BZW2 promotes the malignant progression of colorectal cancer via activating the ERK/MAPK pathway.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent malignant solid cancers worldwide involving the dysregulation of multiple signaling molecules. However, the role and corresponding mechanism of basic leucine zipper and W2 domains 2 (BZW2) in CRC development, to our knowledge, has not been reported. We found BZW2 was overexpressed in human CRC tissues compared with that in paired adjacent colorectal samples. BZW2 overexpression was closely associated with tumor T stage (p = .030), metastatic lymph nodes (p = .037), TNM stage (p = .018) and the worse prognosis of CRC patients (p = .009). Moreover, BZW2 was an independent disadvantage prognostic factor (p = .031). BZW2 also showed an increased expression in different invasive CRC cell lines. Its silencing and overexpression diminished and increased cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in Colo205 and HCT116 cells via specifically activating of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling. Moreover, ERK/MAPK inhibitor PD98059 reverse the enhancement of cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in BZW2 overexpressing HCT116 cells. BZW2 silencing also inhibited subcutaneous tumors growth and p-ERK expression in vivo. BZW2 promotes the malignant progression of CRC via activating ERK/MAPK signaling, which provided a promising gene target therapy for CRC.

Diaphragm-based optical fiber sensor for pulse wave monitoring and cardiovascular diseases diagnosis.

Arterial pulse wave has been considered as a vital sign in assessment of cardiovascular diseases. Noninvasive pulse sensor with compact structure, immunity to electro-magnetic interference and high sensitivity is the research focus in recent years. While, optical fiber biosensor is a competitive option to meet these needs. Here, a diaphragm-based optical fiber pulse sensor was proposed to achieve high-precision radial pulse wave monitoring. A wearable device was developed, composed of a sports wristband and an aluminum diaphragm-based optical fiber sensor tip of only 1 cm in diameter, which was highly sensitive to the weak acoustic signal. In particular, coherent phase detection was adopted to improve detection signal-to-noise ratio, so as to recover the high-fidelity pulse waveforms. A clinical experiment was carried out to detect and morphological analyze the pulse waveforms of four subjects, the results of which preliminarily demonstrated the feasibility of pulse diagnosis method. The proposed pulse fiber sensor provides a comfortable way for pulse diagnosis, which is promising in early cardiovascular diseases indicating.

Angiopoietin-like protein 1 inhibits epithelial to mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer cells via suppress Slug expression.

The role of ANGPTL1 in cancer development is still little known, especially in colorectal cancer (CRC). We investigated the clinical significance of ANGPTL1 expression in CRC tissues and its potential role in the progression of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in CRC cells, which has not been reported to our knowledge. ANGPTL1 expression in CRC tissues was much lower that than in paired adjacent normal tissues by IHC, WB and qRT-PCR assays. ANGPTL1 positive expression was negatively associated with tumor size (P = 0.034), T stage (P = 0.015), lymph nodes metastasis (P = 0.045) and TNM stage (P = 0.009) and poor prognosis of CRC patients (P = 0.003). In vitro, ANGPTL1 showed decreasing expression in CRC cell lines from primary tumor to ascites metastasis. Meanwhile, ANGPTL1 silencing enhanced EMT in HCT116 cells followed with the increase of Slug, Fibronectin and Vimentin, the decrease of E-cad, and the enhancement of EMT-like cell morphology and cell invasion and migration. Low ANGPTL1 expression is closely associated with multiple clinical significance and prognosis of CRC patients. ANGPTL1 inhibits EMT of CRC cells via inhibiting E-cad suppressor Slug expression.

Diaphragm-based optical fiber sensor array for multipoint acoustic detection.

Multipoint acoustic sensing system plays an important role in industrial applications. Here, a diaphragm based optical fiber sensor array is proposed, in which each sensor tip is made of 10-layer graphene diaphragm and optical fiber pigtail, with the compact size of about 2.5 mm in diameter. In particular, coherent phase detection is adopted to improve detection signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and eliminate the demodulation dependence on structural parameters of sensor tips, and thus to achieve the multiplexing ability. Through time division multiplex (TDM), a multiplexing capacity up to 248 in theory can be realized, which is the first time to theoretically demonstrate large-scale acoustic sensor array for diaphragm based fiber sensor by phase detection, to the best of our knowledge. A prototype of 2 *2 sensor array is built to demonstrate the acoustic sensing performance. The field test results show excellent acoustic sensitivity of higher than -136 dB re 1 rad/µPa within the frequency range of 300 Hz~15 kHz, as well as the MDP of only 75 µPa/Hz1/2. Besides, good temperature stability and wide directivity are demonstrated. The proposed sensor array is promising in sound source localization, where the positioning accuracy of 3.55 cm is successfully realized.

