Plastic deformation mechanisms in a new Ni-base single crystal superalloy at room temperature

The evolution of dislocation configurations in a new Ni-base single crystal superalloy, M4706, during tensile deformation at room temperature is characterised by transmission electron microscopy. Experimental results show that contrary to previous reports, numerous isolated superlattice stacking faults and extended stacking faults are formed in the slightly deformed specimens with and without tertiary γ' precipitates. Meanwhile, it is also found that as the plastic deformation proceeds, the dominant deformation mechanism changes from stacking fault shearing to antiphase boundary shearing. Finally, based on experimental observations, the reasons for the formation of these faults and the transition in the deformation mechanism are discussed.

Effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG on the maturation and differentiation of dendritic cells in rotavirus-infected mice

Rotavirus-related diarrhoea is considered one of the most important diseases in field animal production. In addition to the classic vaccine strategy, a number of studies have utilised probiotics, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), to prevent rotavirus-induced diarrhoea. Although it has been partially revealed that Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are involved in the LGG-mediated protection against rotavirus infection, the details of the underlying immunologic mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, three-to-four-week-old female BALB/c mice were divided into three groups and orally administered phosphate buffered saline (PBS), PBS plus rotavirus or LGG plus rotavirus, respectively. The differentiation and maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) were then determined by FACS, the expression levels of TLR-3 and nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB) were evaluated using real time PCR, and the production of inflammatory cytokines in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were determined by ELISA. The results demonstrated that rotavirus infection significantly increased the percentage of CD11c⁺CD11b⁺CD8a^- DCs and decreased the percentage of CD11c⁺CD11b^-CD8a⁺ DCs in MLNs. By contrast, the presence of LGG significantly decreased the percentage of CD11c⁺CD11b⁺CD8a^- DCs and increased the percentage of CD11c⁺CD11b^-CD8a⁺ DCs, which indicates that the differentiation of DCs is involved in the protective effects of LGG. Rotavirus infection also resulted in the increased expression of surface markers such as CD40, CD80 and MHC-II in DCs, and the administration of LGG significantly increased the expression level further. The mRNA levels of TLR-3 and NF-κB in the intestine and MLNs were also significantly increased in the presence of rotavirus, which was further increased in the presence of LGG. The production of inflammatory cytokines was also determined, and the results showed that rotavirus caused the increased production of interleukin (IL)-12 and tumour necrosis factor alpha; this effect was further enhanced by LGG. Meanwhile, although rotavirus infection led to the increased production of IL-6 and IL-10, the presence of LGG significantly decreased the mRNA levels of these cytokines. By contrast, rotavirus infection resulted in the decreased production of interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and the administration of LGG significantly increased the levels of IFN-γ. Taken together, the protective effects of LGG were partially due to the modulation of the differentiation and maturation of DCs, the increased production of TLR-3 and NF-κB, and the modulation of inflammatory cytokines.

[Correlation between miR-1178 expression and clinicopathological significance in human pancreatic cancer]

Objective: To test the expression of miR-1178 in pancreatic cancer and study its clinicopathological significance and mechanism. Methods: The expression of miR-1178 in 87 paired paraffin pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma specimens and adjacent non- cancerous pancreatic tissue diagnosed by Pathology Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital was detected by hybridization in situ. The relationship between the expression of miR-1178 and clinicopathological characters was analyzed.miR-1178 mimics and inhibitor were used to further detect the close relationship among miR-1178 and cancer invasion. Establish a nude mice subcutaneously transplanted tumor model, 4 weeks after vaccination for tumor volume and weight measurement.Student t-test, rank sum test, and χ(2) test was used respectively to compare the data between two groups. Cox regression was adopted to improve the single factor and multiple factors analysis. Results: The results of hybridization in situ showed the expression of miR-1178 was increased in 72 cases with pancreatic cancer compared to that in paired normal pancreatic tissues (50/72 vs. 11/72, χ(2)=43.26, P<0.05). miR-1178 expression was positively associated with tumor lymph node stage (χ(2)=4.189, P=0.041). Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that miR-1178 was an independent adverse prognostic indicator for patients with pancreatic cancer (HR=2.364, 95%CI: 1.114-5.019, P=0.025). Transwell assay indicated the over-expression of miR-1178 increased the number of AsPC-1 cells that penetrated the ECM-coated membrane (177.0±19.8 vs. 119.7±15.9)(χ(2)=8.21, P<0.05). For the in vivo experiment, overexpression of miR-1178 significantly promoted tumor growth, compared with control group (tumor volume: (5 122.4±760.2)mm(3) vs. (1 976.8±601.8)mm(3), t=2.413, P<0.05; tumor weight: (1.55±0.21)g vs. (0.67±0.17)g, t=2.960, P<0.05). Over-expression of miR-1178 down-regulated the expression of Stub1 and elevated the expression of FAK/MMP-9 signal pathway(P<0.05). Conclusions: MiR-1178 is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer, and is effective for predicting patients' prognosis. MiR-1178 regulate Stub1/FAK/MMP-9 signal pathway and promote the invasion of AsPC-1 cells.

Forkhead box protein-3 (Foxp3)-producing dendritic cells suppress allergic response

BACKGROUND

The generation of the tolerogenic dendritic cells (DC) is not fully understood yet. Forkhead box protein-3 (Foxp3) is an important molecule in the immune tolerance. This study tests a hypothesis that DCs express Foxp3, which can be upregulated by Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB).

METHODS

The expression of Foxp3 by DCs was evaluated by real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay.

RESULTS

We observed that mice treated with SEB at 0.25-0.5 μg/mouse showed high frequencies of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-producing CD4⁺ T cells and TGF-β-producing DCs in the intestine, while the IL-4⁺ CD4⁺ T cells and TIM4⁺ DCs were dominated in the intestine in mice treated with SEB at 1-10 μg/mouse. Treating DCs with SEB in the culture induced high levels of Foxp3 at the TGF-β promoter locus. The function of Foxp3 was blocked by STAT6 (signal transducer and activator transcription-6); the latter was induced by exposing DCs to SEB in the culture at doses of 100-400 ng/ml. Treating allergic mice with specific immunotherapy (SIT) together with SEB significantly promoted the therapeutic effects on the allergic responses than treating with SIT alone.

