Hepatitis B Virus-Encoded X Protein Downregulates EGFR Expression via Inducing MicroRNA-7 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection accounts for over a half of cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most frequent malignant tumor of the liver. HBV-encoded X (HBx) plays critical roles in HBV-associated hepatocarcinogenesis. However, it is unclear whether and how HBx regulates the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), an important gene for cell growth. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the association between HBx and EGFR expression. In this study, we found that HBx upregulates miR-7 expression to target 3′UTR of EGFR mRNA, which in turn results in the reduction of EGFR protein expression in HCC cells. HBx-mediated EGFR suppression renders HCC cells a slow-growth behavior. Deprivation of HBx or miR-7 expression or restoration of EGFR expression can increase the growth rate of HCC cells. Our data showed the miR-7-dependent EGFR suppression by HBx, supporting an inhibitory role of HBx in the cell growth of HCC. These findings not only identify miR-7 as a novel regulatory target of HBx, but also suggest HBx-miR-7-EGFR as a critical signaling in controlling the growth rate of HCC cells

Physicochemical properties of the water extracted polysaccharides from the sugary kefir grains

Kefir is a fermented drink, including milky kefir and sugary kefir. For the production of sugary kefir, a muscovado sugar solution (80 g L⁻¹) is fermented by a consortium of microorganisms which were originated from the sugary kefir grains. Sugary kefir grains contain a water soluble polysaccharide known as sugary kefir polysaccharide. Since researches on the properties of sugary kefir polysaccharide are quite limited, the objectives of this study is to investigate the physicochemical properties of sugary kefir polysaccharide extracted by different ethanol concentration. The sugary kefir polysaccharide A is precipitated by 71% ethanol concentration, and the abbreviation of sugary kefir polysaccharide A is KA. The other sugary kefir polysaccharide B is precipitated by 79% ethanol concentration, namely KB. In addition, the effect of sugary kefir polysaccharide addition on the pasting behavior and rheological properties of corn, wheat and tapioca starch were characterised. According to the results of yield (5.44-5.87% db), total carbohydrate content (95.79-99.29% db), ash content (1.06-1.08% db), molecular weight (1.47×10⁶-1.48×10⁶ Da), there is no significant difference between KA and KB. The monosaccharide composition of KA and KB are composed of mainly glucose and trace amount of mannose, without the presence of uronic acid. In consistence with the total carbohydrate content, KA and KB are neutral polysaccharide with high purity. ¹H, ¹³C and 2D NMR analysis revealed that the structure of sugary kefir polysaccharide is α-D-Glc (1→6)α-D-Glc. Rheological behavior of 6-10% sugary kefir polysaccharide belongs to shear-thinning fluid. When mixed different concentration (0.5-5%) of sugary kefir polysaccharide with 10% starch (corn, wheat and tapioca), the pasting behavior of starch was modified significantly. Specifically, the peak viscosity of starch paste was decreased, accompanied with an increase in pasting temperature as sugary kefir polysaccharide concentration increased. Dynamic viscoelastic results also revealed that the sugary kefir polysaccharide/starch blends belonged to weak gels, and the modulus of sugary kefir polysaccharide/starch blends decreased as sugary kefir polysaccharide concentration increased. Such results implied that the presence of sugary kefir polysaccharide would retard or interrupt the swelling of starch granules, leading to pronounced modification of the pasting behavior of starch. The information of sugary kefir polysaccharide will be useful, if the opportunity ever arises to use them commercially.克弗爾 (kefir)為一種發酵飲品，包括牛奶克弗爾 (milky kefir)與糖液克弗爾 (sugary kefir)兩種。糖液克弗爾 (sugary kefir)是以糖質原料 (黑糖液80 g L⁻¹)為培養基，藉由糖液克弗爾粒 (sugary kefir grains)中的混合菌相進行自然發酵而得。糖液克弗爾粒 (sugary kefir grains)中有糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣 (sugary kefir polysaccharide)存在。由於糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣的相關特性研究甚少，故本實驗擬探討不同酒精濃度沉澱分離之糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣 (包括71%酒精沉澱者，簡稱KA；79%酒精沉澱者，簡稱KB)之理化特性，並將糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣與玉米、小麥、樹薯澱粉混合，探討糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣的添加濃度對澱粉糊化性質及流變特性的影響。 結果發現，二種糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣的產率約為5.44-5.87% (乾重)，總糖含量約佔乾重的95.79-99.29%，另含有少量蛋白質0.43-0.49% (乾重)及灰分1.06-1.08% (乾重)、其重量平均分子量約為1.47×10⁶ – 1.48×10⁶ Da，這些結果在KA及KB間無顯著差異。KA及KB的單糖組成以葡萄糖為主，並有少量甘露糖，而無醣醛酸，顯示KA及KB為高純度的中性多醣。進一步以¹H、¹³C及二維核磁共振 (nuclear magnetic resonance, NMR)分析，其化學結構發現，糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣為α-D-Glc (1→6)α-D-Glc之葡聚醣。 6-10%多醣溶液屬於非牛頓流體中的剪稀性流體。在不同濃度糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣 (0.5-5%)與10%澱粉 (玉米、小麥、樹薯澱粉)混合系統中，澱粉的糊化性質已改變，特別是隨糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣濃度添加量增加，尖峰黏度隨之下降、成糊溫度上升。動態黏彈結果發現糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣/澱粉混合系統屬於弱膠體 (weak gel)，模量隨糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣添加濃度增加而下降，結果顯示糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣的添加會阻礙或干擾澱粉顆粒的膨潤與糊化，並改變澱粉的糊化特性。這些訊息可供日後糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣應用之參考。目錄 摘要 i Abstract iii 目錄 v 表目錄 viii 圖目錄 x 壹、前言 1 貳、文獻回顧 2 一、克弗爾及克弗爾粒之介紹 2 (一) 乳克弗爾及乳克弗爾粒 2 (二) 糖液克弗爾與糖液克弗爾粒的介紹 5 二、多醣 12 (一) 多醣簡介 12 (二) 多醣之單糖組成分析 18 三、結構分析 25 四、流變學簡介 35 參、研究目的 41 肆、材料與方法 42 一、實驗材料 42 二、糖液克弗爾粒的培養 44 三、糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣之萃取與製備 44 四、化學性質分析 45 (一) 基本成分分析 45 (二) 單糖組成分析 50 (三) 結構分析 52 五、物理性質分析 56 (一) 分子量分佈 56 (二) 流變性質之測定 58 (三) 糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣與澱粉混合系統的熱性質分析 63 六、統計分析 64 伍、結果與討論 65 一、糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣的製備 65 二、樣品的化學性質分析 66 (一) 基本成分分析 66 (二) 單糖組成分析 66 (三) 結構分析 74 三、樣品的物理性質分析 81 (一) 分子量分布 81 (二) 流變性質分析 87 (三) 糖液克弗爾粒水萃多醣與澱粉混合系統的熱性質分析 132 陸、結論 146 柒、參考文獻 14

