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Autologous cancer vaccines (ACVs) are a desirable approach for personalized medicine, but the efficiency of ACVs remains unsatisfactory due to their low immunogenicity. This study developed a platform that can enhance the immunogenicity of ACVs by transplanting the tumors into immunodeficient mice. The CT26 cell line was inoculated into severe combined immunodeficient mice (SCID) for vaccine preparation where escalates tumor development, subsequently diversifying the tumor antigenic topology. CT26/SCID cancer vaccines significantly inhibited tumor growth, increased the amount of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, and triggered Th-1 predominant immune responses. Tumor antigenic profiles of CT26/SCID cells were further analyzed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Compared to CT26 parental cells, a total of 428 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were detected. These DEPs revealed that CT26/SCID cells overexpressed several novel therapeutic targets, including KNG1, apoA-I and, β2-GPI, which can trigger cytotoxic T cells towards Th-1 predominant immune responses and directly suppress proliferation in tumors. CT26/SCID cancer vaccines can be easily manufactured, while traits of triggering stronger antigen-specific Th-1 immune activity against tumors, are retained. Results of this study provide an effective proof-of-concept of an ACV for personalized cancer immunotherapy.

γδT have functions of innate and adaptive immunity, with the potential to induce durable responses while being well-tolerated, with limited adverse effects, making it attractive as a tool for immunotherapy. γδT faces challenges as a frontline tool in clinical oncology, with limited response rates due to difficulties in reaching tumor sites with consistent cytotoxic activity and strength. Modulated Electro-hyperthermia (mEHT) is a loco-regional treatment, whereby energy-transmission from an electromagnetic field selectively targets the plasma membrane of tumor cells, inducing apoptosis and activating immune cells. We hypothesized that mEHT could enhance therapeutic effects by drawing γδT to tumor cells, while also rendering tumor cells to be more susceptible to cytotoxic effects. In this study, NOD/SCID mice harboring subcutaneous human HepG2 tumors were treated with intravenous injections of γδT after mEHT treatment. This method increased infiltration of γδT into the tumor site, significantly inhibiting tumor growth as compared to monotherapy with either modality. These data suggest that γδT could mediate a potent anti-tumor effect when combined with mEHT, and provide a strong rationale for combining these modalities in clinical application for cancer treatment.

A new temperature-resistant and salt-tolerant mixed surfactant system (referred to as the SS system) for enhancing oil recovery at the Tahe Oilfield (Xinjiang, China) was evaluated. Based on the analysis of the crude oil, the formation water and rock components in the Tahe Oilfield, the long-term thermal stability, salt tolerance and the ability to change the wettability, interfacial activity and oil washing efficiency of the mixed surfactant system were studied. The system contains the anionic surfactant SDB and another cationic surfactant SDY. When the total mass concentration of the SS solution is 0.15 wt%, m(SDB)/m(SDY) ratio is 1 to 1, and excellent efficiencies are achieved for oil washing for five kinds of Tahe Oilfield crude oils (more than 60%). In addition, after adding cationic surfactant, the adsorption capacity of the surfactant is further reduced, reaching 0.261 mg/g. The oil displacement experiments indicate that under a temperature of 150 °C and a salinity of 24.6 × 104 mg/L, the SS system enhances the oil recovery by over 10% after water flooding. The SS anionic–cationic surfactant system is first presented in the open literature that can be successfully applied to obtain predictions of Tahe Oilfield carbonate reservoirs with a high temperature and high salinity.