Quercetin protects neuronal cells from oxidative stress and cognitive degradation induced by amyloid ß-peptide treatment.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of quercetin on cytotoxicity and cognitive degradation induced by amyloid ß(Aß)­peptide in mice. Using the 1,1-diphenyl-2­picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method and a Y­maze assay, the radical quenching ability and effect on working memory were determined, respectively, of quercetin treatment following 4 days of Aß administration. The acute oral toxicity was assessed used to determine the concentration of quercetin at which 50% lethality of the neuronal cells was induced. For determination of the effect of quercetin on degradation of learning and memory loss induced by Aß, a passive avoidance test was used. The results revealed that quercetin was involved in the inhibition of DPPH radical activity and was found to reduce radical activity by 76.5%. Quercetin significantly protected PC12 neuronal cells from death induced by Aß treatment. Treatment of mice with daily doses of 100 mg/kg body weight quercetin for 30 days significantly improved the degradation of learning and memory loss induced by Aß. The acute oral dose of quercetin in mice was determined to be 575 mg/kg body weight. Therefore, quercetin was found to be of therapeutic value for the treatment of neurological disorders, including AD, although further investigations are required.

M-OTDR sensing system based on 3D encoded microstructures.

In this work, a quasi-distributed sensing scheme named as microstructured OTDR (M-OTDR) by introducing ultra-weak microstructures along the fiber is proposed. Owing to its relative higher reflectivity compared with the backscattered coefficient in fiber and three dimensional (3D) i.e. wavelength/frequency/time encoded property, the M-OTDR system exhibits the superiorities of high signal to noise ratio (SNR), high spatial resolution of millimeter level and high multiplexing capacity up to several ten thousands theoretically. A proof-of-concept system consisting of 64 sensing units is constructed to demonstrate the feasibility and sensing performance. With the help of the demodulation method based on 3D analysis and spectrum reconstruction of the signal light, quasi-distributed temperature sensing with a spatial resolution of 20 cm as well as a measurement resolution of 0.1 °C is realized.

[Apoptosis-inducing effects of brucine on human chronic myeloid leukemia cell line K562].

To investigate the apoptosis-induction effect of brucine on human chronic myeloid leukemia cell line K562 cells, K562 cells were exposed to various dosages of brucine. MTT method was used to assayed the growth inhibition effect of brucine on K562 cells. The apoptosis of K562 cells was detected by acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) double staining, Annexin-V/PI double labeling method and DNA agarose gel electrophoresis. The results showed that brucine could remarkably inhibit the K562 cell growth in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manners at the range of 50 to 400 µg/ml, and its most significant inhibition was observed at 400 µg/ml for 72 hours and the inhibition rate was 94.0%. Staining of cells with AO-EB revealed that brucine induced nuclear chromatin condensation. After the K562 cells were treated with the brucine of 400 µg/ml for 72 hours, the most of the nucleus were orange stained and condensation-like or bead-like showing apoptotic morphology. The K562 cells treated with brucine of different concentrations (50, 100, 200, 400, 800 µg/ml) for 72 hours, Annexin-V/PI detection showed brucine could induce apoptosis of K562 cells, and apoptosis rate increased gradually with increasing concentration of drugs. The K562 cells treated with brucine of 400 µg/ml for 72 hours displayed typical ladder strap in DNA gel electrophoresis. It is concluded that brucine can efficiently inhibit cell growth and induce apoptosis of K562 cells with dose-dependent manner in concentrations of 50 - 400 µg/ml.

Apoptosis-inducing effects of brucine on human chronic myeloid leukemia cell line K562 / 中国实验血液学杂志

To investigate the apoptosis-induction effect of brucine on human chronic myeloid leukemia cell line K562 cells, K562 cells were exposed to various dosages of brucine. MTT method was used to assayed the growth inhibition effect of brucine on K562 cells. The apoptosis of K562 cells was detected by acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) double staining, Annexin-V/PI double labeling method and DNA agarose gel electrophoresis. The results showed that brucine could remarkably inhibit the K562 cell growth in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manners at the range of 50 to 400 µg/ml, and its most significant inhibition was observed at 400 µg/ml for 72 hours and the inhibition rate was 94.0%. Staining of cells with AO-EB revealed that brucine induced nuclear chromatin condensation. After the K562 cells were treated with the brucine of 400 µg/ml for 72 hours, the most of the nucleus were orange stained and condensation-like or bead-like showing apoptotic morphology. The K562 cells treated with brucine of different concentrations (50, 100, 200, 400, 800 µg/ml) for 72 hours, Annexin-V/PI detection showed brucine could induce apoptosis of K562 cells, and apoptosis rate increased gradually with increasing concentration of drugs. The K562 cells treated with brucine of 400 µg/ml for 72 hours displayed typical ladder strap in DNA gel electrophoresis. It is concluded that brucine can efficiently inhibit cell growth and induce apoptosis of K562 cells with dose-dependent manner in concentrations of 50 - 400 µg/ml.

Study on Measuring Cord Blood Leptin Level and the Ralatioship between Leptin and Insulin in Premature Infants / 实用儿科临床杂志

0.05).2.Neonates umbilical serum leptin concentration was positively correlated with body mass index(r=0.520 P