CONCLUSION

Dendritic cells have the capacity to express Foxp3, which can be upregulated by exposure to SEB.

Alleviation of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli challenge by recombinant Lactobacillus plantarum expressing a FaeG- and DC-targeting peptide fusion protein

FaeG is the major subunit of K88 fimbriae. These cell surface attachments are considered to be the major virulence factor of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), which causes diarrhoea in piglets. The use of dendritic cell-targeting peptide (DCpep) has been demonstrated to be an effective approach to enhance the immunity of vaccines. Lactobacillus plantarum is an attractive candidate for oral vaccination owing to its beneficial effects and safety. In this study, L. plantarum was employed to deliver a FaeG-DCpep fusion antigen, and the immune response in mice was evaluated. The synthesis of FaeG-DCpep dramatically increased the adhesion of recombinant L. plantarum (RLP) to IPEC-J2 cell surfaces, resulting in direct competition between L. plantarum and ETEC during adhesion assays. Significantly higher levels of body weight gain, sera immunoglobulin G and intestinal immunoglobulin A were observed in BALB/c mice immunised with RLP. In addition, the number of CD19+ B cells and CD11c+DC cells and the expression levels of several cytokines in the spleen and lymph nodes increased significantly compared to non-immunised mice. The oral administration of RLP also alleviated the symptoms of ETEC challenge, as shown by haematoxylin-eosin staining, indicating that RLP may be an efficient vaccine candidate.

Cytoplasmic GPER translocation in cancer-associated fibroblasts mediates cAMP/PKA/CREB/glycolytic axis to confer tumor cells with multidrug resistance

Multiple drug resistance is a challenging issue in the clinic. There is growing evidence that the G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) is a novel mediator in the development of multidrug resistance in both estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and -negative breast cancers, and that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment may be a new agent that promotes drug resistance in tumor cells. However, the role of cytoplasmic GPER of CAFs on tumor therapy remains unclear. Here we first show that the breast tumor cell-activated PI3K/AKT (phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT) signaling pathway induces the cytoplasmic GPER translocation of CAFs in a CRM1-dependent pattern, and leads to the activation of a novel estrogen/GPER/cAMP/PKA/CREB signaling axis that triggers the aerobic glycolysis switch in CAFs. The glycolytic CAFs feed the extra pyruvate and lactate to tumor cells for augmentation of mitochondrial activity, and this energy metabolically coupled in a 'host-parasite relationship' between catabolic CAFs and anabolic cancer cells confers the tumor cells with multiple drug resistance to several conventional clinical treatments including endocrine therapy (tamoxifen), Her-2-targeted therapy (herceptin) and chemotherapy (epirubicin). Moreover, the clinical data from 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography further present a strong association between the GPER/cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway of stromal fibroblasts with tumor metabolic activity and clinical treatment, suggesting that targeting cytoplasmic GPER in CAFs may rescue the drug sensitivity in patients with breast cancer. Thus, our data define novel insights into the stromal GPER-mediated multiple drug resistance from the point of reprogramming of tumor energy metabolism and provide the rationale for CAFs as a promising target for clinical therapy.

Pachymic acid improves survival and attenuates acute lung injury in septic rats induced by cecal ligation and puncture

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the possible beneficial effects of pachymic acid (PA) on acute lung injury (ALI) in a rat model of sepsis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A rat model of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was used. Rats were randomly divided into five groups: sham, CLP, CLP + PA 1 mg/kg, CLP + PA 5 mg/kg, CLP + PA 10 mg/kg. CLP + PA groups received PA by intraperitoneal injection daily for consecutive 3 days, respectively, and the rats in sham and CLP groups were given equivalent volume of olive oil. We killed the animals 12 h after CLP and collected blood samples to determine PaO2, PaCO2, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6. Lung samples were taken for wet/dry weight ratios and histologic assessment. Meanwhile, the levels of lung tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined.

RESULTS

The results revealed that PA treatment significantly improved the survival of septic rats and attenuated CLP-induced ALI. In PA-treated rats, the wet/dry weight ratios and the serum levels of TNF-a, IL-1β and IL-6 were down-regulated compared with the CLP group. PA also markedly decreased MDA and MPO contents and increased SOD level.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that PA administration ameliorates ALI in a rat model of sepsis induced by CLP.

Both JrWRKY2 and JrWRKY7 of Juglans regia mediate responses to abiotic stresses and abscisic acid through formation of homodimers and interaction

WRKY transcription factors belong to a large protein family that is involved in diverse developmental processes and abiotic stress responses. Currently, there is little understanding of the role of WRKY transcription factors in regulatory mechanisms in plants, especially in the protein-protein interactions that are essential for biological regulatory functions and networks. In the present study, yeast one-hybrid, yeast two-hybrid, transient expression and quantitative RT-PCR were applied to investigate the potential characteristics of two WRKY proteins from Juglans regia, JrWRKY2 (GenBank Accession No. KU057089) and JrWRKY7 (GenBank Accession No. KP784651). JrWRKY2 and JrWRKY7 can form homodimers and interact with each other. JrWRKY2 and JrWRKY7 can bind to W-box motifs. Similarly high levels of transcription were found for JrWRKY2 and JrWRKY7 under NaCl and polyethylene glycol (PEG) stresses, as well as at different developmental stages, e.g., the pistil or terminal leaf. JrWRKY2 and JrWRKY7 were transiently overexpressed in an independent manner in the terminal leaf. Analyses of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities, proline and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, and electrolyte leakage rate showed that JrWRKY2 and JrWRKY7 overexpression improved plant tolerance to NaCl, PEG, abscisic acid, and cold stress. Additionally, JrWRKY2 and JrWRKY7 overexpression elevated transcription of SOD, POD, glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and MYB genes, but downregulated the expression of NAC. Overall, the results demonstrate that JrWRKY2 and JrWRKY7 are dimeric proteins that can form functional homodimers and interact with each other and that they are involved in abiotic stress responses.

