Effects of leukemia inhibitory factor on transcript expression of pluripotent genes in bovine embryonic stem like cells

Leukemia inhibitory factor (Lif) is very important for embryonic stem cell establishment. In this study, we investigated effects of Lif on transcript expression of pluripotent genes of bovine embryonic stem like cells in passage 1, passage 3 and passage 6. The results showed that Lif supplementation of medium could improve transcript expression of pluripotent gene including nanog, oct4, sox2 and c-myc. Three Lif concentrations were applied for cell culture medium. We found that pluripotent gene transcripts were highest expressed in 103 IU/ml Lif supplemented medium, especially nanog and oct4 transcript expression could be maintained until 6th passage . The transcript expression was decreased in 104 IU/ml Lif suppmented medium, suggesting that high concentration of Lif could inhibit pluripotent gene expression. Thus, 103 IU/ml Lif was the most efficient concentration to improve transcript expression of pluripotent genes. There was a relationship in nanog expression and c-myc and sox2 expression. C-myc and sox2 expression were up-regulated when nanog was down-regulated. We also accessed nanog or oct4 which were key factors for the maintenace of pluripotency and renewal of bovine embryonic stem like cell. The result demonstrated that nanog could be the key factor for pluripotency of bovine embryonic stem like cells.

Phenomenology of the Reduced Minimal 3-3-1 Model

The detailed analysis of the gauge model based on $\mathrm{SU}(3)_C\otimes \mathrm{SU}(3)_L \otimes \mathrm{U}(1)_X$ group with minimal content of lepton and Higgs is presented. It is shown that with just two Higgs triplets, all fermions and gauge bosons can get correct   masses. The advantage of the model under consideration is that a huge number of free parameters is reduced, and the model's predictiveness is much improved

Foreword

The postsynaptic density protein-95/disks large/zonula occludens-1 (PDZ) protein domain family is one of the most common proteinprotein interaction modules in mammalian cells, with paralogs present in several hundred human proteins. PDZ domains are found in most cell types, but neuronal proteins, for example, are particularly rich in these domains. The general function of PDZ domains is to bring proteins together within the appropriate cellular compartment, thereby facilitating scaffolding, signaling, and trafficking events. The many functions of PDZ domains under normal physiological as well as pathological conditions have been reviewed recently. In this review, we focus on the molecular details of how PDZ domains bind their protein ligands and their potential as drug targets in this context

Enhanced dielectric properties of colossal permittivity co-doped TiO₂/polymer composite films

Colossal permittivity (CP) materials have shown great technological potential for advanced microelectronics and high-energy-density storage applications. However, developing high performance CP materials has been met with limited success because of low breakdown electric field and large dielectric loss. Here, composite films have been developed based on surface hydroxylated ceramic fillers, (Er + Nb) co-doped TiO2 embedded in poly(vinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene) matrix by a simple technique. We report on simultaneously observing a large dielectric constant up to 300, exceptional low dielectric loss down to 0.04 in the low frequency range, and an acceptable breakdown electric field of 813 kV cm−1 in the composites. Consequently, this work may pave the way for developing highly stable and superior dielectrics through a simple and scalable route to meet requirements of further miniaturization in microelectronic and energy-storage devices

Association of anticardiolipin, antiphosphatidylserine, anti-β2 glycoprotein I, and antiphosphatidylcholine autoantibodies with canine immune thrombocytopenia

β2GPI expression and identification. (PDF 159 kb

miRTarBase update 2014: an information resource for experimentally validated miRNA-target interactions

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules capable of negatively regulating gene expression to control many cellular mechanisms. The miRTarBase database (http://mirtarbase.mbc.nctu.edu.tw/) provides the most current and comprehensive information of experimentally validated miRNA-target interactions. The database was launched in 2010 with data sources for >100 published studies in the identification of miRNA targets, molecular networks of miRNA targets and systems biology, and the current release (2013, version 4) includes significant expansions and enhancements over the initial release (2010, version 1). This article reports the current status of and recent improvements to the database, including (i) a 14-fold increase to miRNA-target interaction entries, (ii) a miRNA-target network, (iii) expression profile of miRNA and its target gene, (iv) miRNA target-associated diseases and (v) additional utilities including an upgrade reminder and an error reporting/user feedback system

Reactivation of Epstein–Barr virus by a dual-responsive fluorescent EBNA1-targeting agent with Zn2+-chelating function

EBNA1 is the only Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) latent protein responsible for viral genome maintenance and is expressed in all EBV-infected cells. Zn2+ is essential for oligomerization of the functional EBNA1. We constructed an EBNA1 binding peptide with a Zn2+ chelator to create an EBNA1-specific inhibitor (ZRL5P4). ZRL5P4 by itself is sufficient to reactivate EBV from its latent infection. ZRL5P4 is able to emit unique responsive fluorescent signals once it binds with EBNA1 and a Zn2+ ion. ZRL5P4 can selectively disrupt the EBNA1 oligomerization and cause nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tumor shrinkage, possibly due to EBV lytic induction. Dicer1 seems essential for this lytic reactivation. As can been seen, EBNA1 is likely to maintain NPC cell survival by suppressing viral reactivation

Spatial analysis of the impact of urban geometry and socio-demographic characteristics on COVID-19, a study in Hong Kong

The World Health Organization considered the widespread of COVID-19 over the world as a pandemic. There is still a lack of understanding of its origin, transmission, and treatment methods. Understanding the influencing factors of the COVID-19 can help mitigate its spread, but little research on the spatial factors has been conducted. Therefore, this study explores the effects of urban geometry and socio-demographic factors on the COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong. For each patient, the places they visited during the incubation period before going to hospital were identified, and matched with corresponding attributes of urban geometry (i.e., building geometry, road network, greenspace) and socio-demographic factors (i.e., demographic, educational, economic, household and housing characteristics) based on the coordinates. The local cases were then compared with the imported cases using the stepwise logistic regression, the logistic regression with case-control of time, and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression to identify factors influencing local disease transmission. Results show that the building geometry, road network and certain socio-economic characteristics are significantly associated with COVID-19 cases. In addition, the results indicate that urban geometry is playing a more important role than the socio-demographic characteristics in affecting the COVID-19 incidences. These findings provide a useful reference to the government and the general public as to the spatial vulnerability of the COVID-19 transmission and to take appropriate preventive measures in high-risk areas