Irradiation-induced localization of IL-12-expressing mesenchymal stem cells to enhance the curative effect in murine metastatic hepatoma

Irradiation in conjunction with gene therapy is considered for efficient cancer treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), due to their irradiation-promotable tumor tropism, are ideal delivery vehicles for gene therapy. In this study, we investigated whether treatment with radiation and interleukin (IL)-12-expressing MSCs (MSCs/IL-12) exerts improved antitumor effects on murine metastatic hepatoma. HCa-I and Hepa 1-6 cells were utilized to generate heterotopic murine hepatoma models. Tumor-bearing mice were treated with irradiation or MSCs/IL-12 alone, or a combination. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2) expression was assessed in irradiated hepatoma tissues to confirm a chemotactic effect. Combination treatment strategies were established and their therapeutic efficacies were evaluated by monitoring tumor growth, metastasis and survival rate. IL-12 expression was assessed and the apoptotic activity and immunological alterations in the tumor microenvironment were examined. MCP-1/CCL2 expression and localization of MSCs/IL-12 increased in the irradiated murine hepatoma cells. The antitumor effects, including suppression of pulmonary metastasis and survival rate improvements, were increased by the combination treatment with irradiation and MSCs/IL-12. IL-12 expression was increased in tumor cells, causing proliferation of cluster of differentiation 8(+) T-lymphocytes and natural killer cells. The apoptotic activity increased, indicating that the cytotoxicity of immune cells was involved in the antitumor effect of the combined treatment. Treatment with irradiation and MSCs/IL-12 showed effectiveness in treating murine metastatic hepatoma. IL-12-induced proliferation of immune cells played an important role in apoptosis of tumor cells. Our results suggest that treatment with irradiation and MSCs/IL-12 may be a useful strategy for enhancing antitumor activity in metastatic hepatoma. What's new? Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising gene-delivery vehicles, with the potential to improve antitumor effects when used in combination with existing therapies. In the present study, the combined use of interleukin (IL)-12-expressing MSCs (MSCs/IL-12) and radiation therapy increased antitumor activity in murine metastatic hepatoma, a model that is representative of human metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which affects nearly half of HCC patients. Treatment with MSCs/IL-12 resulted in increased IL-12 expression in tumor cells and immune cell proliferation. Immune cell cytotoxicity, evidenced by increased apoptotic activity, appeared to play a role in MSCs/IL-12 augmentation of antitumor effects.1178Ysciescopu

Undergraduate module on nutrition education and communication for Africa: Profiles of potential students

To be adequately nourished, individuals need to have access to sufficient and good quality food. They also need to have an understanding of what constitutes a good diet for health, and have the skills and motivation to make good food choices. Nutrition education equips people to make such choices. Building countries’ capacities to provide effective nutrition education and promote healthy diets is part of the work carried out by the Nutrition Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The FAO Effective Education for Nutrition in Action (ENACT) project is assisting countries to develop institutional and professional capacities in nutrition education in Africa by producing a basic module on nutrition education at undergraduate level for use by national universities and other training institutions. The course materials will be available for online, face-to-face or blended use and are being piloted and revised to improve and adapt them to local context and consumer need. Creating a learner profile is an accepted step in course design, particularly important in situations where course developers do not have close contact with the students, as in this case. The ENACT learner profile was compiled from replies to a short questionnaire of 32 questions administered to a sample of students. The respondents were the actual piloting students, or were representative of those who would be piloting the course. One hundred and twenty eight responses were received from universities in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda, approximately 20 per university. On average, respondents answered 96% of the questions in the questionnaire. Information was obtained on areas such as students’ social/cultural  interests; food and nutrition experience and expertise; food and eating habits; ideas of nutrition education and training in nutrition education; and study preferences. In addition, the profile of a typical learner in each country (including age, gender and information on socio-economic  background, urban/rural background and English proficiency) was compiled from the questionnaires and from additional information supplied by the tutors. The study findings have helped the course developers to select course content and structure learning activities to meet students’ needs and circumstances.Key words: professional training, nutrition education, Afric

Influence of ambient water intrusion on coral reef acidification in the Chuuk lagoon, located in the coral-rich western Pacific Ocean