Vitamin D regulates immunoglobulin mucin domain molecule-4 expression in dendritic cells

BACKGROUND

Dendritic cell (DC)-derived immunoglobulin domain molecule (TIM)4 plays a critical role in the initiation of T helper (Th)2 polarization. Vitamin D (VitD) involves the regulation of a number of immune responses.

OBJECTIVES

This study tests a hypothesis that VitD regulates TIM4 expression in DCs.

METHODS

Peripheral blood samples were collected from patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and healthy subjects. DCs were isolated from the samples and analyzed for the expression of TIM4.

RESULTS

We observed that the levels of calcitriol, the active form of VitD3, in the sera of AR patients were lower than that in healthy subjects. The peripheral DC expressed higher levels of TIM4 and lower levels of VDR. A negative correlation was identified between the data of serum calcitriol and TIM4 in DCs. Exposure DCs to calcitriol in the culture increased the expression of VDR. We also found that VDR bound to the TIM4 promoter locus in DCs to repress the TIM4 gene transcription and expression.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

VitD deficiency may contribute to the pathogenesis of AR by increasing the TIM4 expression. The results suggest that to regulate the serum calcitriol levels and the expression of VDR in DCs may be necessary to be taken into account in the treatment of AR.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Chinese children diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis complex

We investigated the clinical phenotypes and genetic mutations in Chinese children diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Sequencing of TSC1 and TSC2 genes was performed in 117 children with TSC and their parents. Association of TSC gene mutations with clinical manifestations was investigated. All gene mutations were heterozygous including in 16 patients (13.7%) with mutations in TSC1 gene and 101 patients (86.3%) with mutations in TSC2 gene. Among the 16 patients with TSC1 gene mutations, 15 different types of mutations were found, which included 5 novel mutations; all patients had skin manifestations and epilepsy. Among the 101 patients with TSC2 mutations, 85 different types of mutations were found, which included 25 novel mutations; 97 patients (96.0%) had skin manifestations; 97 (96.0%) had epilepsy; 74 (73.3%) had intellectual disability and 25 patients (24.8%) were autistic. The clinical phenotype of the 14 children with familial TSC was more severe than that of their parents.

[The radiologic study of the nasolacrimal duct decompression surgery for treatment of chronic]

Objective:To explore the possibility of endoscopic nasolacrimal duct decompression surgery for the treatment of chronic dacryocystitis.Method:①Twenty-two eyes with chronic dacryocystitis were treated with 30% iohexol injection for lacrimal sac lithography. Contrast agents were taken from the lacrimal canal reflux to stop the injection. The CT scan for the lacrimal passage was performed immediately. ②Three-dimensional reconstruction of lacrimal duct and its surrounding structures was performed with Sinuses Trachea Ⅰ software. ③The lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal canal were cut and depressed using this software simulation.Result:①The incidence of lacrimal duct obstruction were 4.5% (1/22, in lacrimal duct), 22.7%(5/22, in lacrimal sac), 13.6%(3/22, transition section), 36.4%(8/22, in nasocrimal duct), and 22.7%(5/22, in Hasner valve) separately. The transitional section, nasolacrimal duct, Hasner valve section 72.7%(16/22) totally. ②The lateral wall of the nasolacrimal duct in 3D visual model is constructed of maxillary lacrimal process. The interior wall of the nasolacrimal duct is made of drop process of lacrimal bone and ascending lacimal process of the inferior turbinate. ③Observed from the inferior meatus, hard nasolacrimal duct is surrounded by inferior turbinate bone, and forms the inside wall of openings of the lacrimal duct. ④The removal of the front parts of the inferior turbinate attached to the lateral nasal can lead to the deperession of the membranous nasolacrimal duct sufficiently, and create the efficient space to eliminate nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Conclusion:Endoscopic nasolacrimal duct decompression surgery is efficacy for the treatment of chronic dacryocystitis. The integrity of the membranous lacrimal duct was reserved, and the complication such as lacrimal sac granulation hyperplasia, lacrimal duct obstruction again caused by scar formation was avoided.

[High glucose reduced the repair function of kidney stem cells conditional medium to the hypoxia-injured renal tubular epithelium cells]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impacts of high glucose on the repair function of kidney stem cells (KSC) conditional medium to the hypoxia-injured renal tubular epithelium cells (RTEC).

METHODS

KSC were isolated from the renal papilla in 4-week-Sprague-Dawley rats. The KSC were pretreated in media with high glucose (30 mmol/L) or with normal glucose (5.6 mmol/L), respectively. The supernatants of the pre-treated KSC were collected as the conditional media. The hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) model of rat RTEC was established using the NRK-52E cell line. The effects of KSC conditional media on the H/R RTEC were investigated.

RESULTS

(1) The best H/R model of RTEC was established using hypoxia for 4 h and reoxygenation 2 h. (2) After hypoxia, the early and late cell apoptosis rates of the H/R RTEC were increased. The H/R RTEC were co-cultured with KSC conditional media for 12 h and 24 h, respectively. The H/R RTEC were co-cultured with DMEM/F12 as a control group. The cell apoptosis rate of H/R RTEC was lower after co-cultured with KSC conditional media (P<0.01), and the cell apoptosis rate of H/R RTEC in high glucose group was much higher than that in normal glucose group after co-cultured 24 h (P=0.02). (3) After hypoxia, the lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of the H/R RTEC supernatant were increased, and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) level decreased. The LDH and MDA levels were lower and the SOD level was higher after co-cultured with KSC conditional media for 12 h and 24 h, respectively (P<0.01). The LDH and MDA levels of H/R RTEC supernatant were much higher in the high glucose group than in the normal glucose group (P<0.05), and the SOD level of H/R RTEC supernatant was much lower in the high glucose group than in the normal glucose group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

KSC conditional media could repair the H/R injury of RTEC. The effects were mainly by inhibiting cell apoptosis, and reducing oxidative stress; the anti-cell apoptosis ability and the anti-oxidative stress capacity of the conditional medium were reduced after KSC were pre-treated with high glucose.

