Mitochondrial apoptotic pathways: a mechanism for low androgen-induced vascular endothelial injury in male rats

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of mitochondrial apoptotic pathways in vascular endothelial injury in male rats with low androgen. 8 week-old adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=6/each group): control group, castrated group (low androgen), and replacement group (given androgen after castration). After 10 weeks, endothelial structure was observed by general light microscope and transmission electron microscope (TEM) respectively. Isolated mitochondria and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were detected by fluorescence to access mitochondrial function. Chromatin degradation was measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining method. The mRNA and protein of bcl-2, cytochrome C (Cyt C), caspase-9, and caspase-3 were analyzed for apoptosis. Cell shrinkage and condensed chromatin, less mitochondria and a fall in MMP levels were observed in the castrated group, along with more apoptotic endothelial cells. Bcl-2 level was reduced and the expression of caspase-9, caspase-3 and Cyt C were elevated in the castrated group (p<0.05). But there was no significant difference between the replacement group and the control group (p>0.05). It was concluded that low androgen caused vascular endothelial damage. It may be, at least in part, related with the activating mitochondrial apoptotic pathways.

Inhibin A, activin A, placental growth factor and uterine artery Doppler pulsatility index in the prediction of pre-eclampsia

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether the measurement of maternal serum inhibin A, activin A and placental growth factor (PlGF) at 12 + 0 to 16 + 0 weeks of gestation alone or in combination with second-trimester uterine artery Doppler pulsatility index (PI) is useful in predicting pre-eclampsia.

METHODS

This was a case-control study of pre-eclampsia. From pregnant women attending their first antenatal examination at 12-16 weeks we collected serum samples and stored them at - 80 °C. All patients also underwent uterine artery Doppler examination to measure the PI at 22-24 weeks' gestation. We retrieved for analysis frozen samples from women who then developed pre-eclampsia, as well as three control samples per woman, matched for gestational age and storage time. Inhibin A, activin A and PlGF were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) by an examiner who was blinded to the pregnancy outcome.

RESULTS

There were 31 cases with pre-eclampsia and 93 controls. Second-trimester uterine artery PI and marker levels were expressed as multiples of the median (MoM). The uterine artery PI was increased in pregnancies with pre-eclampsia compared with controls (mean ± SD, 1.45 ± 0.31 MoM vs. 1.02 ± 0.25 MoM, P < 0.001), as were the level of inhibin A (mean ± SD, 1.57 ± 0.34 MoM vs. 1.08 ± 0.43 MoM, P < 0.001) and the level of activin A (mean ± SD, 1.68 ± 0.38 MoM vs. 1.06 ± 0.42 MoM, P < 0.001). The level of PlGF was decreased in pre-eclampsia compared with controls (mean ± SD, 0.69 ± 0.23 MoM vs. 1.00 ± 0.26 MoM, P < 0.001). Receiver-operating characteristics curves were analyzed for controls and cases and areas under the curve (AUC) were 0.796 (95% CI, 0.712-0.880, P < 0.001) for inhibin A, 0.823 (95% CI, 0.746-0.899, P < 0.001) for activin A, 0.831 (95% CI, 0.752-0.910, P < 0.001) for PlGF and 0.851 (95% CI, 0.783-0.920, P < 0.001) for uterine artery PI. The combination of activin A, inhibin A and PI using logistic regression analysis yielded an AUC of 0.907 (95% CI, 0.830-0.938, P < 0.001) with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 80%. The combination of activin A, PlGF and PI gave an AUC of 0.925 (95% CI, 0.852-0.978, P < 0.001) with a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 80%. Combining all four markers gave an AUC of 0.941 (95% CI, 0.891-0.990, P < 0.001) with a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 80%.

CONCLUSION

Early second-trimester serum inhibin A, activin A, PlGF and second-trimester uterine artery Doppler PI may add further information for the prediction of pre-eclampsia. The combination of the three serum markers and uterine artery Doppler PI has the highest prediction value for pre-eclampsia.

Search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H→WW→lνq'q decay channel

We present a search for the standard model Higgs boson (H) in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96  TeV in events containing a charged lepton (ℓ), missing transverse energy, and at least two jets, using 5.4  fb(-1) of integrated luminosity recorded with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. This analysis is sensitive primarily to Higgs bosons produced through the fusion of two gluons or two electroweak bosons, with subsequent decay H→WW→ℓνq'q, where ℓ is an electron or muon. The search is also sensitive to contributions from other production channels, such as WH→ℓνbb. In the absence of a signal, we set limits at the 95% C.L. on the cross section for H production σ(pp→H+X) in these final states. For a mass of M(H)=160  GeV, the limit is a factor of 3.9 larger than the cross section in the standard model and consistent with an a priori expected sensitivity of 5.0.

Single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy performed above the pubic symphysis - a new scarless approach

The three-port method is commonly used for laparoscopic appendectomy. To obtain a better cosmetic result, we have selected the single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy to be performed above the pubic symphysis. We performed six single-incision laparoscopic appendectomies above the pubic symphysis. During each operation, a 2 cm transverse incision was made in the pubic hair area 3-4 cm above the pubic symphysis. A 5 mm trocar was then placed as an observation port with another two 5 mm trocars as main- and side-operating ports. The laparoscopic appendectomy was performed using this single-incision method. Six patients (five male and one female; body mass indexes of 18.07, 19.27, 21.67, 18.34, 26.83 and 22.46 kg/m(2), respectively) underwent successful single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy above the pubic symphysis. Operating times were recorded at 55, 58, 47, 51, 42 and 33 minutes, the corresponding post-operative anal ventilation times were 25, 24, 22, 18, 7 and 10 hours, while post-operative hospitalization periods stand at 3, 5, 2, 1, 3 and 2 days, respectively. No complications occurred during or post-operation. Our initial work shows that a single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy performed above the pubic symphysis is feasible and safe and yields excellent post-operative cosmetic results.

