Does the Risk of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Increase as the Length of Barrett’s Esophagus Becomes Long?

Article: Length of Barrett’s Oesophagus and Cancer Risk: Implications from a Large Sample of Patients with Early Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma (Gut 2016;65:196-201

Engineering Tunable Dual Functional Protein Cage Nanoparticles Using Bacterial Superglue

The selective detection of specific cells of interest and their effective visualization is important but challenging, and fluorescent cell imaging with target-specific probes is commonly used to visualize cell morphology and components and to track cellular processes. Multiple displays of two or more targeting ligands on a polyvalent single template would make it possible to construct versatile multiplex fluorescent cell imaging probes that can visualize two or more target cells individually without the need for a set of individual probes. To achieve this goal, we used encapsulin, a new class of protein cage nanoparticles, as a template and implanted dual targeting capability by presenting two different affibody molecules on a single encapsulin protein cage nanoparticle post-translationally. Encapsulin was self-assembled from 60 identical subunits to form a hollow and symmetric spherical structure with a uniform size. We genetically inserted SpyTag peptides onto the encapsulin surface and prepared various SpyCatcher-fused proteins, such as fluorescent proteins and targeting affibody molecules. We successfully displayed fluorescent proteins and affibody molecules together on a single encapsulin in a mix-and-match manner post-translationally using bacterial superglue, the SpyTag/SpyCatcher ligation system, and demonstrated that these dual functional encapsulins can be used as target-specific fluorescent cell imaging probes. Dual targeting protein cage nanoparticles were further constructed by ligating two different affibody molecules onto the encapsulin surface with fluorescent dyes, and they effectively recognized and bound to two individual targeting cells independently, which could be visualized by selective colors on demand

Human Body Tracking and Pose Estimation Using Modified Camshift Algorithm

In this paper, we propose multiple CAMShift Algorithm based on Kalman filter and weighted search windows that ex-tracts skin color area and tracks several human body parts for real-time human tracking system. The CAMShift Algo-rithm we propose searches the skin color region by detecting the skin color area from background model. Kalman filter stabilizes the floated search area of CAMShift Algorithm. Each occlusion areas are avoided by using weighted window of non-search areas and main-search area. And shadows are eliminated from background model and intensity of shadow. The proposed modified Camshaft algorithm can estimate human pose in real-time and achieves 96.82 % accuracy even in the case of occlusions

A Case of Giant Fibrovascular Polyp of the Esophagus, Treated Successfully by Endoscopic Resection

Fibrovascular polyps are rare benign intraluminal tumors that usually arise from the cervical esophagus. These often present as very large sized pedunculated polyps and cause symptoms including dysphagia and respiratory distress. Generally, large polyps are surgically excised, while endoscopic resection is limited to smaller polyps. Herein, we present a giant fibrovascular polyp of the esophagus treated successfully by endoscopic resection. (Korean J Gastroenterol 2016;67:253-256

Renoprotective Effect of the Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor CG200745 in DOCA-Salt Hypertensive Rats

The novel histone deacetylase inhibitor CG200745 was initially developed to treat various hematological and solid cancers. We investigated the molecular mechanisms associated with the renoprotective effects of CG200745 using deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive (DSH) rats. DOCA strips (200 mg/kg) were implanted into rats one week after unilateral nephrectomy. Two weeks after DOCA implantation, DSH rats were randomly divided into two groups that received either physiological saline or CG200745 (5 mg/kg/day) for another two weeks. The extent of glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis was determined by Masson’s trichrome staining. The renal expression of fibrosis and inflammatory markers was detected by semiquantitative immunoblotting, a polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry. Pathological signs such as glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, increased systolic blood pressure, decreased creatinine clearance, and increased albumin-to-creatinine ratios in DSH rats were alleviated by CG200745 treatment compared to those manifestations in positive control animals. Furthermore, this treatment counteracted the increased expression of αSMA, TGF-β1, and Bax, and the decreased expression of Bcl-2 in the kidneys of DSH rats. It also attenuated the increase in the number of apoptotic cells in DSH rats. Thus, CG200745 can effectively prevent the progression of renal injury in DSH rats by exerting anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and anti-apoptotic effects

Biomimetic Chitin-Silk Hybrids: An Optically Transparent Structural Platform for Wearable Devices and Advanced Electronics

The cuticles of insects and marine crustaceans are fascinating models for man-made advanced functional composites. The excellent mechanical properties of these biological structures rest on the exquisite self-assembly of natural ingredients, such as biominerals, polysaccharides, and proteins. Among them, the two commonly found building blocks in the model biocomposites are chitin nanofibers and silk-like proteins with ??-sheet structure. Despite being wholly organic, the chitinous protein complex plays a key role for the biocomposites by contributing to the overall mechanical robustness and structural integrity. Moreover, the chitinous protein complex alone without biominerals is optically transparent (e.g., dragonfly wings), thereby making it a brilliant model material system for engineering applications where optical transparency is essentially required. Here, inspired by the chitinous protein complex of arthropods cuticles, an optically transparent biomimetic composite that hybridizes chitin nanofibers and silk fibroin (??-sheet) is introduced, and its potential as a biocompatible structural platform for emerging wearable devices (e.g., smart contact lenses) and advanced displays (e.g., transparent plastic cover window) is demonstrated