Proportion of propionate, butyrate and valerate increased (p<0.05), but that of acetate decreased (p<0.05), which led to a decreased (p<0.05) acetate: propionate (A: P) ratio in the both YST2 treatments and the 0.4 mg/ml YST 1 supplementation groups. Hydrogen recovery decreased (p<0.05) with yeast supplementation. Quantity of methanogenic archaea per milliliter of inoculum decreased (p<0.05) with yeast supplementation after 24 h of incubation. Our results suggest that live yeast cells suppressed in vitro CH₄ production when inoculated into the large intestinal contents of pigs and shifted the fermentation pattern to favor propionate production together with an increased population of acetogenic bacteria, both of which serve as a competitive pathway for the available H₂ resulting in the reduction of methanogenic archaea.

Cyclic additional optical true time delay for microwave beam steering with spectral filtering

Optical true time delay (OTTD) is an attractive way to realize microwave beam steering (MBS) due to its inherent features of broadband, low-loss, and compactness. In this Letter, we propose a novel OTTD approach named cyclic additional optical true time delay (CAO-TTD). It applies additional integer delays of the microwave carrier frequency to achieve spectral filtering but without disturbing the spatial filtering (beam steering). Based on such concept, a broadband MBS scheme for high-capacity wireless communication is proposed, which allows the tuning of both spectral filtering and spatial filtering. The experimental results match well with the theoretical analysis.

CT45A1 acts as a new proto-oncogene to trigger tumorigenesis and cancer metastasis

Cancer/testis antigen (CTA)-45 family (CT45) belongs to a new family of genes in phylogenetics and is absent in normal tissues except for testis, but is aberrantly overexpressed in various cancer types. Whether CT45 and other CTAs act as proto-oncogenes has not been determined. Using breast cancer as a model, we found that CT45A1, a representative CT45 family member, alone had a weak tumorigenic effect. However, its neoplastic potency was greatly enhanced in the presence of growth factors. Overexpression of CT45A1 in breast cancer cells markedly upregulated various oncogenic and metastatic genes, constitutively activated ERK and CREB signaling pathways, promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and increased cell stemness, tumorigenesis, invasion, and metastasis, whereas silencing CT45A1 significantly reduced cancer cell migration and invasion. We propose that CT45A1 functions as a novel proto-oncogene to trigger oncogenesis and metastasis. CT45A1 and other CT45 members are therefore excellent targets for anticancer drug discovery and targeted tumor therapy, and valuable genes in the study of a molecular phylogenetic tree.

Toward multi-Gbps indoor optical wireless multicasting system employing passive diffractive optics

This Letter presents the evaluation and demonstration of an optical free-space (FS) multicasting system for multi-Gigabits-per-second (multi-Gbps) indoor transmission. These simultaneous line-of-sight links are formed by infrared beams and are beam-steered using a passive diffraction grating. The experiment has resulted in error-free links (bit error rate <10(-9) at 2.5 Gbps on-off keying) and is scalable to support higher data rates. This system is proposed for short-range optical wireless communication and can be seamlessly integrated in in-building fiber networks.

Toothbrush efficacy for plaque removal

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effectiveness of a novel sonic toothbrush in reducing plaque and in maintenance of gingival health when compared to a standard manual brush.

METHODS

This study was a block-randomized, examiner-blind, two-treatment, parallel group, single centre clinical investigation. A total of 84 subjects were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either the Panasonic EW-DL90 or an American Dental Association-endorsed manual toothbrush. Subjects were instructed to follow a twice-daily brushing regimen without flossing. Plaque levels and gingival health were assessed at baseline and after 1 and 3 weeks of treatment using the Turesky Modification of the Quigley-Hein Plaque Index and the Papillary Bleeding Score.

RESULTS

Subjects assigned to the EW-DL90 group had significantly lower plaque levels after 1 and 3 weeks of treatment than those in the manual group (P = 0.003 and 0.0035, respectively). Both groups showed a reduction in plaque levels at Week 3 relative to baseline. The EW-DL90 group had significantly lower gingival inflammation scores after 1 week of treatment (P = 0.0293), but there was no difference between groups after 3 weeks of treatment.

