Additional file 2: of Expression patterns of STAT3, ERK and estrogen-receptor Îą are associated with development and histologic severity of hepatic steatosis: a retrospective study

Immunohistochemical staining for leptin (A-20, 1:50; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA, USA) and leptin-receptor (B-3, 1:25; Santa Cruz Biotechnology) in hepatic steatosis cases, and non-neoplastic hepatocytes and carcinoma cells from hepatocellular carcinomas. (a-b) Hepatic steatosis with nuclear and/or cytoplasmic staining of leptin (a), and diffuse granular staining of leptin-receptor (b). (c-e) Leptin in hepatocellular carcinomas. Nuclear and cytoplasmic staining of leptin in non-neoplastic hepatocytes (left side of each picture), and negative (c), weak (d) or strong (e) leptin staining in hepatocellular carcinoma cells (right side of each picture). (f-g) Leptin-receptor in hepatocellular carcinomas. Diffuse granular cytoplasmic expression of leptin-receptor in non-neoplastic hepatocytes (left), and weak focal (f) or strong diffuse (g) staining of leptin-receptor in hepatocellular carcinoma cells (right). (JPEG 4962 kb

Additional file 1: of Expression patterns of STAT3, ERK and estrogen-receptor Îą are associated with development and histologic severity of hepatic steatosis: a retrospective study

Differential features between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) subgroups stratified by NAS and SAF. (DOCX 47 kb

Morphological Differences between Circulating Tumor Cells from Prostate Cancer Patients and Cultured Prostate Cancer Cells

<div><p>Circulating tumor cell (CTC) enumeration promises to be an important predictor of clinical outcome for a range of cancers. Established CTC enumeration methods primarily rely on affinity capture of cell surface antigens, and have been criticized for underestimation of CTC numbers due to antigenic bias. Emerging CTC capture strategies typically distinguish these cells based on their assumed biomechanical characteristics, which are often validated using cultured cancer cells. In this study, we developed a software tool to investigate the morphological properties of CTCs from patients with castrate resistant prostate cancer and cultured prostate cancer cells in order to establish whether the latter is an appropriate model for the former. We isolated both CTCs and cultured cancer cells from whole blood using the CellSearch® system and examined various cytomorphological characteristics. In contrast with cultured cancer cells, CTCs enriched by CellSearch® system were found to have significantly smaller size, larger nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio, and more elongated shape. These CTCs were also found to exhibit significantly more variability than cultured cancer cells in nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio and shape profile.</p></div

Diameters of CTCs from prostate cancer patients (pre-treatment) and cultured prostate cancer cells.

<p>The average diameter of CTCs (7.97 µm) was significantly smaller than cultured cancer cells (13.38 µm) (p<0.001).</p

Changes in cell and nucleus after two days of storage in the CellSave tubes.

<p>A: The diameter of cultured prostate cancer cells decreased ∼6% on average. B: The nuclear diameter of cultured prostate cancer cells decreased ∼10% on average.</p

Image data processing using LabView software.

<p>Labview software performs the series of operations on large varying mages datasets provided by the CellSearch® system. Two parallel filtering and measurements, such as calculating area in pixels (A) and estimating the best-fit ellipse (B) are performed for optimal performance and results.</p

Elongation Factor and Nuclear Cytoplasmic Ratios.

<p>A: Elongation factor (EF) of CTCs from prostate cancer patients compared with cultured prostate cancer cells. The median EF of CTCs was generally greater with significant inter- and intra-patient variability. B: Nuclear cytoplasmic (N/C) ratios of CTCs from prostate cancer patients compared with cultured prostate cancer cells. Median with upper and lower quartiles is shown for each sample. The median N/C ratio for CTCs was generally greater with significant inter- and intra-patient variability.</p

Example images of cultured prostate cancer cell (A–D) and CTCs from prostate cancer patients (E–L) captured using the CellSearch® system.

<p>CTCs were noticeably smaller than cultured cancer cells (A–D). Cultured cancer cells were mostly round with regular cell and nuclear shapes. The nucleus was typically centered and surrounded by cytokeratin (E–L). CTCs exhibited highly variable shapes, including round (E), oval (F), elongated (G–J), and clusters (L). Non-round and multi-nucleate cells were sometimes observed (G–K). The yellow scale bar is 5 µm in length.</p

Factors Affecting the Rate of CO₂ Absorption after Partial Desorption in NaNO₃‑Promoted MgO

Sodium nitrate (NaNO₃) and other alkali nitrates are known to accelerate the CO₂ absorption rate of MgO above their melting points. This absorption rate is further enhanced if absorption is performed after partial desorption. Moreover, it does not show any induction period, which is otherwise present if absorption is performed after complete desorption. A thorough study of various factors affecting the rate after partial desorption is performed in this work. We exposed a sample to CO₂ for several different periods before partial desorption and N₂ for several different periods during partial desorption in a thermogravimetric analyzer. Absorbents were also characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and studied in an <i>in situ</i> infrared (IR) cell to understand the changes at the molecular scale. The absorbed amount of CO₂ with a fast initial rate after partial desorption is affected by both the amount of CO₂ absorbed before partial desorption as well as the amount of MgO formed during partial desorption. <i>In situ</i> IR studies showed that two phases of bulk MgCO₃ were formed along with the surface carbonate. It can be concluded from the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and <i>in situ</i> IR study that defects in MgO, which were introduced from the defect MgCO₃ phase during partial desorption, are responsible for the faster rate after partial desorption. It seems that substitution of nitrate ions in the MgCO₃ phase is responsible for the defect MgCO₃ phase (out-of-plane bending vibration at 876 cm^–1)

Source Identification and Apportionment of Halogenated Compounds Observed at a Remote Site in East Asia

The sources of halogenated compounds in East Asia associated with stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change are relatively poorly understood. High-precision in situ measurements of 18 halogenated compounds and carbonyl sulfide (COS) made at Gosan, Jeju Island, Korea, from November 2007 to December 2011 were analyzed by a positive matrix factorization (PMF). Seven major industrial sources were identified from the enhanced concentrations of halogenated compounds observed at Gosan and corresponding concentration-based source contributions were also suggested: primary aluminum production explaining 37% of total concentration enhancements, solvent usage of which source apportionment is 25%, fugitive emissions from HCFC/HFC production with 11%, refrigerant replacements (9%), semiconductor/electronics industry (9%), foam blowing agents (6%), and fumigation (3%). Statistical trajectory analysis was applied to specify the potential emission regions for seven sources using back trajectories. Primary aluminum production, solvent usage and fugitive emission sources were mainly contributed by China. Semiconductor/electronics sources were dominantly located in Korea. Refrigerant replacement, fumigation and foam blowing agent sources were spread throughout East Asian countries. The specified potential source regions are consistent with country-based consumptions and emission patterns, verifying the PMF analysis results. The industry-based emission sources of halogenated compounds identified in this study help improve our understanding of the East Asian countries’ industrial contributions to halogenated compound emissions