Aspisol inhibits tumor growth and induces apoptosis in breast cancer

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in various cancer cell lines, which is considered to be an important mechanism for their anti-tumor activity and cancer prevention. However, the molecular mechanisms through which these compounds induce apoptosis are not well understood. Aim: to determine the effects of nonselective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, aspisol on breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The cytotoxic activity of aspisol was evaluated by MTT assay. The apoptosis index of cells was measured by flow cytometry. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect expressions of COX-2 and caspase-3 in MDA-MB-231 cells. The expression of bcl-2 and bax was analyzed by Western blot analysis. The content of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in MDA-MB-231 cells was estimated by ELISA. In vivo apoptosis of the tumor cells was detected by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). Results: Our results showed that aspisol reduced viability of MDA-MB-231 cells in time- and dose- dependent fashions and induced apoptosis by increase of caspase-3 and bax expressions while decrease of COX-2 and bcl-2 expression in vitro. In addition, exposure to aspisol decreased the basal release of PGE2. In vivo, aspisol also inhibited the proliferation of breast cancer cells and induced their apoptosis. Conclusions: Our in vitro and in vivo data indicated that the antitumor effects of aspisol on breast cancer cells was probably mediated by the induction of apoptosis, and it could be linked to the downregulation of the COX-2 or bcl-2 expression and up-regulation of caspase-3 or bax expression.Нестероидные противовоспалительные препараты ингибируют пролиферацию клеток и вызывают апоптоз во многих опухолевых клеточных линиях, что считается важным механизмом их противоопухолевой активности и профилактики развития рака. Тем не менее молекулярные механизмы апоптотического действия этих препаратов изучены недостаточно. Цель: изучить действие неспецифического ингибитора циклогексиназы-2 (COX-2) — аспизола — на злокачественные клетки рака молочной железы in vitro и in vivo. Методы: выживаемоть клеток MDA-MB-231 определяли с помощью MTT-теста. Апоптотический индекс измеряли с помощью проточной цитометрии и иммуногистохимическим окрашиванием с антителами против COX-2 и каспазы-3. Экспрессию bcl-2 и bax изучали с помощью Вестерн-блот-анализа. Содержание простагландина E2 (PGE2 ) в клетках MDA-MB-231 оценивали методом ELISA. In vivo апоптоз опухолевых клеток определяли путем выявления разрывов ДНК с помощью концевой дезоксинуклеот-идилтранферазы (метод TUNEL). Результаты: показано, что в зависимости от времени инкубации и дозы аспизол угнетал рост клеток MDA-MB-231 in vitro и вызывал их апоптоз на фоне повышения экспрессии каспазы-3 и bax, а также снижения экспрессии COX-2 и bcl-2. В условиях in vivo аспизол также ингибировал пролиферацию злокачественных клеток рака молочной железы и вызывал их апоптоз. Выводы: данные, полученные in vitro и in vivo, свидетельствуют о противоопухолевом эффекте аспизола на клетки рака молочной железы, что скорее всего опосредовано его проапоптотическим действием и может быть связано со снижением экспрессии COX-2 и bcl-2, а также повышением экспрессии каспазы-3 и bax

Thermal stability, mechanical properties, and tribological performance of TiAlXN coatings: Understanding the effects of alloying additions

In tribological applications, the degradation of metallic coatings due to oxidation and thermal softening at high temperatures is an issue of increasing concern. Recently, researchers have focused on the development of durable hard coatings that can perform well under elevated temperatures. The alloying of ternary TiAlN coatings with various elements has received considerable attention due to its ability to improve coating properties at high temperatures by solid solution hardening, grain refinement, formation of new phases, diffusion barriers, and self-lubricious tribo-oxides. This paper reviews the microstructure, thermal stability, oxidation behaviour, and mechanical and tribological properties of resultant quaternary TiAlXN coatings (X = Si, Cr, V, Ta and B). The effects of the deposition parameters, chemical composition, high-temperature annealing, and coating architecture on the coating properties are discussed in depth. The properties of quinary TiAlCrSiN coatings are also reviewed to provide a better understanding of the synergistic effects of Si and Cr additions to TiAlN. The maximum hardness and plastic deformation resistance (H/E and H3/E2) of TiAlXN coatings produced by various deposition techniques are compared. This paper provides useful insights into the challenges and future research perspectives of the reviewed coatings