CONCLUSION

The EW-DL90 toothbrush safely and effectively removes more plaque than a standard manual toothbrush. Improvement in gingival inflammation was observed after 1 week of treatment. There was no difference in Papillary Bleeding Score between the two groups after 3 weeks of treatment.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The newly developed sonic brush (Panasonic EW-DL90) tested in this study was found to be more effective than a manual toothbrush at plaque removal. The papillary bleeding scores were significantly lower in the sonic brush group after 1 week of product use. After 3 weeks of product use, both treatment groups had similar papillary bleeding scores almost returning to baseline values.

Phase modulation parallel optical delay detector for microwave angle-of-arrival measurement with accuracy monitored

A novel phase modulation parallel optical delay detector is proposed for microwave angle-of-arrival measurement with accuracy monitored by using only one dual-electrode Mach-Zehnder modulator. A theoretical model is built up to analyze the proposed system including measurement accuracy monitoring. The spatial delay measurement is translated into the phase shift between two replicas of a microwave signal. Thanks to the accuracy monitoring, the phase shifts from 5° to 165° are measured with less than 3.1° measurement error.

Characterization of an injectable chitosan-demineralized bone matrix hybrid for healing critical-size long-bone defects in a rabbit model

BACKGROUND

The effect of injectable demineralized bone matrix (DBM) on bone repair is not known. Here, we tested the hypothesis that injectable DBM can heal a critical-size diaphyseal radius defect in a rabbit model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The bone defect was filled with DBM powder, injectable DBM or powdered, freeze-dried powdered allografts. Radiological determination, gross evaluation, histology, and micro-computer tomography was carried out 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the surgery, respectively.

RESULTS

The injectable DBM group yielded better when compared with the freeze-dried powder group (p < 0.05). Moreover, biomechanical functionality was restored comparable to normal levels in the injectable DBM group.

CONCLUSIONS

The injectable DBM was as effective in structurally and functionally repairing bone defects as the DBM powder and more effective than the freeze-dried bone powder. Thus, our study supports the use of injectable DBM for bone healing.

Abstract P4-07-11: Dual characteristics of microRNA-484 modulated cytidine deaminase (CDA) axis in breast cancer: Chemo-resistance and regulating cell proliferation

Acquired resistance to chemotherapy is a major clinical obstacle to achieve successful treatment in breast cancer. Cancer cells could evolve a complicated sensory network to develop resistance to chemo treatment. Recently, microRNAs modulated chemo-resistance is investigated as a new paradigm in cancer biology and some acquired mis-expression of miRs confer cancer cells to escape chemotherapy. However, it is important to address whether these miRs also play various intrinsic roles in carcinogenesis. Here, our study demonstrated that miR-484 could modulate cytidine deaminase (CDA) axis, playing various roles in chemo-resistance and cell proliferation.

We have generated a chemo-resistant breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231 Gem) which has 10 fold higher IC50 value than MDA-MB-231 cells in response to gemcitabine (dFdC) treatment through molecular evolution. Gene ontology analysis showed that cytidine degradation pathway was activated in the resistant cells, and qPCR array confirmed that cytidine deaminase (CDA), which converts dFdC to dFdU, was significantly upregulated. Interestingly, microRNA array analysis implicated that miR-484, which might target the 3’UTR region of CDA gene was down-regulated in these resistant cells. Furthermore, 3’UTR luciferase reporter assay and western blot revealed that miR-484 directly regulates CDA gene expression. Over-expression of miR-484 can sensibilize the resistant cells to dFdC treatment. Remarkably, restoration of CDA gene strongly converts miR-484–mediated dFdC sensibilization. These results implicated that miR-484/CDA axis play a pivotal role in chemo-resistance. Unexpectedly, further studies implicated that miR-484/CDA axis could also regulate cell proliferation due to disrupting cell cycle. We found that the chemo-resistant cells had deficiency in cell cycle progression at the S-phase transition, and miR-484 could significantly promote cell growth and overcome cell cycle arrest with CDA down-regulation. Moreover, reintroduction of CDA gene could abrogate miR-484-induced effects on cell proliferation via reactivating S-phase checkpoint. Importantly, the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis supported that higher expression of CDA in breast cancer patients indicates better outcome in DFS model.

