Development of streptavidin-based nanocomplex for siRNA delivery.

In our previous study, we have identified a PCBP2 siRNA that exhibits antifibrotic activity in rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by inhibition of αCP2, a protein responsible for stabilization of the collagen α1 (I) mRNA in alcoholic liver fibrosis. This study aims to develop a streptavidin-based nanocomplex that can efficiently deliver the PCBP2 siRNA to HSCs. Biotin-siRNA and biotin-cholesterol were mixed with streptavidin to form the streptavidin-biotin complex, which was further condensed electrostatically with positively charged protamine to form the final multicomponent siRNA nanocomplex in the size range of 150-250 nm.

A novel rapamycin-polymer conjugate based on a new poly(ethylene glycol) multiblock copolymer.

Purpose: Rapamycin has demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity in preclinical and clinical studies. However, the clinical development of its formulations was hampered due to its poor solubility and undesirable distribution in vivo. Chemical modification of rapamycin presents an opportunity for overcoming the obstacles and improving its therapeutic index.

Reduced Wall Acetylation proteins play vital and distinct roles in cell wall O-acetylation in Arabidopsis.

The Reduced Wall Acetylation (RWA) proteins are involved in cell wall acetylation in plants. Previously, we described a single mutant, rwa2, which has about 20% lower level of O-acetylation in leaf cell walls and no obvious growth or developmental phenotype. In this study, we generated double, triple, and quadruple loss-of-function mutants of all four members of the RWA family in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana).

Development of cholesteryl peptide micelles for siRNA delivery.

Despite the rapid progress in the siRNA field, developing a safe and efficient delivery system of siRNA remains to be an obstacle in the therapeutical application of siRNA. The purpose of this study is to develop an efficient peptide-based siRNA delivery system for cancer therapy. To this end, cholesterol was conjugated to a series of peptides composed of lysine and histidine residues.

Simulating greenhouse gas mitigation potentials for Chinese Croplands using the DAYCENT ecosystem model.

Understanding the potential for greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation in agricultural lands is a critical challenge for climate change policy. This study uses the DAYCENT ecosystem model to predict GHG mitigation potentials associated with soil management in Chinese cropland systems. Application of ecosystem models, such as DAYCENT, requires the evaluation of model performance with data sets from experiments relevant to the climate and management of the study region.

The identification of two arabinosyltransferases from tomato reveals functional equivalency of xyloglucan side chain substituents.

Xyloglucan (XyG) is the dominant hemicellulose present in the primary cell walls of dicotyledonous plants. Unlike Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) XyG, which contains galactosyl and fucosyl substituents, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) XyG contains arabinofuranosyl residues. To investigate the biological function of these differing substituents, we used a functional complementation approach.

Classification of Streptomyces phylogroup pratensis (Doroghazi and Buckley, 2010) based on genetic and phenotypic evidence, and proposal of Streptomyces pratensis sp. nov.

The Streptomyces phylogroup pratensis (Doroghazi and Buckley, 2010) contains isolates obtained from grassy fields, as well as Streptomyces flavogriseus ATCC 33331 and strain CGMCC 4.1868. This latter strain was received as Streptomyces griseoplanus but was subsequently found to be mislabeled, and S.

Middle-preserving pancreatectomy: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Background: Middle-preserving pancreatectomy (MPP) is a parenchyma-sparing surgical procedure which has recently been sporadically reported for the treatment of multicentric periampullary-pancreatic lesions. However, a comprehensive recognition of this procedure has not been clearly elucidated.

Case Presentation: We herein report two patients undergoing MPP due to synchronous multicentric pancreatic neoplasm.

Synchronous portal-superior mesenteric vein or adjacent organ resection for solid pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas: a single-institution experience.

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas (SPN) have been reported increasingly; however, series focusing on portal-superior mesenteric vein (PV/SMV) or adjacent organ resection are limited in the literature. The aim of this study was to present our experience in treating patients with SPN who underwent this extensive resection. Ten eligible patients were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.

Mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium reduces liver injury and enhances regeneration in reduced-size rat liver transplantation.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy can prevent parenchymal cell loss and promotes tissue repair through the action of trophic, secreted molecules. In this study, we investigated whether MSC-conditioned medium (MSC-CM) could protect hepatocytes and sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs) and stimulate their regeneration in 50% reduced-size liver transplantation (RSLT).

Materials And Methods: Rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham-operated group, MSC-CM group (rats with 50% RSLT receiving MSC-CM infusion), and medium group (rats with 50% RSLT receiving medium therapy).

Adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas: multidetector-row computed tomographic manifestations and tumor characteristics.

Objective: The purpose of this article was to present the adenosquamous carcinoma (ASqC) of the pancreas: multidetector-row computed tomographic (CT) features and tumor characteristics.

Materials And Methods: The clinical data and CT studies of 12 patients with pathologically proven ASqC of the pancreas between the dates February 2001 and February 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: The presenting symptoms of ASqC of the pancreas were nonspecific.

Initial experiences in robot-assisted middle pancreatectomy.

Objectives: Initial results in robot-assisted middle pancreatectomy (MP) have been encouraging. However, data comparing outcomes of robot-assisted MP with those of open MP are limited. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes in patients undergoing open and robot-assisted MP, respectively.