Impact of optimal lipid value achievement between 2005 and 2009 in patients with mixed dyslipidaemia on cardiovascular event rates

BACKGROUND

The burden of cardiovascular (CV) disease remains high despite substantial improvements in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal achievement rates.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Two cohorts of mixed dyslipidaemia patients were identified from the HealthCore Integrated Research Database. Patients with no baseline lipids [LDL-C, triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)] at optimal values (n=27,094) and patients at LDL-C goal but with at least one other lipid not at optimal value at baseline (n=83,067) were followed for approximately 2 years. The primary outcome was the association between achievement of optimal lipid values (OLV) and occurrence of ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease or peripheral arterial disease. Achievement of OLV during follow up occurred in 6.8% of patients with no baseline lipids at optimal values and in 17.9% of patients at LDL-C goal with at least one other lipid not at optimal value at baseline. After adjustment, significant reductions in CV events were associated with achievement of OLV across the entire lipid panel in patients who had no optimal baseline lipid values (hazard ratio, 0.407; 95% confidence interval, 0.303-0.546) or when patients were at LDL-C goals at baseline (hazard ratio, 0.764; 95% confidence interval, 0.703-0.831).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, challenges to effective treatment of mixed dyslipidaemia remain, as evidenced by a minority of patients achieving optimal lipid levels. There appears to be an association with incremental lowering of CV event rates beyond LDL-C goal attainment when compared with achieving OLV across the entire lipid panel for LDL-C, TG and HDL-C.

Precise study of the Z/γ* boson transverse momentum distribution in pp collisions using a novel technique

Using 7.3 fb⁻¹ of pp collisions collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron, we measure the distribution of the variable φ(η)*, which probes the same physical effects as the Z/γ* boson transverse momentum, but is less susceptible to the effects of experimental resolution and efficiency. A QCD prediction is found to describe the general features of the φ(η)* distribution, but is unable to describe its detailed shape or dependence on boson rapidity. A prediction that includes a broadening of transverse momentum for small values of the parton momentum fraction is strongly disfavored.

Evaluation of Thin Dielectric-Glue Wafer-Bonding for Three Dimensional Integrated Circuit-Applications

The critical adhesion energy of benzocyclobutene (BCB)-bonded wafers is quantitatively investigated with focus on BCB thickness, material stack and thermal cycling. The critical adhesion energy depends linearly on BCB thickness, increasing from 19 J/m2 to 31 J/m2 as the BCB thickness increases from 0.4 μm to 2.6 μm, when bonding silicon wafers coated with plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) silicon dioxide (SiO2). In thermal cycling performed with 350 and 400 oC peak temperatures, the significant increase in critical adhesion energy at the interface between BCB and PECVD SiO2 during the first thermal cycle is attributed to relaxation of residual stress in the PECVD SiO2 layer. On the other hand, the critical adhesion energy at the interface between BCB and PECVD silicon nitride (SiNx) decreases due to the increase of residual stress in the PECVD SiNx layer during the first thermal cycle.

MicroRNA dysregulation in colorectal cancer: a clinical perspective

Recent researches have shed light on the biological importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) genesis, progression and response to treatments. The potential utility of miRNAs in the preclinical stage have been explored and investigated. In this review, we explored the literature and reviewed the cutting edge progress in the discovery of noninvasive plasma and faecal miRNAs for CRC early diagnosis, as well as their measurability and predictability. We also discussed the utility of miRNAs as novel prognostic and predictive markers, and their association with CRC clinical phenotypes including recurrence, metastasis and therapeutic outcomes. Finally, we summarised miRNA-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms and their potential influence on sporadic CRC susceptibility and therapeutic response. In conclusion, the use of miRNAs as biomarker for CRC is still in its infancy and need further characterisation and evaluation.

Cigarette smoke induces oxidative stress and apoptosis in normal term fetal membranes

Cigarette smoking and bacterial infections are two major risk factors associated with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (pPROM). We hypothesized that exposure of fetal membranes to cigarette smoke extracts might induce oxidative stress (OS) and fetal membrane apoptosis, culminating in an alternate pathway to that commonly activated by infection. To test this, we characterized the production of prostanoids and biomarkers of apoptosis in normal term human fetal membrane explant cultures. Fetal membrane explants collected at term (from cesarean deliveries, not in labor) were stimulated with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) for 24 h. Two classes of prostanoids, F2-Isoprostane (F2-IsoP), a marker of OS and PGF2α, a classical uterotonin, were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Western blot analyses of tissue lysates were performed to quantify the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl2 and actin (as a control). Fetal membrane apoptosis was detected by immunohistochemistry for active caspase 3 and confirmed by TUNEL staining for nuclear fragmentation. CSE exposure resulted in significantly more F2-IsoP production from fetal membranes (242.8 ± 79.3 pg/ml/mg of total membrane protein) compared to unstimulated controls (131.5 ± 53.1 pg/ml/mg; p < 0.0001). By contrast, PGF2α was not different in CSE vs. controls (1083 ± 527 vs. 1136 ± 835 pg/ml/mg of protein; p = 0.80). CSE-exposed tissues demonstrated a dose-dependent decrease in Bcl2 expression and increases in active caspase 3 and nuclear fragmentation in both amnion and chorion cells compared to controls. In summary, fetal membranes exposed to CSE manifest evidence of OS and apoptosis. The differential pattern of prostanoid production observed in this study supports the hypothesis that an alternate non-inflammatory pathway mediated by OS and apoptosis in pPROM may promote proteolysis resulting in membrane weakening and rupture.