In summary, this study uncovers for a previously unknown axis that cytidine deaminase was a direct downstream target for miR-484. The miR484/CDA axis could modulate cells into stagnant status for promoting cellular resistance to DNA damage agents in chemotherapy. On the other hand, as CDA gene participates in cell cycle S-phase arrest, miR484/CDA axis could also contribute to cell proliferation. Taken together, our findings provided new evidences that miR-484/CDA axis has various functions in cell proliferation and chemo-resistance and might be considered as a candidate therapeutic target in breast cancer.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P4-07-11.

SSMI cancellation in direct-detection optical OFDM with novel half-cycled OFDM

Half-cycled DDO-OFDM transmission and reception was successfully demonstrated to resist SSMI without spectra efficiency reduction for the first time. The receiver sensitivity was improved by 2 and 1.5 dB in QPSK and 16QAM OFDM with 40-km SSMF-28 transmission, respectively.

[Residues affecting hydrolysis of soy isoflavone glycosides, stability and catalytic properties of Thermotoga maritime β-glucosidase]

The thermostable β-glucosidase A (TmBglA) from Thermotoga maritime is a promising biocatalyst for production of isoflavone aglycones. Use of enzymes with high specificity for soy isoflavone conjugates is however essential for efficient hydrolysis. The effect of the amino acids located in the aglycone binding pocket with non-conserved residues between specificity groups in family 1 glycoside hydrolase (GH1) was studied using wild-type TmBglA and 3 exchange mutants (MI-TmBglA, M2-TmBglA, M1M2-TmBglA). Three mutants were expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and characterized. They had shifts in both optimum tem- perature and thermal stability, and their narrowing pH-activity curve caused by removing the ionized side chain in mutation. All mutants demonstrated the decreased catalytic efficiency more effectively revealed with natural glycoside, salicin, than with artificial substrate, p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, suggesting that' these amino acids are the key residues to determine aglycone specificity. A lower hydrolysis of genistin and daidzin for M2-TmBglA than M1-TmBglA indicated that L400, A407 and E408 being preferable to V170, A171, V173, G 174 and H180 residues of Tm-BglA could be essential for soy isoflavone glycoside binding and catalysis.

Electrolytic partitioning of uranium and plutonium based on a new type of electrolytic mixer-settler

The design of a new type of electroreduction mixer-settler for the partitioning of uranium and plutonium during the Purex process, which is featured with E-shaped cathodes and U-shaped anodes in settling chamber, is described and the operational results achieved using this equipment are presented. The results show that this new type of mixer-settler has excellent separation performances. The flow rate of organic feed solution is 3 mL/min and the flow ratio of feed solution (1BF) to aqueous back extraction stream (1BX) and to organic wash stream (1BS) is 4/1/1. For an organic feed of 84 g/L uranium and 1.40 ⁓ 2.64 g/L plutonium, both the separation factor of plutonium from uranium and that of uranium from plutonium are apparently higher than 104

Targeted delivery of siRNA-generating DNA nanocassettes using multifunctional nanoparticles

Molecular therapy using a small interfering RNA (siRNA) has shown promise in the development of novel therapeutics. Various formulations have been used for in vivo delivery of siRNAs. However, the stability of short double-stranded RNA molecules in the blood and efficiency of siRNA delivery into target organs or tissues following systemic administration have been the major issues that limit applications of siRNA in human patients. In this study, multifunctional siRNA delivery nanoparticles are developed that combine imaging capability of nanoparticles with urokinase plasminogen activator receptor-targeted delivery of siRNA expressing DNA nanocassettes. This theranostic nanoparticle platform consists of a nanoparticle conjugated with targeting ligands and double-stranded DNA nanocassettes containing a U6 promoter and a shRNA gene for in vivo siRNA expression. Targeted delivery and gene silencing efficiency of firefly luciferase siRNA nanogenerators are demonstrated in tumor cells and in animal tumor models. Delivery of survivin siRNA expressing nanocassettes into tumor cells induces apoptotic cell death and sensitizes cells to chemotherapy drugs. The ability of expression of siRNAs from multiple nanocassettes conjugated to a single nanoparticle following receptor-mediated internalization should enhance the therapeutic effect of the siRNA-mediated cancer therapy.

