Power-law and runaway growth in conserved aggregation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Hiroshi; Ohtsuki, Toshiya; Fujihara, Akihiro; Tanimoto, Satoshi

2006-01-01

The z-transform technique is used to analyze the Smoluchowski coagulation equation for conserved aggregation systems. A universal power law with the exponent -5/2 appears when a total 'mass' has a certain critical value. Below the threshold, ordinary scaling relations hold and the system exhibits a behavior like usual critical phenomena. Above the threshold, in contrast, the excess amount of mass coagulates into a runaway member, and remaining members follow the power law. Here the runaway growth coexists with the power law. It is argued that these behaviors are observed universally in conserved aggregation processes

Podoplanin enhances lung cancer cell growth in vivo by inducing platelet aggregation.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyata, Kenichi; Takemoto, Ai; Okumura, Sakae; Nishio, Makoto; Fujita, Naoya

2017-06-22

Podoplanin/Aggrus, known as a platelet aggregation-inducing factor, is frequently overexpressed in lung squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC) and glioblastomas among other tumours, and its expression has been reported to be correlated with poor prognosis. However, the contribution of podoplanin to malignant progression has been elusive. Here we demonstrate that in podoplanin-positive LSCC cells, their growth was abrogated by podoplanin knockout in vivo but not in vitro. Conversely, ectopic expression of podoplanin promoted cell growth in vivo and facilitated intratumoral platelet activation. Consistently, LSCC cells evoked podoplanin-mediated platelet aggregation (PMPA), and the releasates from platelets during PMPA promoted the growth of LSCC cells in vitro. Phospho-receptor-tyrosine-kinase array analysis revealed that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) phosphorylation of LSCC cells was responsible for the growth promotion induced by platelet releasates. Treatment with an antiplatelet agent or podoplanin-neutralizing antibody depressed the growth of an LSCC tumour xenograft via suppression of EGFR phosphorylation. These results suggested that podoplanin in LSCC enhanced cell growth by inducing PMPA in vivo and contributed to malignant progression.

Kinetic Behavior of Aggregation-Exchange Growth Process with Catalyzed-Birth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Anjia; Chen Yu; Lin Zhenquan; Ke Jianhong

2007-01-01

We propose an aggregation model of a two-species system to mimic the growth of cities' population and assets, in which irreversible coagulation reactions and exchange reactions occur between any two aggregates of the same species, and the monomer-birth reactions of one species occur by the catalysis of the other species. In the case with population-catalyzed birth of assets, the rate kernel of an asset aggregate B k of size k grows to become an aggregate B k+1 through a monomer-birth catalyzed by a population aggregate A j of size j is J(k,j) = Jkj λ . And in mutually catalyzed birth model, the birth rate kernels of population and assets are H(k,j) = Hkj η and J(k,j) = Jkj λ , respectively. The kinetics of the system is investigated based on the mean-field theory. In the model of population-catalyzed birth of assets, the long-time asymptotic behavior of the assets aggregate size distribution obeys the conventional or modified scaling form. In mutually catalyzed birth system, the asymptotic behaviors of population and assets obey the conventional scaling form in the case of η = λ = 0, and they obey the modified scaling form in the case of η = 0,λ = 1. In the case of η = λ = 1, the total mass of population aggregates and that of asset aggregates both grow much faster than those in population-catalyzed birth of assets model, and they approaches to infinite values in finite time.

Marine snow microbial communities: scaling of abundances with aggregate size

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiørboe, Thomas

2003-01-01

Marine aggregates are inhabited by diverse microbial communities, and the concentration of attached microbes typically exceeds concentrations in the ambient water by orders of magnitude. An extension of the classical Lotka-Volterra model, which includes 3 trophic levels (bacteria, flagellates...... are controlled by flagellate grazing, while flagellate and ciliate populations are governed by colonization and detachment. The model also suggests that microbial populations are turned over rapidly (1 to 20 times d-1) due to continued colonization and detachment. The model overpredicts somewhat the scaling...... of microbial abundances with aggregate size observed in field-collected aggregates. This may be because it disregards the aggregation/disaggregation dynamics of aggregates, as well as interspecific interactions between bacteria....

Morpholino-Mediated Isoform Modulation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 (VEGFR2) Reduces Colon Cancer Xenograft Growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stagg, Brian C., E-mail: briancstagg@gmail.com; Uehara, Hironori; Lambert, Nathan; Rai, Ruju; Gupta, Isha; Radmall, Bryce; Bates, Taylor; Ambati, Balamurali K. [John A Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 65 Mario Capecchi Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84132 (United States)

2014-11-26

Angiogenesis plays a key role in tumor growth. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a pro-angiogenic that is involved in tumor angiogenesis. When VEGF binds to membrane-bound vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (mVEGFR2), it promotes angiogenesis. Through alternative polyadenylation, VEGFR2 is also expressed in a soluble form (sVEGFR2). sVEGFR2 sequesters VEGF and is therefore anti-angiogenic. The aim of this study was to show that treatment with a previously developed and reported antisense morpholino oligomer that shifts expression from mVEGFR2 to sVEGFR2 would lead to reduced tumor vascularization and growth in a murine colon cancer xenograft model. Xenografts were generated by implanting human HCT-116 colon cancer cells into the flanks of NMRI nu/nu mice. Treatment with the therapeutic morpholino reduced both tumor growth and tumor vascularization. Because the HCT-116 cells used for the experiments did not express VEGFR2 and because the treatment morpholino targeted mouse rather than human VEGFR2, it is likely that treatment morpholino was acting on the mouse endothelial cells rather than directly on the tumor cells.

Growth promotion-related miRNAs in Oncidium orchid roots colonized by the endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Ye

Full Text Available Piriformospora indica, an endophytic fungus of Sebacinales, colonizes the roots of a wide range of host plants and establishes various benefits for the plants. In this work, we describe miRNAs which are upregulated in Oncidium orchid roots after colonization by the fungus. Growth promotion and vigorous root development were observed in Oncidium hybrid orchid, while seedlings were colonized by P. indica. We performed a genome-wide expression profiling of small RNAs in Oncidium orchid roots either colonized or not-colonized by P. indica. After sequencing, 24,570,250 and 24744,141 clean reads were obtained from two libraries. 13,736 from 17,036,953 unique sequences showed homology to either 86 miRNA families described in 41 plant species, or to 46 potential novel miRNAs, or to 51 corresponding miRNA precursors. The predicted target genes of these miRNAs are mainly involved in auxin signal perception and transduction, transcription, development and plant defense. The expression analysis of miRNAs and target genes demonstrated the regulatory functions they may participate in. This study revealed that growth stimulation of the Oncidium orchid after colonization by P. indica includes an intricate network of miRNAs and their targets. The symbiotic function of P. indica on Oncidium orchid resembles previous findings on Chinese cabbage. This is the first study on growth regulation and development of Oncidium orchid by miRNAs induced by the symbiotic fungus P. indica.

Colon cancer stem cells dictate tumor growth and resist cell death by production of interleukin-4.

Science.gov (United States)

Todaro, Matilde; Alea, Mileidys Perez; Di Stefano, Anna B; Cammareri, Patrizia; Vermeulen, Louis; Iovino, Flora; Tripodo, Claudio; Russo, Antonio; Gulotta, Gaspare; Medema, Jan Paul; Stassi, Giorgio

2007-10-11

A novel paradigm in tumor biology suggests that cancer growth is driven by stem-like cells within a tumor. Here, we describe the identification and characterization of such cells from colon carcinomas using the stem cell marker CD133 that accounts around 2% of the cells in human colon cancer. The CD133(+) cells grow in vitro as undifferentiated tumor spheroids, and they are both necessary and sufficient to initiate tumor growth in immunodeficient mice. Xenografts resemble the original human tumor maintaining the rare subpopulation of tumorigenic CD133(+) cells. Further analysis revealed that the CD133(+) cells produce and utilize IL-4 to protect themselves from apoptosis. Consistently, treatment with IL-4Ralpha antagonist or anti-IL-4 neutralizing antibody strongly enhances the antitumor efficacy of standard chemotherapeutic drugs through selective sensitization of CD133(+) cells. Our data suggest that colon tumor growth is dictated by stem-like cells that are treatment resistant due to the autocrine production of IL-4.

Effect of IAA on in vitro growth and colonization of Nostoc in plant roots

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Anwar; Shah, Syed T.; Rahman, Hazir; Irshad, Muhammad; Iqbal, Amjad

2015-01-01

Nostoc is widely known for its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and the establishment of symbiotic relationship with a wide range of plants from various taxonomic groups. Several strains of Nostoc produce phytohormones that promote growth of its plant partners. Nostoc OS-1 was therefore selected for study because of the presence of putative ipdC gene that encodes a key enzyme to produce Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). The results indicated that both cellular and released IAA was found high with increasing incubation time and reached to a peak value (i.e., 21 pmol mg-1ch-a) on the third week as determined by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Also the Nostoc OS-1 strain efficiently colonized the roots and promoted the growth of rice as well as wheat under axenic conditions and induced ipdC gene that suggested the possible involvement of IAA in these phenotypes. To confirm the impact of IAA on root colonization efficiency and plant promoting phenotypes of Nostoc OS-1, an ipdC knockout mutant was generated by homologous recombinant method. The amount of releasing IAA, in vitro growth, root colonization, and plant promoting efficiency of the ipdC knockout mutant was observed significantly lower than wild type strain under axenic conditions. Importantly, these phenotypes were restored to wild-type levels when the ipdC knockout mutant was complemented with wild type ipdC gene. These results together suggested that ipdC and/or synthesized IAA of Nostoc OS-1 is required for its efficient root colonization and plant promoting activity. PMID:25699072

Kinetics of aggregation growth with competition between catalyzed birth and catalyzed death

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Haifeng; Gao Yan; Lin Zhenquan

2008-01-01

An aggregation growth model of three species A, B and C with the competition between catalyzed birth and catalyzed death is proposed. Irreversible aggregation occurs between any two aggregates of the like species with the constant rate kernels I n (n = 1,2,3). Meanwhile, a monomer birth of an A species aggregate of size k occurs under the catalysis of a B species aggregate of size j with the catalyzed birth rate kernel K(k,j) = Kkj v and a monomer death of an A species aggregate of size k occurs under the catalysis of a C species aggregate of size j with the catalyzed death rate kernel L(k,j)=Lkj v , where v is a parameter reflecting the dependence of the catalysis reaction rates of birth and death on the size of catalyst aggregate. The kinetic evolution behaviours of the three species are investigated by the rate equation approach based on the mean-field theory. The form of the aggregate size distribution of A species a k (t) is found to be dependent crucially on the competition between the catalyzed birth and death of A species, as well as the irreversible aggregation processes of the three species: (1) In the v k (t) satisfies the conventional scaling form; (2) In the v ≥ 0 case, the competition between the catalyzed birth and death dominates the process. When the catalyzed birth controls the process, a k (t) takes the conventional or generalized scaling form. While the catalyzed death controls the process, the scaling description of the aggregate size distribution breaks down completely

Colon cancer stem cells dictate tumor growth and resist cell death by production of interleukin-4

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Todaro, Matilde; Alea, Mileidys Perez; Di Stefano, Anna B.; Cammareri, Patrizia; Vermeulen, Louis; Iovino, Flora; Tripodo, Claudio; Russo, Antonio; Gulotta, Gaspare; Medema, Jan Paul; Stassi, Giorgio

2007-01-01

A novel paradigm in tumor biology suggests that cancer growth is driven by stem-like cells within a tumor. Here, we describe the identification and characterization of such cells from colon carcinomas using the stem cell marker CD133 that accounts around 2% of the cells in human colon cancer. The

Colonization with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Promotes the Growth of Morus alba L. Seedlings under Greenhouse Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nan Lu

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Morus alba L. is an important tree species planted widely in China because of its economic value. In this report, we investigated the influence of two arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF species, Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices, alone and together, on the growth of M. alba L. seedlings under greenhouse conditions. The growth parameters and physiological performance of M. alba L. seedlings were evaluated 90 days after colonization with the fungi. The growth and physiological performance of M. alba L. seedlings were significantly affected by the AMF species. The mycorrhizal seedlings were taller, had longer roots, more leaves and a greater biomass than the non-mycorrhizae-treated seedlings. In addition, the AMF species-inoculated seedlings had increased root activity and a higher chlorophyll content compared to non-inoculated seedlings. Furthermore, AMF species colonization increased the phosphorus and nitrogen contents of the seedlings. In addition, simultaneous root colonization by the two AMF species did not improve the growth of M. alba L. seedlings compared with inoculation with either species alone. Based on these results, these AMF species may be applicable to mulberry seedling cultivation.

Solvable single-species aggregation-annihilation model for chain-shaped cluster growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ke Jianhong; Lin Zhenquan; Zheng Yizhuang; Chen Xiaoshuang; Lu Wei

2007-01-01

We propose a single-species aggregation-annihilation model, in which an aggregation reaction between two clusters produces an active cluster and an annihilation reaction produces an inert one. By means of the mean-field rate equation, we respectively investigate the kinetic scaling behaviours of three distinct systems. The results exhibit that: (i) for the general aggregation-annihilation system, the size distribution of active clusters consistently approaches the conventional scaling form; (ii) for the system with the self-degeneration of the cluster's activities, it takes the modified scaling form; and (iii) for the system with the self-closing of active clusters, it does not scale. Moreover, the size distribution of inert clusters with small size takes a power-law form, while that of large inert clusters obeys the scaling law. The results also show that all active clusters will eventually transform into inert ones and the inert clusters of any size can be produced by such an aggregation-annihilation process. This model can be used to mimic the chain-shaped cluster growth and can provide some useful predictions for the kinetic behaviour of the system

Aggregate fluctuations and the cross-sectional dynamics of firm growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holly, Sean; Petrella, Ivan; Santoro, Emiliano

2013-01-01

The paper explores time variation in the distribution of firm level growth of total sales. Three novel results are reported. First, firms on the left-hand side of the distribution, i.e. firms that are growing more slowly or declining, are typically more responsive to aggregate shocks than those...... fluctuations. Financial frictions emerge as a mechanism that is capable of accounting for these facts....

Neurotensin-induced Erk1/2 phosphorylation and growth of human colonic cancer cells are independent from growth factors receptors activation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Massa, Fabienne; Tormo, Aurelie; Beraud-Dufour, Sophie; Coppola, Thierry [Institut de Pharmacologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, Universite de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, CNRS UMR 6097, 660 route des Lucioles, 06560 Valbonne (France); Mazella, Jean, E-mail: mazella@ipmc.cnrs.fr [Institut de Pharmacologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, Universite de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, CNRS UMR 6097, 660 route des Lucioles, 06560 Valbonne (France)

2011-10-14

Highlights: {yields} We compare intracellular pathways of NT and EGF in HT29 cells. {yields} NT does not transactivate EGFR. {yields} Transactivation of EGFR is not a general rule in cancer cell growth. -- Abstract: Neurotensin (NT) promotes the proliferation of human colonic cancer cells by undefined mechanisms. We already demonstrated that, in the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line HT29, the effects of NT were mediated by a complex formed between the NT receptor-1 (NTSR1) and-3 (NTSR3). Here we examined cellular mechanisms that led to NT-induced MAP kinase phosphorylation and growth factors receptors transactivation in colonic cancer cells and proliferation in HT29 cells. With the aim to identify upstream signaling involved in NT-elicited MAP kinase activation, we found that the stimulatory effects of the peptide were totally independent from the activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) both in the HT29 and the HCT116 cells. NT was unable to promote phosphorylation of EGFR and to compete with EGF for its binding to the receptor. Pharmacological approaches allowed us to differentiate EGF and NT signaling in HT29 cells since only NT activation of Erk1/2 was shown to be sensitive to PKC inhibitors and since only NT increased the intracellular level of calcium. We also observed that NT was not able to transactivate Insulin-like growth factor receptor. Our findings indicate that, in the HT29 and HCT116 cell lines, NT stimulates MAP kinase phosphorylation and cell growth by a pathway which does not involve EGF system but rather NT receptors which transduce their own intracellular effectors. These results indicate that depending on the cell line used, blocking EGFR is not the general rule to inhibit NT-induced cancer cell proliferation.

Nucleation and growth of copper phthalocyanine aggregates deposited from solution on planar surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghani, Fatemeh [Department of Theory & Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1 Golm, 14476 Potsdam (Germany); Gojzewski, Hubert, E-mail: hubert.gojzewski@put.poznan.pl [Department of Theory & Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1 Golm, 14476 Potsdam (Germany); Institute of Physics, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznan (Poland); Riegler, Hans [Department of Theory & Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1 Golm, 14476 Potsdam (Germany)

2015-10-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Copper phthalocyanine deposited on planar surfaces by 3 solution process methods. • Aggregate morphology examined for coverage extending over 3 orders of magnitude. • Morphologies vary from small individual domains to mesh-like multilayers. • Nucleation and growth model explains the observed deposit morphologies. - Abstract: Copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) dissolved in trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is deposited on solid SiO{sub 2} surfaces by solvent evaporation. The deposited CuPc aggregates are investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The CuPc deposits were prepared by spin casting, dip coating, and spray deposition. Depending on the amount of deposited CuPc the aggregate morphology ranges from small individual domains to mesh-like multilayers. Each domain/layer consists of many parallel stacks of CuPc molecules with the square, plate-like molecules piled face-wise within each stack. The parallel stacks are attached sideways (i.e., edgewise attachment molecularly) to the substrate forming “nanoribbons” with uniform thickness of about 1 nm and varying width. The thickness reflects the length of a molecular edge, the width the number of stacks. A nucleation and growth model is presented that explains the observed aggregate and multilayer morphologies as result of the combination of nucleation, transport processes and a consequence of the anisotropic intermolecular interactions due to the shape of the CuPc molecule.

Patterns of Manufacturing Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: From Colonization to the Present

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Austin, G.; Frankema, E.H.P.; Jerven, M.

2015-01-01

This paper reviews the ‘long twentieth-century’ development of ‘modern’manufacturing in Sub-Saharan Africa from colonization to the present. We argue thatclassifying Africa generically as a ‘late industrializer’ is inaccurate. To understand thedistinctively African pattern of manufacturing growth,

CysLT(1)R antagonists inhibit tumor growth in a xenograft model of colon cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Savari, Sayeh; Liu, Minghui; Zhang, Yuan; Sime, Wondossen; Sjölander, Anita

2013-01-01

The expression of the inflammatory G-protein coupled receptor CysLT1R has been shown to be upregulated in colon cancer patients and associated with poor prognosis. The present study investigated the correlation between CysLT1R and colon cancer development in vivo using CysLT1R antagonists (ZM198,615 or Montelukast) and the nude mouse xenograft model. Two drug administration regimens were established. The first regimen was established to investigate the importance of CysLT1R in tumor initiation. Nude mice were inoculated with 50 µM CysLT1R antagonist-pretreated HCT-116 colon cancer cells and received continued treatment (5 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally). The second regimen aimed to address the role of CysLT1R in tumor progression. Nude mice were inoculated with non-pretreated HCT-116 cells and did not receive CysLT1R antagonist treatment until recordable tumor appearance. Both regimens resulted in significantly reduced tumor size, attributed to changes in proliferation and apoptosis as determined by reduced Ki-67 levels and increased levels of p21(WAF/Cip1) (Pcolon cancer cell line HCT-116 and CysLT1R antagonists. In addition to significant reductions in cell proliferation, adhesion and colony formation, we observed induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. The ability of Montelukast to inhibit growth of human colon cancer xenograft was further validated by using two additional colon cancer cell lines, SW-480 and HT-29. Our results demonstrate that CysLT1R antagonists inhibit growth of colon cancer xenografts primarily by reducing proliferation and inducing apoptosis of the tumor cells.

Transcription factor Runx2 knockdown regulates colon cancer transplantation tumor growth in vitro: an experimental study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin Xu1

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: To study the effect of transcription factor Runx2 knockdown on colon cancer transplantation tumor growth in vitro. Methods: Colon cancer cell lines HT29 were cultured and transfected with negative control (NC - shRNA plasmids and Runx2-shRNA plasmids respectively, the colon cancer cells transfected with shRNA were subcutaneously injected into C57 nude mice, and they were included in NC group and Runx2 knockdown group respectively. 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks after model establishment, serum was collected to determine the contents of tumor markers, and tumor lesions were collected to determine proliferation and apoptosis gene expression. Results: CCSA-2, CEA and CA19-9 levels in serum as well as Rac1, Wnt3a, PLD2 and FAM96B protein expression in transplantation tumor lesions of Runx2 knockdown group were significantly lower than those of NC group while MS4A12, ASPP2 and Fas protein expression in transplantation tumor lesions of Runx2 knockdown group were significantly higher than those of NC group. Conclusion: Transcription factor Runx2 knockdown could inhibit the colon cancer transplantation tumor growth in vitro.

Competition Between Self-birth and Catalyzed Death in Aggregation Growth with Catalysis Injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Dan; Lin Zhenquan; Sun Yunfei; Ke Jianhong

2009-01-01

We propose two irreversible aggregation growth models of aggregates of two distinct species (A and B) to study the interactions between virus aggregates and medicine efficacy aggregates in the virus-medicine cooperative evolution system. The A-species aggregates evolve driven by self monomer birth and B-species aggregate-catalyzed monomer death in model I and by self birth, catalyzed death, and self monomer exchange reactions in model II, while the catalyst B-species aggregates are assumed to be injected into the system sustainedly or at a periodic time-dependent rate. The kinetic behaviors of the A-species aggregates are investigated by the rate equation approach based on the mean-field theory with the self birth rate kernel I A (k) = Ik, catalyzed death rate kernel J AB (k) = Jk and self exchange rate kernel K A (k, l) = Kkl. The kinetic behaviors of the A-species aggregates are mainly dominated by the competition between the two effects of the self birth (with the effective rate I) and the catalyzed death (with the effective rate JB 0 ), while the effects of the self exchanges of the A-species aggregates which appear in an effective rate KA 0 play important roles in the cases of I > JB 0 and I = JB 0 . The evolution behaviors of the total mass M A 1 (t) and the total aggregate number M A 0 (t) are obtained, and the aggregate size distribution α k (t) of species A is found to approach a generalized scaling form in the case of I ≥ JB 0 and a special modified scaling form in the case of I 0 . The periodical evolution of the B-monomers concentration plays an exponential form of the periodic modulation. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Effect of flow and active mixing on bacterial growth in a colon-like geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Cremer, Jonas; Segota, Igor; Arnoldini, Markus; Groisman, Alex; Hwa, Terence

The large intestine harbors bacteria from hundreds of species, with bacterial densities reaching up to 1012 cells per gram. Many different factors influence bacterial growth dynamics and thus bacterial density and microbiota composition. One dominant force is flow which can in principle lead to a washout of bacteria from the proximal colon. Active mixing by Contractions of the colonic wall together with bacterial growth might counteract such flow-forces and allow high bacterial densities to occur. As a step towards understanding bacterial growth in the presence of mixing and flow, we constructed an in-vitro setup where controlled wall-deformations of a channel emulate Contractions. We investigate growth along the channel under a steady nutrient inflow. In the limits of no or very frequent Contractions, the device behaves like a plug-flow reactor and a chemostat respectively. Depending on mixing and flow, we observe varying spatial gradients in bacterial density along the channel. Active mixing by deformations of the channel wall is shown to be crucial in maintaining a steady-state bacterial population in the presence of flow. The growth-dynamics is quantitatively captured by a simple mathematical model, with the effect of mixing described by an effective diffusion term.

Carbon emissions, energy consumption and economic growth: An aggregate and disaggregate analysis of the Indian economy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, Ashfaq; Zhao, Yuhuan; Shahbaz, Muhammad; Bano, Sadia; Zhang, Zhonghua; Wang, Song; Liu, Ya

2016-01-01

This study investigates the long and short run relationships among carbon emissions, energy consumption and economic growth in India at the aggregated and disaggregated levels during 1971–2014. The autoregressive distributed lag model is employed for the cointegration analyses and the vector error correction model is applied to determine the direction of causality between variables. Results show that a long run cointegration relationship exists and that the environmental Kuznets curve is validated at the aggregated and disaggregated levels. Furthermore, energy (total energy, gas, oil, electricity and coal) consumption has a positive relationship with carbon emissions and a feedback effect exists between economic growth and carbon emissions. Thus, energy-efficient technologies should be used in domestic production to mitigate carbon emissions at the aggregated and disaggregated levels. The present study provides policy makers with new directions in drafting comprehensive policies with lasting impacts on the economy, energy consumption and environment towards sustainable development. - Highlights: •Relationships among carbon emissions, energy consumption and economic growth are investigated. •The EKC exists at aggregated and disaggregated levels for India. •All energy resources have positive effects on carbon emissions. •Gas energy consumption is less polluting than other energy sources in India.

Genetic variation in the transforming growth factor-β-signaling pathway, lifestyle factors, and risk of colon or rectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Slattery, Martha L; Lundgreen, Abbie; Wolff, Roger K; Herrick, Jennifer S; Caan, Bette J

2012-05-01

The transforming growth factor-β-signaling pathway has been identified as being involved in colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to determine how diet and lifestyle factors in combination with genetic variation in the transforming growth factor-β-signaling pathway alters colorectal cancer risk. We used data from 2 population-based case-control studies. Participants included patients with colon cancer (n = 1574) and controls (n = 1970) and patients with rectal cancer ( n = 791) and controls (n = 999). The primary outcomes measured were newly diagnosed cases of colon or rectal cancer. Colon and rectal cancer risk increased with the number of at-risk genotypes within the transforming growth factor-β-signaling pathway (OR 3.68, 95% CI 2.74,4.94 for colon cancer; OR 3.89, 95% CI 2.66,5.69 for rectal cancer). A high at-risk lifestyle score also resulted in significant increased risk with number of at-risk lifestyle factors (OR 2.99, 95% CI 2.32,3.85 for colon cancer; OR 3.37, 95% CI 2.24,5.07 for rectal cancer). The combination of high-risk genotype and high-risk lifestyle results in the greatest increase in risk (OR 7.89, 95% CI 4.45,13.96 for colon cancer; OR 8.75, 95% CI 3.66,20.89 for rectal cancer). The study results need validation in other large studies of colon and rectal cancer. In summary, our data suggest that there is increased colon and rectal cancer risk with increasing number of at-risk genotypes and at-risk lifestyle factors. Although the integrity of the pathway can be diminished by a number of high-risk genotypes, this risk can be offset, in part, by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Aggregation and growth of ZnO quantum dots prepared from sol-gel chemistry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santilli, C.V.; Pulcinelli, S.H.; Caetano, B.L. [Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Araraquara, SP (Brazil); Briois, V.B [Synchrotron SOLEIL, Saint-Aubin (France)

2016-07-01

Full text: Herein we discuss in depth the mechanisms of growth control of ZnO quantum dots (Q-dot) prepared from the zinc oxy-acetate ethanolic solution by the addition of LiOH. Through in situ monitoring of Q-dot radii and of aggregation index calculated from UV-Vis absorption spectra and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) the aggregation and growth of ZnO nanocrystal was well described from two kinetic models: during the first step (t< 50 min) the structural evolution is controlled by the coalescence caused by the oriented attachment between the nanocrystal aggregates while at the advanced time (t> 50 min) the Q-dot coarsening follows the Ostwald ripening (OR) mechanism. From the higher oriented attachment efficiency observed here as compared with early reported synthesis using NaOH and KOH, we propose an universal mechanism to control coalescence and coarsening of ZnO nanocrystal provided from the shield caused by the adsorption of the alkali cation. From X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy results we demonstrate that this mechanism is also useful to prepare Q-dot powders with controlled size. (author)

Making a stand: five centuries of population growth in colonizing populations of Pinus ponderosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Lesser, Mark R; Jackson, Stephen T

2012-05-01

The processes underlying the development of new populations are important for understanding how species colonize new territory and form viable long-term populations. Life-history-mediated processes such as Allee effects and dispersal capability may interact with climate variability and site-specific factors to govern population success and failure over extended time frames. We studied four disjunct populations of ponderosa pine in the Bighorn Basin of north-central Wyoming to examine population growth spanning more than five centuries. The study populations are separated from continuous ponderosa pine forest by distances ranging from 15 to >100 km. Strong evidence indicates that the initial colonizing individuals are still present, yielding a nearly complete record of population history. All trees in each population were aged using dendroecological techniques. The populations were all founded between 1530 and 1655 cal yr CE. All show logistic growth patterns, with initial exponential growth followed by a slowing during the mid to late 20th century. Initial population growth was slower than expectations from a logistic regression model at all four populations, but increased during the mid-18th century. Initial lags in population growth may have been due to strong Allee effects. A combination of overcoming Allee effects and a transition to favorable climate conditions may have facilitated a mid-18th century pulse in population growth rate.

Down-regulation of LRP1B in colon cancer promoted the growth and migration of cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhiqiang; Sun, Peng; Gao, Chun; Chen, Ji; Li, Jun; Chen, Zhonghao; Xu, Ming; Shao, Jun; Zhang, Yunpeng; Xie, Jiang

2017-08-01

Aberrant activation of beta-catenin/TCF signaling is one of the hallmarks of colon cancer. It is of great interest to study the mechanism for the regulation of beta-catenin/TCF signaling. In this study, it was found that LRP1B was down-regulated in colon cancer tissues and inhibited the growth, migration and metastasis of colon cancer cells. The molecular mechanism study revealed that LRP1B interacted with DVL2, inhibited the interaction between DVL2 and Axin, and negatively regulated beta-catenin/TCF signaling. Taken together, our study demonstrated the suppressive roles of LRP1B in the progression of colon cancer, implicating that restoring the function of LRP1B would be a promising strategy for the treatment of colon cancer. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Investigating the association between polymorphisms in connective tissue growth factor and susceptibility to colon carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Abrar; Askari, Shlear; Befekadu, Rahel; Hahn-Strömberg, Victoria

2015-04-01

There have been numerous studies on the gene expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in colorectal cancer, however very few have investigated polymorphisms in this gene. The present study aimed to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CTGF gene are associated with a higher susceptibility to colon cancer and/or an invasive tumor growth pattern. The CTGF gene was genotyped for seven SNPs (rs6918698, rs1931002, rs9493150, rs12526196, rs12527705, rs9399005 and rs12527379) by pyrosequencing. Formalin‑fixed paraffin‑embedded tissue samples (n=112) from patients diagnosed with colon carcinoma, and an equal number of blood samples from healthy controls, were selected for genomic DNA extraction. The complexity index was measured using images of tumor samples (n=64) stained for cytokeratin‑8. The images were analyzed and correlated with the identified CTGF SNPs and clinicopathological parameters of the patients, including age, gender, tumor penetration, lymph node metastasis, systemic metastasis, differentiation and localization of tumor. It was demonstrated that the frequency of the SNP rs6918698 GG genotype was significantly associated (P=0.05) with an increased risk of colon cancer, as compared with the GC and CC genotypes. The other six SNPs (rs1931002, rs9493150, rs12526196, rs12527705, rs9399005 and rs12527379) exhibited no significant difference in the genotype and allele frequencies between patients diagnosed with colon carcinoma and the normal healthy population. A trend was observed between genotype variation at rs6918698 and the complexity index (P=0.052). The complexity index and genotypes for any of the studied SNPs were not significantly correlated with clinical or pathological parameters of the patients. These results indicate that the rs6918698 GG genotype is associated with an increased risk of developing colon carcinoma, and genetic variations at the rs6918698 are associated with the growth pattern of the tumor

The Stickiness of Aggregate Consumption Growth in OECD Countries: A Panel Data Analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

G. Everaert (Gerdie); L.C.G. Pozzi (Lorenzo)

2010-01-01

textabstractThis paper examines the sources of stickiness in aggregate consumption growth. We first derive a dynamic consumption equation which nests recent developments in consumption theory: rule-of-thumb consumption, habit formation, non-separabilities between both private consumption and hours

Local and distal effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization on direct pathway Pi uptake and root growth in Medicago truncatula

Science.gov (United States)

Watts-Williams, Stephanie J.; Jakobsen, Iver; Cavagnaro, Timothy R.; Grønlund, Mette

2015-01-01

Two pathways exist for plant Pi uptake from soil: via root epidermal cells (direct pathway) or via associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and the two pathways interact in a complex manner. This study investigated distal and local effects of AM colonization on direct root Pi uptake and root growth, at different soil P levels. Medicago truncatula was grown at three soil P levels in split-pots with or without AM fungal inoculation and where one root half grew into soil labelled with 33P. Plant genotypes included the A17 wild type and the mtpt4 mutant. The mtpt4 mutant, colonized by AM fungi, but with no functional mycorrhizal pathway for Pi uptake, was included to better understand effects of AM colonization per se. Colonization by AM fungi decreased expression of direct Pi transporter genes locally, but not distally in the wild type. In mtpt4 mutant plants, direct Pi transporter genes and the Pi starvation-induced gene Mt4 were more highly expressed than in wild-type roots. In wild-type plants, less Pi was taken up via the direct pathway by non-colonized roots when the other root half was colonized by AM fungi, compared with non-mycorrhizal plants. Colonization by AM fungi strongly influenced root growth locally and distally, and direct root Pi uptake activity locally, but had only a weak influence on distal direct pathway activity. The responses to AM colonization in the mtpt4 mutant suggested that in the wild type, the increased P concentration of colonized roots was a major factor driving the effects of AM colonization on direct root Pi uptake. PMID:25944927

Complications of acromegaly: thyroid and colon.

Science.gov (United States)

Tirosh, Amit; Shimon, Ilan

2017-02-01

In acromegaly the long-term exposure to high growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels may result in specific complications in different human organs, including the thyroid gland and the colon. We will review here the evidence available regarding the characteristic thyroid and colon complications in acromegaly. This review summarizes the published data observing noncancerous structural abnormalities (thyroid nodules, colonic polyps) and thyroid and colon cancer in patients diagnosed with acromegaly. Thyroid micro-carcinomas are probably over-diagnosed among acromegalic patients. In regard to colon cancer, there is no sufficient data to suggest that colon cancer risk is higher in acromegaly compared to the general population.

Vasohibin-1 suppresses colon cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shuai; Han, Bing; Zhang, Qunyuan; Dou, Jie; Wang, Fang; Lin, Wenli; Sun, Yuping; Peng, Guangyong

2015-01-01

Vasohibin-1 (VASH1) is an endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor. However, the clinical relevance of VASH1 in colon cancer and its regulations on cancer angiogenesis and cancer cell biological characteristics are still unknown. Here we showed that stromal VASH1 levels were negatively correlated with tumor size, advanced clinical stage and distant metastases in colon cancer patients. Overexpression of VASH1 in colon cancer cells induced apoptosis and senescence, inhibiting cancer cell growth and colony formation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. In addition, knockdown of VASH1 in cancer cells promoted cell growth, adhesion and migration in vitro, and enhanced tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo. PMID:25797264

Vasohibin-1 suppresses colon cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shuai; Han, Bing; Zhang, Qunyuan; Dou, Jie; Wang, Fang; Lin, Wenli; Sun, Yuping; Peng, Guangyong

2015-04-10

Vasohibin-1 (VASH1) is an endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor.However, the clinical relevance of VASH1 in colon cancer and its regulations on cancer angiogenesis and cancer cell biological characteristics are still unknown. Here we showed that stromal VASH1 levels were negatively correlated with tumor size, advanced clinical stage and distant metastases in colon cancer patients. Overexpression of VASH1 in colon cancer cells induced apoptosis and senescence, inhibiting cancer cell growth and colony formation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. In addition, knockdown of VASH1 in cancer cells promoted cell growth, adhesion and migration in vitro, and enhanced tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo.

Self-organization, layered structure, and aggregation enhance persistence of a synthetic biofilm consortium.

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Katie Brenner

Full Text Available Microbial consortia constitute a majority of the earth's biomass, but little is known about how these cooperating communities persist despite competition among community members. Theory suggests that non-random spatial structures contribute to the persistence of mixed communities; when particular structures form, they may provide associated community members with a growth advantage over unassociated members. If true, this has implications for the rise and persistence of multi-cellular organisms. However, this theory is difficult to study because we rarely observe initial instances of non-random physical structure in natural populations. Using two engineered strains of Escherichia coli that constitute a synthetic symbiotic microbial consortium, we fortuitously observed such spatial self-organization. This consortium forms a biofilm and, after several days, adopts a defined layered structure that is associated with two unexpected, measurable growth advantages. First, the consortium cannot successfully colonize a new, downstream environment until it self-organizes in the initial environment; in other words, the structure enhances the ability of the consortium to survive environmental disruptions. Second, when the layered structure forms in downstream environments the consortium accumulates significantly more biomass than it did in the initial environment; in other words, the structure enhances the global productivity of the consortium. We also observed that the layered structure only assembles in downstream environments that are colonized by aggregates from a previous, structured community. These results demonstrate roles for self-organization and aggregation in persistence of multi-cellular communities, and also illustrate a role for the techniques of synthetic biology in elucidating fundamental biological principles.

Iron-reducing bacteria accumulate ferric oxyhydroxide nanoparticle aggregates that may support planktonic growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Luef, Birgit; Fakra, Sirine C; Csencsits, Roseann; Wrighton, Kelly C; Williams, Kenneth H; Wilkins, Michael J; Downing, Kenneth H; Long, Philip E; Comolli, Luis R; Banfield, Jillian F

2013-02-01

Iron-reducing bacteria (FeRB) play key roles in anaerobic metal and carbon cycling and carry out biogeochemical transformations that can be harnessed for environmental bioremediation. A subset of FeRB require direct contact with Fe(III)-bearing minerals for dissimilatory growth, yet these bacteria must move between mineral particles. Furthermore, they proliferate in planktonic consortia during biostimulation experiments. Thus, a key question is how such organisms can sustain growth under these conditions. Here we characterized planktonic microbial communities sampled from an aquifer in Rifle, Colorado, USA, close to the peak of iron reduction following in situ acetate amendment. Samples were cryo-plunged on site and subsequently examined using correlated two- and three-dimensional cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM). The outer membranes of most cells were decorated with aggregates up to 150 nm in diameter composed of ∼3 nm wide amorphous, Fe-rich nanoparticles. Fluorescent in situ hybridization of lineage-specific probes applied to rRNA of cells subsequently imaged via cryo-TEM identified Geobacter spp., a well-studied group of FeRB. STXM results at the Fe L(2,3) absorption edges indicate that nanoparticle aggregates contain a variable mixture of Fe(II)-Fe(III), and are generally enriched in Fe(III). Geobacter bemidjiensis cultivated anaerobically in the laboratory on acetate and hydrous ferric oxyhydroxides also accumulated mixed-valence nanoparticle aggregates. In field-collected samples, FeRB with a wide variety of morphologies were associated with nano-aggregates, indicating that cell surface Fe(III) accumulation may be a general mechanism by which FeRB can grow while in planktonic suspension.

Growth hormone aggregates in the rat adenohypophysis

Science.gov (United States)

Farrington, M.; Hymer, W. C.

1990-01-01

Although it has been known for some time that GH aggregates are contained within the rat anterior pituitary gland, the role that they might play in pituitary function is unknown. The present study examines this issue using the technique of Western blotting, which permitted visualization of 11 GH variants with apparent mol wt ranging from 14-88K. Electroelution of the higher mol wt variants from gels followed by their chemical reduction with beta-mercaptoethanol increased GH immunoassayability by about 5-fold. With the blot procedure we found 1) that GH aggregates greater than 44K were associated with a 40,000 x g sedimentable fraction; 2) that GH aggregates were not present in glands from thyroidectomized rats, but were in glands from the thyroidectomized rats injected with T4; 3) that GH aggregates were uniquely associated with a heavily granulated somatotroph subpopulation isolated by density gradient centrifugation; and 4) that high mol wt GH forms were released from the dense somatotrophs in culture, since treatment of the culture medium with beta-mercaptoethanol increased GH immunoassayability by about 5-fold. Taken together, the results show that high mol wt GH aggregates are contained in secretory granules of certain somatotrophs and are also released in aggregate form from these cells in vitro.

Targeting S100P Inhibits Colon Cancer Growth and Metastasis by Lentivirus-Mediated RNA Interference and Proteomic Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Lei; Lai, Yiu-Kay; Zhang, Jinfang; Wang, Hua; Lin, Marie CM; He, Ming-liang; Kung, Hsiang-fu

2011-01-01

S100P was recently found to be overexpressed in a variety of cancers and is considered a potential target for cancer therapy, but the functional role or mechanism of action of S100P in colon cancer is not fully understood. In the present study, we knocked down the gene expression of S100P in colon cancer cells using lentivirus-mediated RNA interference. This step resulted in significant inhibition of cancer cell growth, migration and invasion in vitro and tumor growth and liver metastasis in vivo. Moreover, S100P downstream target proteins were identified by proteomic analysis in colon cancer DLD-1 cells with deletion of S100P. Knockdown of S100P led to downregulation of thioredoxin 1 and β-tubulin and upregulation of Rho guanosine diphosphate (GDP) dissociation inhibitor α (RhoGDIA), all potential therapeutic targets in cancer. Taken together, these findings suggest that S100P plays an important role in colon tumorigenesis and metastasis, and the comprehensive and comparative analyses of proteins associated with S100P could contribute to understanding the downstream signal cascade of S100P, leading to tumorigenesis and metastasis. PMID:21327297

Differential gene expression in Rhododendron fortunei roots colonized by an ericoid mycorrhizal fungus and increased nitrogen absorption and plant growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiangying Wei

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Ericoid mycorrhizal (ERM fungi are specifically symbiotic with plants in the family Ericaceae. Little is known thus far about their symbiotic establishment and subsequent nitrogen (N uptake at the molecular level. The present study devised a system for establishing a symbiotic relationship between Rhododendron fortunei Lindl. and an ERM fungus (Oidiodendron maius var. maius strain Om19, quantified seedling growth and N uptake, and compared transcriptome profiling between colonized and uncolonized roots using RNA-Seq. The Om19 colonization induced 16,892 genes that were differentially expressed in plant roots, of which 14,364 were upregulated and 2,528 were downregulated. These genes included those homologous to ATP-binding cassette transporters, calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases, and symbiosis receptor-like kinases. N metabolism was particularly active in Om19-colonized roots, and 51 genes were upregulated, such as nitrate transporters, nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, ammonium transporters, glutamine synthetase, and glutamate synthase. Transcriptome analysis also identified a series of genes involving endocytosis, Fc-gamma R-mediated phagocytosis, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and GnRH signal pathway that have not been reported previously. Their roles in the symbiosis require further investigation. The Om19 colonization significantly increased N uptake and seedling growth. Total N content and dry weight of colonized seedlings were 36.6% and 46.6% greater than control seedlings. This is the first transcriptome analysis of a species from the family Ericaceae colonized by an ERM fungus. The findings from this study will shed light on the mechanisms underlying symbiotic relationships of ericaceous species with ERM fungi and the symbiosis-resultant N uptake and plant growth.

Ectomycorrhizal colonization and growth of the hybrid larch F1 under elevated CO2 and O3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xiaona; Qu, Laiye; Mao, Qiaozhi; Watanabe, Makoto; Hoshika, Yasutomo; Koyama, Akihiro; Kawaguchi, Korin; Tamai, Yutaka; Koike, Takayoshi

2015-01-01

We studied the colonization of ectomycorrhizal fungi and species abundance of a hybrid larch (F 1 ) under elevated CO 2 and O 3. Two-year-old seedlings were planted in an Open-Top-Chamber system with treatments: Control (O 3  < 6 nmol/mol), O 3 (60 nmol/mol), CO 2 (600 μmol/mol), and CO 2  + O 3 . After two growing seasons, ectomycorrhiza (ECM) colonization and root biomass increased under elevated CO 2 . Additionally, O 3 impaired ECM colonization and species richness, and reduced stem biomass. However, there was no clear inhibition of photosynthetic capacity by O 3 . Concentrations of Al, Fe, Mo, and P in needles were reduced by O 3 , while K and Mg in the roots increased. This might explain the distinct change in ECM colonization rate and diversity. No effects of combined fumigation were observed in any parameters except the P concentration in needles. The tolerance of F 1 to O 3 might potentially be related to a shift in ECM community structure. - Highlights: • Elevated CO 2 enhanced growth of hybrid larch F 1 (F 1 ). • ECM colonization rate and species richness of ECM were reduced by O 3 . • Species abundance of ECM community differed between O 3 and control. • F 1 potentially resisted O 3 impacts via specific selection of Suillus spp. for element uptake. - Elevated CO 2 moderated the negative effects of O 3 on the growth of hybrid larch F 1 , by stimulating ectomycorrhizas and nutrient uptake

MiR-34a inhibits colon cancer proliferation and metastasis by inhibiting platelet-derived growth factor receptor α.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chunyan; Wang, Yulin; Lu, Shuming; Zhang, Zhuqing; Meng, Hua; Liang, Lina; Zhang, Yan; Song, Bo

2015-11-01

The microRNA (miRNA), miR‑34a is significant in colon cancer progression. In the present study, the role of miR‑34a in colon cancer cell proliferation and metastasis was investigated. It was found that the expression of miR‑34a in colon cancer tissues and cell lines was lower when compared with that of normal tissues and cells. Further research demonstrated that miR‑34a inhibited cell proliferation, induced G1 phase arrest, and suppressed metastasis and epithelial mesenchymal transition in colon cancer cells. Bioinformatic prediction indicated that platelet‑derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRA) was a potential target gene of miR‑34a and a luciferase assay identified that PDGFRA was a novel direct target gene of miR‑34a. In addition, assays of western blot analyses and quantitative reverse‑transcription polymerase chain reaction confirmed that miR‑34a decreased PDGFRA mRNA expression and protein levels in colon cancer cells. Assessment of cellular function indicated that miR‑34a inhibited colon cancer progression via PDGFRA. These findings demonstrate that miR‑34a may act as a negative regulator in colon cancer by targeting PDGFRA.

Inhibition of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor Phosphorylation on Tumor-Associated Endothelial Cells Leads to Treatment of Orthotopic Human Colon Cancer in Nude Mice

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Takamitsu Sasaki

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of our study was to determine whether the dual inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR signaling pathways in tumor-associated endothelial cells can inhibit the progressive growth of human colon carcinoma in the cecum of nude mice. SW620CE2 human colon cancer cells growing in culture and orthotopically in the cecum of nude mice expressed a high level of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF but were negative for EGFR, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2, VEGFR. Double immunofluorescence staining revealed that tumorassociated endothelial cells expressed EGFR, VEGFR2, phosphorylated EGFR (pEGFR, phosphorylated VEGFR (pVEGFR. Treatment of mice with either 7H-pyrrolo [2,3-d]-pyrimidine lead scaffold (AEE788; an inhibitor of EGFR and VEGFR tyrosine kinase or CPT-11 as single agents significantly inhibited the growth of cecal tumors (P < .01; this decrease was even more pronounced with AEE788 combined with CPT-11 (P < .001. AEE788 alone or combined with CPT-11 also inhibited the expression of pEGFR and pVEGFR on tumor-associated endothelial cells, significantly decreased vascularization and tumor cell proliferation, increased the level of apoptosis in both tumorassociated endothelial cells and tumor cells. These data demonstrate that targeting EGFR and VEGFR signaling on tumor-associated endothelial cells provides a viable approach for the treatment of colon cancer.

Role of Multicellular Aggregates in Biofilm Formation

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Kasper N. Kragh

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In traditional models of in vitro biofilm development, individual bacterial cells seed a surface, multiply, and mature into multicellular, three-dimensional structures. Much research has been devoted to elucidating the mechanisms governing the initial attachment of single cells to surfaces. However, in natural environments and during infection, bacterial cells tend to clump as multicellular aggregates, and biofilms can also slough off aggregates as a part of the dispersal process. This makes it likely that biofilms are often seeded by aggregates and single cells, yet how these aggregates impact biofilm initiation and development is not known. Here we use a combination of experimental and computational approaches to determine the relative fitness of single cells and preformed aggregates during early development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. We find that the relative fitness of aggregates depends markedly on the density of surrounding single cells, i.e., the level of competition for growth resources. When competition between aggregates and single cells is low, an aggregate has a growth disadvantage because the aggregate interior has poor access to growth resources. However, if competition is high, aggregates exhibit higher fitness, because extending vertically above the surface gives cells at the top of aggregates better access to growth resources. Other advantages of seeding by aggregates, such as earlier switching to a biofilm-like phenotype and enhanced resilience toward antibiotics and immune response, may add to this ecological benefit. Our findings suggest that current models of biofilm formation should be reconsidered to incorporate the role of aggregates in biofilm initiation.

Effect of guinea pig or monkey colonic mucus on Shigella aggregation and invasion of HeLa cells by Shigella flexneri 1b and 2a.

OpenAIRE

Dinari, G; Hale, T L; Washington, O; Formal, S B

1986-01-01

The effects of guinea pig and rhesus monkey colonic mucus preparations on Shigella aggregation and invasion of HeLa cell monolayers by Shigella flexneri serotype 1b, 2a, and 5 strains were investigated. Guinea pig mucus caused agglutination of S. flexneri serotype 1b but not of S. flexneri serotype 2a or 5. Guinea pig mucus also inhibited HeLa cell invasion by S. flexneri serotypes 1b and 2a. Monkey mucus neither agglutinated any Shigella strain nor inhibited HeLa cell invasion.

Untapped Endophytic Colonization and Plant Growth-Promoting Potential of the Genus Novosphingobium to Optimize Rice Cultivation

OpenAIRE

Rangjaroen, Chakrapong; Sungthong, Rungroch; Rerkasem, Benjavan; Teaumroong, Neung; Noisangiam, Rujirek; Lumyong, Saisamorn

2017-01-01

With the aim of searching for potent diazotrophic bacteria that are free of public health concerns and optimize rice cultivation, the endophytic colonization and plant growth-promoting activities of some endophytic diazotrophic bacteria isolated from rice were evaluated. Among these bacteria, the emerging diazotrophic strains of the genus Novosphingobium effectively associated with rice plant interiors and consequently promoted the growth of rice, even with the lack of a nitrogen source. Thes...