Glipizide blocks renal interstitial fibrosis by inhibiting AKT signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

Diabetes affects the renal function at a certain stage. Oral medication glipizide plays a hypoglycemic effect mainly through releasing insulin, while more insulin is derived from islet β cells. It is still controversy whether antidiabetics. This study mainly intends to investigate the role of glipizide in inhibiting renal interstitial fibrosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 93 SD rats were purchased from Guangdong animal monitoring and established unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model to simulate renal interstitial fibrosis. Forty rats in the experimental group received glipizide intraperitoneal injection for a week at 30 days after modeling, while another 40 rats in the control group received a normal saline injection. The last 10 rats were treated as blank group. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was applied to test renal interstitial fibrosis. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect fibronectin expression in glomerular and renal tubules. AKT signaling pathway related factors expression was measured by Western blot to determine AKT signal activation.

RESULTS

HE staining showed that the entire kidney cytoplasm red dye becomes shallow, renal medulla gradually disappears, renal tubular epithelial cells enlarge, vacuoles degeneration, renal tubule and collecting tube expansion, inflammatory cells infiltration after UUO modeling. Glipizide treatment decreased dilated renal tubule number, improved glomerulus integrity, and reduced inflammatory infiltration. Fibronectin level in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in control (p<0.05). Western blot revealed that p-AKT expression downregulated after glipizide treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Glipizide blocks renal interstitial fibrosis by inhibiting AKT signaling pathway.

Third- and high-order nonlinear optical properties of an intramolecular charge-transfer compound

An oligo(phenylenevinylene) bridged intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) compound, (TCNQ)2OPV3, has been synthesized and its third- and fifth-order nonlinear optical properties have been determined by measurement with the 4f system with a phase-object.

The alienation of affection toward parents and influential factors in Chinese left-behind children

OBJECTIVE

Although alienation toward parents is important for children (for current mental health status or later interpersonal relationships in adulthood), it is undervalued and even lacks a standardized tool of assessment. Moreover, the large number of left-behind children in China is a cause of public concern. However, their experienced alienation toward their parents remains unclear, which may be important for early detection or intervention for behavioral problems in this population. Hence, the current study aimed to develop an alienation inventory for children and then use it to investigate the experienced alienation toward parents in Chinese left-behind children.

METHODS

Two studies were carried out. Study 1 was designed to develop a standard inventory of alienation toward parents (IAP). In study 2, 8361 children and adolescents (6704 of them were left-behind status) of the Chongqing area, aged between 8 and 19 years old, were recruited for investigation. All participants were surveyed with a standard sociodemographic questionnaire, children's cognitive style questionnaire, children's depression inventory, adolescent self-rating life events checklist, and newly built IAP in study 1.

RESULTS

In study 1, we developed a two-component (communication and emotional distance) and 18-item (9 items for maternal or paternal form, respectively) IAP questionnaire. In study 2, exploratory factor analysis indicated an expected two-factor structure of IAP, which was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients showed a good reliability (0.887 and 0.821 for maternal and paternal form, respectively). Children with absent mother experienced the highest alienation toward parents. Boys as well as children aged 8-10 years old experienced higher alienation toward parents. Poor communication with parents (sparse or no connection), level of left-behind condition (parents divorced, been far away from parents), and psychosocial vulnerability (stressful life events, negative cognitive style) were risk factors of alienation toward parents.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study develops a two-factor (communication and emotional distance) IAP, which offers a reliable tool to assess experienced alienation of affection toward parents in children aged between 8 and 19 years old. Our result is the first investigation of experienced alienation and potential influential factors in Chinese left-behind children. The findings that children with absent mother experience higher alienation toward parents, as well as three recognized risk factors for alienation of affection toward parents (poor communication with absent parents, worse left-behind condition, and psychosocial vulnerability), give valuable guidance for parents who intend to leave or who are already leaving as well as for government policymaking.

6-Gingerol prevents MEHP-induced DNA damage in human umbilical vein endothelia cells

Mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) is the principal metabolite of di (2-etylhexyl) phthalate, which is widely used as a plasticizer, especially in medical devices. MEHP has toxic effects on cardiovascular system. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility that 6-gingerol may inhibit the oxidative DNA damage of MEHP in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the potential mechanism. The comet assay was used to monitor DNA strand breaks. We have shown that 6-gingerol significantly reduced the DNA strand breaks caused by MEHP. MEHP increased the levels of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, decreased the level of glutathione and activity of superoxide dismutase, and altered the mitochondrial membrane potential. In addition, DNA damage-associated proteins (p53 and p-Chk2 (T68)) were significantly increased by the treatment of MEHP. Those effects can all be protected by 6-gingerol. The results firmly indicate that 6-gingerol may have a strong protective ability against the DNA damage caused by MEHP in HUVECs, and the mechanism may relate to the antioxidant activity.