Assessment of coronary microvascular dysfunction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: first-pass myocardial perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5 T

AIM

To evaluate the integrity of the coronary microvasculature in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) using first-pass magnetic resonance perfusion imaging.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-two patients with HCM and 13 healthy volunteers underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) at rest. Imaging protocols included short axis cine, first-pass myocardial perfusion, and late-phase contrast-enhanced imaging. Left ventricular end-diastolic wall thickness (EDTH), myocardial thickening, maximal upslope of time-intensity curve (slopemax), and late myocardial gadolinium enhancement (LGE) were assessed for each myocardial segment. The differences in slopemax, myocardial thickening, and EDTH between healthy volunteers and HCM patients were evaluated as were differences among hypertrophic segments of different severities (mild, moderate, and severe hypertrophy) in a one-way analysis of variance analysis. The differences in slopemax, myocardial thickening, and EDTH between the segments with and without LGE were compared by independent-sample t-test. A Pearson correlation test was used to determine the relationships between slopemax, EDTH, and myocardial thickening.

RESULTS

Slopemax was statistically significantly less in HCM patients; the degree of myocardial thickening was also significantly reduced (p < 0.001). Slopemax and the degree of thickening statistically significantly decreased with increasing degrees of myocardial hypertrophy (p < 0.05). Differences in slopemax, myocardial thickening, and EDTH were observed between segments with and without LGE (p < 0.05). Slopemax and myocardial thickening were negatively correlated with EDTH.

CONCLUSION

First-pass myocardial perfusion CMR with slopemax measurements demonstrates microvascular coronary dysfunction in patients with HCM, a determination that may aid in risk stratification, therapeutic planning, and determination of prognosis for HCM.

Synchronized signaling delivery for broadband 60 GHz in-building optical wireless network based on digital frequency division multiplexing and digital Nyquist shaping

A simple and low-cost synchronized signaling delivery scheme has been proposed for a 60 GHz in-building optical wireless network with 12.7Gbps throughput based on digital frequency division multiplexing and digital Nyquist shaping.

Anticandidal activity and biocompatibility of a rechargeable antifungal denture material

OBJECTIVES

Candida-associated denture stomatitis is a recurrent and debilitating oral mucosal disease. Development of anticandidal denture materials represents a promising strategy to manage this condition. We have previously shown that miconazole incorporated in methacrylic acid (MAA) copolymerized diurethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) denture materials has long-term anticandidal activity. In this study, we examined the ability of culture medium conditioned with drug-free- or miconazole-MAA-UDMA discs to prevent Candida infection in an in vitro oral epithelial cell/Candida albicans coculture system.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Candida albicans (C. albicans)-induced OKF6/TERT-2 cell damage was quantified by the release of lactate dehydrogenase from epithelial cells, cytokine production was quantified using protein cytokine arrays, and the expression of C. albicans genes was measured by RT-qPCR.

RESULTS

Candida albicans had limited growth with altered expression levels of secreted aspartyl proteinase-2 and -5 in culture medium conditioned by miconazole-MAA-UDMA discs. Significantly, the ability of C. albicans to induce oral epithelial cell damage and trigger epithelial proinflammatory cytokine production was also inhibited by miconazole disc conditioned media.

CONCLUSION

Miconazole released from MAA-UDMA denture materials effectively prevents the development of candidal infection in an in vitro oral epithelial system. Further characterization of this drug-rechargeable denture material is warranted.

Combination of valproic acid and ATRA restores RARβ2 expression and induces differentiation in cervical cancer through the PI3K/Akt pathway

Epigenetic silencing of the tumor suppressor gene, RARβ2, through histone deacetylation has been established as an important process of cervical carcinogenesis. This pivotal role has led to the suggestion that a combination of retinoids selective for RARβ2 with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors may have therapeutic potential. Valproic acid (VPA), a HDAC inhibitor, has a critical role in the regulation of gene expression through histone acetylation and causes transformed cells to undergo growth arrest, differentiation, and apoptosis. Therefore, we hypothesized that the combination of VPA and ATRA could restore RARβ2 expression, thus resulting in enhanced anti-neoplastic activity in cervical cancer. Here, we show that VPA combined with ATRA led to hyperacetylation of histone H3 and a significant alteration of gene expression in cervical cancer cells, including RARβ2 gene expression, which was upregulated 50- to 90-fold. The combination therapy effectively inhibited the growth of cervical cancer cells more than the single agent treatment both in vitro and in vivo. The additive effects were associated with a significant upregulation of p21(CIP1) and p53 as well as a pronounced decrease in p-Stat3. Furthermore, the combined treatment led to cell cycle arrest predominantly at the G1 phase, and it preferentially induced cell differentiation rather than apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. The differentiation program was determined by the presence of E-cadherinmediated adhesion and activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Taken together, these results provide new insight into the mechanisms of enhanced antitumor activity of the HDAC inhibitor and ATRA regimen, thus offering a new therapeutic strategy for cervical cancer patients.