Inhibitory effects of different forms of tocopherols, tocopherol phosphates, and tocopherol quinones on growth of colon cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolfi, Sonia C; Yang, Zhihong; Lee, Mao-Jung; Guan, Fei; Hong, Jungil; Yang, Chung S

2013-09-11

Tocopherols are the major source of dietary vitamin E. In this study, the growth inhibitory effects of different forms of tocopherols (T), tocopheryl phosphates (TP), and tocopherol quinones (TQ) on human colon cancer HCT116 and HT29 cells were investigated. δ-T was more active than γ-T in inhibiting colon cancer cell growth, decreasing cancer cell colony formation, and inducing apoptosis; however, α-T was rather ineffective. Similarly, the rate of cellular uptake also followed the ranking order δ-T > γ-T ≫ α-T. TP and TQ generally had higher inhibitory activities than their parent compounds. Interestingly, the γ forms of TP and TQ were more active than the δ forms in inhibiting cancer cell growth, whereas the α forms were the least effective. The potencies of γ-TQ and δ-TQ (showing IC50 values of ∼0.8 and ∼2 μM on HCT116 cells after a 72 h incubation, respectively) were greater than 100-fold and greater than 20-fold higher, respectively, than those of their parent tocopherols. Induction of cancer cell apoptosis by δ-T, γ-TP, and γ-TQ was characterized by the cleavage of caspase 3 and PARP1 and DNA fragmentation. These studies demonstrated the higher growth inhibitory activity of δ-T than γ-T, the even higher activities of the γ forms of TP and TQ, and the ineffectiveness of the α forms of tocopherol and their metabolites against colon cancer cells.

Co-aggregation and growth inhibition of probiotic lactobacilli and clinical isolates of mutans streptococci: An in vitro study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keller, Mette Kirstine; Hassl F, Pamela; Stecks N-Blicks, Christina

2011-01-01

-free and caries-susceptible individuals. Conclusions. The selected lactobacilli displayed co-aggregation activity and inhibited growth of clinical mutans streptococci. The growth inhibition was strain-specific and dependent on pH and cell concentration. The findings indicate that the outcome of lactobacilli...

Methylselenol, a selenium metabolite, modulates p53 pathway and inhibits the growth of colon cancer xenografts in Balb/c mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Huawei; Cheng, Wen-Hsing; Johnson, Luann K

2013-05-01

It is has been hypothesized that methylselenol is a critical selenium metabolite for anticancer activity in vivo. In this study, we used a protein array which contained 112 different antibodies known to be involved in the p53 pathway to investigate the molecular targets of methylselenol in human HCT116 colon cancer cells. The array analysis indicated that methylselenol exposure changed the expression of 11 protein targets related to the regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis. Subsequently, we confirmed these proteins with the Western blotting approach, and found that methylselenol increased the expression of GADD 153 and p21 but reduced the level of c-Myc, E2F1 and Phos p38 MAP kinase. Similar to our previous report on human HCT116 colon cancer cells, methylselenol also inhibited cell growth and led to an increase in G1 and G2 fractions with a concomitant drop in S-phase in mouse colon cancer MC26 cells. When the MC26 cells were transplanted to their immune-competent Balb/c mice, methylselenol-treated MC26 cells had significantly less tumor growth potential than that of untreated MC26 cells. Taken together, our data suggest that methylselenol modulates the expression of key genes related to cell cycle and apoptosis and inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Inverted Lymphoglandular Polyp in Descending Colon

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Shengmei Zhou

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A 47-year-old male with a history of left colon cancer, status post left colon resection for 12 years, presented with rectal bleeding. Colonoscopic examination revealed an 8 mm sessile polyp in the proximal descending colon. Microscopic examination showed that the surface of this polyp was covered with a layer of normal colonic mucosa with focal surface erosion. In the submucosal layer, an intimate admixture of multiple cystically dilated glands and prominent lymphoid aggregates with germinal centers was seen. The glands were lined by columnar epithelium. Immunohistochemical staining showed the glands were positive for CK20 and CDX2 and negative for CK7, with a low proliferative index, mostly consistent with reactive colonic glands. The patient remained asymptomatic after one-year follow-up. A review of the literature shows very rare descriptions of similar lesions, but none fits exactly this pattern. We would designate this inverted lymphoglandular polyp and present this case to raise the awareness of recognizing this unusual histological entity.

Influence of l-amino acids on aggregation and biofilm formation in Azotobacter chroococcum and Trichoderma viride.

Science.gov (United States)

Velmourougane, K; Prasanna, R

2017-10-01

The effects of l-amino acids on growth and biofilm formation in Azotobacter chroococcum (Az) and Trichoderma viride (Tv) as single (Az, Tv) and staggered inoculated cultures (Az-Tv, Tv-Az) were investigated. A preliminary study using a set of 20 l-amino acids, identified 6 amino acids (l-Glu, l-Gln, l-His, l-Ser, l-Thr and l-Trp) which significantly enhanced growth and biofilm formation. Supplementation of these amino acids at different concentrations revealed that 40 mmol l -1 was most effective. l-Glu and l-Gln favoured planktonic growth in both single and in staggered inoculated cultures, while l-Trp and l-Thr, enhanced aggregation and biofilm formation. Addition of l-Glu or l-Gln increased carbohydrate content and planktonic population. Principal component analysis revealed the significant role of proteins in growth and biofilm formation, particularly with supplementation of l-Trp, l-Thr and l-Ser. Azotobacter was found to function better as biofilm under staggered inoculated culture with Trichoderma. The results illustrate that amino acids play crucial roles in microbial biofilm formation, by influencing growth, aggregation and carbohydrates synthesized. The differential and specific roles of amino acids on biofilm formation are of significance for agriculturally important micro-organisms that grow as biofilms, colonize and benefit the plants more effectively. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Kinetic Behaviors of Catalysis-Driven Growth of Three-Species Aggregates on Base of Exchange-Driven Aggregations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Yunfei; Chen Dan; Lin Zhenquan; Ke Jianhong

2009-01-01

We propose a solvable aggregation model to mimic the evolution of population A, asset B, and the quantifiable resource C in a society. In this system, the population and asset aggregates themselves grow through self-exchanges with the rate kernels K 1 (k, j) = K 1 kj and K 2 (k, j) = K 2 kj, respectively. The actions of the population and asset aggregations on the aggregation evolution of resource aggregates are described by the population-catalyzed monomer death of resource aggregates and asset-catalyzed monomer birth of resource aggregates with the rate kernels J 1 (k, j) = J 1 k and J 2 (k, j) = J 2 k, respectively. Meanwhile, the asset and resource aggregates conjunctly catalyze the monomer birth of population aggregates with the rate kernel I 1 (k, i, j) = I 1 ki μ j η , and population and resource aggregates conjunctly catalyze the monomer birth of asset aggregates with the rate kernel I 2 (k, i, j) = I 2 ki v j η . The kinetic behaviors of species A, B, and C are investigated by means of the mean-field rate equation approach. The effects of the population-catalyzed death and asset-catalyzed birth on the evolution of resource aggregates based on the self-exchanges of population and asset appear in effective forms. The coefficients of the effective population-catalyzed death and the asset-catalyzed birth are expressed as J 1e = J 1 /K 1 and J 2e = J 2 /K 2 , respectively. The aggregate size distribution of C species is found to be crucially dominated by the competition between the effective death and the effective birth. It satisfies the conventional scaling form, generalized scaling form, and modified scaling form in the cases of J 1e 2e , J 1e = J 2e , and J 1e > J 2e , respectively. Meanwhile, we also find the aggregate size distributions of populations and assets both fall into two distinct categories for different parameters μ, ν, and η: (i) When μ = ν = η = 0 and μ = ν = 0, η = 1, the population and asset aggregates obey the generalized

Correlation of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization with plant growth, nodulation, and shoot npk in legumes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Javaid, A.; Anjum, T.; Shah, M.H.M.

2007-01-01

Correlation of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization with different root and shoot growth, nodulation and shoot NPK parameters was studied in three legumes viz. Trifolium alexandrianum, Medicago polymorpha and Melilotus parviflora. The three test legume species showed different patterns of root and shoot growth, nodulation, mycorrhizal colonization and shoot N, P and K content. Different mycorrhizal structures viz. mycelium, arbuscules and vesicles showed different patters of correlation with different studied parameters. Mycelial infection showed an insignificantly positive correlation with root and shoot dry biomass and total root length. Maximum root length was however, negatively associated with mycelial infection. Both arbuscular and vesicular infections were negatively correlated with shoot dry biomass and different parameters of root growth. The association between arbuscular infection and maximum root length was significant. All the three mycorrhizal structures showed a positive correlation with number and biomass of nodules. The association between arbuscular infection and nodule number was significant. Mycelial infection was positively correlated with percentage and total shoot N and P. Similarly percentage N was also positively correlated with arbuscular and vesicular infections. By contrast, total shoot N showed a negative association with arbuscular as well as vesicular infections. Similarly both percentage and total shoot P were negatively correlated with arbuscular and vesicular infections. All the associations between mycorrhizal parameters and shoot K were negative except between vesicular infection and shoot %K. (author)

Betulinic acid inhibits colon cancer cell and tumor growth and induces proteasome-dependent and -independent downregulation of specificity proteins (Sp transcription factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pathi Satya

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Betulinic acid (BA inhibits growth of several cancer cell lines and tumors and the effects of BA have been attributed to its mitochondriotoxicity and inhibition of multiple pro-oncogenic factors. Previous studies show that BA induces proteasome-dependent degradation of specificity protein (Sp transcription factors Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 in prostate cancer cells and this study focused on the mechanism of action of BA in colon cancer cells. Methods The effects of BA on colon cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis and tumor growth in vivo were determined using standardized assays. The effects of BA on Sp proteins and Sp-regulated gene products were analyzed by western blots, and real time PCR was used to determine microRNA-27a (miR-27a and ZBTB10 mRNA expression. Results BA inhibited growth and induced apoptosis in RKO and SW480 colon cancer cells and inhibited tumor growth in athymic nude mice bearing RKO cells as xenograft. BA also decreased expression of Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 transcription factors which are overexpressed in colon cancer cells and decreased levels of several Sp-regulated genes including survivin, vascular endothelial growth factor, p65 sub-unit of NFκB, epidermal growth factor receptor, cyclin D1, and pituitary tumor transforming gene-1. The mechanism of action of BA was dependent on cell context, since BA induced proteasome-dependent and proteasome-independent downregulation of Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 in SW480 and RKO cells, respectively. In RKO cells, the mechanism of BA-induced repression of Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 was due to induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS, ROS-mediated repression of microRNA-27a, and induction of the Sp repressor gene ZBTB10. Conclusions These results suggest that the anticancer activity of BA in colon cancer cells is due, in part, to downregulation of Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 transcription factors; however, the mechanism of this response is cell context-dependent.

Betulinic acid inhibits colon cancer cell and tumor growth and induces proteasome-dependent and -independent downregulation of specificity proteins (Sp) transcription factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chintharlapalli, Sudhakar; Papineni, Sabitha; Lei, Ping; Pathi, Satya; Safe, Stephen

2011-01-01

Betulinic acid (BA) inhibits growth of several cancer cell lines and tumors and the effects of BA have been attributed to its mitochondriotoxicity and inhibition of multiple pro-oncogenic factors. Previous studies show that BA induces proteasome-dependent degradation of specificity protein (Sp) transcription factors Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 in prostate cancer cells and this study focused on the mechanism of action of BA in colon cancer cells. The effects of BA on colon cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis and tumor growth in vivo were determined using standardized assays. The effects of BA on Sp proteins and Sp-regulated gene products were analyzed by western blots, and real time PCR was used to determine microRNA-27a (miR-27a) and ZBTB10 mRNA expression. BA inhibited growth and induced apoptosis in RKO and SW480 colon cancer cells and inhibited tumor growth in athymic nude mice bearing RKO cells as xenograft. BA also decreased expression of Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 transcription factors which are overexpressed in colon cancer cells and decreased levels of several Sp-regulated genes including survivin, vascular endothelial growth factor, p65 sub-unit of NFκB, epidermal growth factor receptor, cyclin D1, and pituitary tumor transforming gene-1. The mechanism of action of BA was dependent on cell context, since BA induced proteasome-dependent and proteasome-independent downregulation of Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 in SW480 and RKO cells, respectively. In RKO cells, the mechanism of BA-induced repression of Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 was due to induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), ROS-mediated repression of microRNA-27a, and induction of the Sp repressor gene ZBTB10. These results suggest that the anticancer activity of BA in colon cancer cells is due, in part, to downregulation of Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 transcription factors; however, the mechanism of this response is cell context-dependent

Muscarinic Receptor Signaling in Colon Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosenvinge, Erik C. von, E-mail: evonrose@medicine.umaryland.edu; Raufman, Jean-Pierre [University of Maryland School of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 22 S. Greene Street, N3W62, Baltimore, MD 21201 (United States); Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Maryland Health Care System, 10 North Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 (United States)

2011-03-02

According to the adenoma-carcinoma sequence, colon cancer results from accumulating somatic gene mutations; environmental growth factors accelerate and augment this process. For example, diets rich in meat and fat increase fecal bile acids and colon cancer risk. In rodent cancer models, increased fecal bile acids promote colon dysplasia. Conversely, in rodents and in persons with inflammatory bowel disease, low-dose ursodeoxycholic acid treatment alters fecal bile acid composition and attenuates colon neoplasia. In the course of elucidating the mechanism underlying these actions, we discovered that bile acids interact functionally with intestinal muscarinic receptors. The present communication reviews muscarinic receptor expression in normal and neoplastic colon epithelium, the role of autocrine signaling following synthesis and release of acetylcholine from colon cancer cells, post-muscarinic receptor signaling including the role of transactivation of epidermal growth factor receptors and activation of the ERK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways, the structural biology and metabolism of bile acids and evidence for functional interaction of bile acids with muscarinic receptors on human colon cancer cells. In murine colon cancer models, deficiency of subtype 3 muscarinic receptors attenuates intestinal neoplasia; a proof-of-concept supporting muscarinic receptor signaling as a therapeutic target for colon cancer.

Muscarinic Receptor Signaling in Colon Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenvinge, Erik C. von; Raufman, Jean-Pierre

2011-01-01

According to the adenoma-carcinoma sequence, colon cancer results from accumulating somatic gene mutations; environmental growth factors accelerate and augment this process. For example, diets rich in meat and fat increase fecal bile acids and colon cancer risk. In rodent cancer models, increased fecal bile acids promote colon dysplasia. Conversely, in rodents and in persons with inflammatory bowel disease, low-dose ursodeoxycholic acid treatment alters fecal bile acid composition and attenuates colon neoplasia. In the course of elucidating the mechanism underlying these actions, we discovered that bile acids interact functionally with intestinal muscarinic receptors. The present communication reviews muscarinic receptor expression in normal and neoplastic colon epithelium, the role of autocrine signaling following synthesis and release of acetylcholine from colon cancer cells, post-muscarinic receptor signaling including the role of transactivation of epidermal growth factor receptors and activation of the ERK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways, the structural biology and metabolism of bile acids and evidence for functional interaction of bile acids with muscarinic receptors on human colon cancer cells. In murine colon cancer models, deficiency of subtype 3 muscarinic receptors attenuates intestinal neoplasia; a proof-of-concept supporting muscarinic receptor signaling as a therapeutic target for colon cancer

Muscarinic Receptor Signaling in Colon Cancer

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Jean-Pierre Raufman

2011-03-01

Full Text Available According to the adenoma-carcinoma sequence, colon cancer results from accumulating somatic gene mutations; environmental growth factors accelerate and augment this process. For example, diets rich in meat and fat increase fecal bile acids and colon cancer risk. In rodent cancer models, increased fecal bile acids promote colon dysplasia. Conversely, in rodents and in persons with inflammatory bowel disease, low-dose ursodeoxycholic acid treatment alters fecal bile acid composition and attenuates colon neoplasia. In the course of elucidating the mechanism underlying these actions, we discovered that bile acids interact functionally with intestinal muscarinic receptors. The present communication reviews muscarinic receptor expression in normal and neoplastic colon epithelium, the role of autocrine signaling following synthesis and release of acetylcholine from colon cancer cells, post-muscarinic receptor signaling including the role of transactivation of epidermal growth factor receptors and activation of the ERK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways, the structural biology and metabolism of bile acids and evidence for functional interaction of bile acids with muscarinic receptors on human colon cancer cells. In murine colon cancer models, deficiency of subtype 3 muscarinic receptors attenuates intestinal neoplasia; a proof-of-concept supporting muscarinic receptor signaling as a therapeutic target for colon cancer.

Evidence for modulation of pericryptal sheath myofibroblasts in rat descending colon by Transforming Growth Factor β and Angiotensin II.

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Pedley Kevin C

2002-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Absorption of water and Na+ in descending colonic crypts is dependent on the barrier function of the surrounding myofibroblastic pericryptal sheath. Here the effects of high and low Na+ diets and exposure to whole body ionising radiation on the growth and activation of the descending colonic pericryptal myofibroblasts are evaluated. In addition the effect of a post-irradiation treatment with the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor Captopril was investigated. Methods The levels of Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1, ACE, collagen type IV, transforming growth factor-β type 1 receptor (TGF-βR1, OB cadherin and α-smooth muscle actin in both descending colon and caecum were evaluated, using immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy, in rats fed on high and low Na+ diets (LS. These parameters were also determined during 3 months post-irradiation with 8Gy from a 60Co source in the presence and absence of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, Captopril. Results Increases in AT1 receptor (135.6% ± 18.3, P Conclusions These results demonstrate an activation of descending colonic myofibroblasts to trophic stimuli, or irradiation, which can be attenuated by Captopril, indicative of local trophic control by angiotensin II and TGF-β release.

Silencing of the hTERT gene by shRNA inhibits colon cancer SW480 cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

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Ai-Qun Liu

Full Text Available Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT is the key enzyme responsible for synthesizing and maintaining the telomeres on the ends of chromosomes, and it is essential for cell proliferation. This has made hTERT a focus of oncology research and an attractive target for anticancer drug development. In this study, we designed a small interfering RNA (siRNA targeting the catalytic subunit of hTERT and tested its effects on the growth of telomerase-positive human colon carcinoma SW480 cells in vitro, as well as on the tumorigenicity of these cells in nude mice. Transient and stable transfection of hTERT siRNA into colon cancer SW480 cells suppressed hTERT expression, reduced telomerase activity and inhibited cell growth and proliferation. Knocking down hTERT expression in SW480 tumors xenografted into nude mice significantly slowed tumor growth and promoted tumor cell apoptosis. Our results suggest that hTERT is involved in carcinogenesis of human colon carcinoma, and they highlight the therapeutic potential of a hTERT knock-down approach.

Effects of calorie restriction and diet-induced obesity on murine colon carcinogenesis, growth and inflammatory factors, and microRNA expression.

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Susan E Olivo-Marston

Full Text Available Obesity is an established colon cancer risk factor, while preventing or reversing obesity via a calorie restriction (CR diet regimen decreases colon cancer risk. Unfortunately, the biological mechanisms underlying these associations are poorly understood, hampering development of mechanism-based approaches for preventing obesity-related colon cancer. We tested the hypotheses that diet-induced obesity (DIO would increase (and CR would decrease colon tumorigenesis in the mouse azoxymethane (AOM model. In addition, we established that changes in inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, and microRNAs are associated with these energy balance-colon cancer links, and thus represent mechanism-based targets for colon cancer prevention. Mice were injected with AOM once a week for 5 weeks and randomized to: 1 control diet; 2 30% CR diet; or 3 DIO diet. Mice were euthanized at week 5 (n = 12/group, 10 (n = 12/group, and 20 (n = 20/group after the last AOM injection. Colon tumors were counted, and cytokines, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1, IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3, adipokines, proliferation, apoptosis, and expression of microRNAs (miRs were measured. The DIO diet regimen induced an obese phenotype (∼36% body fat, while CR induced a lean phenotype (∼14% body fat; controls were intermediate (∼26% body fat. Relative to controls, DIO increased (and CR decreased the number of colon tumors (p = 0.01, cytokines (p<0.001, IGF-1 (p = 0.01, and proliferation (p<0.001. DIO decreased (and CR increased IGFBP-3 and apoptosis (p<0.001. miRs including mir-425, mir-196, mir-155, mir-150, mir-351, mir-16, let-7, mir34, and mir-138 were differentially expressed between the dietary groups. We conclude that the enhancing effects of DIO and suppressive effects of CR on colon carcinogenesis are associated with alterations in several biological pathways, including inflammation, IGF-1, and microRNAs.

Rational Practices to Manage Boll Weevils Colonization and Population Growth on Family Farms in the Semiárido Region of Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Neves, Robério C S; Colares, Felipe; Torres, Jorge B; Santos, Roberta L; Bastos, Cristina S

2014-10-31

Because boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boh. develops partially protected inside cotton fruiting structures, once they become established in a field, they are difficult to control, even with nearly continuous insecticide spray. During two cotton-growing seasons in the Semiárido region of Pernambuco State, Brazil, we tested the use of kaolin sprays to disrupt plant colonization through visual cue interference, combined with removal of fallen fruiting bodies to restrain boll weevil population growth after colonization. Kaolin spray under non-choice trials resulted in 2.2×, 4.4×, and 8.6× fewer weevils, oviposition and feeding punctures on kaolin-treated plants, respectively, despite demonstrating no statistical differences for colonization and population growth. Early season sprays in 2010 occurred during a period of rainfall, and hence, under our fixed spraying schedule no significant differences in boll weevil colonization were detected. In 2011, when kaolin sprays were not washed out by rain, delayed boll weevil colonization and reduction on attacked fruiting bodies were observed in eight out of 12 evaluations, and kaolin-treated plots had 2.7× fewer damaged fruiting bodies compared to untreated plots. Adoption of simple measures such as removal of fallen fruiting bodies and prompt reapplication of kaolin sprays after rainfall show promise in reducing boll weevil infestation.

GENERAL: Kinetic Behaviors of Catalysis-Driven Growth of Three-Species Aggregates on Base of Exchange-Driven Aggregations

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yun-Fei; Chen, Dan; Lin, Zhen-Quan; Ke, Jian-Hong

2009-06-01

We propose a solvable aggregation model to mimic the evolution of population A, asset B, and the quantifiable resource C in a society. In this system, the population and asset aggregates themselves grow through self-exchanges with the rate kernels K1(k, j) = K1kj and K2(k, j) = K2kj, respectively. The actions of the population and asset aggregations on the aggregation evolution of resource aggregates are described by the population-catalyzed monomer death of resource aggregates and asset-catalyzed monomer birth of resource aggregates with the rate kernels J1(k, j) = J1k and J2(k, j) = J2k, respectively. Meanwhile, the asset and resource aggregates conjunctly catalyze the monomer birth of population aggregates with the rate kernel I1(k, i, j) = I1kiμjη, and population and resource aggregates conjunctly catalyze the monomer birth of asset aggregates with the rate kernel I2(k, i, j) = I2kivjη. The kinetic behaviors of species A, B, and C are investigated by means of the mean-field rate equation approach. The effects of the population-catalyzed death and asset-catalyzed birth on the evolution of resource aggregates based on the self-exchanges of population and asset appear in effective forms. The coefficients of the effective population-catalyzed death and the asset-catalyzed birth are expressed as J1e = J1/K1 and J2e = J2/K2, respectively. The aggregate size distribution of C species is found to be crucially dominated by the competition between the effective death and the effective birth. It satisfies the conventional scaling form, generalized scaling form, and modified scaling form in the cases of J1e J2e, respectively. Meanwhile, we also find the aggregate size distributions of populations and assets both fall into two distinct categories for different parameters μ, ν, and η: (i) When μ = ν = η = 0 and μ = ν = 0, η = 1, the population and asset aggregates obey the generalized scaling forms; and (ii) When μ = ν = 1, η = 0, and μ = ν = η = 1, the

Aggregate formation in a freshwater bacterial strain induced by growth state and conspecific chemical cues

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Blom, J. F.; Horňák, Karel; Šimek, Karel; Pernthaler, J.

2010-01-01

Roč. 12, č. 9 (2010), s. 2486-2495 ISSN 1462-2912 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA206/08/0015 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60170517 Keywords : aggregate formation * Sphingobium sp. * chemical cues * growth state Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 5.537, year: 2010

Rational Practices to Manage Boll Weevils Colonization and Population Growth on Family Farms in the Semiárido Region of Brazil

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Robério C. S. Neves

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Because boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boh. develops partially protected inside cotton fruiting structures, once they become established in a field, they are difficult to control, even with nearly continuous insecticide spray. During two cotton-growing seasons in the Semiárido region of Pernambuco State, Brazil, we tested the use of kaolin sprays to disrupt plant colonization through visual cue interference, combined with removal of fallen fruiting bodies to restrain boll weevil population growth after colonization. Kaolin spray under non-choice trials resulted in 2.2×, 4.4×, and 8.6× fewer weevils, oviposition and feeding punctures on kaolin-treated plants, respectively, despite demonstrating no statistical differences for colonization and population growth. Early season sprays in 2010 occurred during a period of rainfall, and hence, under our fixed spraying schedule no significant differences in boll weevil colonization were detected. In 2011, when kaolin sprays were not washed out by rain, delayed boll weevil colonization and reduction on attacked fruiting bodies were observed in eight out of 12 evaluations, and kaolin-treated plots had 2.7× fewer damaged fruiting bodies compared to untreated plots. Adoption of simple measures such as removal of fallen fruiting bodies and prompt reapplication of kaolin sprays after rainfall show promise in reducing boll weevil infestation.

Vasohibin-1 suppresses colon cancer

OpenAIRE

Liu, Shuai; Han, Bing; Zhang, Qunyuan; Dou, Jie; Wang, Fang; Lin, Wenli; Sun, Yuping; Peng, Guangyong

2015-01-01

Vasohibin-1 (VASH1) is an endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor. However, the clinical relevance of VASH1 in colon cancer and its regulations on cancer angiogenesis and cancer cell biological characteristics are still unknown. Here we showed that stromal VASH1 levels were negatively correlated with tumor size, advanced clinical stage and distant metastases in colon cancer patients. Overexpression of VASH1 in colon cancer cells induced apoptosis and senescence, inhibiting cancer cell growth and co...

Effects of cyclic-nucleotide derivatives on the growth of human colonic carcinoma xenografts and on cell production in the rat colonic crypt epithelium.

Science.gov (United States)

Tutton, P J; Barkla, D H

1981-08-01

Previous studies have shown that various amine hormones are able to influence the growth rate of human colorectal carcinomas propagated as xenografts in immune-deprived mice, and it is now well known that the effects of many amine and other hormones are mediated by cyclic nucleotides, acting as second messengers within cells. In the present study the influence of various derivatives of cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate on the growth of two different lines of colorectal cancer growing in immune-deprived mice, and on the cell production rate in the colonic crypt epithelium of the rat, was assessed. Growth of each tumour line, as well as crypt-cell production, was suppressed by treatment wit N6O2' dibutyryl and N6 monobutyryl derivatives of cyclic adenosine monophosphate. Dibutyryl cyclic guanosine monophosphate, on the other hand, was found to promote the growth of Tumour HXK4 and to promote crypt cell production, but to have no significant effect on Tumour HXM2.

The interactive effect of phosphorus and nitrogen on "in vitro" spore germination of Glomus etunicatum Becker & Gerdemann, root growth and mycorrhizal colonization

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Bressan Wellington

2001-01-01

Full Text Available The effects of P and N amendment and its interactions on spore germination, root growth and colonized root length by Glomus etunicatum Becker & Gerdemann (INVAM S329 was studied "in vitro" in RiT - DNA transformed roots of Anthylis vulneraria sub sp. Sampaiana (Kidney vetch. Three N media concentrations (5, 10 and 50 mg/l at P constant level (2 mg/l and three P media concentrations (2, 10 and 20 mg/l at N constant level (5 mg/l were utilized as a treatment. Bécard & Fortin medium was used as a basal medium for root growth and colonized root length, and water/agar (0.8% media was the control for spore germination. Spore germination of G. etunicatum at low P level was reduced by N addition in relation to the control media, and at low N level addition of P stimulated spore germination. Total root length was stimulated by N addtion at low P level, but no significant difference (p£0.05 was observed between 10 and 50 mg/l of N. P addition at low N level media also stimulated total root growth, and a significant difference (p£0.05 was observed among P concentrations. Colonized root length by G. etunicatum increased significantly (p£0.05 with P additions at low N levels. Under low P level no significant differences was found between 10 and 50 mg/l of N. These results demonstrate that the interaction between P and N affect differently spore germination, root growth and colonized root lenght.

Kinetic behaviours of aggregate growth driven by time-dependent migration, birth and death

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Shengqing; Yang Shunyou; Ke Jianhong; Lin Zhenquan

2008-01-01

We propose a dynamic growth model to mimic some social phenomena, such as the evolution of cities' population, in which monomer migrations occur between any two aggregates and monomer birth/death can simultaneously occur in each aggregate. Considering the fact that the rate kernels of migration, birth and death processes may change with time, we assume that the migration rate kernel is ijf(t), and the self-birth and death rate kernels are ig 1 (t) and ig 2 (t), respectively. Based on the mean-field rate equation, we obtain the exact solution of this model and then discuss semi-quantitatively the scaling behaviour of the aggregate size distribution at large times. The results show that in the long-time limit, (i) if ∫ t 0 g 1 (t') dt'/∫ t 0 g 2 (t') dt' ≥ 1 or exp{∫ t 0 [g 2 (t') - g 1 (t')] dt'}/∫ t 0 f(t') dt' → 0, the aggregate size distribution a k (t) can obey a generalized scaling form; (ii) if ∫ t 0 g 1 (t') dt'/∫ t 0 g 2 (t') dt' → 0 and exp ∫ t 0 [g 2 (t') - g 1 (t') dt'/∫ t 0 f(t') dt' → ∞, a k (t) can take a scale-free form and decay exponentially in size k; (iii) a k (t) will satisfy a modified scaling law in the remaining cases. Moreover, the total mass of aggregates depends strongly on the net birth rate g 1 (t) - g 2 (t) and evolves exponentially as exp{∫ t 0 [g 1 (t') - g 2 (t')] dt'}, which is in qualitative agreement with the evolution of the total population of a country in real world

Inhibition of glycolysis and growth of colon cancer cells by 3-(3-pyridinyl-1-(4-pyridinyl-2-propen-1-one (3PO in combination with butyrate, 2-deoxy glucose, 3-bromopyruvate or biguanides

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Lea MA

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Glycolysis shows a positive correlation with growth of human colon cancer cells. PFKFB3 is an important enzyme regulating glycolysis in many tumor cells and presents a target for cancer chemotherapy. We studied the action of an inhibitor of PFKFB3, 3-(3-pyridinyl-1-(4-pyridinyl-2-propen-1-one (3PO, as a single agent and in combination with other molecules that affect glycolysis. Materials and methods: Effects on growth were studied in four human colon cancer cell lines. Glucose metabolism was monitored by uptake from the incubation medium and lactic acid production was judged by acidification of the medium. Induction of alkaline phosphatase served as a marker of differentiation. Results: Growth of colon cancer cells was inhibited by 3PO and butyrate but only butyrate induced activation of alkaline phosphatase. Although metformin and phenformin can increase glucose metabolism, they inhibit colon cancer cell growth and can exert additive inhibitory effects in combination with 3PO. Additive growth inhibitory effects with 3PO were also observed with two compounds that inhibit glycolysis: 2-deoxyglucose and 3-bromopyruvate. Conclusion: 3PO was an inhibitor of growth of colon cancer cells and may be a useful agent in combination with other drugs that inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation.

Root colonization and growth promotion of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) by phosphate solubilizing Enterobacter sp. Fs-11

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shahid, Muhammad; Hameed, Sohail; Imran, Asma; Ali, Saira; van Elsas, Jan Dirk

An Enterobacter sp. Fs-11 was isolated from sunflower rhizosphere, identified on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis (GeneBank accession no. GQ179978) and studied for its root colonization and growth promotion ability in sunflower. Morphologically, it was rod shaped Gram-negative, motile

Urotensin-II receptor is over-expressed in colon cancer cell lines and in colon carcinoma in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Federico, Alessandro; Zappavigna, Silvia; Romano, Marco; Grieco, Paolo; Luce, Amalia; Marra, Monica; Gravina, Antonietta Gerarda; Stiuso, Paola; D'Armiento, Francesco Paolo; Vitale, Giovanni; Tuccillo, Concetta; Novellino, Ettore; Loguercio, Carmela; Caraglia, Michele

2014-01-01

Urotensin (U)-II receptor (UTR) has been previously reported to be over-expressed in a number of tumours. Whether UTR-related pathway plays a role in colon carcinogenesis is unknown. We evaluated UTR protein and mRNA expression in human epithelial colon cancer cell lines and in normal colon tissue, adenomatous polyps and colon cancer. U-II protein expression was assessed in cancer cell lines. Moreover, we evaluated the effects of U-II(4-11) (an UTR agonist), antagonists and knockdown of UTR protein expression through a specific shRNA, on proliferation, invasion and motility of human colon cancer cells. Cancer cell lines expressed U-II protein and UTR protein and mRNA. By immunohistochemistry, UTR was expressed in 5-30% of epithelial cells in 45 normal controls, in 30-48% in 21 adenomatous polyps and in 65-90% in 48 colon adenocarcinomas. UTR mRNA expression was increased by threefold in adenomatous polyps and eightfold in colon cancer, compared with normal colon. U-II(4-11) induced a 20-40% increase in cell growth while the blockade of the receptor with specific antagonists caused growth inhibition of 20-40%. Moreover, the knock down of UTR with a shRNA or the inhibition of UTR with the antagonist urantide induced an approximately 50% inhibition of both motility and invasion. UTR appears to be involved in the regulation of colon cancer cell invasion and motility. These data suggest that UTR-related pathway may play a role in colon carcinogenesis and that UTR may function as a target for therapeutic intervention in colon cancer. © 2013 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.

Colonization and growth of crustose coralline algae (Corallinales, Rhodophyta on the Rocas Atoll

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Alexandre Bigio Villas Bôas

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Crustose coralline algae play a fundamental role in reef construction all over the world. The aims fo this study were to identify and estimate the abundance of the dominant crustose coralline algae in shallow reef habitats, measuring their colonization, growth rates and productivity. Crusts sampled from different habitats were collected on leeward and windward reefs. Discs made of epoxy putty were fixed on the reef surface to follow coralline colonization and discs containing the dominant coralline algae were fixed on different habitats to measure the crusts' marginal growth. The primary production experiments followed the clear and dark bottle method for dissolved oxygen reading. Porolithon pachydermum was confirmed as the dominant crustose coralline alga on the Rocas Atoll. The non-cryptic flat form of P. pachydermum showed a faster growth rate on the leeward than on the windward reef. This form also had a faster growth rate on the reef crest (0.05 mm.day-1 than on the reef flat (0.01 mm.day-1. The cryptic protuberant form showed a trend, though not significant, towards a faster growth rate on the reef crest and in tidal pools than on the reef flat. Colonization was, in general, very slow as compared to that presented by other reef studies. P. pachydermum was a productive crust both in non-cryptic and cryptic habitats.As algas calcárias incrustantes exercem um papel fundamental na construção de recifes ao redor do mundo. Neste trabalho os objetivos foram: identificar e estimar a abundância da alga calcária incrustante dominante nas partes rasas do recife, verificando suas taxas de colonização, crescimento e produtividade. Crostas de diferentes habitats foram estudadas em locais a barlavento e sotavento. Discos feitos com massa epóxi foram fixados na superfície do recife para acompanhar a colonização das algas calcárias e discos contendo a alga calcária dominante foram fixados em diferentes habitats para medir o crescimento de suas

Effect of Mycorrhizal Fungi and Trifluralin Herbicide on Emergence, Growth and Root Colonization of Clover (Trifolium repens L.

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Hassan Shahgholi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Herbicides, despite of their control of weeds, have the potential to affect sensitive crops in rotation and also beneficial non-targeted soil microbes including vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM fungi (6. AM fungi can increase the growth of crops through increasing uptake of phosphorus and insoluble micronutrients, and indirectly by improving soil quality parameters (30. However, several authors have reported different effects of herbicides on VAM symbiosis, which ranges from no adverse effects to slightly or highly toxic effects (6. Pesticides have also been reported to stimulate colonization of plant roots by AM fungi (27. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the interaction effects of mycorrhizal fungi and Trifluralin herbicide on the growth and root colonization of clover. Materials and Methods: A factorial experiment was arranged in randomized complete block design with three replicates at the College of Agricultural, University of Shahrood during 2012. Treatments were included three levels of mycorrhiza inoculation, M1: non mycorrhiza (control, M2: Glommus mosseae and M3: Glommus intraradices and herbicide treatments were included four levels of Trifluralin(T1: 0, T2: 1000, T3: 1500 and T4: 2000 ml ha-1. In mycorrhizal treatments, 20 g inoculums were thoroughly mixed with soil. Seeds of clover (Trifolium repens L. were sown in the pots maintained near the field in order to provide normal environmental conditions. Seedlings were thinned to two plants per pot at three leaf stages. At the time of harvesting, the emergence and growth characteristics of clover and root colonization was also registered. Statistical analyses of data were performed with statistical software MSTATC. Significant differences between means refer to the probability level of 0.05 calculated by LSD test. Results and Discussion: The results showed that emergence, uniformity (EU values decreased and time to 10% (D10 and 90% (D90 of

An extended fractal growth regime in the diffusion limited aggregation including edge diffusion

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Aritra Ghosh

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We have investigated on-lattice diffusion limited aggregation (DLA involving edge diffusion and compared the results with the standard DLA model. For both cases, we observe the existence of a crossover from the fractal to the compact regime as a function of sticking coefficient. However, our modified DLA model including edge diffusion shows an extended fractal growth regime like an earlier theoretical result using realistic growth models and physical parameters [Zhang et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 73 (1994 1829]. While the results of Zhang et al. showed the existence of the extended fractal growth regime only on triangular but not on square lattices, we find its existence on the square lattice. There is experimental evidence of this growth regime on a square lattice. The standard DLA model cannot characterize fractal morphology as the fractal dimension (Hausdorff dimension, DH is insensitive to morphology. It also predicts DH = DP (the perimeter dimension. For the usual fractal structures, observed in growth experiments on surfaces, the perimeter dimension can differ significantly (DH ≠ DP depending on the morphology. Our modified DLA model shows minor sensitivity to this difference.

Photochemical induced growth and aggregation of metal nanoparticles in diode-array spectrophotometer via excited dimethyl-sulfoxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Zidki, Tomer; Cohen, Haim; Meyerstein, Dan

2010-10-21

Ag(0) and Au(0) nanoparticles suspended in dilute aqueous solutions containing (CH(3))(2)SO are photochemically unstable. The light source of a diode-array spectrophotometer induces, within less than a minute, particle growth and aggregation. The results indicate that this process is triggered by UV light absorption by the (CH(3))(2)SO.

Malignant transformation of colonic epithelial cells by a colon-derived long noncoding RNA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franklin, Jeffrey L.; Rankin, Carl R.; Levy, Shawn; Snoddy, Jay R.; Zhang, Bing; Washington, Mary Kay; Thomson, J. Michael; Whitehead, Robert H.; Coffey, Robert J.

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Non-coding RNAs are found in the colonic crypt progenitor compartment. •Colonocytes transformed by ncNRFR are highly invasive and metastatic. •ncNRFR has a region similar to the miRNA, let-7 family. •ncNRFR expression alters let-7 activity as measured by reporter construct. •ncNRFR expression upregulates let-7b targets. -- Abstract: Recent progress has been made in the identification of protein-coding genes and miRNAs that are expressed in and alter the behavior of colonic epithelia. However, the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in colonic homeostasis is just beginning to be explored. By gene expression profiling of post-mitotic, differentiated tops and proliferative, progenitor-compartment bottoms of microdissected adult mouse colonic crypts, we identified several lncRNAs more highly expressed in crypt bottoms. One identified lncRNA, designated non-coding Nras functional RNA (ncNRFR), resides within the Nras locus but appears to be independent of the Nras coding transcript. Stable overexpression of ncNRFR in non-transformed, conditionally immortalized mouse colonocytes results in malignant transformation, as determined by growth in soft agar and formation of highly invasive tumors in nude mice. Moreover, ncNRFR appears to inhibit the function of the tumor suppressor let-7. These results suggest precise regulation of ncNRFR is necessary for proper cell growth in the colonic crypt, and its misregulation results in neoplastic transformation

Denitrification in Soil Aggregate Analogues-Effect of Aggregate Size and Oxygen Diffusion

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Steffen Schlüter

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Soil-borne nitrous oxide (N2O emissions have a high spatial and temporal variability which is commonly attributed to the occurrence of hotspots and hot moments for microbial activity in aggregated soil. Yet there is only limited information about the biophysical processes that regulate the production and consumption of N2O on microscopic scales in undisturbed soil. In this study, we introduce an experimental framework relying on simplified porous media that circumvents some of the complexities occuring in natural soils while fully accounting for physical constraints believed to control microbial activity in general and denitrification in particular. We used this framework to explore the impact of aggregate size and external oxygen concentration on the kinetics of O2 consumption, as well as CO2 and N2O production. Model aggregates of different sizes (3.5 vs. 7 mm diameter composed of porous, sintered glass were saturated with a defined growth medium containing roughly 109 cells ml−1 of the facultative anaerobic, nosZ-deficient denitrifier Agrobacterium tumefaciens with N2O as final denitrification product and incubated at five different oxygen levels (0–13 vol-%. We demonstrate that the onset of denitrification depends on the amount of external oxygen and the size of aggregates. Smaller aggregates were better supplied with oxygen due to a larger surface-to-volume ratio, which resulted in faster growth and an earlier onset of denitrification. In larger aggregates, the onset of denitrification was more gradual, but with comparably higher N2O production rates once the anoxic aggregate centers were fully developed. The normalized electron flow from the reduced carbon substrate to N-oxyanions (edenit-/etotal- ratio could be solely described as a function of initial oxygen concentration in the headspace with a simple, hyperbolic model, for which the two empirical parameters changed with aggregate size in a consistent way. These findings confirm the

Aggregates from mineral wastes

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Baic Ireneusz

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The problem concerning the growing demand for natural aggregates and the need to limit costs, including transportation from remote deposits, cause the increase in growth of interest in aggregates from mineral wastes as well as in technologies of their production and recovery. The paper presents the issue related to the group of aggregates other than natural. A common name is proposed for such material: “alternative aggregates”. The name seems to be fully justified due to adequacy of this term because of this raw materials origin and role, in comparison to the meaning of natural aggregates based on gravel and sand as well as crushed stones. The paper presents characteristics of the market and basic application of aggregates produced from mineral wastes, generated in the mining, power and metallurgical industries as well as material from demolished objects.

Colonic macrophage polarization in homeostasis, inflammation, and cancer

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Appleyard, Caroline B.

2016-01-01

Our review focuses on the colonic macrophage, a monocyte-derived, tissue-resident macrophage, and the role it plays in health and disease, specifically in inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and cancer of the colon and rectum. We give special emphasis to macrophage polarization, or phenotype, in these different states. We focus on macrophages because they are one of the most numerous leukocytes in the colon, and because they normally contribute to homeostasis through an anti-inflammatory phenotype. However, in conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, proinflammatory macrophages are increased in the colon and have been linked to disease severity and progression. In colorectal cancer, tumor cells may employ anti-inflammatory macrophages to promote tumor growth and dissemination, whereas proinflammatory macrophages may antagonize tumor growth. Given the key roles that this cell type plays in homeostasis, inflammation, and cancer, the colonic macrophage is an intriguing therapeutic target. As such, potential macrophage-targeting strategies are discussed. PMID:27229123

Ecosystem scale declines in elk recruitment and population growth with wolf colonization: a before-after-control-impact approach.

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Christianson, David; Creel, Scott

2014-01-01

The reintroduction of wolves (Canis lupus) to Yellowstone provided the unusual opportunity for a quasi-experimental test of the effects of wolf predation on their primary prey (elk--Cervus elaphus) in a system where top-down, bottom-up, and abiotic forces on prey population dynamics were closely and consistently monitored before and after reintroduction. Here, we examined data from 33 years for 12 elk population segments spread across southwestern Montana and northwestern Wyoming in a large scale before-after-control-impact analysis of the effects of wolves on elk recruitment and population dynamics. Recruitment, as measured by the midwinter juvenile∶female ratio, was a strong determinant of elk dynamics, and declined by 35% in elk herds colonized by wolves as annual population growth shifted from increasing to decreasing. Negative effects of population density and winter severity on recruitment, long recognized as important for elk dynamics, were detected in uncolonized elk herds and in wolf-colonized elk herds prior to wolf colonization, but not after wolf colonization. Growing season precipitation and harvest had no detectable effect on recruitment in either wolf treatment or colonization period, although harvest rates of juveniles∶females declined by 37% in wolf-colonized herds. Even if it is assumed that mortality due to predation is completely additive, liberal estimates of wolf predation rates on juvenile elk could explain no more than 52% of the total decline in juvenile∶female ratios in wolf-colonized herds, after accounting for the effects of other limiting factors. Collectively, these long-term, large-scale patterns align well with prior studies that have reported substantial decrease in elk numbers immediately after wolf recolonization, relatively weak additive effects of direct wolf predation on elk survival, and decreased reproduction and recruitment with exposure to predation risk from wolves.

Ecosystem scale declines in elk recruitment and population growth with wolf colonization: a before-after-control-impact approach.

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David Christianson

Full Text Available The reintroduction of wolves (Canis lupus to Yellowstone provided the unusual opportunity for a quasi-experimental test of the effects of wolf predation on their primary prey (elk--Cervus elaphus in a system where top-down, bottom-up, and abiotic forces on prey population dynamics were closely and consistently monitored before and after reintroduction. Here, we examined data from 33 years for 12 elk population segments spread across southwestern Montana and northwestern Wyoming in a large scale before-after-control-impact analysis of the effects of wolves on elk recruitment and population dynamics. Recruitment, as measured by the midwinter juvenile∶female ratio, was a strong determinant of elk dynamics, and declined by 35% in elk herds colonized by wolves as annual population growth shifted from increasing to decreasing. Negative effects of population density and winter severity on recruitment, long recognized as important for elk dynamics, were detected in uncolonized elk herds and in wolf-colonized elk herds prior to wolf colonization, but not after wolf colonization. Growing season precipitation and harvest had no detectable effect on recruitment in either wolf treatment or colonization period, although harvest rates of juveniles∶females declined by 37% in wolf-colonized herds. Even if it is assumed that mortality due to predation is completely additive, liberal estimates of wolf predation rates on juvenile elk could explain no more than 52% of the total decline in juvenile∶female ratios in wolf-colonized herds, after accounting for the effects of other limiting factors. Collectively, these long-term, large-scale patterns align well with prior studies that have reported substantial decrease in elk numbers immediately after wolf recolonization, relatively weak additive effects of direct wolf predation on elk survival, and decreased reproduction and recruitment with exposure to predation risk from wolves.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SOIL MICROBIAL BIOMASS, AGGREGATE STABILITY AND AGGREGATE ASSOCIATED-C: A MECHANISTIC APPROACH

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Patrizia Guidi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available For the identification of C pools involved in soil aggregation, a physically-based aggregate fractionation was proposed, and  additional pretreatments were used in the measurement of the 1-2 mm aggregate stability in order to elucidate the relevance of the role of soil microorganisms with respect to the different aggregate breakdown mechanisms. The study was carried out on three clay loam Regosols, developed on calcareous shales, known history of organic cultivation.Our results showed that the soil C pool controlling the process of stabilisation of aggregates was related to the microbial community. We identified the resistance to fast wetting as the major mechanism of aggregate stability driven by microorganims. The plausible hypothesis is that organic farming promotes fungi growth, improving water repellency of soil aggregates by fungal hydrophobic substances. By contrast, we failed in the identification of C pools controlling the formation of aggregates, probably because of the disturbance of mechanical tillage which contributes to the breakdown of soil aggregates.The physically-based aggregate fractionation proposed in this study resulted useful in the  mechanistically understanding of the role of microorganisms in soil aggregation and it might be suggested for studying the impact of management on C pools, aggregates properties and their relationships in agricultural soils.

Plant-mediated restriction of Salmonella enterica on tomato and spinach leaves colonized with Pseudomonas plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Chiun-Kang; Micallef, Shirley A

2017-10-16

Reducing Salmonella enterica association with plants during crop production could reduce risks of fresh produce-borne salmonellosis. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) colonizing plant roots are capable of promoting plant growth and boosting resistance to disease, but the effects of PGPR on human pathogen-plant associations are not known. Two root-colonizing Pseudomonas strains S2 and S4 were investigated in spinach, lettuce and tomato for their plant growth-promoting properties and their influence on leaf populations of S. enterica serovar Newport. Plant roots were inoculated with Pseudomonas in the seedling stage. At four (tomato) and six (spinach and lettuce) weeks post-germination, plant growth promotion was assessed by shoot dry weight (SDW) and leaf chlorophyll content measurements. Leaf populations of S. Newport were measured after 24h of leaf inoculation with this pathogen by direct plate counts on Tryptic Soy Agar. Root inoculation of spinach cv. 'Tyee', with Pseudomonas strain S2 or S4 resulted in a 69% and 63% increase in SDW compared to non-inoculated controls (pgrowth by over 40% compared to controls (pgrowth promotion was detected in tomato cv. 'BHN602', but S2-inoculated plants had elevated leaf chlorophyll content (13%, pgrowth, but also reduce the fitness of epiphytic S. enterica in the phyllosphere. Plant-mediated effects induced by PGPR may be an effective strategy to minimize contamination of crops with S. enterica during cultivation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Piriformospora indica root colonization triggers local and systemic root responses and inhibits secondary colonization of distal roots.

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Pedrotti, Lorenzo; Mueller, Martin J; Waller, Frank

2013-01-01

Piriformosporaindica is a basidiomycete fungus colonizing roots of a wide range of higher plants, including crop plants and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Previous studies have shown that P. indica improves growth, and enhances systemic pathogen resistance in leaves of host plants. To investigate systemic effects within the root system, we established a hydroponic split-root cultivation system for Arabidopsis. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we show that initial P. indica colonization triggers a local, transient response of several defense-related transcripts, of which some were also induced in shoots and in distal, non-colonized roots of the same plant. Systemic effects on distal roots included the inhibition of secondary P. indica colonization. Faster and stronger induction of defense-related transcripts during secondary inoculation revealed that a P. indica pretreatment triggers root-wide priming of defense responses, which could cause the observed reduction of secondary colonization levels. Secondary P. indica colonization also induced defense responses in distant, already colonized parts of the root. Endophytic fungi therefore trigger a spatially specific response in directly colonized and in systemic root tissues of host plants.