An evolution-based DNA-binding residue predictor using a dynamic query-driven learning scheme

DNA-binding proteins play a pivotal role in various biological activities. Identification of DNA-binding residues (DBRs) is of great importance for understanding the mechanism of gene regulations and chromatin remodeling. Most traditional computational methods usually construct their predictors on static non-redundant datasets. They excluded many homologous DNA-binding proteins so as to guarantee the generalization capability of their models. However, those ignored samples may potentially provide useful clues when studying protein-DNA interactions, which have not obtained enough attention. In view of this, we propose a novel method, namely DQPred-DBR, to fill the gap of DBR predictions. First, a large-scale extensible sample pool was compiled. Second, evolution-based features in the form of a relative position specific score matrix and covariant evolutionary conservation descriptors were used to encode the feature space. Third, a dynamic query-driven learning scheme was designed to make more use of proteins with known structure and functions. In comparison with a traditional static model, the introduction of dynamic models could obviously improve the prediction performance. Experimental results from the benchmark and independent datasets proved that our DQPred-DBR had promising generalization capability. It was capable of producing decent predictions and outperforms many state-of-the-art methods. For the convenience of academic use, our proposed method was also implemented as a web server at .

The protective effects of bone morphogenetic protein-7 against epithelial injury and matrix metalloproteases upregulation induced by silica in vitro

OBJECTIVE

We investigate the effects of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) on models with silica-induced and macrophage-mediated fibrosis and its possible mechanisms in vitro.

METHODS

Rat alveolar II epithelial (RLE-6TN) cells were incubated with the supernatant of mouse macrophage-like cells (RAW264.7) and treated with 0, 25, 50, and 100 μg/mL silica. Using Western blotting, the epithelial markers (surfactant proteins-C and E-cadherin) and the mesenchymal markers (fibronectin (FN) and viminten (Vim)) were detected. After neutralizing the BMP-7, the progress of fibrosis was assessed by the content of hydroxyproline (Hyp) and collagen I, III protein levels as well as the Smad signaling pathway proteins, including phosphorylated Smad1/5(P-Smad1/5) and phosphorylated Smad2/3(P-Smad2/3). Collagen I was also identified by immunofluorescence and pretreated with SB-431542, LDN-193189, or anti-BMP-7-neutralizing antibody. In addition, the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 were detected using Western blotting.

RESULTS

The model of RLE-6TN cells was established successfully, the expressions of Vim, FN, MMP-2, and MMP-9 were upregulated, while the concentration of silica is increased. Neutralizing BMP-7 stimulated the decrease of P-Smad1/5 and the increase of P-Smad2/3, as well as the collagen I, collagen III, FN, and Hyp via Smad signaling pathway. Furthermore, pretreated with LDN-193189 or anti-BMP-7-neutralizing antibody, the expression of collagen I was increased, yet it was decreased with SB-431542 intervention.

CONCLUSION

The activated BMP/Smad and suppressed transforming growth factor-β/Smad pathways could suppress silica-induced fibrosis via a MMP-dependent mechanism. BMP-7 is expected to be the optimized strategy of delaying the interstitial changes.

[Relationship between crown form of upper central incisors and papilla filling in Chinese Han-nationality youth]

OBJECTIVE

To explore a crown form classification method for upper central incisor which is more objective and scientific than traditional classification method based on the standardized photography technique. To analyze the relationship between crown form of upper central incisors and papilla filling in periodontally healthy Chinese Han-nationality youth.

METHODS

In the study, 180 periodontally healthy Chinese youth ( 75 males, and 105 females ) aged 20-30 (24.3±4.5) years were included. With the standardized upper central incisor photography technique, pictures of 360 upper central incisors were obtained. Each tooth was classified as triangular, ovoid or square by 13 experienced specialist majors in prothodontics independently and the final classification result was decided by most evaluators in order to ensure objectivity. The standardized digital photo was also used to evaluate the gingival papilla filling situation. The papilla filling result was recorded as present or absent according to naked eye observation. The papilla filling rates of different crown forms were analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 19.0.

RESULTS

The proportions of triangle, ovoid and square forms of upper central incisor in Chinese Han-nationality youth were 31.4% (113/360), 37.2% (134/360) and 31.4% (113/360 ), respectively, and no statistical difference was found between the males and females. Average κ value between each two evaluators was 0.381. Average κ value was raised up to 0.563 when compared with the final classification result. In the study, 24 upper central incisors without contact were excluded, and the papilla filling rates of triangle, ovoid and square crown were 56.4% (62/110), 69.6% (87/125), 76.2% (77/101) separately. The papilla filling rate of square form was higher (P=0.007).

CONCLUSION

The proportion of clinical crown form of upper central incisor in Chinese Han-nationality youth is obtained. Compared with triangle form, square form is found to favor a gingival papilla that fills the interproximal embrasure space. The consistency of the present classification method for upper central incisor is not satisfying, which indicates that a new classification method, more scientific and objective than the present one, is to be found.

Test of a 32-channel Prototype ASIC for Photon Counting Application

A new low-power application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detectors for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) application is being developed at BNL. As the first step, a 32-channel prototype ASIC was designed and tested recently. Each channel has a preamplifier followed by CR-RC³ shaping circuits and three independent energy bins with comparators and 16-bit counters. The ASIC was fabricated with TSMC 0.35-μm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process and tested in laboratories. The power consumption is around 1 mW/ch with a 2.5-V supply. With a gain of 400 mV/fC and the peaking time of 500 ns, the equivalent noise charge (ENC) of 360 e- has been measured in room temperature while the crosstalk rate is less than 0.3%. The 10-bit DACs for global thresholds have an integral nonlinearity (INL) less than 0.56% and differential nonlinearity (DNL) less than 0.33%. In the presentation, we will report the detailed test results with this ASIC.