αA- and αB-crystallins interact with caspase-3 and Bax to guard mouse lens development

The small heat shock protein, α-crystallin, exists in two isoforms, αA and αB, and displays strong ability against stress-induced apoptosis. Regarding their functional mechanisms, we and others have demonstrated that they are able to regulate members in both caspase and Bcl-2 families. In addition, we have also shown that αA and αB may display differential anti-apoptotic mechanisms under certain stress conditions. While αA-crystallin regulates activation of the AKT signaling pathway, αB negatively regulates the MAPK pathway to suppress apoptosis induced by UV and oxidative stress. Although previous studies revealed that αA and αB could regulate members in both caspase and Bcl-2 families, the molecular mechanism, especially the in vivo regulation still waits to be elucidated. In the present communication, we present both in vitro and in vivo evidence to further demonstrate the regulation of caspase-3 and Bax by αA and αB. First, Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and yeast two-hybrid selection analysis demonstrate that αA and αB directly bind to caspase-3 and Bax with differential affinities. Second, immunohistochemistry reveals that αA and αB regulate caspase-3 and Bax at different developmental stages of mouse embryo. Third, coimmunoprecipitation shows that αA and αB form in vivo interacting complexes with caspase-3 and Bax. Together, our results further confirm that αA and αB regulate caspase-3 and Bax in vitro and in vivo to regulate lens differentiation.

The amygdala is involved in affective priming effect for fearful faces

The object of this study was to investigate whether the amygdala is involved in affective priming effect after stimuli are encoded unconsciously and consciously. During the encoding phase, each masked face (fearful or neutral) was presented to participants six times for 17ms each, using a backward masking paradigm. During the retrieval phase, participants made a fearful/neutral judgment for each face. Half of the faces had the same valence as that seen during encoding (congruent condition) and the other half did not (incongruent condition). Participants were divided into unaware and aware groups based on their subjective and objective awareness assessments. The fMRI results showed that during encoding, the amygdala elicited stronger activation for fearful faces than neutral faces but differed in the hemisphere according to the awareness level. During retrieval, the amygdala showed a significant repetition priming effect, with the congruent faces producing less activation than the incongruent faces, especially for fearful faces. These data suggest that the amygdala is important in unconscious retrieving of memories for emotional faces whether they are encoded consciously or unconsciously.

Randomized clinical trial of laparoscopic anterior 180° partial versus 360° Nissen fundoplication: 5-year results

Anterior partial fundoplication (AF) has been popularized by a lower risk of mechanical side effects. The question then emerges whether anterior partial wrap has a similar antireflux effect with Nissen fundoplication (NF). We therefore conducted a randomized study to compare the long-term outcome of anterior fundoplication with NF. One hundred patients who enrolled in the trial from May 2003 to March 2005 were randomized to laparoscopic AF or laparoscopic NF. Endoscopy, pH monitoring, manometry, a detailed questionnaire, and a visual analog symptom score were completed preoperative at 6, 12, 24, and 60 months after surgical procedures. The postoperative adverse effects such as dysphagia and flatulence were compared between the two groups. Revision surgery or maintenance proton pump inhibitor therapy was defined as failure. Fifty procedures were performed in each group. The outcome at 5 years follow-up was determined for 96 patients (96%; 49 patients in the AF group and 47 in the NF group). Three patients (3%) died of unrelated causes during follow-up, and one patient changed address. Both fundoplications were found to provide good control of reflux-related symptoms in most of the patients. For 96 patients followed up more than 5 years, gastroesophageal reflux symptoms were well controlled in 81 patients (84.38%); the mean DeMeester scores in the AF group decreased from 106.89 ± 14.12 to 12.67 ± 3.14 and in the NF group from 109.51 ± 17.98 to 10.81 ± 2.65, and the esophagitis was ameliorated visibly. Moreover, there were significantly fewer patients in the AF group who complained of flatulence. Compared with NF, anterior 180° partial fundoplication is an effective treatment of gastroesophageal reflux and associates with fewer postoperative adverse effects.