Synergistic inhibitory effects of curcumin and 5-fluorouracil on the growth of the human colon cancer cell line HT-29.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Boyu; Jiang, Liping; Xia, Quan; Zhong, Laifu

2006-01-01

The synergistic effect of combination treatment with COX-2 inhibitors and chemotherapy may be another promising therapy regimen in the future treatment of colorectal cancer. Curcumin, a major yellow pigment in turmeric which is used widely all over the world, inhibits the growth of human colon cancer cell line HT-29 significantly and specifically inhibits the expression of COX-2 protein. However, the worldwide exposure of populations to curcumin raised the question of whether this agent would enhance or inhibit the effects of chemotherapy. In this report, we evaluated the growth-inhibitory effect of curcumin and a traditional chemotherapy agent, 5-FU, against the proliferation of a human colon cancer cell line (HT-29). The combination effect was quantitatively determined using the method of median-effect principle and the combination index. The inhibition of COX-2 expression after treatment with the curcumin-5-FU combination was also evaluated by Western blot analysis. The IC(50) value in the HT-29 cells for curcumin was 15.9 +/- 1.96 microM and for 5-FU it was 17.3 +/- 1.85 microM. When curcumin and 5-FU were used concurrently, synergistic inhibition of growth was quantitatively demonstrated. The level of COX-2 protein expression was reduced almost 6-fold after the combination treatment. Our results demonstrate synergism between curcumin and 5-FU at higher doses against the human colon cancer cell line HT-29. This synergism was associated with the decreased expression of COX-2 protein. Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Marine Synechococcus Aggregation

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Neuer, S.; Deng, W.; Cruz, B. N.; Monks, L.

2016-02-01

Cyanobacteria are considered to play an important role in the oceanic biological carbon pump, especially in oligotrophic regions. But as single cells are too small to sink, their carbon export has to be mediated by aggregate formation and possible consumption by zooplankton producing sinking fecal pellets. Here we report results on the aggregation of the ubiquitous marine pico-cyanobacterium Synechococcus as a model organism. We first investigated the mechanism behind such aggregation by studying the potential role of transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP) and the effects of nutrient (nitrogen or phosphorus) limitation on the TEP production and aggregate formation of these pico-cyanobacteria. We further studied the aggregation and subsequent settling in roller tanks and investigated the effects of the clays kaolinite and bentonite in a series of concentrations. Our results show that despite of the lowered growth rates, Synechococcus in nutrient limited cultures had larger cell-normalized TEP production, formed a greater volume of aggregates, and resulted in higher settling velocities compared to results from replete cultures. In addition, we found that despite their small size and lack of natural ballasting minerals, Synechococcus cells could still form aggregates and sink at measureable velocities in seawater. Clay minerals increased the number and reduced the size of aggregates, and their ballasting effects increased the sinking velocity and carbon export potential of aggregates. In comparison with the Synechococcus, we will also present results of the aggregation of the pico-cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus in roller tanks. These results contribute to our understanding in the physiology of marine Synechococcus as well as their role in the ecology and biogeochemistry in oligotrophic oceans.

Physical activity counteracts tumor cell growth in colon carcinoma C26-injected muscles: an interim report

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Charlotte Hiroux

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Skeletal muscle tissue is a rare site of tumor metastasis but is the main target of the degenerative processes occurring in cancer-associated cachexia syndrome. Beneficial effects of physical activity in counteracting cancer-related muscle wasting have been described in the last decades. Recently it has been shown that, in tumor xeno-transplanted mouse models, physical activity is able to directly affect tumor growth by modulating inflammatory responses in the tumor mass microenvironment. Here, we investigated the effect of physical activity on tumor cell growth in colon carcinoma C26 cells injected tibialis anterior muscles of BALB/c mice. Histological analyses revealed that 4 days of voluntary wheel running significantly counteracts tumor cell growth in C26-injected muscles compared to the non-injected sedentary controls. Since striated skeletal muscle tissue is the site of voluntary contraction, our results confirm that physical activity can also directly counteract tumor cell growth in a metabolically active tissue that is usually not a target for metastasis.

[Role of oral cavity colonization resistance in dental caries development].

Science.gov (United States)

Petrushanko, T A; Chereda, V V; Loban', G A

2013-01-01

Colonization resistance is one of local immunity mechanisms determined by a combination of factors that inhibit the adhesion and growth of mucous membrane bacteria. We examined patients with different levels of caries intensity assessing oral mucosa colonization resistance by our own method. Caries development resulted in changes of colonization resistance with the increased rate of inhibition of the oral mucosa colonization resistance barrier.

Abrogation of Gli3 expression suppresses the growth of colon cancer cells via activation of p53

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Han Na; Oh, Sang Cheul; Kim, Jun Suk; Yoo, Young A.

2012-01-01

p53, the major human tumor suppressor, appears to be related to sonic hedgehog (Shh)–Gli-mediated tumorigenesis. However, the role of p53 in tumor progression by the Shh–Gli signaling pathway is poorly understood. Herein we investigated the critical regulation of Gli3–p53 in tumorigenesis of colon cancer cells and the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects. RT-PCR analysis indicated that the mRNA level of Shh and Gli3 in colon tumor tissues was significantly higher than corresponding normal tissues (P < 0.001). The inhibition of Gli3 by treatment with Gli3 siRNA resulted in a clear decrease in cell proliferation and enhanced the level of expression of p53 proteins compared to treatment with control siRNA. The half-life of p53 was dramatically increased by treatment with Gli3 siRNA. In addition, treatment with MG132 blocked MDM2-mediated p53 ubiquitination and degradation, and led to accumulation of p53 in Gli3 siRNA-overexpressing cells. Importantly, ectopic expression of p53 siRNA reduced the ability of Gli3 siRNA to suppress proliferation of those cells compared with the cells treated with Gli3 siRNA alone. Moreover, Gli3 siRNA sensitized colon cancer cells to treatment with anti-cancer agents (5-FU and bevacizumab). Taken together, our studies demonstrate that loss of Gli3 signaling leads to disruption of the MDM2–p53 interaction and strongly potentiate p53-dependent cell growth inhibition in colon cancer cells, indicating a basis for the rational use of Gli3 antagonists as a novel treatment option for colon cancer.

Plant colonization by pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria (PPFMs).

Science.gov (United States)

Omer, Zahra S; Tombolini, Riccardo; Gerhardson, Berndt

2004-03-01

Bacteria belonging to the genus Methylobacterium are characterized by being able to rely on methanol as a sole carbon and energy source and by presenting a more or less intense pink reddish pigmentation. These bacteria, also referred to as pink-pigmented methylotrophic bacteria (PPFMs), are common inhabitants of the phyllosphere and are found in many other environmental samples. Since they grow slowly they are often overlooked and their impact on phyllosphere microbial communities and on the plants harboring them is not well studied nor has their ecology been elucidated. In a survey of PPFM colonization in three different agricultural sites, PPFM populations were identified on both red clover and winter wheat, but red clover was more consistently colonized. Isolations from collected leaves showed PPFM populations to decrease from spring towards summer, but they increased again towards the end of the cropping season. Isolates from red clover readily colonized winter wheat leaves and vice versa in greenhouse experiments, but population sizes were dependent on the application procedure. Tested isolates had also good potential to colonize the rhizosphere, especially after seed inoculations. Confocal scanning laser microscopy showed gfp-tagged isolates to colonize the surface of clover leaves by forming large aggregates.

Phenolic extract from oleaster (Olea europaea var. Sylvestris) leaves reduces colon cancer growth and induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in colon cancer cells via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeriouh, Wafa; Nani, Abdelhafid; Belarbi, Meriem; Dumont, Adélie; de Rosny, Charlotte; Aboura, Ikram; Ghanemi, Fatima Zahra; Murtaza, Babar; Patoli, Danish; Thomas, Charles; Apetoh, Lionel; Rébé, Cédric; Delmas, Dominique; Khan, Naim Akhtar; Ghiringhelli, François; Rialland, Mickael; Hichami, Aziz

2017-01-01

Dietary polyphenols, derived from natural products, have received a great interest for their chemopreventive properties against cancer. In this study, we investigated the effects of phenolic extract of the oleaster leaves (PEOL) on tumor growth in mouse model and on cell death in colon cancer cell lines. We assessed the effect of oleaster leaf infusion on HCT116 (human colon cancer cell line) xenograft growth in athymic nude mice. We observed that oleaster leaf polyphenol-rich infusion limited HCT116 tumor growth in vivo. Investigations of PEOL on two human CRC cell lines showed that PEOL induced apoptosis in HCT116 and HCT8 cells. We demonstrated an activation of caspase-3, -7 and -9 by PEOL and that pre-treatment with the pan-caspase inhibitor, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone (z-VAD-fmk), prevented PEOL-induced cell death. We observed an involvement of the mitochondrial pathway in PEOL-induced apoptosis evidenced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, a decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential, and cytochrome c release. Increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration induced by PEOL represents the early event involved in mitochondrial dysfunction, ROS-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis induced by PEOL, as ruthenium red, an inhibitor of mitochondrial calcium uptake inhibited apoptotic effect of PEOL, BAPTA/AM inhibited PEOL-induced ROS generation and finally, N-acetyl-L-cysteine reversed ER stress and apoptotic effect of PEOL. These results demonstrate that polyphenols from oleaster leaves might have a strong potential as chemopreventive agent in colorectal cancer.

Preventing disulfide bond formation weakens non-covalent forces among lysozyme aggregates.

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Vijay Kumar Ravi

Full Text Available Nonnative disulfide bonds have been observed among protein aggregates in several diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cataract and so on. The molecular mechanism by which formation of such bonds promotes protein aggregation is poorly understood. Here in this work we employ previously well characterized aggregation of hen eggwhite lysozyme (HEWL at alkaline pH to dissect the molecular role of nonnative disulfide bonds on growth of HEWL aggregates. We employed time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy, atomic force microscopy and single-molecule force spectroscopy to quantify the size, morphology and non-covalent interaction forces among the aggregates, respectively. These measurements were performed under conditions when disulfide bond formation was allowed (control and alternatively when it was prevented by alkylation of free thiols using iodoacetamide. Blocking disulfide bond formation affected growth but not growth kinetics of aggregates which were ∼50% reduced in volume, flatter in vertical dimension and non-fibrillar in comparison to control. Interestingly, single-molecule force spectroscopy data revealed that preventing disulfide bond formation weakened the non-covalent interaction forces among monomers in the aggregate by at least ten fold, thereby stalling their growth and yielding smaller aggregates in comparison to control. We conclude that while constrained protein chain dynamics in correctly disulfide bonded amyloidogenic proteins may protect them from venturing into partial folded conformations that can trigger entry into aggregation pathways, aberrant disulfide bonds in non-amyloidogenic proteins (like HEWL on the other hand, may strengthen non-covalent intermolecular forces among monomers and promote their aggregation.

Yerba mate enhances probiotic bacteria growth in vitro but as a feed additive does not reduce Salmonella Enteritidis colonization in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez-Gil, Francisco; Diaz-Sanchez, Sandra; Pendleton, Sean; Andino, Ana; Zhang, Nan; Yard, Carrie; Crilly, Nate; Harte, Federico; Hanning, Irene

2014-02-01

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a tea known to have beneficial effects on human health and antimicrobial activity against some foodborne pathogens. Thus, the application of yerba mate as a feed additive for broiler chickens to reduce Salmonella colonization was evaluated. The first in vitro evaluation was conducted by suspending Salmonella Enteritidis and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in yerba mate extract. The in vivo evaluations were conducted using preventative and horizontal transmission experiments. In all experiments, day-of-hatch chicks were treated with one of the following 1) no treatment (control); 2) ground yerba mate in feed; 3) probiotic treatment (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Pediococcus; 9:1 administered once on day of hatch by gavage); or 4) both yerba mate and probiotic treatments. At d 3, all chicks were challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis (preventative experiment) or 5 of 20 chicks (horizontal transmission experiment). At d 10, all birds were euthanized, weighed, and cecal contents enumerated for Salmonella. For the in vitro evaluation, antimicrobial activity was observed against Salmonella and the same treatment enhanced growth of LAB. For in vivo evaluations, none of the yerba mate treatments significantly reduced Salmonella Enteritidis colonization, whereas the probiotic treatment significantly reduced Salmonella colonization in the horizontal transmission experiment. Yerba mate decreased chicken BW and decreased the performance of the probiotic treatment when used in combination. In conclusion, yerba mate had antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens and enhanced the growth of LAB in vitro, but in vivo yerba mate did not decrease Salmonella Enteritidis colonization.

Bacterial Endophyte Colonization and Distribution within Plants

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Shyam L. Kandel

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The plant endosphere contains a diverse group of microbial communities. There is general consensus that these microbial communities make significant contributions to plant health. Both recently adopted genomic approaches and classical microbiology techniques continue to develop the science of plant-microbe interactions. Endophytes are microbial symbionts residing within the plant for the majority of their life cycle without any detrimental impact to the host plant. The use of these natural symbionts offers an opportunity to maximize crop productivity while reducing the environmental impacts of agriculture. Endophytes promote plant growth through nitrogen fixation, phytohormone production, nutrient acquisition, and by conferring tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Colonization by endophytes is crucial for providing these benefits to the host plant. Endophytic colonization refers to the entry, growth and multiplication of endophyte populations within the host plant. Lately, plant microbiome research has gained considerable attention but the mechanism allowing plants to recruit endophytes is largely unknown. This review summarizes currently available knowledge about endophytic colonization by bacteria in various plant species, and specifically discusses the colonization of maize plants by Populus endophytes.

Curcumin synergizes with resveratrol to inhibit colon cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Majumdar, Adhip P N; Banerjee, Sanjeev; Nautiyal, Jyoti; Patel, Bhaumik B; Patel, Vaishali; Du, Jianhua; Yu, Yingjie; Elliott, Althea A; Levi, Edi; Sarkar, Fazlul H

2009-01-01

Development and progression of many malignancies, including colorectal cancer, are associated with activation of multiple signaling pathways. Therefore, inhibition of these signaling pathways with noncytotoxic natural products represents a logical preventive and/or therapeutic approach for colon cancer. Curcumin and resveratrol, both of which inhibit the growth of transformed cells and colon carcinogenesis, were selected to examine whether combining them would be an effective preventive and/or therapeutic strategy for colon cancer. Indeed, the combination of curcumin and resveratrol was found to be more effective in inhibiting growth of p53-positive (wt) and p53-negative colon cancer HCT-116 cells in vitro and in vivo in SCID xenografts of colon cancer HCT-116 (wt) cells than either agent alone. Analysis by Calcusyn software showed synergism between curcumin and resveratrol. The inhibition of tumors in response to curcumin and/or resveratrol was associated with the reduction in proliferation and stimulation of apoptosis accompanied by attenuation of NF-kappaB activity. In vitro studies have further demonstrated that the combinatorial treatment caused a greater inhibition of constitutive activation of EGFR and its family members as well as IGF-1R. Our current data suggest that the combination of curcumin and resveratrol could be an effective preventive/therapeutic strategy for colon cancer.

Benthic life in the pelagic: Aggregate encounter and degradation rates by pelagic harpacticoid copepods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koski, Marja; Kiørboe, Thomas; Takahashi, K.

2005-01-01

We measured field abundances, feeding rates, swimming behavior, and particle colonization of two harpacticoids, the pelagic Microsetella norvegica and the semibenthic Amonardia normanni, to examine (1) if aggregates have a significant role in harpacticoid nutrition and (2) if harpacticoids...

Cultured representatives of two major phylogroups of human colonic Faecalibacterium prausnitzii can utilize pectin, uronic acids, and host-derived substrates for growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Siles, Mireia; Khan, Tanweer M; Duncan, Sylvia H; Harmsen, Hermie J M; Garcia-Gil, L Jesús; Flint, Harry J

2012-01-01

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is one of the most abundant commensal bacteria in the healthy human large intestine, but information on genetic diversity and substrate utilization is limited. Here, we examine the phylogeny, phenotypic characteristics, and influence of gut environmental factors on growth of F. prausnitzii strains isolated from healthy subjects. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA sequences indicated that the cultured strains were representative of F. prausnitzii sequences detected by direct analysis of fecal DNA and separated the available isolates into two phylogroups. Most F. prausnitzii strains tested grew well under anaerobic conditions on apple pectin. Furthermore, F. prausnitzii strains competed successfully in coculture with two other abundant pectin-utilizing species, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Eubacterium eligens, with apple pectin as substrate, suggesting that this species makes a contribution to pectin fermentation in the colon. Many F. prausnitzii isolates were able to utilize uronic acids for growth, an ability previously thought to be confined to Bacteroides spp. among human colonic anaerobes. Most strains grew on N-acetylglucosamine, demonstrating an ability to utilize host-derived substrates. All strains tested were bile sensitive, showing at least 80% growth inhibition in the presence of 0.5 μg/ml bile salts, while inhibition at mildly acidic pH was strain dependent. These attributes help to explain the abundance of F. prausnitzii in the colonic community but also suggest factors in the gut environment that may limit its distribution.

Celecoxib and tauro-ursodeoxycholic acid co-treatment inhibits cell growth in familial adenomatous polyposis derived LT97 colon adenoma cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heumen, Bjorn W.H. van, E-mail: b.vanheumen@mdl.umcn.nl [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Roelofs, Hennie M.J.; Morsche, Rene H.M. te [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Marian, Brigitte [Institute of Cancer Research, Wien University, Vienna (Austria); Nagengast, Fokko M.; Peters, Wilbert H.M. [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen (Netherlands)

2012-04-15

Chemoprevention would be a desirable strategy to avoid duodenectomy in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) suffering from duodenal adenomatosis. We investigated the in vitro effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and COX-2 expression of the potential chemopreventives celecoxib and tauro-ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). HT-29 colon cancer cells and LT97 colorectal micro-adenoma cells derived from a patient with FAP, were exposed to low dose celecoxib and UDCA alone or in combination with tauro-cholic acid (CA) and tauro-chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), mimicking bile of FAP patients treated with UDCA. In HT-29 cells, co-treatment with low dose celecoxib and UDCA resulted in a decreased cell growth (14-17%, p < 0.01). A more pronounced decrease (23-27%, p < 0.01) was observed in LT97 cells. Cell growth of HT-29 cells exposed to 'artificial bile' enriched with UDCA, was decreased (p < 0.001), either in the absence or presence of celecoxib. In LT97 cells incubated with 'artificial bile' enriched with UDCA, cell growth was decreased only in the presence of celecoxib (p < 0.05). No clear evidence was found for involvement of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, caspase-3, or COX-2 in the cellular processes leading to the observed changes in cell growth. In conclusion, co-treatment with low dose celecoxib and UDCA has growth inhibitory effects on colorectal adenoma cells derived from a patient with FAP, and further research on this combination as promising chemopreventive strategy is desired. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Celecoxib and UDCA acid co-treatment decreases cell growth in colon tumor cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer UDCA enriched 'artificial bile' decreases LT-97 cell growth only in presence of celecoxib. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PCNA, caspase-3, nor COX-2 seem to be involved in the observed changes in cell growth.

Celecoxib and tauro-ursodeoxycholic acid co-treatment inhibits cell growth in familial adenomatous polyposis derived LT97 colon adenoma cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heumen, Bjorn W.H. van; Roelofs, Hennie M.J.; Morsche, René H.M. te; Marian, Brigitte; Nagengast, Fokko M.; Peters, Wilbert H.M.

2012-01-01

Chemoprevention would be a desirable strategy to avoid duodenectomy in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) suffering from duodenal adenomatosis. We investigated the in vitro effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and COX-2 expression of the potential chemopreventives celecoxib and tauro-ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). HT-29 colon cancer cells and LT97 colorectal micro-adenoma cells derived from a patient with FAP, were exposed to low dose celecoxib and UDCA alone or in combination with tauro-cholic acid (CA) and tauro-chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), mimicking bile of FAP patients treated with UDCA. In HT-29 cells, co-treatment with low dose celecoxib and UDCA resulted in a decreased cell growth (14–17%, p < 0.01). A more pronounced decrease (23–27%, p < 0.01) was observed in LT97 cells. Cell growth of HT-29 cells exposed to ‘artificial bile’ enriched with UDCA, was decreased (p < 0.001), either in the absence or presence of celecoxib. In LT97 cells incubated with ‘artificial bile’ enriched with UDCA, cell growth was decreased only in the presence of celecoxib (p < 0.05). No clear evidence was found for involvement of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, caspase-3, or COX-2 in the cellular processes leading to the observed changes in cell growth. In conclusion, co-treatment with low dose celecoxib and UDCA has growth inhibitory effects on colorectal adenoma cells derived from a patient with FAP, and further research on this combination as promising chemopreventive strategy is desired. -- Highlights: ► Celecoxib and UDCA acid co-treatment decreases cell growth in colon tumor cells. ► UDCA enriched ‘artificial bile’ decreases LT-97 cell growth only in presence of celecoxib. ► PCNA, caspase-3, nor COX-2 seem to be involved in the observed changes in cell growth.

Local and distal effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization on direct pathway Pi uptake and root growth in Medicago truncatula

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Watts-Williams, Stephanie J.; Jakobsen, Iver; Cavagnaro, Timothy R.

2015-01-01

and root growth, at different soil P levels. Medicago truncatula was grown at three soil P levels in split-pots with or without AM fungal inoculation and where one root half grew into soil labelled with 33P. Plant genotypes included the A17 wild type and the mtpt4 mutant. The mtpt4 mutant, colonized by AM...

Coagulation efficiency and aggregate formation in marine phytoplankton

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiørboe, Thomas; Andersen, K.P.; Dam, H.G.

1990-01-01

, and even nutrient replete cells are significantly sticky. Stickiness is highest (> 10-1) for S. costatum cells in the transition between the exponential and the stationary growth phase. The implications for phytoplankton aggregate formation and subsequent sedimentation in the sea of these two different......Flocculation of phytoplankters into large, rapidly sinking aggregates has been implicated as a mechanism of vertical transport of phytoplankton to the sea floor which could have global significance. The formation rate of phytoplankton aggregates depends on the rate at which single cells collide...... and demonstrate that three species of diatoms grown in the laboratory (Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Thalassiosira pseudonana, Skeletonema costatum) are indeed significantly sticky and form aggregates upon collison. The dependency of stickiness on nutrient limitation and growth was studied in the two latter species...

Assessment of Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 aggregates for salt tolerance and plant growth promoting characteristics for bio-inoculant development.

Science.gov (United States)

Chanratana, Mak; Han, Gwang Hyun; Roy Choudhury, Aritra; Sundaram, Seshadri; Halim, Md Abdul; Krishnamoorthy, Ramasamy; Kang, Yeongyeong; Sa, Tongmin

2017-11-21

Salinity is one of the major factors contributing to the loss of crop productivity and thereby impacting livelihood of people in more than 100 countries of the world and the area of land affected by salinity is increasing day by day. This will worsen due to various factors such as drought that might result in high soil salinity. Use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria is one of the promising eco-friendly strategies for salinity stress management as part of sustainable agricultural practices. However, it requires selecting rhizobacteria with good survivability and adaptation to salt stress. In this study we report aggregation of Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 cells grown in media containing high C/N ratio (30:1) than in media containing low C/N ratio (7:1). Aggregated Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 cells exhibited enhanced tolerance to UV irradiation, heat, desiccation, different temperature regimes, oxidative stress, starvation and supported higher population in media. Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate accumulation, exopolysaccharide production, proline accumulation and biofilm formation were good at 100 mM salt concentration with good microbial cell hydrophobicity at both 50 and 100 mM than other concentrations. Both the aggregated and non-aggregated cells grown under 0-200 mM salt concentrations produced IAA even at 200 mM salt concentration with a peak at 100 mM concentration with aggregated cells producing significantly higher quantities. ACC deaminase activity was observed in all NaCl concentrations studied with gradual and drastic reduction in aggregated and non-aggregated cells over increased salt concentrations.

Energy consumption and economic growth: Evidence from China at both aggregated and disaggregated levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Jiahai; Kang Jiangang; Zhao Changhong; Hu Zhaoguang

2008-01-01

Using a neo-classical aggregate production model where capital, labor and energy are treated as separate inputs, this paper tests for the existence and direction of causality between output growth and energy use in China at both aggregated total energy and disaggregated levels as coal, oil and electricity consumption. Using the Johansen cointegration technique, the empirical findings indicate that there exists long-run cointegration among output, labor, capital and energy use in China at both aggregated and all three disaggregated levels. Then using a VEC specification, the short-run dynamics of the interested variables are tested, indicating that there exists Granger causality running from electricity and oil consumption to GDP, but does not exist Granger causality running from coal and total energy consumption to GDP. On the other hand, short-run Granger causality exists from GDP to total energy, coal and oil consumption, but does not exist from GDP to electricity consumption. We thus propose policy suggestions to solve the energy and sustainable development dilemma in China as: enhancing energy supply security and guaranteeing energy supply, especially in the short run to provide adequate electric power supply and set up national strategic oil reserve; enhancing energy efficiency to save energy; diversifying energy sources, energetically exploiting renewable energy and drawing out corresponding policies and measures; and finally in the long run, transforming development pattern and cut reliance on resource- and energy-dependent industries

Plant-Adapted Escherichia coli Show Increased Lettuce Colonizing Ability, Resistance to Oxidative Stress and Chemotactic Response

Science.gov (United States)

Dublan, Maria de los Angeles; Ortiz-Marquez, Juan Cesar Federico; Lett, Lina; Curatti, Leonardo

2014-01-01

Background Escherichia coli is a widespread gut commensal and often a versatile pathogen of public health concern. E. coli are also frequently found in different environments and/or alternative secondary hosts, such as plant tissues. The lifestyle of E. coli in plants is poorly understood and has potential implications for food safety. Methods/Principal Findings This work shows that a human commensal strain of E. coli K12 readily colonizes lettuce seedlings and produces large microcolony-like cell aggregates in leaves, especially in young leaves, in proximity to the vascular tissue. Our observations strongly suggest that those cell aggregates arise from multiplication of single bacterial cells that reach those spots. We showed that E. coli isolated from colonized leaves progressively colonize lettuce seedlings to higher titers, suggesting a fast adaptation process. E. coli cells isolated from leaves presented a dramatic rise in tolerance to oxidative stress and became more chemotactic responsive towards lettuce leaf extracts. Mutant strains impaired in their chemotactic response were less efficient lettuce colonizers than the chemotactic isogenic strain. However, acclimation to oxidative stress and/or minimal medium alone failed to prime E. coli cells for enhanced lettuce colonization efficiency. Conclusion/Significance These findings help to understand the physiological adaptation during the alternative lifestyle of E. coli in/on plant tissues. PMID:25313845

Root colonization and growth promotion of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) by phosphate solubilizing Enterobacter sp. Fs-11.

Science.gov (United States)

Shahid, Muhammad; Hameed, Sohail; Imran, Asma; Ali, Saira; van Elsas, Jan Dirk

2012-08-01

An Enterobacter sp. Fs-11 was isolated from sunflower rhizosphere, identified on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis (GeneBank accession no. GQ179978) and studied for its root colonization and growth promotion ability in sunflower. Morphologically, it was rod shaped Gram-negative, motile bacterium, producing 4.5 μg mL(-1) indole acetic acid in tryptophan-supplemented medium. It utilized 27 out of 95 substrates in BIOLOG GN2 micro plate system. It was able to convert insoluble tri-calcium phosphate to soluble phosphorus up to 43.5 μg mL(-1) with decrease in pH of the medium up to 4.5 after 10 days incubation at 28 ± 2 °C in the Pikovskaya's broth. High performance liquid chromatography of cell free supernatant showed that Fs-11 produced malic acid and gluconic acid (2.43 and 16.64 μg mL(-1), respectively) in Pikovskaya's broth. Analysis of 900 bp fragment of pyrroloquinoline quinine pqqE gene sequence showed 98 % homology with that of E. cloacae pqqE gene. Confocal laser scanning microscope revealed strong colonization of fluorescently labeled Fs-11 with sunflower roots. Sunflower inoculation with Fs-11 and its rifampicin resistant derivative in sterile sand and natural soil showed that Fs-11 colonized sunflower roots up to 30 days after transplanting in both sterile sand as well as natural soil. Moreover, Fs-11 inoculation resulted in increased plant height, fresh weight, dry weight and total phosphorus contents as compared to un-inoculated plants. The data showed that Enterobacter sp. Fs-11 is an efficient phosphate solubilizing and plant growth promoting rhizobacterium and has great potential to be used as bio-inoculant for sunflower under phosphorus deficient conditions.

EGF signalling pathway regulates colon cancer stem cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Y; Dai, X; Li, X; Wang, H; Liu, J; Zhang, J; Du, Y; Xia, L

2012-10-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) compose a subpopulation of cells within a tumour that can self-renew and proliferate. Growth factors such as epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) promote cancer stem cell proliferation in many solid tumours. This study assesses whether EGF, bFGF and IGF signalling pathways are essential for colon CSC proliferation and self-renewal. Colon CSCs were cultured in serum-free medium (SFM) with one of the following growth factors: EGF, bFGF or IGF. Characteristics of CSC gene expression were evaluated by real time PCR. Tumourigenicity of CSCs was determined using a xenograft model in vivo. Effects of EGF receptor inhibitors, Gefitinib and PD153035, on CSC proliferation, apoptosis and signalling were evaluated using fluorescence-activated cell sorting and western blotting. Colon cancer cell HCT116 transformed to CSCs in SFM. Compared to other growth factors, EGF was essential to support proliferation of CSCs that expressed higher levels of progenitor genes (Musashi-1, LGR5) and lower levels of differential genes (CK20). CSCs promoted more rapid tumour growth than regular cancer cells in xenografts. EGFR inhibitors suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis of CSCs by inhibiting autophosphorylation of EGFR and downstream signalling proteins, such as Akt kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2). This study indicates that EGF signalling was essential for formation and maintenance of colon CSCs. Inhibition of the EGF signalling pathway may provide a useful strategy for treatment of colon cancer. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Combination of capecitabine and ludartin inhibits colon cancer ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of capecitabine and ludartin in the treatment of colon cancer in mice. Methods: Mice model of colon cancer was used in this study. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (Qrt-PCR) was used to quantify the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA.

Development of alginate-based aggregate inoculants of Methylobacterium sp. and Azospirillum brasilense tested under in vitro conditions to promote plant growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Joe, M M; Saravanan, V S; Islam, M R; Sa, T

2014-02-01

To develop co-aggregated bacterial inoculant comprising of Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20/Methylobacterium suomiense CBMB120 strains with Azospirillum brasilense (CW903) strain and testing their efficiency as inoculants for plant growth promotion (PGP). Biofilm formation and co-aggregation efficiency was studied between A. brasilense CW903 and methylobacterial strains M. oryzae CBMB20 and M. suomiense CBMB120. Survival and release of these co-aggregated bacterial strains entrapped in alginate beads were assessed. PGP attributes of the co-aggregated bacterial inoculant were tested in tomato plants under water-stressed conditions. Results suggest that the biofilm formation efficiency of the CBMB20 and CBMB120 strains increased by 15 and 34%, respectively, when co-cultivated with CW903. Co-aggregation with CW903 enhanced the survivability of CBMB20 strain in alginate beads. Water stress index score showed least stress index in plants inoculated with CW903 and CBMB20 strains maintained as a co-aggregated inoculant. This study reports the development of co-aggregated cell inoculants containing M. oryzae CBMB20 and A. brasilense CW903 strains conferred better shelf life and stress abatement in inoculated tomato plants. These findings could be extended to other PGP bacterial species to develop multigeneric bioinoculants with multiple benefits for various crops. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Artificial climate warming positively affects arbuscular mycorrhizae but decreases soil aggregate water stability in an annual grassland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rillig, M.C.; Wright, S.F.; Shaw, M.R.; Field, C.B.

2002-04-01

Despite the importance of arbuscular mycorrhizae to the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems (e.g. nutrient uptake, soil aggregation), and the increasing evidence of global warming, responses of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to climate warming are poorly understood. In a field experiment using infrared heaters, we found effects of warming on AMF after one growing season in an annual grassland, in the absence of any effects on measured root parameters (weight, length, average diameter). AMF soil hyphal length was increased by over 40% in the warmed plots, accompanied by a strong trend for AMF root colonization increase. In the following year, root weight was again not significantly changed, and AMF root colonization increased significantly in the warmed plots. Concentration of the soil protein glomalin, a glycoprotein produced by AMF hyphae with importance in soil aggregation, was decreased in the warmed plots. Soil aggregate water stability, measured for five diameter size classes, was also decreased significantly. In the following year, soil aggregate weight in two size classes was decreased significantly, but the effect size was very small. These results indicate that ecosystem warming may have stimulated carbon allocation to AMF. Other factors either influenced glomalin decomposition or production, hence influencing the role of these symbionts in soil aggregation. The observed small changes in soil aggregation, if widespread among terrestrial ecosystems, could have important consequences for soil carbon storage and erosion in a warmed climate, especially if there are cumulative effects of warming. (au)

Lebein, a snake venom disintegrin, suppresses human colon cancer cells proliferation and tumor-induced angiogenesis through cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction and inhibition of VEGF expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Zakraoui, Ons; Marcinkiewicz, Cezary; Aloui, Zohra; Othman, Houcemeddine; Grépin, Renaud; Haoues, Meriam; Essafi, Makram; Srairi-Abid, Najet; Gasmi, Ammar; Karoui, Habib; Pagès, Gilles; Essafi-Benkhadir, Khadija

2017-01-01

Lebein, is an heterodimeric disintegrin isolated from Macrovipera lebetina snake venom that was previously characterized as an inhibitor of ADP-induced platelet aggregation. In this study, we investigated the effect of Lebein on the p53-dependent growth of human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines. We found that Lebein significantly inhibited LS174 (p53wt), HCT116 (p53wt), and HT29 (p53mut) colon cancer cell viability by inducing cell cycle arrest through the modulation of expression levels of the tumor suppression factor p53, cell cycle regulating proteins cyclin D1, CDK2, CDK4, retinoblastoma (Rb), CDK1, and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 and p27. Interestingly, Lebein-induced apoptosis of colon cancer cells was dependent on their p53 status. Thus, in LS174 cells, cell death was associated with PARP cleavage and the activation of caspases 3 and 8 while in HCT116 cells, Lebein induced caspase-independent apoptosis through increased expression of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF). In LS174 cells, Lebein triggers the activation of the MAPK ERK1/2 pathway through induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). It also decreased cell adhesion and migration to fibronectin through down regulation of α5β1 integrin. Moreover, Lebein significantly reduced the expression of two angiogenesis stimulators, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Neuropilin 1 (NRP1). It inhibited the VEGF-induced neovascularization process in the quail embryonic CAM system and blocked the development of human colon adenocarcinoma in nude mice. Overall, our work indicates that Lebein may be useful to design a new therapy against colon cancer. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cluster–cluster aggregation with particle replication and chemotaxy: a simple model for the growth of animal cells in culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves, S G; Martins, M L

2010-01-01

Aggregation of animal cells in culture comprises a series of motility, collision and adhesion processes of basic relevance for tissue engineering, bioseparations, oncology research and in vitro drug testing. In the present paper, a cluster–cluster aggregation model with stochastic particle replication and chemotactically driven motility is investigated as a model for the growth of animal cells in culture. The focus is on the scaling laws governing the aggregation kinetics. Our simulations reveal that in the absence of chemotaxy the mean cluster size and the total number of clusters scale in time as stretched exponentials dependent on the particle replication rate. Also, the dynamical cluster size distribution functions are represented by a scaling relation in which the scaling function involves a stretched exponential of the time. The introduction of chemoattraction among the particles leads to distribution functions decaying as power laws with exponents that decrease in time. The fractal dimensions and size distributions of the simulated clusters are qualitatively discussed in terms of those determined experimentally for several normal and tumoral cell lines growing in culture. It is shown that particle replication and chemotaxy account for the simplest cluster size distributions of cellular aggregates observed in culture

Gate crashing arbuscular mycorrhizas: in vivo imaging shows the extensive colonization of both symbionts by Trichoderma atroviride.

Science.gov (United States)

Lace, Beatrice; Genre, Andrea; Woo, Sheridan; Faccio, Antonella; Lorito, Matteo; Bonfante, Paola

2015-02-01

Plant growth-promoting fungi include strains of Trichoderma species that are used in biocontrol, and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, that enhance plant nutrition and stress resistance. The concurrent interaction of plants with these two groups of fungi affects crop performance but has only been occasionally studied so far. Using in vivo imaging of green fluorescent protein-tagged lines, we investigated the cellular interactions occurring between Trichoderma atroviride PKI1, Medicago truncatula and two Gigaspora species under in vitro culture conditions. Trichoderma atroviride did not activate symbiotic-like responses in the plant cells, such as nuclear calcium spiking or cytoplasmic aggregations at hyphal contact sites. Furthermore, T. atroviride parasitized G. gigantea and G. margarita hyphae through localized wall breaking and degradation - although this was not associated with significant chitin lysis nor the upregulation of two major chitinase genes. Trichoderma atroviride colonized broad areas of the root epidermis, in association with localized cell death. The infection of both symbionts was also observed when T. atroviride was applied to a pre-established AM symbiosis. We conclude that - although this triple interaction is known to improve plant growth in agricultural environments - in vitro culture demonstrate a particularly aggressive mycoparasitic and plant-colonizing behaviour of a biocontrol strain of Trichoderma. © 2014 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Expression and clinical significance of kisspeptin-1, matrix metalloproteinase-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor in tissue of colon cancer].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wenhui; Qi, Yuanling; Xu, Qian; Ren, Haipeng

2016-03-01

To detect the expression of kisspeptin-1 (KISS-1), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the tissue of colon cancer, and analyze the relativity between KISS-1, MMP-2, VEGF and pathological characteristics of colon cancer. A total of 60 colon cancer patients and 60 patients with benign colorectal disease who received surgical treatment in our hospital from January 2009 to June 2010 were selected as observation group and control group respectively. The cancer tissue samples and excision samples collected from them were used to detect KISS-1, MMP-2 and VEGF with immunohistochemistry. The positive rates of KISS-1, MMP-2 and VEGF were 31.7%, 58.3% and 78.3% in observation group, and 73.3%, 16.7% and 33.3% in control group. The positive rate of KISS-1 in observation group was lower than that in control group (χ(2)=23.489, Pcolon cancer (χ(2)=8.997, P=0.011; χ(2)=6.163, P=0.013; χ(2)=8.519, P=0.014; χ(2)=9.160, P=0.002; χ(2)=16.577, Pclinical stage of colon cancer and provide evidence for clinical diagnosis and prognosis prediction by detecting KISS-1, MMP-2 and VEGF.

Root exudate-induced alterations in Bacillus cereus cell wall contribute to root colonization and plant growth promotion.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swarnalee Dutta

Full Text Available The outcome of an interaction between plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and plants may depend on the chemical composition of root exudates (REs. We report the colonization of tobacco, and not groundnut, roots by a non-rhizospheric Bacillus cereus (MTCC 430. There was a differential alteration in the cell wall components of B. cereus in response to the REs from tobacco and groundnut. Attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy revealed a split in amide I region of B. cereus cells exposed to tobacco-root exudates (TRE, compared to those exposed to groundnut-root exudates (GRE. In addition, changes in exopolysaccharides and lipid-packing were observed in B. cereus grown in TRE-amended minimal media that were not detectable in GRE-amended media. Cell-wall proteome analyses revealed upregulation of oxidative stress-related alkyl hydroperoxide reductase, and DNA-protecting protein chain (Dlp-2, in response to GRE and TRE, respectively. Metabolism-related enzymes like 2-amino-3-ketobutyrate coenzyme A ligase and 2-methylcitrate dehydratase and a 60 kDa chaperonin were up-regulated in response to TRE and GRE. In response to B. cereus, the plant roots altered their exudate-chemodiversity with respect to carbohydrates, organic acids, alkanes, and polyols. TRE-induced changes in surface components of B. cereus may contribute to successful root colonization and subsequent plant growth promotion.

Quantitative evaluation of protocorm growth and fungal colonization in Bletilla striata (Orchidaceae) reveals less-productive symbiosis with a non-native symbiotic fungus.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Tatsuki; Miura, Chihiro; Fuji, Masako; Nagata, Shotaro; Otani, Yuria; Yagame, Takahiro; Yamato, Masahide; Kaminaka, Hironori

2017-02-21

In nature, orchid plants depend completely on symbiotic fungi for their nutrition at the germination and the subsequent seedling (protocorm) stages. However, only limited quantitative methods for evaluating the orchid-fungus interactions at the protocorm stage are currently available, which greatly constrains our understanding of the symbiosis. Here, we aimed to improve and integrate quantitative evaluations of the growth and fungal colonization in the protocorms of a terrestrial orchid, Blettila striata, growing on a plate medium. We achieved both symbiotic and asymbiotic germinations for the terrestrial orchid B. striata. The protocorms produced by the two germination methods grew almost synchronously for the first three weeks. At week four, however, the length was significantly lower in the symbiotic protocorms. Interestingly, the dry weight of symbiotic protocorms did not significantly change during the growth period, which implies that there was only limited transfer of carbon compounds from the fungus to the protocorms in this relationship. Next, to evaluate the orchid-fungus interactions, we developed an ink-staining method to observe the hyphal coils in protocorms without preparing thin sections. Crushing the protocorm under the coverglass enables us to observe all hyphal coils in the protocorms with high resolution. For this observation, we established a criterion to categorize the stages of hyphal coils, depending on development and degradation. By counting the symbiotic cells within each stage, it was possible to quantitatively evaluate the orchid-fungus symbiosis. We describe a method for quantitative evaluation of orchid-fungus symbiosis by integrating the measurements of plant growth and fungal colonization. The current study revealed that although fungal colonization was observed in the symbiotic protocorms, the weight of the protocorm did not significantly increase, which is probably due to the incompatibility of the fungus in this symbiosis. These

Transverse colon cancer with Krukenberg tumor : A case report

OpenAIRE

東門, 敦子; 松原, 洋孝; 下地, 英明; 伊佐, 勉; 濱安, 俊吾; 仲地, 厚; 宮里, 浩; 白石, 祐之; 武藤, 良弘; Tomon, Atsuko; Matsubara, Hirotaka; Shimoji, Hideaki; Isa, Tsutomu; Nakachi, Atsushi; Miyazato, Hiroshi

1999-01-01

A case of Krukenberg tumor in a 30-year-old woman with transverse colon cancer is reported herein. The patient was found to have bilateral ovarian tumors and abnormal elevation of serum CEA at a community hospital. Subsequently, she was referred to the University Hospital for further work. Diagnostic examinations including US, CT and colonoscopy demonstrated transverse colon cancer and bilateral ovarian tumors. Exploratory laparotomy showed the growth of transverse colon cancer over the perit...

Discrete stochastic charging of aggregate grains

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Lorin S.; Shotorban, Babak; Hyde, Truell W.

2018-05-01

Dust particles immersed in a plasma environment become charged through the collection of electrons and ions at random times, causing the dust charge to fluctuate about an equilibrium value. Small grains (with radii less than 1 μm) or grains in a tenuous plasma environment are sensitive to single additions of electrons or ions. Here we present a numerical model that allows examination of discrete stochastic charge fluctuations on the surface of aggregate grains and determines the effect of these fluctuations on the dynamics of grain aggregation. We show that the mean and standard deviation of charge on aggregate grains follow the same trends as those predicted for spheres having an equivalent radius, though aggregates exhibit larger variations from the predicted values. In some plasma environments, these charge fluctuations occur on timescales which are relevant for dynamics of aggregate growth. Coupled dynamics and charging models show that charge fluctuations tend to produce aggregates which are much more linear or filamentary than aggregates formed in an environment where the charge is stationary.

Aggregates, broccoli and cauliflower

Science.gov (United States)

Grey, Francois; Kjems, Jørgen K.

1989-09-01

Naturally grown structures with fractal characters like broccoli and cauliflower are discussed and compared with DLA-type aggregates. It is suggested that the branching density can be used to characterize the growth process and an experimental method to determine this parameter is proposed.

Prophylactic effects of triptolide on colon cancer development in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To investigate effects of triptolide on colon cancer cell growth and its capacity to prevent tumor development in an azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) mouse model of colon cancer. Methods: HCT116 cell viability and migration potential were assessed. Control and AOM/DSS-treated mice (with and ...

Market distortions and aggregate productivity: Evidence from Chinese energy enterprises

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai, Xiaoyong; Cheng, Liwei

2016-01-01

Market distortions can generate resource misallocations across heterogeneous firms and reduce aggregate productivity. This paper measures market distortions and aggregate productivity growth in China's energy sector. We use the wedge between output elasticities and factor shares in revenues to recover a measure of firm-level market distortions. Using data on a large sample of Chinese energy enterprises from 1999 to 2007, our estimations provide strong evidence of the existence of both factor and product market distortions within and across China's various energy industries. The productivity aggregation and decomposition results demonstrate that the estimated aggregate productivity growth (APG) is, on average, 2.595% points per year, of which technological change, resource reallocation, and firm entries and exits account for 1.981, 0.068, and 0.546% points, respectively. The weak contributions of resource reallocation and firm turnover to APG are also found in energy sub-industries, except in the coal industry. Our research suggests that China's energy sector has major potential for productivity gains from resource reallocation through the reduction of market distortions. - Highlights: •We estimate market distortions and productivity growth of China's energy sector. •We use a large sample of Chinese energy enterprises. •There are evidences of the existence of factor and product market distortions. •Aggregate productivity growth is largely driven by firm-level technological change. •China's energy sector can realize productivity gains from resource reallocations.

Strain-specific quantification of root colonization by plant growth promoting rhizobacteria Bacillus firmus I-1582 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713 in non-sterile soil and field conditions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hajeewaka C Mendis

Full Text Available Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713 and B. firmus I-1582 are bacterial strains which are used as active ingredients of commercially-available soil application and seed treatment products Serenade® and VOTiVO®, respectively. These bacteria colonize plant roots promoting plant growth and offering protection against pathogens/pests. The objective of this study was to develop a qPCR protocol to quantitate the dynamics of root colonization by these two strains under field conditions. Primers and TaqMan® probes were designed based on genome comparisons of the two strains with publicly-available and unpublished bacterial genomes of the same species. An optimized qPCR protocol was developed to quantify bacterial colonization of corn roots after seed treatment. Treated corn seeds were planted in non-sterile soil in the greenhouse and grown for 28 days. Specific detection of bacteria was quantified weekly, and showed stable colonization between ~104-105 CFU/g during the experimental period for both bacteria, and the protocol detected as low as 103 CFU/g bacteria on roots. In a separate experiment, streptomycin-resistant QST713 and rifampicin-resistant I-1582 strains were used to compare dilution-plating on TSA with the newly developed qPCR method. Results also indicated that the presence of natural microflora and another inoculated strain does not affect root colonization of either one of these strains. The same qPCR protocol was used to quantitate root colonization by QST713 and I-1582 in two corn and two soybean varieties grown in the field. Both bacteria were quantitated up to two weeks after seeds were planted in the field and there were no significant differences in root colonization in either bacteria strain among varieties. Results presented here confirm that the developed qPCR protocol can be successfully used to understand dynamics of root colonization by these bacteria in plants growing in growth chamber, greenhouse and the field.

Growth-inhibitory effects of the chemopreventive agent indole-3-carbinol are increased in combination with the polyamine putrescine in the SW480 colon tumour cell line

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gescher Andreas

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many tumours undergo disregulation of polyamine homeostasis and upregulation of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC activity, which can promote carcinogenesis. In animal models of colon carcinogenesis, inhibition of ODC activity by difluoromethylornithine (DFMO has been shown to reduce the number and size of colon adenomas and carcinomas. Indole-3-carbinol (I3C has shown promising chemopreventive activity against a range of human tumour cell types, but little is known about the effect of this agent on colon cell lines. Here, we investigated whether inhibition of ODC by I3C could contribute to a chemopreventive effect in colon cell lines. Methods Cell cycle progression and induction of apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry. Ornithine decarboxylase activity was determined by liberation of CO2 from 14C-labelled substrate, and polyamine levels were measured by HPLC. Results I3C inhibited proliferation of the human colon tumour cell lines HT29 and SW480, and of the normal tissue-derived HCEC line, and at higher concentrations induced apoptosis in SW480 cells. The agent also caused a decrease in ODC activity in a dose-dependent manner. While administration of exogenous putrescine reversed the growth-inhibitory effect of DFMO, it did not reverse the growth-inhibition following an I3C treatment, and in the case of the SW480 cell line, the effect was actually enhanced. In this cell line, combination treatment caused a slight increase in the proportion of cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, and increased the proportion of cells undergoing necrosis, but did not predispose cells to apoptosis. Indole-3-carbinol also caused an increase in intracellular spermine levels, which was not modulated by putrescine co-administration. Conclusion While indole-3-carbinol decreased ornithine decarboxylase activity in the colon cell lines, it appears unlikely that this constitutes a major mechanism by which the agent exerts its antiproliferative

Methyl Sartortuoate Inhibits Colon Cancer Cell Growth by Inducing Apoptosis and G2/M-Phase Arrest.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Qiusheng; Li, Shoufeng; Lai, Wei; Xu, Heyang; Zhang, Yang; Zeng, Yujie; Lan, Wenjian; Chu, Zhonghua

2015-08-17

The potential anti-neoplastic activity of terpenoids is of continued interest. In this study, we investigate whether methyl sartortuoate, a terpenoid isolated from soft coral, induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a human colon cancer cell line. Culture studies found that methyl sartortuoate inhibited colon cancer cell (LoVo and RKO) growth and caused apoptotic death in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, by activation of caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-3, p53 and Bax, and inactivation of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) apoptosis regulating proteins. Methyl sartortuoate treatment led to reduced expression of cdc2 and up-regulated p21 and p53, suggesting that Methyl sartortuoate induced G2-M arrest through modulation of p53/p21/cdc2 pathways. Methyl sartortuoate also up-regulated phospho-JNK and phospho-p38 expression levels. This resulted in cell cycle arrest at the G2-M phase and apoptosis in LoVo and RKO cells. Treatment with the JNK inhibitor SP600125 and the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 prevented methyl sartortuoate-induced apoptosis in LoVo cells. Moreover, methyl sartortuoate also prevented neoplasm growth in NOD-SCID nude mice inoculated with LoVo cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that methyl sartortuoate is capable of leading to activation of caspase-8, -9, -3, increasing p53 and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio apoptosis through MAPK-dependent apoptosis and results in G2-M phase arrest in LoVo and RKO cells. Thus, methyl sartortuoate may be a promising anticancer candidate.

Cluster-cluster aggregation kinetics and primary particle growth of soot nanoparticles in flame by light scattering and numerical simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

di Stasio, Stefano; Konstandopoulos, Athanasios G; Kostoglou, Margaritis

2002-03-01

The agglomeration kinetics of growing soot generated in a diffusion atmospheric flame are here studied in situ by light scattering technique to infer cluster morphology and size (fractal dimension D(f) and radius of gyration R(g)). SEM analysis is used as a standard reference to obtain primary particle size D(P) at different residence times. The number N(P) of primary particles per aggregate and the number concentration n(A) of clusters are evaluated on the basis of the measured angular patterns of the scattered light intensity. The major finding is that the kinetics of the coagulation process that yields to the formation of chain-like aggregates by soot primary particles (size 10 to 40 nm) can be described with a constant coagulation kernel beta(c,exp)=2.37x10(-9) cm3/s (coagulation constant tau(c) approximately = 0.28 ms). This result is in nice accord with the Smoluchowski coagulation equation in the free molecular regime, and, vice versa, it is in contrast with previous studies conducted by invasive (ex situ) techniques, which claimed the evidence in flames of coagulation rates much larger than the kinetic theory predictions. Thereafter, a number of numerical simulations is implemented to compare with the experimental results on primary particle growth rate and on the process of aggregate reshaping that is observed by light scattering at later residence times. The restructuring process is conjectured to occur, for not well understood reasons, as a direct consequence of the atomic rearrangement in the solid phase carbon due to the prolonged residence time within the flame. Thus, on one side, it is shown that the numerical simulations of primary size history compare well with the values of primary size from SEM experiment with a growth rate constant of primary diameter about 1 nm/s. On the other side, the evolution of aggregate morphology is found to be predictable by the numerical simulations when the onset of a first-order "thermal" restructuring mechanism is

Pineapple (Ananas comosus cv. pérola ex vitro growth and mycorrhizal colonization affected by in vitro sucrose concentration

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Alceu Kunze

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sucrose concentration in the culture medium on growth and on the establishment of mycorrhizas during the acclimatization of pineapple cv. Pérola. The plantlets were micropropagated in MS culture medium with 0, 10, 20 and 30 g L-1 of sucrose and then they were acclimatized during 12 weeks under greenhouse conditions, in a sandy soil - compost mixture, uninoculated or inoculated with a Rhizophagus clarus isolate. Plantlets from the culture medium with 20 g and 30 g of sucrose L-1 showed higher shoot and root biomass than those from sugar-free medium. Mycorrhizal colonization was lower in plantlets micropropagated in sucrose-free medium, but the intensity of arbuscules did not differ among treatments. In the 12-week period of acclimatization, mycorrhizal colonization had no effect on plant biomass.

Cell Growth Inhibition Effect of DsiRNA Vectorised by Pectin-Coated Chitosan-Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites as Potential Therapy for Colon Cancer

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Haliza Katas

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Colonic-targeted drug delivery system is widely explored to combat colon-related diseases such as colon cancer. Dicer-substrate small interfering RNA (DsiRNA has been explored for cancer therapy due to its potency in targeting specific gene of interest. However, its application is limited by rapid degradation and poor cellular uptake. To address this, chitosan-graphene oxide (CS-GO nanocomposite was used to deliver DsiRNA effectively into cells. Additionally, pectin was used as compatibilization agent to allow specific delivery to the colon and protect the nanocomposites from the harsh environment in the stomach and small intestine. CS-GO-DsiRNA nanocomposites were prepared by electrostatic interaction between CS and GO prior to coating with pectin. The mean particle size of CS-GO-DsiRNA-pectin nanocomposites was 554.5±124.6 nm with PDI and zeta potential of 0.47±0.19 and −10.7±3.0 mV, respectively. TEM analysis revealed smooth and spherical shape of CS-GO-DsiRNA nanocomposites and the shape became irregular after pectin coating. FTIR analysis further confirmed the successful formation of CS-GO-DsiRNA-pectin nanocomposites. Furthermore, the nanocomposites were able to entrap high amount of DsiRNA (% entrapment efficiency of 92.6±3.9% with strong binding efficiency. CS-GO-DsiRNA-pectin nanocomposites also selectively inhibited cell growth of colon cancer cell line (Caco-2 cells and were able to decrease VEGF level significantly. In a nutshell, pectin-coated DsiRNA-loaded CS-GO nanocomposites were successfully developed and they have a great potential to deliver DsiRNA to the colon effectively.

Growth-inhibitory effects of a mineralized extract from the red marine algae, Lithothamnion calcareum, on Ca2+-sensitive and Ca2+-resistant human colon carcinoma cells

OpenAIRE

Nadeem Aslam, Muhammad; Bhagavathula, Narasimharao; Paruchuri, Tejaswi; Hu, Xin; Chakrabarty, Subhas; Varani, James

2009-01-01

Proliferation and differentiation were assessed in a series of human colon carcinoma cell lines in response to a mineral-rich extract derived from the red marine algae, Lithothamnion calcareum. The extract contains 12% Ca2+, 1% Mg2+, and detectable amounts of 72 trace elements, but essentially no organic material. The red algae extract was as effective as inorganic Ca2+ alone in suppressing growth and inducing differentiation of colon carcinoma cells that are responsive to a physiological lev...

Forecasting Aggregate Productivity using Information from Firm-level Data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bartelsman, E.J.; Wolf, Z.

2014-01-01

In this paper, we explore whether information from firm-level data can improve forecasts of aggregate productivity growth. We generate firm-level productivity measures and aggregate them into time-series components that capture within-firm productivity and the productivity contribution of

Cathelicidin suppresses colon cancer development by inhibition of cancer associated fibroblasts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng M

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Michelle Cheng,1,* Samantha Ho,1,* Jun Hwan Yoo,1,2,* Deanna Hoang-Yen Tran,1,* Kyriaki Bakirtzi,1 Bowei Su,1 Diana Hoang-Ngoc Tran,1 Yuzu Kubota,1 Ryan Ichikawa,1 Hon Wai Koon1 1Center for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 2Digestive Disease Center, CHA University Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, Republic of Korea *These authors share co-first authorship Background: Cathelicidin (LL-37 in humans and mCRAMP in mice represents a family of endogenous antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory peptides. Cancer-associated fibroblasts can promote the proliferation of colon cancer cells and growth of colon cancer tumors. Methods: We examined the role of cathelicidin in the development of colon cancer, using subcutaneous human HT-29 colon-cancer-cell-derived tumor model in nude mice and azoxymethane- and dextran sulfate-mediated colon cancer model in C57BL/6 mice. We also determined the indirect antitumoral mechanism of cathelicidin via the inhibition of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT of colon cancer cells and fibroblast-supported colon cancer cell proliferation. Results: Intravenous administration of cathelicidin expressing adeno-associated virus significantly reduced the size of tumors, tumor-derived collagen expression, and tumor-derived fibroblast expression in HT-29-derived subcutaneous tumors in nude mice. Enema administration of the mouse cathelicidin peptide significantly reduced the size and number of colonic tumors in azoxymethane- and dextran sulfate-treated mice without inducing apoptosis in tumors and the adjacent normal colonic tissues. Cathelicidin inhibited the collagen expression and vimentin-positive fibroblast expression in colonic tumors. Cathelicidin did not directly affect HT-29 cell viability, but did significantly reduce tumor growth factor-ß1-induced EMT of colon cancer cells. Media conditioned by the

The effect of probiotics on broiler growth and intestinal morphology when used to prevent Campylobacter jejuni colonization

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Lavinia Ştef

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to establish the effect of probiotic microorganisms on growth performance and intestinal changes caused by Campylobacter jejuni colonization.In this respect, we used four probiotic microorganisms, namely: Lactobacillus paracasei JR, L. rhamnosus 15b, Y L. lactis and L. lactis FOA.The administration of probiotic microorganisms in different combinations and in different periods of growth does not significantly influence the bioproductive indices of broilers,that is,the total gain, feed intake and FCR (p>0.05. After studying the intestinal mucosa, it was concluded that the four microorganisms administered in broilers’s food determineschanges in the mucosa, inhibiting the development of Campylobacter jejuni,by the presence of smaller caliciform cells and the presence ofreduced leukocyte infiltration in the chorion of the mucosal.

Effects of iron-aluminium oxides and organic carbon on aggregate stability of bauxite residues.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Feng; Li, Yubing; Xue, Shengguo; Hartley, William; Wu, Hao

2016-05-01

In order to successfully establish vegetation on bauxite residue, properties such as aggregate structure and stability require improvement. Spontaneous plant colonization on the deposits in Central China over the last 20 years has revealed that natural processes may improve the physical condition of bauxite residues. Samples from three different stacking ages were selected to determine aggregate formation and stability and its relationship with iron-aluminium oxides and organic carbon. The residue aggregate particles became coarser in both dry and wet sieving processes. The mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometry mean diameter (GMD) increased significantly, and the proportion of aggregate destruction (PAD) decreased. Natural stacking processes could increase aggregate stability and erosion resistant of bauxite residues. Free iron oxides and amorphous aluminium oxides were the major forms in bauxite residues, but there was no significant correlation between the iron-aluminium oxides and aggregate stability. Aromatic-C, alkanes-C, aliphatic-C and alkenes-C were the major functional groups present in the residues. With increasing stacking age, total organic carbon content and aggregate-associated organic carbon both increased. Alkanes-C, aliphatic-C and alkenes-C increased and were mainly distributed in macro-aggregates, whereas aromatic-C was mainly distributed in aluminium oxides maybe more important for stability of micro-aggregates.

Different molecular organization of two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, in human colon epithelial cells and colon adenocarcinoma cells

Science.gov (United States)

Grudzinski, Wojciech; Piet, Mateusz; Luchowski, Rafal; Reszczynska, Emilia; Welc, Renata; Paduch, Roman; Gruszecki, Wieslaw I.

2018-01-01

Two cell lines, human normal colon epithelial cells (CCD 841 CoTr) and human colon adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29) were cultured in the presence of exogenous carotenoids, either zeaxanthin or lutein. Both carotenoids demonstrated cytotoxicity with respect to cancer cells but not to normal cells. Cells from both the cell lines were analyzed with application of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy and Raman scattering microscopy. Both imaging techniques show effective incorporation of carotenoid molecules into growing cells. Comparison of the Raman scattering and fluorescence lifetime characteristics reveals different molecular organization of carotenoids in the carcinoma and normal cells. The main difference consists in a carotenoid aggregation level which is substantially lower in the carcinoma cells as compared to the normal cells. Different molecular organization of carotenoids was interpreted in terms of a different metabolism of normal and carcinoma cells and has been concluded to provide a possibility of cancer diagnosis based on spectroscopic analyses.

De novo expression of human polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 6 (GalNAc-T6) in colon adenocarcinoma inhibits the differentiation of colonic epithelium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lavrsen, Kirstine; Dabelsteen, Sally; Vakhrushev, Sergey Y

2018-01-01

Aberrant expression of O-glycans is a hallmark of epithelial cancers. Mucin type O-glycosylation is initiated by a large family of UDP-GalNAc:polypeptide N-acetyl-galactosaminyltransferases (GalNAc-Ts), that target different proteins and are differentially expressed in cells and organs. Here we...... investigated the expression patterns of all of the GalNAc-Ts in colon cancer by analysing transcriptomic data. We found that GalNAc-T6 was highly upregulated in colon adenocarcinomas but absent in normal-appearing adjacent colon tissue. The results were verified by immunohistochemistry, suggesting that Gal......NAc-T6 plays a role in colon carcinogenesis. To investigate the function of GalNAc-T6 in colon cancer, we used precise gene targeting to produce isogenic colon cancer cell lines with a knockout/-rescue system for GalNAc-T6. GalNAc-T6 expression was associated with a cancer-like, dysplastic growth pattern...

Colonization of exopolysaccharide-producing Paenibacillus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SERVER

2007-07-04

Jul 4, 2007 ... inhibitory effect against A. niger. Growth, protein and biopolymers production of bacteria were ... bacterium colonized plant roots and were able to migrate downward with the root as it elongated. Scanning electron ...... siderophores producing Pseudomonas fluorescence on crown rot. Haggag 1577 disease ...

Growth, mineral composition, fruit yield, and mycorrhizal colonization of feijoa in response to lime and phosphorus application

OpenAIRE

Nava, Gilberto; Santos, Karine Louise dos; Costa, Murilo Dalla; Ciotta, Marlise Nara

2016-01-01

Abstract: The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of liming and phosphorus fertilization on the growth, mineral composition of the leaves, fruit yield, and mycorrhizal colonization of young feijoa (Acca sellowiana) plants. Treatments consisted of four liming levels - 0, 25, 50, and 100% of the dose required to raise the soil pH to 6.5 - and of five levels of P - 0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 kg ha-1 P2O5 -, placed in a randomized complete block design, in a split-plot arrangement,...

Energy consumption, carbon emissions and economic growth in Saudi Arabia: An aggregate and disaggregate analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alkhathlan, Khalid; Javid, Muhammad

2013-01-01

The objective of this study is to examine the relationship among economic growth, carbon emissions and energy consumption at the aggregate and disaggregate levels. For the aggregate energy consumption model, we use total energy consumption per capita and CO 2 emissions per capita based on the total energy consumption. For the disaggregate analysis, we used oil, gas and electricity consumption models along with their respective CO 2 emissions. The long-term income elasticities of carbon emissions in three of the four models are positive and higher than their estimated short-term income elasticities. These results suggest that carbon emissions increase with the increase in per capita income which supports the belief that there is a monotonically increasing relationship between per capita carbon emissions and per capita income for the aggregate model and for the oil and electricity consumption models. The long- and short-term income elasticities of carbon emissions are negative for the gas consumption model. This result indicates that if the Saudi Arabian economy switched from oil to gas consumption, then an increase in per capita income would reduce carbon emissions. The results also suggest that electricity is less polluting than other sources of energy. - Highlights: • Carbon emissions increase with the increase in per capita income in Saudi Arabia. • The income elasticity of CO 2 is negative for the gas consumption model. • The income elasticity of CO 2 is positive for the oil consumption model. • The results suggest that electricity is less polluting than oil and gas

Colonic spirochetosis in animals and humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, James L

2005-07-01

Colonic spirochetosis is a disease caused by the gram-negative bacteria Brachyspira aalborgi and Brachyspira pilosicoli. B. pilosicoli induces disease in both humans and animals, whereas B. aalborgi affects only humans and higher primates. Symptoms in humans include diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and abdominal cramps. Colonic spirochetosis is common in third world countries; however, in developed countries, the disease is observed mainly in homosexual males. Terminally ill patients infected with Brachyspira are particularly at risk for developing spirochetemia. Diarrhea, poor growth performance, and decreased feed-to-gain efficiency is seen in pigs with colonic spirochetosis. The disease in chickens is characterized by delayed and/or reduced egg production, diarrhea, poor feed conversion, and retarded growth. Thus, colonic spirochetosis can represent a serious economic loss in the swine and poultry industries. The organisms are transmitted by the fecal-oral route, and several studies have demonstrated that human, primate, pig, dog, or bird strains of B. pilosicoli can be transmitted to pigs, chickens, and mice. B. pilosicoli may be a zoonotic pathogen, and although it has not been demonstrated, there is a possibility that both B. pilosicoli and B. aalborgi can be transferred to humans via contact with the feces of infected animals, meat from infected animals, or food contaminated by food handlers. Neither B. pilosicoli nor B. aalborgi has been well characterized in terms of basic cellular functions, pathogenicity, or genetics. Studies are needed to more thoroughly understand these Brachyspira species and their disease mechanisms.

Persistent STAT3 Activation in Colon Cancer Is Associated with Enhanced Cell Proliferation and Tumor Growth

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Florian M. Corvinus

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Colorectal carcinoma (CRC is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Western countries. It has so far been molecularly defined mainly by alterations of the Wnt pathway. We show here for the first time that aberrant activities of the signal transducer and activator of transcription STAT3 actively contribute to this malignancy and, thus, are a potential therapeutic target for CRC. Constitutive STAT3 activity was found to be abundant in dedifferentiated cancer cells and infiltrating lymphocytes of CRC samples, but not in non-neoplastic colon epithelium. Cell lines derived from malignant colorectal tumors lost persistent STAT3 activity in culture. However, implantation of colon carcinoma cells into nude mice resulted in restoration of STAT3 activity, suggesting a role of an extracellular stimulus within the tumor microenvironment as a trigger for STAT activation. STAT3 activity in CRC cells triggered through interleukin-6 or through a constitutively active STAT3 mutant promoted cancer cell multiplication, whereas STAT3 inhibition through a dominant-negative variant impaired IL-6-driven proliferation. Blockade of STAT3 activation in CRCderived xenograft tumors slowed down their development, arguing for a contribution of STAT3 to colorectal tumor growth.

Tuning calcium carbonate growth through physical confinement and templating with amyloid-like polypeptide aggregates

Science.gov (United States)

Colaco, Martin Francis

that this methodology does not extend to three-dimensional confined systems, as the water has no method of escape. Through the addition of an insoluble hydroscopic polymer to our microreactors, amorphous calcium carbonate of controllable sizes can be grown. However, crystalline calcium carbonate cannot be grown without some type of templating. Studies of calcium carbonate templating have predominantly been performed on SAMs or in poorly characterized gels or protein films. The use of ordered protein or polypeptide aggregates for templating permits both geometry and charge surface density to be varied. We have studied the kinetics and final morphology of ordered aggregates of poly-L-glutamic acid and a copolymer of glutamic acid and alanine through experiments and simulations. Electrostatics, not structure, of the monomer appeared to be the dominating factor in the aggregation, as pH and salt concentration changes led to dramatic changes in the kinetics. Examining our experimental with existing models provided inconsistent results, so we developed a new model that yielded physically realistic rate constants, while generating better fits with longer lag phases and faster growths. However, despite the similarity of aggregation conditions, the two polypeptides yielded vastly different morphologies, with the PEA forming typical amyloid-like fibrils and PE forming larger, twisted lamellar aggregates. Templating with these aggregates also yielded dramatically different patterns. Polycrystalline rhombohedral calcite with smooth faces and edges grew on PEA fibrils, with minimal templating in evidence. However, on PE, numerous calcite crystals with triangular projections tracked the surface of the aggregate. The PE lamellae are characterized by extensive beta-sheet structure. In this conformation, the glutamic acid spacings on the surface of the aggregates can mimic the spacings of the carboxylates in the calcite lattice. In addition, the high negative charge density on the

The Platelet Aggregation-Inducing Factor Aggrus/Podoplanin Promotes Pulmonary Metastasis

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Kunita, Akiko; Kashima, Takeshi G.; Morishita, Yasuyuki; Fukayama, Masashi; Kato, Yukinari; Tsuruo, Takashi; Fujita, Naoya

2007-01-01

Tumor cell-induced platelet aggregation has been reported to facilitate hematogenous metastasis. Aggrus/podoplanin is a platelet aggregation-inducing factor that is up-regulated in a number of human cancers and has been implicated in tumor progression. We studied herein the role of Aggrus in tumor growth, metastasis, and survival in vivo. Aggrus expression in Chinese hamster ovary cells promoted pulmonary metastasis in both an experimental and a spontaneous mouse model. No differences in the size of metastatic foci or in primary tumor growth were found in either set of mice. Aggrus-expressing cells, which were covered with platelets, arrested in the lung microvasculature 30 minutes after injection. In addition, lung metastasis resulting from Aggrus expression decreased the survival of the mice. By generating several Aggrus point mutants, we revealed that point mutation at the platelet aggregation-stimulating domain of Aggrus (Thr34 and Thr52) obliterated both platelet aggregation and metastasis. Furthermore, administration of aspirin to mice reduced the number of metastatic foci. These results indicate that Aggrus contributes to the establishment of metastasis by promoting platelet aggregation without affecting subsequent growth. Thus, Aggrus could serve as an ideal therapeutic target for drug development to block metastasis. PMID:17392172

Money growth and aggregate stock returns

OpenAIRE

Böing, Tobias; Stadtmann, Georg

2016-01-01

We empirically evaluate the predictive power of money growth measured by M2 for stock returns of the S&P 500 index. We use monthly US data and predict multiperiod returns over 1, 3, and 5 years with long-horizon regressions. In-sample regressions show that money growth is useful for predicting returns. Higher recent money growth has a significantly negative effect on subsequent returns of the S&P 500. An out-of-sample analysis shows that a simple model with money growth as a single predictor ...

Colon cancer modulation by a diabetic environment: A single institutional experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Prieto, Isabel; Del Puerto-Nevado, Laura; Gonzalez, Nieves; Portal-Nuñez, Sergio; Zazo, Sandra; Corton, Marta; Minguez, Pablo; Gomez-Guerrero, Carmen; Arce, Jose Miguel; Sanz, Ana Belen; Mas, Sebastian; Aguilera, Oscar; Alvarez-Llamas, Gloria; Esbrit, Pedro; Ortiz, Alberto; Ayuso, Carmen; Egido, Jesus; Rojo, Federico; Garcia-Foncillas, Jesus

2017-01-01

Multiple observational studies suggest an increased risk of colon cancer in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). This can theoretically be the result of an influence of the diabetic environment on carcinogenesis or the tumor biologic behavior. To gain insight into the influence of a diabetic environment on colon cancer characteristics and outcomes. Retrospective analysis of clinical records in an academic tertiary care hospital with detailed analysis of 81 diabetic patients diagnosed of colon cancer matched with 79 non-diabetic colon cancer patients. The impact of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on the growth of colon cancer xenografts was studied in mice. The incidence of DM in 1,137 patients with colorectal cancer was 16%. The diabetic colon cancer cases and non-diabetic colon cancer controls were well matched for demographic and clinical variables. The ECOG Scale Performance Status was higher (worse) in diabetics (ECOG ≥1, 29.1% of controls vs 46.9% of diabetics, p = 0.02), but no significant differences were observed in tumor grade, adjuvant therapy, tumor site, lymphovascular invasion, stage, recurrence, death or cancer-related death. Moreover, no differences in tumor variables were observed between patients treated or not with metformin. In the xenograft model, tumor growth and histopathological characteristics did not differ between diabetic and nondiabetic animals. Our findings point towards a mild or negligible effect of the diabetes environment on colon cancer behavior, once cancer has already developed.

Periplocin from Cortex periplocae inhibits cell growth and down-regulates survivin and c-myc expression in colon cancer in vitro and in vivo via beta-catenin/TCF signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Lianmei; Shan, Baoen; Du, Yanyan; Wang, Mingxia; Liu, Lihua; Ren, Feng-Zhi

2010-08-01

Cancer of the colon and rectum is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and accounts for approximately 10% of all cancer-related deaths. Although surgical resection or radiotherapy are potentially curative for localized disease, advanced colon cancer is currently associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, the development of a new and effective chemotherapeutic agent is required to target critical pathways to induce responsiveness of colon cancer cells to death signals. Dysregulation of the beta-catenin/TCF pathway plays a central role in early activities of colorectal carcinogenesis. In this study, human colon cancer SW480 cells were used to investigate the effect of CPP (periplocin from Cortex periplocae) on the modulation of the beta-catenin/TCF signaling pathway. Our research results showed that CPP caused a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cell growth as assessed by MTT assay and an induction in apoptosis as measured by flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the CPP- treated cells were characterized by a decreased expression of beta-catenin protein in the total cell lysates and cytosolic and nuclear extracts. This expression alleviates the binding activity of T-cell factor (Tcf) complexes to its specific DNA-binding sites. Thus, the protein expression of the downstream elements survivin and c-myc was down-regulated. To determine the precise inhibitory mechanisms involved, further in-depth in vivo studies of CPP are warranted. In conclusion, our data suggest that CPP wields a multi-prong strategy to target the beta-catenin/Tcf signaling pathway, leading to the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of growth of colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, CPP may become a potential agent against colon cancer.

Erosion of dust aggregates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Seizinger, A.; Krijt, S.; Kley, W.

2013-01-01

Aims: The aim of this work is to gain a deeper insight into how much different aggregate types are affected by erosion. Especially, it is important to study the influence of the velocity of the impacting projectiles. We also want to provide models for dust growth in protoplanetary disks with simple

Interactive effects of juvenile defoliation, light conditions, and interspecific competition on growth and ectomycorrhizal colonization of Fagus sylvatica and Pinus sylvestris seedlings.

Science.gov (United States)

Trocha, Lidia K; Weiser, Ewa; Robakowski, Piotr

2016-01-01

Seedlings of forest tree species are exposed to a number of abiotic (organ loss or damage, light shortage) and biotic (interspecific competition) stress factors, which may lead to an inhibition of growth and reproduction and, eventually, to plant death. Growth of the host and its mycorrhizal symbiont is often closely linked, and hence, host damage may negatively affect the symbiont. We designed a pot experiment to study the response of light-demanding Pinus sylvestris and shade-tolerant Fagus sylvatica seedlings to a set of abiotic and biotic stresses and subsequent effects on ectomycorrhizal (ECM) root tip colonization, seedling biomass, and leaf nitrogen content. The light regime had a more pronounced effect on ECM colonization than did juvenile damage. The interspecific competition resulted in higher ECM root tip abundance for Pinus, but this effect was insignificant in Fagus. Low light and interspecific competition resulted in lower seedling biomass compared to high light, and the effect of the latter was partially masked by high light. Leaf nitrogen responded differently in Fagus and Pinus when they grew in interspecific competition. Our results indicated that for both light-demanding (Pinus) and shade-tolerant (Fagus) species, the light environment was a major factor affecting seedling growth and ECM root tip abundance. The light conditions favorable for the growth of seedlings may to some extent compensate for the harmful effects of juvenile organ loss or damage and interspecific competition.

Living bacteria rheology: Population growth, aggregation patterns, and collective behavior under different shear flows

Science.gov (United States)

Patrício, P.; Almeida, P. L.; Portela, R.; Sobral, R. G.; Grilo, I. R.; Cidade, T.; Leal, C. R.

2014-08-01

The activity of growing living bacteria was investigated using real-time and in situ rheology—in stationary and oscillatory shear. Two different strains of the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus—strain COL and its isogenic cell wall autolysis mutant, RUSAL9—were considered in this work. For low bacteria density, strain COL forms small clusters, while the mutant, presenting deficient cell separation, forms irregular larger aggregates. In the early stages of growth, when subjected to a stationary shear, the viscosity of the cultures of both strains increases with the population of cells. As the bacteria reach the exponential phase of growth, the viscosity of the cultures of the two strains follows different and rich behaviors, with no counterpart in the optical density or in the population's colony-forming units measurements. While the viscosity of strain COL culture keeps increasing during the exponential phase and returns close to its initial value for the late phase of growth, where the population stabilizes, the viscosity of the mutant strain culture decreases steeply, still in the exponential phase, remains constant for some time, and increases again, reaching a constant plateau at a maximum value for the late phase of growth. These complex viscoelastic behaviors, which were observed to be shear-stress-dependent, are a consequence of two coupled effects: the cell density continuous increase and its changing interacting properties. The viscous and elastic moduli of strain COL culture, obtained with oscillatory shear, exhibit power-law behaviors whose exponents are dependent on the bacteria growth stage. The viscous and elastic moduli of the mutant culture have complex behaviors, emerging from the different relaxation times that are associated with the large molecules of the medium and the self-organized structures of bacteria. Nevertheless, these behaviors reflect the bacteria growth stage.

Genetic Control of Plant Root Colonization by the Biocontrol agent, Pseudomonas fluorescens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cole, Benjamin J.; Fletcher, Meghan; Waters, Jordan; Wetmore, Kelly; Blow, Matthew J.; Deutschbauer, Adam M.; Dangl, Jeffry L.; Visel, Axel

2015-03-19

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are a critical component of plant root ecosystems. PGPR promote plant growth by solubilizing inaccessible minerals, suppressing pathogenic microorganisms in the soil, and directly stimulating growth through hormone synthesis. Pseudomonas fluorescens is a well-established PGPR isolated from wheat roots that can also colonize the root system of the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. We have created barcoded transposon insertion mutant libraries suitable for genome-wide transposon-mediated mutagenesis followed by sequencing (TnSeq). These libraries consist of over 105 independent insertions, collectively providing loss-of-function mutants for nearly all genes in the P.fluorescens genome. Each insertion mutant can be unambiguously identified by a randomized 20 nucleotide sequence (barcode) engineered into the transposon sequence. We used these libraries in a gnotobiotic assay to examine the colonization ability of P.fluorescens on A.thaliana roots. Taking advantage of the ability to distinguish individual colonization events using barcode sequences, we assessed the timing and microbial concentration dependence of colonization of the rhizoplane niche. These data provide direct insight into the dynamics of plant root colonization in an in vivo system and define baseline parameters for the systematic identification of the bacterial genes and molecular pathways using TnSeq assays. Having determined parameters that facilitate potential colonization of roots by thousands of independent insertion mutants in a single assay, we are currently establishing a genome-wide functional map of genes required for root colonization in P.fluorescens. Importantly, the approach developed and optimized here for P.fluorescens>A.thaliana colonization will be applicable to a wide range of plant-microbe interactions, including biofuel feedstock plants and microbes known or hypothesized to impact on biofuel-relevant traits including biomass productivity

Radiogenic stenosis of the colon following hypernephroma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Razzaghipour, A.I.

1973-01-01

Refering to extensive home and foreign literature and to the number of 200 patients who were treated during the last 12 years, this paper reports about the radiogenic damage of the colon after irradiating renal tumors. Although no side dispositions of these types of radiation damage were mentioned in the literature, it was noticed in the group of the patients asked as well as in an Anglo-Saxon publication that both after conventional and after cobalt treatment exclusively the upper descending colon resp. the left half of the transverse colon showed alterations in the sense of a stenosing radiation colitis. The possible causes like differing topography of the colon as well as an individual disposition for increased radiation sensibility are discussed. The results of the clinical examination and the radiological symptoms colon stenosis in the number of the patients examined are shown casuistically, the successful surgical treatment of the colon stenosis is put briefly. This should help to contradict the reservations against a combined therapy for renal tumors and make the prognoses of malignant growth more pleasant. (orig.) [de

The Suborbital Particle Aggregation and Collision Experiment (SPACE): studying the collision behavior of submillimeter-sized dust aggregates on the suborbital rocket flight REXUS 12.

Science.gov (United States)

Brisset, Julie; Heißelmann, Daniel; Kothe, Stefan; Weidling, René; Blum, Jürgen

2013-09-01

The Suborbital Particle Aggregation and Collision Experiment (SPACE) is a novel approach to study the collision properties of submillimeter-sized, highly porous dust aggregates. The experiment was designed, built, and carried out to increase our knowledge about the processes dominating the first phase of planet formation. During this phase, the growth of planetary precursors occurs by agglomeration of micrometer-sized dust grains into aggregates of at least millimeters to centimeters in size. However, the formation of larger bodies from the so-formed building blocks is not yet fully understood. Recent numerical models on dust growth lack a particular support by experimental studies in the size range of submillimeters, because these particles are predicted to collide at very gentle relative velocities of below 1 cm/s that can only be achieved in a reduced-gravity environment. The SPACE experiment investigates the collision behavior of an ensemble of silicate-dust aggregates inside several evacuated glass containers which are being agitated by a shaker to induce the desired collisions at chosen velocities. The dust aggregates are being observed by a high-speed camera, allowing for the determination of the collision properties of the protoplanetary dust analog material. The data obtained from the suborbital flight with the REXUS (Rocket Experiments for University Students) 12 rocket will be directly implemented into a state-of-the-art dust growth and collision model.

Endophytic colonization and in planta nitrogen fixation by a diazotrophic Serratia sp. in rice.

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Sandhiya, G S; Sugitha, T C K; Balachandar, D; Kumar, K

2005-09-01

Nitrogen fixing endophytic Serratia sp. was isolated from rice and characterized. Re-colonization ability of Serratia sp. in the rice seedlings as endophyte was studied under laboratory condition. For detecting the re-colonization potential in the rice seedlings, Serratia sp. was marked with reporter genes (egfp and Kmr) using transposon mutagenesis. The conjugants were screened for re-colonization ability and presence of nif genes using PCR. Further, the influence of flavonoids and growth hormones on the endophytic colonization and in planta nitrogen fixation of Serratia was also investigated. The flavonoids, quercetin (3 microg/ml) and diadzein (2 microg/ml) significantly increased the re-colonization ability of the endophytic Serratia, whereas the growth hormones like IAA and NAA (5 microg/ml) reduced the endophytic colonization ability of Serratia sp. Similarly, the in planta nitrogen fixation by Serratia sp. in rice was significantly increased due to flavonoids. The inoculation of endophytic diazotrophs increased the plant biomass and biochemical constituents.

Colon cancer

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Colorectal cancer; Cancer - colon; Rectal cancer; Cancer - rectum; Adenocarcinoma - colon; Colon - adenocarcinoma; Colon carcinoma ... eat may play a role in getting colon cancer. Colon cancer may be linked to a high-fat, ...

Phenotypes of non-attached Pseudomonas aeruginosa aggregates resemble surface attached biofilm.

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Morten Alhede

Full Text Available For a chronic infection to be established, bacteria must be able to cope with hostile conditions such as low iron levels, oxidative stress, and clearance by the host defense, as well as antibiotic treatment. It is generally accepted that biofilm formation facilitates tolerance to these adverse conditions. However, microscopic investigations of samples isolated from sites of chronic infections seem to suggest that some bacteria do not need to be attached to surfaces in order to establish chronic infections. In this study we employed scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, RT-PCR as well as traditional culturing techniques to study the properties of Pseudomonas aeruginosa aggregates. We found that non-attached aggregates from stationary-phase cultures have comparable growth rates to surface attached biofilms. The growth rate estimations indicated that, independently of age, both aggregates and flow-cell biofilm had the same slow growth rate as a stationary phase shaking cultures. Internal structures of the aggregates matrix components and their capacity to survive otherwise lethal treatments with antibiotics (referred to as tolerance and resistance to phagocytes were also found to be strikingly similar to flow-cell biofilms. Our data indicate that the tolerance of both biofilms and non-attached aggregates towards antibiotics is reversible by physical disruption. We provide evidence that the antibiotic tolerance is likely to be dependent on both the physiological states of the aggregates and particular matrix components. Bacterial surface-attachment and subsequent biofilm formation are considered hallmarks of the capacity of microbes to cause persistent infections. We have observed non-attached aggregates in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients; otitis media; soft tissue fillers and non-healing wounds, and we propose that aggregated cells exhibit enhanced survival in the hostile host environment, compared with non-aggregated

Plant growth promotion and root colonization by EPS producing Enterobacter sp. RZS5 under heavy metal contaminated soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Sayyed, R Z; Patel, P R; Shaikh, S S

2015-02-01

The heavy metal resistant bacterium isolated from field soil and identified as Enterobacter sp. RZS5 tolerates a high concentration (100-2000 μM) of various heavy metal ions such as Mn2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, CO2+ and Fe2+ when grown in such environment and produces exopolysaccharides (EPS). Here, we have demonstrated EPS production by Enterobacter sp. RZS5 during 60 h of growth in yeast extract mannitol broth (YEMB). The yield increased by two fold after the addition of 60 μM of Ca2+; 50 μM of Fe2+ and 60 μM of Mg2+ ions in YEMB, and the optimization of physico-chemical parameters. EPS was extracted with 30% (v/v) of isopropanol as against the commonly used 50% (v/v) isopropanol method. EPS-rich broth promoted seed germination, shoot height, root length, number of leaves and chlorophyll content of wheat (Triticum aestivum) seed and peanut (Arachis hypogaea) seed. The higher colony-forming unit of Enterobacter sp. in soil inoculated with EPS rich broth of Enterobacter sp. indicated the root colonizing potential and rhizosphere competence of the isolate. The FTIR spectra of the EPS extract confirmed the presence of the functional group characteristics of EPS known to exhibit a high binding affinity towards certain metal ions. This overall growth and vigour in plants along with the effective root colonization, reflected the potential of the isolate as an efficient bio-inoculant in bioremediation.

Activin and TGFβ use diverging mitogenic signaling in advanced colon cancer

OpenAIRE

Bauer, Jessica; Ozden, Ozkan; Akagi, Naomi; Carroll, Timothy; Principe, Daniel R.; Staudacher, Jonas J.; Spehlmann, Martina E.; Eckmann, Lars; Grippo, Paul J.; Jung, Barbara

2015-01-01

Background Understanding cell signaling pathways that contribute to metastatic colon cancer is critical to risk stratification in the era of personalized therapeutics. Here, we dissect the unique involvement of mitogenic pathways in a TGFβ or activin-induced metastatic phenotype of colon cancer. Method Mitogenic signaling/growth factor receptor status and p21 localization were correlated in primary colon cancers and intestinal tumors from either AOM/DSS treated ACVR2A (activin receptor 2) −/−...

Role of neutral ceramidase in colon cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Barros, Mónica; Coant, Nicolas; Kawamori, Toshihiko; Wada, Masayuki; Snider, Ashley J; Truman, Jean-Philip; Wu, Bill X; Furuya, Hideki; Clarke, Christopher J; Bialkowska, Agnieszka B; Ghaleb, Amr; Yang, Vincent W; Obeid, Lina M; Hannun, Yusuf A

2016-12-01

Alterations in sphingolipid metabolism, especially ceramide and sphingosine 1-phosphate, have been linked to colon cancer, suggesting that enzymes of sphingolipid metabolism may emerge as novel regulators and targets in colon cancer. Neutral ceramidase (nCDase), a key enzyme in sphingolipid metabolism that hydrolyzes ceramide into sphingosine, is highly expressed in the intestine; however, its role in colon cancer has not been defined. Here we show that molecular and pharmacological inhibition of nCDase in colon cancer cells increases ceramide, and this is accompanied by decreased cell survival and increased apoptosis and autophagy, with minimal effects on noncancerous cells. Inhibition of nCDase resulted in loss of β-catenin and inhibition of ERK, components of pathways relevant for colon cancer development. Furthermore, inhibition of nCDase in a xenograft model delayed tumor growth and increased ceramide while decreasing proliferation. It is noteworthy that mice lacking nCDase treated with azoxymethane were protected from tumor formation. Taken together, these studies show that nCDase is pivotal for regulating initiation and development of colon cancer, and these data suggest that this enzyme is a suitable and novel target for colon cancer therapy.-García-Barros, M., Coant, N., Kawamori, T., Wada, M., Snider, A. J., Truman, J.-P., Wu, B. X., Furuya, H., Clarke, C. J., Bialkowska, A. B., Ghaleb, A., Yang, V. W., Obeid, L. M., Hannun, Y. A. Role of neutral ceramidase in colon cancer. © FASEB.

Luzindole but not 4-phenyl-2- propionamidotetralin (4P-PDOT) diminishes the inhibitory effect of melatonin on murine Colon 38 cancer growth in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Winczyk, Katarzyna; Fuss-Chmielewska, Julita; Lawnicka, Hanna; Pawlikowski, Marek; Karasek, Michal

2009-01-01

Our earlier studies have shown that MLT exerts the inhibitory effect on murine cancer via membrane and nuclear receptors. We have found that the antagonist of MT1 receptors does not diminish the antiproliferative effect of MLT on Colon 38 cells, and the contribution of MT2 receptors has been suggested to be responsible. Therefore, in the present study we have examined the influence of the 4-phenyl-2-propionamidotetralin (4P-PDOT), which is a selective antagonist of MT2 membrane receptor, and luzindole - an antagonist of both membrane receptors, on an oncostatic action of MLT. The murine cancer cell line Colon 38 was used in the experiments. In 48 hrs cell culture the effects of MLT, 4P-PDOT and luzindole administered alone and MLT applied jointly with either 4P-PDOT or luzindole were examined. The growth of cancer cells was assessed using the modified colorimetric Mosmann method. Melatonin at both examined concentrations (10-7, 10-9 M) significantly decreased the viability of cancer cells. The selective antagonist of MT2 membrane receptor, namely 4P-PDOT and luzindole applied separately did not have an effect on the growth of Colon 38 cells. The addition of 4P-PDOT to MLT did not change the inhibitory effect of MLT, whereas luzindole given together with MLT diminished, but failed to block totally, the oncostatic properties of MLT. The obtained data and our previous studies conducted on Colon 38 cancer indicate that membrane melatonin receptors are not indispensable to the oncostatic action of melatonin and thus other pathways such as nuclear signaling and receptor-independent mechanism may be also involved.

A conserved tad pilus promotes Vibrio vulnificus oyster colonization.

Science.gov (United States)

Pu, Meng; Duriez, Patrick; Arazi, Mattan; Rowe-Magnus, Dean A

2018-02-01

Vibrio vulnificus has the highest death rate (>35%) and per-case economic burden ($3.3 million) of any foodborne pathogen in the United States. Infections occur via open wounds or following ingestion of contaminated seafood, most infamously oysters. We isolated a 1000th generation descendant, designated NT that exhibited increased biofilm and aggregate formation relative to its parent. We identified two significant causal changes underlying these phenotypes. First, the entire 24-kb capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis locus, which is essential for virulence but inhibits biofilm formation, had been purged from the genome. However, NT formed more extensive biofilms and aggregates than a defined cps mutant, suggesting that additional factor(s) contributed to its phenotypes. Second, the expression of a tight adherence (tad) pilus locus was elevated in NT. Deletion of the associated pilin (flp) decreased NT biofilm and aggregate formation. Furthermore, NTΔflp strains were deficient relative to NT in an oyster colonization model, demonstrating a positive correlation between the biofilm and aggregation phenotypes associated with Tad pilus production and efficient bacterial retention by feeding oysters. Despite being widely distributed in the Vibrionaceae, this is the first demonstration of a bona fide physiological role for a Tad pilus in this bacterial family. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Negligible colon cancer risk from food-borne acrylamide exposure in male F344 rats and nude (nu/nu mice-bearing human colon tumor xenografts.

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Jayadev Raju

Full Text Available Acrylamide, a possible human carcinogen, is formed in certain carbohydrate-rich foods processed at high temperature. We evaluated if dietary acrylamide, at doses (0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg diet reflecting upper levels found in human foods, modulated colon tumorigenesis in two rodent models. Male F344 rats were randomized to receive diets without (control or with acrylamide. 2-weeks later, rats in each group received two weekly subcutaneous injections of either azoxymethane (AOM or saline, and were killed 20 weeks post-injections; colons were assessed for tumors. Male athymic nude (nu/nu mice bearing HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells-derived tumor xenografts received diets without (control or with acrylamide; tumor growth was monitored and mice were killed 4 weeks later. In the F344 rat study, no tumors were found in the colons of the saline-injected rats. However, the colon tumor incidence was 54.2% and 66.7% in the control and the 2 mg/kg acrylamide-treated AOM-injected groups, respectively. While tumor multiplicity was similar across all diet groups, tumor size and burden were higher in the 2 mg/kg acrylamide group compared to the AOM control. These results suggest that acrylamide by itself is not a "complete carcinogen", but acts as a "co-carcinogen" by exacerbating the effects of AOM. The nude mouse study indicated no differences in the growth of human colon tumor xenografts between acrylamide-treated and control mice, suggesting that acrylamide does not aid in the progression of established tumors. Hence, food-borne acrylamide at levels comparable to those found in human foods is neither an independent carcinogen nor a tumor promoter in the colon. However, our results characterize a potential hazard of acrylamide as a colon co-carcinogen in association with known and possibly other environmental tumor initiators/promoters.

Aggregation of the rhizospheric bacterium Azospirillum brasilense in response to oxygen

Science.gov (United States)

Abdoun, Hamid; McMillan, Mary; Pereg, Lily

2016-04-01

Azospirillum brasilense spp. have ecological, scientific and agricultural importance. As model plant growth promoting rhizobacteria they interact with a large variety of plants, including important food and cash crops. Azospirillum strains are known for their production of plant growth hormones that enhance root systems and for their ability to fix nitrogen. Azospirillum cells transform in response to environmental cues. The production of exopolysaccharides and cell aggregation during cellular transformation are important steps in the attachment of Azospirillum to roots. We investigate signals that induce cellular transformation and aggregation in the Azospirillum and report on the importance of oxygen to the process of aggregation in this rhizospheric bacterium.

Population growth and economic growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Narayana, D L

1984-01-01

This discussion of the issues relating to the problem posed by population explosion in the developing countries and economic growth in the contemporary world covers the following: predictions of economic and social trends; the Malthusian theory of population; the classical or stationary theory of population; the medical triage model; ecological disaster; the Global 2000 study; the limits to growth; critiques of the Limits to Growth model; nonrenewable resources; food and agriculture; population explosion and stabilization; space and ocean colonization; and the limits perspective. The Limits to Growth model, a general equilibrium anti-growth model, is the gloomiest economic model ever constructed. None of the doomsday models, the Malthusian theory, the classical stationary state, the neo-Malthusian medical triage model, the Global 2000 study, are so far reaching in their consequences. The course of events that followed the publication of the "Limits to Growth" in 1972 in the form of 2 oil shocks, food shock, pollution shock, and price shock seemed to bear out formally the gloomy predictions of the thesis with a remarkable speed. The 12 years of economic experience and the knowledge of resource trends postulate that even if the economic pressures visualized by the model are at work they are neither far reaching nor so drastic. Appropriate action can solve them. There are several limitations to the Limits to Growth model. The central theme of the model, which is overshoot and collapse, is unlikely to be the course of events. The model is too aggregative to be realistic. It exaggerates the ecological disaster arising out of the exponential growth of population and industry. The gross underestimation of renewable resources is a basic flaw of the model. The most critical weakness of the model is its gross underestimation of the historical trend of technological progress and the technological possiblities within industry and agriculture. The model does correctly emphasize

Increased Zinc Availability Enhances Initial Aggregation and Biofilm Formation of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Lindsey R; Caulkins, Rachel C; Schartel, Tyler E; Rosch, Jason W; Honsa, Erin S; Schultz-Cherry, Stacey; Meliopoulos, Victoria A; Cherry, Sean; Thornton, Justin A

2017-01-01

Bacteria growing within biofilms are protected from antibiotics and the immune system. Within these structures, horizontal transfer of genes encoding virulence factors, and promoting antibiotic resistance occurs, making biofilms an extremely important aspect of pneumococcal colonization and persistence. Identifying environmental cues that contribute to the formation of biofilms is critical to understanding pneumococcal colonization and infection. Iron has been shown to be essential for the formation of pneumococcal biofilms; however, the role of other physiologically important metals such as copper, zinc, and manganese has been largely neglected. In this study, we investigated the effect of metals on pneumococcal aggregation and early biofilm formation. Our results show that biofilms increase as zinc concentrations increase. The effect was found to be zinc-specific, as altering copper and manganese concentrations did not affect biofilm formation. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed structural differences between biofilms grown in varying concentrations of zinc. Analysis of biofilm formation in a mutant strain lacking the peroxide-generating enzyme pyruvate oxidase, SpxB, revealed that zinc does not protect against pneumococcal H 2 O 2 . Further, analysis of a mutant strain lacking the major autolysin, LytA, indicated the role of zinc as a negative regulator of LytA-dependent autolysis, which could affect biofilm formation. Additionally, analysis of cell-cell aggregation via plating and microscopy revealed that high concentrations of zinc contribute to intercellular interaction of pneumococci. The findings from this study demonstrate that metal availability contributes to the ability of pneumococci to form aggregates and subsequently, biofilms.

Genistein inhibits proliferation of colon cancer cells by attenuating a negative effect of epidermal growth factor on tumor suppressor FOXO3 activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi, Wentao; Weber, Christopher R; Wasland, Kaarin; Savkovic, Suzana D

2011-01-01

Soy consumption is associated with a lower incidence of colon cancer which is believed to be mediated by one of its of components, genistein. Genistein may inhibit cancer progression by inducing apoptosis or inhibiting proliferation, but mechanisms are not well understood. Epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced proliferation of colon cancer cells plays an important role in colon cancer progression and is mediated by loss of tumor suppressor FOXO3 activity. The aim of this study was to assess if genistein exerts anti-proliferative properties by attenuating the negative effect of EGF on FOXO3 activity. The effect of genistein on proliferation stimulated by EGF-mediated loss of FOXO3 was examined in human colonic cancer HT-29 cells. EGF-induced FOXO3 phosphorylation and translocation were assessed in the presence of genistein. EGF-mediated loss of FOXO3 interactions with p53 (co-immunoprecipitation) and promoter of p27kip1 (ChIP assay) were examined in presence of genistein in cells with mutated p53 (HT-29) and wild type p53 (HCT116). Silencing of p53 determined activity of FOXO3 when it is bound to p53. Genistein inhibited EGF-induced proliferation, while favoring dephosphorylation and nuclear retention of FOXO3 (active state) in colon cancer cells. Upstream of FOXO3, genistein acts via the PI3K/Akt pathway to inhibit EGF-stimulated FOXO3 phosphorylation (i.e. favors active state). Downstream, EGF-induced disassociation of FOXO3 from mutated tumor suppressor p53, but not wild type p53, is inhibited by genistein favoring FOXO3-p53(mut) interactions with the promoter of the cell cycle inhibitor p27kip1 in colon cancer cells. Thus, the FOXO3-p53(mut) complex leads to elevated p27kip1 expression and promotes cell cycle arrest. These novel anti-proliferative mechanisms of genistein suggest a possible role of combining genistein with other chemoreceptive agents for the treatment of colon cancer

Accelerated Growth Rate and Increased Drought Stress Resilience of the Model Grass Brachypodium distachyon Colonized by Bacillus subtilis B26.

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François Gagné-Bourque

Full Text Available Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGB induce positive effects in plants, for instance, increased growth and reduced abiotic stresses susceptibility. The mechanisms by which these bacteria impact the host plant are numerous, diverse and often specific. Here, we studied the agronomical, molecular and biochemical effects of the endophytic PGB Bacillus subtilis B26 on the full life cycle of Brachypodium distachyon Bd21, an established model species for functional genomics in cereal crops and temperate grasses. Inoculation of Brachypodium with B. subtilis strain B26 increased root and shoot weights, accelerated growth rate and seed yield as compared to control plants. B. subtilis strain B26 efficiently colonized the plant and was recovered from roots, stems and blades as well as seeds of Brachypodium, indicating that the bacterium is able to migrate, spread systemically inside the plant, establish itself in the aerial plant tissues and organs, and is vertically transmitted to seeds. The presence of B. subtilis strain B26 in the seed led to systemic colonization of the next generation of Brachypodium plants. Inoculated Brachypodium seedlings and mature plants exposed to acute and chronic drought stress minimized the phenotypic effect of drought compared to plants not harbouring the bacterium. Protection from the inhibitory effects of drought by the bacterium was linked to upregulation of the drought-response genes, DREB2B-like, DHN3-like and LEA-14-A-like and modulation of the DNA methylation genes, MET1B-like, CMT3-like and DRM2-like, that regulate the process. Additionally, total soluble sugars and starch contents increased in stressed inoculated plants, a biochemical indication of drought tolerance. In conclusion, we show a single inoculation of Brachypodium with a PGB affected the whole growth cycle of the plant, accelerating its growth rates, shortening its vegetative period, and alleviating drought stress effects. These effects are relevant to

Variability of Cenococcum colonization and its ecophysiological significance for young conifers at alpine-treeline.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasselquist, Niles; Germino, Matthew J; McGonigle, Terence; Smith, William K

2005-03-01

* Plants establishing in environments that are marginal for growth could be particularly sensitive to mycorrhizal associations. We investigated ectomycorrhizal colonization and its significance for young conifers growing at, or above, their normal limits for growth, in the alpine-treeline ecotone. * Colonization of seedlings (treeline may include a below-ground, mycorrhizal component that complements previously reported effects of trees on the microclimate and ecophysiology of seedlings.

Entrapment of Aβ1-40 peptide in unstructured aggregates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corsale, C; Carrotta, R; Mangione, M R; Vilasi, S; Provenzano, A; Bulone, D; San Biagio, P L; Cavallaro, G

2012-01-01

Recognizing the complexity of the fibrillogenesis process provides a solid ground for the development of therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing or inhibiting protein-protein aggregation. Under this perspective, it is meaningful to identify the possible aggregation pathways and their relative products. We found that Aβ-peptide dissolved in a pH 7.4 solution at small peptide concentration and low ionic strength forms globular aggregates without typical amyloid β-conformation. ThT binding kinetics was used to monitor aggregate formation. Circular dichroism spectroscopy, AFM imaging, static and dynamic light scattering were used for structural and morphological characterization of the aggregates. They appear stable or at least metastable with respect to fiber growth, therefore appearing as an incidental product in the pathway of fibrillogenesis. (paper)

Differential effects of ephemeral colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in two Cuscuta species with different ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Behdarvandi, Behrang; Guinel, Frédérique C; Costea, Mihai

2015-10-01

Seedlings of parasitic Cuscuta species are autotrophic but can survive only a short period of time, during which they must locate and attach to a suitable host. They have an ephemeral root-like organ considered not a "true" root by most studies. In the present study, two species with contrasting ecology were examined: Cuscuta gronovii, a North American riparian species, and Cuscuta campestris, an invasive dodder that thrives in disturbed habitats. The morphology, structure, and absorptive capability of their root-like organ were compared, their potential for colonization by two species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was assessed, and the effect of the AMF on seedling growth and survival was determined. The root of both species absorbed water and interacted with AMF, but the two species exhibited dissimilar growth and survival patterns depending on the colonization level of their seedlings. The extensively colonized seedlings of C. gronovii grew more and survived longer than non-colonized seedlings. In contrast, the scarce colonization of C. campestris seedlings did not increase their growth or longevity. The differential growth responses of the AMF-colonized and non-colonized Cuscuta species suggest a mycorrhizal relationship and reflect their ecology. While C. gronovii roots have retained a higher ability to interact with AMF and are likely to take advantage of fungal communities in riparian habitats, the invasive C. campestris has largely lost this ability possibly as an adaptation to disturbed ecosystems. These results indicate that dodders have a true root, even if much reduced and ephemeral, that can interact with AMF.

Role of protein kinase C and epidermal growth factor receptor signalling in growth stimulation by neurotensin in colon carcinoma cells

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Dajani Olav

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Neurotensin has been found to promote colon carcinogenesis in rats and mice, and proliferation of human colon carcinoma cell lines, but the mechanisms involved are not clear. We have examined signalling pathways activated by neurotensin in colorectal and pancreatic carcinoma cells. Methods Colon carcinoma cell lines HCT116 and HT29 and pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line Panc-1 were cultured and stimulated with neurotensin or epidermal growth factor (EGF. DNA synthesis was determined by incorporation of radiolabelled thymidine into DNA. Levels and phosphorylation of proteins in signalling pathways were assessed by Western blotting. Results Neurotensin stimulated the phosphorylation of both extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK and Akt in all three cell lines, but apparently did so through different pathways. In Panc-1 cells, neurotensin-induced phosphorylation of ERK, but not Akt, was dependent on protein kinase C (PKC, whereas an inhibitor of the β-isoform of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K, TGX221, abolished neurotensin-induced Akt phosphorylation in these cells, and there was no evidence of EGF receptor (EGFR transactivation. In HT29 cells, in contrast, the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib blocked neurotensin-stimulated phosphorylation of both ERK and Akt, indicating transactivation of EGFR, independently of PKC. In HCT116 cells, neurotensin induced both a PKC-dependent phosphorylation of ERK and a metalloproteinase-mediated transactivation of EGFR that was associated with a gefitinib-sensitive phosphorylation of the downstream adaptor protein Shc. The activation of Akt was also inhibited by gefitinib, but only partly, suggesting a mechanism in addition to EGFR transactivation. Inhibition of PKC blocked neurotensin-induced DNA synthesis in HCT116 cells. Conclusions While acting predominantly through PKC in Panc-1 cells and via EGFR transactivation in HT29 cells, neurotensin used both these pathways in HCT116

Role of protein kinase C and epidermal growth factor receptor signalling in growth stimulation by neurotensin in colon carcinoma cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Müller, Kristin M; Tveteraas, Ingun H; Aasrum, Monica; Ødegård, John; Dawood, Mona; Dajani, Olav; Christoffersen, Thoralf; Sandnes, Dagny L

2011-01-01

Neurotensin has been found to promote colon carcinogenesis in rats and mice, and proliferation of human colon carcinoma cell lines, but the mechanisms involved are not clear. We have examined signalling pathways activated by neurotensin in colorectal and pancreatic carcinoma cells. Colon carcinoma cell lines HCT116 and HT29 and pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line Panc-1 were cultured and stimulated with neurotensin or epidermal growth factor (EGF). DNA synthesis was determined by incorporation of radiolabelled thymidine into DNA. Levels and phosphorylation of proteins in signalling pathways were assessed by Western blotting. Neurotensin stimulated the phosphorylation of both extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt in all three cell lines, but apparently did so through different pathways. In Panc-1 cells, neurotensin-induced phosphorylation of ERK, but not Akt, was dependent on protein kinase C (PKC), whereas an inhibitor of the β-isoform of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), TGX221, abolished neurotensin-induced Akt phosphorylation in these cells, and there was no evidence of EGF receptor (EGFR) transactivation. In HT29 cells, in contrast, the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib blocked neurotensin-stimulated phosphorylation of both ERK and Akt, indicating transactivation of EGFR, independently of PKC. In HCT116 cells, neurotensin induced both a PKC-dependent phosphorylation of ERK and a metalloproteinase-mediated transactivation of EGFR that was associated with a gefitinib-sensitive phosphorylation of the downstream adaptor protein Shc. The activation of Akt was also inhibited by gefitinib, but only partly, suggesting a mechanism in addition to EGFR transactivation. Inhibition of PKC blocked neurotensin-induced DNA synthesis in HCT116 cells. While acting predominantly through PKC in Panc-1 cells and via EGFR transactivation in HT29 cells, neurotensin used both these pathways in HCT116 cells. In these cells, neurotensin-induced activation of ERK

Radiation exposure and familial aggregation of cancers as risk factors for colorectal cancer after radioiodine treatment for thyroid carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rubino, Carole; Adjadj, Elisabeth; Doyon, Francoise; Shamsaldin, Akhtar; Abbas, Tahaa Moncef; Caillou, Bernard; Colonna, Marc; Cecarreli, Claudia; Schvartz, Claire; Bardet, Stephane; Langlois, Christiane B.Sc.; Ricard, Marcel; Schlumberger, Martin; Vathaire, Florent de

2005-01-01

Purpose: In thyroid cancer patients, radioiodine treatment has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of colon carcinoma. The aim of this study in thyroid cancer patients was to evaluate the role of familial factors in the risk of colorectal cancer and their potential interaction with radioiodine exposure. Methods and Materials: We performed a case-control study on 15 colorectal cancer patients and 76 matched control subjects, nested in a cohort of 3708 thyroid cancer patients treated between 1933 and 1998. For each patient, the radiation dose delivered to the colon by radioiodine was estimated by use of standard tables. In those who received external radiation therapy, the average radiation doses delivered to the colon and rectum were estimated by use of DOS E g software. A complete familial history was obtained by face-to-face interviews, and a familial index was defined to evaluate the degree of familial aggregation. Results: The risk of colorectal cancer increased with familial aggregation of colorectal cancer (p = 0.02). After adjustment for the radiation dose delivered to the colon and rectum, the risk of colorectal cancer was 2.8-fold higher (95% CI, 1.0-8.0) for patients with at least one relative affected by colorectal cancer than for patients without such a family history (p = 0.05). The radiation dose delivered to the colon and rectum by 131 I and external radiation therapy was associated with an increase of risk near the significance threshold (p = 0.1). No significant interaction was found between radiation dose and having an affected relative (p = 0.9). Conclusions: The role of familial background in the risk of colorectal cancer following a differentiated thyroid carcinoma appears to increase with the radiation dose delivered to the colon and rectum. However, the study population was small and no interaction was found between these two factors

Colonic lymphoid follicles associated with colonic neoplasms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glick, S.N.; Teplick, S.K.; Ross, W.M.

1986-01-01

The authors prospectively evaluated 62 patients over 40 years old in whom lymphoid follicles were demonstrated on double-contrast enema examinations. Eighteen patients (29%) had no current radiographic evidence of, or history of, colonic neoplasms. Forty-four patients (71%) had an associated neoplasm. Fourteen patients had associated colonic carcinoma, and ten patients had a history of a previously resected colon cancer. One patient had previously undergone resection for ''polyps.'' Twenty-two patients had an associated ''polyp.'' There were no clinical or radiographic features that could reliably distinguish the neoplastic from the nonneoplastic groups. However, lymphoid follicles in the left colon or diffusely involving the colon were more likely to be associated with a colonic neoplasm. Lymphoid follicles were almost always identified near a malignant lesion

Bacillus subtilis and Enterobacter cloacae endophytes from healthy Theobroma cacao L. trees can systemically colonize seedlings and promote growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Leite, Hianna Almeida Câmara; Silva, Anderson Barbosa; Gomes, Fábio Pinto; Gramacho, Karina Peres; Faria, José Cláudio; de Souza, Jorge Teodoro; Loguercio, Leandro Lopes

2013-03-01

Clonal genotypes resistant to fungal diseases are an important component of the cocoa production system in southeastern Bahia state (Brazil), so that technologies for faster production of stronger and healthier plantlets are highly desirable. In this study, the effects of inoculated bacterial endophytes isolated from healthy adult cacao plants on seedlings, and aspects related to inoculation methods, colonization patterns, and photosynthesis were investigated. Sequencing of 16S rRNA, hsp-60, and rpo-B genes placed the wild-type isolates within the species Enterobacter cloacae (isolates 341 and 344) and Bacillus subtilis (isolate 629). Spontaneous rifampicin-resistant (rif(R)) variants for 344 were also produced and tested. Endophytic application was either by immersion of surface sterilized seeds in bacterial suspensions or direct inoculation into soil, 20 days after planting non-inoculated seeds into pots. Results from in vitro recovery of inoculated isolates showed that the wild-type endophytes and rif(R) variants systemically colonized the entire cacao seedlings in 15-20 days, regardless of the inoculation method. Some endophytic treatments showed significant increases in seedlings' height, number of leaves, and dry matter. Inoculation methods affected the combined application of endophytes, which maintained the growth-promotion effects, but not in the same manner as in single applications. Interestingly, the 344-3.2 rif(R) variant showed improved performance in relation to both the wild type and another related variant. Photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance increased significantly for some endophytic treatments, being partially associated with effects on growth and affected by the inoculation method. The results suggest that E. cloacae and B. subtilis endophytes from healthy adult plants (not transmitted by seeds) were able to promote vegetative growth on cacao seedlings. The development of products for large-scale use in seedlings

CT Findings of Colonic Complications Associated with Colon Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sang Won; Shin, Hyeong Cheol; Kim, Il Young; Kim, Young Tong; Kim, Chang Jin

2010-01-01

A broad spectrum of colonic complications can occur in patients with colon cancer. Clinically, some of these complications can obscure the presence of underlying malignancies in the colon and these complications may require emergency surgical management. The complications of the colon that can be associated with colon cancer include obstruction, perforation, abscess formation, acute appendicitis, ischemic colitis and intussusception. Although the majority of these complications only rarely occur, familiarity with the various manifestations of colon cancer complications will facilitate making an accurate diagnosis and administering prompt management in these situations. The purpose of this pictorial essay is to review the CT appearance of the colonic complications associated with colon cancer

CT Findings of Colonic Complications Associated with Colon Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sang Won; Shin, Hyeong Cheol; Kim, Il Young; Kim, Young Tong; Kim, Chang Jin [Cheonan Hospital, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of)

2010-04-15

A broad spectrum of colonic complications can occur in patients with colon cancer. Clinically, some of these complications can obscure the presence of underlying malignancies in the colon and these complications may require emergency surgical management. The complications of the colon that can be associated with colon cancer include obstruction, perforation, abscess formation, acute appendicitis, ischemic colitis and intussusception. Although the majority of these complications only rarely occur, familiarity with the various manifestations of colon cancer complications will facilitate making an accurate diagnosis and administering prompt management in these situations. The purpose of this pictorial essay is to review the CT appearance of the colonic complications associated with colon cancer.

Microbial properties of soil aggregates created by earthworms and other factors: spherical and prismatic soil aggregates from unreclaimed post-mining sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frouz, J.; Kristufek, V.; Liveckova, M.; van Loo, D.; Jacobs, P.; Van Hoorebeke, L. [Charles University of Prague, Prague (Czech Republic). Inst. of Environmental Studies

2011-01-15

Soil aggregates between 2 and 5 mm from 35- and 45-year-old unreclaimed post-mining sites near Sokolov (Czech Republic) were divided into two groups: spherical and prismatic. X-ray tomography indicated that prismatic aggregates consisted of fragments of claystone bonded together by amorphous clay and roots while spherical aggregates consisted of a clay matrix and organic fragments of various sizes. Prismatic aggregates were presumed to be formed by plant roots and physical processes during weathering of Tertiary mudstone, while earthworms were presumed to contribute to the formation of spherical aggregates. The effects of drying and rewetting and glucose addition on microbial respiration, microbial biomass, and counts of bacteria in these aggregates were determined. Spherical aggregates contained a greater percentage of C and N and a higher C-to-N ratio than prismatic ones. The C content of the particulate organic matter was also higher in the spherical than in the prismatic aggregates. Although spherical aggregates had a higher microbial respiration and biomass, the growth of microbial biomass in spherical aggregates was negatively correlated with initial microbial biomass, indicating competition between bacteria. Specific respiration was negatively correlated with microbial biomass. Direct counts of bacteria were higher in spherical than in prismatic aggregates. Bacterial numbers were more stable in the center than in the surface layers of the aggregates. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that bacteria often occurred as individual cells in prismatic aggregates but as small clusters of cells in spherical aggregates. Ratios of colony forming units (cultivatable bacteria) to direct counts were higher in spherical than in prismatic aggregates. Spherical aggregates also contained faster growing bacteria.

Sequence dependent aggregation of peptides and fibril formation

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Nguyen Ba; Le, Duy-Manh; Hoang, Trinh X.

2017-09-01

Deciphering the links between amino acid sequence and amyloid fibril formation is key for understanding protein misfolding diseases. Here we use Monte Carlo simulations to study the aggregation of short peptides in a coarse-grained model with hydrophobic-polar (HP) amino acid sequences and correlated side chain orientations for hydrophobic contacts. A significant heterogeneity is observed in the aggregate structures and in the thermodynamics of aggregation for systems of different HP sequences and different numbers of peptides. Fibril-like ordered aggregates are found for several sequences that contain the common HPH pattern, while other sequences may form helix bundles or disordered aggregates. A wide variation of the aggregation transition temperatures among sequences, even among those of the same hydrophobic fraction, indicates that not all sequences undergo aggregation at a presumable physiological temperature. The transition is found to be the most cooperative for sequences forming fibril-like structures. For a fibril-prone sequence, it is shown that fibril formation follows the nucleation and growth mechanism. Interestingly, a binary mixture of peptides of an aggregation-prone and a non-aggregation-prone sequence shows the association and conversion of the latter to the fibrillar structure. Our study highlights the role of a sequence in selecting fibril-like aggregates and also the impact of a structural template on fibril formation by peptides of unrelated sequences.

Nickel remediation by AM-colonized sunflower.

Science.gov (United States)

Ker, Keomany; Charest, Christiane

2010-08-01

This greenhouse study aimed to examine the contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization on the uptake of and tolerance to nickel (Ni) in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). We hypothesized that AM colonization increases Ni content and tolerance in sunflower grown under varying soil Ni concentrations. The combined effect of AM colonization and soil Ni input on the assimilation of nitrogen, in particular the activity of glutamine synthetase (GS), in sunflower plants was also investigated. A factorial experimental design was performed with sunflower cv. Lemon Queen, with or without the AM fungus, Glomus intraradices Schenck & Smith, and treated with 0, 100, 200, or 400 mg Ni kg(-1) dry soil (DS). The AM colonization significantly enhanced plant growth and Ni content, especially at the lower soil Ni treatments. Furthermore, the AM plants exposed to the highest soil Ni level of 400 mg Ni kg(-1) DS had a significantly higher shoot Ni extracted percentage than non-AM plants, suggesting that the AM symbiosis contributed to Ni uptake, then its translocation from roots to shoots. The AM colonization also significantly increased the GS activity in roots, this being likely an indicator of an enhanced Ni tolerance. These findings support the hypothesis that AM symbiosis contributes to an enhanced Ni plant uptake and tolerance and should be considered as part of phytoremediation strategies.

CT staging of colon cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dighe, S.; Swift, I.; Brown, G.

2008-01-01

Computer tomography (CT) has been the principal investigation in the staging of colon cancers. The information obtained with routine CT has been limited to identifying the site of the tumour, size of the tumour, infiltration into surrounding structures and metastatic spread. The Foxtrot trial National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) has been specifically designed to evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant treatment in colon cancers by using preoperative chemotherapy with or without an anti-Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody to improve outcome in high-risk operable colon cancer. Patients are selected based on their staging CT examination. The criteria for poor prognosis are T4 and T3 tumours with more than 5 mm extramural depth. Thus the success of the trial would depend upon the confidence of the radiologist to identify the patients that would receive the neoadjuvant treatment. The aim of this review is to explain the process of identifying high-risk features seen on the staging CT images. This will help to identify a cohort of patients that could truly benefit from neoadjuvant strategies

CT staging of colon cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dighe, S. [Department of Radiology, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton SM5 2TT (United Kingdom); Swift, I. [Department of Surgery, Mayday University Hospital, Croydon CR7 7YE (United Kingdom); Brown, G. [Department of Radiology, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton SM5 2TT (United Kingdom)], E-mail: gina.brown@rmh.nhs.uk

2008-12-15

Computer tomography (CT) has been the principal investigation in the staging of colon cancers. The information obtained with routine CT has been limited to identifying the site of the tumour, size of the tumour, infiltration into surrounding structures and metastatic spread. The Foxtrot trial National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) has been specifically designed to evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant treatment in colon cancers by using preoperative chemotherapy with or without an anti-Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody to improve outcome in high-risk operable colon cancer. Patients are selected based on their staging CT examination. The criteria for poor prognosis are T4 and T3 tumours with more than 5 mm extramural depth. Thus the success of the trial would depend upon the confidence of the radiologist to identify the patients that would receive the neoadjuvant treatment. The aim of this review is to explain the process of identifying high-risk features seen on the staging CT images. This will help to identify a cohort of patients that could truly benefit from neoadjuvant strategies.

Perinatal supplementation of 4-phenylbutyrate and glutamine attenuates endoplasmic reticulum stress and improves colonic epithelial barrier function in rats born with intrauterine growth restriction.

Science.gov (United States)

Désir-Vigné, Axel; Haure-Mirande, Vianney; de Coppet, Pierre; Darmaun, Dominique; Le Dréan, Gwenola; Segain, Jean-Pierre

2018-05-01

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) can affect the structure and function of the intestinal barrier and increase digestive disease risk in adulthood. Using the rat model of maternal dietary protein restriction (8% vs. 20%), we found that the colon of IUGR offspring displayed decreased mRNA expression of epithelial barrier proteins MUC2 and occludin during development. This was associated with increased mRNA expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress marker XBP1s and increased colonic permeability measured in Ussing chambers. We hypothesized that ER stress contributes to colonic barrier alterations and that perinatal supplementation of dams with ER stress modulators, phenylbutyrate and glutamine (PG) could prevent these defects in IUGR offspring. We first demonstrated that ER stress induction by tunicamycin or thapsigargin increased the permeability of rat colonic tissues mounted in Ussing chamber and that PG treatment prevented this effect. Therefore, we supplemented the diet of control and IUGR dams with PG during gestation and lactation. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and histological analysis of colons from 120-day-old offspring revealed that perinatal PG treatment partially prevented the increased expression of ER stress markers but reversed the reduction of crypt depth and goblet cell number in IUGR rats. In dextran sodium sulfate-induced injury and recovery experiments, the colon of IUGR rats without perinatal PG treatment showed higher XBP1s mRNA levels and histological scores of inflammation than IUGR rats with perinatal PG treatment. In conclusion, these data suggest that perinatal supplementation with PG could alleviate ER stress and prevent epithelial barrier dysfunction in IUGR offspring. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification of colonic fibroblast secretomes reveals secretory factors regulating colon cancer cell proliferation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sun-Xia; Xu, Xiao-En; Wang, Xiao-Qing; Cui, Shu-Jian; Xu, Lei-Lei; Jiang, Ying-Hua; Zhang, Yang; Yan, Hai-Bo; Zhang, Qian; Qiao, Jie; Yang, Peng-Yuan; Liu, Feng

2014-10-14

Stromal microenvironment influences tumor cell proliferation and migration. Fibroblasts represent the most abundant stromal constituents. Here, we established two pairs of normal fibroblast (NF) and cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) cultures from colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues and the normal counterparts. The NFs and CAFs were stained positive for typical fibroblast markers and inhibited colon cancer (CC) cell proliferation in in vitro cocultures and in xenograft mouse models. The fibroblast conditioned media were analyzed using LC-MS and 227 proteins were identified at a false discovery rate of 1.3%, including 131 putative secretory and 20 plasma membrane proteins. These proteins were enriched for functional categories of extracellular matrix, adhesion, cell motion, inflammatory response, redox homeostasis and peptidase inhibitor. Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine, transgelin, follistatin-related protein 1 (FSTL1) and decorin was abundant in the fibroblast secretome as confirmed by Western blot. Silencing of FSTL1 and transgelin in colonic fibroblast cell line CCD-18Co induced an accelerated proliferation of CC cells in cocultures. Exogenous FSTL1 attenuates CC cell proliferation in a negative fashion. FSTL1 was upregulated in CC patient plasma and cancerous tissues but had no implication in prognosis. Our results provided novel insights into the molecular signatures and modulatory role of CC associated fibroblasts. In this study, a label-free LC-MS was performed to analyze the secretomes of two paired primary fibroblasts, which were isolated from fresh surgical specimen of colorectal adenocarcinoma and adjacent normal colonic tissues and exhibited negative modulatory activity for colon cancer cell growth in in vitro cocultures and in vivo xenograph mouse models. Follistatin-related protein 1 was further revealed to be one of the stroma-derived factors of potential suppression role for colon cancer cell proliferation. Our results provide novel

Modelling aggregate domestic electricity demand in Ghana: An autoregressive distributed lag bounds cointegration approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adom, Philip Kofi; Bekoe, William; Akoena, Sesi Kutri Komla

2012-01-01

In spite of the varying supply boosting efforts made by various governments to deal with the existing demand–supply gap in the electricity sector, the incessant growth in aggregate domestic electricity demand has made these efforts futile. As an objective, this paper attempts to identify the factors responsible for the historical growth trends in aggregate domestic electricity demand quantifying their effects both in the short-run and long-run periods using the ARDL Bounds cointegration approach and the sample period 1975 to 2005. In the long-run, real per capita GDP, industry efficiency, structural changes in the economy, and degree of urbanisation are identified as the main driving force behind the historical growth trend in aggregate domestic electricity demand. However, in the short-run, real per capita GDP, industry efficiency, and degree of urbanisation are the main drivers of aggregate domestic electricity demand. Industry efficiency is the only factor that drives aggregate domestic electricity demand downwards. However, the negative efficiency effect is insufficient to have outweighed the positive income, output, and demographic effects, hence the continual growth in aggregate domestic electricity demand. As a policy option, we recommend that appropriate electricity efficiency standards be implemented at the industry level. - Highlights: ► Real per capita GDP is the primary determinant of electricity demand both in the short and long-run. ► Industrial efficiency, structural changes and urbanisation rate play secondary role. ► The positive income, output, and demographic effects outweigh the negative efficiency effects.

Overexpression of UbcH10 alternates the cell cycle profile and accelerate the tumor proliferation in colon cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatoh Shinji

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background UbcH10 participates in proper metaphase to anaphase transition, and abrogation of UbcH10 results in the premature separation of sister chromatids. To assess the potential role of UbcH10 in colon cancer progression, we analyzed the clinicopathological relevance of UbcH10 in colon cancer. Methods We firstly screened the expression profile of UbcH10 in various types of cancer tissues as well as cell lines. Thereafter, using the colon cancer cells line, we manipulated the expression of UbcH10 and evaluated the cell cycle profile and cellular proliferations. Furthermore, the clinicopathological significance of UbcH10 was immunohistologically evaluated in patients with colon cancer. Statistical analysis was performed using the student's t-test and Chi-square test. Results Using the colon cancer cells, depletion of UbcH10 resulted in suppression of cellular growth whereas overexpression of UbcH10 promoted the cellular growth and oncogenic cellular growth. Mitotic population was markedly alternated by the manipulation of UbcH10 expression. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that UbcH10 was significantly higher in colon cancer tissue compared with normal colon epithelia. Furthermore, the clinicopathological evaluation revealed that UbcH10 was associated with high-grade histological tumors. Conclusion The results show the clinicopathological significance of UbcH10 in the progression of colon cancer. Thus UbcH10 may act as a novel biomarker in patients with colon cancer.

Study of Endothelin-1 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Patients with Cancer Colon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ABDEL-GAWAD, I.A.; HASSANEIN, H.M.R.; BAHGAT, N.A.; ABDEL SATTAR, M.A.; EL-SISSY, A.H.; ALTAWEEL, M.A.; HELAL, A.M.

2008-01-01

Purpose: The levels of endothelin-1 and VEGF were evaluated in the sera of newly diagnosed patients with cancer colon and were compared with the routinely used tumor markers; CEA and CA19.9. Their relations with some prognostic factors of cancer colon were also investigated. Subjects and Methods: The study included 48 patients with cancer colon and 20 apparently healthy volunteers as a control group. Patients were 23 males and 25 females with age range from 18 to 71 years (mean = 47±1.8). Both serum and plasma samples were obtained from patients and controls. Results: Six percent of patients had grade 1 tumors, 77% had grade 2 and 17% had grade 3 disease. As regard to the stage, 52% of patients were stage II, 35.5% were stage III, while 12.5% were stage IV. Liver metastasis was present in 12.5%, while 35% showed lymph node metastasis. The VEGF, endothelin-1, CA 19.9 and CEA were significantly higher in the cancer colon patients than in control groups (p-value <0.001, 0.006, <0.001 and <0.001; respectively). Plasma level of endothelin-1 and serum level of VEGF showed significantly higher levels in advanced stages of the disease (p value <0 .001) and in presence of liver metastasis (p value <0.001 and 0.002 respectively), while VEGF showed significant result when compared with the grade (p value=0.032). In this study, when comparing the levels of plasma endothelin-1 and serum VEGF between the metastatic, non-metastatic liver patients of the cancer colon group and the control group, the comparison was statistically significant for both markers (p<0.001). Endothelin-1 and VEGF showed significant positive correlation (r=0.77 and p-value <0.0001). Serum VEGF and CA 19.9 showed good sensitivities which were not different (97.9% and 87.5%; respectively), while there was no significant difference between VEGF, CA 19.9 and CEA with respect to specificities (100%, 90% and 100% respectively). Conclusion: Both endothelin-1 and VEGF may be used for early detection of liver

IL33 Promotes Colon Cancer Cell Stemness via JNK Activation and Macrophage Recruitment

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Min; Li, Yongkui; Huang, Kai; Qi, Shanshan; Zhang, Jian; Zgodzinski, Witold; Majewski, Marek; Wallner, Grzegorz; Gozdz, Stanislaw; Macek, Pawel; Kowalik, Artur; Pasiarski, Marcin; Grywalska, Ewelina; Vatan, Linda; Nagarsheth, Nisha; Li, Wei; Zhao, Lili; Kryczek, Ilona; Wang, Guobin; Wang, Zheng; Zou, Weiping; Wang, Lin

2018-01-01

The expression and biological role of IL33 in colon cancer is poorly understood. In this study, we show that IL33 is expressed by vascular endothelial cells and tumor cells in the human colon cancer microenvironment. Administration of human IL33 and overexpression of murine IL33 enhanced human and murine colon cancer cell growth in vivo, respectively. IL33 stimulated cell sphere formation and prevented chemotherapy-induced tumor apoptosis. Mechanistically, IL33 activated core stem cell genes NANOG, NOTCH3, and OCT3/4 via the ST2 signaling pathway, and induced phosphorylation of c-Jun N terminal kinase (JNK) activation and enhanced binding of c-Jun to the promoters of the core stem cell genes. Moreover, IL33 recruited macrophages into the cancer microenvironment and stimulated them to produce prostaglandin E2, which supported colon cancer stemness and tumor growth. Clinically, tumor IL33 expression associated with poor survival in patients with metastatic colon cancer. Thus, IL33 dually targets tumor cells and macrophages and endows stem-like qualities to colon cancer cells to promote carcinogenesis. Collectively, our work reveals an immune-associated mechanism that extrinsically confers cancer cell stemness properties. Targeting the IL33 signaling pathway may offer an opportunity to treat patients with metastatic cancer. PMID:28249897

Malokoplaki i colon behandlet med sulfamethizol og trimetoprim

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Mikkel; Knuhtsen, Svend; Knudsen, Elisabeth

2011-01-01

. Colonoscopy showed macroscopic yellowish nodular changes throughout the colon. Biopsies were diagnostic for malacoplakia and exhibited moderate growth of Escherichia faecium and ciprofloxacin-resistant Escherichia coli. The condition resolved during three months of antibiotic treatment with sulfamethizole...

Does it Matter How to Measure Aggregates?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beyer, Andreas; Juselius, Katarina

Beyer, Doornik and Hendry (2000, 2001) show analytically that three out of four aggregation methods yield problematic results when exchange rate shifts induce relative-price changes between individual countries and found the least problematic method to be the variable weight method of growth rate...... the impact on the cointegration properties in empirical modelling, the monetary model in Coenen & Vega (2001) based on fixed weights was re-estimated using flexible real and nominal GDP weights. In general, the results remained reasonably robust to the choice of aggregation method...

Capecitabine treatment of HCT-15 colon cancer cells induces ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

HCT-15 cells caused condensation of DNA and induced apoptosis in a concentration- ... Conclusion: Capecitabine treatment causes inhibition of colon cancer growth via the mitochondrial ... fluoropyrimidine aimed to selectively transfer 5-.

Growth-inhibitory effects of a mineralized extract from the red marine algae, Lithothamnion calcareum, on Ca(2+)-sensitive and Ca(2+)-resistant human colon carcinoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Aslam, Muhammad Nadeem; Bhagavathula, Narasimharao; Paruchuri, Tejaswi; Hu, Xin; Chakrabarty, Subhas; Varani, James

2009-10-08

Proliferation and differentiation were assessed in a series of human colon carcinoma cell lines in response to a mineral-rich extract derived from the red marine algae, Lithothamnion calcareum. The extract contains 12% Ca2+, 1% Mg2+, and detectable amounts of 72 trace elements, but essentially no organic material. The red algae extract was as effective as inorganic Ca2+ alone in suppressing growth and inducing differentiation of colon carcinoma cells that are responsive to a physiological level of extracellular Ca2+ (1.4mM). However, with cells that are resistant to Ca2+ alone, the extract was still able to reduce proliferation and stimulate differentiation.

Growth-inhibitory effects of a mineralized extract from the red marine algae, Lithothamnion calcareum, on Ca2+-sensitive and Ca2+-resistant human colon carcinoma cells

Science.gov (United States)

Nadeem Aslam, Muhammad; Bhagavathula, Narasimharao; Paruchuri, Tejaswi; Hu, Xin; Chakrabarty, Subhas; Varani, James

2009-01-01

Proliferation and differentiation were assessed in a series of human colon carcinoma cell lines in response to a mineral-rich extract derived from the red marine algae, Lithothamnion calcareum. The extract contains 12% Ca2+, 1% Mg2+, and detectable amounts of 72 trace elements, but essentially no organic material. The red algae extract was as effective as inorganic Ca2+ alone in suppressing growth and inducing differentiation of colon carcinoma cells that are responsive to a physiological level of extracellular Ca2+ (1.4 mM). However, with cells that are resistant to Ca2+ alone, the extract was still able to reduce proliferation and stimulate differentiation. PMID:19394137

Secure Data Aggregation Protocol for M2M Communications

Science.gov (United States)

2015-03-24

IoTs ): Models, Algorithms, and Implementations, accepted Title: “ Privacy -Preserving Time-Series Data Aggregation for Internet of Things ” Date...public release; distribution is unlimited. (5) Privacy -Preserving Time-Series Data Aggregation for Internet of Things Abstract In recent years, the...networking and collaboration among various devices has experienced tremendous growth. To adapt to the trend, the concept of Internet of Things ( IoT

The importance of amino sugar turnover to C and N cycling in organic horizons of old-growth Douglas-fir forest soils colonized by ectomycorrhizal mats

Science.gov (United States)

L. Zeglin; L.A. Kluber; D.D. Myrold

2012-01-01

Amino sugar dynamics represent an important but under-investigated component of the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles in old-growth Douglas-fir forest soils. Because fungal biomass is high in these soils, particularly in areas colonized by rhizomorphic ectomycorrhizal fungal mats, organic matter derived from chitinous cell wall material (or the monomeric building...

Inhibitory Effects of Probiotic Lactobacillus on the Growth of Human Colonic Carcinoma Cell Line HT-29.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhung-Yuan; Hsieh, You-Miin; Huang, Chun-Chih; Tsai, Cheng-Chih

2017-01-10

This study was conducted to investigate the inhibitory effect of Lactobacillus cells and supernatants on the growth of the human colon cancer cell line HT-29. Our study results indicated that the PM153 strain exhibits the best adhesion ability and the highest survival in the gastrointestinal tract simulation experiment. Furthermore, after an 8-h co-culture of PM153 and HT-29 cells, the PM153 strain can induce the secretion of nitric oxide from the HT-29 cells. In addition, after the co-culture of the BCRC17010 strain (10⁸ cfu/mL) and HT-29 cells, the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in the HT-29 cells was 1.19, which showed a significant difference from the other control and LAB groups ( p strain exerts a pro-apoptotic effect on the HT-29 cells. Upon co-culture with HT-29 cells for 4, 8 and 12 h, the BCRC14625 strain (10⁸ cfu/mL) demonstrated a significant increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity ( p strains have ability to inhibit the growth of the colorectal cancer cell line HT-29 Bax/Bcl-2 pathway or NO production. In summary, we demonstrated that the BCRC17010 strain, good abilities of adhesion and increased LDH release, was the best probiotic potential for inhibition of HT-29 growth amongst the seven LAB strains tested in vitro.

EGFR regulation of colon cancer stem-like cells during aging and in response to the colonic carcinogen dimethylhydrazine.

Science.gov (United States)

Nautiyal, Jyoti; Du, Jianhua; Yu, Yingjie; Kanwar, Shailender S; Levi, Edi; Majumdar, Adhip P N

2012-04-01

One of the most consistent pathological conditions in the gastrointestinal tract with advancing age is malignancy, particularly gastrointestinal cancers, the incidence of which increases sharply with aging. Although the reasons for the age-related rise in colorectal cancer are not fully understood, we hypothesize that aging increases susceptibility of the colon to carcinogen(s)/toxicant(s), leading to an increase in cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs) that express cancer stem cell markers, in the colonic mucosa. The current study demonstrates that aging is associated with increased expression of several colon CSLC markers [CD44, CD166, and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH-1)] and a higher proportion of cells expressing these markers. Aging is also accompanied by increased expression of miR-21 in colon. These increases are further increased in response to the colonic carcinogen dimethylhydrazine (DMH). Aging is also associated with increased tyrosine-phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Inhibition of EGFR using the EGFR inhibitor cetuximab abrogated the age-related increase in CD166 and ALDH-1 as well as miRNA (miR)-21. Our results provide new evidence that aging and DMH are associated with increases in CSLC biomarkers and miR21, each of which have been linked to colorectal cancer. EGFR inhibition attenuates these changes, indicating a role for EGFR in age- and mutagen-associated changes in CSLCs.

Ecology of root colonizing Massilia (Oxalobacteraceae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maya Ofek

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Ecologically meaningful classification of bacterial populations is essential for understanding the structure and function of bacterial communities. As in soils, the ecological strategy of the majority of root-colonizing bacteria is mostly unknown. Among those are Massilia (Oxalobacteraceae, a major group of rhizosphere and root colonizing bacteria of many plant species. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The ecology of Massilia was explored in cucumber root and seed, and compared to that of Agrobacterium population, using culture-independent tools, including DNA-based pyrosequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization and quantitative real-time PCR. Seed- and root-colonizing Massilia were primarily affiliated with other members of the genus described in soil and rhizosphere. Massilia colonized and proliferated on the seed coat, radicle, roots, and also on hyphae of phytopathogenic Pythium aphanidermatum infecting seeds. High variation in Massilia abundance was found in relation to plant developmental stage, along with sensitivity to plant growth medium modification (amendment with organic matter and potential competitors. Massilia absolute abundance and relative abundance (dominance were positively related, and peaked (up to 85% at early stages of succession of the root microbiome. In comparison, variation in abundance of Agrobacterium was moderate and their dominance increased at later stages of succession. CONCLUSIONS: In accordance with contemporary models for microbial ecology classification, copiotrophic and competition-sensitive root colonization by Massilia is suggested. These bacteria exploit, in a transient way, a window of opportunity within the succession of communities within this niche.

Ecology of root colonizing Massilia (Oxalobacteraceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Ofek, Maya; Hadar, Yitzhak; Minz, Dror

2012-01-01

Ecologically meaningful classification of bacterial populations is essential for understanding the structure and function of bacterial communities. As in soils, the ecological strategy of the majority of root-colonizing bacteria is mostly unknown. Among those are Massilia (Oxalobacteraceae), a major group of rhizosphere and root colonizing bacteria of many plant species. The ecology of Massilia was explored in cucumber root and seed, and compared to that of Agrobacterium population, using culture-independent tools, including DNA-based pyrosequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization and quantitative real-time PCR. Seed- and root-colonizing Massilia were primarily affiliated with other members of the genus described in soil and rhizosphere. Massilia colonized and proliferated on the seed coat, radicle, roots, and also on hyphae of phytopathogenic Pythium aphanidermatum infecting seeds. High variation in Massilia abundance was found in relation to plant developmental stage, along with sensitivity to plant growth medium modification (amendment with organic matter) and potential competitors. Massilia absolute abundance and relative abundance (dominance) were positively related, and peaked (up to 85%) at early stages of succession of the root microbiome. In comparison, variation in abundance of Agrobacterium was moderate and their dominance increased at later stages of succession. In accordance with contemporary models for microbial ecology classification, copiotrophic and competition-sensitive root colonization by Massilia is suggested. These bacteria exploit, in a transient way, a window of opportunity within the succession of communities within this niche.

Sustainability: A Tedious Path to Galactic Colonization

OpenAIRE

Dutil, Y.; Dumas, S.

2007-01-01

Civilization cannot sustain an exponential growth for long time even when neglecting numerous laws of physics! In this paper, we examine what are fundamental obstacles to long term survival of a civilization and its possibility to colonize the Galaxy. Using the solar system as a reference, resources available for sustained growth are analyzed. Using this information, we will explore the probability of discovering a civilization at its different stage of energy evolution as estimating some pos...

Effects of humic substances on precipitation and aggregation of zinc sulfide nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Deonarine, Amrika; Lau, Boris L.T.; Aiken, George R.; Ryan, Joseph N.; Hsu-Kim, Heileen

2011-01-01

Nanoparticulate metal sulfides such as ZnS can influence the transport and bioavailability of pollutant metals in anaerobic environments. The aim of this work was to investigate how the composition of dissolved natural organic matter (NOM) influences the stability of zinc sulfide nanoparticles as they nucleate and aggregate in water with dissolved NOM. We compared NOM fractions that were isolated from several surface waters and represented a range of characteristics including molecular weight, type of carbon, and ligand density. Dynamic light scattering was employed to monitor the growth and aggregation of Zn−S−NOM nanoparticles in supersaturated solutions containing dissolved aquatic humic substances. The NOM was observed to reduce particle growth rates, depending on solution variables such as type and concentration of NOM, monovalent electrolyte concentration, and pH. The rates of growth increased with increasing ionic strength, indicating that observed growth rates primarily represented aggregation of charged Zn−S−NOM particles. Furthermore, the observed rates decreased with increasing molecular weight and aromatic content of the NOM fractions, while carboxylate and reduced sulfur content had little effect. Differences between NOM were likely due to properties that increased electrosteric hindrances for aggregation. Overall, results of this study suggest that the composition and source of NOM are key factors that contribute to the stabilization and persistence of zinc sulfide nanoparticles in the aquatic environment.

Phenotypes of Non-Attached Pseudomonas aeruginosa Aggregates Resemble Surface Attached Biofilm

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alhede, Morten; Kragh, Kasper Nørskov; Qvortrup, Klaus

2011-01-01

For a chronic infection to be established, bacteria must be able to cope with hostile conditions such as low iron levels, oxidative stress, and clearance by the host defense, as well as antibiotic treatment. It is generally accepted that biofilm formation facilitates tolerance to these adverse......, RT-PCR as well as traditional culturing techniques to study the properties of Pseudomonas aeruginosa aggregates. We found that non-attached aggregates from stationary-phase cultures have comparable growth rates to surface attached biofilms. The growth rate estimations indicated that, independently...... were also found to be strikingly similar to flow-cell biofilms. Our data indicate that the tolerance of both biofilms and non-attached aggregates towards antibiotics is reversible by physical disruption. We provide evidence that the antibiotic tolerance is likely to be dependent on both...

A Case of Sigmoid Colon Tuberculosis Mimicking Colon Cancer

OpenAIRE

Yu, Seong-Min; Park, Jong-Hwan; Kim, Min-Dae; Lee, Hee-Ryong; Jung, Peel; Ryu, Tae-Hyun; Choi, Seung-Ho; Lee, Il-Seon

2012-01-01

Tuberculosis of the sigmoid colon is a rare disorder. An 80-year-old man visited Bongseng Memorial Hospital for medical examination. A colonoscopy was performed, and a lesion in the sigmoid colon that was suspected to be colon cancer was found. A biopsy was performed, and tuberculous enteritis with chronic granulomatous inflammation was diagnosed. Intestinal tuberculosis is most frequent in the ileocecal area, followed by the ascending colon, transverse colon, duodenum, stomach, and sigmoid c...

Self-construction of core-shell and hollow zeolite analcime icositetrahedra: a reversed crystal growth process via oriented aggregation of nanocrystallites and recrystallization from surface to core.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xueying; Qiao, Minghua; Xie, Songhai; Fan, Kangnian; Zhou, Wuzong; He, Heyong

2007-10-31

Zeolite analcime with a core-shell and hollow icositetrahedron architecture was prepared by a one-pot hydrothermal route in the presence of ethylamine and Raney Ni. Detailed investigations on samples at different preparation stages revealed that the growth of the complex single crystalline geometrical structure did not follow the classic crystal growth route, i.e., a crystal with a highly symmetric morphology (such as polyhedra) is normally developed by attachment of atoms or ions to a nucleus. A reversed crystal growth process through oriented aggregation of nanocrystallites and surface recrystallization was observed. The whole process can be described by the following four successive steps. (1) Primary analcime nanoplatelets undergo oriented aggregation to yield discus-shaped particles. (2) These disci further assemble into polycrystalline microspheres. (3) The relatively large platelets grow into nanorods by consuming the smaller ones, and meanwhile, the surface of the microspheres recrystallizes into a thin single crystalline icositetrahedral shell via Ostwald ripening. (4) Recrystallization continues from the surface to the core at the expense of the nanorods, and the thickness of the monocrystalline shell keeps on increasing until all the nanorods are consumed, leading to hollow single crystalline analcime icositetrahedra. The present work adds new useful information for the understanding of the principles of zeolite growth.

A Decentralized Model for Coordinated Operation of Distribution Network and EV Aggregators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mohiti, Maryam; Mazidi, Mohammadreza; Monsef, Hassan

2018-01-01

With the rapid growth of electrical vehicles (EVs) in distribution networks (DNs), EV aggregators have been introduced as mediators between these two entities. EV aggregators and DN should be operated coordinately to bring potential benefits to both sides. In this paper, a decentralized model...

Treatment of colon cancer with oncolytic herpes simplex virus in preclinical models.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, H; Peng, T; Li, J; Wang, Y; Zhang, W; Zhang, P; Peng, S; Du, T; Li, Y; Yan, Q; Liu, B

2016-05-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are a rare population in any type of cancer, including colon cancer, are tumorigenic and responsible for cancer recurrence and metastasis. CSCs have been isolated from a number of different solid tumors recently, although the isolation of CSCs in colon cancer is still challenging. We cultured colon cancer cells in stem cell medium to obtain colonosphere cells. These cells possessed the characteristics of CSCs, with a high capacity of tumorigenicity, migration and invasion in vitro and in vivo. The isolation and identification of CSCs have provided new targets for the therapeutics. Oncolytic herpes simplex viruses (oHSV) are an effective strategy for killing colon cancer cells in preclinical models. Here, we examined the efficacy of an oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 2 (oHSV2) in killing colon cancer cells and colon cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs). oHSV2 was found to be highly cytotoxic to the adherent and sphere cells in vitro, and oHSV2 treatment in vivo significantly inhibited tumor growth. This study demonstrates that oHSV2 is effective against colon cancer cells and colon CSLCs and could be a promising strategy for treating colon cancer patients.

[The influence of colonizing methylobacteria on morphogenesis and resistance of sugar beet and white cabbage plants to Erwinia carotovora].

Science.gov (United States)

Pigoleva, S V; Zakharchenko, N S; Pigolev, A V; Trotsenko, Iu A; Bur'ianov, Ia I

2009-01-01

The influence of colonization of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris var. saccharifera (Alef) Krass) and white cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) plants by methylotrophic bacteria Methylovorus mays on the growth, rooting, and plant resistance to phytopathogen bacteria Erwinia carotovora was investigated. The colonization by methylobacteria led to their steady association with the plants which had increased growth speed, root formation and photosynthetic activity. The colonized plants had increased resistance to Erwinia carotovora phytopathogen and were better adapted to greenhouse conditions. The obtained results showed the perspectives for the practical implementation of methylobacteria in the ecologically clean microbiology substances used as the plant growth stimulators and for the plant protection from pathogens.

Simulation of the process of the forest colonization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angel, Enrique; Zambrano, Ana Maria; Villegas P, Clara Ines

1998-01-01

A mathematic model was developed, using system's dynamic, in order to simulate the forest colonization process, taking in consideration variables as the birth and mortality rates in the country sites, the annual income, the migrations of population associated to the economic growth, the available areas for colonization and the technologic cycles of the newly prepared parcel of land. The model is composed by three basic cycles: men in productive age, productive units and available forest, connected through demographic and economic variables. Using several possible scenarios, such as road construction, economic growth due to an exceptional harvest, change in minimum wages in the country, it has been found that the model results coincide with those in the references. This model allows analyzing the influence of several economic policies such as changes in wages, birth control or the prosecution of illegal plantations, on the total area of remaining forest in a specific region

CacyBP/SIP promotes the proliferation of colon cancer cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huihong Zhai

Full Text Available CacyBP/SIP is a component of the ubiquitin pathway and is overexpressed in several transformed tumor tissues, including colon cancer, which is one of the most common cancers worldwide. It is unknown whether CacyBP/SIP promotes the proliferation of colon cancer cells. This study examined the expression level, subcellular localization, and binding activity of CacyBP/SIP in human colon cancer cells in the presence and absence of the hormone gastrin. We found that CacyBP/SIP was expressed in a high percentage of colon cancer cells, but not in normal colonic surface epithelium. CacyBP/SIP promoted the cell proliferation of colon cancer cells under both basal and gastrin stimulated conditions as shown by knockdown studies. Gastrin stimulation triggered the translocation of CacyBP/SIP to the nucleus, and enhanced interaction between CacyBP/SIP and SKP1, a key component of ubiquitination pathway which further mediated the proteasome-dependent degradation of p27kip1 protein. The gastrin induced reduction in p27kip1 was prevented when cells were treated with the proteasome inhibitor MG132. These results suggest that CacyBP/SIP may be promoting growth of colon cancer cells by enhancing ubiquitin-mediated degradation of p27kip1.

Optimising cell aggregate expansion in a perfused hollow fibre bioreactor via mathematical modelling.

KAUST Repository

Chapman, Lloyd A C; Shipley, Rebecca J; Whiteley, Jonathan P; Ellis, Marianne J; Byrne, Helen M; Waters, Sarah L

2014-01-01

, the higher fluid shear stress can lead to cell death. For a given cell type and initial aggregate distribution, the operating parameters that give the most rapid overall growth can be identified from simulations. For example, when aggregates of rat

Shaping the growth behaviour of biofilms initiated from bacterial aggregates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melaugh, Gavin; Hutchison, Jaime; Kragh, Kasper Nørskov

2016-01-01

Bacterial biofilms are usually assumed to originate from individual cells deposited on a surface. However, many biofilm-forming bacteria tend to aggregate in the planktonic phase so that it is possible that many natural and infectious biofilms originate wholly or partially from pre-formed cell ag...

Structural transition models for a class or irreversible aggregates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canessa, E.

1995-02-01

A progress report on two recent theoretical approaches proposed to understand the physics of irreversible fractal aggregates showing up a structural transition from a rather dense to a more multibranched growth is presented. In the first approach the transition is understood by solving the Poisson equation on a squared lattice. The second approach is based on the discretization of the Biharmonic equation. Within these models the transition appears when the growth velocity at the fractal surface presents a minimum. The effects of the surrounding medium and geometrical constraints for the seed particles are considered. By using the optical diffraction method, the structural transition is further characterized by a decrease in the fractal dimension for this peculiar class of aggregates. (author). 17 refs, 4 figs

Aggregate Energy Consumption and Sectoral Output in Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

First Lady

2012-10-27

Oct 27, 2012 ... 2005); or from economic growth to aggregate energy consumption (Binh,. 2011; Yoo and Kim, ... in order identify sectors of the economy that are energy dependent and also to avoid energy ..... in Indonesia. Energy Policy ...