To evaluate the curative effect of one-stage posterior debridement and osteotomy parallel to the endplates for reconstruction, deformity correction, and tuberculosis control on treating the spinal tuberculosis of graded GATA III. From July of 2012 to December of 2017, there were 36 cases from the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University with thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis graded GATA III, in which we used osteotomy parallel to the endplates and reconstruction for treatment,16 for males and 20 for females. The local Cobb angles of kyphosis of all patients are greater than or equal to 20.The age varied from 28 months to 72 years with an average of 38.8 years. There were 15 cases of thoracic segment, 12 cases of thoracolumbar segment (T11 -L2 ), 9 cases of lumbar segment. Preoperative results of ASIA were 3 cases of grade C,5 cases of grade D and 28 cases of grade E with an average kyphosis Cobb angle of 37.21 ± 3.28. The visual analogue scale(VAS) scores preoperatively were 0-8 points (averaged 5.58 ± 1.66 points). All the patients had paraspinal abscesses. After completing the preoperative examinations and evaluations, the osteotomy parallel to the endplates and reconstruction were executed. We made a statistical analysis of the Cobb angles, visual analogue scale(VAS) scores, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reaction protein(CRP), and ASIA grades before and after the surgery. The following-up time varied from 12 to 24 months, with an average of 18 months. The VAS score improved from 5.58 ± 1.66 before the surgery to 3.25 ± 0.92 one month after the surgery and 2.12 ± 0.73 at the last follow-up. The Cobb angles decreased from 37.21° ± 3.28° before the surgery to 5.72°± 2.66° one month later and 5.99° ± 1.92° at the last follow-up. The ESR decreased from 55.34 ± 1.72 mm/1 h before the surgery to 28.22 ± 3.76 mm/1 h one month later and 11.54 ± 0.46 mm/1 h at the last follow-up. The CRP decreased from 35.22 ± 2.46 mg/L before to 12.67 ± 2.82 mg/L and 4.50 ± 2.11 mg/L at the last follow-up. The results of the last ASIA grades were 1 case of grade D and 35 cases of grade E. The one-stage posterior debridement and osteotomy parallel to the endplates for patients with spinal tuberculosis of graded GATA III are not only beneficial to spinal reconstruction, but also obtain ideal reconstuction effects.

In order to better understand the water cycle processes in Baiyangdian Lake, samples for precipitation, river water, lake water, and groundwater were collected in 2020 via the analysis of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes and the total dissolved solids. A combined approach including correlation analysis, end-member modeling, and evaporation modeling was used to identify hydrogen and oxygen isotopic characteristics of different water types and their indicative significance to evaporation, hydrodynamics, and lake-groundwater interactions. The results showed that the compositions of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in surface water and groundwater differed from each other. The average values of

The efficacy of gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-assisted radiofrequency (RF)-induced hyperthermia employing the Kanzius device remains controversial. Different from the Kanzius device, modulated electro-hyperthermia (mEHT) utilizes the capacitive-impedance coupled 13.56 MHz radiofrequency (RF) current and has been approved for clinical cancer treatment. In this study, we investigated the heating characteristics of spherical-, urchin-, and rod-like AuNPs of a similar 50 nm size upon exposure to a 13.56 MHz radiofrequency using the LabEHY-105CL, an

Previous studies have demonstrated that 27‐hydroxycholesterol (27‐OHC), a cholesterol metabolite, was involved in the inflammatory process of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study aimed to investigate the 27‐OHC‐induced inflammatory damage to neurons and astrocytes and the underlying mechanism(s) accounting for this damage. Human neuroblastoma cells (SH‐SY5Y cells) and rat glioma cells (C6 cells) were treated with vehicle or 27‐OHC (5, 10, or 20 μM) for 24 hr. The levels of secreted interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), interleukin‐10 (IL‐10), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were determined by using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunofluorescence staining was used to determine the cellular expression of toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) and transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β). The mRNA and protein expression levels of nuclear factor‐κB p65 (NF‐κB p65), nuclear factor‐κB p50 (NF‐κB p50) and cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) in both SH‐SY5Y and C6 cells were also detected by real‐time PCR and Western blot, respectively. The results of this study showed that 27‐OHC treatment increased secretion of TNF‐α and iNOS and decreased secretion of IL‐10, upregulated expression of TGF‐β, NF‐κB p65 and p50, and downregulated expression of COX‐2 in SH‐SY5Y cells. In C6 cells, treatment with 27‐OHC resulted in decreased secretion of IL‐1β, IL‐10, TNF‐α, and iNOS, and increased expression of TLR4 and TGF‐β. These results suggest that 27‐OHC may cause inflammatory damage to neurons by activating the TGF‐β/NF‐κB signaling pathway and to astrocytes by activating the TLR4/TGF‐β signaling, which results in the subsequent release of inflammatory cytokines.

