Renovation and Reuse of Reactive Dyeing Effluent by a Novel Heterogeneous Fenton System Based on Metal Modified PTFE Fibrous Catalyst/H 2

Cu-Fe bimetallic grafted polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fiber complexes were prepared and optimized as the novel heterogeneous Fenton catalysts for the degradation of reactive dyes under UV irradiation. Cotton fabrics were dyed with three reactive dyes, namely, Reactive Red 195, Reactive Yellow 145, and Reactive Blue 222, in tap fresh water using exhaustion process. The spent dyeing effluents were then collected and degraded with the optimized Cu-Fe bimetallic grafted PTFE fiber complex/H2O2 system. The treated dyeing effluents were characterized and reused for the dyeing of cotton fabrics through the same process. The effect of reuse process number on quality of the dyed cotton fabrics was examined. The results indicated that the Cu-Fe bimetallic modified PTFE fiber complex with a Cu/Fe molar ratio of 2.87 was found to be the most effective fibrous catalyst, which enhanced complete decolorization of the treated dyeing effluents with H2O2 in 4 h. However, the TOC removal for the treated dyeing effluents was below 80%. The dyeing quality was not affected for three successive cycles. The increase in residual TOC value influences fourth dyeing cycle. Further TOC reduction of the treated effluents is needed for its repeated reuse in more than three dyeing cycles

Downregulated expression of HSP27 in human low-grade glioma tissues discovered by a quantitative proteomic analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Heat shock proteins (HSPs), including mainly HSP110, HSP90, HSP70, HSP60 and small HSP families, are evolutionary conserved proteins involved in various cellular processes. Abnormal expression of HSPs has been detected in several tumor types, which indicates that specific HSPs have different prognostic significance for different tumors. In the current studies, the expression profiling of HSPs in human low-grade glioma tissues (HGTs) were investigated using a sensitive, accurate SILAC (stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture)-based quantitative proteomic strategy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The five HSP family members were detected and quantified in both HGTs and autologous para-cancerous brain tissues (PBTs) by the SILAC-based mass spectrometry (MS) simultaneously. HSP90 AB1, HSP A5(70 KDa), and especially HSP27 were significantly downregulated in HGTs, whereas the expression level of HSPA9 (70 KDa) was little higher in HGTs than that in PBTs. It was noted that the downregulation ratio of HSP27 was 0.48-fold in HGTs <it>versus </it>PBTs, which was further validated by results from RT-PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, we detected HSP27 expression changes along with cell growth under heat shock treatment in glioma H4 cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The SILAC-MS technique is an applicable and efficient novel method, with a high-throughput manner, to quantitatively compare the relative expression level of HSPs in brain tumors. Different HSP family members have specific protein expression levels in human low-grade glioma discovered by SILAC-MS analysis. HSP27 expression was obviously downregulated in HGTs <it>versus </it>PBTs, and it exhibited temporal and spatial variation under heat shock treatment (43°C/0-3 h) <it>in vitro</it>. HSP27's rapid upregulation was probably correlated with the temporary resistance to heat shock in order to maintain the survival of human glioma cells.</p