The Heparanase Inhibitor PG545 Attenuates Colon Cancer Initiation and Growth, Associating with Increased p21 Expression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Preeti Singh

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Heparanase activity is highly implicated in cellular invasion and tumor metastasis, a consequence of cleavage of heparan sulfate and remodeling of the extracellular matrix underlying epithelial and endothelial cells. Heparanase expression is rare in normal epithelia, but is often induced in tumors, associated with increased tumor metastasis and poor prognosis. In addition, heparanase induction promotes tumor growth, but the molecular mechanism that underlines tumor expansion by heparanase is still incompletely understood. Here, we provide evidence that heparanase down regulates the expression of p21 (WAF1/CIP1, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor that attenuates the cell cycle. Notably, a reciprocal effect was noted for PG545, a potent heparanase inhibitor. This compound efficiently reduced cell proliferation, colony formation, and tumor xenograft growth, associating with a marked increase in p21 expression. Utilizing the APC Min+/− mouse model, we show that heparanase expression and activity are increased in small bowel polyps, whereas polyp initiation and growth were significantly inhibited by PG545, again accompanied by a prominent induction of p21 levels. Down-regulation of p21 expression adds a novel feature for the emerging pro-tumorigenic properties of heparanase, while the potent p21 induction and anti-tumor effect of PG545 lends optimism that it would prove an efficacious therapeutic in colon carcinoma patients.

Soil aggregate stability as an indicator for eco-engineering effectiveness?

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, Frank

2015-04-01

Eco-engineering aims at stabilising soil and slopes by applying technical and biological measures. Engineering structures are commonly well defined, immediately usable and operative, and their stability effects quantifiable and verifiable. Differently, the use of plants requires more restrictive boundary conditions and the protection potential is rarely easily calculable and develop-ing as a function of growth rate. Although the use of vegetation is widely appreciated and their stabilising effect recognised, there is an increasing demand on sound facts on its efficiency, in particular, in relation to time. Conclusively, a certain necessity has been recognised to monitor, assess and quantify the effectiveness of ecological restora-tion measures in order to facilitate the transfer of technology and knowledge. Recent theoretical models emphasize the im-portance of taking an integrated monitoring approach that considers multiple variables. However, limited financial and time resources often prevent such comprehensive assessments. A solution to this problem may be to use integrated indicators that reflect multiple aspects and, therefore, allow extensive information on ecosystem status to be gathered in a relatively short time. Among various other indicators, such as fractal dimension of soil particle size distribution or microbiological parameters, soil aggregate stability seems the most appropriate indicator with regard to protecting slopes from superficial soil failure as it is critical to both plant growth and soil structure. Soil aggregation processes play a crucial role in re-establishing soil structure and function and, conclusively, for successful and sustainable re-colonisation. Whereas the key role of soil aggregate stability in ecosystem functioning is well known concerning water, gas, and nutrient fluxes, only limited information is available with regard to soil mechanical and geotechnical aspects. Correspondingly, in the last couple of years several studies

Radiosensitization effects of sorafenib on colon cancer cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Eun Ho; Kim, Mi-Sook; Jung, Won-Gyun; Jeong, Youn Kyoung [Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-11-15

Radiotherapy is a standard therapy in the adjuvant treatment of resected colon and rectum cancers, and its combination with chemotherapy has been shown to reduce local failure and distant metastasis still further, thereby improving the outcome of treatment. One potential chemotherapeutic agent for this, sorafenib (Nexavar, BAY43-9006), is an oral multikinase inhibitor that blocks tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis, and induces tumor cell apoptosis by inhibiting serine/threonine kinases (c-RAF and mutant and wild-type BRAF) as well as the receptor tyrosine kinases vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and 3 (VEGFR2 and VEGFR3), platelet- derived growth factor receptor , FLT3, and c-KIT. Sorafenib is currently used in clinics to treat patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and thyroid cancer. These findings provide a molecular evidence base for the use of chemoradiation to treat colon cancer, and in vivo modeling should be used to further assess its suitability for clinical applications.

Strawberry-Tree Honey Induces Growth Inhibition of Human Colon Cancer Cells and Increases ROS Generation: A Comparison with Manuka Honey.

Science.gov (United States)

Afrin, Sadia; Forbes-Hernandez, Tamara Y; Gasparrini, Massimiliano; Bompadre, Stefano; Quiles, José L; Sanna, Gavino; Spano, Nadia; Giampieri, Francesca; Battino, Maurizio

2017-03-11

Honey is a natural product known to modulate several biological activities including cancer. The aim of the present study was to examine the phytochemical content and the antioxidant activity of Strawberry tree ( Arbutus unedo ) honey (STH) and its cytotoxic properties against human colon adenocarcinoma (HCT-116) and metastatic (LoVo) cell lines in comparison with Manuka ( Leptospermum scoparium ) honey (MH). Several unifloral STH and MH were analyzed for their phenolic, flavonoid, amino acid and protein contents, as well as their radical scavenging activities. STH from the Berchidda area showed the highest amount of phenolic, flavonoid, amino acid and protein content, and antioxidant capacity compared to MH. Both STH and MH induced cytotoxicity and cell death in a dose- and time-dependent manner in HCT-116 and LoVo cells, with less toxicity on non-cancer cells. Compared to MH, STH showed more effect at lower concentrations on HCT-116 and LoVo cells. In addition, both honeys increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. In HCT-116 cells, STH and MH induced similar ROS production but in LoVo cells STH induced a higher percentage of ROS compared to MH. Our results indicate that STH and MH can induce cell growth inhibition and ROS generation in colon adenocarcinoma and metastatic cells, which could be due to the presence of phytochemicals with antioxidant properties. These preliminary results are interesting and suggest a potential chemopreventive action which could be useful for further studies in order to develop chemopreventive agents for colon cancer.

Strawberry-Tree Honey Induces Growth Inhibition of Human Colon Cancer Cells and Increases ROS Generation: A Comparison with Manuka Honey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadia Afrin

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Honey is a natural product known to modulate several biological activities including cancer. The aim of the present study was to examine the phytochemical content and the antioxidant activity of Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo honey (STH and its cytotoxic properties against human colon adenocarcinoma (HCT-116 and metastatic (LoVo cell lines in comparison with Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium honey (MH. Several unifloral STH and MH were analyzed for their phenolic, flavonoid, amino acid and protein contents, as well as their radical scavenging activities. STH from the Berchidda area showed the highest amount of phenolic, flavonoid, amino acid and protein content, and antioxidant capacity compared to MH. Both STH and MH induced cytotoxicity and cell death in a dose- and time-dependent manner in HCT-116 and LoVo cells, with less toxicity on non-cancer cells. Compared to MH, STH showed more effect at lower concentrations on HCT-116 and LoVo cells. In addition, both honeys increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS generation. In HCT-116 cells, STH and MH induced similar ROS production but in LoVo cells STH induced a higher percentage of ROS compared to MH. Our results indicate that STH and MH can induce cell growth inhibition and ROS generation in colon adenocarcinoma and metastatic cells, which could be due to the presence of phytochemicals with antioxidant properties. These preliminary results are interesting and suggest a potential chemopreventive action which could be useful for further studies in order to develop chemopreventive agents for colon cancer.

Rice Seed Priming with Picomolar Rutin Enhances Rhizospheric Bacillus subtilis CIM Colonization and Plant Growth.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akanksha Singh

Full Text Available The effect of rutin, a bioflavonoid on the growth and biofilm formation of Bacillus subtilis strain CIM was investigated. In addition to swimming, swarming, and twitching potentials of B. subtilis CIM (BS, one picomolar (1 pM of rutin was also observed to boost the biofilm forming ability of the bacterium. Bio-priming of rice seeds with BS and rutin not only augmented root and shoot lengths but also the photosynthetic pigments like chlorophyll and carotenoid. Similarly, high accumulation of phenolic and flavonoid contents was observed in the leaves. Fluorescent microscopic images revealed that BS plus rutin enhanced callose deposition in the leaves. It was also established that the least formation of reactive oxygen species in BS plus rutin treated rice plants was due to higher free radicals scavenging activity and total antioxidant potential. The results highlight chemo attractant nature of BS towards rutin, which by enhancing biofilm formation and root colonization indirectly strengthened the plants' defensive state.

Privacy-Enhanced and Multifunctional Health Data Aggregation under Differential Privacy Guarantees.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Hao; Li, Hongwei; Liang, Xiaohui; He, Shibo; Dai, Yuanshun; Zhao, Lian

2016-09-10

With the rapid growth of the health data scale, the limited storage and computation resources of wireless body area sensor networks (WBANs) is becoming a barrier to their development. Therefore, outsourcing the encrypted health data to the cloud has been an appealing strategy. However, date aggregation will become difficult. Some recently-proposed schemes try to address this problem. However, there are still some functions and privacy issues that are not discussed. In this paper, we propose a privacy-enhanced and multifunctional health data aggregation scheme (PMHA-DP) under differential privacy. Specifically, we achieve a new aggregation function, weighted average (WAAS), and design a privacy-enhanced aggregation scheme (PAAS) to protect the aggregated data from cloud servers. Besides, a histogram aggregation scheme with high accuracy is proposed. PMHA-DP supports fault tolerance while preserving data privacy. The performance evaluation shows that the proposal leads to less communication overhead than the existing one.

Erosion and the limits to planetesimal growth

Science.gov (United States)

Krijt, S.; Ormel, C. W.; Dominik, C.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.

2015-02-01

Context. The coagulation of microscopic dust into planetesimals is the first step towards the formation of planets. The composition, size, and shape of the growing aggregates determine the efficiency of this early growth. In particular, it has been proposed that fluffy ice aggregates can grow very efficiently in protoplanetary disks, suffering less from the bouncing and radial drift barriers. Aims: While the collision velocity between icy aggregates of similar size is thought to stay below the fragmentation threshold, they may nonetheless lose mass from collisions with much smaller projectiles. As a result, erosive collisions have the potential to terminate the growth of pre-planetesimal bodies. We investigate the effect of these erosive collisions on the ability of porous ice aggregates to cross the radial drift barrier. Methods: We develop a Monte Carlo code that calculates the evolution of the masses and porosities of growing aggregates, while resolving the entire mass distribution at all times. The aggregate's porosity is treated independently of its mass, and is determined by collisional compaction, gas compaction, and eventually self-gravity compaction. We include erosive collisions and study the effect of the erosion threshold velocity on aggregate growth. Results: For erosion threshold velocities of 20-40 m s-1, high-velocity collisions with small projectiles prevent the largest aggregates from growing when they start to drift. In these cases, our local simulations result in a steady-state distribution, with most of the dust mass in particles with Stokes numbers close to unity. Only for the highest erosion threshold considered (60 m s-1) do porous aggregates manage to cross the radial drift barrier in the inner 10 AU of MMSN-like disks. Conclusions: Erosive collisions are more effective in limiting the growth than fragmentary collisions between similar-size particles. Conceivably, erosion limits the growth before the radial drift barrier, although the

Three-Dimensional Spatiotemporal Modeling of Colon Cancer Organoids Reveals that Multimodal Control of Stem Cell Self-Renewal is a Critical Determinant of Size and Shape in Early Stages of Tumor Growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Huaming; Konstorum, Anna; Lowengrub, John S

2018-05-01

We develop a three-dimensional multispecies mathematical model to simulate the growth of colon cancer organoids containing stem, progenitor and terminally differentiated cells, as a model of early (prevascular) tumor growth. Stem cells (SCs) secrete short-range self-renewal promoters (e.g., Wnt) and their long-range inhibitors (e.g., Dkk) and proliferate slowly. Committed progenitor (CP) cells proliferate more rapidly and differentiate to produce post-mitotic terminally differentiated cells that release differentiation promoters, forming negative feedback loops on SC and CP self-renewal. We demonstrate that SCs play a central role in normal and cancer colon organoids. Spatial patterning of the SC self-renewal promoter gives rise to SC clusters, which mimic stem cell niches, around the organoid surface, and drive the development of invasive fingers. We also study the effects of externally applied signaling factors. Applying bone morphogenic proteins, which inhibit SC and CP self-renewal, reduces invasiveness and organoid size. Applying hepatocyte growth factor, which enhances SC self-renewal, produces larger sizes and enhances finger development at low concentrations but suppresses fingers at high concentrations. These results are consistent with recent experiments on colon organoids. Because many cancers are hierarchically organized and are subject to feedback regulation similar to that in normal tissues, our results suggest that in cancer, control of cancer stem cell self-renewal should influence the size and shape in similar ways, thereby opening the door to novel therapies.

Gut microbiota induce IGF-1 and promote bone formation and growth

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Jing; Herzog, Jeremy W.; Tsang, Kelly; Brennan, Caitlin A.; Bower, Maureen A.; Garrett, Wendy S.; Sartor, Balfour R.; Charles, Julia F.

2016-01-01

Appreciation of the role of the gut microbiome in regulating vertebrate metabolism has exploded recently. However, the effects of gut microbiota on skeletal growth and homeostasis have only recently begun to be explored. Here, we report that colonization of sexually mature germ-free (GF) mice with conventional specific pathogen-free (SPF) gut microbiota increases both bone formation and resorption, with the net effect of colonization varying with the duration of colonization. Although colonization of adult mice acutely reduces bone mass, in long-term colonized mice, an increase in bone formation and growth plate activity predominates, resulting in equalization of bone mass and increased longitudinal and radial bone growth. Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a hormone with known actions on skeletal growth, are substantially increased in response to microbial colonization, with significant increases in liver and adipose tissue IGF-1 production. Antibiotic treatment of conventional mice, in contrast, decreases serum IGF-1 and inhibits bone formation. Supplementation of antibiotic-treated mice with short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), products of microbial metabolism, restores IGF-1 and bone mass to levels seen in nonantibiotic-treated mice. Thus, SCFA production may be one mechanism by which microbiota increase serum IGF-1. Our study demonstrates that gut microbiota provide a net anabolic stimulus to the skeleton, which is likely mediated by IGF-1. Manipulation of the microbiome or its metabolites may afford opportunities to optimize bone health and growth. PMID:27821775

Intelligent Aggregation Based on Content Routing Scheme for Cloud Computing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiachen Xu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Cloud computing has emerged as today’s most exciting computing paradigm for providing services using a shared framework, which opens a new door for solving the problems of the explosive growth of digital resource demands and their corresponding convenience. With the exponential growth of the number of data types and data size in so-called big data work, the backbone network is under great pressure due to its transmission capacity, which is lower than the growth of the data size and would seriously hinder the development of the network without an effective approach to solve this problem. In this paper, an Intelligent Aggregation based on a Content Routing (IACR scheme for cloud computing, which could reduce the amount of data in the network effectively and play a basic supporting role in the development of cloud computing, is first put forward. All in all, the main innovations in this paper are: (1 A framework for intelligent aggregation based on content routing is proposed, which can support aggregation based content routing; (2 The proposed IACR scheme could effectively route the high aggregation ratio data to the data center through the same routing path so as to effectively reduce the amount of data that the network transmits. The theoretical analyses experiments and results show that, compared with the previous original routing scheme, the IACR scheme can balance the load of the whole network, reduce the amount of data transmitted in the network by 41.8%, and reduce the transmission time by 31.6% in the same network with a more balanced network load.

The novel HDAC inhibitor AR-42-induced anti-colon cancer cell activity is associated with ceramide production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Weihong; Xu, Bin; Yao, Yiting; Yu, Xiaoling; Shen, Jie

2015-01-01

In the current study, we investigated the potential activity of AR-42, a novel histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, against colon cancer cells. Our in vitro results showed that AR-42 induced ceramide production, exerted potent anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities in established (SW-620 and HCT-116 lines) and primary human colon cancer cells. Exogenously-added sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) suppressed AR-42-induced activity, yet a cell-permeable ceramide (C4) facilitated AR-42-induced cytotoxicity against colon cancer cells. In addition, AR-42-induced ceramide production and anti-colon cancer cell activity were inhibited by the ceramide synthase inhibitor fumonisin B1, but were exacerbated by PDMP, which is a ceramide glucosylation inhibitor. In vivo, oral administration of a single dose of AR-42 dramatically inhibited SW-620 xenograft growth in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice, without inducing overt toxicities. Together, these results show that AR-42 dramatically inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, and ceramide production might be the key mechanism responsible for its actions. - Highlights: • AR-42 is anti-proliferative against primary/established colon cancer cells. • AR-42 induces significant apoptotic death in primary/established colon cancer cells. • Ceramide production mediates AR-42-induced cytotoxicity in colon cancer cells. • AR-42 oral administration potently inhibits SW-620 xenograft growth in SCID mice

The novel HDAC inhibitor AR-42-induced anti-colon cancer cell activity is associated with ceramide production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Weihong; Xu, Bin; Yao, Yiting; Yu, Xiaoling [Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai (China); Shen, Jie, E-mail: tongrensj163@163.com [Department of Administrative, Tongren Hospital, No. 786 Yuyuan Road, Changning District, Shanghai (China)

2015-08-07

In the current study, we investigated the potential activity of AR-42, a novel histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, against colon cancer cells. Our in vitro results showed that AR-42 induced ceramide production, exerted potent anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities in established (SW-620 and HCT-116 lines) and primary human colon cancer cells. Exogenously-added sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) suppressed AR-42-induced activity, yet a cell-permeable ceramide (C4) facilitated AR-42-induced cytotoxicity against colon cancer cells. In addition, AR-42-induced ceramide production and anti-colon cancer cell activity were inhibited by the ceramide synthase inhibitor fumonisin B1, but were exacerbated by PDMP, which is a ceramide glucosylation inhibitor. In vivo, oral administration of a single dose of AR-42 dramatically inhibited SW-620 xenograft growth in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice, without inducing overt toxicities. Together, these results show that AR-42 dramatically inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, and ceramide production might be the key mechanism responsible for its actions. - Highlights: • AR-42 is anti-proliferative against primary/established colon cancer cells. • AR-42 induces significant apoptotic death in primary/established colon cancer cells. • Ceramide production mediates AR-42-induced cytotoxicity in colon cancer cells. • AR-42 oral administration potently inhibits SW-620 xenograft growth in SCID mice.

Efficient and reproducible identification of mismatch repair deficient colon cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Joost, Patrick; Bendahl, Pär-Ola; Halvarsson, Britta

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: The identification of mismatch-repair (MMR) defective colon cancer is clinically relevant for diagnostic, prognostic and potentially also for treatment predictive purposes. Preselection of tumors for MMR analysis can be obtained with predictive models, which need to demonstrate ease...... of application and favorable reproducibility. METHODS: We validated the MMR index for the identification of prognostically favorable MMR deficient colon cancers and compared performance to 5 other prediction models. In total, 474 colon cancers diagnosed ≥ age 50 were evaluated with correlation between...... clinicopathologic variables and immunohistochemical MMR protein expression. RESULTS: Female sex, age ≥60 years, proximal tumor location, expanding growth pattern, lack of dirty necrosis, mucinous differentiation and presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes significantly correlated with MMR deficiency. Presence...

Consumption of lycopene inhibits the growth and progression of colon cancer in a mouse xenograft model

Science.gov (United States)

A previous study indicated that lycopene could significantly inhibit the proliferation of human colon cancer cells in vitro. However, the in vivo anticancer effects of lycopene against colon cancer have not been demonstrated yet. Therefore, this study investigated whether consumption of lycopene cou...

';Best' Practices for Aggregating Subset Results from Archived Datasets

Science.gov (United States)

Baskin, W. E.; Perez, J.

2013-12-01

In response to the exponential growth in science data analysis and visualization capabilities Data Centers have been developing new delivery mechanisms to package and deliver large volumes of aggregated subsets of archived data. New standards are evolving to help data providers and application programmers deal with growing needs of the science community. These standards evolve from the best practices gleaned from new products and capabilities. The NASA Atmospheric Sciences Data Center (ASDC) has developed and deployed production provider-specific search and subset web applications for the CALIPSO, CERES, TES, and MOPITT missions. This presentation explores several use cases that leverage aggregated subset results and examines the standards and formats ASDC developers applied to the delivered files as well as the implementation strategies for subsetting and processing the aggregated products. The following topics will be addressed: - Applications of NetCDF CF conventions to aggregated level 2 satellite subsets - Data-Provider-Specific format requirements vs. generalized standards - Organization of the file structure of aggregated NetCDF subset output - Global Attributes of individual subsetted files vs. aggregated results - Specific applications and framework used for subsetting and delivering derivative data files

NOSH–aspirin (NBS-1120), a novel nitric oxide- and hydrogen sulfide-releasing hybrid is a potent inhibitor of colon cancer cell growth in vitro and in a xenograft mouse model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chattopadhyay, Mitali; Kodela, Ravinder; Olson, Kenneth R.; Kashfi, Khosrow

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► NOSH–aspirin is the first dual acting NO and H 2 S releasing hybrid. ► Its IC 50 for cell growth inhibition is in the low nano-molar range. ► Structure–activity studies show that the sum of the parts does not equal the whole. ► NOSH–aspirin reduced tumor growth by 85% in mice bearing a colon cancer xenograft. -- Abstract: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are prototypical anti-cancer agents. However, their long-term use is associated with adverse gastrointestinal effects. Recognition that endogenous gaseous mediators, nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) can increase mucosal defense mechanisms has led to the development of NO- and H 2 S-releasing NSAIDs with increased safety profiles. Here we report on a new hybrid, NOSH–aspirin, which is an NO- and H 2 S-releasing agent. NOSH–aspirin inhibited HT-29 colon cancer growth with IC 50 s of 45.5 ± 2.5, 19.7 ± 3.3, and 7.7 ± 2.2 nM at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. This is the first NSAID based agent with such high degree of potency. NOSH–aspirin inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and caused G 0 /G 1 cell cycle block. Reconstitution and structure–activity studies representing a fairly close approximation to the intact molecule showed that NOSH–aspirin was 9000-fold more potent than the sum of its parts towards growth inhibition. NOSH–aspirin inhibited ovine COX-1 more than ovine COX-2. NOSH–ASA treatment of mice bearing a human colon cancer xenograft caused a reduction in volume of 85%. Taken together, these results demonstrate that NOSH–aspirin has strong anti-cancer potential and merits further evaluation.

NOSH-aspirin (NBS-1120), a novel nitric oxide- and hydrogen sulfide-releasing hybrid is a potent inhibitor of colon cancer cell growth in vitro and in a xenograft mouse model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chattopadhyay, Mitali; Kodela, Ravinder [Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City University of New York Medical School, New York, NY 10031 (United States); Olson, Kenneth R. [Department of Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, South Bend, IN 46617 (United States); Kashfi, Khosrow, E-mail: kashfi@med.cuny.edu [Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City University of New York Medical School, New York, NY 10031 (United States)

2012-03-16

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NOSH-aspirin is the first dual acting NO and H{sub 2}S releasing hybrid. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Its IC{sub 50} for cell growth inhibition is in the low nano-molar range. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Structure-activity studies show that the sum of the parts does not equal the whole. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NOSH-aspirin reduced tumor growth by 85% in mice bearing a colon cancer xenograft. -- Abstract: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are prototypical anti-cancer agents. However, their long-term use is associated with adverse gastrointestinal effects. Recognition that endogenous gaseous mediators, nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H{sub 2}S) can increase mucosal defense mechanisms has led to the development of NO- and H{sub 2}S-releasing NSAIDs with increased safety profiles. Here we report on a new hybrid, NOSH-aspirin, which is an NO- and H{sub 2}S-releasing agent. NOSH-aspirin inhibited HT-29 colon cancer growth with IC{sub 50}s of 45.5 {+-} 2.5, 19.7 {+-} 3.3, and 7.7 {+-} 2.2 nM at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. This is the first NSAID based agent with such high degree of potency. NOSH-aspirin inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and caused G{sub 0}/G{sub 1} cell cycle block. Reconstitution and structure-activity studies representing a fairly close approximation to the intact molecule showed that NOSH-aspirin was 9000-fold more potent than the sum of its parts towards growth inhibition. NOSH-aspirin inhibited ovine COX-1 more than ovine COX-2. NOSH-ASA treatment of mice bearing a human colon cancer xenograft caused a reduction in volume of 85%. Taken together, these results demonstrate that NOSH-aspirin has strong anti-cancer potential and merits further evaluation.

First haemorheological experiment on NASA space shuttle 'Discovery' STS 51-C: aggregation of red cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Dintenfass, L; Osman, P D; Jedrzejczyk, H

1985-01-01

The 'secret' D.O.D. Mission on flight STS 51-C also carried nearly 100 kg of automated instrumentation of the Australian experiment on aggregation of red cells ("ARC"). The automated Slit-Capillary Photo Viscometer contained blood samples from subjects with history of coronary heart disease, cancer of the colon, insulin-dependent diabetes, etc., as well as normals. The experiment ran for nine hours, according to the program of its microcomputers. When shuttle landed and instrumentation recovered and opened in the presence of NASA quality control officers, it was obvious that experiment was a success. Tentative and preliminary results can be summarized as follows: red cells did not change shape under zero gravity; red cells do aggregate under zero gravity, although the size of aggregates is smaller than on the ground; the morphology of aggregates of red cells appears to be of rouleaux type under zero gravity, notwithstanding the fact that pathological blood was used. These results will have to be confirmed in the future flights. The background and history of development of the project are described, and put into context of our general haemorheological studies.

Colonization of lettuce rhizosphere and roots by tagged Streptomyces.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonaldi, Maria; Chen, Xiaoyulong; Kunova, Andrea; Pizzatti, Cristina; Saracchi, Marco; Cortesi, Paolo

2015-01-01

Beneficial microorganisms are increasingly used in agriculture, but their efficacy often fails due to limited knowledge of their interactions with plants and other microorganisms present in rhizosphere. We studied spatio-temporal colonization dynamics of lettuce roots and rhizosphere by genetically modified Streptomyces spp. Five Streptomyces strains, strongly inhibiting in vitro the major soil-borne pathogen of horticultural crops, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, were transformed with pIJ8641 plasmid harboring an enhanced green fluorescent protein marker and resistance to apramycin. The fitness of transformants was compared to the wild-type strains and all of them grew and sporulated at similar rates and retained the production of enzymes and selected secondary metabolites as well as in vitro inhibition of S. sclerotiorum. The tagged ZEA17I strain was selected to study the dynamics of lettuce roots and rhizosphere colonization in non-sterile growth substrate. The transformed strain was able to colonize soil, developing roots, and rhizosphere. When the strain was inoculated directly on the growth substrate, significantly more t-ZEA17I was re-isolated both from the rhizosphere and the roots when compared to the amount obtained after seed coating. The re-isolation from the rhizosphere and the inner tissues of surface-sterilized lettuce roots demonstrated that t-ZEA17I is both rhizospheric and endophytic.

Effects of Phytoplankton Growth Phase on the Formation and Properties of Marine Snow

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, Q. W.; Proctor, K. W.; Prairie, J. C.

2016-02-01

Marine snow aggregates often dominate carbon export from the upper mixed layer to the deep ocean. Thus, understanding the formation and the properties of these aggregates is essential to the study of the biological pump. Aggregate formation is determined by both the encounter rate and the stickiness of the particles that they are composed of. Stickiness of phytoplankton has been linked to production of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP), which has been previously shown to vary in concentration throughout different parts of the phytoplankton growth cycle. The objective of this study is to determine the effects of the growth phase of the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii to both TEP production and the properties of the resulting aggregates produced. Cultures of T. weissflogii were stopped at separate phases of the phytoplankton growth curve and incubated in rotating cylindrical tanks to form aggregates. Aggregate properties such as size, density, and porosity were measured at the end of each period of roller incubation. Preliminary results describe little variation in the size of the aggregates formed from different parts of the growth phase, but show a significant effect of growth phase on aggregate density. Density is an important factor in the settling of marine aggregates. Therefore, variations in aggregate density during different growth phases may have large implications for the efficiency of the biological pump during different stages of a phytoplankton bloom. Further examination will be performed on the potential effects of TEP abundance on the properties of the aggregates formed at separate growth phases and the resulting implications for carbon flux.

Privacy-Enhanced and Multifunctional Health Data Aggregation under Differential Privacy Guarantees

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Hao; Li, Hongwei; Liang, Xiaohui; He, Shibo; Dai, Yuanshun; Zhao, Lian

2016-01-01

With the rapid growth of the health data scale, the limited storage and computation resources of wireless body area sensor networks (WBANs) is becoming a barrier to their development. Therefore, outsourcing the encrypted health data to the cloud has been an appealing strategy. However, date aggregation will become difficult. Some recently-proposed schemes try to address this problem. However, there are still some functions and privacy issues that are not discussed. In this paper, we propose a privacy-enhanced and multifunctional health data aggregation scheme (PMHA-DP) under differential privacy. Specifically, we achieve a new aggregation function, weighted average (WAAS), and design a privacy-enhanced aggregation scheme (PAAS) to protect the aggregated data from cloud servers. Besides, a histogram aggregation scheme with high accuracy is proposed. PMHA-DP supports fault tolerance while preserving data privacy. The performance evaluation shows that the proposal leads to less communication overhead than the existing one. PMID:27626417

Geometrical Aspects During Formation of Compact Aggregates of Red Blood Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cardoso A.V.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available In the past forty years considerable progress has been achieved on the knowledge of human blood as a non-Newtonian shear-thinning suspension, whose initial state, that is at rest (stasis or at very low shear rates, has a gel-like internal structure which is destroyed as shear stress increases. The main goal of this communication is to describe the role of geometrical aspects during RBC (red blood cell aggregate formation, growth and compaction on naturally aggregate (porcine blood and non-aggregate (bovine blood samples. We consider how these aspects coupled with tension equilibrium are decisive to transform red cell linear roleaux to three-dimensional aggregates or clusters. Geometrical aspects are also crucial on the compaction of red blood cell aggregates. These densely packed aggregates could precipitate out of blood- either as dangerous deposits on arterial walls, or as clots which travel in suspension until they block some crucial capillary.

Protein Folding and Aggregation into Amyloid: The Interference by Natural Phenolic Compounds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massimo Stefani

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Amyloid aggregation is a hallmark of several degenerative diseases affecting the brain or peripheral tissues, whose intermediates (oligomers, protofibrils and final mature fibrils display different toxicity. Consequently, compounds counteracting amyloid aggregation have been investigated for their ability (i to stabilize toxic amyloid precursors; (ii to prevent the growth of toxic oligomers or speed that of fibrils; (iii to inhibit fibril growth and deposition; (iv to disassemble preformed fibrils; and (v to favor amyloid clearance. Natural phenols, a wide panel of plant molecules, are one of the most actively investigated categories of potential amyloid inhibitors. They are considered responsible for the beneficial effects of several traditional diets being present in green tea, extra virgin olive oil, red wine, spices, berries and aromatic herbs. Accordingly, it has been proposed that some natural phenols could be exploited to prevent and to treat amyloid diseases, and recent studies have provided significant information on their ability to inhibit peptide/protein aggregation in various ways and to stimulate cell defenses, leading to identify shared or specific mechanisms. In the first part of this review, we will overview the significance and mechanisms of amyloid aggregation and aggregate toxicity; then, we will summarize the recent achievements on protection against amyloid diseases by many natural phenols.

Importance of aggregation and small ice crystals in cirrus clouds, based on observations and an ice particle growth model

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, David L.; Chai, Steven K.; Dong, Yayi; Arnott, W. Patrick; Hallett, John

1993-01-01

The 1 November 1986 FIRE I case study was used to test an ice particle growth model which predicts bimodal size spectra in cirrus clouds. The model was developed from an analytically based model which predicts the height evolution of monomodal ice particle size spectra from the measured ice water content (IWC). Size spectra from the monomodal model are represented by a gamma distribution, N(D) = N(sub o)D(exp nu)exp(-lambda D), where D = ice particle maximum dimension. The slope parameter, lambda, and the parameter N(sub o) are predicted from the IWC through the growth processes of vapor diffusion and aggregation. The model formulation is analytical, computationally efficient, and well suited for incorporation into larger models. The monomodal model has been validated against two other cirrus cloud case studies. From the monomodal size spectra, the size distributions which determine concentrations of ice particles less than about 150 mu m are predicted.

A mutein of human basic fibroblast growth factor TGP-580 accelerates colonic ulcer healing by stimulating angiogenesis in the ulcer bed in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Satoh, H; Szabo, S

2015-10-01

Previously, we reported that TGP-580, a mutein of human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), accelerated the healing of gastric and duodenal ulcers in rats. In the present study, we examined the effect of TGP-580 on the healing of colonic ulcers. In male Sprague Dawley rats, ulcers were induced in the colon 6 cm from the anus by enema of 50 μl of 3% N-ethylmaleimide, a sulfhydryl alkylator. The lesions were examined under a dissecting microscope (x10). The concentration of bFGF in the ulcerated colon was measured by enzyme immunoassay, and both the distribution of bFGF and the density of microvessels in the ulcer bed were examined by immunohistochemical staining. The content of bFGF in the ulcerated colon was markedly increased associated with ulcer healing, and ulcer healing was significantly delayed by intravenous administration of a monoclonal antibody for bFGF (MAb 3H3) once daily for 10 days. In the ulcer bed, many cells such as fibroblasts, vascular endothelial cells and macrophages were positively stained with bFGF antiserum. TGP-580, human bFGF or dexamethasone was given intracolonally twice daily for 10 days, starting the day after ulcer induction. TGP-580 (0.2 - 20 μg/ml, 200 μl/rat) dose-dependently accelerated ulcer healing, and its effect was more than 10 times stronger than that of human bFGF. Density (μm/0.01 mm(2)) of microvessels in the ulcer bed was significantly increased by treatment with TGP-580, and there was a good correlation between the density of microvessels and the decrease of ulcerated area (R(2) = 0.633). On the other hand dexamethasone (20 μg/ml) inhibited angiogenesis in the ulcer bed and delayed ulcer healing. These results suggest that angiogenesis in the ulcer bed plays an important role in ulcer healing, and that bFGF mutein TGP-580 accelerated colonic ulcer healing, at least in part, by stimulating angiogenesis, whereas glucocorticoids may delay the healing by inhibiting angiogenesis.

Active aggregation among sexes in bean flower thrips (Megalurothrips sjostedti) on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata).

Science.gov (United States)

Niassy, Saliou; Ekesi, Sunday; Maniania, Nguya K; Orindi, Benedict; Moritz, Gerald B; de Kogel, Willem J; Subramanian, Sevgan

2016-01-01

Male sexual aggregations are a common territorial, mating-related or resource-based, behaviour observed in diverse organisms, including insects such as thrips. The influence of factors such as plant substrate, time of day, and geographic location on aggregation of thrips is uncertain, therefore we monitored the dispersion of male and female bean flower thrips (BFT), Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), on cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Fabaceae), over three cowpea growth stages and across three cowpea-growing areas of Kenya. Our results indicated that for all the crop growth stages, the density of BFTs varied over the time of day, with higher densities at 10:00, 13:00, and 16:00 hours than at 07:00 hours. Thrips densities did not differ among blocks at the budding stage, but they did at peak flowering and podding stages. Dispersion indices suggested that both male and female BFTs were aggregated. Active male aggregation occurred only on green plant parts and it varied across blocks, crop stages, and locations. Similarly, active female aggregation was observed in peak flowering and podding stages. Such active aggregation indicates a semiochemical or behaviour-mediated aggregation. Identification of such a semiochemical may offer new opportunities for refining monitoring and management strategies for BFT on cowpea, the most important grain legume in sub-Saharan Africa.

Atypical adenocarcinoma of the colon : radiologic-pathologic correlation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Young Chan; Ko, Young Tae; Lee, Dong Ho; Yoon, Yup; Lim, Joo Won; Lee, Ju Hie [Kyunghee Univ. Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1996-06-01

To analyse unusual radiologic manifestations of colonic adenocarcinoma, and to correlate these with pathologic findings. Radiologic findings of ten patients with atypical adenocarcinoma of the colon were retrospectively evaluated. The unusual radiologic findings were defined as terminal ileal involvement of the cecal mass, long segmental involvement of oner 9cm, and exophytic tumor growth. Radiologic and sonographic findings were compared with pathologic specimens obtained from surgical resection. Involvement of the terminal ileum was noted in three cases, long segmental involvement of 11 cm in five cases, and exophytic mass in two. of three cases with thickening of the terminal ileum, two revealed the infiltration of cancer into the terminal ileum through the ileocecal valve, and the other revealed vascular congesion and edema on microscopic examination. Five cases with long segmental involvement of over 11 cm comprised on e of cancer totally infiltrated through the submucosal and proper muscle layer, one of inflammatory thickening distal to the cancer, two of inflammatory change of pericolic fat and serosal adhesion and one of a large intraluminal fungating mass. In the cases of exophytic mass, one with a larger extraluminal and a smaller intraluminal component revealed necrosis and abscess on pathologic examination, accounting for low attenuation on CT, whereas the other, with exophytic growth, disclosed abundant pools of mucin, resulting in low attenuation on CT. These two cases could not be differentiated from submucosal tumors. Atypical colon cancer may have various manifestations, such as thickening of the terminal ileum, involvement of a long segment, and an exophytically growing mass. An appreciation of the radiologic findings of this cancer may therefore help in differential diagnosis in cases simulating colitis or submucosal tumors of the colon, such as lymphoma or leiomyoma.

Ursodeoxycholic acid inhibits the proliferation of colon cancer cells by regulating oxidative stress and cancer stem-like cell growth

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, EuiJoo

2017-01-01

Introduction The regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) exists as a therapeutic target for cancer treatments. Previous studies have shown that ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) suppresses the proliferation of colon cancer cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of UDCA upon the proliferation of colon cancer cells as a direct result of the regulation of ROS. Method Colon cancer cell lines (HT29 and HCT116) were treated with UDCA. The total number of cells and the number of dead cells were determined using cell counters. A fluorescein isothiocyanate-bromodeoxyuridine flow kit was used to analyze cell cycle variations. Upon exposure to UDCA, the protein levels of p27, p21, CDK2, CDK4 and CDK6 were determined using western blotting, and qRT-PCR was used to determine levels of mRNA. We preformed dichlorofluorescindiacetate (DCF-DA) staining to detect alteration of intracellular ROS using fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). Colon cancer stem-like cell lines were generated by tumorsphere culture and treated with UDCA for seven days. The total number of tumorspheres was determined using microscopy. Results We found that UDCA reduced the total number of colon cancer cells, but did not increase the number of dead cells. UDCA inhibited the G1/S and G2/M transition phases in colon cancer cells. UDCA induced expression of cell cycle inhibitors such as p27 and p21. However, it was determined that UDCA suppressed levels of CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6. UDCA regulated intracellular ROS generation in colon cancer cells, and induced activation of Erk1/2. Finally, UDCA inhibited formation of colon cancer stem-like cells. Conclusion Our results indicate that UDCA suppresses proliferation through regulation of oxidative stress in colon cancer cells, as well as colon cancer stem-like cells. PMID:28708871

Chemopreventive effect of chalcone derivative, L2H17, in colon cancer development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Shanmei; Chen, Minxiao; Chen, Wenbo; Hui, Junguo; Ji, Jiansong; Hu, Shuping; Zhou, Jianmin; Wang, Yi; Liang, Guang

2015-01-01

Colon cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Chalcone and its derivatives are reported to exhibit anti-cancer effects in several cancer cell lines, including colon cancer cells. In addition, chalcones have advantages such as poor interaction with DNA and low risk of mutagenesity. In our previous study, a group of chalcone derivatives were synthesized and exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we evaluated the anti-cancer effects of the chalcone derivative, L2H17, in colon cancer cells. The cytotoxicities of L2H17 on various colon cancer cell lines were investigated by MTT and clonogenic assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis analysis were performed to evaluate the molecular mechanism of L2H17-mediated inhibition of tumor growth. Also, scratch wound and matrigel invasion experiments were performed to estimate the cell migration and invasion after L2H17 treatment. Finally, we observed the anti-colon cancer effects of L2H17 in vivo. Our data show that compound L2H17 exhibited selective cytotoxic effect on colon cancer cells, via inducing G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in CT26.WT cells. Furthermore, L2H17 treatment decreased cell migration and invasion of CT26.WT cells. In addition, L2H17 possessed marked anti-tumor activity in vivo. The molecular mechanism of L2H17-mediated inhibition of tumor promotion and progression were function through inactivated NF-κB and Akt signaling pathways. All these findings show that L2H17 might be a potential growth inhibitory chalcones derivative for colon cancer cells

Optimising cell aggregate expansion in a perfused hollow fibre bioreactor via mathematical modelling.

KAUST Repository

Chapman, Lloyd A C

2014-08-26

The need for efficient and controlled expansion of cell populations is paramount in tissue engineering. Hollow fibre bioreactors (HFBs) have the potential to meet this need, but only with improved understanding of how operating conditions and cell seeding strategy affect cell proliferation in the bioreactor. This study is designed to assess the effects of two key operating parameters (the flow rate of culture medium into the fibre lumen and the fluid pressure imposed at the lumen outlet), together with the cell seeding distribution, on cell population growth in a single-fibre HFB. This is achieved using mathematical modelling and numerical methods to simulate the growth of cell aggregates along the outer surface of the fibre in response to the local oxygen concentration and fluid shear stress. The oxygen delivery to the cell aggregates and the fluid shear stress increase as the flow rate and pressure imposed at the lumen outlet are increased. Although the increased oxygen delivery promotes growth, the higher fluid shear stress can lead to cell death. For a given cell type and initial aggregate distribution, the operating parameters that give the most rapid overall growth can be identified from simulations. For example, when aggregates of rat cardiomyocytes that can tolerate shear stresses of up to 0:05 Pa are evenly distributed along the fibre, the inlet flow rate and outlet pressure that maximise the overall growth rate are predicted to be in the ranges 2.75 x 10(-5) m(2) s(-1) to 3 x 10(-5) m(2) s(-1) (equivalent to 2.07 ml min(-1) to 2.26 ml min(-1)) and 1.077 x 10(5) Pa to 1.083 x 10(5) Pa (or 15.6 psi to 15.7 psi) respectively. The combined effects of the seeding distribution and flow on the growth are also investigated and the optimal conditions for growth found to depend on the shear tolerance and oxygen demands of the cells.

Epidemiology and Characteristics of Escherichia coli Sequence Type 131 (ST131) from Long-Term Care Facility Residents Colonized Intestinally with Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Escherichia coli

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Jennifer H.; Garrigan, Charles; Johnston, Brian; Nachamkin, Irving; Clabots, Connie; Bilker, Warren B.; Santana, Evelyn; Tolomeo, Pam; Maslow, Joel; Myers, Janice; Carson, Lesley; Lautenbach, Ebbing; Johnson, James R.

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate molecular and epidemiologic factors associated with Escherichia coli sequence type 131 (ST131) among long-term care facility (LTCF) residents who acquired gastrointestinal tract colonization with fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli (FQREC). Colonizing isolates from 37 residents who newly developed FQREC colonization at three LTCFs from 2006–2008 were evaluated. Twenty-nine (78%) of 37 total FQREC colonizing isolates were ST131. Most ST131 isolates had a distinctive combination of gyrA and parC replacement mutations. The ST131 and non-ST131 isolates differed significantly for the prevalence of many individual virulence factors but not for the proportion that qualified molecularly as extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) or aggregate virulence factor scores. E. coli ST131 was highly prevalent among LTCF residents with FQREC colonization. Future studies should determine the risk factors for infection among ST131-colonized residents, and assess the potential for increased transmissibility of ST131 in the long-term care setting. PMID:27939288

Epidemiological Features of Clostridium difficile Colonizing the Intestine of Jordanian Infants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eman N. Abu-Khader

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Clostridium difficile is commonly found in the intestine of infants without causing any disease. This study investigated the most important epidemiological features of C. difficile strains colonizing intestine of Jordanian infants. A total of 287 fecal samples were collected from infants admitted to the Jordan University Hospital (JUH over the period of 2015. Samples were cultured for C. difficile and their growth was identified using microbiological culture and PCR. The overall C. difficile colonization rate among hospitalized and nonhospitalized infants was 37/287 (12.9%. Neonates were less colonized than other infants (8.7% verses 19.5%. Colonization of the infants with C. difficile toxigenic strains (TcdA and TcdB was observed in 54% of the isolates, whereas those colonized with nontoxigenic strains were 46% and only one isolate was positive for binary toxin. Breast feeding of infants is a significant factor associated with decreased colonization with C. difficile. All C. difficile strains were susceptible to vancomycin and metronidazole, while high resistance rate to ciprofloxacin (78.4% and less resistance rate to erythromycin (29.7% were detected among the isolates. The results showed that 40.5% of the isolates carried mutated gyrA and gyrB genes which have cross-resistance to ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin. This study represents useful epidemiological features about C. difficile colonizing intestine of infants living in a developing country.

Time-resolved small angle neutron scattering measurements of asphaltene nanoparticle aggregation kinetics in incompatible crude oil mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, Thomas G.; Lin, Min Y.

2003-01-01

We use time-resolved-small angle neutron scattering to study the kinetics of asphaltene nanoparticle aggregation in incompatible crude oil mixtures. We induce asphaltene aggregation by mixing asphaltene-rich Syrian crude oil (SACO) with a paraffinic British crude oil and observe the scattered neutron intensity, I, as a function of wave number, q, over times, t, ranging from twenty minutes to about a week. We observe a growth in I at low q as the nanoscale asphaltenes agglomerate into microscale aggregates and interpret this growth as an increase in surface scattering from the aggregates. We fit I(q,t) to an empirical model and measure the growth in the power-law exponent, α, associated with the low-q logarithmic slope of I(q). We define a time, τ α , associated with the first appearance of the aggregates when α>3; τ α increases as a function of the volume fraction, φ m , of SACO in the mixture. The surface scattering intensity initially increases and then saturates at long times when the aggregate structures no longer evolve at the length scales we probe. Based on this saturation, we define a time scale, τ I , which is larger than τ α but has essentially the same dependence on φ m . We interpret τ α (φ m ) and τ I (φ m ) in terms of a simple aggregation model based on diffusion-limited kinetics and a repulsive potential barrier that models the effective solvent quality

THE PREVALENCE OF COLONIC POLYPS IN PATIENTS WITH ACROMEGALY: A CASE-CONTROL, NESTED IN A COHORT COLONOSCOPIC STUDY.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez, Baldomero; Vargas, Guadalupe; Mendoza, Victoria; Nava, Mariana; Rojas, Moisés; Mercado, Moisés

2017-05-01

Acromegaly is associated with an increased risk of colonic polyps. The magnitude of such risk is controversial, and the characteristics that distinguish patients who develop polyps from those who do not are not well established. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of colonic polyps upon the diagnosis of acromegaly and to compare the clinical and biochemical features of patients with and without polyps. Out of 165 patients who underwent a full colonoscopy upon diagnosis of acromegaly, 53 were found to harbor colonic lesions (cases), whereas the remaining 112 were used as controls. Demographic, clinical, and biochemical characteristics were compared between the 2 groups. The prevalence of colonic polyps was 32%, with an estimated relative risk of 6.21 (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.08-9.48). Adenomatous and nonadenomatous polyps were found in 22 and 31 patients, respectively. The most common location was the descending colon. Compared to patients without polyps, subjects with polyps were somewhat older and had significantly higher insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels and a higher prevalence of diabetes. Upon multivariate analysis, only IGF-1 level at diagnosis remained significantly associated with colonic polyps in general and with hyperplastic polyps in particular. Acromegaly is associated with an elevated risk of developing colonic polyps, particularly, distally located hyperplastic lesions. Except for a higher IGF-1 level at diagnosis, no distinctive clinical or biochemical features can be found among those who develop polyps compared to those who do not. CI = confidence interval GH = growth hormone IGF-1 = insulin-like growth factor 1 IQR = inter-quartile range RR = relative risk ULN = upper limit of normal.

Oral yeast colonization throughout pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Rio, R; Simões-Silva, L; Garro, S; Silva, M-J; Azevedo, Á; Sampaio-Maia, B

2017-03-01

Recent studies suggest that placenta may harbour a unique microbiome that may have origin in maternal oral microbiome. Although the major physiological and hormonal adjustments observed in pregnant women lead to biochemical and microbiological modifications of the oral environment, very few studies evaluated the changes suffered by the oral microbiota throughout pregnancy. So, the aim of our study was to evaluate oral yeast colonization throughout pregnancy and to compare it with non-pregnant women. The oral yeast colonization was assessed in saliva of 30 pregnant and non-pregnant women longitudinally over a 6-months period. Demographic information was collected, a non-invasive intra-oral examination was performed and saliva flow and pH were determined. Pregnant and non-pregnant groups were similar regarding age and level of education. Saliva flow rate did not differ, but saliva pH was lower in pregnant than in non-pregnant women. Oral yeast prevalence was higher in pregnant than in non-pregnant women, either in the first or in the third trimester, but did not attain statistical significance. In individuals colonized with yeast, the total yeast quantification (Log10CFU/mL) increase from the 1st to the 3rd trimester in pregnant women, but not in non-pregnant women. Pregnancy may favour oral yeast growth that may be associated with an acidic oral environment.

Rectal and colon cancer: Not just a different anatomic site.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamas, K; Walenkamp, A M E; de Vries, E G E; van Vugt, M A T M; Beets-Tan, R G; van Etten, B; de Groot, D J A; Hospers, G A P

2015-09-01

Due to differences in anatomy, primary rectal and colon cancer require different staging procedures, different neo-adjuvant treatment and different surgical approaches. For example, neoadjuvant radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy is administered solely for rectal cancer. Neoadjuvant therapy and total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer might be responsible in part for the differing effect of adjuvant systemic treatment on overall survival, which is more evident in colon cancer than in rectal cancer. Apart from anatomic divergences, rectal and colon cancer also differ in their embryological origin and metastatic patterns. Moreover, they harbor a different composition of drug targets, such as v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B (BRAF), which is preferentially mutated in proximal colon cancers, and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is prevalently amplified or overexpressed in distal colorectal cancers. Despite their differences in metastatic pattern, composition of drug targets and earlier local treatment, metastatic rectal and colon cancer are, however, commonly regarded as one entity and are treated alike. In this review, we focused on rectal cancer and its biological and clinical differences and similarities relative to colon cancer. These aspects are crucial because they influence the current staging and treatment of these cancers, and might influence the design of future trials with targeted drugs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Outcomes of colon resection in patients with metastatic colon cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Moghadamyeghaneh, Zhobin; Hanna, Mark H; Hwang, Grace; Mills, Steven; Pigazzi, Alessio; Stamos, Michael J; Carmichael, Joseph C

2016-08-01

Patients with advanced colorectal cancer have a high incidence of postoperative complications. We sought to identify outcomes of patients who underwent resection for colon cancer by cancer stage. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was used to evaluate all patients who underwent colon resection with a diagnosis of colon cancer from 2012 to 2014. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate patient outcomes by cancer stage. A total of 7,786 colon cancer patients who underwent colon resection were identified. Of these, 10.8% had metastasis at the time of operation. Patients with metastatic disease had significantly increased risks of perioperative morbidity (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.44, P = .01) and mortality (AOR: 3.72, P = .01). Patients with metastatic disease were significantly younger (AOR: .99, P colon cancer have metastatic disease. Postoperative morbidity and mortality are significantly higher than in patients with localized disease. Published by Elsevier Inc.