There is a need for valid and reliable instruments to focus on medication aspects of health literacy and help healthcare professionals address patients&rsquo, barriers to medication use. This cross-sectional study describes the conceptualization, development, and psychometric properties of the first Chinese Medication Literacy Measurement (ChMLM) to assess the level of health literacy on medication use. The 17-item ChMLM (ChMLM-17) and its short form, 13-item ChMLM (ChMLM-13), consist of four sections (vocabulary, over-the-counter labels, prescription labels, and advertisements) to cover six domains of medication-related health literacy. Multistage stratified quota sampling was attempted to recruit a representative sample in Taiwan. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to identify the cut-off point for differentiating high and low medication literacy. Psychometric analyses were performed (n = 1410) to assess the reliability and validity separately on all samples and sociodemographic subgroups. The 17- and 13-item versions both had high construct validity among all patients and patients with low medication literacy. The developed ChMLM-17 and ChMLM-13 is expected to help healthcare providers and researchers to accurately measure medication-related health literacy and improve medication use in the real-world practice.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the most important pathogenic bacteria associated with various gastrointestinal diseases. At present, its apoptotic or antiapoptotic mechanism on gastric epithelial cells remains unknown and needs further illustrated. In this study, acute infection model (H. pylori and GES-1 cells were co-cultured for 24 h at a multiplicity of infection MOI of 100:1) and chronic infection model (GES-1 cells were infected repeatedly every 24 h at a multiplicity of infection MOI of 100:1 for approximately 8 weeks) were established, respectively. the chronic H. pylori infected GES-1 cells underwent a typically morphological change and Western Blot results showed that there was slight decrease in expression of E-cadherin, and obvious increase in expression of Vimentin. Apoptosis of these two models were analyzed by flow cytometry compared with the control cells, meanwhile, apoptosis associated markers (Bcl-xL, Bcl-2, Bax, etc) were detected by Western blot, additional in clinical H. pylori-positive gastric cancer tissues. Results showed that compared with the control cells, acute infection of H. pylori significantly accelerated the apoptosis of GES-1, increased the expression of Bax and Cleaved caspase-3, down-regulated expression of Bcl-xL and Bcl-2. Moreover, an opposite result was found in chronic infection of model and clinical gastric cancer tissues, and enhanced expression of NF–κB p65. Taken together, these findings suggest that H. pylori infection plays differential effects on apoptosis of gastric epithelial cells.

In this paper, we present an interferometric method to measure the shape of X-ray wavefront and the slope error of optical elements using microfocus x-ray source. According to the fractional Talbot effect, we built an x-ray grating interferometer for x-ray wavefront characterization at the working wavelength. The interferometer consists of a phase grating as a beam splitter and an absorption grating as a transmission mask for the detector. however, the determination of the relation between x-ray grating interferometer system parameters and the sensitivity, which is influenced by many optical elements in the system, is crucial for the optimization of the setup. It is very complicated to determine the best optical parameters in the course of experiment. The interferometry system is abstracted into a linear system, and then a mathematical model is constructed. The influence of different physical parameters, such as the source size and the energy spectrum, on the functional capability of an x-ray grating interferometer applied for X-ray wavefront characterization is discussed using numerical simulations based on Fresnel diffraction theory. The slope variations can be detected with an accuracy better than 100nrad.