Nanocrystalline Zr3Al Made through Amorphization by Repeated Cold Rolling and Followed by Crystallization

The intermetallic compound Zr3Al is severely deformed by the method of repeated cold rolling. By X-ray diffraction it is shown that this leads to amorphization. TEM investigations reveal that a homogeneously distributed debris of very small nanocrystals is present in the amorphous matrix that is not resolved by X-ray diffraction. After heating to 773 K, the crystallization of the amorphous structure leads to a fully nanocrystalline structure of small grains (10 - 20 nm in diameter) of the non-equilibrium Zr2Al phase. It is concluded that the debris retained in the amorphous phase acts as nuclei. After heating to 973 K the grains grow to about 100 nm in diameter and the compound Zr3Al starts to form, that is corresponding to the alloy composition

Evolution of active and polar photospheric magnetic fields during the rise of Cycle 24 compared to previous cycles

The evolution of the photospheric magnetic field during the declining phase and minimum of Cycle 23 and the recent rise of Cycle 24 are compared with the behavior during previous cycles. We used longitudinal full-disk magnetograms from the NSO's three magnetographs at Kitt Peak, the Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun (SOLIS) Vector Spectro-Magnetograph (VSM), the Spectromagnetograph and the 512-Channel Magnetograph instruments, and longitudinal full-disk magnetograms from the Mt. Wilson 150-foot tower. We analyzed 37 years of observations from these two observatories that have been observing daily, weather permitting, since 1974, offering an opportunity to study the evolving relationship between the active region and polar fields in some detail over several solar cycles. It is found that the annual averages of a proxy for the active region poloidal magnetic field strength, the magnetic field strength of the high-latitude poleward streams, and the time derivative of the polar field strength are all well correlated in each hemisphere. These results are based on statistically significant cyclical patterns in the active region fields and are consistent with the Babcock-Leighton phenomenological model for the solar activity cycle. There was more hemispheric asymmetry in the activity level, as measured by total and maximum active region flux, during late Cycle 23 (after around 2004), when the southern hemisphere was more active, and Cycle 24 up to the present, when the northern hemisphere has been more active, than at any other time since 1974. The active region net proxy poloidal fields effectively disappeared in both hemispheres around 2004, and the polar fields did not become significantly stronger after this time. We see evidence that the process of Cycle 24 field reversal has begun at both poles.Comment: Accepted for publication in Solar Physic

Optical realization of universal quantum cloning

Beyond the no-cloning theorem, the universal symmetric quantum cloning machine was first addressed by Buzek and Hillery. Here, we realized the one-to-two qubits Buzek-Hillery cloning machine with linear optical devices. This method relies on the representation of several qubits by a single photon. We showed that, the fidelities between the two output qubits and the original qubit are both 5/6 (which proved to be the optimal fidelity of one-to-two qubits universal cloner) for arbitrary input pure states.Comment: 5 Pages, 2 Figure

A Quantitative Model of Energy Release and Heating by Time-dependent, Localized Reconnection in a Flare with a Thermal Loop-top X-ray Source

We present a quantitative model of the magnetic energy stored and then released through magnetic reconnection for a flare on 26 Feb 2004. This flare, well observed by RHESSI and TRACE, shows evidence of non-thermal electrons only for a brief, early phase. Throughout the main period of energy release there is a super-hot (T>30 MK) plasma emitting thermal bremsstrahlung atop the flare loops. Our model describes the heating and compression of such a source by localized, transient magnetic reconnection. It is a three-dimensional generalization of the Petschek model whereby Alfven-speed retraction following reconnection drives supersonic inflows parallel to the field lines, which form shocks heating, compressing, and confining a loop-top plasma plug. The confining inflows provide longer life than a freely-expanding or conductively-cooling plasma of similar size and temperature. Superposition of successive transient episodes of localized reconnection across a current sheet produces an apparently persistent, localized source of high-temperature emission. The temperature of the source decreases smoothly on a time scale consistent with observations, far longer than the cooling time of a single plug. Built from a disordered collection of small plugs, the source need not have the coherent jet-like structure predicted by steady-state reconnection models. This new model predicts temperatures and emission measure consistent with the observations of 26 Feb 2004. Furthermore, the total energy released by the flare is found to be roughly consistent with that predicted by the model. Only a small fraction of the energy released appears in the super-hot source at any one time, but roughly a quarter of the flare energy is thermalized by the reconnection shocks over the course of the flare. All energy is presumed to ultimately appear in the lower-temperature T<20 MK, post-flare loops