3',5'-Cyclic diguanylic acid (c-di-GMP) inhibits basal and growth factor-stimulated human colon cancer cell proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karaolis, David K.R.; Cheng, Kunrong; Lipsky, Michael; Elnabawi, Ahmed; Catalano, Jennifer; Hyodo, Mamoru; Hayakawa, Yoshihiro; Raufman, Jean-Pierre

2005-01-01

The novel cyclic dinucleotide, 3',5'-cyclic diguanylic acid, cGpGp (c-di-GMP), is a naturally occurring small molecule that regulates important signaling mechanisms in prokaryotes. Recently, we showed that c-di-GMP has 'drug-like' properties and that c-di-GMP treatment might be a useful antimicrobial approach to attenuate the virulence and pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus and prevent or treat infection. In the present communication, we report that c-di-GMP (≤50 μM) has striking properties regarding inhibition of cancer cell proliferation in vitro. c-di-GMP inhibits both basal and growth factor (acetylcholine and epidermal growth factor)-induced cell proliferation of human colon cancer (H508) cells. Toxicity studies revealed that exposure of normal rat kidney cells and human neuroblastoma cells to c-di-GMP at biologically relevant doses showed no lethal cytotoxicity. Cyclic dinucleotides, such as c-di-GMP, represent an attractive and novel 'drug-platform technology' that can be used not only to develop new antimicrobial agents, but also to develop novel therapeutic agents to prevent or treat cancer

Antegrade Colonic Lavage in Acute Colonic Obstruction

OpenAIRE

Foster, Michael E.; Johnson, Colin D.

1986-01-01

Conventional management of acute left sided colonic obstruction employs some form of proximal colostomy. Intraoperative antegrade colonic irrigation relieves proximal faecal loading and may permit safer primary resection and anastomosis. The results of a pilot study are presented, and are shown to be favourable.

Colonization of fish skin is vital for Vibrio anguillarum to cause disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Barbara; Chen, Chang; Milton, Debra L

2010-02-01

Vibrio anguillarum causes a fatal haemorrhagic septicaemia in marine fish. During initial stages of infection, host surfaces are colonized; however, few virulence factors required for colonization of the host are identified. In this study, in vivo bioluminescent imaging was used to analyse directly the colonization of the whole rainbow trout animal by V. anguillarum. The wild type rapidly colonized both the skin and the intestines by 24 h; however, the bacterial numbers on the skin were significantly higher than in the intestines indicating that skin colonization may be important for disease to occur. Mutants defective for the anguibactin iron uptake system, exopolysaccharide transport, or Hfq, an RNA chaperone, were attenuated for virulence, did not colonize the skin, and penetrated skin mucus less efficiently than the wild type. These mutants, however, did colonize the intestines and were as resistant to 2% bile salts as is the wild type. Moreover, exopolysaccharide mutants were significantly more sensitive to lysozyme and antimicrobial peptides, while the Hfq and anguibactin mutants were sensitive to lysozyme compared with the wild type. Vibrio anguillarum encodes several mechanisms to protect against antimicrobial components of skin mucus enabling an amazingly abundant growth on the skin enhancing its disease opportunities. © 2010 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Long-term expansion of epithelial organoids from human colon, adenoma, adenocarcinoma, and Barrett's epithelium.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Toshiro; Stange, Daniel E; Ferrante, Marc; Vries, Robert G J; Van Es, Johan H; Van den Brink, Stieneke; Van Houdt, Winan J; Pronk, Apollo; Van Gorp, Joost; Siersema, Peter D; Clevers, Hans

2011-11-01

We previously established long-term culture conditions under which single crypts or stem cells derived from mouse small intestine expand over long periods. The expanding crypts undergo multiple crypt fission events, simultaneously generating villus-like epithelial domains that contain all differentiated types of cells. We have adapted the culture conditions to grow similar epithelial organoids from mouse colon and human small intestine and colon. Based on the mouse small intestinal culture system, we optimized the mouse and human colon culture systems. Addition of Wnt3A to the combination of growth factors applied to mouse colon crypts allowed them to expand indefinitely. Addition of nicotinamide, along with a small molecule inhibitor of Alk and an inhibitor of p38, were required for long-term culture of human small intestine and colon tissues. The culture system also allowed growth of mouse Apc-deficient adenomas, human colorectal cancer cells, and human metaplastic epithelia from regions of Barrett's esophagus. We developed a technology that can be used to study infected, inflammatory, or neoplastic tissues from the human gastrointestinal tract. These tools might have applications in regenerative biology through ex vivo expansion of the intestinal epithelia. Studies of these cultures indicate that there is no inherent restriction in the replicative potential of adult stem cells (or a Hayflick limit) ex vivo. Copyright © 2011 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Colonization of lettuce rhizosphere and roots by tagged Streptomyces

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Maria eBonaldi

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Beneficial microorganisms are increasingly used in agriculture, but their efficacy often fails due to limited knowledge of their interactions with plants and other microorganisms present in rhizosphere. We studied spatio-temporal colonization dynamics of lettuce roots and rhizosphere by genetically modified Streptomyces spp. Five Streptomyces strains, strongly inhibiting in vitro the major soil-borne pathogen of horticultural crops, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, were transformed with pIJ8641 plasmid harboring an enhanced green fluorescent protein marker and resistance to apramycin. The fitness of transformants was compared to the wild-type strains and all of them grew and sporulated at similar rates and retained the production of enzymes and selected secondary metabolites as well as in vitro inhibition of S. sclerotiorum. The tagged ZEA17I strain was selected to study the dynamics of lettuce roots and rhizosphere colonization in non-sterile growth substrate. The transformed strain was able to colonize soil, developing roots and rhizosphere. When the strain was inoculated directly on the growth substrate, significantly more t-ZEA17I was re-isolated both from the rhizosphere and the roots when compared to the amount obtained after seed coating. The re-isolation from the rhizosphere and the inner tissues of surface-sterilized lettuce roots demonstrated that t-ZEA17I is both rhizospheric and endophytic.

Translating tumor biology into personalized treatment planning: analytical performance characteristics of the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark-Langone, Kim M; Sangli, Chithra; Krishnakumar, Jayadevi; Watson, Drew

2010-12-23

The Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay is a new diagnostic test for determining the likelihood of recurrence in stage II colon cancer patients after surgical resection using fixed paraffin embedded (FPE) primary colon tumor tissue. Like the Oncotype DX Breast Cancer Assay, this is a high complexity, multi-analyte, reverse transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that measures the expression levels of specific cancer-related genes. By capturing the biology underlying each patient's tumor, the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay provides a Recurrence Score (RS) that reflects an individualized risk of disease recurrence. Here we describe its analytical performance using pre-determined performance criteria, which is a critical component of molecular diagnostic test validation. All analytical measurements met pre-specified performance criteria. PCR amplification efficiency for all 12 assays was high, ranging from 96% to 107%, while linearity was demonstrated over an 11 log2 concentration range for all assays. Based on estimated components of variance for FPE RNA pools, analytical reproducibility and precision demonstrated low SDs for individual genes (0.16 to 0.32 CTs), gene groups (≤ 0.05 normalized/aggregate CTs) and RS (≤ 1.38 RS units). Analytical performance characteristics shown here for both individual genes and gene groups in the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay demonstrate consistent translation of specific biology of individual tumors into clinically useful diagnostic information. The results of these studies illustrate how the analytical capability of the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay has enabled clinical validation of a test to determine individualized recurrence risk after colon cancer surgery.

Specific Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) Test to Highlight Colonization of Xylem Vessels by Xylella fastidiosa in Naturally Infected Olive Trees (Olea europaea L.)

Science.gov (United States)

Cardinale, Massimiliano; Luvisi, Andrea; Meyer, Joana B.; Sabella, Erika; De Bellis, Luigi; Cruz, Albert C.; Ampatzidis, Yiannis; Cherubini, Paolo

2018-01-01

The colonization behavior of the Xylella fastidiosa strain CoDiRO, the causal agent of olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS), within the xylem of Olea europaea L. is still quite controversial. As previous literature suggests, even if xylem vessel occlusions in naturally infected olive plants were observed, cell aggregation in the formation of occlusions had a minimal role. This observation left some open questions about the whole behavior of the CoDiRO strain and its actual role in OQDS pathogenesis. In order to evaluate the extent of bacterial infection in olive trees and the role of bacterial aggregates in vessel occlusions, we tested a specific fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) probe (KO 210) for X. fastidiosa and quantified the level of infection and vessel occlusion in both petioles and branches of naturally infected and non-infected olive trees. All symptomatic petioles showed colonization by X. fastidiosa, especially in the larger innermost vessels. In several cases, the vessels appeared completely occluded by a biofilm containing bacterial cells and extracellular matrix and the frequent colonization of adjacent vessels suggested a horizontal movement of the bacteria. Infected symptomatic trees had 21.6 ± 10.7% of petiole vessels colonized by the pathogen, indicating an irregular distribution in olive tree xylem. Thus, our observations point out the primary role of the pathogen in olive vessel occlusions. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the KO 210 FISH probe is suitable for the specific detection of X. fastidiosa. PMID:29681910

Carbohydrates and thermal properties indicate a decrease in stable aggregate carbon following forest colonization of mountain grassland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guidi, Claudia; Cannella, David; Leifeld, Jens

2015-01-01

and thermally labile C showed similar patterns in bulk soil, suggesting that thermal analysis can be used to complement chemical analysis although a straightforward relationship could not be established. Following forest expansion on abandoned grassland, ratios of microbially to plant-derived carbohydrates......In mountainous areas of Europe, the abandonment of grasslands followed by forest expansion is the dominant land-use change. Labile (i.e. easily decomposable) litter represents the major source for soil microbial products, which promote soil aggregation and long-term C stabilization. Our objective...... was to investigate changes in the content and origin of soil C components involved into aggregate stabilization (i.e. carbohydrates) following forest expansion on abandoned grassland in the Alps, where only few studies have been conducted. Changes in carbohydrates and thermally labile C were assessed along a land...

EFFECT OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL COLONIZATION ON EARLY GROWTH AND NUTRIENT CONTENT OF TWO PEAT­ SWAMP FOREST TREE SPECIES SEEDLINGS, Calophyllum hosei AND Ploiarium alternifolium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maman Turjaman

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Tropical peat-swamp forests are one of  the largest near-surface reserves of terrestrial organic carbon,  but rnany peat-swamp forest tree species decreased due over-exploitation, forest fire and conversion of natural forests into agricultural lands. Among those species are slow-growing Calophyllum  hoseiand Ploiarium  alternifolium, two species are good for construction of boats, furniture, house building and considerable attention from pharmacological viewpoint for human healthly. This study was aimed at understanding the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM fungi on early growth of  C. hosei and P.alternifoliumunder greenhouse condition. Seedlings of C. hosei and P.alternifoliumwere inoculated with AM fungi: Glomus clarum and Glomus aggregatum ,or uninoculated under greenhouse condition during 6 months. AM colonization,   plant growth,  survival rate and  nutrient  content  (P, Zn  and B were measured. The percentage of C. hoseiand P.alternifolium ranged from 27-32% and 18-19%,  respectively. Both inoculated seedling species had greater plant  height, diameter, leaf number, shoot and root dry weight than control  seedlings.   Nutrient  content  of  inoculated  plants  were increased with AM colonization- Survival rates of  inoculated plants were higher (100%  than those of  control plants (67%. The results suggested that inoculation of AM fungi could improve the early growth of C. hoseiand P.alternifolium grown in tropical peat-swamp forest therefore  this finding has greater potential impact if this innovative technology applied in field scales which are socially acceptable, commercially profitable and environmentally friendly.

Evaluation of "instant" preparation of the colon with povidone-iodine.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, F E; DeCosse, J J; Condon, R E

1976-01-01

The antimicrobial effect of 20 minutes exposure to 10% povidone-iodine solution and to 5% neomycin-erythromycin solution was evaluated in vitro in 6 suspensions of dog feces. Povidone-iodine eliminated aerobic growth (P less than 0.001) and reduced anaerobes 4.01 +/- 1.06 (P less than 0.02); C. perfringens was the only anaerobic organism grown. Forty unprepared dogs underwent resection of the sigmoid colon and primary anastomosis. Twenty received normal saline and 20 povidone-iodine injected intraluminally immediately before resection. The colon contents of povidone-iodine treated dogs grew only 0.07 +/- 0.07 aerobes and 3.74 +/- 0.49 anaerobes (all Clostridia) (log10/ml colon contents) (P less than 0.001). All povidone-iodine dogs survived 3 weeks with no anastomotic leaks; three controls died from anastomotic leak within the first week (P = 0.12). Reexploration of survivors revealed less perianastomotic reaction in the povidone-iodine group. Twenty minutes exposure to povidone-iodine produced a significant decrease in bacterial counts in vitro and in unprepared sigmoid colon. No adverse effects were demonstrated. Images Fig. 4. PMID:180916

Aggregation Behaviors of a Two-Species System with Lose-Lose Interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Meixia; Lin Zhenquan; Li Xiaodong; Ke Jianhong

2010-01-01

We propose an aggregation evolution model of two-species (A- and B-species) aggregates to study the prevalent aggregation phenomena in social and economic systems. In this model, A- and B-species aggregates perform self-exchange-driven growths with the exchange rate kernels K (k,l) = Kkl and L(k,l) = Lkl, respectively, and the two species aggregates perform self-birth processes with the rate kernels J 1 (k) = J 1 k and J 2 (k) = J 2 k, and meanwhile the interaction between the aggregates of different species A and B causes a lose-lose scheme with the rate kernel H(k,l) = Hkl. Based on the mean-field theory, we investigated the evolution behaviors of the two species aggregates to study the competitions among above three aggregate evolution schemes on the distinct initial monomer concentrations A 0 and B 0 of the two species. The results show that the evolution behaviors of A- and B-species are crucially dominated by the competition between the two self-birth processes, and the initial monomer concentrations A 0 and B 0 play important roles, while the lose-lose scheme play important roles in some special cases. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

COMPARISON OF SIMPLE SUM AND DIVISIA MONETARY AGGREGATES USING PANEL DATA ANALYSIS

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Sadullah CELIK

2009-07-01

Full Text Available It is well documented that financial innovation has led to poor performance of simple sum method of monetary aggregation destabilizing the historical relationship between monetary aggregates and ultimate target variables like rate of growth and rate of unemployment during the liberalization period of 1980s. This study tries to emphasize the superiority of an alternative method of aggregation over the simple sum method, namely Divisia monetary aggregates, employing panel data analysis for United States, United Kingdom, Euro Area and Japan for the period between 1980Q1 and 1993Q3. After investigating the order of stationarity of the panel data set through several panel unit root tests, we perform advanced panel cointegration tests to check the existence of a long run link between the Divisia monetary aggregates and income and interest rates in a simple Keynesian money demand function.

Free radical derivatives formed from cyclooxygenase-catalyzed dihomo-γ-linolenic acid peroxidation can attenuate colon cancer cell growth and enhance 5-fluorouracil's cytotoxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yi; Qi, Jin; Yang, Xiaoyu; Wu, Erxi; Qian, Steven Y

2014-01-01

Dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) and its downstream fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA) are both nutritionally important ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-6s). Evidence shows that, via COX-mediated peroxidation, DGLA and its metabolites (1-series prostaglandins) are associated with anti-tumor activity, while AA and its metabolites (2-series prostaglandins) could be tightly implicated in various cancer diseases. However, it still remains a mystery why DGLA and AA possess contrasting bioactivities. Our previous studies showed that DGLA could go through an exclusive C-8 oxygenation pathway during COX-catalyzed lipid peroxidation in addition to a C-15 oxygenation pathway shared by both DGLA and AA, and that the exclusive C-8 oxygenation could lead to the production of distinct DGLA׳s free radical derivatives that may be correlated with DGLA׳s anti-proliferation activity. In the present work, we further investigate the anti-cancer effect of DGLA׳s free radical derivatives and their associated molecular mechanisms. Our study shows that the exclusive DGLA׳s free radical derivatives from C-8 oxygenation lead to cell growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in the human colon cancer cell line HCA-7 colony 29, probably by up-regulating the cancer suppressor p53 and the cell cycle inhibitor p27. In addition, these exclusive radical derivatives were also able to enhance the efficacy of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), a widely used chemo-drug for colon cancer. For the first time, we show how DGLA׳s radical pathway and metabolites are associated with DGLA׳s anti-cancer activities and able to sensitize colon cancer cells to chemo-drugs such as 5-FU. Our findings could be used to guide future development of a combined chemotherapy and dietary care strategy for colon cancer treatment.

Murine colon proteome and characterization of the protein pathways

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdeldin Sameh

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Most of the current proteomic researches focus on proteome alteration due to pathological disorders (i.e.: colorectal cancer rather than normal healthy state when mentioning colon. As a result, there are lacks of information regarding normal whole tissue- colon proteome. Results We report here a detailed murine (mouse whole tissue- colon protein reference dataset composed of 1237 confident protein (FDR I and Mw ranged from 3–12 and 4–600 KDa, respectively. Gravy index scoring predicted 19.5% membranous and 80.5% globularly located proteins. GO hierarchies and functional network analysis illustrated proteins function together with their relevance and implication of several candidates in malignancy such as Mitogen- activated protein kinase (Mapk8, 9 in colorectal cancer, Fibroblast growth factor receptor (Fgfr 2, Glutathione S-transferase (Gstp1 in prostate cancer, and Cell division control protein (Cdc42, Ras-related protein (Rac1,2 in pancreatic cancer. Protein abundances calculated with 3 different algorithms (NSAF, PAF and emPAI provide a relative quantification under normal condition as guidance. Conclusions This highly confidence colon proteome catalogue will not only serve as a useful reference for further experiments characterizing differentially expressed proteins induced from diseased conditions, but also will aid in better understanding the ontology and functional absorptive mechanism of the colon as well.

Locally advanced colon cancer with cutaneous invasion: case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenreiro, Nádia; Ferreira, Cátia; Silva, Silvia; Marques, Rita; Ribeiro, Artur; Sousa, Paulo Jorge; Luís, Fernando Próspero

2017-03-01

Locally advanced colon cancer with direct abdominal wall and skin invasion is an extremely rare finding with most data being derived from case reports, historical autopsy-based or single-center retrospective studies. We present a unique case of a colon cancer with direct cutaneous invasion and colocutaneous fistulization. Eighty-six year old Caucasian female with multiple comorbidities, referred to Surgical Consultation due to ulcerated skin lesion in the abdomen. She had a long-standing large umbilical hernia but with no previous episodes of incarceration or occlusive symptoms. She denied any digestive or constitutional symptoms. Physical examination showed a large non-reducible umbilical hernia, with an associated painless firm mass within the hernia sac and cutaneous ulcerated growth. Colonoscopy revealed transverse colon cancer (endoscopic biopsy of the tumor and skin punch biopsy confirmed adenocarcinoma of the colon). Computed tomography showed a tumoral mass within the umbilical hernia, with cutaneous infiltration and enlarged regional lymph nodes. Rapid local progression led to colocutaneous fistula with total fecal diversion. We performed an extended right hemicolectomy with en bloc excision of the hernia sac and infiltrating cutaneous mass. In the current era of widespread use of screening colonoscopies, initial diagnosis of locally advanced colon cancer is decreasing. However, this unique case presented an opportunity to recall the advantages of multivisceral resections.

Slow aggregation of lysozyme in alkaline pH monitored in real time employing the fluorescence anisotropy of covalently labelled dansyl probe.

Science.gov (United States)

Homchaudhuri, Lopamudra; Kumar, Satish; Swaminathan, Rajaram

2006-04-03

The onset of hen egg white lysozyme aggregation on exposure to alkaline pH of 12.2 and subsequent slow growth of soluble lysozyme aggregates (at 298 K) was directly monitored by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy of covalently attached dansyl probe over a period of 24 h. The rotational correlation time accounting for tumbling of lysozyme in solution (40 microM) increased from approximately 3.6 ns (in pH 7) to approximately 40ns on exposure to pH 12.2 over a period of 6 h and remained stable thereafter. The growth of aggregates was strongly concentration dependent, irreversible after 60 min and inhibited by the presence of 0.9 M l-arginine in the medium. The day old aggregates were resistant to denaturation by 6 M guanidine.HCl. Our results reveal slow segmental motion of the dansyl probe in day old aggregates in the absence of L-arginine (0.9 M), but a much faster motion in its presence, when growth of aggregates is halted.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization, plant chemistry, and aboveground herbivory on Senecio jacobaea

Science.gov (United States)

Reidinger, Stefan; Eschen, René; Gange, Alan C.; Finch, Paul; Bezemer, T. Martijn

2012-01-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can affect insect herbivores by changing plant growth and chemistry. However, many factors can influence the symbiotic relationship between plant and fungus, potentially obscuring experimental treatments and ecosystem impacts. In a field experiment, we assessed AMF colonization levels of individual ragwort ( Senecio jacobaea) plants growing in grassland plots that were originally sown with 15 or 4 plant species, or were unsown. We measured the concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), and assessed the presence of aboveground insect herbivores on the sampled plants. Total AMF colonization and colonization by arbuscules was lower in plots sown with 15 species than in plots sown with 4 species and unsown plots. AMF colonization was positively related to the cover of oxeye daisy ( Leucanthemum vulgare) and a positive relationship between colonization by arbuscules and the occurrence of a specialist seed-feeding fly ( Pegohylemyia seneciella) was found. The occurrence of stem-boring, leaf-mining and sap-sucking insects was not affected by AMF colonization. Total PA concentrations were negatively related to colonization levels by vesicles, but did not differ among the sowing treatments. No single factor explained the observed differences in AMF colonization among the sowing treatments or insect herbivore occurrence on S. jacobaea. However, correlations across the treatments suggest that some of the variation was due to the abundance of one plant species, which is known to stimulate AMF colonization of neighbouring plants, while AMF colonization was related to the occurrence of a specialist insect herbivore. Our results thus illustrate that in natural systems, the ecosystem impact of AMF through their influence on the occurrence of specialist insects can be recognised, but they also highlight the confounding effect of neighbouring plant species identity. Hence, our results emphasise the importance of field

Deciphering the factors associated with the colonization of rice plants by cyanobacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Bidyarani, Ngangom; Prasanna, Radha; Chawla, Gautam; Babu, Santosh; Singh, Rajendra

2015-04-01

Cyanobacteria-rice plant interactions were analyzed using a hydroponics experiment. The activity of plant defense and pathogenesis-related enzymes, scanning electron microscopy, growth, nitrogen fixation (measured as ARA), and DNA fingerprinting assays proved useful in illustrating the nature of associations of cyanobacteria with rice plants. Microscopic analyses revealed the presence of short filaments and coiled masses of filaments of cyanobacteria near the epidermis and cortex of roots and shoot tissues. Among the six cyanobacterial strains employed, Calothrix sp. (RPC1), Anabaena laxa (RPAN8), and Anabaena azollae (C16) were the best performing strains, in terms of colonization in roots and stem. These strains also enhanced nitrogen fixation and stimulated the activity of plant defense/cell wall-degrading enzymes. A significantly high correlation was also recorded between the elicited plant enzymes, growth, and ARA. DNA fingerprinting using highly iterated palindromic sequences (HIP-TG) further helped in proving the establishment of inoculated organisms in the roots/shoots of rice plants. This study illustrated that the colonization of cyanobacteria in the plant tissues is facilitated by increased elicitation of plant enzymes, leading to improved plant growth, nutrient mobilization, and enhanced plant fitness. Such strains can be promising candidates for developing "cyanobacteria colonized-nitrogen-fixing rice plants" in the future. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fungal colonization of air filters for use in heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Simmons, R B; Crow, S A

1995-01-01

New and used cellulosic air filters for HVAC systems including those treated with antimicrobials were suspended in vessels with a range of relative humidities (55-99%) and containing non-sterile potting soil which stimulates fungal growth. Most filters yielded fungi prior to suspension in the chambers but only two of 14 nontreated filters demonstrated fungal colonization following use in HVAC systems. Filters treated with antimicrobials, particularly a phosphated amine complex, demonstrated markedly less fungal colonization than nontreated filters. In comparison with nontreated cellulosic filters, fungal colonization of antimicrobial-treated cellulosic filters was selective and delayed.

The G-protein coupled chemoattractant receptor FPR2 promotes malignant phenotype of human colon cancer cells

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Yi; Yao, Xiaohong; Chen, Keqiang; Wang, Xiafei; Zhou, Jiamin; Gong, Wanghua; Yoshimura, Teizo; Huang, Jiaqiang; Wang, Rongquan; Wu, Yuzhang; Shi, Guochao; Bian, Xiuwu; Wang, Jiming

2016-01-01

The G-protein coupled chemoattractant receptor formylpeptide receptor-2 (FPR2 in human, Fpr2 in mice) is expressed by mouse colon epithelial cells and plays a critical role in mediating mucosal homeostasis and inflammatory responses. However, the biological role of FPR2 in human colon is unclear. Our investigation revealed that a considerable number of human colon cancer cell lines expressed FPR2 and its ligands promoted cell migration and proliferation. Human colon cancer cell lines expressing high levels of FPR2 also formed more rapidly growing tumors in immunocompromised mice as compared with cell lines expressing lower levels of FPR2. Knocking down of FPR2 from colon cancer cell lines highly expressing FPR2 reduced their tumorigenicity. Clinically, FPR2 is more highly expressed in progressive colon cancer, associated with poorer patient prognosis. These results suggest that FPR2 can be high-jacked by colon cancer cells for their growth advantage, thus becoming a potential target for therapeutic development. PMID:27904774

TNF Receptor-2 Facilitates an Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in the Liver to Promote the Colonization and Growth of Hepatic Metastases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ham, Boram; Wang, Ni; D'Costa, Zarina

2015-01-01

Successful colonization by a cancer cell of a distant metastatic site requires immune escape in the new microenvironment. TNF signaling has been implicated broadly in the suppression of immune surveillance that prevents colonization at the metastatic site and therefore must be blocked. In this st......Successful colonization by a cancer cell of a distant metastatic site requires immune escape in the new microenvironment. TNF signaling has been implicated broadly in the suppression of immune surveillance that prevents colonization at the metastatic site and therefore must be blocked...... chemotherapy-naïve colon cancer patients confirmed the presence of CD33(+)HLA-DR(-)TNFR2(+) myeloid cells in the periphery of hepatic metastases. Overall, our findings implicate TNFR2 in supporting MDSC-mediated immune suppression and metastasis in the liver, suggesting the use of TNFR2 inhibitors...

Long-run relationship between sectoral productivity and energy consumption in Malaysia: An aggregated and disaggregated viewpoint

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, Md Saifur; Junsheng, Ha; Shahari, Farihana; Aslam, Mohamed; Masud, Muhammad Mehedi; Banna, Hasanul; Liya, Ma

2015-01-01

This paper investigates the causal relationship between energy consumption and economic productivity in Malaysia at both aggregated and disaggregated levels. The investigation utilises total and sectoral (industrial and manufacturing) productivity growth during the 1971–2012 period using the modified Granger causality test proposed by Toda and Yamamoto [1] within a multivariate framework. The economy of Malaysia was found to be energy dependent at aggregated and disaggregated levels of national and sectoral economic growth. However, at disaggregate level, inefficient energy use is particularly identified with electricity and coal consumption patterns and their Granger caused negative effects upon GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and manufacturing growth. These findings suggest that policies should focus more on improving energy efficiency and energy saving. Furthermore, since emissions are found to have a close relationship to economic output at national and sectoral levels green technologies are of a highest necessity. - Highlights: • At aggregate level, energy consumption significantly influences GDP (Gross Domestic Product). • At disaggregate level, electricity & coal consumption does not help output growth. • Mineral and waste are found to positively Granger cause GDP. • The results reveal strong interactions between emissions and economic growth

Therapeutic effect of angiogenesis inhibitor combined with radiotherapy on liver metastasis model of colon cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin Liugen; Zhou Shifu

2005-01-01

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of angiogenesis inhibitor combined with radiotherapy on liver metastasis model of colon cancer. Methods: Nude mice liver metastasis model of colon cancer was established with human colon cancer cells line (LS174T) inoculated into mice' spleen and followed by splenectomy. Angiogenesis inhibitor 2-ME and radiotherapy were administered after-wads. The growth inhibition effect on metastases and neovessel was examined. Results: The incidences of liver metastasis were 100% in this intrasplenic injection model. The mean weight and microvessel density 4 weeks after inoculation were 53.6 ± 4.7 mg, 8.4 ± 1.7 in treatment group as compared to 173.9 ± 11.6 mg, 41.2 ± 6.3 in control group respectively. Conclusion: 2-ME combined with radiotherapy has significant inhibition on the growth of liver metastases. Angiogenesis inhibition is one of the mechanisms of its efficiency. (authors)

A study of the colonic transit function by dual radionuclide colon scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Weidong; Sun Buzhou; Song Changyi; Lu Jinyan; Wang Shejiao; Zheng Xianghong; Huang Lin; Lei Yamei

1999-01-01

Objective: To establish a new, simple and noninvasive method which can quantitatively analyze the colonic transit function by dual radionuclide colon scintigraphy. Methods: 24 patients with constipation and 32 normal controls were studied. Na 131 I was sealed into capsule made by polyvinylchloride which can not be digested and absorbed in gastrointestinal tract. Patients and normal volunteers swallow 131 I capsules and drink 99 Tc m labelled sulfur colloid solution at the same time. The static image was acquired at the regular time, then calculate the Geometric Center values (GC). Results: 1) The capsules can be clearly located through the colonic contour shown by 99 Tc m labeled sulfur colloid when it reached the large bowel. 2) The transiting time from mouth to cecum, through colon and through whole gastrointestinal in normal people were (6.61 +- 1.94), (36.61 +- 10.51) and (42.72 +- 10.02) h, respectively, in constipation group were (8.03 +- 3.63), (65.50 +- 28.40) and (74.05 +- 28.17) h, respectively. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in two groups compared with each other. But the transiting time through colon and whole gastrointestinal in constipation was slower than that in normal people, with significant difference (P < 0.01). 3) Through examination the colonic transit abnormality can be divided into three patterns: whole colon transit delay, right-colon transit delay and left-colon transit delay. Conclusions: This method is a simple, physiologic and quantitative in evaluating the colonic transit, it can also stage the colonic dyskinesia of the patients

Weaknesses of 'wage-led growth'

OpenAIRE

Skott, Peter

2016-01-01

The emphasis in post-Keynesian macroeconomics on wage- versus profit- led growth may not have been helpful. The profit share is not an exogenous variable, and the correlations between the pro.t share and economic growth can be positive for some exogenous shocks but negative for others. The terminology, second, suggests a unidirectional causality from distribution to aggregate demand while in fact distribution can itself be directly affected by shifts in aggregate demand. The reduced form corr...

Rydberg aggregates

Science.gov (United States)

Wüster, S.; Rost, J.-M.

2018-02-01

We review Rydberg aggregates, assemblies of a few Rydberg atoms exhibiting energy transport through collective eigenstates, considering isolated atoms or assemblies embedded within clouds of cold ground-state atoms. We classify Rydberg aggregates, and provide an overview of their possible applications as quantum simulators for phenomena from chemical or biological physics. Our main focus is on flexible Rydberg aggregates, in which atomic motion is an essential feature. In these, simultaneous control over Rydberg-Rydberg interactions, external trapping and electronic energies, allows Born-Oppenheimer surfaces for the motion of the entire aggregate to be tailored as desired. This is illustrated with theory proposals towards the demonstration of joint motion and excitation transport, conical intersections and non-adiabatic effects. Additional flexibility for quantum simulations is enabled by the use of dressed dipole-dipole interactions or the embedding of the aggregate in a cold gas or Bose-Einstein condensate environment. Finally we provide some guidance regarding the parameter regimes that are most suitable for the realization of either static or flexible Rydberg aggregates based on Li or Rb atoms. The current status of experimental progress towards enabling Rydberg aggregates is also reviewed.

Colon interposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isolauri, J.; Tampere Univ. Central Hospital; Paakkala, T.; Arajaervi, P.; Markkula, H.

1987-01-01

Colon interposition was carried out in 12 patients with oesophageal carcinoma and on 38 patients with benign oesophageal disease an average of 71 months before the radiographic examination. Various ischaemic changes including 'jejunization', loss of haustration and stricture formation were observed in 15 cases. In 12 patients one or several diverticula were seen in the colon graft. Reflux was observed in 17 cases in supine position. Double contrast technique in the examination of interposed colon is recommended. (orig.)

Nasal Bacterial Colonization in Pediatric Epistaxis: The Role of Topical Antibacterial Treatment

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Mukaddder Korkmaz

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Epistaxis is a common problem in childhood. It has been shown that children with recurrent epistaxis are more likely to have nasal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus. It has been suggested that low-grade inflammation, crusting and increased vascularity due to bacterial colonization contributes to the development of epistaxis in children. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the nasal colonization and treatment outcome in pediatric epistaxis patients. Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Methods: Charts of the pediatric patients referred to our university hospital otolaryngology outpatient clinics for the evaluation of epistaxis were reviewed. The patients whose nasal cultures had been taken at the first clinical visit comprised the study group. Results: Staphylococcus aureus was the most common bacteria grown. The presence of crusting and hypervascularity was not dependent on the type of bacterial growth and there was no relation between hypervascularity and crusting of the nasal mucosa. Thirty-six patients were evaluated for the outcome analysis. Resolution of bleeding was not dependent on nasal colonization; in patients with colonization, there was no difference between topical antibacterial and non-antibacterial treatments. Conclusion: Despite the high colonization rates, topical antibacterial treatment was not found superior to non-antibacterial treatment. Our study does not support the belief that bacterial colonization results in hypervascularity of the septal mucosa causing epistaxis since no relation was found between nasal colonization, hypervascularity and crusting. The role of bacterial colonization in pediatric epistaxis need to be further investigated and treatment protocols must be determined accordingly.

[In vitro and in vivo effects of mango pulp (Mangifera indica cv. Azucar) in colon carcinogenesis].

Science.gov (United States)

Corrales-Bernal, Andrea; Amparo Urango, Luz; Rojano, Benjamín; Maldonado, Maria Elena

2014-03-01

Mango pulp contains ascorbic acid, carotenoids, polyphenols, terpenoids and fiber which are healthy and could protect against colon cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiproliferative and preventive capacity of an aqueous extract of Mangifera indica cv. Azúcar on a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (SW480) and in a rodent model of colorectal cancer, respectively. The content of total phenolics, flavonoids and carotenoids were also analyzed in the extract. SW480 cell growth was inhibited in a dose and time dependent manner by 22.3% after a 72h exposure to the extract (200 µg/ mL). Colon carcinogenesis was initiated in Balb/c mice by two intra-peritoneal injections of azoxymethane (AOM) at the third and fourth week of giving mango in drinking water (0.3%, 0.6%, 1.25%). After 10 weeks of treatment, in the colon of mice receiving 0.3% mango, aberrant crypt foci formation was inhibited more than 60% (p=0,05) and the inhibition was dose-dependent when compared with controls receiving water. These results show that mango pulp, a natural food, non toxic, part of human being diet, contains bioactive compounds able to reduce growth of tumor cells and to prevent the appearance of precancerous lesions in colon during carcinogenesis initiation.

Effect of low frequency magnetic fields on the growth of MNP-treated HT29 colon cancer cells

Science.gov (United States)

Spyridopoulou, K.; Makridis, A.; Maniotis, N.; Karypidou, N.; Myrovali, E.; Samaras, T.; Angelakeris, M.; Chlichlia, K.; Kalogirou, O.

2018-04-01

Recent investigations have attempted to understand and exploit the impact of magnetic field-actuated internalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) on the proliferation rate of cancer cells. Due to the complexity of the parameters governing magnetic field-exposure though, individual studies to date have raised contradictory results. In our approach we performed a comparative analysis of key parameters related to the cell exposure of cancer cells to magnetic field-actuated MNPs, and to the magnetic field, in order to better understand the factors affecting cellular responses to magnetic field-stimulated MNPs. We used magnetite MNPs with a hydrodynamic diameter of 100 nm and studied the proliferation rate of MNPs-treated versus untreated HT29 human colon cancer cells, exposed to either static or alternating low frequency magnetic fields with varying intensity (40-200 mT), frequency (0-8 Hz) and field gradient. All three parameters, field intensity, frequency, and field gradient affected the growth rate of cells, with or without internalized MNPs, as compared to control MNPs-untreated and magnetic field-untreated cells. We observed that the growth inhibitory effects induced by static and rotating magnetic fields were enhanced by pre-treating the cells with MNPs, while the growth promoting effects observed in alternating field-treated cells were weakened by MNPs. Compared to static, rotating magnetic fields of the same intensity induced a similar extend of cell growth inhibition, while alternating fields of varying intensity (70 or 100 mT) and frequency (0, 4 or 8 Hz) induced cell proliferation in a frequency-dependent manner. These results, highlighting the diverse effects of mode, intensity, and frequency of the magnetic field on cell growth, indicate that consistent and reproducible results can be achieved by controlling the complexity of the exposure of biological samples to MNPs and external magnetic fields, through monitoring crucial experimental parameters. We

Macro Expectations, Aggregate Uncertainty, and Expected Term Premia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dick, Christian D.; Schmeling, Maik; Schrimpf, Andreas

2013-01-01

as well as aggregate macroeconomic uncertainty at the level of individual forecasters. We find that expected term premia are (i) time-varying and reasonably persistent, (ii) strongly related to expectations about future output growth, and (iii) positively affected by uncertainty about future output growth...... and in ation rates. Expectations about real macroeconomic variables seem to matter more than expectations about nominal factors. Additional findings on term structure factors suggest that the level and slope factor capture information related to uncertainty about real and nominal macroeconomic prospects...

Transplantation of colon carcinoma into granulation tissue induces an invasive morphotype

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dingemans, K. P.; Zeeman-Boeschoten, I. M.; Keep, R. F.; Das, P. K.

1993-01-01

The stroma surrounding many malignant tumors resembles granulation tissue. To test the hypothesis that such stroma stimulates tumor invasiveness, we compared, by electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry, the growth patterns of CC531 rat colon adenocarcinoma in 2 experimental situations: (i)

Expression of Anion Exchanger 1 Sequestrates p16 in the Cytoplasm in Gastric, Colonic Adenocarcinoma

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Wei-Wei Shen

2007-10-01

Full Text Available p16INK4A (p16 binds to cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6, negatively regulates cell growth. Recent studies have led to an understanding of additional biologic functions for p16; however, the detailed mechanisms involved are still elusive. In this article, we show an unexpected expression of anion exchanger 1 (AEi in the cytoplasm in poorly, moderately differentiated gastric, colonic adenocarcinoma cells, in its interaction with p16, thereby sequestrating the protein in the cytoplasm. Genetic alterations of p16, AEi were not detectable. Forced expression of AEi in these cells sequestrated more p16 in the cytoplasm, whereas small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of AEi in the cells induced the release of p16 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, leading to cell death, growth inhibition of tumor cells. By analyzing tissue samples obtained from patients with gastric, colonic cancers, we found that 83.33% of gastric cancers, 56.52% of colonic cancers coexpressed AEi, p16 in the cytoplasm. We conclude that AEi plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of gastric, colonic adenocarcinoma, that p16 dysfunction is a novel pathway of carcinogenesis.

Role of microsatellite instability in colon cancer

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M. Yu. Fedyanin

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Coloncancer is among leading causes of cancer morbidity and mortality both inRussiaand worldwide. Development of molecular biology lead to decoding of carcinogenesis and tumor progression mechanisms. These processes require accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations in a tumor cell.Coloncancer carcinogenesis is characterized by mutations cumulation in genes controlling growth and differentiation of epithelial cells, which leads to their genetic instability. Microsatellite instability is a type of genetic instability characterized by deterioration of mismatch DNA repair. This leads to faster accumulation of mutations in DNA. Loss of mismatch repair mechanism can easily be diagnosed by length of DNA microsatellites. These alterations are termed microsatellite instability. They can be found both in hereditary and sporadic colon cancers. This review covers the questions of microsatellite instability, its prognostic and predictive value in colon cancer.

Catalase and Superoxide Dismutase of Root-Colonizing Saprophytic Fluorescent Pseudomonads †

OpenAIRE

Katsuwon, Jirasak; Anderson, Anne J.

1990-01-01

Root-colonizing, saprophytic fluorescent pseudomonads of the Pseudomonas putida-P. fluorescens group express similar levels of catalase and superoxide dismutase activities during growth on a sucrose- and amino acid-rich medium. Increased specific activities of catalase but not superoxide dismutase were observed during growth of these bacteria on components washed from root surfaces. The specific activities of both enzymes were also regulated during contact of these bacteria with intact bean r...

High velocity collisions between large dust aggregates at the limit for growing planetesimals

Science.gov (United States)

Wurm, G.; Teiser, J.; Paraskov, G.

2007-08-01

Planetesimals are km-size bodies supposed to be formed in protoplanetary disks as planetary precursors [1]. The most widely considered mechanism for their formation is based on mutual collisions of smaller bodies, a process which starts with the aggregation of (sub)-micron size dust particles. In the absence of events that lithify the growing dust aggregates, only the surface forces between dust particles provide adhesion and internal strength of the objects. It has been assumed that this might be a disadvantage as dust aggregates are readily destroyed by rather weak collisions. In fact, experimental research on dust aggregation showed that for collisions in the m/s range (sub)-mm size dust aggregates impacting a larger body do show a transition from sticking to rebound and/or fragmentation in collisions and no growth occurs at the large velocities [2, 3]. This seemed to be incompatible with typical collision velocities of small dust aggregates with m-size bodies which are expected to be on the order 50 m/s in protoplanetary disks [4]. We recently found that the experimental results cannot be scaled from m/s to tens of m/s collisions. In contrast to the assumptions and somewhat counterintuitive, it is the fragility of dust aggregates that allows growth at higher collision velocities. In impact experiments Wurm et al. [5] showed that between 13 m/s and 25 m/s a larger compact (target) body consisting of micron-size SiO2 dust particles accreted 50 % of the mass of a 1 cm dust projectile consisting of the same dust. For slower impacts the projectile only rebounded or fragmented slightly.

Rotary culture enhances pre-osteoblast aggregation and mineralization.

Science.gov (United States)

Facer, S R; Zaharias, R S; Andracki, M E; Lafoon, J; Hunter, S K; Schneider, G B

2005-06-01

Three-dimensional environments have been shown to enhance cell aggregation and osteoblast differentiation. Thus, we hypothesized that three-dimensional (3D) growth environments would enhance the mineralization rate of human embryonic palatal mesenchymal (HEPM) pre-osteoblasts. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential use of rotary cell culture systems (RCCS) as a means to enhance the osteogenic potential of pre-osteoblast cells. HEPM cells were cultured in a RCCS to create 3D enviroments. Tissue culture plastic (2D) cultures served as our control. 3D environments promoted three-dimensional aggregate formations. Increased calcium and phosphorus deposition was significantly enhanced three- to 18-fold (P < 0.001) in 3D cultures as compared with 2D environments. 3D cultures mineralized in 1 wk as compared with the 2D cultures, which took 4 wks, a decrease in time of nearly 75%. In conclusion, our studies demonstrated that 3D environments enhanced osteoblast cell aggregation and mineralization.

On the characterization of intermediates in the isodesmic aggregation pathway of hen lysozyme at alkaline pH.

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Vijay Kumar Ravi

Full Text Available Protein aggregation leading to formation of amyloid fibrils is a symptom of several diseases like Alzheimer's, type 2 diabetes and so on. Elucidating the poorly understood mechanism of such phenomena entails the difficult task of characterizing the species involved at each of the multiple steps in the aggregation pathway. It was previously shown by us that spontaneous aggregation of hen-eggwhite lysozyme (HEWL at room temperature in pH 12.2 is a good model to study aggregation. Here in this paper we investigate the growth kinetics, structure, function and dynamics of multiple intermediate species populating the aggregation pathway of HEWL at pH 12.2. The different intermediates were isolated by varying the HEWL monomer concentration in the 300 nM-0.12 mM range. The intermediates were characterized using techniques like steady-state and nanosecond time-resolved fluorescence, atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Growth kinetics of non-fibrillar HEWL aggregates were fitted to the von Bertalanffy equation to yield a HEWL concentration independent rate constant (k = (6.6 ± 0.6 × 10(-5 s(-1. Our results reveal stepwise changes in size, molecular packing and enzymatic activity among growing HEWL aggregates consistent with an isodesmic aggregation model. Formation of disulphide bonds that crosslink the monomers in the aggregate appear as a unique feature of this aggregation. AFM images of multiple amyloid fibrils emanating radially from amorphous aggregates directly confirmed that on-pathway fibril formation was feasible under isodesmic polymerization. The isolated HEWL aggregates are revealed as polycationic protein nanoparticles that are robust at neutral pH with ability to take up non-polar molecules like ANS.

The evaluation of the factors that cause aggregation during recombinant expression in E. coli is simplified by the employment of an aggregation-sensitive reporter

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Martinez Lucia

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The yields of soluble recombinant proteins expressed in bacteria are often low due to the tendency of the heterologous proteins to form aggregates. Therefore, aggregation reporters have been envisaged to simplify the comparison among different expression conditions and to speed up the identification of suitable protocols that improve the solubility. The probe we used is composed by an IbpAB promoter specifically activated by protein aggregates fused to a sequence coding the β-galactosidase, the activity of which becomes, therefore, indicative of the aggregation degree. Results The collected data show that the probe is reliable in terms of reproducibility inside a range of experimental conditions and faster and more sensitive than the analysis methods based on SDS-PAGE and successive western blot. The β-galactosidase probe was useful to identify which parameters could influence the aggregation of the model proteins and to set up an optimized expression protocol. The effect of growth temperature, induction modality, co-expression with molecular chaperones and addition of osmolytes on the accumulation of aggregates were evaluated following the β-galactosidase activity. Interestingly, a significant correlation was observed between estimated decreased aggregation and higher yields of soluble protein. We also compared a set of expression vectors with various regulative features and found that the single characteristics, like promoter, copy number or polymerase, were not relevant for controlling the recombinant protein aggregation whilst the crucial factor resulted being the total expression rate of the system. Conclusion The aggregation reporter used in our experiments represents a useful tool to evaluate the different factors that can be modulated to optimize a recombinant expression protocol. Furthermore, the rapid estimation of the aggregation degree enables to discriminate this from other causes responsible for scarce

Translating tumor biology into personalized treatment planning: analytical performance characteristics of the Oncotype DX® Colon Cancer Assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark-Langone, Kim M; Sangli, Chithra; Krishnakumar, Jayadevi; Watson, Drew

2010-01-01

The Oncotype DX ® Colon Cancer Assay is a new diagnostic test for determining the likelihood of recurrence in stage II colon cancer patients after surgical resection using fixed paraffin embedded (FPE) primary colon tumor tissue. Like the Oncotype DX Breast Cancer Assay, this is a high complexity, multi-analyte, reverse transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that measures the expression levels of specific cancer-related genes. By capturing the biology underlying each patient's tumor, the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay provides a Recurrence Score (RS) that reflects an individualized risk of disease recurrence. Here we describe its analytical performance using pre-determined performance criteria, which is a critical component of molecular diagnostic test validation. All analytical measurements met pre-specified performance criteria. PCR amplification efficiency for all 12 assays was high, ranging from 96% to 107%, while linearity was demonstrated over an 11 log 2 concentration range for all assays. Based on estimated components of variance for FPE RNA pools, analytical reproducibility and precision demonstrated low SDs for individual genes (0.16 to 0.32 C T s), gene groups (≤0.05 normalized/aggregate C T s) and RS (≤1.38 RS units). Analytical performance characteristics shown here for both individual genes and gene groups in the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay demonstrate consistent translation of specific biology of individual tumors into clinically useful diagnostic information. The results of these studies illustrate how the analytical capability of the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay has enabled clinical validation of a test to determine individualized recurrence risk after colon cancer surgery

Translating tumor biology into personalized treatment planning: analytical performance characteristics of the Oncotype DX® Colon Cancer Assay

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Krishnakumar Jayadevi

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Oncotype DX® Colon Cancer Assay is a new diagnostic test for determining the likelihood of recurrence in stage II colon cancer patients after surgical resection using fixed paraffin embedded (FPE primary colon tumor tissue. Like the Oncotype DX Breast Cancer Assay, this is a high complexity, multi-analyte, reverse transcription (RT polymerase chain reaction (PCR assay that measures the expression levels of specific cancer-related genes. By capturing the biology underlying each patient's tumor, the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay provides a Recurrence Score (RS that reflects an individualized risk of disease recurrence. Here we describe its analytical performance using pre-determined performance criteria, which is a critical component of molecular diagnostic test validation. Results All analytical measurements met pre-specified performance criteria. PCR amplification efficiency for all 12 assays was high, ranging from 96% to 107%, while linearity was demonstrated over an 11 log2 concentration range for all assays. Based on estimated components of variance for FPE RNA pools, analytical reproducibility and precision demonstrated low SDs for individual genes (0.16 to 0.32 CTs, gene groups (≤0.05 normalized/aggregate CTs and RS (≤1.38 RS units. Conclusions Analytical performance characteristics shown here for both individual genes and gene groups in the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay demonstrate consistent translation of specific biology of individual tumors into clinically useful diagnostic information. The results of these studies illustrate how the analytical capability of the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay has enabled clinical validation of a test to determine individualized recurrence risk after colon cancer surgery.

Combined adenocarcinoma-carcinoid tumor of transverse colon

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Prosanta Kumar Bhattacharjee

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A 65-year-old male presented with painless hematochezia associated with episodic cramps in upper abdomen, watery diarrhea, and a slowly growing mass in upper abdomen. Examination revealed a firm 6 x 5 cm, intra-abdominal, epigastric mass. Colonoscopy up to 90 cm showed a stenosing, ulcero-proliferative lesion in the transverse colon. No synchronous lesion was detected. Biopsy revealed mucin secreting adenocarcinoma. Exploration showed the growth involving the transverse colon proximal to the splenic flexure with a part of ileum, approximately three feet proximal to ileo-caecal junction, adherent to it. No significant mesenteric lymph node enlargement was evident. The patient underwent resection of the growth along with the segment of adherent ileum. Continuity was re-established by a colo-colic and ileo-ileal anastomosis respectively. Patient received adjuvant chemotherapy. Post-operative histopathology demonstrated a composite histological pattern with an admixture of carcinoid tumor and adenocarcinoma, invasion of ileal serosa and adenocarcinomatous deposits in mesocolic lymph nodes, the tumor staging being (T4, N0, M0/Stage II for carcinoid and (T4, N1, M0/Stage III for adenocarcinoma. Patient was followed-up for a year and was doing well without any evidence of recurrence.

