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Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2018 Dec 16:e13239. Epub 2018 Dec 16.

Heart Center Bonn, Medical Department II, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 2553127, Bonn, Germany.

In the present issue of Acta physiologica, Zhao et al. publish an article, in which they investigate how the extracellular matrix protein CCN1 regulates cholesterol efflux from macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques and biliary excretion of cholesterol in the liver.1 The development of atherosclerotic plaques is a primarily inflammatory process, which is triggered by well-established risk factors including arterial hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and smoking. Read More

Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2018 Dec 16:e13241. Epub 2018 Dec 16.

Department of Biology, Animal Physiology, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstr. 5, 91058, Erlangen, Germany.

Aim: A key feature of the mammalian retina is the segregation of visual information in parallel pathways, starting at the photoreceptor terminals. Cone photoreceptors establish synaptic contacts with On bipolar and horizontal cells at invaginating, ribbon-containing synaptic sites, whereas Off bipolar cells form flat, non-ribbon-containing contacts. The cytomatrix protein Bassoon anchors ribbons at the active zone, and its absence induces detachment of ribbons from the active zone. Read More

Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2018 Dec 16:e13240. Epub 2018 Dec 16.

Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Sweden.

In this issue of Acta Physiologica, a study from the laboratory of Peter Larsson shows that the distance between the carboxyl group and the first double bond of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is critical for the affinity of the PUFA molecule to a voltage-gated potassium channel found in the heart . A shorter distance increases the affinity, and the bound PUFA alters the channel's voltage dependence and thereby opens the channel. The efficacy, that is the channel-opening effect of a bound PUFA molecule, partly depends on the distance between the last double bond and the end of the hydrophobic tail. Read More

Mikrochim Acta 2018 Dec 15;186(1):21. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, People's Republic of China.

The authors describe a simplified chemical precipitation method and silver mirror reaction to synthesize a nanocomposite consiting of silver nanoparticles on a thin and porous nickel oxide film. Placed on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), it allows for the determination of levofloxacin (LEV) via square wave voltammetry (SWV). Under optimal detection conditions, the voltammetric signal (typically measured at around 0. Read More

Acta Neurol Belg 2018 Dec 15. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

Department of Molecular biology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, Medical Faculty, Trakia University, Armeiska 11 str, 6000, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.

IL-12-family cytokines play a pivotal role in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The aim of the study was to evaluate whether two polymorphisms in IL12B gene, rs17860508 and rs3212227, are associated with RRMS, and to define their function effect on serum level of IL-12p40 and IL-23 and degree of disability in RRMS cases. In total 156 Bulgarian patients with Expanded Disability Status Scale score ranging from 1. Read More

Acta Neurol Belg 2018 Dec 15. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

Human Molecular Cytogenetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641 046, India.

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder and the cause of autism is still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of socioeconomic, environmental, pregnancy and newborn-related risk factors among children with autism spectrum disorders. This was a population-based case-control study. Read More

Mikrochim Acta 2018 Dec 15;186(1):22. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics (Theranostics), School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.

A star-shaped molecularly imprinted coating was prepared starting from octavinyl-modified polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (Ov-POSS). It possesses a relatively open structure and has good site accessibility and a larger capacity even at lower cross-linking. The imprinted coating was prepared from S-amlodipine (S-AML) as the template and analyte, Ov-POSS as the cross-linker, and methacrylic acid as the functional monomer. Read More

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc 2018 Dec 4;211:246-253. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Department of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur University, Assam 784028, India. Electronic address:

In this report, 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoline (hereafter 2a) was synthesized and employed as an optical chemosensor for fluoride. The sensitivity of 2a towards fluoride was established from the change in both the absorption and emission signals. The various in-situH NMR, UV-Vis, and density functional studies indicate that the 1:2 binding interaction between 2a and fluoride followed by deprotonation to its corresponding di-anion (2a), which in turn boosted the donor-acceptor interaction between indole and quinoline moiety in 2avia expansion of torsion angle by 10. Read More

Acta Trop 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Indian Institute of Public Administration, Delhi, India.