Effects of Neuromedin S on the Proliferation of Splenic Lymphocytes and the Cytokine Secretion by Pulmonary Alveolar Macrophages in Pigs in vitro

Neuromedin S (NMS), a 36-amino acid neuropeptide, has been found to be involved in the regulation of the endocrine activity. It has been also detected in immune tissues in mammals, what suggests that NMS may play an important role in the regulation of immune response. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the presence of NMS receptor 1 (NMU1R) and effect of NMS in pig splenic lymphocytes (SPLs) and pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAMs). The presence of NMU1R in pig SPLs and PAMs was respectively confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blot analysis and immunocytochemical methods. Furthermore, SPL proliferation was analyzed using the 3-(4,5)-dimethyl-thiahiazo-(-2-yl)-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) method. Additionally, the secretion of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in PAMs was all measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. In the present study, the results of RT-PCR and western blot analysis revealed that NMU1R mRNA and protein were both expressed in pig SPLs and PAMs, and the immunocytochemical investigations further revealed that the positive signal of NMU1R immunoreactivity was observed in plasma membranes of both SPLs and PAMs. In the in vitro study, we found that at concentrations of 0.001-1000 nM NMS alone or combined with lipopolysaccharide or phytohemagglutinin significantly increased SPL proliferation. Application of ELISA method showed that NMS could induce the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in PAMs. These results suggest that NMS can act as a potently positive pro-inflammatory factor and immunomodulatory agent that affects the immune response of immune cells by combining with its receptor NMU1R.

Immunological mechanisms involved in probiotic-mediated protection against Citrobacter rodentium-induced colitis

Inflammatory bowel disease is a group of chronic, incurable inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract that cause severe diarrhoea, intestinal inflammation, pain, fatigue and weight loss. In this study, we first developed a model of Citrobacter rodentium-induced colitis and then evaluated the protective effects of selected probiotics on inflammation. The results showed that administration of a combination of probiotics including Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC 53103, Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 and Lactobacillus plantarum A significantly increased the production of CD11c+ dendritic cells in the spleen (3.62% vs phosphate buffered saline (PBS)-treated control, P<0.01) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs). In addition, the presence of probiotics significantly up-regulated the development of CD4+/CD25+/Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in MLNs by approximately 2.07% compared to the effect observed in the PBS-treated control (P<0.01) and down-regulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-17, tumour necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ, by 0.11, 0.11 and 0.15%, respectively, compared to the effect observed in the PBS-treated control (P<0.01).These effects conferred protection against colitis, as shown by histopathological analyses.

Novel ZnO:Al contacts to CdZnTe for X- and gamma-ray detectors

CdZnTe (CZT) has made a significant impact as a material for room-temperature nuclear-radiation detectors due to its potential impact in applications related to nonproliferation, homeland security, medical imaging, and gamma-ray telescopes. In all such applications, common metals, such as gold, platinum and indium, have been used as electrodes for fabricating the detectors. Because of the large mismatch in the thermal-expansion coefficient between the metal contacts and CZT, the contacts can undergo stress and mechanical degradation, which is the main cause for device instability over the long term. Here, we report for the first time on our use of Al-doped ZnO as the preferred electrode for such detectors. The material was selected because of its better contact properties compared to those of the metals commonly used today. Comparisons were conducted for the detector properties using different contacts, and improvements in the performances of ZnO:Al-coated detectors are described in this paper. These studies show that Al:ZnO contacts to CZT radiation detectors offer the potential of becoming a transformative replacement for the common metallic contacts due to the dramatic improvements in the performance of detectors and improved long-term stability.

Body weight, fat distribution and colorectal cancer risk: a report from cohort studies of 134255 Chinese men and women

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association of body size and fat distribution with risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in Chinese men and women.

DESIGN

Population-based, prospective cohort study.

SUBJECTS

The analysis included 134 255 Chinese adults enrolled in the Shanghai Women’s Health Study and the Shanghai Men’s Health Study, with an average follow-up of 11.0 and 5.5 years, respectively.

MEASUREMENTS

Waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were measured by trained interviewers at baseline. Multivariable Cox models were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for incident CRC.

RESULTS

A total of 935 incident CRC cases were identified. Both measures of general adiposity (measured by BMI) and central adiposity (measured by WHR and WC) were significantly associated with increased risk of colon cancer in men but not in women. Multivariable adjusted HRs for colon cancer in men in the highest compared with the lowest quintiles were 2.15 (95% CI: 1.35-3.43; P for trend = 0.0006) for BMI, 1.97 (95% CI: 1.19-3.24; P for trend = 0.0004) for WHR and 2.00 (95% CI: 1.21-3.29; P for trend = 0.0002) for WC. The BMI-associated risk was attenuated in analyses stratified by WHR, while the WHR-associated risk remained significant in the high BMI stratum (HR for comparison of extreme tertiles of WHR: 3.38, 95% CI: 1.47-7.75; P for trend =0.0002). None of these anthropometric measures were significantly associated with rectal cancer.

CONCLUSION

Obesity, particularly central obesity, was associated with increased risk of colon cancer in men.

Improved image-quality consistency in coronary CT angiography using a test-bolus-based individually tailored contrast medium injection protocol

AIM

To develop and validate a test bolus (TB)-based quantitative model to create an individualised contrast medium injection protocol for use at coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) to improve patient-to-patient uniformity of intracoronary attenuation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the model-building phase, 175 patients who underwent CCTA using a traditional contrast medium injection protocol were recruited. A personalised injection equation was proposed according to the relationship between aortic enhancement and the haemodynamic parameters obtained from the TB. In the model-validation phase, a target aortic enhancement of 350 HU was set. Two hundred and fifteen additional CCTA examinations were performed using the proposed personalised injection model. Comparisons of inter-individual variability between the traditional and the proposed personalised injection protocol were performed.

RESULTS

In the model-building phase, a high positive correlation between aortic enhancement and the haemodynamic parameters obtained from the TB was found. As a result, a personalised injection equation was determined using linear regression. In the model-validation phase, the average aortic enhancement was 350.5 HU, without significant differences from the preset level. Using the TB-based personalised injection protocol, inter-individual variability of aortic enhancement was significantly reduced (71.8 versus 38.9 HU, p<0.001) and patients who were scanned at 100 kVp had a reduction in the average contrast medium flow rate from 4.1 to 3.2 ml/s (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed TB-based injection protocol can achieve a desired preset and stable aortic enhancement.

