Identification of Regional Lymph Node Involvement of Colorectal Cancer by Serum SELDI Proteomic Patterns

Background. To explore the application of serum proteomic patterns for the preoperative detection of regional lymph node involvement of colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods. Serum samples were applied to immobilized metal affinity capture ProteinChip to generate mass spectra by Surface-Enhanced Laser Desorption/ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS). Proteomic spectra of serum samples from 70 node-positive CRC patients and 75 age- and gender-matched node-negative CRC patients were employed as a training set, and a classification tree was generated by using Biomarker Pattern Software package. The validity of the classification tree was then challenged with a blind test set including another 65 CRC patients. Results. The software identified an average of 46 mass peaks/spectrum and 5 of the identified peaks at m/z 3,104, 3,781, 5,867, 7,970, and 9,290 were used to construct the classification tree. The classification tree separated effectively node-positive CRC patients from node-negative CRC patients, achieving a sensitivity of 94.29% and a specificity of 100.00%. The blind test challenged the model independently with a sensitivity of 91.43% a specificity of 96.67%. Conclusions. The results indicate that SELDI-TOF-MS can correctly distinguish node-positive CRC patients from node-negative ones and show great potential for preoperative screening for regional lymph node involvement of CRC

Molecular docking studies on rocaglamide, a traditional Chinese medicine for periodontitis

Purpose: To undertake an in silico assessment of rocaglamide as a potential drug therapy forperiodontitis (dental arthritis).Method: Lamarckian algorithm-based automated docking approach using AutoDock4.2 tool wasapplied for calculating the best possible binding mode of rocaglamide to IL-23p19 and IL-17, the targets of anti-inflammatory drugs in periodontal disease.Results: The top two interactions of rocaglamide with IL-17 (ΔG = -5.45 and -4.83 kcal/mol) were more spontaneous, and the physical interactions (two hydrogen bonds and one π-πbond) generated in the two IL-17- rocaglamide complexes were higher in number than in IL-23p14-rocaglamide complexes.Conclusion: In silico analysis of rocaglamide, a known antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent, is a promising natural candidate for periodontitis therapy, and should be further subjected to in vitro and in vivo anti-periodontitis investigations.Keywords: Periodontitis, Inflammation, Rocaglamide, Molecular docking, Lamarckian algorithm, IL- 23p19, IL-1

Study on Smoke Control of Wuhan CBD Urban Traffic Link Tunnel

AbstractAn Urban Traffic Link Tunnel (UTLT) is a novel type of underground transportation system consisting of a main tunnel in a loop shape and several linked tunnels. It has a higher level of fire risk compared to other common road tunnels. In this study, numerical and experimental study has been conducted to investigate the smoke control of Wuhan Central Business District (CBD) UTLT. The transient distributions of the smoke spread have been analyzed, and the optimal smoke control strategy for the Wuhan CBD UTLT has been put forward

Tetra­aqua­bis­[2-(4-pyridyl­sulfan­yl)acetato-κN]nickel(II)

In the centrosymmetric title complex, [Ni(C7H6NO2S)2(H2O)4], the NiII atom, located on a centre of inversion, is coordinated by two N atoms from two 2-(4-pyridyl­sulfan­yl)acetate ligands and four water O atoms in an octa­hedral geometry. In the crystal, inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the coordinated water mol­ecules and the carboxyl­ate group of the anionic 2-(4-pyridyl­sulfan­yl)acetate ligands link these discrete mononuclear units into a three-dimensional network

Neutrino oscillations in de Sitter space-time

We try to understand flavor oscillations and to develop the formulae for describing neutrino oscillations in de Sitter space-time. First, the covariant Dirac equation is investigated under the conformally flat coordinates of de Sitter geometry. Then, we obtain the exact solutions of the Dirac equation and indicate the explicit form of the phase of wave function. Next, the concise formulae for calculating the neutrino oscillation probabilities in de Sitter space-time are given. Finally, The difference between our formulae and the standard result in Minkowski space-time is pointed out.Comment: 13 pages, no figure

Neurotherapeutic effect of mangiferin against hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy in neonatal rats

Background: Hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in perinatal condition is highly associated with mortality and several neurological disabilities. The present experiment was blueprinted to ascertain the protective efficacy of mangiferin (MF) against hypoxic–ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats.Materials and Methods: Fourth six neonatal rats (pups) were randomly separated into four groups as a sham group that received only water (control; n=12), pups exposed to Hypoxic–ischemic (HI) insult (HI group-II; n=11), pups receiving 20 (MF 20+HI-III; n=11) or 40 (MF 40+HI-IV; n=12) mg/kg b. wt of MF dissolved in water via i.p. for 7 consecutive days as pretreatment regimen before HI insult as well as one-time post treatment after HI insult.Results: MF pretreatment for seven days considerably attenuated the cerebral infarct size, edema level, lipid peroxidation (MDA), inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NF-p65 subunit) as well as greatly ameliorated the antioxidant activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione reductase (GSH) and thereby maintaining the redox balance. The number of viable neuronal count (nissl bodies) was exponentially increased on administration with both the dosages of MF. Both the dosages showed substantial protection against HIE, however, 40 mg of MF exhibit superior neuroprotection in equivalence with 20 mg of MF.Conclusion: The results of the present study distinctly proving the beneficial effect of MF against HIE by concomitantly improving neuronal count and antioxidant status. Hence, we recommend MF might be used for treating neonatal HIE with some standard drugs.Key words: Hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy, Mangiferin, Antioxidant, Inflammation, Neuroprotectiv

(E)-5-(3,5-Dimethyl­phen­yl)-N-[4-(methyl­sulfan­yl)benzyl­idene]-1,3,4-thia­diazol-2-amine

The title compound, C18H17N3S2, was synthesized by the reaction of 5-(3,5-dimethyl­phen­yl)-1,3,4-thia­diazol-2-amine and 4-(methyl­sulfan­yl)benzaldehyde. An intra­molecular C—H⋯S hydrogen bond results in the formation of a planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.003 Å) five-membered ring. In the crystal structure, inter­molecular C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules to form layers parallel to (011)