Effects of acute cannabidiol on behavior and the endocannabinoid system in HIV-1 Tat transgenic female and male mice

Background: Some evidence suggests that cannabidiol (CBD) has potential to help alleviate HIV symptoms due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Here we examined acute CBD effects on various behaviors and the endocannabinoid system in HIV Tat transgenic mice. Methods: Tat transgenic mice (female/male) were injected with CBD (3, 10, 30 mg/kg) and assessed for antinociception, activity, coordination, anxiety-like behavior, and recognition memory. Brains were taken to quantify endocannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors, and cannabinoid catabolic enzymes. Additionally, CBD and metabolite 7-hydroxy-CBD were quantified in the plasma and cortex. Results: Tat decreased supraspinal-related nociception and locomotion. CBD and sex had little to no effects on any of the behavioral measures. For the endocannabinoid system male sex was associated with elevated concentration of the proinflammatory metabolite arachidonic acid in various CNS regions, including the cerebellum that also showed higher FAAH expression levels for Tat(+) males. GPR55 expression levels in the striatum and cerebellum were higher for females compared to males. CBD metabolism was altered by sex and Tat expression. Conclusion: Findings indicate that acute CBD effects are not altered by HIV Tat, and acute CBD has no to minimal effects on behavior and the endocannabinoid system

Search for the Rare Decays J/Psi --> Ds- e+ nu_e, J/Psi --> D- e+ nu_e, and J/Psi --> D0bar e+ e-

We report on a search for the decays J/Psi --> Ds- e+ nu_e + c.c., J/Psi --> D- e+ nu_e + c.c., and J/Psi --> D0bar e+ e- + c.c. in a sample of 5.8 * 10^7 J/Psi events collected with the BESII detector at the BEPC. No excess of signal above background is observed, and 90% confidence level upper limits on the branching fractions are set: B(J/Psi --> Ds- e+ nu_e + c.c.)<4.8*10^-5, B(J/Psi --> D- e+ nu_e + c.c.) D0bar e+ e- + c.c.)<1.1*10^-5Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Direct Measurements of the Branching Fractions for D0→K−e+νeD^0 \to K^-e^+\nu_e and D0→π−e+νeD^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e and Determinations of the Form Factors f+K(0)f_{+}^{K}(0) and f+π(0)f^{\pi}_{+}(0)

The absolute branching fractions for the decays $D^0 \to K^-e ^+\nu_e$ and $D^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e$ are determined using $7584\pm 198 \pm 341$ singly tagged $\bar D^0$ sample from the data collected around 3.773 GeV with the BES-II detector at the BEPC. In the system recoiling against the singly tagged $\bar D^0$ meson, $104.0\pm 10.9$ events for $D^0 \to K^-e ^+\nu_e$ and $9.0 \pm 3.6$ events for $D^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e$ decays are observed. Those yield the absolute branching fractions to be $BF(D^0 \to K^-e^+\nu_e)=(3.82 \pm 0.40\pm 0.27)$ and $BF(D^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e)=(0.33 \pm 0.13\pm 0.03)$. The vector form factors are determined to be $|f^K_+(0)| = 0.78 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.03$ and $|f^{\pi}_+(0)| = 0.73 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.06$. The ratio of the two form factors is measured to be $|f^{\pi}_+(0)/f^K_+(0)|= 0.93 \pm 0.19 \pm 0.07$.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Measurements of J/psi Decays into 2(pi+pi-)eta and 3(pi+pi-)eta

Based on a sample of 5.8X 10^7 J/psi events taken with the BESII detector, the branching fractions of J/psi--> 2(pi+pi-)eta and J/psi-->3(pi+pi-)eta are measured for the first time to be (2.26+-0.08+-0.27)X10^{-3} and (7.24+-0.96+-1.11)X10^{-4}, respectively.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure