Davenportchristophersen3123
The results demonstrated that immobilized VEGF stimulated cell migration in the hydrogel sheet at all depths compared with soluble VEGF. The results also showed that applying a VEGF gradient in both soluble and immobilized states had a significant effect on cell migration at limited depths ( less then 100 μm). The main finding of this study is a significant improvement in cell migration using an in vivo imitating, cost-efficient, and highly reproducible platform, which may open up a new perspective for tissue engineering applications. © 2020 IOP Publishing Ltd.(Background) Bronchial asthma requires assessment and treatment of both airway inflammation and reversible airway narrowing. Airway inflammation and reversible airway narrowing are treated primarily with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and long-acting β2 agonists (LABA), respectively. Therefore, ICS/LABA combinations are widely used to treat asthma. Airway inflammation and reversible airway narrowing are assessed primarily with fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) and bronchodilator reversibility testing. However, little is known about the relation between these two assessments. Therefore, we assessed airway inflammation and bronchial reversibility during ICS/LABA combination therapy. 3C-Like Protease inhibitor (Methods) The subjects comprised 87 patients (25 men and 62 women) with asthma undergoing ICS/LABA combination therapy from July to September 2017. We performed the FENO test, forced oscillation technique (FOT), and bronchodilator reversibility testing without stopping ICS/LABA combination therapy. (Results) The percent change in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (ΔFEV1%) was significantly correlated with FENO (r = 0.437, p less then 0.001) and FOT's parameters (r = 0.3-0.6, p less then 0.001). We divided patients into those with high FENO (FENO≧36ppb) and low FENO group. There were significant differences between the two groups in terms of peripheral eosinophils in blood (p=0.034, n=57), %FEV1 (p=0.005), ΔFEV1 (p less then 0.001) and ΔFEV1% (p less then 0.001) but no significant change in terms of FOT's parameters. (Conclusion) In patients whose bronchial asthma was stable during ICS/LABA combination therapy, bronchial reversibility during treatment was correlated with FENO and FOT parameters. © 2020 IOP Publishing Ltd.The complex dielectric permittivity of a series of spin-crossover complexes, with variable ligand stoichiometry [Fe(Htrz)1+y-x(trz)2-y(NH2trz)x](BF4)y•nH2O, has been investigated as a function of temperature in a wide frequency range. In each compound, a substantial drop of the conductivity and permittivity is evidenced when going from the low spin to the high spin state, albeit with decreasing amplitude for increasing ligand substitution (i.e. for increasing x). The deconvolution of the dielectric spectra using the Havriliak-Negami equation allowed to extract the dipole and conductivity relaxation times, their distributions as well as the dielectric strengths in both spin states. Remarkably, no clear correlation appears between the conductivity changes and the lattice properties (Debye temperature) in the dilution series. We rationalize these results by considering the dimensionality of the system (1D), wherein the charge transport occurs most likely by hopping along the [Fe(Rtrz)3]nn+ chains. © 2020 IOP Publishing Ltd.Strong anomalous increase of the dielectric constant across a structural phase transition between two centrosymmetric phases, commonly observed in various crystals including prominent antiferroelectrics, is shown to originate from the hidden improper ferroelectric phases. In the vicinity of the phase transition double hysteresis loops of electric polarization vs. electric field should be observed, which can be used for targeted design of antiferroelectric compounds. The suggested mechanism is illustrated by theoretical explanation of the recently discovered antiferroelectricity in the Ruddlesden-Popper compound ((CH3)2CHCH2NH3)2CsPb2Br7. Implications of the suggested models for the phase transition between theRandPphases in NaNbO3are discussed. © 2020 IOP Publishing Ltd.Exhaled breath analysis has become a promising monitoring tool for various ailments by identifying volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as indicative biomarkers excreted in the human body. Throughout the process of sampling, measuring, and data processing, non-biological variations are introduced in the data leading to batch effects. Algorithmic approaches have been developed to cope with within-study batch effects. Batch differences, however, may occur among different studies too, and up-to-date, ways to correct for cross-study batch effects are lacking; ultimately, cross-study comparisons to verify the uniqueness of found VOC profiles for a specific disease may be challenging. This study applies within-study batch-effect-correction approaches to correct for cross-study batch effects; suggestions are made that may help prevent the introduction of cross-study variations. Three batch-effect-correction algorithms were investigated zero-centering, combat, and the analysis of covariance framework. The breath samples or quality control samples at regular analysis intervals. Further knowledge regarding the nature of the unsolicited variations among cross-study batches must be obtained to move the field further.In this paper, we present magnetic properties of a finite graphene sheet with a triangle punctured vacancy, and its counterpart single-wall carbon nanotube as a rolled-up graphene sheet in the framework of the Hubbard model in the presence of an axial electric field, in order to form a comparison study between these two graphene samples. We have noticed that the tight-binding part of the Hamiltonian consists of two types of zero-energy states in the case of the graphene sheet, the strict zero-energy