Correlation between protein 4.1R and the progression of heart failure in vivo

We aimed to assess the protein 4.1R (4.1R) expression of the membrane skeleton in cardiomyocytes and to determine the potential role of 4.1R in the pathogenesis of heart failure (HF). Forty-two male mice were randomly divided into two groups: an HF group (N = 22) and control group (N = 20). The HF model was established by abdominal subcutaneous injection of 5 mg⋅kg(-1)⋅day(-1) isopropyl adrenaline to the mice for 14 days. Electrocardiography was carried out and cardiac function was assessed by ultrasonic cardiogram. The left ventricular weight index (LVMI) was measured after mice were sacrificed, and the pathological changes of the heart were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression of 4.1R in cardiomyocytes was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The echocardiographs showed that the left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) and left ventricular end-systolic dimension (LVESD) were significantly higher in the HF group than in the controls (P < 0.05), while the left ventricle shortening fraction was remarkably lower than that in the controls (P < 0.05). Electrocardiography showed faster heart rates in the HF group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Both the LVMI and the myocardial tissue pathological score were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in the HF group than in the controls. 4.1R localized mostly to the plasma membrane and was distributed discretely in the cytosol of myocardial cells. The proportion of 4.1R-positive cells was significantly higher in the HF group (P < 0.01) than in the controls, which was confirmed by the positive mRNA expression of 4.1R. 4.1R localized mostly to the plasma membrane of myocardial cells and was upregulated with the progression of HF. This suggests that 4.1R may be associated with HF progression and therefore 4.1R represents a promising therapeutic target in HF.

Free androgen index and Irisin in polycystic ovary syndrome

PURPOSE

PCOS is associated with hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance (IR). Recent studies have shown that circulating Irisin levels increase in PCOS women. However, no report has demonstrated a relationship between Irisin and hyperandrogenism in PCOS women. The purpose of the study was to compare interrelationship between Irisin or androgen excess with IR in PCOS and normal subjects.

METHODS

166 PCOS and 103 control women were prospectively studied. Euglycemic- hyperinsulinemic clamps were preformed to assess their insulin sensitivity, which was expressed as M value. Circulating Irisin was determined by ELISA kit. Circulating androgens were measured using ultrasensitive assays.

RESULTS

PCOS women with high FAI had significantly higher BMI, FAT%, TC, DHEA-S and HOMA-IR, and significantly lower levels of M values and SHBG than PCOS women with low FAI or the controls. Pearson correlations showed that in the entire population, FAI correlated positively with BMI, WHR, FAT%, blood pressure, TG, DHEA-S, LH/FSH, AUCinsulin, HOMA-IR and Irisin, and negatively with M values. In multiple stepwise regression analysis, only FAT%, DHEA-S and LH/FSH were independent related factors with FAI.

CONCLUSION

The elevated Irisin levels in PCOS women were associated with androgen excess. Circulating Irisin is a primary predictor of hyperandrogenism, MetS and IR in PCOS women.

Association of osteoporosis with genetic variants of circadian genes in Chinese geriatrics

This study was designed to investigate the association of circadian gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the risk of osteoporosis. We found that the rs3781638 GG genotype was positively associated with osteoporosis prevalence in females, whereas the rs2292910 AC genotype was negatively associated with osteoporosis prevalence in a geriatric cohort.

INTRODUCTION

Studies have shown that disruption of endogenous circadian rhythms may increase the risk of developing type II diabetes and obesity, which are reportedly associated with osteoporosis (OP). Thus, abnormalities of circadian genes may indirectly induce OP. Here, we investigated the association of OP with 14 SNPs located in seven circadian genes.

METHODS

The research subjects, geriatric residents of Shanghai Minhang, China, diagnosed with OP (N = 171) or osteopenia (N = 226) or without specific diseases (N = 200), were genotyped for 14 genetic variants of circadian genes by competitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction. The prevalence of polymorphisms among the subject groups and the association between the SNPs and osteoporosis were investigated.

RESULTS

Among the 14 genotyped SNPs, we found an association between the CRY2 gene rs2292910 SNP and osteoporosis (r = -0.082, p = 0.045) in the geriatric cohort. We found a decreased risk between cryptochrome 2 rs2292910 and OP (A/C odds ratio = 0.647, p = 0.044) but an increased risk between MTNR1B rs3781638 and OP (G/G odds ratio = 2.058, p = 0.044).

CONCLUSION

For the first time, we show that Cry 2 rs2292910 and MTNR1B rs3781638 are associated with osteoporosis in a Chinese geriatric cohort. Therefore, targeting the abnormalities of the CRY2 and MTNR1B genes may be a potential strategy to treat and/or to prevent osteoporosis.

Stability of the Baseline Holder in Readout Circuits For Radiation Detectors

Baseline holder (BLH) circuits are used widely to stabilize the analog output of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for high-count-rate applications. The careful design of BLH circuits is vital to the overall stability of the analog-signal-processing chain in ASICs. Recently, we observed self-triggered fluctuations in an ASIC in which the shaping circuits have a BLH circuit in the feedback loop. In fact, further investigations showed that methods of enhancing small-signal stabilities cause an even worse situation. To resolve this problem, we used large-signal analyses to study the circuit's stability. We found that a relatively small gain for the error amplifier and a small current in the non-linear stage of the BLH are required to enhance stability in large-signal analysis, which will compromise the properties of the BLH. These findings were verified by SPICE simulations. In this paper, we present our detailed analysis of the BLH circuits, and propose an improved version of them that have only minimal self-triggered fluctuations. We summarize the design considerations both for the stability and the properties of the BLH circuits.

Clinic research on the treatment for humeral shaft fracture with minimal invasive plate osteosynthesis: a retrospective study of 128 cases

INTRODUCTION

Minimal invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) is one of the most important techniques in the treatment for humeral shaft fractures. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of MIPO technique for the treatment for humeral shaft fractures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 128 cases with humeral shaft fractures that were treated with MIPO technique from March 2005 to August 2008. All the patients were followed up by routine radiological imaging and clinical examinations. Constant-Murley score and HSS elbow joint score were used to evaluate the treatment outcome.

