Identification and characterization of a phospholipid scramblase encoded by planarian Dugesia japonica.

Phospholipid scramblases (PLSCRs) are the conserved calcium-binding, type II transmembrane proteins synthesized in all eukaryotic organisms. In mammals, these proteins play essential roles in various physiological processes, especially in the immune responses. However, the existence of PLSCRs and their biological functions in planarian are still unknown at present.

Melatonin-loaded silica coated with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate for enhanced oral bioavailability: Preparation, and in vitro-in vivo evaluation.

Melatonin (MLT) is a small molecule with low water solubility and high permeability. According to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System, MLT is a class II drug exhibiting a very short half-life and minimal and variable bioavailability. This work aimed to establish a delivery system composed of an enteric MLT nanosphere with favorably controlled and sustained release characteristics superior to those of raw MLT.

Potential of 13 linked autosomal short tandem repeat loci in pairwise kinship analysis.

In this study, a panel of 13 STR loci locate on chromosome 3, 4, and 17 (D3S2402, D3S2452, D3S1766, D3S4554, D3S2388, D3S3051, D3S3053, D4S2404, D4S2364, AC001348A, AC001348B, D17S975, and D17S1294) were assessed for pairwise kinship analysis. Map distances between these STR loci ranged from 0.07 cM to 97.

The role of a novel C-type lectin-like protein from planarian in innate immunity and regeneration.

Planarian, a representative of platyhelminthes, has strong regeneration ability and less complicated innate immune system. However, planarian immune system remains poorly understood. In this paper, a novel C-type lectin-like protein, namely, DjCTL was identified and characterized in Dugesia japonica.

Population differentiation and genetic diversity of Trichophyton rubrum as revealed by highly discriminatory microsatellites.

Little is known regarding the population information of Trichophyton rubrum due to a lack of strains with clear sampling information and molecular markers with high discriminatory power. In the present study, we developed a set of microsatellite markers that have a cumulative discriminatory power was 0.993.

LTβR controls thymic portal endothelial cells for haematopoietic progenitor cell homing and T-cell regeneration.

Continuous thymic homing of haematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) via the blood is critical for normal T-cell development. However, the nature and the differentiation programme of specialized thymic endothelial cells (ECs) controlling this process remain poorly understood. Here using conditional gene-deficient mice, we find that lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTβR) directly controls thymic ECs to guide HPC homing.

Polymorphisms in Inflammatory Mediator Genes and Risk of Preeclampsia in Taiyuan, China.

Excessive maternal inflammatory response is involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Few epidemiologic studies have investigated the associations between genetic variations in the inflammatory mediator genes and preeclampsia risk, and these studies have reached inconsistent results. We examined 31 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in IL-1A, IL-1B, IL-1R1, IL-2RA, IL-5RA, IL-6, IL-6R, TNFSF11, TNFRSF11A, IL-28RA, IRAK4, and KIT genes and the risk of preeclampsia and its clinical subtypes in a nested case-control study including 203 preeclampsia cases and 233 controls.

Impairment of Immune Response against Dematiaceous Fungi in Card9 Knockout Mice.

Dematiaceous fungi are a large group of pathogens that can cause a wide range of diseases in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts. Based on our previous finding of caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 9 (CARD9) mutations in patients with subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Phialophora verrucosa (P. verrucosa), we further investigated the exact role of CARD9 in the pathogenesis of phaeohyphomycosis using Card9 knockout (Card9 KO) mice.

Polymorphisms in complement genes and risk of preeclampsia in Taiyuan, China.

Background And Objectives: Altered immune response may be a part of the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. The few epidemiologic studies that have investigated the associations between genetic variations in the complement system genes and preeclampsia risk have reached inconsistent results. The aim of this study is to determine if polymorphisms in the complement system genes could influence the risk of preeclampsia.

Sensors: A Highly Sensitive Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Ambipolar Transistor for Selective Detection and Discrimination of Xylene Isomers (Adv. Mater. 21/2016).

An ambipolar organic field-effect transistor (OFET) based on poly(diketopyrrolopyrrole-terthiophene) (PDPPHD-T3) is shown by P. Sonar, H. Haick, and co-workers on page 4012 to sensitively detect xylene isomers at low to 40 ppm level in multiple sensing features.

Development of the 19 X-STR loci multiplex system and genetic analysis of a Zhejiang Han population in China.

The 19 X-STRs multiplex system is a PCR-based amplification kit that facilitates simultaneous amplification of 19 X-chromosomal STR loci (i.e. DXS7423, DXS10148, DXS10159, DXS6809, DXS7424, DXS8378, DXS10164, DXS10162, DXS7132, DXS10079, DXS6789, DXS101, DXS10103,DXS10101, HPTRB, DXS10075, DXS10074, DXS10135, and DXS10134).

Automatic Liver Segmentation on Volumetric CT Images Using Supervoxel-Based Graph Cuts.