Localized oblique-angle deposition: Ag nanorods on microstructured surfaces and their SERS characteristics

In this paper, we demonstrate a simple and convenient method of depositing Ag nanorods on a substrate inside a standard evaporation chamber with the substrate resting on a leveled stage. Microstructuring the substrate prior to the deposition imparts a large incidence angle (>70°) between the collimated vapor atoms and the local surface normal, which is essential to induce the shadowing effect. Thereby, a localized oblique-angle deposition (LOAD) is realized, forming nanorods selectively on the steep sidewalls of surface microcavities patterned via standard photolithography and silicon dry etching. We also demonstrate that these nanorods can boost SERS activity of the underlying substrate and thus perform comparable to those fabricated via advanced patterning techniques or conventional OAD whereby the entire substrate has to be tilted with respect to the incident vapor atoms. Our results suggest the viability of decorating microchannel sidewalls with SERS-active nanorods for integrated sample processing and SERS detection.

22q11.2 deletion presenting with severe hypocalcaemia, seizure and basal ganglia calcification in an adult man

We report a 40-year-old man who was found to have profound hypocalcaemia and hypoparathyroidism when investigated for multiple, generalized, tonic/clonic seizures and a chest infection. Computed tomography scan of the brain revealed extensive symmetric bilateral calcification within the cerebellum, thalamus and basal ganglia. Molecular cytogenetic testing by fluorescent in situ hybridization using the commercial Vysis LSI DiGeorge/VCFS dual colour probe set showed a deletion of 22q11.2. The extraordinary feature of this case is the adult presentation of hypocalcaemia, hypoparathyroidism and basal ganglia calcification due to 22q11.2 deletion.

Responses of bone-forming cells on pre-immersed Zr-based bulk metallic glasses: Effects of composition and roughness

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) demonstrate attractive properties for potential biomedical applications, owing to their amorphous structure. The present work has investigated the biocompatibility of Zr-based BMGs by studying the cellular behavior of bone-forming mouse MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cells. A Ti-6Al-4V alloy was used as a reference material. Pre-immersion treatment was performed on BMG samples in phosphate-buffered saline prior to cell experiments. The effects of 1at.% yttrium alloying and surface roughness on cellular behavior were examined. The general biosafety of Zr-based BMGs for MC3T3-E1 cells was revealed as normal cell responses. Pre-immersion treatment was found to effectively reduce the surface concentrations of alloying elements. Micro-alloying with 1 at.% yttrium did not significantly affect cell adhesion and proliferation, but slightly decreased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity on rough surfaces. Lower cell adhesion and proliferation were found on smooth surfaces of Zr-based BMGs compared to their rougher counterparts. Higher ALP activity was detected on rougher surfaces. To obtain a mechanistic understanding surface free energy was correlated with cell adhesion.

Rechargeable infection-responsive antifungal denture materials

Candida-associated denture stomatitis (CADS) is a significant clinical concern. We developed rechargeable infection-responsive antifungal denture materials for potentially managing the disease. Polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) was covalently bound onto diurethane dimethacrylate denture resins in the curing step. The PMAA resins bound cationic antifungal drugs such as miconazole and chlorhexidine digluconate (CG) through ionic interactions. The anticandidal activities of the drug-containing PMAA-resin discs were sustained for a prolonged period of time (weeks and months). Drug release was much faster at acidic conditions (pH 5) than at pH 7. Drugs bound to the denture materials could be "washed out" by treatment with EDTA, and the drug-depleted resins could be recharged with the same or a different class of anticandidal drugs. These results suggest clinical potential of the newly developed antifungal denture materials in the management of CADS and other infectious conditions.

Antimicrobial peptides expression by ocular surface cells in response to Acanthamoeba castellanii: an in vitro study

AIMS

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are natural effectors of the innate immune response. Much work has been done to study their response and effects on bacterial and viral infection. Little if any information is available in relation to protozoal infections. The aim of the study was to comprehensively study the gene expression of the ocular AMPs in human corneal limbal epithelial cells stimulated with Acanthamoeba castellanii (AC).

METHODS

Human corneal limbal epithelial cells were exposed to AC at different time points, up to 9 h, the genomic profile of the AMPs were analysed at these time point using real time PCR. corneal limbal epithelial cells not infected with AC were used as controls.