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome‐related coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) started in Wuhan China, has become a global health concern. At present, glucocorticoid therapy is one of the most typically controversial treatments with COVID‐19 patients. Here, we reported an asymptomatic COVID‐19 patient with persistent positive detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 for 3 weeks and proposed that glucocorticoid therapy delays the clearance of SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA. Therefore, more attention must be paid to the COVID‐19 patients receiving glucocorticoid therapy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Modulated electro-hyperthermia (mEHT) is a form of mild hyperthermia (HT) used for cancer treatment. The principle utility of HT is the ability not only to increase cell temperature, but also to increase blood flow and associated pO2 to the microenvironment. While investigational evidence has shown the unique ability of mEHT to elicit apoptosis in cancer cells, in vivo and in vitro, the same trait has not been observed with conventional HT. There is dissension as to what allows mEHT to elicit apoptosis despite heating to only mild temperatures, with the predominant opinion in favor of increased temperature at a cellular level as the driving force. For this study, we hypothesized that in addition to temperature, the amount of electrical energy delivered is a major factor in induction of apoptosis by mEHT. To evaluate the impact of electrical energy on apoptosis, we divided generally practiced mEHT treatment into 3 phases: Phase I (treatment start to 10 min. mark): escalation from 25 °C to 37 °C Phase II (10 min. mark to 15 min. mark): escalation from 37 °C to 42 °C Phase III (15 min. mark to 45 min. mark): maintenance at 42 °C Combinations of mEHT at 18 W power, mEHT at 7.5 W power, water bath, and incubator were applied to each of the three phases. Power output was recorded per second and calculated as average power per second. Total number of corresponding Joules emitted per each experiment was also recorded. The biological effect of apoptotic cell death was assayed by annexin-V assay. In group where mEHT was applied for all three phases, apoptosis rate was measured at 31.18 ± 1.47%. In group where mEHT was only applied in Phases II and III, apoptosis rate dropped to 20.2 ± 2.1%. Where mEHT was only applied in Phase III, apoptosis was 6.4 ± 1.7%. Interestingly, when mEHT was applied in Phases I and II, whether Phase III was conducted in either water bath at 42 °C or incubator at 37 °C, resulted in nearly identical apoptosis rates, 26 ± 4.4% and 25.9 ± 3.1%, respectively. These results showed that accumulation of mEHT at high-powered setting (18 W/sec) during temperature escalation (Phase I and Phase II), significantly increased apoptosis of tested cancer cells. The data also showed that whereas apoptosis rate was significantly increased during temperature escalation by higher power (18 W/sec), apoptosis was limited during temperature maintenance with lower power (7.5 W/sec). This presents that neither maintenance of 42 °C nor accumulation of Joules by mEHT has immediate correlating effect on apoptosis rate. These findings may offer a basis for direction of clinical application of mEHT treatment.

Background Modulated electro-hyperthermia (mEHT) is a form of hyperthermia used in cancer treatment. mEHT has demonstrated the ability to activate host immunity by inducing the release of heat shock proteins, triggering apoptosis, and destroying the integrity of cell membranes to enhance cellular uptake of chemo-drugs in tumor cells. Both curcumin and resveratrol are phytochemicals that function as effective antioxidants, immune activators, and potential inhibitors of tumor development. However, poor bioavailability is a major obstacle for use in clinical cancer treatment. Methods This purpose of this study was to investigate whether mEHT can increase anti-cancer efficacy of nanosized curcumin and resveratrol in in vitro and in vivo models. The in vitro study included cell proliferation assay, cell cycle, and apoptosis analysis. Serum concentration was analyzed for the absorption of curcumin and resveratrol in SD rat model. The in vivo CT26/BALB/c animal tumor model was used for validating the safety, tumor growth curve, and immune cell infiltration within tumor tissues after combined mEHT/curcumin/resveratrol treatment. Results The results indicate co-treatment of mEHT with nano-curcumin and resveratrol significantly induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of CT26 cells. The serum concentrations of curcumin and resveratrol were significantly elevated when mEHT was applied. The combination also inhibited the growth of CT26 colon cancer by inducing apoptosis and HSP70 expression of tumor cells while recruiting CD3+ T-cells and F4/80+ macrophages. Conclusions The results of this study have suggested that this natural, non-toxic compound can be an effective anti-tumor strategy for clinical cancer therapy. mEHT can enable cellular uptake of potential anti-tumor materials and create a favorable tumor microenvironment for an immunological chain reaction that improves the success of combined treatments of curcumin and resveratrol.

Background The aim of this study was to use the liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method to quantitate levels of three urinary glycosaminoglycans (GAGs; dermatan sulfate [DS], heparan sulfate [HS], and keratan sulfate [KS]) to help make a correct diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS). Methods We analyzed the relationships between phenotypes and levels of urinary GAGs of 79 patients with different types of MPS. Results The patients with mental retardation (n = 21) had significantly higher levels of HS than those without mental retardation (n = 58; 328.8 vs. 3.2 μg/ml, p

We consider two kinds of congruence proposed recently by Sun. The first one is of the form [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is a prime, [Formula: see text] is a character and [Formula: see text] is a sequence of integers. By using a constant term expression for [Formula: see text], we derive congruence for two sequences [Formula: see text]. The second one involves the sum [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] By giving a constant term expression for [Formula: see text], we derive a congruence for [Formula: see text] modulo a prime [Formula: see text].