RESULTS

The average duration of the surgery was 60 min (range 40-95 min) without blood transfusion. All fractures healed without infection. All cases recovered carrying angle except four cases with 10°-15° cubitus varus. After the average follow-up of 23 (13-38) months, satisfactory function was achieved according to Constant-Murley score and HSS elbow joint score. Constant-Murley score was 80 on average (range 68-91). According to HSS elbow joint score, there were 123 cases of excellent clinical outcome and five cases of effective outcome.

CONCLUSION

It seems to be a safe and effective method for managing humeral shaft fractures with MIPO technique.

ESR1 gene polymorphisms PvuII (rs2234693T>C) and XbaI (rs9340799A>G) may not be directly correlated with cardiovascular disease risk

The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the correlations between the estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) gene polymorphisms PvuII (rs2234693T>C) and XbaI (rs9340799A>G) and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Case-control studies were screened and selected from a larger group of studies that were retrieved through a comprehensive search of scientific literature databases, which was complemented by manual searches. Data from studies selected were analyzed using the Comprehensive Meta-analysis 2.0 software. A total of 240 studies were initially retrieved and 10 studies were eventually included in the meta-analysis. These 10 case-control studies involved 7029 CVD patients (5001 myocardial infarction patients, 1223 coronary artery disease patients, 805 acute coronary syndromes patients) and 6901 healthy controls. We found no significant association between the PvuII (rs2234693T>C) and XbaI (rs9340799A>G) polymorphisms and CVD risk. We detected no significant associations under all genetic inheritance models tested, including the allele, dominant, homozygous, heterozygous, and recessive models, or for comparisons between the case group and control group (all P > 0.05). Our meta-analysis results strongly suggest that the ESR1 gene polymorphisms PvuII (rs2234693T>C) and XbaI (rs9340799A>G) are not associated with CVD risk.

Molecular identification of Echinococcus granulosus on the Tibetan Plateau using mitochondrial DNA markers

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is an important worldwide zoonotic disease that causes large economic losses and human suffering. Echinococcus granulosus, the causative agent of CE, exhibits different genotypes in different locations. In order to identify its genotypes and analyze its genetic structure on the Tibetan Plateau, we collected 72 hydatid cysts from different intermediate hosts and amplified and sequenced their mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 (cox2) genes. Seventy isolates were identified as the E. granulosus G1 genotype, while two isolates belonged to the G6 genotype. There were 18 haplotypes among the 70 E. granulosus isolates, which exhibited a star-like network pattern and shared a common haplotype (H1). There was little difference between geographical sub-populations. Our results suggest that a recent E. granulosus population expansion occurred on the Tibetan Plateau, suggesting that E. granulosus was introduced into China. This study increases the basic molecular data needed for the molecular diagnosis, epidemiology, prevention, and control of Echinococcus diseases.

Association between IL2/IL21 and SH2B3 polymorphisms and risk of celiac disease: a meta-analysis

Celiac disease (CD) is a common autoimmune disorder characterized by heightened immunological response to ingested gluten. Certain gene polymorphisms of IL2/IL21 (rs6822844 and rs6840978) and SH2B3 (rs3184504) may influence susceptibility to CD, although the effects remain unclear. We performed a meta-analysis of the associations between rs6822844, rs6840978, and rs3184504 polymorphisms and CD risk. PubMed, EMBASE, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched. ORs and 95%CIs of each single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) were estimated using the fixed-effect model if I(2) < 50% in the test of heterogeneity; otherwise, the random-effect model was used. Our meta-analysis included 12,986 CD cases and 28,733 controls from 16 independent samples, and the analysis of each SNP contained a subset of the total. We found that the minor allele T of both rs6822844 (T vs G, OR = 0.72, 95%CI = 0.67-0.78, P < 0.001) and rs6840978 (T vs C, OR = 0.76, 95%CI = 0.71-0.83, P < 0.001) in IL2/IL21 significantly decreased the risk of CD. However, the minor allele A of rs3184504 (A vs G, OR = 1.18, 95%CI = 1.12-1.24, P < 0.001) in SH2B3 significantly increased CD susceptibility. The estimated lambda values were 0.49, 0.50, and 0.53 for rs6822844, rs6840978, and rs3184504, respectively, suggesting that a co-dominant model of genotype effect was most appropriate for the three SNPs. Our results support associations between the three SNPs and CD and provide a strong argument for further research.

HOI-02 induces apoptosis and G2-M arrest in esophageal cancer mediated by ROS

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are chemically reactive molecules that perform essential functions in living organisms. Accumulating evidence suggests that many types of cancer cells exhibit elevated levels of ROS. Conversely, generation of ROS has become an effective method to kill cancer cells. (E)-3-hydroxy-3-(4-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-oxobut-3-en-1-yl) indolin-2-one, which is an NO2 group-containing compound designated herein as HOI-02, generated ROS and, in a dose-dependent manner, decreased esophageal cancer cell viability and inhibited anchorage-independent growth, followed by apoptosis and G2-M arrest. Moreover, results of an in vivo study using a patient-derived xenograft mouse model showed that HOI-02 treatment suppressed the growth of esophageal tumors, without affecting the body weight of mice. The expression of Ki-67 was significantly decreased with HOI-02 treatment. In addition, the phosphorylation of c-Jun, and expression of p21, cleaved caspase 3, and DCFH-DA were increased in the HOI-02-treated group compared with the untreated control group. In contrast, treatment of cells with (E)-3-(4-(4-aminophenyl)-2-oxobut-3-en-1-yl)-3-hydroxyindolin-2-one, which is an NH2 group-containing compound designated herein as HOI-11, had no effect. Overall, we identified HOI-02 as an effective NO2 group-containing compound that was an effective therapeutic or preventive agent against esophageal cancer cell growth.