Coenzyme Q0 from Antrodia cinnamomea

We investigated the anticancer effects of Antrodia cinnamomea, a medicinal mushroom from Taiwan, on A549 human lung cancer cells using the ethyl acetate extract from submerged culture filtrates. Our results showed that 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (coenzyme Q0; CoQ0) derived from A. cinnamomea submerged culture filtrates has anticancer activity. CoQ0 treatment reduced the viability of A549, HepG2, and SW480 cancer cell lines. Furthermore, CoQ0 induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and apoptosis in A549 cells, which was inhibited by the antioxidant ascorbic acid. To our knowledge, these data demonstrate for the first time that CoQ0 derived from A. cinnamomea submerged culture filtrates exerts its anticancer effect through the induction of ROS-mediated apoptosis in A549 human lung cancer cells

Spatiotemporal analysis of air pollution and asthma patient visits in Taipei, Taiwan

[[abstract]]Background: Buffer analyses have shown that air pollution is associated with an increased incidence of asthma, but little is known about how air pollutants affect health outside a defined buffer. The aim of this study was to better understand how air pollutants affect asthma patient visits in a metropolitan area. The study used an integrated spatial and temporal approach that included the Kriging method and the Generalized Additive Model (GAM). Results: We analyzed daily outpatient and emergency visit data from the Taiwan Bureau of National Health Insurance and air pollution data from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration during 2000-2002. In general, children (aged 0-15 years) had the highest number of total asthma visits. Seasonal changes of PM10, NO2, O3 and SO2 were evident. However, SO2 showed a positive correlation with the dew point (r = 0.17, p < 0.01) and temperature (r = 0.22, p < 0.01). Among the four pollutants studied, the elevation of NO2 concentration had the highest impact on asthma outpatient visits on the day that a 10% increase of concentration caused the asthma outpatient visit rate to increase by 0.30% (95% CI: 0.16%??.45%) in the four pollutant model. For emergency visits, the elevation of PM10 concentration, which occurred two days before the visits, had the most significant influence on this type of patient visit with an increase of 0.14% (95% CI: 0.01%??.28%) in the four pollutants model. The impact on the emergency visit rate was non-significant two days following exposure to the other three air pollutants. Conclusion: This preliminary study demonstrates the feasibility of an integrated spatial and temporal approach to assess the impact of air pollution on asthma patient visits. The results of this study provide a better understanding of the correlation of air pollution with asthma patient visits and demonstrate that NO2 and PM10 might have a positive impact on outpatient and emergency settings respectively. Future research is required to validate robust spatiotemporal patterns and trends

Prognosis of ductal adenocarcinoma of pancreatic head with overexpression of CD44

SummaryBackgroundThe long-term survival rate of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is very low. Cancer stem cells have been identified in PDAC based on the expression of the surface markers CD24, CD44, CD133, and epithelial specific antigen. The prognosis of PDAC may be related to the presence or absence of tumor cells with cancer stem cell surface markers.MethodsEighty-six PDAC patients (51 male and 35 female patients) who underwent surgical treatment at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Lin-Kou Medical Center, Lin-Kou, Taiwan between 1998 and 2007 were included in this study. The patients' ages ranged from 30 years to 84 years. All their surgical specimens showed invasive ductal cancer. Immunohistochemical staining with CD44 antibodies was performed. The differences in clinical data, cell types of tumors, tumor staging, and survival rates between patients with CD44− (Group A; n = 33) and CD44+ (Group B; n = 53) were compared.ResultsClinical data, cell types of tumors, and tumor staging between the two groups showed no significant differences. The 3- and 5-year survival rates were, respectively, 51.5% and 19.8% in patients with CD44− tumor cells and 4.0% and 2.0% in those with CD44+ tumor cells. The differences were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). The median overall survival times of the two groups were also different (36.9 months vs. 12.2 months, p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that the CD44 as well as lymph node status, and differentiation of tumor cells were prognostic factors for patients with PDAC.ConclusionThe results suggested that CD44 expression in patients with PDAC after surgery was significantly associated with decreased survival, whereas patients with CD44− tumor cells survived significantly longer

Continuous Production of Lipase-Catalyzed Biodiesel in a Packed-Bed Reactor: Optimization and Enzyme Reuse Study