Climate change is considered as a distal determinant of public health which is increasing in importance. India, as an example, has a national action plan for climate change and human health. Sub-national (State) plans for climate change also exist, taking into account the health sector. Read More

Acta Trop 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.

Identification of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) biting midges to species has become important due to their potential role in the transmission of arboviruses such as bluetongue virus, bovine ephemeral fever virus, Akabane virus, African horse sickness virus, epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus and Schmallenberg virus. In several studies, molecular tools, used for the identification of biting midges, revealed the presence of cryptic and undescribed species especially within Pulicaris complex. The presence of cryptic species within species complexes raise questions about their role in viral disease transmission as there are apparent differences in the vectorial capacity between closely related species. Read More

Acta Trop 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Tropical Pathology and Public Health Institute, Federal University of Goias, Goiás, Rua 235, s/n, Setor Leste Universitário, CEP: 74605-050, Brazil. Electronic address:

Neurocysticercosis is the most frequent helminthiasis of the central nervous system and is caused by the presence of Taenia solium cysticerci. Nitazoxanide (NTZ) is an antifolate containing the pyrrolopyrimidine-based nucleus that exerts its antiprotozoal activity due to interference with the pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR) enzyme which is essential to anaerobic energy metabolism. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of NTZ on the energetic metabolism of Taenia crassiceps cysticerci intracranially inoculated BALB /c mice. Read More

Acta Biomater 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, PR China. Electronic address:

Magnesium ions (Mg) are bioactive and proven to promote bone tissue regeneration, in which the enhancement efficiency is closely related to Mg concentrations. Currently, there are no well-established bone tissue engineering scaffolds that can precisely control Mg release, although this capability could have a marked impact in bone regeneration. Leveraging the power of biodegradable microspheres to control the release of bioactive factors, we developed lactone-based biodegradable microspheres that served as both injectable scaffolds and Mg release system for bone regeneration. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Institute of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, PharmaCampus, Westphalian Wilhelms-University, Corrensstr. 48, 48149 Münster, Germany. Electronic address:

Background: The milk protein α-casein was recently reported to induce secretion of proinflammatory cytokines via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). In this study, α-casein was identified as binder of theTLR4 ecto domain.

Methods: IL-8 secretion after stimulation of TLR4/MD2 (myeloid differentiation factor 2)/CD14 (cluster of differentiation 14)-transfected HEK293 cells (TLR4) and Mono Mac 6 cells (MM6) with recombinant α-casein, or LPS as control was monitored. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Laboratory of Anatomy, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido, Japan. Electronic address:

Musculocontractural Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (mcEDS) due to CHST14/D4ST1 deficiency (mcEDS-CHST14) is a recently delineated type of EDS caused by biallelic loss-of-function mutations in CHST14, which results in the depletion of dermatan sulfate (DS). Clinical characteristics of mcEDS-CHST14 consist of multiple malformations and progressive fragility-related manifestations, including skin hyperextensibility and fragility. Skin fragility is suspected to result from the impaired assembly of collagen fibrils caused by alteration of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chain of decorin-proteoglycan (PG) from DS to chondroitin sulfate (CS). Read More

Clin Chim Acta 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital, Zhangjiagang 215600, Jiangsu, PR China. Electronic address:

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common gynecologic malignancies and has a poor prognosis. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as key regulators of cancer development. Studies have shown that the dysregulation of lncRNAs is frequently observed in ovarian cancer and greatly contributes to malignant phenotypical changes. Read More

Clin Chim Acta 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Division of Cardiovascular and Internal Medicine, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa, Japan.

Lipoproteins are one of the major risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), among which, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles have been definitively shown to be causally associated with the development of ASCVD. Additionally, the concept of remnant lipoproteins has emerged as lipoprotein metabolism has been fully investigated. The principal concept of this lipoprotein category is triglyceride-rich lipoproteins significantly increase at the postprandial state. Read More

Clin Chim Acta 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Pathology and ARUP Laboratories, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States. Electronic address:

Background: Many laboratories are involved in efforts to increase precision and improve process capability. Metrics to evaluate performance, assess potential for improvement, and prioritize improvement projects would facilitate these efforts. We show how stability analysis can provide metrics to evaluate assay performance and indicate potential for improvement. Read More

Clin Chim Acta 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Laboratory of Clinical Nutrition and Medicine, Kagawa Nutrition University, Tokyo, Japan.