The relationships between family support, drugs carving and intention to relapse in drug abusers

[[abstract]]本研究三個主要目的在於了解(一)藥物濫用者家庭支持、用藥渴求與復發意向的狀況、(二)藥物濫用者家庭支持、用藥渴求與復發意向的關係、 (三)用藥渴求與家庭支持對於預測復發意向的能力。研究採用問卷調查法進行，於2009年5月份期間，於高雄戒治所內，針對受戒治人進行抽樣，共蒐集285份有效樣本進行分析，本研究結果歸納如下: 一、戒治所內藥物濫用者年齡集中在31歲到50歲之間的青壯年人口，受訪者對於整體家庭支持呈現正向感受。 二、復發意向之中的毒品接觸因素，最易引發藥物濫用者再吸毒之想法，顯示藥物濫用者的復發意向，與其是否直接接觸毒品具有相當大的關係。 三、無工作、初次吸毒年齡越低與藥物濫用年數越高的藥物濫用者其用藥渴求會越高。另無工作的藥物濫用者，在復發意向及其子因素「情緒引發」及「毒品接觸」的得分也最高，顯示沒有工作，提高了藥物濫用者復發的危險性。 四、不同毒品使用狀況的藥物濫用者在復發意向上均達顯著差異，而使用兩種以上藥物的藥物濫用者是復發意向分數最高的一群。 五、家庭支持與用藥渴求及復發意向均呈現負相關，用藥渴求及復發意向兩者則為正相關。 六、工作狀況、毒品使用狀況、家庭支持及用藥渴求等變項可以有效預測30.6%的復發意向，顯示沒有工作、使用兩種以上毒品、家庭支持度越低、用藥可求越高者，復發意向越高。[[abstract]]This study is used to understand three aspects. First, what are the situations of family support, drugs craving, and intention to relapse for drug abusers? Second, what are the relations between family support, drugs craving, and intention to relapse for drug abusers? Third, how do family support and thirst for durgs influence intention to relapse for drug abusers? In this study, the researcher uses questionnaire survey to get the data and analyzes the 285 valid samples from the Kaohsiung Drug Abuser Treatment Center during May in 2009. Following is the summary of this study. 1. Most of the drug abusers in the Kaohsiung Drug Abuser Treatment Center are between 31 and 50 years old, and they have positive feeling about their family support. 2. Contacting with drugs is the factor that easiest makes drug abusers bring about the thought to use drugs again. 3. Unemployment, young age when first time to use drugs, and long with drug abuse make drug abusers more drugs craving. Additionally, in this research, drug abusers with unemployment get the highest score at the relapsing intention part, especial emotional influence and drugs contact. It shows that unemployment causes the risk of relapse higher. 4. Different situations of drug abuse have significant differences to intention to relapse. Also, drug abusers with using more than two kinds of drugs are the population who get highest score at the relapsing intention part. 5. Family support has negative relation to drugs craving and intention to relapse, but drugs craving and intention to relapse are positive relation. 6. Working states, situations of using drugs, family support, and other variables can predict intention to relapse for 30.6%, for example drug abusers with unemployment, using more than two kinds of drugs, low family support, and high drugs craving have high intention to relapse.[[note]]碩