Accurate segmentation of liver from abdominal CT scans is critical for computer-assisted diagnosis and therapy. Despite many years of research, automatic liver segmentation remains a challenging task. In this paper, a novel method was proposed for automatic delineation of liver on CT volume images using supervoxel-based graph cuts.

[Analysis of clinical therapeutic effect using percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy in the treatment of acute deep venous thrombosis].

Objective: To evaluate the use of percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy in the treatment of acute deep venous thrombosis.

Methods: Eight cases of acute deep venous thrombosis were reviewed who had received percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy from January to July, 2015 in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital. All cases were diagnosed as iliofemoral venous thrombosis, 2 cases with vena cava thrombosis.

[PRELIMINARY APPLICATION OF VIRTUAL PREOPERATIVE RECONSTRUCTION PLANNING IN Pilon FRACTURES].

Objective: To investigate the application value of three-dimensional reconstruction and virtual preoperative planning for Pilon fractures.

Methods: Between July 2010 and June 2014, 16 patients with closed Pilon fracture were treated, including 12 males and 4 females with an average age of 36.5 years (range, 22-53 years) and a mean disease duration of 10.

A Highly Sensitive Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Ambipolar Transistor for Selective Detection and Discrimination of Xylene Isomers.

An ambipolar poly(diketopyrrolopyrrole-terthiophene)-based field-effect transistor (FET) sensitively detects xylene isomers at low ppm levels with multiple sensing features. Combined with pattern-recognition algorithms, a sole ambipolar FET sensor, rather than arrays of sensors, can discriminate highly similar xylene structural isomers from one another.

Let-7c miRNA Inhibits the Proliferation and Migration of Heat-Denatured Dermal Fibroblasts Through Down-Regulating HSP70.

Wound healing is a complex physiological process necessitating the coordinated action of various cell types, signals and microRNAs (miRNAs). However, little is known regarding the role of miRNAs in mediating this process. In the present study, we show that let-7c miRNA is decreased in heat-denatured fibroblasts and that inhibiting let-7c expression leads to the increased proliferation and migration of dermal fibroblasts, whereas the overexpression of let-7c exerts an opposite effect.

A function-blocking CD47 antibody suppresses stem cell and EGF signaling in triple-negative breast cancer.

CD47 is a signaling receptor for thrombospondin-1 and the counter-receptor for signal-regulatory protein-α (SIRPα). By inducing inhibitory SIRPα signaling, elevated CD47 expression by some cancers prevents macrophage phagocytosis. The anti-human CD47 antibody B6H12 inhibits tumor growth in several xenograft models, presumably by preventing SIRPα engagement.

[Development of a Forensic Multiplex Amplification STR Kit for 15 Autosomal STR Loci and 10 Y-STR Loci].

Objective: To establish a multiplex STR genotyping method for autosomal STR and Y-STR loci in forensic biological practice.

Methods: Widely used autosomal STR loci and Y-STR loci were selected. A set of PCR primers was designed, and a 5-dye fluorescent labeled STR multiplex PCR reagent kit was developed.

Wind-blown Sand Electrification Inspired Triboelectric Energy Harvesting Based on Homogeneous Inorganic Materials Contact: A Theoretical Study and Prediction.

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) based on contact electrification between heterogeneous materials has been widely studied. Inspired from wind-blown sand electrification, we design a novel kind of TENG based on size dependent electrification using homogeneous inorganic materials. Based on the asymmetric contact theory between homogeneous material surfaces, a calculation of surface charge density has been carried out.

[Effectiveness analysis of carotid endarterectomy in diabetic patients suffering from carotid stenosis].

Objective: To evaluate the perioperative complications and effectiveness of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: A total of 148 patients with carotid stenosis undergone CEA from December 2010 to December 2013 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The patients were distributed into DM group (n=83) and the control group (n=65) according to the comorbidities.

Awakening from anesthesia using propofol or sevoflurane with epidural block in radical surgery for senile gastric cancer.

Objective: To study the awakening of the elderly patients from propofol intravenous general anesthesia or sevoflurane inhalation general anesthesia combined with epidural block after radical gastric cancer surgery.

Method: Eighty cases receiving selective radical surgery for gastric cancer were included. They were aged 65-78 years and classified as ASA grade I-II.

Pancreas-specific activation of mTOR and loss of p53 induce tumors reminiscent of acinar cell carcinoma.

Background: Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) is a rare tumor entity with an unfavorable prognosis. Recent whole-exome sequencing identified p53 mutations in a subset of human ACC. Activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is associated with various pancreatic neoplasms.

[Relationship between pre-pregnant body mass index, maternal weight gain and small for gestational age].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index, weight gain during pregnancy and small for gestational age (SGA) birth so as to provide evidence for the development of comprehensive prevention programs on SGA birth.

Methods: Between March, 2012 and July, 2014, 4 754 pregnant women were asked to fill in the questionnaires which were collected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Medical University. Data related to general demographic characteristics, pregnancy and health status of those pregnant women was collected and maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and maternal weight gain were calculated.