We have long thought that remnant lipoproteins (RLP) in the postprandial plasma contain CM remnants (exogenous remnants; RLP-apoB48) and VLDL remnants (endogenous remnants; RLP-apoB100) of different origin, i.e. produced in the intestine and liver, respectively. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Division of Biophysics, Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Egyetem ter 1., H-4032, Hungary; MTA-DE-NAP B Ion Channel Structure-Function Research Group, RCMM, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Egyetem ter 1., H-4032, Hungary. Electronic address:

Cholesterol, an essential lipid component of cellular plasma membranes, regulates fluidity, mechanical integrity, raft structure and may specifically interact with membrane proteins. Numerous effects on ion channels by cholesterol, including changes in current amplitude, voltage dependence and gating kinetics, have been reported. We have previously described such changes in the voltage-gated potassium channel K1. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Proteins Proteom 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Unité Microbiologie, Bioorganique et Macromoléculaire (CP206/04), département R3D, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address:

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis EthR is a member of the TetR family of repressors, controlling the expression of EthA, a mono-oxygenase responsible for the bioactivation of the prodrug ethionamide. This protein was established as a promising therapeutic target against tuberculosis, allowing, when inhibited by a drug-like molecule, to boost the action of ethionamide. Dozens of EthR crystal structures have been solved in complex with ligands. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Inflammatory lipid mediators play various roles in colorectal cancer progression through complex pathways. However, the mechanism by which lipoxygenase-derived inflammatory lipid mediators contribute to colorectal cancer progression remains elusive. In this study, we found that BLT2, a cell surface GPCR for leukotriene B and 12‑hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, is highly upregulated in KRAS mutant LOVO and SW480 colorectal cancer cells and plays critical roles in mediating proliferation through activation of phosphatidylinositol 3‑kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) and subsequent upregulation of cyclin D1. Read More

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc 2018 Dec 10;211:239-245. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Wetland Bioresources and Environmental Protection, Yancheng Teachers' University, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224051, People's Republic of China.

This work, two turn-on fluorescent probes (3-acetyl-2H-chromen-2-one (ACO) & (1E)-1-(1-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)ethylidene)thiosemicarbazide (CETC)) based on coumarin have been designed and synthesized, which could selectively and sensitively recognize ClO with fast response time. ACO &CETC were almost non fluorescent possibly due to both the lacton form of coumarin and unbridged CN bonds which can undergo a nonradiative decay process in the excited state. Upon the addition of ClO, ACO &CETC were oxidized to ring - opened by cleavage the CO and CN and the fluorescence intensity were increased considerably. Read More

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc 2018 Dec 4;211:234-238. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Department of Chemistry, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran. Electronic address:

This study reports a colorimetric sensor with excellent sensitivity to detect Cefixime base on gold nanoparticles. Cefixime is an antibiotic which has a wide range of applications in medicine. Cefixime did not change the surface plasmon resonance bond in gold nanoparticles solution; therefore, there was no change in the color solution of gold nanoparticles. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", La Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.; Pasteur Institute-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Viale Regina Elena, 291, 00100 Rome, Italy.. Electronic address:

Sterols are essential lipids, involved in many biological processes. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the enzymes of the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway (Erg proteins) are localized in different cellular compartments. With the aim of studying organelle interactions, we discovered that Erg27p resides mainly in Lipid Droplets (LDs) in respiratory competent cells, while in absence of respiration, is found mostly in the ER. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Key Laboratory of Pu-erh Tea Science, the Ministry of Education, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Kunming, China; Pu'erh Tea Research Institute, Pu'erh, China. Electronic address:

Caffeine intake is associated with a reduced risk developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. We report here that caffeine markedly improved high fat diet-induced NAFLD in mice resulting in a 10-fold increase in circulating IL-6 levels, leading to STAT3 activation in the liver. Interestingly, the expression of IL-6 mRNA was not increased in the liver, but increased substantially in the muscles of caffeine-treated mice. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Key Laboratory of Aquatic Nutrition and Feed Science of Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang Road, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

This study was conducted to understand the effect of high-fat diet challenge on lipid transport and endoplasmic reticulum stress in blunt snout bream. Ninety fish (average weight: 41.84 ± 0. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Proteins Proteom 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Departamento de Química Biológica Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina; Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba (CIQUIBIC), CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina. Electronic address:

Calreticulin (CRT) is a calcium-binding protein that participates in several cellular processes including the control of protein folding and homeostasis of Ca. Its folding, stability and functions are strongly controlled by the presence of Ca. The oligomerization state of CRT is also relevant for its functions. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Abdeyah, PO Box 7607, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address:

Background: Lead (Pb) is a toxic heavy metal and nephropathy is common with chronic exposure. Although vitamin D (VD) and calcium (Ca) showed promising protections, their co-administration was not previously investigated in Pb nephrotoxicity. This study measured the potential interactions and remedial effects of VD and/or Ca on established Pb nephropathy. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Gottfried Schatz Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. Electronic address:

Although massive efforts have been undertaken to elucidate the etiology of the pregnancy syndrome preeclampsia, its developmental origin remains a mystery. Most efforts of the last decade have focused on biomarkers to predict and/or diagnose preeclampsia, including the anti-angiogenic factor sFlt-1 (soluble fms-like tyrosin kinase-1), the angiogenic factor PGF (placental growth factor) and PP13 (placental protein 13). The origins of these marker proteins are still under debate, and so far their actions have only been describe separate from each other. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Immunology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700019, India. Electronic address:

Lethal metastasis of primary breast tumors to lymph nodes has been found to be associated with the co-expression of chemokine CXCL13 and its receptor CXCR5. To date, however, the precise molecular events regulating the co-expression of CXCL13 and CXCR5 in the context of breast cancer progression have not been identified. Therefore, to extend our understanding of the drivers of breast cancer metastasis, we undertook a line of investigation in this study in which we demonstrate that the transcriptional regulation of CXCL13 is mediated by the reciprocal activity of RelA and Nrf2, while CXCR5 is transcriptionally silenced by CpG island methylation within its promoter. Read More

Acta Biomater 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Urology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Eastern Institute of Urologic Reconstruction, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200233 Shanghai, China. Electronic address:

Cell-seeded scaffolds are a common route of cell transplantation for bladder repair and reconstruction. However, when cell suspensions are harvested, proteolytic enzymes often cause extracellular matrix damage and loss of intercellular junctions. To overcome this problem, we developed a bioengineered three-dimensional bladder patch comprising porous scaffolds and multilayered adipose-derived stem cell (ASC) sheets, and evaluated its feasibility for bladder regeneration in a rat model. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Air Force Research Laboratory, 711th Human Performance Wing, Airman Systems Directorate, Bioeffects Division, Radio Frequency Bioeffects Branch, 4141 Petroleum Road, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234, USA.

Nanosecond electric pulses have been shown to open nanopores in the cell plasma membrane by fluorescent imaging of calcium uptake and fluorescent dyes, including propidium (Pr) iodide and YO-PRO-1 (YP). Recently, we demonstrated that nsEPs also induce the phosphoinositide intracellular signaling cascade by phosphatidylinositol‑4,5‑bisphosphate (PIP) depletion resulting in physiological responses similar to those observed following stimulation of G-coupled receptors. In this paper, we explore the role of receptor- and store-operated calcium entry (ROCE/SOCE) mechanisms in the observed response of cells to nsEP. Read More

Acta Trop 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas CIDEIM, Carrera 125 N 19-225, Cali, Colombia; Universidad ICESI, Cali,Colombia. Electronic address:

In Colombia Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti is the main vector of urban arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika. This urban mosquito has a well-established capacity to develop insecticide resistance to different types of insecticides (pyrethroids, organochlorides, organophosphates), using multiple resistance mechanisms. An understanding of ongoing resistance mechanisms is critical to determining the activities of vector control programs. Read More

Acta Trop 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Molecular Biology/Bioinformatics Centre, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Science, Indian Council for Medical Research, Agamkuan, Patna, Bihar 800007. India.