FIGURE 1 in First record of Gauguin's blunt-nose lizardfish, Trachinocephalus gauguini Polanco, Acero & Betancur 2016 (Teleostei: Synodontidae) outside the Marquesas Archipelago

FIGURE 1. Three Trachinocephalus specimens collected from Papua New Guinean waters. (A) T. gauguini, NTUM 11085, SL = 51.3 mm (B) T. gauguini, NTUM 11212, SL = 76.4 mm (C) T. trachinus, NTUM 11201, SL = 40.6 mm. (Photographed by J.-N. Chen).Published as part of Wang, Shih-Yu, Chen, Jhen-Nien, Russell, Barry C. & Chen, Wei-Jen, 2018, First record of Gauguin's blunt-nose lizardfish, Trachinocephalus gauguini Polanco, Acero & Betancur 2016 (Teleostei: Synodontidae) outside the Marquesas Archipelago, pp. 151-156 in Zootaxa 4476 (1) on page 154, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4476.1.14, http://zenodo.org/record/144041

First record of Gauguin's blunt-nose lizardfish, Trachinocephalus gauguini Polanco, Acero & Betancur 2016 (Teleostei: Synodontidae) outside the Marquesas Archipelago

Wang, Shih-Yu, Chen, Jhen-Nien, Russell, Barry C., Chen, Wei-Jen (2018): First record of Gauguin's blunt-nose lizardfish, Trachinocephalus gauguini Polanco, Acero & Betancur 2016 (Teleostei: Synodontidae) outside the Marquesas Archipelago. Zootaxa 4476 (1): 151-156, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4476.1.1

Trachinocephalus gauguini Polanco, Acero & Betancur 2016

<i>Trachinocephalus gauguini</i> Polanco, Acero & Betancur, 2016, new record <p>Figure 1A–B; Table 1–2</p> <p> <b>Material examined.</b> NTUM 11085 (tissue voucher: PNG 3127) and NTUM 11212 (tissue voucher: PNG 3163). Both specimens were collected from mid-shelf areas around 20 km west of Kavieng, New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea (Fig. 2) on September 2, 2014 by R/V ALIS from station CP4455, 2° 23.4' S, 150° 37' E, 60–72m, and station CP4456, 2°35' S, 150°40' E, 134–144m, respectively (campaign: KAVIENG 2014).</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> Morphometric data and meristic data for the two Papua New Guinea specimens are as in Table 1 and 2 respectively. The morphological characteristics fit within the range of the identification key, description of body color pattern, and photographs provided in Polanco <i>et al.</i> (2016): L Sn 6.7–10.0% of HL, L Sn 12.6–18.9% of D B, L Sn 31.6–51.7% of D E, W I 4.0–6.7% of HL; pectoral fin rays 11, anal fin rays 14–16; pectoral, caudal and anal fin yellow; dorsal fin dark yellow; four obvious yellow stripes along the body longitudinally, with several inconspicuous vertical bars across; an oval black spot above the dorsal border of the operculum, and a rather wide dark blotch below the eye (indistinct in NTUM 11212) (Fig. 1A, B). A blunter snout and broader dark blotch beneath the eye distinguish <i>Trachinocephalus gauguini</i> from other species of <i>Trachinocephalus</i>.</p>Published as part of <i>Wang, Shih-Yu, Chen, Jhen-Nien, Russell, Barry C. & Chen, Wei-Jen, 2018, First record of Gauguin's blunt-nose lizardfish, Trachinocephalus gauguini Polanco, Acero & Betancur 2016 (Teleostei: Synodontidae) outside the Marquesas Archipelago, pp. 151-156 in Zootaxa 4476 (1)</i> on page 152, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4476.1.14, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/1440416">http://zenodo.org/record/1440416</a&gt

Mushroom β-Glucan May Immunomodulate the Tumor-Associated Macrophages in the Lewis Lung Carcinoma

The present study showed that oral mushroom beta-glucan treatment significantly increased IFN-γ mRNA expression but significantly reduced COX-2 mRNA expression within the lung. For LLC tumor model, oral Ganoderma lucidum or Antrodia camphorata polysaccharides treatments significantly reduced TGF-β production in serum. In addition, IL-12 and IFN-γ mRNA expression were significantly increased, but IL-6, IL-10, COX-2, and TGF-β mRNA expression were substantially following oral mushroom polysaccharides treatments. The study highlights the efficacious effect of mushroom polysaccharides for ameliorating the immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment. Increased M1 phenotype of tumor-associated macrophages and attenuated M2 phenotype of tumor-associated macrophages could be achieved by ingesting mushroom polysaccharides