23 research outputs found
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1) in Domestic Poultry and Relationship with Migratory Birds, South Korea
During the 2006–2007 winter season in South Korea, several outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) were confirmed among domestic poultry and in migratory bird habitats. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all isolates were closely related and that all belong to the A/bar-headed goose/Qinghai/5/2005–like lineage rather than the A/chicken/Korea/ES/2003–like lineage
On-Site Formation of Functional Dopaminergic Presynaptic Terminals on Neuroligin-2-Modified Gold-Coated Microspheres
Advancements in neural interface
technologies have enabled the
direct connection of neurons and electronics, facilitating chemical
communication between neural systems and external devices. One promising
approach is a synaptogenesis-involving method, which offers an opportunity
for synaptic signaling between these systems. Janus synapses, one
type of synaptic interface utilizing synaptic cell adhesion molecules
for interface construction, possess unique features that enable the
determination of location, direction of signal flow, and types of
neurotransmitters involved, promoting directional and multifaceted
communication. This study presents the first successful establishment
of a Janus synapse between dopaminergic (DA) neurons and abiotic substrates
by using a neuroligin-2 (NLG2)-mediated synapse-inducing method. NLG2
immobilized on gold-coated microspheres can induce synaptogenesis
upon contact with spatially isolated DA axons. The induced DA Janus
synapses exhibit stable synaptic activities comparable to that of
native synapses over time, suggesting their suitability for application
in neural interfaces. By calling for DA presynaptic organizations,
the NLG2-immobilized abiotic substrate is a promising tool for the
on-site detection of synaptic dopamine release
Association of the Preoperative Neutrophil-to-ymphocyte Count Ratio and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Count Ratio with Clinicopathological Characteristics in Patients with Papillary Thyroid Cancer
BackgroundSeveral inflammatory biomarkers, especially a high preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte count ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte count ratio (PLR), are known to be indicator of poor prognosis in several cancers. However, very few studies have evaluated the significance of the NLR and PLR in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). We evaluated the association of the preoperative NLR and PLR with clinicopathological characteristics in patients with PTC.MethodsThis study included 1,066 female patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for PTC. Patients were stratified into 4 quartiles by preoperative NLR and PLR. And the combination of preoperative NLR and PLR was calculated on the basis of data obtained value of tertile as follows: patients with both an elevated PLR and an elevated NLR were allocated a score of 2, and patients showing one or neither were allocated a score of 1 or 0, respectively.ResultsThe preoperative NLR and PLR were significantly lower in patients aged ≥45 years and in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The PLR was significantly higher in patients with tumor size >1 cm (P=0.021).When the patients were categorized into the aforementioned four groups, the group with the higher preoperative PLR was found to have a significantly increased incidence of lateral lymph node metastasis (LNM) (P=0.018). However, there are no significant association between the combination of preoperative NLR and PLR and prognostic factors in PTC patients.ConclusionThese results suggest that a preoperative high PLR were significant associated with lateral LNM in female patients with PTC
Autophagic UVRAG Promotes UV-Induced Photolesion Repair by Activation of the CRL4(DDB2) E3 Ligase.
UV-induced DNA damage, a major risk factor for skin cancers, is primarily repaired by nucleotide excision repair (NER). UV radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG) is a tumor suppressor involved in autophagy. It was initially isolated as a cDNA partially complementing UV sensitivity in xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), but this was not explored further. Here we show that UVRAG plays an integral role in UV-induced DNA damage repair. It localizes to photolesions and associates with DDB1 to promote the assembly and activity of the DDB2-DDB1-Cul4A-Roc1 (CRL4(DDB2)) ubiquitin ligase complex, leading to efficient XPC recruitment and global genomic NER. UVRAG depletion decreased substrate handover to XPC and conferred UV-damage hypersensitivity. We confirmed the importance of UVRAG for UV-damage tolerance using a Drosophila model. Furthermore, increased UV-signature mutations in melanoma correlate with reduced expression of UVRAG. Our results identify UVRAG as a regulator of CRL4(DDB2)-mediated NER and suggest that its expression levels may influence melanoma predisposition
Recommended from our members
Autophagic UVRAG Promotes UV-Induced Photolesion Repair by Activation of the CRL4(DDB2) E3 Ligase.
UV-induced DNA damage, a major risk factor for skin cancers, is primarily repaired by nucleotide excision repair (NER). UV radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG) is a tumor suppressor involved in autophagy. It was initially isolated as a cDNA partially complementing UV sensitivity in xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), but this was not explored further. Here we show that UVRAG plays an integral role in UV-induced DNA damage repair. It localizes to photolesions and associates with DDB1 to promote the assembly and activity of the DDB2-DDB1-Cul4A-Roc1 (CRL4(DDB2)) ubiquitin ligase complex, leading to efficient XPC recruitment and global genomic NER. UVRAG depletion decreased substrate handover to XPC and conferred UV-damage hypersensitivity. We confirmed the importance of UVRAG for UV-damage tolerance using a Drosophila model. Furthermore, increased UV-signature mutations in melanoma correlate with reduced expression of UVRAG. Our results identify UVRAG as a regulator of CRL4(DDB2)-mediated NER and suggest that its expression levels may influence melanoma predisposition