Comparisons of three polyethyleneimine-derived nanoparticles as a gene therapy delivery system for renal cell carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Polyethyleneimine (PEI), which can interact with negatively charged DNA through electrostatic interaction to form nanocomplexes, has been widely attempted to use as a gene delivery system. However, PEI has some defects that are not fit for keeping on gene expression. Therefore, some modifications against PEI properties have been done to improve their application value in gene delivery. In this study, three modified PEI derivatives, including poly(ε-caprolactone)-pluronic-poly(ε-caprolactone) grafted PEI (PCFC-g-PEI), folic acid-PCFC-isophorone diidocyanate-PEI (FA-PEAs) and heparin-PEI (HPEI), were evaluated in terms of their cytotoxicity and transfection efficiency <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo </it>in order to ascertain their potential application in gene therapy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>MTT assay and a marker GFP gene, encoding green fluorescent protein, were used to evaluate cell toxicity and transfection activity of the three modified PEI <it>in vitro</it>. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) models were established in BALB/c nude mice inoculated with OS-RC-2 cells to detect the gene therapy effects using the three PEI-derived nanoparticles as gene delivery vehicles. The expression status of a target gene Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) in treated tumor tissues was analyzed by semiquantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Each of three modified PEI-derived biomaterials had an increased transfection efficiency and a lower cytotoxicity compared with its precursor PEI with 25-kD or 2-kD molecule weight <it>in vitro</it>. And the mean tumor volume was obviously decreased 30% by using FA-PEAs to transfer VHL plasmids to treat mice RCC models. The VHL gene expression was greatly improved in the VHL-treated group. While there was no obvious tumor inhibition treated by PCFC-g-PEI:VHL and HPEI:VHL complexes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The three modified PEI-derived biomaterials, including PCFC-g-PEI, FA-PEAs and HPEI, had an increased transfection efficiency <it>in vitro </it>and obviously lower toxicities compared with their precursor PEI molecules. The FA-PEAs probably provide a potential gene delivery system to treat RCC even other cancers in future.</p

MTHFR Gene Polymorphism Association With Psoriatic Arthritis Risk and the Efficacy and Hepatotoxicity of Methotrexate in Psoriasis.

Aims To assess whether MTHFR rs1801131 and rs1801133 SNPs are associated with concomitant psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and investigate the efficacy and hepatotoxicity of MTX in patients with psoriasis in the Han Chinese population. Methods This prospective, single-arm, interventional study recruited a total of 309 patients with psoriasis, 163 with psoriatic arthritis and 146 without psoriatic arthritis, who completed a 12-week MTX treatment and 1,031 healthy controls. Patients' characteristics including age, gender, disease duration, height, weight, smoking status, alcohol consumption, medical history, disease severity and liver function test results were accessed and recorded. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping of rs1801131 and rs1801133 in the MTHFR gene was performed. Results The rs1801133 CC genotype was more frequent in patients with PsA than those with PsO and healthy controls (42.3% vs. 28.8% vs. 33.1%, p < 0.05). The 90% reduction from baseline PASI score (PASI 90) response rates to MTX were significantly higher in patients with the rs1801133 TT genotype than those with the CT and CC genotype (33.96% vs. 19.31% vs. 14.41%, OR = 2.76, p = 0.006). The rs1801133 CT+TT genotype was more frequent in PsA patients with abnormal liver function than in those with normal liver function (p < 0.05). In addition, patients with the rs1801131 CT genotype had lower PASI 75 response rates to MTX (OR = 0.49, p = 0.01), and lower risk of ALT elevation (OR = 0.46, p = 0.04). Conclusions This study provided some evidence for MTHFR polymorphism association with the risk of PsA and the efficacy and hepatotoxicity of the low-dose MTX in the Chinese population. Given the relatively small sample size and potentially missed diagnosis of PsA, the results from this study warrant further investigation

MTHFR Polymorphism and Folic Acid Supplementation Influence Serum Homocysteine Levels in Psoriatic Patients Treated with Methotrexate.

BACKGROUND Hyperhomocysteinemia has been reported in psoriasis. We investigated the effect of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), polymorphism and folic acid supplementation on serum homocysteine levels in psoriasis. METHODS Serum homocysteine levels were detected at baseline and at week 12 in 201 patients who were genotyped with MTHFR rs1801133 without and 93 psoriatic patients with folate supplement. RESULTS TT genotype carriers of MTHFR rs1801133 had significantly higher serum homocysteine levels at baseline and at week 12, a better PASI 75 response rate at week 8, and a higher PASI 90 response rate at week 12 than the CT and CC genotype carriers. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that serum homocysteine concentration at baseline was significantly associated with sex, weight, PASI score at baseline, and the rs1801133 genotype. The significant upregulation of serum homocysteine levels after treatment with methotrexate (MTX) was only observed in male CT and CC genotype carriers and female CC genotype carriers. In contrast, folic acid supplementation significantly decreased serum homocysteine levels after MTX treatment but only in male psoriatic patients. CONCLUSIONS The effect of MTX on serum homocysteine levels was associated with the polymorphism of MTHFR rs1801133 and sex. Folic acid supplementation only decreased serum homocysteine levels in male psoriatic patients