RESULTS

Seven of the eight studied AMPs showed statistically significant upregulation in gene expression. Human beta Defensin 3 (hBD3) showed a very significant 10-fold upregulation in the exposed cells and Ribonuclease-7 (RNase-7) showed a very early and consistent increase. Human beta Defensin 1 (hBD1) was the only downregulated AMP.

CONCLUSIONS

The study data suggests a possible role of the AMPs in combating the amoebic infection at the ocular surface. Using AMPs singly or in combination is a promising avenue for further exploration in the treatment of the sight threatening Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Indications of proton-dominated cosmic-ray composition above 1.6 EeV

We report studies of ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray composition via analysis of depth of air shower maximum (X(max)), for air shower events collected by the High-Resolution Fly's Eye (HiRes) observatory. The HiRes data are consistent with a constant elongation rate d<X(max)>/d[log(E)] of 47.9+/-6.0(stat)+/-3.2(syst) g/cm2/decade for energies between 1.6 and 63 EeV, and are consistent with a predominantly protonic composition of cosmic rays when interpreted via the QGSJET01 and QGSJET-II high-energy hadronic interaction models. These measurements constrain models in which the galactic-to-extragalactic transition is the cause of the energy spectrum ankle at 4x10(18) eV.

The temporal expression and localization of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) during the development of periodontitis in an animal model

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

We previously demonstrated extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) was associated with the matrix metalloproteinases production of human periodontitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the temporal expression and localization of EMMPRIN during ligature-induced periodontitis in rats.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Periodontitis was induced in rats by placing a thread around the cervix of the first mandibular molar. Animals were killed 3, 7, 11, 15 or 21 d after ligation. Mandibles were processed for paraffin sections and stained with hematoxylin and eosin or picrosirius red. The distance from the amelocemental junction to the alveolar crest (ACJ-AC) and the area fraction (Area%) of collagen fibers were measured. EMMPRIN was examined by immunohistochemistry and quantified by positive cell counting. Correlation analyses were then performed.

RESULTS

Histologically, alveolar bone was gradually destroyed from day 3 to 11 and then stabilized. Collagen fibers were slightly dissociated on day 3 and extensively broken on day 7. They were reconstructed from day 11 to 21. EMMPRIN was localized predominantly in infiltrating cells and adjacent fibroblasts in interdental gingiva. The number of EMMPRIN-positive cells increased on day 3, peaked on day 7 and then gradually subsided from day 11 to 21. Statistically, there was a moderate positive correlation regarding the ACJ-AC distance (r = 0.552, p < 0.01) and a strong negative correlation with the Area% of collagen fibers (r = -0.808, p < 0.01). In gingival epithelium, the immunoreactivity was extremely strong in basal layer cells and sulcular epithelial cells in health. It was greatly enhanced in the inflamed conditions on days 3 and 7. In the interradicular bone, EMMPRIN was localized in the osteoclasts on days 3 and 7, as well as in the osteoblasts from day 11 onwards.

CONCLUSION

The expression and localization of EMMPRIN are temporally varied during the development of periodontitis. In addition, the inflammation-dependent expression of EMMPRIN might be involved in alveolar bone resorption and collagen breakdown.

AKT1 polymorphisms are associated with tuberculosis in the Chinese population

AKT1, a serine/threonine kinase, plays a critical role in the controlling of intracellular growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In this study, we investigated whether polymorphisms in AKT1 affect susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB). Two single nucleotide polymorphisms of AKT1, IVS3+18C>T and +726G>A were genotyped in Chinese patients with pulmonary TB by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Patients with pulmonary TB had significantly lower IVS3+18 C/C genotype and higher C/T genotype compared with age-, gender- and ethnically matched controls (P < 0.05). The T-A haplotype frequency was significantly higher in patients than in controls (P < 0.05). In conclusion, our result indicates that AKT1 polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to pulmonary TB.

Angiotensin II subtype 2 receptor blockade and deficiency attenuate the development of atherosclerosis in an apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse model of diabetes

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Most of the known actions of angiotensin II have been considered primarily to be the result of angiotensin II subtype 1 receptor activation. However, recent data suggest that the angiotensin II subtype 2 receptor (AT(2)R) may modulate key processes linked to atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of AT(2)R in diabetes-associated atherosclerosis using pharmacological blockade and genetic deficiency.