Despite the availability of drugs to treat Leishmaniasis, various other factors including drug resistance and adverse side effects encourage the researchers to search for new strategies and alternatives for treating Leishmaniasis. Repurposing and devising combination therapy with the existing small molecules would serve as an alternative strategy to address the issue, especially the drug resistance. Hence, here we report LeishInDB, a web-accessible resource of small molecule inhibitors having a varying degree of activity towards Leishmania sp. Read More

Acta Trop 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, n. 2367, CCBS-I, sala 82, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Electronic address:

Arboviruses have become a major public health concern in Brazil, especially after Zika virus (ZIKV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) introduction, leading to massive epidemics. We conducted an investigation of arboviruses in patients with acute febrile illness for less than five days in Mato Grosso state (MT) during the period of ZIKV and CHIKV dissemination in Brazil. To achieve that, 453 human serum samples of patients suspected of Dengue (DENV), Yellow Fever (YFV), ZIKV or CHIKV collected in health units of 31 cities of MT were subjected to RT-PCR protocols for 10 flaviviruses, 5 alphaviruses and orthobunyaviruses from Simbu serogroup, nucleotide sequencing and viral isolation. Read More

Acta Trop 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Laboratório de Investigação Médica (LIM/06 - Laboratório de Imunopatologia da esquistossomose), Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina, USP, São Paulo, Brazil; Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, USP, São Paulo, Brazil.

Immunocompromised patients constitute a risk group for the development of severe clinical forms of human strongyloidiasis. The diagnosis of this infection is primarily performed by parasitological techniques, but with low sensitivity. Serological techniques appear as an alternative, especially with heterologous antigens use. Read More

Clin Chim Acta 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain. Electronic address:

Reelin is a glycoprotein associated with synaptic plasticity and neurotransmission. The malfunctioning of reelin signaling in the brain is likely to contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Reelin binding to Apolipoprotein E receptor 2 (ApoER2) activates downstream signaling and induces the proteolytic cleavage of ApoER2, resulting in the generation of soluble fragments. Read More

Acta Psychiatr Scand 2018 Dec 15. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway.

Objective: The relationship between borderline personality disorder (BPD) and bipolar II disorder (BIP-II) is disputed but understudied. Here, we investigated brain glucose metabolism in these patient groups and healthy control subjects (HCs).

Methods: Sixty-five subjects, 22 BPD (19 females); 22 BIP-II (17 females); 21 HC (14 females) were examined using 2-deoxy-2[18F]-fluoro-d-glucose Positron-Emission Tomography (PET) scanning. Read More

Mikrochim Acta 2018 Dec 14;186(1):20. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.

A self-sacrificing catalytic method is described for the preparation of magnetic core/dual-functional-shell nanocomposites composed of magnetite, gold and Prussian Blue (type FeO@Au-PB). Two reaction pathways are integrated. The first involves chemical dissolution of FeO (the self-sacrificing step) by acid to release ferrous ions which then reacts with hexacyanoferrate(IV) to generate PB in the proximity of the magntic nanoparticles (MNPs). Read More

Mikrochim Acta 2018 Dec 14;186(1):18. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Chongqing Key Laboratory of Green Synthesis and Applications, College of Chemistry, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, People's Republic of China.

Water-dispersed fluorescent silicon nanodots (SiNDs) were synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal method starting from tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as silicon source and trisodium citrate as reducing reagent. The method is simple and convenient. The SiNDs, with excitation/emission peaks at 347/440 nm and with fluorescence quantum yield of 18% are shown to be viable fluorescent probes for picric acid (PA). Read More

Mikrochim Acta 2018 Dec 14;186(1):19. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250100, People's Republic of China.

