Human umbilical cord blood cell transplantation improves cardiac function in a myoardial infarction rat model but induces intestinal graft versus host disease

Human umbilical cord blood cell (HUCBC) has low immunity. In the present study we investigated intestinal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) induced by HUCBC transplantation in a myocardial infarction (MI) rat model. MI was established by using left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation. HUCBCs were injected into the animals 5 days post MI. Four weeks after the HUCBC transplantation, histology changes in small intestine were observed under an optical microscope. In addition, cardiac functions were tested. Further, factor VIII, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the myocardium and small intestine were assayed. The HUCBC transplantation significantly induced intestinal GVHD in the MI rats. The HUCBC implantation remarkably improved ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), and dp/dtmax in the MI rats (P<0.05). In the myocardium, the capillary density was larger in the small intestine of the HUCBC-transplanted rats compared to the controls. Real-time PCR and western blotting revealed that VEGF mRNA and protein levels in the myocardium and the small intestine dramatically significantly upregulated in the HUCBC-transplanted rats (P<0.05). The HUCBC transplantation significantly improves aggravated cardiac function of MI rats, but it induces intestinal GVHD.

Optoelectronic properties of CdSe0.75S0.25 nanocrystals assembled into micro-electrodes

CdSe0.75S0.25 semiconductor nanocrystals were synthesized by chemical colloidal route. The crystal structure, morphology and optical properties of synthesized CdSe0.75S0.25 nanocrystals were characterized by XRD, TEM and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy respectively. The crystal structure of CdSe0.75S0.25 is face-centered Cubic sphalerite phase. The average size is about 7 nm in diameter. A gold tip-to-tip structure electrode with the gap size -20 microm was fabricated using conventional optical lithography technique followed by film deposition and standard lift-off process. An optoelectronics device was fabricated based on CdSe0.75S0.25 by assembling nanocrystals into electrodes by using dielectrophoresis (DEP) process. The electrical transport properties and opto-electrical transport properties of the fabricated device were measured at temperature range from 5 K to 305 K. The results show that the resistance of CdSe0.75S0.25 NCs increases with the temperature decreases, indicating a typical semiconductor behavior. An obvious photoconductive behavior was observed, demonstrated potential application in nano-optoelectronics devices. After data analyzing, the conductivity shows the 0.5 exponent of Efros-Shklovskii variable-range-hopping (ES-VRH) model.

Expression patterns of photoperiod and temperature regulated heading date genes in Oryza sativa

In plants, flowering is a major biological phenomenon, which is regulated by an array of interactions occurring between biotic and abiotic factors. In our study, we have compared the expression profiles of flowering genes involved in the flowering pathway, which are influenced by conditions like photoperiod and temperature from seedling to heading developmental stages in two Oryza sativa indica varieties, viz., Zhenshan 97 and Minghui 63 using a expression network approach. Using the network expression approach, we found 17 co-expressed genes having the same expression profile pattern as three key photoperiod flowering genes Hd1, Ehd1 and Hd3a. We also demonstrated that these three co-expressed genes have a similar simulation pattern as temperature flowering genes. Based on our observations, we hypothesize that photoperiod and temperature regulate flowering pathways independently. The present study provides a basis for understanding the network of co-expressed genes involved in flowering pathway and presents a way to demonstrate the behavior of specific gene sets in specific cultivars.

Inverted Duplication and Deletion of 10q25q26 in a Patient without Any Obvious Skeletal Anomalies

We report on a girl with inverted duplication and deletion of 10q25q26 revealed by array-CGH and FISH analysis. Array-CGH analysis demonstrated a ∼13.1-Mb duplication encompassing 10q25.3q26.2 and a ∼5-Mb deletion at 10q26.2q26.3. No single-copy region was detected between the deleted and duplicated segments. FISH analysis found the arrangement duplicated in an inverted position. FISH analysis using the same probes did not show any abnormality in both parents, which indicates a de novo occurrence. The frequently reported features of distal 10q duplication include developmental delay, blepharophimosis, hypotonia, skeletal anomalies and some facial dysmorphisms. The girl presented with many features of distal 10q duplication with the exception of skeletal anomalies. To our knowledge, this is the fourth patient reported in the literature with inv dup del 10q. 10q duplication seems to account for most of the phenotypes for our patient. Although no obvious skeletal feature was found in our patient at present, follow-up assessment of skeletal development should be planned with the increase of age.