Infection with cagA-positive Helicobacter pylori is associated with a higher risk of gastric cancer. The cagA gene product, CagA, is translocated into gastric epithelial cells and perturbs host cellular biological functions. Etoposide, a topoisomerase II inhibitor widely used to couple DNA damage to apoptosis, is a common cytotoxic agent used for advanced gastric cancer. We investigate the effect of CagA on etoposide-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer cells to elucidate whether CagA play a role in gastric carcinogenesis via impairing DNA damage-dependent apoptosis. AGS cell lines stably expressing CagA isolated from H. pylori 26695 strain were established. In the presence of etoposide, viability of parental AGS cells was decreased in a time-and dose-dependent manner, whereas CagA-expressing AGS cells were less susceptible to etoposide induced cell-killing effect. Suppression of etoposide-induced apoptosis was shown in CagA-expressing but not in parental AGS cells by DNA fragmentation, cell cycle, and annexin-V assays. This inhibitory effect of etoposide-induced apoptosis conferred by CagA was also demonstrated in SCM1 and MKN45 gastric cancer cell lines, with two additional chemotherapeutics, 5-FU and cisplatin. The effect of Akt activation on inhibition of etoposide-induced cytotoxicity by CagA was also evaluated. CagA expression and etoposide administration activate Akt in a dose-dependent manner. Enhancement of etoposide cytotoxicity by a PI-3-kinase inhibitor, LY294002, was evident in parental but was attenuated in CagA-expressing AGS cells. CagA may activate Akt, either in the absence or presence of etoposide, potentially contributing to gastric carcinogenesis associated with H. pylori infection and therapeutic resistance by impairing DNA damage-dependent apoptosis.

Objective: Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability, and is closely related to a lack of exercise. Currently, most Chinese medical staff members lack exercise and may be at risk for stroke. We sought to determine the risk factors for stroke and study the significance of health-related physical fitness testing in stroke prevention among Chinese medical staff members. Methods: A total of 627 subjects from Urumqi, Xinjiang, China, were included in the study and a survey was conducted from 1st January 2016 to 1st February 2016. Stroke screening and health-related physical fitness testing were completed according to the standard protocol, and the related data were analyzed. Results: Based on the screening, 27.6% (n = 173) of the subjects were at high risk for stroke. The top risk factors for stroke in these subjects were dyslipidemia, lack of exercise or mild physical activity, being overweight or obese, and high blood pressure. Body weight, body mass index, body fat, visceral fat area, body fat percentage, and basal metabolic rate were significantly higher (P

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) eco-labelling is among the widely known market-based management approaches that are considered effective in solving the problem of overfishing. The approach has been applied in several marine capture fisheries worldwide; however, it was found not to be fully workable in many fisheries for various reasons. The sergestid shrimp (Sergia lucens) fishery in Tungkang County of Taiwan has been managed well in recent decades through a bottom-up community-based co-management scheme and is probably the best candidate for obtaining the first MSC certification in Taiwan. This study assessed the fishery in relation to the three principles of MSC eco-labelling and investigated responses from experts, managers, industry representatives, and consumers on improving the fishery in order to obtain the MSC certification. The results suggested that three major problems confronted the fishery: (1) the fishery was unlikely to meet the MSC standards unless it could reduce its high bycatch rate; (2) the economic and/or political benefits were not attractive enough to the relevant sectors for them to cover the high costs and responsibility of obtaining and maintaining the MSC certification; and (3) the fishery was reputed to be well managed without any eco-label, suggesting no strong incentive to obtain one from a management perspective. The benefits of MSC eco-labelling could be consolidated, however, and the role of government was crucial in this regard.