states, and the quasi zero-energy states. The first type takes part in a ferromagnetic coupling between the triangle edges and one edge of the rectangle graphene sheet, while the latter one has an antiferromagnetic alignment with the opposite edge of the rectangle graphene sheet. Involving the Coulomb interaction through Hubbard term, we have observed that the slope of the cluster edge states in nanotube is higher than the graphene sheet. Additionally, spin-depolarization happens in single-wall nanotube sooner than the graphene sheet by slightly increasing an axial electric field. Also, the graphene sheet is more robust than the single wall nanotube at low electric fields.. © 2020 IOP Publishing Ltd.BACKGROUND AND AIMS Atherosclerosis (AS) is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases. PGC-1α is a key regulator of cellular energy homeostasis, but its role in AS remains debatable. METHODS AND RESULTS In our study, PGC-1α was shown to be significantly decreased in the media of human atherosclerotic vessels. To explore whether miRNAs might be regulated by PGC-1α in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), microarray analysis was performed. Microarray and Pearson's correlation analysis showed that PGC-1α and miR-378a were positively correlated in vivo and in vitro. As an upstream co-activator, PGC-1α was found to regulate miR-378a through binding to the transcriptional factor NRF1 in VSMCs. Therefore, the decreased expression of PGC-1α might account for suppression of miR-378a in VSMCs in AS. Furthermore, IGF1 and TLR8, two genes known to be aberrantly up-regulated in atherogenic vessels, were identified as direct targets of miR-378a. In vitro up-regulation of miR-378a markedly inhibited free fatty acid (FFA)-induced VSMC proliferation, migration and inflammation through targeting IGF1 and TLR8. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the protective role of the PGC-1α/NRF1/miR-378a regulatory axis in AS progression and suggest miR-378a as potential therapeutic target for AS treatment. Increasing evidence suggests that infection promotes the initiation and progression of prostate cancer. This study investigated the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major component of Gram-negative bacilli, on proliferation, migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells and the protective effects of 1α,25(OH)2D3 (calcitriol). PC-3 and DU145 cells were stimulated with LPS (2.0 μg/mL) in the presence or absence of 1α,25(OH)2D3 (100 nM). Our results shown that 1α,25(OH)2D3 reduced the proportion of S phase cells in LPS-stimulated PC-3 and DU145 cells, and down-regulated the nuclear protein levels of Cyclin D1 and PCNA in LPS-stimulated PC-3 cells. In addition, 1α,25(OH)2D3 inhibited migration and invasion, as determined by wound healing and transwell assay, in LPS-stimulated PC-3 and DU145 cells. Of interest, we observed that 1α,25(OH)2D3 inhibits NF-κB activation and subsequent synthesis and secretion of IL-6 and IL-8 by promoting VDR and NF-κB p65 interaction. Surprisingly, 1α,25(OH)2D3 blocks nuclear translocation of pSTAT3 by promoting physical interaction between VDR and pSTAT3 (Tyr705) in LPS-stimulated PC-3 and DU145 cells. These results suggest that 1α,25(OH)2D3 inhibits LPS-induced proliferation, migration and invasion in prostate cancer cells by directly and indirectly blocking STAT3 signal transduction. Interleukin 27 (IL-27) belongs to IL-12 cytokine family, has shown anti-tumor potential in several solid tumors, as well as hematologic malignancies. IL-27 can inhibit tumor growth and progression through direct and indirect mechanisms, such as inhibition of proliferation, angiogenesis, induction of apoptosis in tumor cells, and anti-tumor immune response. B-CLL is characterized by remarkable immune perturbation, which leads to disease complications and reduced effectiveness of the treatment. Natural killer cells (NK) are considered as an important arm for the elimination of transformed cells. However, NK cells have shown significant impairment in patients with CLL. Here we analyzed the activity of recombinant human (rh) IL-27-stimulated NK cells in bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) of CLL patients using cell surface flow cytometry assessment, and cytotoxicity assay. We showed that rhIL-27 can increase CD69 on NK cells both in BM and PB. Interestingly, BM-NK cells treated with rhIL-27 exhibited a significant increase in degranulation and NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity as compared with untreated NK cells, whereas it did not improve NK cell activity of PB. These observations added further explanation to the anti-tumor activity of IL-27 and also could pave the way to adoption immunostimulatory adjuvant for therapies in CLL. OBJECTIVES The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive head and neck cancer, particularly oropharyngeal, has been increasing rapidly. Understanding of this disease, and modelling of suitable therapeutics, requires sustainable cell cultures, yet they remain limited in number and of variable origin. A comprehensive understanding of these resources is therefore of great importance. MATERIALS AND METHODS Viral gene expression assays and pathological testing methods were used in the six currently available HPV-positive cell lines derived from head and neck (H&N) subsites, two HPV-negative H&N and two cervical carcinoma cell lines. A 2D migration assay monitored cell movement, speed and pattern of migration. RESULTS All six H&N and two cervical cell lines were confirmed HPV-positive by gold standard testing, yet variability between tests was apparent. Although migration was not significantly different between cell lines, each demonstrated unique migration patterns. CONCLUSION Patient-derived cancer cells, arising as a consequence of natural oncogenic processes rather than in vitro manipulation, are essential for understanding cancer biology.