Prevalence and extent of right-to-left shunt in migraine: a survey of 217 Chinese patients

BACKGROUND

Recently, contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler (cTCD) studies have shown that right-to-left shunt (RLS) may be a risk factor for migraine in Westerners; however, limited data in the literature describes the prevalence of RLS in Chinese patients with migraine.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence of RLS in patients with migraine in China and to evaluate the relationship between the extent of RLS and migraine.

METHODS

A total of 217 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of migraine and 100 volunteers were recruited. cTCD was used to assess the prevalence and the extent of RLS in all subjects.

RESULTS

In the migraine group, the rate of positive RLS was 44.2% (96/217), with 23.5% (51/217) of these being large. In the healthy group, 28.0% (28/100) were positive for RLS overall, and 5.0% (5/100) were large (P = 0.006; P < 0.001). In patients having migraines with aura (MwA), 66.1% (39/59) were positive for RLS overall, and 37.3% (22/59) were large, which was significantly higher when compared with the healthy group (P < 0.001; P < 0.001); in patients having migraines without aura (MwoA), 36.1% (57/158) were positive for RLS overall, and 18.4% (29/158) were large, which was against significantly higher (P < 0.001; P = 0.003). In the MwoA group, the large RLS rate was also higher than in the healthy group (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

A close correlation has been documented between RLS and migraine, especially MwA, but these relationships exist only when the shunts were large.

Effects of ginsenoside Rg1 or 17β-estradiol on a cognitively impaired, ovariectomized rat model of Alzheimer's disease

Ginsenoside Rg1, which could improve spatial learning and memory, might be a useful agent for preventing and treating cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study was designed to test the neuroprotective effects of ginsenoside Rg1 on an ovariectomized (OVX) and d-galactose (d-gal)-injected rat model of AD, which is characterized with progressive learning and memory deficits, AD-related molecules alteration and differentiation/apoptosis imbalance in hippocampal neurons. OVX Wistar rats received daily injections of d-gal (100mg/kg) combined with different concentrations of ginsenoside Rg1 (5, 10, 20mg/kg) or 17-β-estradiol (E2, 100 μg/kg), or normal saline (NS, 1.0 ml/kg) for 6 weeks. Ovarian steroid deprivation plus d-gal injection led to spatial learning and memory capacity impairments, as well as increased Aβ(1-42) production. Ginsenoside Rg1 and E2-treatment significantly ameliorated these deteriorations in AD rats. Seven weeks after surgery, α-secretase a disintegrin and metallopeptidase domain 10 (ADAM 10) in hippocampus of AD rats was dramatically decreased, while β-secretase β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE 1) increased compared with those in sham-operated ones (P<0.05). Levels of cleaved caspase 3 were increased in the hippocampus of AD rats. Ginsenoside Rg1 and E2-treatment increased ADAM 10 level while reduced BACE 1 level and apoptosis. Moreover, moderate i.e. 10mg/kg/d and high i.e. 20mg/kg/d ginsenoside Rg1 displayed more effective function than low i.e. 5mg/kg/d ginsenoside Rg1. Our findings demonstrate the neuroprotective effects of ginsenoside Rg1 and E2 on AD rats and support the potential application of ginsenoside Rg1 in the treatment of learning and memory impairments in postmenopausal women.

Meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of bronchial thermoplasty in patients with moderate-to-severe persistent asthma

This meta-analysis assessed the efficacy and safety of a novel intervention for asthma, bronchial thermoplasty (BT), in patients with moderate-to-severe persistent asthma. An electronic literature search identified three randomized controlled trials (RCT) of BT that recruited 421 patients in total. Outcomes of interest were the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) score, morning peak expiratory flow (PEF), tolerability and safety. Compared with standard medications and sham BT treatment, BT significantly improved AQLQ scores and PEF from baseline to the end of the trials. There were more respiratory adverse events and hospitalizations for adverse respiratory events with BT than with medications or sham treatment during the treatment period, but most events resolved, on average, within a week. This effect of BT treatment was not seen during the posttreatment period. Additional long-term RCT are required to confirm whether BT provides benefit to patients with moderate-to-severe persistent asthma.