Ischemic stroke arising from the sudden blockage of arteries in the brain, is a common and serious brain damaging problem worldwide, often leading to disability or death. The oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) model was created to improve understanding of hypoxia- and hypoglycemia-induced neuronal cell injury, and provide an in vitro surrogate to assess novel treatments for cerebral hypoxia-ischemia. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a critical neuroprotective regulator of energy homeostasis, metabolism and cell survival. However, the neuroprotective mechanisms by which AMPK achieves these beneficial effects in human SH-SY5Y neural cells exposed to OGD are still not well understood. Resveratrol is a potent activator of AMPK suggesting it may have therapeutic potential as a neuroprotective agent. Therefore, we hypothesized the AMPK activator resveratrol protects against OGD-mediated impairment of human SH-SY5Y neuronal cells. The novelty of the experiment using a 3D gelatin scaffold cell culture assay, we have tested the potential of 3D systems to mimic the endogenous neuronal environment and have applied these systems to study the effect of OGD on neuronal cells with/without resveratrol. Here we show resveratrol reverses, via AMPK-dependent downregulation of caspase 3 and 9 activity, the OGD-mediated decreases in SH-SY5Y cell viability on a 3D gelatin scaffold. In addition, treatment with OGD decreases mRNA levels of AMPK and the neuroprotective genes (Bcl-2 and CREB); however, co-treatment with resveratrol significantly normalizes these effects. Importantly, resveratrol improves the expression of AMPK and p-AMPK in OGD-exposed SH-SY5Y cells. Resveratrol also significantly rescues SH-SY5Y cells from OGD-mediated mitochondrial deficiency (lower D-loop level, mitochondrial mass, maximal respiratory function, COX activity, and mitochondrial membrane potential). Resveratrol also rescues the transcript expression levels of PGC1α and mitochondrial genes (NRF-1 and Tfam) in OGD-treated SH-SY5Y cells. These findings extend our mechanistic understanding of the central role of AMPK in OGD-related neuronal impairment, and may serve as basis for implementing new therapeutic strategies in the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Modulated electro-hyperthermia (mEHT) stands to be a significant technological advancement in the hyperthermia field, utilizing autofocusing electromagnetic power on the cell membrane to create massive apoptosis. Since mEHT possesses the unique ability to excite cell membranes, we hypothesized that mEHT could enhance the uptake of liposomal drugs by enhancing phagocytic activity.Water bath control and mEHT were used to compare the enhancement of liposome-encapsulated doxorubicin (LipodoxmEHT treatment showed a significant enhancement of LipodoxThe result showed mEHT-induced particle-uptake through macropinocytosis. mEHT-enhanced uptake of Lipodox

A microfocus X-ray grating interferometer (MFXGI) is proposed to measure the profile of the X-ray wavefront and slope error of X-ray optical elements. This device consists of a phase grating G1 to modulate the incoming wavefront and an absorption grating G2 as a transmission mask for the position-sensitive detector. The wavefront distortions caused by the deformable mirror were analyzed under operating conditions for in situ investigation of X-ray optical elements. The MFXGI can obtain direct and reflected beams in one recorded image at the same time through a microfocus X-ray source. The direct beam can be used to calculate the parameter errors and spherical shape for error compensation and retrieve the aspherical shape of the height profile. This instrument is expected to be a valuable tool for further technical progress in X-ray adaptive optics and X-ray mirror manufacturing and mounting.

The objective of this study is to investigate Taraxacum mongolicum (TM) as a therapeutic alternative for preventing and treating bovine mastitis. The effect of the anti-inflammatory activity of Taraxacum mongolicum extract (TME) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced responses was studied in the bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The dried plant TM was extracted with 10 volumes of distilled water to generate its water extract. PBMCs were pretreated with various concentrations of TME (0, 1, 10, 100, 1000 [Formula: see text]g/mL) and subsequently incubated with LPS (1 [Formula: see text]g/mL). Cell viability was analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylthiazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The level of nitric oxide (NO) was determined by using Griess reagent assay. The mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1[Formula: see text], IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-[Formula: see text] and granulocyte chemotactic protein (GCP)-2 were determined by using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The results showed no significant cytotoxic effects on the PBMCs at various treated concentrations of TME. Treatment of TME (100 and 1000 [Formula: see text]g/mL) significantly inhibited NO production in LPS-stimulated PBMCs. TME (10 [Formula: see text]g/mL) significantly inhibited LPS-stimulated IL-1[Formula: see text], IL-6, IL-8, TNF-[Formula: see text] and GCP-2 mRNA expression in PBMCs at a time-dependent manner. In this article, we reported for the first time that TME significantly inhibited production of NO and pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated PBMCs. This finding could be useful for clinical practice in preventing and treating bovine mastitis.