This work describes the integration of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) by codeposition of a hybrid consisting of reduced graphene oxide and silver on silver-copper alloy fibers. The morphology and structure of the coating were characterized by a variety of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques that confirmed the hybrid structure of the material. A galvanic-displacement-induced process is assumed to be involved during the codeposition of the hybrid coating on the alloy. Read More

Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, España.

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc 2018 Nov 28;211:227-233. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Beijing Bioprocess Key Laboratory, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, PR China; College of Science, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, PR China. Electronic address:

The production of 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) is an important fermentation process. However, 1,3-PDO could not be distinguished separately and efficiently in fermentations previously because it has a highly similar molecular structure to the feedstock glycerol (GLY) and by-product lactic acid (Lac), which leads to the difficulty of quantification. In this paper, a low-cost and environmentally friendly biosensor based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique was developed. Read More

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc 2018 Dec 6;211:212-220. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Advanced Centre of Research in High Energy Materials (ACRHEM), University of Hyderabad, 500046, India. Electronic address:

The paper reports the potential use of UV based pulsed photoacoustic spectroscopy to study the thermal stability of some well-known premier explosives such as TNT, RDX, CL20, and ANTA between 30 and 350°C range. The thermal PA spectra of samples were recorded using fourth harmonic wavelength i.e. Read More

Acta Psychol (Amst) 2018 Dec 11;193:1-10. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, USA; Department of Psychology, Gordon College, USA.

Magnitude effects (e.g., heavier or faster is longer) and valence effects (e. Read More

Clin Chim Acta 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Department of Clinical-Laboratory and Experimental-Research Medicine, Toho University Sakura Medical Center, 564-1 Shimoshizu, Sakura 285-8741, Japan. Electronic address:

Background: The levels of plasma sLR11, released from intimal SMCs, are positively associated with intima-media thickness (IMT) in asymptomatic subjects. We have evaluated the yet unknown pathological significance of sLR11 for plaque conditions in patients with carotid artery stenosis.

Methods: The presence of LR11 in carotid plaques was investigated using autopsy specimens. Read More

Clin Chim Acta 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

CALIPER Program, Pediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Cir, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada. Electronic address:

Introduction: Accurate reference intervals (RIs) are essential for clinical interpretation of laboratory test results; however, major gaps exist in pediatric RIs. The Canadian Laboratory Initiative on Pediatric Reference Intervals (CALIPER) has established age- and sex-specific pediatric RIs on various analytical platforms. The current study expands the CALIPER database by establishing age- and sex-specific RIs for biochemical assays on Siemens ADVIA XPT/1800 and Dimension EXL Systems. Read More

Clin Chim Acta 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Unit of Genomic for the Diagnosis of Human Pathologies, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan 20132, Italy; Laboratory of Clinical Molecular Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy.

A major effort has been focused on the detection of oncogenes' mutations in diverse types of clinical specimens including formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded tissues, presently the gold-standard samples, up to plasma, that constitute a noninvasive alternative source of tumor DNA. The reliable detection of mutations in circulating tumor DNA requires a high analytical sensitivity. Here, we applied three different highly sensitive methodologies (COLD-PCR, a microarray-based approach and the droplet digital PCR, ddPCR) to identify mutations in the plasma of 30 metastatic colorectal cancer patients previously genotyped on tissue biopsy. Read More

Acta Biomater 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Nankai University School of Medicine, Tianjin 300071, China; The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, The College of Life Science, Tianjin 300071, China. Electronic address:

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation has emerged as a very promising strategy for the treatments of peripheral artery disease (PAD). However, MSC-based therapies are limited by low cell retention and survival rate in the ischemic zone. Small molecular (SM) hydrogels have shown attractive abilities to enhance the therapeutic effects of human MSCs via promoting their proliferation or maintaining their differentiation potential. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

The Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine and Immuno-Engineering, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT) is an essential enzyme that catalyzes the covalent bonding of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) to the hydroxyl group of a serine or threonine in the target protein. It plays an important role in many important cellular physiological catalytic reactions. Here, we determine the binding mode and the binding free energy of the OGT product (uridine diphosphate, UDP) as well as the hydrogen-bond-dependent release mechanism using extensive molecular dynamic simulations. Read More