trans-Diehlorotetrapyridineruthenium(II)

[Ru(py)4Cl2] (where py = pyridine, CsHsN), crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I4/acd. Ru and C1 atoms occupy sites of 222 and 2 point symmetry, respectively. The Ru atom has slightly distorted octahedral coordination. The C1--Ru---C1 moiety is linear, as a result of symmetry requirements.published_or_final_versio

Risk factor assessment and prevention for coronary artery disease

Observational studies have identified a number of patient characteristics predictive of subsequent development of coronary artery disease. Most of these risk factors are modifiable. There are now compelling evidence that modification of some of these risk factors can prevent progression and promote regression of coronary artery disease. This article reviews the evidence for the causative role of these risk factors in coronary atherosclerosis, possible preventive measures and treatment goals.published_or_final_versio

Could the compact remnant of SN 1987A be a quark star?

The standard model for Type II supernovae explosions, confirmed by the detection of neutrinos emitted during the supernova explosion, predicts the formation of a compact object, usually assumed to be a neutron star. However, the lack of detection of a neutron star or pulsar formed in the SN 1987A still remains an unsolved mystery. In this paper, we suggest that the newly formed neutron star at the center of SN 1987A may undergo a phase transition after the neutrino trapping timescale (∼10 s). Consequently the compact remnant of SN 1987A may be a strange quark star, which has a softer equation of state than that of neutron star matter. Such a phase transition can induce stellar collapse and result in large amplitude stellar oscillations.We use a three-dimensional Newtonian hydrodynamic code to study the time evolution of the temperature and density at the neutrinosphere. Extremely intense pulsating neutrino fluxes, with submillisecond period and with neutrino energy (greater than 30 MeV), can be emitted because the oscillations of the temperature and density are out of phase almost 180◦. If this is true we predict that the current X-ray emission from the compact remnant of SN 1987A will be lower than 1034 erg s−1, and it should be a thermal bremsstrahlung spectrum for a bare strange star with a surface temperature of around ∼107 K.published_or_final_versio

Tumor cyclooxygenase-2 levels correlate with tumor invasiveness in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Aim: Recent studies suggested that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enhances tumor angiogenesis via upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Although COX-2 expression has been demonstrated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the significance of COX-2 in progression of HCC remains unclear. This study evaluated the clinicopathological correlation of COX-2 level and its relationship with VEGF level in HCC. Methods: Fresh tumor tissues were obtained from 100 patients who underwent resection of HCC. COX-2 protein expression was examined by immunohistochemistry, and quantitatively by an enzyme immunometric assay (EIA) of tumor cytosolic COX-2 levels. Tumor cytosolic VEGF levels were measured by an ELISA. Results: Immunostaining showed expression of COX-2 in tumor cells. Tumor cytosolic COX-2 levels correlated with VEGF levels (r = 0.469, P<0.001). Correlation with clinicopathological features showed significantly higher tumor cytosolic COX-2 levels in the presence of multiple tumors (P = 0.027), venous invasion (P = 0.030), microsatellite lesions (P = 0.037) and advanced tumor stage (P = 0.008). Higher tumor cytosolic COX-2 levels were associated with worse patient survival. Conclusion: This study shows that elevated tumor COX-2 levels correlate with elevated VEGF levels and invasiveness in HCC, suggesting that COX-2 plays a significant role in the progression of HCC. © 2005 The WJG Press and Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.published_or_final_versio

Genetic linkage of beta and gamma subunits of epithelial sodium channel to systolic blood pressure in southern Chinese

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Production and optimization of alkalostable lipase by alkalophilic Burkholderia cenocepacia ST8

A superior lipase-producing bacterium was isolated from forest soil samples in Setapak, Malaysia and it was identified as Burkholderia cenocepacia with 16S rRNA sequencing technique. Multifactor experimental design based on ‘change-one-factor-at-a-time’ approach was employed to optimize the production of Bukholderia lipase with submerged fermentation technique. Effects of carbon and nitrogen sources, metal ions as well as initial pH of medium on lipase production were extensively investigated. Optimal lipase activity was achieved in medium using combination of sunflower oil and Tween 80 (1% v/v each) as carbon sources. Simple sugars such as glucose and fructose, however, did not promote the production of lipase. Peptone (from meat) at 0.33% (w/v) was the most suitable nitrogen source for lipase production by this Gram-negative bacterium. The presence of Ca2+ in the cultivation medium possessed significant effect on lipase production while Mg2+, Mn2+, Na+, Fe2+, Cu2+ and Co2+ exhibited inhibitory effect towards the enzyme production. Initial culture pH in the range of 5 to 11 were found suitable for lipase production, with the maximum level of lipase activity recorded in the medium with initial culture pH of 9.0.Key words: Alkalostable lipase, alkalophilic Burkholderia cenocepacia, optimization, multifactor experimental design

Transcriptomic Analysis of Laribacter hongkongensis Reveals Adaptive Response Coupled with Temperature

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Glypican-1, phosphacan/receptor protein-tyrosine phosphatase-ζ/β and its ligand, tenascin-C, are expressed by neural stem cells and neural cells derived from embryonic stem cells

The heparan sulfate proteoglycan glypican-1, the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan phosphacan/RPTP (receptor protein-tyrosine phosphatase)-ζ/β and the extracellular matrix protein tenascin-C were all found to be expressed by neural stem cells and by neural cells derived from them. Expression of proteoglycans and tenascin-C increased after retinoic acid induction of SSEA1-positive ES (embryonic stem) cells to nestin-positive neural stem cells, and after neural differentiation, proteoglycans and tenascin-C are expressed by both neurons and astrocytes, where they surround cell bodies and processes and in certain cases show distinctive expression patterns. With the exception of tenascin-C (whose expression may decrease somewhat), expression levels do not change noticeably during the following 2 weeks in culture. The significant expression, by neural stem cells and neurons and astrocytes derived from them, of two major heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans of nervous tissue and of tenascin-C, a high-affinity ligand of phosphacan/RPTP-ζ/β, indicates that an understanding of their specific functional roles in stem cell neurobiology will be important for the therapeutic application of this new technology in facilitating nervous tissue repair and regeneration