Weekly carbonate chemistry condition data recorded between 2008 and 2014 in the Chuuk lagoon (7.3 degrees N and 151.5 degrees E) of the Federated States of Micronesia, located in the western Pacific Ocean, were analyzed. The results showed that, during periods of weak intrusion of ambient seawater from the surrounding open ocean, two internal biological processes (calcification and respiration) reinforced each other and together lowered the pH of the reef water for extended periods, ranging from a few to several months. The analysis indicated that reduced intrusion of ambient water is associated with periods of low wind speeds. Such conditions increase the residence time of reef water, thus promoting acidification by respiration and calcification. This phenomenon likely affects many other areas of the coral-rich western Pacific Ocean, which contains 50% of global coral reefs and in which the degree of ambient water intrusion into the atolls has been shown to be closely associated with the El Nino-Southern Oscillation-induced wind speed change.1111Ysciescopu

Reduction in CO2 uptake rates of red tide dinoflagellates due to mixotrophy

We investigated a possible reduction in CO2 uptake rate by phototrophic red tide dinoflagellates arising from mixotrophy. We measured the daily ingestion rates of Prorocentrum minimum by Prorocentrum micans over 5 days in 10 L experimentalbottles, and the uptake rates of total dissolved inorganic carbon (CT) by a mixture of P. micans and P. minimum(mixotrophic growth), and for the predator P. micans (phototrophic growth; control) and prey P. minimum (phototrophicgrowth; control) alone. To account for the effect of pH on the phototrophic growth rates of P. micans and P. minimum,measurements of CT and pH in the predator and prey control bottles were continued until the pH reached the same level(pH 9.5) as that in the experimental bottles on the final day of incubation. The measured total CT uptake rate by the mixtureof P. micans and P. minimum changed from 123 to 161 μmol CT kg-1 d-1 over the course of the experiment, and waslower than the CT uptake rates shown by P. micans and P. minimum in the predator and prey control bottles, respectively,which changed from 132 to 176 μmol CT kg-1 d-1 over the course of the experiment. The reduction in total CT uptake ratearising from the mixotrophy of P. micans was 7-31% of the daily CT uptake rate seen during photosynthesis. The resultssuggest that red tide dinoflagellates take up less CT during mixotrophy.1131Ysciescopuskc

Nanosilver Colloids-Filled Photonic Crystal Arrays for Photoluminescence Enhancement

For the improved surface plasmon-coupled photoluminescence emission, a more accessible fabrication method of a controlled nanosilver pattern array was developed by effectively filling the predefined hole array with nanosilver colloid in a UV-curable resin via direct nanoimprinting. When applied to a glass substrate for light emittance with an oxide spacer layer on top of the nanosilver pattern, hybrid emission enhancements were produced from both the localized surface plasmon resonance-coupled emission enhancement and the guided light extraction from the photonic crystal array. When CdSe/ZnS nanocrystal quantum dots were deposited as an active emitter, a total photoluminescence intensity improvement of 84% was observed. This was attributed to contributions from both the silver nanoparticle filling and the nanoimprinted photonic crystal array

A study on the characteristics of plasma polymer thin film with controlled nitrogen flow rate

Nitrogen-doped thiophene plasma polymer [N-ThioPP] thin films were deposited by radio frequency (13.56 MHz) plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. Thiophene was used as organic precursor (carbon source) with hydrogen gas as the precursor bubbler gas. Additionally, nitrogen gas [N2] was used as nitrogen dopant. Furthermore, additional argon was used as a carrier gas. The as-grown polymerized thin films were analyzed using ellipsometry, Fourier-transform infrared [FT-IR] spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurement. The ellipsometry results showed the refractive index change of the N-ThioPP film. The FT-IR spectra showed that the N-ThioPP films were completely fragmented and polymerized from thiophene

De Novo Design and Synthesis of Ultra-Short Peptidomimetic Antibiotics Having Dual Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Activities