Preclinical pharmacology of TP1, a novel potent triple reuptake inhibitor with antidepressant properties

Triple reuptake inhibitors (TRIs) that block the dopamine transporter (DAT), norepinephrine transporter (NET), and serotonin transporter (SERT) are being developed as a new class of antidepressant that may have better efficacy and fewer side effects compared with traditional antidepressants. The purpose of this study was to characterize a new chemical entity, 4-[2-(dimethylamino)-1-(1-hydroxycyclohexyl)ethyl] phenyl 4-methoxybenzoate hydrochloride (TP1). TP1 was designed as a prodrug of desvenlafaxine. Competitive radioligand binding assays were performed using cells expressing the human dopamine (DA) transporter (hDAT), the human serotonin (5-HT) transporter (hSERT), and the human norepinephrine (NE) transporter (hNET) with K(i) values for TP1 of 190 nM, 2076 nM, and 1023 nM, respectively. Uptake assays were performed with IC(50) values for TP1 of 712 nM, 521 nM, and 628 nM, respectively. TP1 (0.06 mmol/kg, orally) rapidly penetrated rat brain and hypothalamus, translated into desvenlafaxine within 1 h, and demonstrated higher bioavailability and better pharmacokinetic properties than desvenlafaxine succinate (DVS). TP1 (0.06 mmol/kg, orally) significantly increased extracellular levels of DA, NE, and 5-HT compared with baseline in the rat hypothalamus by microdialysis assay. In dose-response assays, oral administration of TP1 reduced the time of immobility in a dose-dependent manner during tail suspension test and forced swimming test (FST). This antidepressant-like effect manifests in the absence of significant increases in motor activity even at doses of up to 32 mg/kg. The ability of TP1 to inhibit the reuptake of three biogenic amines closely linked to the etiology of depression may result in a therapeutic profile different from antidepressants that inhibit the reuptake of serotonin and/or NE.

Predictors of survival in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer undergoing secondary cytoreductive surgery based on the pooled analysis of an international collaborative cohort

BACKGROUND

This study aims to identify prognostic factors and to develop a risk model predicting survival in patients undergoing secondary cytoreductive surgery (SCR) for recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer.

METHODS

Individual data of 1100 patients with recurrent ovarian cancer of a progression-free interval at least 6 months who underwent SCR were pooled analysed. A simplified scoring system for each independent prognostic factor was developed according to its coefficient. Internal validation was performed to assess the discrimination of the model.

RESULTS

Complete SCR was strongly associated with the improvement of survival, with a median survival of 57.7 months, when compared with 27.0 months in those with residual disease of 0.1-1 cm and 15.6 months in those with residual disease of >1 cm, respectively (P<0.0001). Progression-free interval (≤23.1 months vs >23.1 months, hazard ratio (HR): 1.72; score: 2), ascites at recurrence (present vs absent, HR: 1.27; score: 1), extent of recurrence (multiple vs localised disease, HR: 1.38; score: 1) as well as residual disease after SCR (R1 vs R0, HR: 1.90, score: 2; R2 vs R0, HR: 3.0, score: 4) entered into the risk model.

CONCLUSION

This prognostic model may provide evidence to predict survival benefit from secondary cytoreduction in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.

Surface Melting of Particles: Predicting Spherule Size in Vapor-Phase Nanometer Particle Formation

There is still no reliable method to predict the all-important size of the ‘primary’ spherules found in combustion-synthesized particulate products. Toward this end, we introduce surface melting concepts in developing a coagulation-coalescence model for nanoparticles in the low temperature regions of diffusion flames. The associated surface self-diffusivity, which controls the rate of spherule sintering at temperatures well below the equilibrium melting point, is therefore modified to include an important size effect. This formulation is used to calculate the sintering rate of two adjacent particles in a flame coagulation environment corresponding to a condensed phase volume fraction of Ca. 10−1 ppm. Predicted spherule sizes show encouraging agreement with our experimental data for ca. 10 nm diameter Al2O3 particles synthesized on the fuel side of a laminar CH4/O2 diffusion flame seeded with Al(CH3)3 (TMA)[1].

Population-based analysis of multimodality treatment of gastric cancer

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Background: Limited data is available for the role of multimodality management for gastric adenocarcinoma and its outcome in the community.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes for 341 patients (pts) who were diagnosed with gastric cancer in a community-based health-care system, including 9 hospitals, from 2000 to 2009.

Results: 148/341 pts had undergone surgery and were included in the analysis. Median age at diagnosis was 68 year (range: 32-96), 56% were male, 55% were Caucasian and 25% were black. The stage distribution was as follows: 27% (40 pts) localized, 61% (90 pts) locally advanced and 12% (18 pts) with distant metastasis. 98 pts (66%) received surgery alone, 22 pts (15%) received perioperative chemotherapy, and 28 pts (19%) received perioperative chemo-radiation. After a median follow-up time of 5.2 yrs, the median OS for the entire group was 1.9 years, and 88 deaths had occurred at the last follow up. By stage, the median OS was 7 yrs, 2.3 yrs, and 0.3 yrs for localized stage, regional stage, and metastatic disease, respectively. The 5-yr survival was significantly better in pts who received perioperative chemo-radiation (68%), compared to those who received with surgery alone (33%) or perioperative chemotherapy (0%) (p=0.002). The 5-yr survivals by stage and treatment are shown in the table.

Conclusions: Perioperative chemo-radiation was associated with a significantly better OS compared to surgery alone. Trimodality therapy for gastric cancer appears to be underutilized in the community setting described here. The survival advantage of surgery plus chemoradiation compared to surgery plus chemotherapy remains controversial and should be investigated in clinical trials.

[Table: see text]

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Advanced-stage colon cancer prior to the screening age: Association with age, race, and insurance status

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Background: Stage-at-diagnosis is a major determinant of outcome in colon cancer. Population-based screening is currently only recommended after age 50, but the number of colon cancers diagnosed before 50 is increasing. We aimed to identify risk factors associated with advanced-stage disease (stage III or IV) among colon cancers diagnosed before 50.

Methods: Between 2003 and 2007, 248,716 colon adenocarcinomas (25,383 diagnosed before age 50) were reported to the National Cancer Database. Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis were excluded. Among the cases diagnosed before 50, independent predictors for presenting at advanced stages (stage III or IV) were identified using multivariate logistic regression.

Results: 10.2% of all colon cancers occur prior to age 50. Stage III or IV disease accounted for 62.2% of the cases before age 50, and 46.9% of those diagnosed at or after age 50 (p<0.001). Among colon cancers diagnosed before 50, independent risk factors for advanced-stage disease included: very young age groups (age 18-30 and age 30-40 vs. age 40-50), African American race (vs. Caucasian), and having Medicaid, non-Medicare government insurance or no insurance (vs. private insurance), after adjusting for gender, tumor location, geographic region, and treatment facility type (Table).

Conclusions: In the unscreened population of patients before age 50, disparities in age, race, and insurance are associated with the stage at presentation. The risk factors identified help alert the treating clinicians toward patients most vulnerable to delays in their cancer diagnosis.

[Table: see text]

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Cisplatin (C) based chemoradiation (CXRT) for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA) of the anal canal (AC): A 20-year perspective

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Background: The standard of care for locally advanced SCCA of the AC is 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/mitomycin C (MMC) with concurrent XRT. C was evaluated with 5-FU in 2 large phase III studies (RTOG 98-11 and ACT II) to establish superiority over 5-FU/MMC. Neither study showed significant differences for disease-free survival (DFS) or overall survival (OS). RTOG 98-11 reported reduced colostomy-free survival (CFS) in the C-induction arm; no differences were noted in the ACT II study. We present our 20-year experience with C for locally advanced SCCA of the AC which has been adopted as the standard unless contraindicated.