Solution-state 2D NMR spectroscopy of plant cell walls enabled by a dimethylsulfoxide-d6/1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate solvent.

Lignocellulosic biomass is composed of the polysaccharides cellulose and hemicellulose and the polyphenol lignin. Many current methods for analyzing the structure of lignocelluloses involve a sequential extraction of the material and subsequent analysis of the resulting fractions, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. The work presented here assesses the dissolution of whole lignocellulosic material, focusing on biomass derived from the perennial bioenergy grass Miscanthus.

Aqueous-ammonia delignification of miscanthus followed by enzymatic hydrolysis to sugars.

This work concerns the effect of aqueous ammonia pretreatment at four temperatures and at 10, 20 or 30 wt.% ammonia. After 1h, more than 65% delignification is achieved at 150 or 180 °C for high and for low concentrations of ammonia.

XAX1 from glycosyltransferase family 61 mediates xylosyltransfer to rice xylan.

Xylan is the second most abundant polysaccharide on Earth and represents an immense quantity of stored energy for biofuel production. Despite its importance, most of the enzymes that synthesize xylan have yet to be identified. Xylans have a backbone of β-1,4-linked xylose residues with substitutions that include α-(1→2)-linked glucuronosyl, 4-O-methyl glucuronosyl, and α-1,2- and α-1,3-arabinofuranosyl residues.

Expression profile and functional activity of peptide transporters in prostate cancer cells.

Peptide transporters are expressed predominantly in intestinal and renal epithelial cells. The functional expression of peptide transporters is also identified in other types of tissues, such as glia cells, macrophages, and the epithelia of the bile duct, the lungs, and the mammary glands. However, their presence and role are poorly understood in carcinomas.

Modification in the technique of ear framework fabrication for congenital microtia.

Background: Ear framework fabrication with autologous costal cartilage is considered to be one of the important factors for successful auricular reconstruction. Congenital microtia in adults has many particular physiological characteristics different from that in children. The authors report an effective ear framework-fabricating technique in congenital microtia in adults.

Crystalline metallic Au nanoparticle-loaded α-Bi2O3 microrods for improved photocatalysis.

Crystalline metallic Au nanoparticles were loaded on α-Bi(2)O(3) microrods (Au/α-Bi(2)O(3)) using an Au deposition-precipitation method. The prepared samples were characterized by scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Upon visible light irradiation, the Au/α-Bi(2)O(3) exhibits much higher photocatalytic activities than the pure α-Bi(2)O(3) for the degradation of Rhodamine B and 2,4-dichlorophenol in aqueous solution.

Highly active platinum nanoparticles on graphene nanosheets with a significant improvement in stability and CO tolerance.

Graphene nanosheets (GNS) supporting Pt nanoparticles (PNs) are prepared using perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) as a functionalization and anchoring agent. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) results indicate that the prepared Pt NPs are uniformly deposited on GNS with a narrow particle size ranging from 1 to 4 nm in diameter. A high catalytic activity of this novel catalyst is observed by both cyclic voltammetry and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) measurements due to the increasing of proton (H(+)) transmission channels.

O-acetylation of Arabidopsis hemicellulose xyloglucan requires AXY4 or AXY4L, proteins with a TBL and DUF231 domain.

In an Arabidopsis thaliana forward genetic screen aimed at identifying mutants with altered structures of their hemicellulose xyloglucan (axy mutants) using oligosaccharide mass profiling, two nonallelic mutants (axy4-1 and axy4-2) that have a 20 to 35% reduction in xyloglucan O-acetylation were identified. Mapping of the mutation in axy4-1 identified AXY4, a type II transmembrane protein with a Trichome Birefringence-Like domain and a domain of unknown function (DUF231). Loss of AXY4 transcript results in a complete lack of O-acetyl substituents on xyloglucan in several tissues, except seeds.

PCBP2 siRNA reverses the alcohol-induced pro-fibrogenic effects in hepatic stellate cells.

Purpose: Type I collagen accumulates during liver fibrosis primarily because α-complex protein-2 (αCP(2)), encoded by the poly(rC) binding protein 2 (PCBP2) gene, binds to the 3' end of the collagen mRNA and increases its half-life. This study aimed to reverse the pro-fibrogenic effect of alcohol on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by silencing the PCBP2 gene with siRNA.

Methods: The silencing effects of a series of predesigned PCBP2 siRNAs were evaluated in the rat hepatic stellate cell line, HSC-T6.

Identification of a LNCaP-specific binding peptide using phage display.

Purpose: To identify a LNCaP-specific peptide using a phage display library and evaluate its potential applications in targeted drug delivery.

Methods: Binding abilities of selected phages were evaluated by cell phage ELISA. The KYL peptide encoded by the most specific phage clone was synthesized, labeled with fluorescein, and assayed in various cell lines.

Deep sequencing of voodoo lily (Amorphophallus konjac): an approach to identify relevant genes involved in the synthesis of the hemicellulose glucomannan.

A Roche 454 cDNA deep sequencing experiment was performed on a developing corm of Amorphophallus konjac--also known as voodoo lily. The dominant storage polymer in the corm of this plant is the polysaccharide glucomannan, a hemicellulose known to exist in the cell walls of higher plants and a major component of plant biomass derived from softwoods. A total of 246 mega base pairs of sequence data was obtained from which 4,513 distinct contigs were assembled.