Ravichandran N. Murugan, Mija Ahn, Eunha Hwang, Ji-Hyung Seo, Chaejoon Cheong, Jeong Kyu Bang, Division of Magnetic Resonance, Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Chung-Buk, Republic of KoreaBinu Jacob, Song Yub Shin, Department of Bio-Materials, Graduate School and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of KoreaHoik Sohn, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of AmericaHyo-Nam Park, Jae-Kyung Hyun, Division of Electron Microscopic Research, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon, Republic of KoreaEunjung Lee, Ki-Woong Jeong, Yangmee Kim, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of SMART Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of KoreaKy-Youb Nam, Bioinformatics and Molecular Design Research Center, Yonsei University Research Complex, Seoul, Republic of KoreaBackground: Much attention has been focused on the design and synthesis of potent, cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that possess both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. However, their development into therapeutic agents has been limited mainly due to their large size (12 to 50 residues in length) and poor protease stability.-- Methodology/Principal Findings: In an attempt to overcome the issues described above, a set of ultra-short, His-derived antimicrobial peptides (HDAMPs) has been developed for the first time. Through systematic tuning of pendant hydrophobic alkyl tails at the N(π)- and N(τ)-positions on His, and the positive charge of Arg, much higher prokaryotic selectivity was achieved, compared to human AMP LL-37. Additionally, the most potent HDAMPs showed promising dual antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as anti–methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) activity and proteolytic resistance. Our results from transmission electron microscopy, membrane depolarization, confocal laser-scanning microscopy, and calcein-dye leakage experiments propose that HDAMP-1 kills microbial cells via dissipation of the membrane potential by forming pore/ion channels on bacterial cell membranes. -- Conclusion/Significance: The combination of the ultra-short size, high-prokaryotic selectivity, potent anti-MRSA activity, anti-inflammatory activity, and proteolytic resistance of the designed HDAMP-1, -3, -5, and -6 makes these molecules promising candidates for future antimicrobial therapeutics.This work was supported in part by the Korea Basic Science Institute's research program grants T33418 (J.K.B) and T33518 (J-k.H.), and the Korea Research Foundation, funded by the Korean Government (KRF-2011-0009039 to S.Y.S.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.ChemistryBiochemistryEmail: [email protected] (JKB)Email: [email protected] (SYS

Identification of Proteins Differentially Expressed in the Conventional Renal Cell Carcinoma by Proteomic Analysis

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most malignant tumors in urology, and due to its insidious onset patients frequently have advanced disease at the time of clinical presentation. Thus, early detection is crucial in management of RCC. To identify tumor specific proteins of RCC, we employed proteomic analysis. We prepared proteins from conventional RCC and the corresponding normal kidney tissues from seven patients with conventional RCC. The expression of proteins was determined by silver stain after two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE). The overall protein expression patterns in the RCC and the normal kidney tissues were quite similar except some areas. Of 66 differentially expressed protein spots (p<0.05 by Student t-test), 8 different proteins from 11 spots were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS. The expression of the following proteins was repressed (p<0.05); aminoacylase-1, enoyl-CoA hydratase, aldehyde reductase, tropomyosin α-4 chain, agmatinase and ketohexokinase. Two proteins, vimentin and α-1 antitrypsin precursor, were dominantly expressed in RCC (p<0.05)

Potential Landscape and Probabilistic Flux of a Predator Prey Network

Predator-prey system, as an essential element of ecological dynamics, has been recently studied experimentally with synthetic biology. We developed a global probabilistic landscape and flux framework to explore a synthetic predator-prey network constructed with two Escherichia coli populations. We developed a self consistent mean field method to solve multidimensional problem and uncovered the potential landscape with Mexican hat ring valley shape for predator-prey oscillations. The landscape attracts the system down to the closed oscillation ring. The probability flux drives the coherent oscillations on the ring. Both the landscape and flux are essential for the stable and coherent oscillations. The landscape topography characterized by the barrier height from the top of Mexican hat to the closed ring valley provides a quantitative measure of global stability of system. The entropy production rate for the energy dissipation is less for smaller environmental fluctuations or perturbations. The global sensitivity analysis based on the landscape topography gives specific predictions for the effects of parameters on the stability and function of the system. This may provide some clues for the global stability, robustness, function and synthetic network design