METHODS

Aortic plaque deposition was assessed in streptozotocin-induced diabetic apolipoprotein E (Apoe) knockout (KO) and At ( 2 ) r (also known as Agtr2)/Apoe double-KO (DKO) mice. Control and diabetic Apoe-KO mice received an AT(2)R antagonist PD123319 (5 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) via osmotic minipump for 20 weeks (n = 7-8 per group).

RESULTS

Diabetes was associated with a sixfold increase in plaque area (diabetic Apoe-KO: 12.7 +/- 1.4% vs control Apoe-KO: 2.3 +/- 0.4%, p < 0.001) as well as a significant increase in aortic expression of the gene At ( 2 ) r (also known as Agtr2). The increase in plaque area with diabetes was attenuated in AT(2)R antagonist-treated diabetic Apoe-KO mice (7.1 +/- 0.5%, p < 0.05) and in diabetic At ( 2 ) r/Apoe DKO mice (9.2 +/- 1.3%, p < 0.05). These benefits occurred independently of glycaemic control or BP, and were associated with downregulation of a range of pro-inflammatory cytokines, adhesion molecules, chemokines and various extracellular matrix proteins.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

This study provides evidence for AT(2)R playing a role in the development of diabetes-associated atherosclerosis. These findings suggest a potential utility of AT(2)R blockers in the prevention and treatment of diabetic macrovascular complications.

Fire ant alate wing motion data and numerical reconstruction

The wing motions of a male and a female fire ant alate, which beat their wings at 108 and 96 Hz, respectively, were captured with a stereo imaging system at a high frame rate of 8,000 frames per second. By processing the high-speed image frames, the three-dimensional wingtip positions and the wing surface orientation angles were determined with a high phase resolution, i.e. 74 and 83 phases per period for the male and the female, respectively. A numerical reconstruction of the stereo wingbeat images demonstrated that the data collected described almost all the details of the wing surface motion, so that further computational fluid dynamic simulations are possible for fire ant alate flight.

Cell division autoantigen 1 plays a profibrotic role by modulating downstream signalling of TGF-beta in a murine diabetic model of atherosclerosis

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Excess accumulation of vascular extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important pathological process in cardiovascular diseases including diabetes-associated atherosclerosis. We explored how a recently identified molecule, cell division autoantigen 1 (CDA1), influences the profibrotic TGF-beta pathway leading to vascular ECM accumulation.

METHODS

Expression levels of genes encoding for CDA1, TGF-beta and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) were examined in aorta from Apoe(-/-) mice with or without diabetes. We used retroviral and adenoviral constructs to knockdown or overexpress Tspyl2, the gene encoding CDA1, in mouse vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) with or without TGF-beta treatment in order to demonstrate the role of CDA1 in TGF-beta signalling.

RESULTS

In vivo studies indicated that the mRNA levels of CDA1-encoding gene Tspyl2 and protein levels of CDA1 were elevated in the aorta of diabetic Apoe(-/-) mice, accompanied by increased levels of Tgf-beta (also known as Tgfb1), Ctgf and ECM accumulation. In vitro studies in vascular cells showed that TGF-beta treatment rapidly increased CDA1 protein levels, which then amplified TGF-beta signalling leading to upregulation of ECM genes. Knockdown of CDA1-encoding gene Tspyl2 to reduce cellular CDA1 level markedly attenuated TGF-beta-stimulated MAD homologue 3 (drosophila; SMAD3) phosphorylation and transcriptional activities. CDA1 overproduction increased and Tspyl2 knockdown decreased expression of TGF-beta receptor type I, TbetarI (also known as Tgfbr1), but not TGF-beta receptor type II, TbetarII (also known as Tgfbr2), providing a mechanism for CDA1's action in modulating TGF-beta signalling. Knockdown of CDA1-encoding gene Tspyl2 also blocked the profibrotic effect of TGF-beta in VSMCs.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

CDA1 plays an important role in vascular ECM accumulation by amplifying TGF-beta signalling. This is critical for the profibrotic effect of TGF-beta in the vasculature. CDA1 is therefore a potential target for attenuating vascular ECM accumulation caused by enhanced TGF-beta action, as seen in diabetic atherosclerosis.