Extracts of Cistanche deserticola

The senescence accelerated mouse prone 8 substrain (SAM-P8), widely accepted as an animal model for studying aging and antiaging drugs, was used to examine the effects of dietary supplementation with extracts of Cistanche deserticola (ECD) which has been used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine because of its perceived ability to promote immune function in the elderly. Eight-month-old male SAM-P8 mice were treated with ECD by daily oral administrations for 4 weeks. The results showed that dietary supplementation of 150 mg/kg and 450 mg/kg of ECD could extend the life span measured by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis in dose-dependent manner. Dietary supplementation of SAM-P8 mice for 4 weeks with 100, 500, and 2500 mg/kg of ECD was shown to result in significant increases in both naive T and natural killer cells in blood and spleen cell populations. In contrast, peripheral memory T cells and proinflammatory cytokine, IL-6 in serum, were substantially decreased in the mice that ingested 100 and 500 mg/kg of ECD daily. Additionally, Sca-1 positive cells, the recognized progenitors of peripheral naive T cells, were restored in parallel. Our results provide clear experimental support for long standing clinical observational studies showing that Cistanche deserticola possesses significant effects in extending life span and suggest this is achieved by antagonizing immunosenescence

Structure of a Bmi-1-Ring1B Polycomb Group Ubiquitin Ligase Complex

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins Bmi-1 and Ring1B are core subunits of the PRC1 complex which plays important roles in the regulation of Hox gene expression, X-chromosome inactivation, tumorigenesis and stem cell self-renewal. The RING finger protein Ring1B is an E3 ligase that participates in the ubiquitination of lysine 119 of histone H2A, and the binding of Bmi-1 stimulates the E3 ligase activity. We have mapped the regions of Bmi-1 and Ring1B required for efficient ubiquitin transfer and determined a 2.5 Angstroms structure of the Bmi-1-Ring1B core domain complex. The structure reveals that Ring1B 'hugs' Bmi-1 through extensive RING domain contacts and its N-terminal tail wraps around Bmi-1. The two regions of interaction have a synergistic effect on the E3 ligase activity. Our analyses suggest a model where the Bmi-1-Ring1B complex stabilizes the interaction between the E2 enzyme and the nucleosomal substrate to allow efficient ubiquitin transfer

Hubungan IL-10 Dengan Serum Kreatinin Dan Terjadinya Komplikasi Pada Preeklampsia Perawatan Konservatif

Tujuan: mengetahui hubungan penurunan IL-10 dengan terjadinya peningkatan serum kreatinin (SK) dan terjadinya komplikasi preeklampsia.Bahan dan Metode: penelitian ini merupakan analitik observasional yang dilakukan pada 30 wanita preeklampsia berat tipe dini yang dilakukan perawatan konservatif. Dilakukan pemeriksaan IL-10 pada serum darah dengan metode ELISA sebelum perawatan konservatif dan kemudian dinilai luaran maternal (SK dan komplikasi preeklampsia)Hasil: didapatkan rerata kadar IL-10 pada preeklampsia tipe dini 0,71 ± 0,66 pg/mL, rerata luaran SK 0,83 ± 0,29, terjadinya komplikasi 9 kasus (edema paru, impending eklampsia, sindroma HELLP). Tidak didapatkan hubungan antara IL-10 dengan peningkatan serum kreatinin (p = 0,483) dan komplikasi preeklampsia (p = 0,828).Simpulan: IL-10 bukan merupakan faktor prediktif untuk luaran maternal pada preeklampsia perawatan konservatif