// Kai-Lin Yang 1, 2, 3 , Cheng-Chung Huang 1 , Mau-Shin Chi 1 , Hsin-Chien Chiang 1 , Yu-Shan Wang 1 , Chien-Chung Hsia 4 , Gabor Andocs 5 , Hsin-Ell Wang 2 , Kwan-Hwa Chi 1, 2, 6 1 Department of Radiation Therapy and Oncology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan 2 Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan 3 School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, Taiwan 4 Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taoyuan, Taiwan 5 Department of Radiological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Japan 6 Institute of Veterinary Clinical Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan Correspondence to: Kwan-Hwa Chi, email: M006565@ms.skh.org.tw Hsin-Ell Wang, email: hewang@ym.edu.tw Keywords: modulated electro-hyperthermia, conventional capacitive coupling hyperthermia, water bath, cytotoxicity, cell membrane Received: May 03, 2016 Accepted: August 11, 2016 Published: August 20, 2016 ABSTRACT Radiofrequency-induced hyperthermia (HT) treatments for cancer include conventional capacitive coupling hyperthermia (cCHT) and modulated electro-hyperthermia (mEHT). In this study, we directly compared these methods with regard to in vitro cytotoxicity and mechanisms of action under isothermal conditions. Hepatoma (HepG2) cells were exposed to HT treatment (42°C for 30 min) using mEHT, cCHT or a water bath. mEHT produced a much higher apoptosis rate (43.1% ± 5.8%) than cCHT (10.0% ± 0.6%), the water bath (8.4% ± 1.7%) or a 37°C control (6.6% ± 1.1%). The apoptosis-inducing effect of mEHT at 42°C was similar to that achieved with a water bath at 46°C. mEHT also increased expression of caspase-3, 8 and 9. All three hyperthermia methods increased intracellular heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) levels, but only mEHT greatly increased the release of Hsp70 from cells. Calreticulin and E-cadherin levels in the cell membrane also increased after mEHT treatment, but not after cCHT or water bath. These results suggest that mEHT selectively deposits energy on the cell membrane and may be a useful treatment modality that targets cancer cell membranes.

// Kwan-Hwa Chi 1, 2, 4 , Yu-Shan Wang 1, 3 , Yi-Chun Huang 3 , Hsin-Chien Chiang 3 , Mau-Shin Chi 1 , Chau-Hwa Chi 4 , Hsin-Ell Wang 2 , Shang-Jyh Kao 5 1 Department of Radiation Therapy and Oncology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan 2 Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan 3 Department of Research and Development, JohnPro Biotech Inc., Taipei, Taiwan 4 Institute of Veterinary Clinical Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 5 Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan Correspondence to: Kwan-Hwa Chi, email: M006565@ms.skh.org.tw Shang-Jyh Kao, email: M001002@ms.skh.org.tw Keywords: autophagy, rapamycin, chloroquine, chemosensitization, synthetic lethality Received: January 25, 2016 Accepted: July 09, 2016 Published: July 28, 2016 ABSTRACT While combined chemotherapy (CT) with an autophagy inducer and an autophagy inhibitor appears paradoxical, it may provide a more effective perturbation of autophagy pathways. We used two dissimilar cell lines to test the hypothesis that autophagy is the common denominator of cell fate after CT. HA22T cells are characterized by CT-induced apoptosis and use autophagy to prevent cell death, while Huh7.5.1 cells exhibit sustained autophagic morphology after CT. Combined CT and rapamycin treatment resulted in a better combination index (CI) in Huh7.5.1 cells than combined CT and chloroquine, while the reverse was true in HA22T cells. The combination of 3 drugs (triplet drug treatment) had the best CI. After triplet drug treatment, HA22T cells switched from protective autophagy to mitochondrial membrane permeabilization and endoplasmic reticulum stress response-induced apoptosis, while Huh7.5.1 cells intensified autophagic lethality. Most importantly, both cell lines showed activation of Akt after CT, while the triplet combination blocked Akt activation through inhibition of phospholipid lipase D activity. This novel finding warrants further investigation as a broad chemosensitization strategy.

This paper applies a quantile regression model to examine the relationship between the contract prices and trading volumes of light sweet crude oil contracts on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and Brent crude oil contracts on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). The results show a tandem rise in prices and volumes for light sweet crude oil contracts but a deviation between prices and volumes for Brent crude oil contracts. These two crude oil contracts exhibit significantly different relationships between prices and volumes when prices fluctuate. This finding can help analysts and investors in their investment decisions.