An optimal continuous production of biodiesel by methanolysis of soybean oil in a packed-bed reactor was developed using immobilized lipase (Novozym 435) as a catalyst in a tert-butanol solvent system. Response surface methodology (RSM) and Box-Behnken design were employed to evaluate the effects of reaction temperature, flow rate, and substrate molar ratio on the molar conversion of biodiesel. The results showed that flow rate and temperature have significant effects on the percentage of molar conversion. On the basis of ridge max analysis, the optimum conditions were as follows: flow rate 0.1 mL/min, temperature 52.1°C, and substrate molar ratio 1 : 4. The predicted and experimental values of molar conversion were 83.31 ± 2.07% and 82.81 ± .98%, respectively. Furthermore, the continuous process over 30 days showed no appreciable decrease in the molar conversion. The paper demonstrates the applicability of using immobilized lipase and a packed-bed reactor for continuous biodiesel synthesis

Hyperbilirubinemia with urinary tract infection in infants younger than eight weeks old

AbstractBackgroundHyperbilirubinemia is one of the most common causes for hospital admission in neonatal infants. Previous studies have found that jaundice may be one of the initial symptoms related to urinary tract infection (UTI) in infants. This study is to evaluate the incidence and related factors of neonatal infants with the initial presentation of hyperbilirubinemia and final diagnosis of UTI in a tertiary teaching hospital.MethodsWe retrospectively investigated the medical records of admitted infants younger than 8 weeks old with hyperbilirubinemia between January and December 2008. The jaundiced infants having tests of urinalysis were enrolled into our study and grouped into UTI or no UTI group according to the findings of urinary culture.ResultsA total of 217 neonatal jaundiced infants were enrolled. Among them, 12 cases (5.5%) were grouped into the UTI group, and the most common cultured bacterium from their urine was Escherichia coli. There was no significant difference in the babies’ birth weight, maternal conditions, or total bilirubin levels between the two groups. There was also no significant difference between the two groups in their admission age (9.7 ± 13.5 days vs. 6.1 ± 6.7 days in UTI and no UTI groups, respectively) or the ratio of outpatients (50% vs. 25% in UTI and no UTI groups, respectively) (p > 0.05). The cases of UTI group had significantly lower hemoglobin (15.2 ± 2.7 g/dL vs. 17.2 ± 2.3 g/dL, respectively) and higher formula feeding rate (8.3% vs. 2.9%, respectively) than the no UTI group (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe incidence of UTI in the admitted infants with hyperbilirubinemia was as high as approximately 5.5%. The most common cultured bacterium in urine was E coli. Therefore, performing urinary tests to exclude the possibility of coincidental UTI may be necessary for admitted jaundiced infants younger than 8 weeks old

High serum levels of procalcitonin and soluble TREM-1 correlated with poor prognosis in pulmonary tuberculosis

SummaryObjectivesComparisons of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) would expand our knowledge of which biomarker is the best predictor for outcomes of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).MethodsWe prospectively enrolled 243 PTB patients, in whom PCT, CRP, and sTREM-1 measurement were performed to evaluate their prognostic value for 6-month mortality.ResultsSerum PCT, CRP, and sTREM-1 levels on diagnosis of PTB were significantly higher in nonsurvivors (2.22 ± 6.22 vs. 0.13 ± 0.31 ng/mL, P = 0.043; 42.1 ± 59.4 vs. 12.5 ± 29.1 mg/L, P = 0.004; 332 ± 362 vs. 128 ± 98 pg/mL, P = 0.001, respectively) as compared with 6-month survivors. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, PCT ≧0.5 ng/mL (hazard ratio 4.13, 95% CI, 1.99–8.58) and sTREM-1 ≧129 pg/mL (hazard ratio 3.39, 95% CI, 1.52–7.58) remained independent mortality predictors. Serum PCT and sTREM-1 levels above the cutoffs were also associated with the presence of disseminated tuberculosis.ConclusionsAmong PTB patients, higher PCT, CRP, and sTREM-1 levels are observed in nonsurvivors than in 6-month survivors. Serum levels of PCT and sTREM-1 over the cutoffs are independently associated with a poor outcome. In addition, higher PCT and sTREM-1 levels would raise the clinical suspicion of disseminated tuberculosis