Methods: A retrospective, single institution analysis for locally advanced SCCA of the AC was completed in patients (pts) that received concurrent 5-FU/C/XRT from 1989-2009. Medical records were reviewed for history of STDs, chronic immunosuppression, stage, dose of XRT, toxicity, clinical response (CR), recurrence, and OS. Multidisciplinary management included surgical, radiation, and medical oncologists. OS, DFS, and CFS were calculated using the K-M method. The log-rank test was used to compare OS among these subgroups.

Results: 185 pts were identified (51 M:134 F). The median age was 56 (35-83 y.o.). AJCC stage was I (n = 25); II (n = 76); IIIA (n = 36); and IIIB (n = 48). The median XRT dose was 55 Gy in 30 fractions. 181 pts were evaluable for response; 4 were lost to follow up. Complete CR (cCR) was noted in 169 pts (93%); partial response (n = 12); 6 pts received an APR. After a median follow up of 8.6 years, 14 pts (8%) developed local recurrence; 11 received salvage surgery. 16 pts (9%) developed distant metastases (DM). The 5-yr DFS = 81%, 5-yr OS = 85% and 5-yr CFS was 88%. By univariate analysis, N-stage was a poor prognostic indicator for 5-yr DFS (p = 0.02) and DM (p = 0.046) but not OS or CFS. Increased T-stage correlated with salvage surgery (p = 0.005).

Conclusions: Cisplatin-based chemoradiation for locally advanced SCCA of the anal canal resulted in favorable DFS, OS, and CFS compared to historical data and phase III studies. Platinum-based therapy for anal cancer appears to be an acceptable alternative to MMC and should be considered as a standard option for locally advanced disease.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Wnt/beta-catenin is involved in the proliferation of hippocampal neural stem cells induced by hypoxia

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Beta-catenin, as a major effector molecule in the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, could regulate adult neurogenesis. Here, the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the proliferation of hippocampal neural stem cells (NSCs) induced by hypoxia was investigated.

METHODS

The hippocampal NSCs of neonatal green fluorescent protein transgenic mice on day 0 were cultured in hypoxia (5% O(2)) and traditional O(2) (20% O(2)). The expression of β-catenin, p-GSK-3β, and cyclinD1 in NSCs was measured under hypoxia or traditional O(2) by western blotting. NSCs were electroporated with pTOPFLASH reporter in different conditions and the LEF/TCF-dependent luciferase activity was assayed.

RESULTS

Hypoxia increased the proliferation and reduced the apoptosis of hippocampal NSCs. NSCs proliferation was inhibited by transfecting with pAxin, whereas promoted by transfecting with pβ-catenin.

CONCLUSION

Hypoxia could enhance the proliferation of hippocampal NSCs and β-catenin contributed to this action.

Evaluations of boar gonad development, spermatogenesis with regard to semen characteristics, libido and serum testosterone levels based on large White Duroc x Chinese Erhualian crossbred boars

Chinese Erhualian pigs are known for prolificacy with distinct reproductive traits compared with Western commercial breeds. In this study, a four-generation intercross resource population was constructed using White Duroc boars and Chinese Erhualian sows as founder animals, and a total of 14 male reproductive traits were recorded in 411 F2/F3 boars including the testis and epididymis weights, the seminiferous tubular diameter and spermatogenesis at 60, 90 and 300 days of age, semen characteristics, serum testosterone concentration and libido level at 300 days of age. The White Duroc-Erhualian boars showed remarkable segregations in the traits measured except for the seminiferous tubular diameter and had high ratio (13.9%) of the abnormality of spermatogenesis, providing a good experimental population for detecting quantitative trait loci affecting these male reproductive traits. Furthermore, the correlations among nine male reproductive traits at 300 days of age indicated that the testis weight and the body weight were strongly correlated with the sperm production, supporting the two traits as important parameters for boar selection to increase sperm production and ultimately improve boar fertility. The libido level in the White Duroc-Erhualian boars that was evaluated by a new and easily recorded scoring system showed a significant correlation with serum testosterone concentration. Yet, both libido and serum testosterone concentration were not correlated with the sperm production. Results of this study provided new information on the male reproductive physiology and genetics in Chinese Erhualian and White Duroc boars.