5,331 research outputs found
Characterising the biological function of constitutive androstane receptor and its possible role in liver cancer
Constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) is a xenosensor that is almost exclusively expressed in liver. Studies in rodents suggest an oncogenic role for CAR in liver cancer, but its role in human liver cancer is unclear. This study investigated the functional roles of CAR in human liver cancer with a focus on the liver cancer stem cell (LCSCs) using siRNA, modulation of CAR activity by its specific agonist, and tumour sphere formation assays. CAR expression was significantly reduced in human liver cancer. Based on bioinformatic analyses and in vitro studies, activation of CAR significantly reduces cancer cell stemness and represses proliferation, migration, invasion, and the tumour sphere-forming abilities of liver cancer cells (p<0.05). CAR increased the expression of stemness markers CD24 and/or CD133 (p<0.05) in liver cancer cells. Collectively, CAR acts a tumour suppressor role in human liver cancer
Gene therapy for osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is considered one of the most common and serious problems affecting the elderly population worldwide. It is a chronic and progressive disease, characterized by decreased bone mass and degeneration of the microarchitecture of the bone tissue. Gene therapy represents a new approach in osteoporosis treatment, and its main function is to restore the compromised function in the metabolism. This review aims to elucidate the main studies on gene therapy in recent years, in the medical databases, that use gene therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis in animal models, as well as the future prospects of this therapy. The majority of the studies use the BMP, PTH and OPG genes, in an attempt to reestablish bone mass. Despite the lack of new molecules, all genes employed in these studies have proven to be efficient in the treatment of the disease. The benefits that gene therapy will provide for patients in the future should contribute substantially to increasing the quality of life for the elderly. Soon, clinical trials involving humans will benefit individuals with osteoporosis.A osteoporose Ă© considerada um dos problemas de saĂșde mais comuns e sĂ©rios da população idosa mundial. Ă uma doença crĂŽnica e progressiva, caracterizada pela diminuição da massa Ăłssea e deterioração da microarquitetura do tecido Ăłsseo. A terapia gĂȘnica representa uma nova abordagem para o tratamento da osteoporose e tem como princĂpio devolver a função comprometida pelo metabolismo. Esta revisĂŁo visa focar os trabalhos relevantes desenvolvidos nos Ășltimos anos, disponibilizados nas bases de dados mĂ©dicas, e que utilizaram a terapia gĂȘnica para o tratamento da osteoporose em modelos animais, bem como, as perspectivas futuras desta terapia. A maioria dos estudos utiliza os genes BMPs, PTH e OPG na tentativa de restabelecer a massa Ăłssea. Apesar da carĂȘncia de novas molĂ©culas, todos os genes empregados nos estudos se mostraram eficientes no tratamento da doença. Os benefĂcios que a terapia gĂȘnica proporcionarĂĄ aos pacientes no futuro devem contribuir substancialmente para o aumento na qualidade de vida dos idosos. Em breve, protocolos clĂnicos envolvendo humanos irĂŁo beneficiar os indivĂduos com osteoporose.Universidade Federal de SĂŁo Paulo (UNIFESP)UNIFESPSciEL
Preparation, characterization and photocatalytic behavior of WO3-fullerene/TiO2 catalysts under visible light
WO3-treated fullerene/TiO2 composites (WO3-fullerene/TiO2) were prepared using a sol-gel method. The composite obtained was characterized by BET surface area measurements, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and UV-vis analysis. A methyl orange (MO) solution under visible light irradiation was used to determine the photocatalytic activity. Excellent photocatalytic degradation of a MO solution was observed using the WO3-fullerene, fullerene-TiO2, and WO3-fullerene/TiO2 composites under visible light. An increase in photocatalytic activity was observed, and WO3-fullerene/TiO2 has the best photocatalytic activity; it may attribute to the increase of the photo-absorption effect by the fullerene and the cooperative effect of the WO3
Enhanced Electrochemical Performances of Hollow-Structured N-Doped Carbon Derived from a Zeolitic Imidazole Framework (ZIF-8) Coated by Polydopamine as an Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Doping heteroatoms such as nitrogen (N) and boron (B) into the framework of carbon materials is one of the most efficient methods to improve the electrical performance of carbon-based electrodes. In this study, N-doped carbon has been facilely synthesized using a ZIF-8/polydopamine precursor. The polyhedral structure of ZIF-8 and the effective surface-coating capability of dopamine enabled the formation of N-doped carbon with a hollow structure. The ZIF-8 polyhedron served as a sacrificial template for hollow structures, and dopamine participated as a donor of the nitrogen element. When compared to ZIF-8-derived carbon, the HSNC electrode showed an improved reversible capacity of approximately 1398 mAh·gâ1 after 100 cycles, with excellent cycling retention at a voltage range of 0.01 to 3.0 V using a current density of 0.1 A·gâ1
Relationship between Mothers' Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer and Attitudes toward Preventing Cervical Cancer in Their Pubertal Daughters
PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between a mother's diagnosis of cervical cancer and attitudes toward cervical cancer prevention in their daughters. Their intention to recommend human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for their daughters, their confidence in 8 methods for cervical cancer prevention with their daughters, and their negative emotions about the assumption of their daughter's HPV infection.
METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis of data from the study of maternal health beliefs about preventing cervical cancer. The study sample were women who reported whether ever diagnosed with cervical cancer, who had pubertal daughters (n=1,578). Data were analyzed by cross-tabulation analysis, Spearman's rank correlation analysis, and logistic regression.
RESULTS: Mothers diagnosed with cervical cancer were more confident in using methods to prevent cervical cancer in their daughters (Z=â4.42, p&lt;.001) and were more likely to feel negative emotions about the assumption of their daughters' HPV infection (Z=â2.44, p=.015) than mothers who were not diagnosed. Significant factors influencing their intention to recommend the HPV vaccination to their daughters were the mother's confidence in preventing cervical cancer in their daughters (odds ratio [OR], 1.003; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.002â1.004) and their negative emotions about the assumption of their daughters' HPV infection (OR,1.016; 95% CI, 1.004â1.028).
CONCLUSION: For the early prevention of cervical cancer in pubertal daughters, the education of their mothers should include interventions to increase confidence in preventing cervical cancer in their daughters and sensitivity of HPV infection toward daughters
SkyMapper Southern Survey: First Data Release (DR1)
We present the first data release (DR1) of the SkyMapper Southern Survey, a
hemispheric survey carried out with the SkyMapper Telescope at Siding Spring
Observatory in Australia. Here, we present the survey strategy, data
processing, catalogue construction and database schema. The DR1 dataset
includes over 66,000 images from the Shallow Survey component, covering an area
of 17,200 deg in all six SkyMapper passbands , while the full area
covered by any passband exceeds 20,000 deg. The catalogues contain over 285
million unique astrophysical objects, complete to roughly 18 mag in all bands.
We compare our point-source photometry with PanSTARRS1 DR1 and note an
RMS scatter of 2%. The internal reproducibility of SkyMapper photometry is on
the order of 1%. Astrometric precision is better than 0.2 arcsec based on
comparison with Gaia DR1. We describe the end-user database, through which data
are presented to the world community, and provide some illustrative science
queries.Comment: 31 pages, 19 figures, 10 tables, PASA, accepte
Individual mean-variance relation and stock-level investor sentiment
This research studies the effect of stock-level investor sentiment on individual stock returnsâ mean-variance relation. Using unique buy and sell volume data of retail investors in Korean stock market, we find that a positive mean-variance relation is undermined among high-sentiment stocks, but holds among low-sentiment stocks. We adopt buy-sell imbalances of retail investors for individual stocks as a measure of stock-level investor sentiment. Further, our findings provide empirical evidence of a strong riskreturn trade-off among stocks with low retail concentration (e.g., large capitalization, high-priced, and growth stocks). Existing research only analyzes market-wide investor sentiment. However, we study the effect of stock-level investor sentiment on individual stock returns. Therefore, our findings suggest novel implications about the investment strategy that the stock-level investor sentiment is important when constructing portfolios based on variance
Acute respiratory distress after metofluthrin insecticide ingestion in a 19-month-old girl
Metofluthrin is a volatile pyrethroid insecticide. Despite being widely used as a safe household insecticide, it could cause severe systemic symptoms. A 19-month-old girl was taken to the emergency department after ingesting 1 mL of a mosquito repellent containing metofluthrin. After the arrival, the girl developed respiratory distress, which worsened progressively despite the administration of oxygen with nebulized salbutamol and budesonide. Additionally, she underwent application of high-flow nasal cannula, and administration of activated charcoal and systemic steroids. Her dyspnea gradually improved, and she was thus discharged on day 4 with oral prednisolone. All medications were discontinued 10 days after the discharge without any complication. Respiratory distress can develop after the ingestion of even a small amount of metofluthrin. Symptomatic and adjunctive steroid therapies can be effective therapeutic options
SkyMapper Southern Survey: Second Data Release (DR2)
We present the second data release (DR2) of the SkyMapper Southern Survey, a
hemispheric survey carried out with the SkyMapper Telescope at Siding Spring
Observatory in Australia, using six optical filters: . DR2 is the
first release to go beyond the 18mag (10) limit of the Shallow
Survey released in DR1, and includes portions of the sky at full survey depth
that reach >21mag in and filters. The DR2 photometry has a precision as
measured by internal reproducibility of 1% in and , and 0.7% in .
More than 21 000 deg have data in some filters (at either Shallow or Main
Survey depth) and over 7 000 deg have deep Main Survey coverage in all six
filters. Finally, about 18 000 deg have Main Survey data in and
filters, albeit not yet at full depth. The release contains over 120 000
images, as well as catalogues with over 500 million unique astrophysical
objects and nearly 5 billion individual detections. It also contains
cross-matches with a range of external catalogues such as Gaia DR2, Pan-STARRS1
DR1, GALEX GUVcat, 2MASS, and AllWISE, as well as spectroscopic surveys such as
2MRS, GALAH, 6dFGS, and 2dFLenS.Comment: 21 pages, 17 figures. As of 25 Aug 2020, DR2 is available to the
world at http://skymapper.anu.edu.a
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