Konsep Demokrasi Politik Dalam Islam

Coexistence of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with asthma appears to impair asthma control. Type-2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) respond to the cytokines of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), interleukin (IL)-25 and IL-33, thus contributing to airway diseases such as CRS and asthma. We investigate whether the augmented Th2-cytokines in CRS might be related to sinonasal tract ILC2s corresponding to enhanced IL-25, IL-33 and TSLP release in severe asthmatics, and be involved in asthma control. Twenty-eight asthmatics (12 non-severe and 16 severe) with CRS receiving nasal surgery were enrolled. The predicted FEV1 inversely associated with CRS severity of CT or endoscopy scores. Higher expression of Th2-driven cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, and IL-13), TSLP, IL-25 and IL-33 in nasal tissues was observed in severe asthma. Severe asthmatics had higher ILC2 cell counts in their nasal tissues. ILC2 counts were positively correlated with Th2-cytokines. Nasal surgery significantly improved asthma control and lung function decline in severe asthma and CRS. The higher expression of IL-33/ILC2 axis-directed type 2 immune responses in nasal tissue of CRS brought the greater decline of lung function in severe asthma. ILC2-induced the upregulated activity of Th2-related cytokines in asthmatics with CRS may contribute to a recalcitrant status of asthma control

The Inq13 POOC::A Participatory Experiment in Open, Collaborative Teaching and Learning.

This article offers a broad analysis of a POOC (“Participatory Open Online Course”) offered through the Graduate Center, CUNY in 2013. The large collaborative team of instructors, librarians, educational technologists, videographers, students, and project leaders reflects on the goals, aims, successes, and challenges of the experimental learning project. The graduate course, which sought to explore issues of participatory research, inequality and engaged uses of digital technology with and through the New York City neighborhood of East Harlem, set forth a unique model of connected learning that stands in contrast to the popular MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) model

Multiple Lineages of Human Breast Cancer Stem/Progenitor Cells Identified by Profiling with Stem Cell Markers

Heterogeneity of cancer stem/progenitor cells that give rise to different forms of cancer has been well demonstrated for leukemia. However, this fundamental concept has yet to be established for solid tumors including breast cancer. In this communication, we analyzed solid tumor cancer stem cell markers in human breast cancer cell lines and primary specimens using flow cytometry. The stem/progenitor cell properties of different marker expressing-cell populations were further assessed by in vitro soft agar colony formation assay and the ability to form tumors in NOD/SCID mice. We found that the expression of stem cell markers varied greatly among breast cancer cell lines. In MDA-MB-231 cells, PROCR and ESA, instead of the widely used breast cancer stem cell markers CD44+/CD24-/low and ALDH, could be used to highly enrich cancer stem/progenitor cell populations which exhibited the ability to self renew and divide asymmetrically. Furthermore, the PROCR+/ESA+ cells expressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers. PROCR could also be used to enrich cells with colony forming ability from MB-361 cells. Moreover, consistent with the marker profiling using cell lines, the expression of stem cell markers differed greatly among primary tumors. There was an association between metastasis status and a high prevalence of certain markers including CD44+/CD24−/low, ESA+, CD133+, CXCR4+ and PROCR+ in primary tumor cells. Taken together, these results suggest that similar to leukemia, several stem/progenitor cell-like subpopulations can exist in breast cancer

MJ-66 induces malignant glioma cells G2/M phase arrest and mitotic catastrophe through regulation of cyclin B1/Cdk1 complex

Malignant gliomas are among the most devastating cancers as they are resistant to many kinds of treatment. Despite recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment, the prognosis of patients remains very poor and the development of new drug is urgently needed. Here, we report that a synthetic quinazolinone analog 2-(naphthalene-1-yl)-6-pyrrolidinyl-4-quinazolinone (MJ-66) induced glioma cell death. Immunofluorescence staining showed that MJ-66-induced cell death was associated with multinucleated phenotype and multipolar spindles that were typical characteristics of mitotic catastrophe. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that MJ-66 caused glioma cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and increased the proportion of polyploidy cells. Western blotting indicated that the expression of cyclin B1, Cdk1 pY15 and Cdk1 increased after treatment with MJ-66. MJ-66 effectively inhibited tumor growth and induced apoptosis in the xenograft animal model of U87 human glioma cells. Together, these results suggest that MJ-66 inhibited malignant gliomas growth through inducing mitotic catastrophe by interference with G2/M cell cycle checkpoint which may open a new avenue for the treatment of malignant gliomas