Inhibitory Effects of Probiotic Lactobacillus on the Growth of Human Colonic Carcinoma Cell Line HT-29

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Zhung-Yuan Chen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to investigate the inhibitory effect of Lactobacillus cells and supernatants on the growth of the human colon cancer cell line HT-29. Our study results indicated that the PM153 strain exhibits the best adhesion ability and the highest survival in the gastrointestinal tract simulation experiment. Furthermore, after an 8-h co-culture of PM153 and HT-29 cells, the PM153 strain can induce the secretion of nitric oxide from the HT-29 cells. In addition, after the co-culture of the BCRC17010 strain (109 cfu/mL and HT-29 cells, the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in the HT-29 cells was 1.19, which showed a significant difference from the other control and LAB groups (p < 0.05, which therefore led to the inference that the BCRC17010 strain exerts a pro-apoptotic effect on the HT-29 cells. Upon co-culture with HT-29 cells for 4, 8 and 12 h, the BCRC14625 strain (109 cfu/mL demonstrated a significant increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH activity (p < 0.05, causing harm to the HT-29 cell membrane; further, after an 8-h co-culture with the HT-29 cells, it induced the secretion of nitric oxide (NO from the HT-29 cells. Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB strains have ability to inhibit the growth of the colorectal cancer cell line HT-29 Bax/Bcl-2 pathway or NO production. In summary, we demonstrated that the BCRC17010 strain, good abilities of adhesion and increased LDH release, was the best probiotic potential for inhibition of HT-29 growth amongst the seven LAB strains tested in vitro.

Chemopreventive effects of in vitro digested and fermented bread in human colon cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlörmann, Wiebke; Hiller, Beate; Jahns, Franziska; Zöger, Romy; Hennemeier, Isabell; Wilhelm, Anne; Lindhauer, Meinolf G; Glei, Michael

2012-10-01

Bread as a staple food product represents an important source for dietary fibre consumption. Effects of wheat bread, wholemeal wheat bread and wholemeal rye bread on mechanisms which could have impact on chemoprevention were analysed in colon cells after in vitro fermentation. Effects of fermented bread samples on gene expression, glutathione S-transferase activity and glutathione content, differentiation, growth and apoptosis were investigated using the human colon adenoma cell line LT97. Additionally, apoptosis was studied in normal and tumour colon tissue by determination of caspase activities. The expression of 76 genes (biotransformation, differentiation, apoptosis) was significantly upregulated (1.5-fold) in LT97 cells. The fermented bread samples were able to significantly increase glutathione S-transferase activity (1.8-fold) and glutathione content (1.4-fold) of the cells. Alkaline phosphatase activity as a marker of differentiation was also significantly enhanced (1.7-fold). The fermented bread samples significantly inhibited LT97 cell growth and increased the level of apoptotic cells (1.8-fold). Only marginal effects on apoptosis in tumour compared to normal tissue were observed. This is the first study which presents chemopreventive effects of different breads after in vitro fermentation. In spite of differences in composition, the results were comparable between the bread types. Nevertheless, they indicate a potential involvement of this staple food product regarding the prevention of colon cancer.

Patterns of Manufacturing Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: From Colonization to the Present

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Austin, G.; Frankema, E.H.P.; Jerven, M.

2016-01-01

This paper reviews the 'long twentieth-century' development of 'modern' manufacturing in Sub-Saharan Africa from colonization to the present. We argue that classifying Africa generically as a 'late industrializer' is inaccurate. To understand the distinctively African pattern of manufacturing

Aurora-A overexpression enhances cell-aggregation of Ha-ras transformants through the MEK/ERK signaling pathway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tseng, Ya-Shih; Lee, Jenq-Chang; Huang, Chi-Ying F; Liu, Hsiao-Sheng

2009-01-01

Overexpression of Aurora-A and mutant Ras (Ras V12 ) together has been detected in human bladder cancer tissue. However, it is not clear whether this phenomenon is a general event or not. Although crosstalk between Aurora-A and Ras signaling pathways has been reported, the role of these two genes acting together in tumorigenesis remains unclear. Real-time PCR and sequence analysis were utilized to identify Ha- and Ki-ras mutation (Gly -> Val). Immunohistochemistry staining was used to measure the level of Aurora-A expression in bladder and colon cancer specimens. To reveal the effect of overexpression of the above two genes on cellular responses, mouse NIH3T3 fibroblast derived cell lines over-expressing either Ras V12 and wild-type Aurora-A (designated WT) or Ras V12 and kinase-inactivated Aurora-A (KD) were established. MTT and focus formation assays were conducted to measure proliferation rate and focus formation capability of the cells. Small interfering RNA, pharmacological inhibitors and dominant negative genes were used to dissect the signaling pathways involved. Overexpression of wild-type Aurora-A and mutation of Ras V12 were detected in human bladder and colon cancer tissues. Wild-type Aurora-A induces focus formation and aggregation of the Ras V12 transformants. Aurora-A activates Ral A and the phosphorylation of AKT as well as enhances the phosphorylation of MEK, ERK of WT cells. Finally, the Ras/MEK/ERK signaling pathway is responsible for Aurora-A induced aggregation of the Ras V12 transformants. Wild-type-Aurora-A enhances focus formation and aggregation of the Ras V12 transformants and the latter occurs through modulating the Ras/MEK/ERK signaling pathway

CT in colon cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujita, Nobuyuki; Hasegawa, Takashi; Kubo, Kozo; Ogawa, Hajime; Sato, Yukihiko; Tomita, Masayoshi; Hanawa, Makoto; Matsuzawa, Tohru; Nishioka, Ken

1990-01-01

CT pictures from 59 lesions of advanced colon cancer including rectal cancer were reviewed to evaluate a role of CT in preoperative staging diagnosis. CT findings were recorded following general rules for clinical and pathological studies on cancer of colon rectum and anus, proposed by Japanese society for cancer of colon and rectum. Tumors were detected in 90% of advanced colon cancers. Sensitivity in local extension (S factor) was 58.0%. Sensitivity in lymphonode involvement (N factor) was 50.0%. Sensitivity in final staging diagnosis, dividing colon cancer into two groups below st II and above st III, was 63.3%. Further study should be necessitated to provide useful information for preoperative staging diagnosis of colon cancer. (author)

Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae endophytically colonize cassava roots following soil drench inoculation

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Greenfield, Melinda; Gómez-Jiménez, María I.; Ortiz, Viviana; Vega, Fernando E.; Kramer, Matthew; Parsa, Soroush

2016-01-01

We investigated the fungal entomopathogens Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae to determine if endophytic colonization could be achieved in cassava. An inoculation method based on drenching the soil around cassava stem cuttings using conidial suspensions resulted in endophytic colonization of cassava roots by both entomopathogens, though neither was found in the leaves or stems of the treated cassava plants. Both fungal entomopathogens were detected more often in the proximal end of the root than in the distal end. Colonization levels of B. bassiana were higher when plants were sampled at 7–9 days post-inoculation (84%) compared to 47–49 days post-inoculation (40%). In contrast, the colonization levels of M. anisopliae remained constant from 7–9 days post-inoculation (80%) to 47–49 days post-inoculation (80%), which suggests M. anisopliae is better able to persist in the soil, or as an endophyte in cassava roots over time. Differences in colonization success and plant growth were found among the fungal entomopathogen treatments. PMID:27103778

Cetuximab-Induced MET Activation Acts as a Novel Resistance Mechanism in Colon Cancer Cells

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Na Song

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Aberrant MET expression and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF signaling are implicated in promoting resistance to targeted agents; however, the induced MET activation by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR inhibitors mediating resistance to targeted therapy remains elusive. In this study, we identified that cetuximab-induced MET activation contributed to cetuximab resistance in Caco-2 colon cancer cells. MET inhibition or knockdown sensitized Caco-2 cells to cetuximab-mediated growth inhibition. Additionally, SRC activation promoted cetuximab resistance by interacting with MET. Pretreatment with SRC inhibitors abolished cetuximab-mediated MET activation and rendered Caco-2 cells sensitive to cetuximab. Notably, cetuximab induced MET/SRC/EGFR complex formation. MET inhibitor or SRC inhibitor suppressed phosphorylation of MET and SRC in the complex, and MET inhibitor singly led to disruption of complex formation. These results implicate alternative targeting of MET or SRC as rational strategies for reversing cetuximab resistance in colon cancer.

Derricin and derricidin inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling and suppress colon cancer cell growth in vitro.

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Barbara F Fonseca

Full Text Available Overactivation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in adult tissues has been implicated in many diseases, such as colorectal cancer. Finding chemical substances that can prevent this phenomenon is an emerging problem. Recently, several natural compounds have been described as Wnt/β-catenin inhibitors and might be promising agents for the control of carcinogenesis. Here, we describe two natural substances, derricin and derricidin, belonging to the chalcone subclass, that show potent transcriptional inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Both chalcones are able to affect the cell distribution of β-catenin, and inhibit Wnt-specific reporter activity in HCT116 cells and in Xenopus embryos. Derricin and derricidin also strongly inhibited canonical Wnt activity in vitro, and rescued the Wnt-induced double axis phenotype in Xenopus embryos. As a consequence of Wnt/β-catenin inhibition, derricin and derricidin treatments reduce cell viability and lead to cell cycle arrest in colorectal cancer cell lines. Taken together, our results strongly support these chalcones as novel negative modulators of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and colon cancer cell growth in vitro.

Bacillus subtilis Early Colonization of Arabidopsis thaliana Roots Involves Multiple Chemotaxis Receptors.

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Allard-Massicotte, Rosalie; Tessier, Laurence; Lécuyer, Frédéric; Lakshmanan, Venkatachalam; Lucier, Jean-François; Garneau, Daniel; Caudwell, Larissa; Vlamakis, Hera; Bais, Harsh P; Beauregard, Pascale B

2016-11-29

Colonization of plant roots by Bacillus subtilis is mutually beneficial to plants and bacteria. Plants can secrete up to 30% of their fixed carbon via root exudates, thereby feeding the bacteria, and in return the associated B. subtilis bacteria provide the plant with many growth-promoting traits. Formation of a biofilm on the root by matrix-producing B. subtilis is a well-established requirement for long-term colonization. However, we observed that cells start forming a biofilm only several hours after motile cells first settle on the plant. We also found that intact chemotaxis machinery is required for early root colonization by B. subtilis and for plant protection. Arabidopsis thaliana root exudates attract B. subtilis in vitro, an activity mediated by the two characterized chemoreceptors, McpB and McpC, as well as by the orphan receptor TlpC. Nonetheless, bacteria lacking these chemoreceptors are still able to colonize the root, suggesting that other chemoreceptors might also play a role in this process. These observations suggest that A. thaliana actively recruits B. subtilis through root-secreted molecules, and our results stress the important roles of B. subtilis chemoreceptors for efficient colonization of plants in natural environments. These results demonstrate a remarkable strategy adapted by beneficial rhizobacteria to utilize carbon-rich root exudates, which may facilitate rhizobacterial colonization and a mutualistic association with the host. Bacillus subtilis is a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium that establishes robust interactions with roots. Many studies have now demonstrated that biofilm formation is required for long-term colonization. However, we observed that motile B. subtilis mediates the first contact with the roots. These cells differentiate into biofilm-producing cells only several hours after the bacteria first contact the root. Our study reveals that intact chemotaxis machinery is required for the bacteria to reach the

The Physics of Protoplanetesimal Dust Agglomerates. VIII. Microgravity Collisions between Porous SiO2 Aggregates and Loosely Bound Agglomerates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whizin, Akbar D.; Colwell, Joshua E.; Blum, Jürgen

2017-01-01

We performed laboratory experiments colliding 0.8–1.0 mm and 1.0–1.6 mm SiO 2 dust aggregates with loosely bound centimeter-sized agglomerates of those aggregates in microgravity. This work builds on previous microgravity laboratory experiments examining the collisional properties of porous loosely bound dust aggregates. In centimeter-sized aggregates, surface forces dominate self-gravity and may play a large role in aggregate growth beyond this size range. We characterize the properties of protoplanetary aggregate analogs to help place constraints on initial formation mechanisms and environments. We determined several important physical characteristics of these aggregates in a large number of low-velocity collisions. We observed low coefficients of restitution and fragmentation thresholds near 1 m s −1 for 1–2 cm agglomerates, which are in good agreement with previous findings in the literature. We find the accretion efficiency for agglomerates of loosely bound aggregates to be higher than that for just aggregates themselves. We find sticking thresholds of 6.6 ± 2 cm s −1 , somewhat higher than those in similar studies, which have observed few aggregates stick at speeds of under 3 cm s −1 . Even with highly dissipative collisions, loosely bound agglomerates have difficulty accreting beyond centimeter-sized bodies at typical collision speeds in the disk. Our results indicate agglomerates of porous aggregates have slightly higher sticking thresholds than previously thought, allowing possible growth to decimeter-sized bodies if velocities are low enough.

Influence of source parameters on the growth of metal nanoparticles by sputter-gas-aggregation

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Khojasteh, Malak; Kresin, Vitaly V.

2017-11-01

We describe the production of size-selected manganese nanoclusters using a magnetron sputtering/aggregation source. Since nanoparticle production is sensitive to a range of overlapping operating parameters (in particular, the sputtering discharge power, the inert gas flow rates, and the aggregation length), we focus on a detailed map of the influence of each parameter on the average nanocluster size. In this way, it is possible to identify the main contribution of each parameter to the physical processes taking place within the source. The discharge power and argon flow supply the metal vapor, and argon also plays a crucial role in the formation of condensation nuclei via three-body collisions. However, the argon flow and the discharge power have a relatively weak effect on the average nanocluster size in the exiting beam. Here the defining role is played by the source residence time, governed by the helium supply (which raises the pressure and density of the gas column inside the source, resulting in more efficient transport of nanoparticles to the exit) and by the aggregation path length.

Chemo prevention of Tea Polyphenols against Tumor Growth of Hepato-Colon Cancer Induced by Azoxy methane in Rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heibashy, M.I.A.; Mazen, G.M.A.

2008-01-01

This investigation was conducted to evaluate the chemo prevention of tea polyphenols as anticancer agent in rats which were injected with azoxy methane (AOM) which is a potent hepato-colon carcinogen agents in rodents. The obtained data revealed a significant elevation in serum tumor markers, carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and cancer antigen (CA 1 9.9) in carcinogenic rats in comparison to their corresponding normal control ones. Also, there was a significant increase in the content of cytochrome P 4 50 and the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) in both liver and colon as well as a significant elevation in the activities of methoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase (MRD), ethoxyresorutin-O-dealkylase (ERD) and pentoxyresorufin-O- dealkylase (PRD) in liver microsomes. While, glutathione content (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (Gp x ) activity were decreased significantly in liver and colon as a result of cancer induction. On the other hand, the supplementation of black or green tea before induction of cancer in rats led to a considerable correction in all previous parameters studied. These amelioration effects dependent on magic biochemical properties of flavanols (catechins) and type of tea. In conclusion, tea polyphenols have appreciable anti-cancer efficacy on hepato colon cancer in rats. The underlying mechanisms of through which tea counteracted hepato-colon cancer were discussed

Colonic locomotion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dodou, D.

2006-01-01

The most effective screening method for colonic cancer is colonoscopy. However, colonoscopy cannot be easily embraced by the population because of the related pain intensity. Robotic devices that pull themselves forward through the colon are a possible alternative. The main challenge for such

Colon cancer risk and different HRT formulations: a case-control study

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Thai Do

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Most studies have found no increased risk of colon cancer associated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT, or even a decreased risk. But information about the effects of different HRT preparations is lacking. Methods A case-control study was performed within Germany in collaboration with regional cancer registries and tumor centers. Up to 5 controls were matched to each case of colon cancer. Conditional logistic regression analysis was applied to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI. Stratified analyses were performed to get an impression of the risk associated with different estrogens and progestins. Results A total of 354 cases of colon cancer were compared with 1422 matched controls. The adjusted overall risk estimate for colon cancer (ColC associated with ever-use of HRT was 0.97 (0.71 – 1.32. No clinically relevant trends for ColC risk were observed with increasing duration of HRT use, or increasing time since first or last HRT use in aggregate. Whereas the overall risk estimates were stable, the numbers in many of the sub-analyses of HRT preparation groups (estrogens and progestins were too small for conclusions. Nevertheless, if the ColC risk estimates are taken at face value, most seemed to be reduced compared with never-use of HRT, but did not vary much across HRT formulation subgroups. In particular, no substantial difference in ColC risk was observed between HRT-containing conjugated equine estrogens (CEE or medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA and other formulations more common in Europe. Conclusion Ever-use of HRT was not associated with an increased risk of colon cancer. In contrary, most risk estimates pointed non-significantly toward a lower ColC risk in HRT ever user. They did not vary markedly among different HRT formulations (estrogens, progestins. However, the small numbers and the overlapping nature of the subgroups suggest cautious interpretation.

Studying the Differences of Bacterial Metabolome and Microbiome in the Colon between Landrace and Meihua Piglets

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Shijuan Yan

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to compare the microbiome and metabolome differences in the colon lumen from two pig breeds with different genetic backgrounds. Fourteen weaned piglets at 30 days of age, including seven Landrace piglets (a lean-type pig breed with a fast growth rate and seven Meihua piglets (a fatty-type Chinese local pig breed with a slow growth rate, were fed the same diets for 35 days. Untargeted metabolomics analyses showed that a total of 401 metabolites differed between Landrace and Meihua. Seventy of these 401 metabolites were conclusively identified. Landrace accumulated more short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs and secondary bile acids in the colon lumen. Moreover, expression of the SCFAs transporter (solute carrier family 5 member 8, SLC5A8 and receptor (G protein-coupled receptor 41, GPR41 in the colon mucosa was higher, while the bile acids receptor (farnesoid X receptor, FXR had lower expression in Landrace compared to Meihua. The relative abundances of 8 genera and 16 species of bacteria differed significantly between Landrace and Meihua, and were closely related to the colonic concentrations of bile acids or SCFAs based on Pearson's correlation analysis. Collectively, our results demonstrate for the first time that there were differences in the colonic microbiome and metabolome between Meihua and Landrace piglets, with the most profound disparity in production of SCFAs and secondary bile acids.

Apoptotic block in colon cancer cells may be rectified by lentivirus mediated overexpression of caspase-9.

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Xu, D; Wang, C; Shen, X; Yu, Y; Rui, Y; Zhang, D; Zhou, Z

2013-12-01

At present, the inhibition of apoptosis during pathogenesis of colorectal cancer is widely recognized while the role of caspase-9 in this process remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the differential expression of caspase-9 and evaluate the therapeutic potential of expression intervention in this study. We first examined the different expression of caspase-9 in normal colon mucosa, adenoma and cancer, investigating the relationship between its expression and clinico-pathological characteristics. Secondly, overexpression of caspase-9 was established in colon cancer cell lines by lentivirus infection to study the changes in growth, proliferation and apoptosis. Compared with normal colon mucosa, the expression of caspase-9 was higher in adenoma while lower in cancer both at mRNA and protein level (P expression is more common in poorly differentiated cancers (P expression of caspase-9, poorer colony formation and slower cell proliferation. In terms of apoptosis related indicators, caspase-9 overexpression leads to higher apoptosis rate and GO/G1 arrest, while up-regulating the expression of caspase-3 (P expression from colon mucosa, adenoma to cancer suggested it may be involved in the carcinogenesis of colon cancer. The overexpression of caspase-9 exhibits an inhibitory role in cancer growth and proliferation while promoting apoptosis. However, a non-apoptotic role of caspase-9 facilitating differentiation was also implied.

Acetylcholine release by human colon cancer cells mediates autocrine stimulation of cell proliferation.

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Cheng, Kunrong; Samimi, Roxana; Xie, Guofeng; Shant, Jasleen; Drachenberg, Cinthia; Wade, Mark; Davis, Richard J; Nomikos, George; Raufman, Jean-Pierre

2008-09-01

Most colon cancers overexpress M3 muscarinic receptors (M3R), and post-M3R signaling stimulates human colon cancer cell proliferation. Acetylcholine (ACh), a muscarinic receptor ligand traditionally regarded as a neurotransmitter, may be produced by nonneuronal cells. We hypothesized that ACh release by human colon cancer cells results in autocrine stimulation of proliferation. H508 human colon cancer cells, which have robust M3R expression, were used to examine effects of muscarinic receptor antagonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, and choline transport inhibitors on cell proliferation. A nonselective muscarinic receptor antagonist (atropine), a selective M3R antagonist (p-fluorohexahydro-sila-difenidol hydrochloride), and a choline transport inhibitor (hemicholinum-3) all inhibited unstimulated H508 colon cancer cell proliferation by approximately 40% (P<0.005). In contrast, two acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (eserine-hemisulfate and bis-9-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine) increased proliferation by 2.5- and 2-fold, respectively (P<0.005). By using quantitative real-time PCR, expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), a critical enzyme for ACh synthesis, was identified in H508, WiDr, and Caco-2 colon cancer cells. By using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection, released ACh was detected in H508 and Caco-2 cell culture media. Immunohistochemistry in surgical specimens revealed weak or no cytoplasmic staining for ChAT in normal colon enterocytes (n=25) whereas half of colon cancer specimens (n=24) exhibited moderate to strong staining (P<0.005). We conclude that ACh is an autocrine growth factor in colon cancer. Mechanisms that regulate colon epithelial cell production and release of ACh warrant further investigation.

Spontaneous and Induced Platelet Aggregation during Pregnancy and Labor

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T. P. Bondar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to evaluate changes in characteristics of spontaneous platelet (Pt aggregation in patients with obstetric complications associated with hereditary thrombophilia.Materials and methods. Blood samples were taken from 52 recently confined women on the first day after labor; at that, ethic regulations for the preanalytical phase were followed. Determination of PlA1/ PlA2 polymorphism enotype was performed by means of amplificationrestriction analysis. Geometrical characteristics of patients' peripheral blood Pt aggregation were studied by means of AFM Integra Prima. The degree of confidence of the parameters under test was determined using the ttest, and the significance level was considered valid at P<0.05.Results. A statistical analysis of the findings demonstrated that the length of Pt aggregates in healthy pregnant women was significantly higher than that in healthy nonpregnant women at all study phases. Patients with the P1A1/P1A2 polymorphism in the GP IIb/IIIa Pt receptor gene demonstrated increased widthm height, and density of Pt aggregates. The changes were most significant during the incubation phase lasting for 15 and 30 minutes. The study of geometric parameters of different exposures demonstrated the following: the longer the incubation period, the greater the difference between geometric parameters of the aggregates (e.g. height, length, and width. Conclusion. The analysis of obtained data demonstrated that the presence of P1A1/P1A2 polymorphism in GP IIb/IIIa Pt gene receptor contributes to the decrease in the platelet response threshold and enhances the spontaneous Pt aggregation. The imaging of aggregates provides strong evidence for the accelerated growth of the aggregates in thrombotic complications of pregnancy.

Colonic diverticulosis is not a risk factor for colonic adenoma.

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Hong, Wandong; Dong, Lemei; Zippi, Maddalena; Stock, Simon; Geng, Wujun; Xu, Chunfang; Zhou, Mengtao

2018-01-01

Colonic diverticulosis may represent a risk factor for colonic adenomas by virtue of the fact that evolving data suggest that these 2 conditions may share common risk factors such as Western dietary pattern and physical inactivity. This study aims to investigate the association between colonic diverticulosis and colonic adenomas in mainland China. We conducted a cross-sectional study on patients who underwent colonoscopic examination between October 2013 and December 2014 in a university hospital in mainland China. Age, gender, colonic adenomas, advanced adenomas, and distribution of diverticulosis were recorded during the procedures. Multivariate logistic regression and stratified analysis were used to evaluate the associations between the prevalence of diverticulosis and age, sex, and presence of colonic adenomas and advanced adenomas. A total of 17,456 subjects were enrolled. The prevalence of colonic diverticulosis and adenoma was 2.4% and 13.2%, respectively. With regard to distribution of diverticula, most (365/424, 86.1%) were right-sided. Multiple logistic regression analysis suggested that age and male gender were independent risk factors for adenoma and advanced adenoma. There was no relationship between diverticulosis or location of diverticulosis and presence of adenoma and advanced adenoma adjusting by age and gender. In a stratified analysis according to age and gender, similar results were also noted. There was no statistical relationship between diverticulosis and the risk of adenoma and advanced adenoma. Our results may not be generalized to the Western population due to the fact that left-sided diverticular cases were very small in our study.

Opposed Effects of Dityrosine Formation in Soluble and Aggregated α-Synuclein on Fibril Growth.

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Wördehoff, Michael M; Shaykhalishahi, Hamed; Groß, Luca; Gremer, Lothar; Stoldt, Matthias; Buell, Alexander K; Willbold, Dieter; Hoyer, Wolfgang

2017-10-13

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. It is characterized by aggregation of the protein α-synuclein (α-syn) in Lewy bodies, mitochondrial dysfunction, and increased oxidative stress in the substantia nigra. Oxidative stress leads to several modifications of biomolecules including dityrosine (DiY) crosslinking in proteins, which has recently been detected in α-syn in Lewy bodies from Parkinson's disease patients. Here we report that α-syn is highly susceptible to ultraviolet-induced DiY formation. We investigated DiY formation of α-syn and nine tyrosine-to-alanine mutants and monitored its effect on α-syn fibril formation in vitro. Ultraviolet irradiation of intrinsically disordered α-syn generates DiY-modified monomers and dimers, which inhibit fibril formation of unmodified α-syn by interfering with fibril elongation. The inhibition depends on both the DiY group and its integration into α-syn. When preformed α-syn fibrils are crosslinked by DiY formation, they gain increased resistance to denaturation. DiY-stabilized α-syn fibrils retain their high seeding efficiency even after being exposed to denaturant concentrations that completely depolymerize non-crosslinked seeds. Oxidative stress-associated DiY crosslinking of α-syn therefore entails two opposing effects: (i) inhibition of aggregation by DiY-modified monomers and dimers, and (ii) stabilization of fibrillar aggregates against potential degradation mechanisms, which can lead to promotion of aggregation, especially in the presence of secondary nucleation. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Induction of KIAA1199/CEMIP is associated with colon cancer phenotype and poor patient survival.

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Fink, Stephen P; Myeroff, Lois L; Kariv, Revital; Platzer, Petra; Xin, Baozhong; Mikkola, Debra; Lawrence, Earl; Morris, Nathan; Nosrati, Arman; Willson, James K V; Willis, Joseph; Veigl, Martina; Barnholtz-Sloan, Jill S; Wang, Zhenghe; Markowitz, Sanford D

2015-10-13

Genes induced in colon cancer provide novel candidate biomarkers of tumor phenotype and aggressiveness. We originally identified KIAA1199 (now officially called CEMIP) as a transcript highly induced in colon cancer: initially designating the transcript as Colon Cancer Secreted Protein 1. We molecularly characterized CEMIP expression both at the mRNA and protein level and found it is a secreted protein induced an average of 54-fold in colon cancer. Knockout of CEMIPreduced the ability of human colon cancer cells to form xenograft tumors in athymic mice. Tumors that did grow had increased deposition of hyaluronan, linking CEMIP participation in hyaluronan degradation to the modulation of tumor phenotype. We find CEMIP mRNA overexpression correlates with poorer patient survival. In stage III only (n = 31) or in combined stage II plus stage III colon cancer cases (n = 73), 5-year overall survival was significantly better (p = 0.004 and p = 0.0003, respectively) among patients with low CEMIP expressing tumors than those with high CEMIP expressing tumors. These results demonstrate that CEMIP directly facilitates colon tumor growth, and high CEMIP expression correlates with poor outcome in stage III and in stages II+III combined cohorts. We present CEMIP as a candidate prognostic marker for colon cancer and a potential therapeutic target.

Colonic angiodysplasia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vallee, C.; Legmann, P.; Garnier, T.; Levesque, M.

1984-01-01

The main clinical, endoscopic and radiographic findings in thirty documented cases of colonic angiodysplasia or vacular ectasia are described. We emphasise the association with colonic diverticulosis and cardiovascular pathology, describe the histological changes, summarize the present physiopathological hypothesis, and consider the various therapeutic approaches. (orig.)

Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms, dietary promotion of insulin resistance, and colon and rectal cancer.

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Murtaugh, Maureen A; Sweeney, Carol; Ma, Khe-Ni; Potter, John D; Caan, Bette J; Wolff, Roger K; Slattery, Martha L

2006-01-01

Modifiable risk factors in colorectal cancer etiology and their interactions with genetic susceptibility are of particular interest. Functional vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms may influence carcinogenesis through modification of cell growth, protection from oxidative stress, cell-cell matrix effects, or insulin and insulin-like growth factor pathways. We investigated interactions between foods (dairy products, red and processed meat, and whole and refined grains) and dietary patterns (sucrose-to-fiber ratio and glycemic index) associated with insulin resistance with the FokI polymorphism of the VDR gene and colon and rectal cancer risk. Data (diet, anthropometrics, and lifestyle) and DNA came from case-control studies of colon (1,698 cases and 1,861 controls) and rectal cancer (752 cases and 960 controls) in northern California, Utah, and the Twin Cities metropolitan area, Minnesota (colon cancer study only). Unconditional logistic regression models were adjusted for smoking, race, sex, age, body mass index, physical activity, energy intake, dietary fiber, and calcium. The lowest colon cancer risk was observed with the Ff/ff FokI genotypes and a low sucrose-to-fiber ratio. Rectal cancer risk decreased with greater consumption of dairy products and increased with red or processed meat consumption and the FF genotype. Modifiable dietary risk factors may be differentially important among individuals by VDR genotype and may act through the insulin pathway to affect colon cancer risk and through fat, calcium, or other means to influence rectal cancer risk.

The SIRT1 deacetylase suppresses intestinal tumorigenesis and colon cancer growth.

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Ron Firestein

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Numerous longevity genes have been discovered in model organisms and altering their function results in prolonged lifespan. In mammals, some have speculated that any health benefits derived from manipulating these same pathways might be offset by increased cancer risk on account of their propensity to boost cell survival. The Sir2/SIRT1 family of NAD(+-dependent deacetylases is proposed to underlie the health benefits of calorie restriction (CR, a diet that broadly suppresses cancer in mammals. Here we show that CR induces a two-fold increase SIRT1 expression in the intestine of rodents and that ectopic induction of SIRT1 in a beta-catenin-driven mouse model of colon cancer significantly reduces tumor formation, proliferation, and animal morbidity in the absence of CR. We show that SIRT1 deacetylates beta-catenin and suppresses its ability to activate transcription and drive cell proliferation. Moreover, SIRT1 promotes cytoplasmic localization of the otherwise nuclear-localized oncogenic form of beta-catenin. Consistent with this, a significant inverse correlation was found between the presence of nuclear SIRT1 and the oncogenic form of beta-catenin in 81 human colon tumor specimens analyzed. Taken together, these observations show that SIRT1 suppresses intestinal tumor formation in vivo and raise the prospect that therapies targeting SIRT1 may be of clinical use in beta-catenin-driven malignancies.

Effective inhibition of colon cancer cell growth with MgAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH loaded 5-FU and PI3K/mTOR dual inhibitor BEZ-235 through apoptotic pathways

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Chen J

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Jiezhong Chen,1,2 Renfu Shao,3 Li Li,4 Zhi Ping Xu,4 Wenyi Gu4 1School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 2Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, 3GeneCology Research Centre, Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland, 4Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia Abstract: Colon cancer is the third most common cancer and the third largest cause of cancer-related death. Fluorouracil (5-FU is the front-line chemotherapeutic agent for colon cancer. However, its response rate is less than 60%, even in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents. The side effects of 5-FU also limit its application. Nanoparticles have been used to deliver 5-FU, to increase its effectiveness and reduce side effects. Another common approach for colon cancer treatment is targeted therapy against the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K/protein kinase B (Akt pathway. A recently-invented inhibitor of this pathway, BEZ-235, has been tested in several clinical trials and has shown effectiveness and low side effects. Thus, it is a very promising drug for colon cancer treatment. The combination of these two drugs, especially nanoparticle-packed 5-FU and BEZ-235, has not been studied. In the present study, we demonstrated that nanoparticles of layered double hydroxide (LDH loaded with 5-FU were more effective than a free drug at inhibiting colon cancer cell growth, and that a combination treatment with BEZ-235 further increased the sensitivity of colon cancer cells to the treatment of LDH-packed 5-FU (LDH-5-FU. BEZ-235 alone can decrease colon cancer HCT-116 cell viability to 46% of the control, and the addition of LDH-5-FU produced a greater effect, reducing cell survival to 8% of the control. Our data indicate that the combination therapy of

A prognostic analysis of 895 cases of stage III colon cancer in different colon subsites.

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Zhang, Yan; Ma, Junli; Zhang, Sai; Deng, Ganlu; Wu, Xiaoling; He, Jingxuan; Pei, Haiping; Shen, Hong; Zeng, Shan

2015-09-01

Stage III colon cancer is currently treated as an entity with a unified therapeutic principle. The aim of the retrospective study is to explore the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of site-specific stage III colon cancers and the influences of tumor location on prognosis. Eight hundred ninety-five patients with stage III colon cancer treated with radical operation and subsequent adjuvant chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil/oxaliplatin) were divided into seven groups according to colon segment (cecum, ascending colon, hepatic flexure, transverse colon, splenic flexure, descending colon, and sigmoid colon). Expression of excision repair cross-complementing group 1 (ERCC1) and thymidylate synthase (TS) was examined by immunohistochemistry. We assessed if differences exist in patient characteristics and clinic outcomes between the seven groups. There were significant differences in tumor differentiation (P Cancer (AJCC) tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (P colon. Cox regression analyses identified that tumor location was an independent prognostic factor for RFS and OS. Stage III colon cancer located proximally carried a poorer survival than that located distally. Different efficacies of FOLFOX adjuvant chemotherapy may be an important factor affecting survival of site-specific stage III colon cancers.

Reverting doxorubicin resistance in colon cancer by targeting a key signaling protein, steroid receptor coactivator.

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Xiong, Sang; Xiao, Gong-Wei

2018-04-01

Although there have been notable improvements in treatments against cancer, further research is required. In colon cancer, nearly all patients eventually experience drug resistance and stop responding to the approved drugs, making treatment difficult. Steroid receptor coactivator (SRC) is an oncogenic nuclear receptor coactivator that serves an important role in drug resistance. The present study generated a doxorubicin-resistant colon cancer cell line, in which the upregulation/activation of SRC was responsible for drug resistance, which in turn activated AKT. Overexpression of receptor tyrosine kinase-like epidermal growth factor receptor and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor also induced SRC expression. It was observed that doxorubicin resistance in colon cancer also induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition, a decrease in expression of epithelial marker E-cadherin and an increase in the expression of mesenchymal markers, including N-cadherin and vimentin. Additionally, the present study indicated that SRC acts as a common signaling node, and inhibiting SRC in combination with doxorubicin treatment in doxorubicin-resistant cells aids in reversing the resistance. Thus, the present study suggests that activation of SRC is responsible for doxorubicin resistance in colon cancer. However, further research is required to understand the complete mechanism of how drug resistance occurs and how it may be tackled to treat patients.

Colonic lipoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siddiqui, M.S.; Khatri, A.R.; Quraishy, M.S.; Fatima, L.; Muzaffar, S.

2003-01-01

Lipoma of the colon is rare and may lead to intestinal obstruct. We have presented two cases of colonic lipoma. Both were elderly females, one presented with diarrhea and the other with sub-acute intestinal obstruction. After colonoscopy surgical removal was done. Histopathology revealed lipoma. (author)

Hydrodynamic effects on β-amyloid (16-22) peptide aggregation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiricotto, Mara; Sterpone, Fabio, E-mail: fabio.sterpone@ibpc.fr [Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, IBPC, CNRS UPR9080, University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris (France); Melchionna, Simone [CNR-ISC, Institute for Complex System, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome (Italy); Derreumaux, Philippe [Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, IBPC, CNRS UPR9080, University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris (France); IUF, Institut Universitaire de France, Boulevard Saint Michel, 75005 Paris (France)

2016-07-21

Computer simulations based on simplified representations are routinely used to explore the early steps of amyloid aggregation. However, when protein models with implicit solvent are employed, these simulations miss the effect of solvent induced correlations on the aggregation kinetics and lifetimes of metastable states. In this work, we apply the multi-scale Lattice Boltzmann Molecular Dynamics technique (LBMD) to investigate the initial aggregation phases of the amyloid Aβ{sub 16−22} peptide. LBMD includes naturally hydrodynamic interactions (HIs) via a kinetic on-lattice representation of the fluid kinetics. The peptides are represented by the flexible OPEP coarse-grained force field. First, we have tuned the essential parameters that control the coupling between the molecular and fluid evolutions in order to reproduce the experimental diffusivity of elementary species. The method is then deployed to investigate the effect of HIs on the aggregation of 100 and 1000 Aβ{sub 16−22} peptides. We show that HIs clearly impact the aggregation process and the fluctuations of the oligomer sizes by favouring the fusion and exchange dynamics of oligomers between aggregates. HIs also guide the growth of the leading largest cluster. For the 100 Aβ{sub 16−22} peptide system, the simulation of ∼300 ns allowed us to observe the transition from ellipsoidal assemblies to an elongated and slightly twisted aggregate involving almost the totality of the peptides. For the 1000 Aβ{sub 16−22} peptides, a system of unprecedented size at quasi-atomistic resolution, we were able to explore a branched disordered fibril-like structure that has never been described by other computer simulations, but has been observed experimentally.

Linking soil permeability and soil aggregate stability with root development: a pots experiment (preliminary results)

Science.gov (United States)

Vergani, Chiara; Graf, Frank; Gerber, Werner

2015-04-01

Quantifying and monitoring the contribution of vegetation to the stability of the slopes is a key issue for implementing effective soil bioengineering measures. This topic is being widely investigated both from the hydrological and mechanical point of view. Nevertheless, due to the high variability of the biological components, we are still far from a comprehensive understanding of the role of plants in slope stabilization, especially if the different succession phases and the temporal development of vegetation is considered. Graf et al., 2014, found within the scope of aggregate stability investigations that the root length per soil volume of alder specimen grown for 20 weeks under laboratory conditions is comparable to the one of 20 years old vegetation in the field. This means that already relatively short time scales can provide meaningful information at least for the first stage of colonization of soil bioengineering measures, which is also the most critical. In the present study we analyzed the effect of root growth on two soil properties critical to evaluate the performance of vegetation in restoring and re-stabilizing slopes: permeability and soil aggregate stability. We set up a laboratory experiment in order to work under controlled conditions and limit as much as possible the natural variability. Alnus incana was selected as the study species as it is widely used in restoration projects in the Alps, also because of its capacity to fix nitrogen and its symbiosis with both ecto and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. After the first month of growth in germination pots, we planted one specimen each in big quasi cylindrical pots of 34 cm diameter and 35 cm height. The pots were filled with the soil fraction smaller than 10 mm coming from an oven dried moraine collected in a subalpine landslide area (Hexenrübi catchment, central Switzerland). The targeted dry unit weight was 16 kN/m3. The plants have been maintained at a daily temperature of 25°C and relative

RBP4-STRA6 Pathway Drives Cancer Stem Cell Maintenance and Mediates High-Fat Diet-Induced Colon Carcinogenesis

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Sheelarani Karunanithi

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The transmembrane protein, STRA6, functions as a vitamin A transporter and a cytokine receptor when activated by vitamin A-bound serum retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4. STRA6 activation transduces a JAK2-STAT3 signaling cascade and promotes tumorigenesis in a xenograft mouse model of colon cancer. We show here that RBP4 and STRA6 expression is associated with poor oncologic prognosis. Downregulating STRA6 or RBP4 in colon cancer cells decreased the fraction of cancer stem cells and their sphere and tumor initiation frequency. Furthermore, we show that high-fat diet (HFD increases LGR5 expression and promotes tumor growth in a xenograft model independent of obesity. HFD increased STRA6 levels, and downregulation of STRA6 delays and impairs tumor initiation, tumor growth, and expression of stemness markers. Together, these data demonstrate a key role of STRA6 and RBP4 in the maintenance of colon cancer self-renewal and that this pathway is an important link through which consumption of HFD contributes to colon carcinogenesis.

The CXCR5 chemokine receptor is expressed by carcinoma cells and promotes growth of colon carcinoma in the liver.

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Meijer, Joost; Zeelenberg, Ingrid S; Sipos, Bence; Roos, Ed

2006-10-01

The chemokine receptor CXCR5 is expressed by B cells and certain T cells and controls their migration into and within lymph nodes. Its ligand BCA-1/CXCL13 is present in lymph nodes and spleen and also in the liver. Surprisingly, we detected CXCR5 in several mouse and human carcinoma cell lines. CXCR5 was particularly prominent in pancreatic carcinoma cell lines and was also detected by immunohistochemistry in 7 of 18 human pancreatic carcinoma tissues. Expression in CT26 colon carcinoma was low in vitro, up-regulated in vivo, and rapidly lost when cells were explanted in vitro. CXCL13 strongly promoted proliferation of CXCR5-transfected CT26 cells in vitro. In the liver, after intrasplenic injection, these CXCR5 transfectants initially grew faster than controls, but the growth rate of control tumors accelerated later to become similar to the transfectants, likely due to the up-regulation of CXCR5. Inhibition of CXCR5 function, by trapping CXCR5 in the endoplasmic reticulum using a CXCL13-KDEL "intrakine," had no effect on initial growth of liver foci but later caused a prolonged growth arrest. In contrast, s.c. and lung tumors of CXCR5- and intrakine-transfected cells grew at similar rates as controls. We conclude that expression of CXCR5 on tumor cells promotes the growth of tumor cells in the liver and, at least for CT26 cells, seems to be required for outgrowth to large liver tumors. Given the limited expression on normal cells, CXCR5 may constitute an attractive target for therapy, particularly for pancreatic carcinoma.

Transforming growth factor-β suppresses metastasis in a subset of human colon carcinoma cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simms, Neka A K; Rajput, Ashwani; Sharratt, Elizabeth A; Ongchin, Melanie; Teggart, Carol A; Wang, Jing; Brattain, Michael G

2012-01-01

TGFβ signaling has typically been associated with suppression of tumor initiation while the role it plays in metastasis is generally associated with progression of malignancy. However, we present evidence here for an anti-metastatic role of TGFβ signaling. To test the importance of TGFβ signaling to cell survival and metastasis we compared human colon carcinoma cell lines that are either non-tumorigenic with TGFβ response (FET), or tumorigenic with TGFβ response (FETα) or tumorigenic with abrogated TGFβ response via introduction of dominant negative TGFβRII (FETα/DN) and their ability to metastasize. Metastatic competency was assessed by orthotopic transplantation. Metastatic colony formation was assessed histologically and by imaging. Abrogation of TGFβ signaling through introduction of a dominant negative TGFβ receptor II (TGFβRII) in non-metastatic FETα human colon cancer cells permits metastasis to distal organs, but importantly does not reduce invasive behavior at the primary site. Loss of TGFβ signaling in FETα-DN cells generated enhanced cell survival capabilities in response to cellular stress in vitro. We show that enhanced cellular survival is associated with increased AKT phosphorylation and cytoplasmic expression of inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family members (survivin and XIAP) that elicit a cytoprotective effect through inhibition of caspases in response to stress. To confirm that TGFβ signaling is a metastasis suppressor, we rescued TGFβ signaling in CBS metastatic colon cancer cells that had lost TGFβ receptor expression due to epigenetic repression. Restoration of TGFβ signaling resulted in the inhibition of metastatic colony formation in distal organs by these cells. These results indicate that TGFβ signaling has an important role in the suppression of metastatic potential in tumors that have already progressed to the stage of an invasive carcinoma. The observations presented here indicate a metastasis suppressor role for TGF�

Pseudomonas aeruginosa aggregate formation in an alginate bead model system exhibits In Vivo-like characteristics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sønderholm, Majken; Kragh, Kasper Nørskov; Koren, Klaus

2017-01-01

similar in size to in vivo aggregates observed ex vivo in cystic fibrosis lungs and chronic wounds. Bacterial aggregates primarily grew in the bead periphery and decreased in size and abundance toward the center of the bead. Microsensor measurements showed that the O2 concentration decreased rapidly...... and flexible in vivo-like biofilm model system, wherein bacterial growth exhibits central features of in vivo biofilms. This was observed by the formation of small cell aggregates in a secondary matrix with O2-limited growth, which was alleviated by the addition of NO3− as an alternative electron acceptor...

Effects of Glucosinolates and Flavonoids on Colonization of the Roots of Brassica napus by Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571

Science.gov (United States)

O'Callaghan, Kenneth J.; Stone, Philip J.; Hu, Xiaojia; Griffiths, D. Wynne; Davey, Michael R.; Cocking, Edward C.

2000-01-01

Plants of Brassica napus were assessed quantitatively for their susceptibility to lateral root crack colonization by Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571(pXLGD4) (a rhizobial strain carrying the lacZ reporter gene) and for the concentration of glucosinolates in their roots by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). High- and low-glucosinolate-seed (HGS and LGS) varieties exhibited a relatively low and high percentage of colonized lateral roots, respectively. HPLC showed that roots of HGS plants contained a higher concentration of glucosinolates than roots of LGS plants. One LGS variety showing fewer colonized lateral roots than other LGS varieties contained a higher concentration of glucosinolates than other LGS plants. Inoculated HGS plants treated with the flavonoid naringenin showed significantly more colonization than untreated HGS plants. This increase was not mediated by a naringenin-induced lowering of the glucosinolate content of HGS plant roots, nor did naringenin induce bacterial resistance to glucosinolates or increase the growth of bacteria. The erucic acid content of seed did not appear to influence colonization by azorhizobia. Frequently, leaf assays are used to study glucosinolates and plant defense; this study provides data on glucosinolates and bacterial colonization in roots and describes a bacterial reporter gene assay tailored easily to the study of ecologically important phytochemicals that influence bacterial colonization. These data also form a basis for future assessments of the benefits to oilseed rape plants of interaction with plant growth-promoting bacteria, especially diazotrophic bacteria potentially able to extend the benefits of nitrogen fixation to nonlegumes. PMID:10788398

Synchronous Adenocarcinoma of the Colon and Rectal Carcinoid

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Vamshidhar Vootla

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Primary colonic adenocarcinoma and synchronous rectal carcinoids are rare tumors. Whenever a synchronous tumor with a nonmetastatic carcinoid component is encountered, its prognosis is determined by the associate malignancy. The discovery of an asymptomatic gastrointestinal carcinoid during the operative treatment of another malignancy will usually only require resection without additional treatment and will have little effect on the prognosis of the individual. This article reports a synchronous rectal carcinoid in a patient with hepatic flexure adenocarcinoma. We present a case of a 46-year-old Hispanic woman with a history of hypothyroidism, uterine fibroids and hypercholesterolemia presenting with a 2-week history of intermittent abdominal pain, mainly in the right upper quadrant. She had no family history of cancers. Physical examination was significant for pallor. Laboratory findings showed microcytic anemia with a hemoglobin of 6.6 g/dl. CT abdomen showed circumferential wall thickening in the ascending colon near the hepatic flexure and pulmonary nodules. Colonoscopy showed hepatic flexure mass and rectal nodule which were biopsied. Pathology showed a moderately differentiated invasive adenocarcinoma of the colon (hepatic flexure mass and a low-grade neuroendocrine neoplasm (carcinoid of rectum. The patient underwent laparoscopic right hemicolectomy and chemotherapy. In patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum, carcinoids could be missed due to their submucosal location, multicentricity and indolent growth pattern. Studies suggest a closer surveillance of the GI tract for noncarcinoid synchronous malignancy when a carcinoid tumor is detected and vice versa.

Contribution of Urease to Colonization by Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli

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Steyert, Susan R.

2012-01-01

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a food-borne pathogen with a low infectious dose that colonizes the colon in humans and can cause severe clinical manifestations such as hemolytic-uremic syndrome. The urease enzyme, encoded in the STEC chromosome, has been demonstrated to act as a virulence factor in other bacterial pathogens. The NH3 produced as urease hydrolyzes urea can aid in buffering bacteria in acidic environments as well as provide an easily assimilated source of nitrogen that bacteria can use to gain a metabolic advantage over intact microflora. Here, we explore the role of urease in STEC pathogenicity. The STEC urease enzyme exhibited maximum activity near neutral pH and during the stationary-growth phase. Experiments altering growth conditions performed with three phylogenetically distinct urease-positive strains demonstrated that the STEC ure gene cluster is inducible by neither urea nor pH but does respond to nitrogen availability. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) data indicate that nitrogen inhibits the transcriptional response. The deletion of the ure gene locus was constructed in STEC strain 88-0643, and the ure mutant was used with the wild-type strain in competition experiments in mouse models to examine the contribution of urease. The wild-type strain was twice as likely to survive passage through the acidic stomach and demonstrated an enhanced ability to colonize the intestinal tract compared to the ure mutant strain. These in vivo experiments reveal that, although the benefit STEC gains from urease expression is modest and not absolutely required for colonization, urease can contribute to the pathogenicity of STEC. PMID:22665380

Prevalence of colonic polyp and its predictors in patients with acromegaly

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Purnima Agarwal

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: There are conflicting data regarding the prevalence of colorectal polyp in patients with acromegaly. Subjects and Methods: Consecutive forty-seven acromegalic patients (21 men, 26 women, with a mean age of (40 ± 12 years attending endocrinology outpatient department underwent full colonoscopy. All the patients underwent clinical and biochemical evaluation (glucose suppressed growth hormone (GH, Insulin-like growth factor-1 [IGF-1], fasting insulin, and glucose. The control group (n = 120 for colonoscopy was adult subjects undergoing evaluation for symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Clinical and biochemical parameters in acromegalic patients with colonic polyp were compared to those without a polyp. Results: Patients with acromegaly had significantly higher prevalence of colonic polyp as compared to control subjects (10.6% vs. 0.8%. None of the patients with polyp had skin tags. There was no significant difference between subjects with and without colonic polyp in duration of illness, basal, and glucose-suppressed GH and most recent IGF-1. Fasting blood sugar was significantly higher (P < 0.05 in adenoma group after adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI, and insulin levels. Patients in adenoma group showed a trend toward male gender and younger age as compared to those without adenoma. Conclusions: Subjects with acromegaly as compared to control have a higher prevalence of colonic polyps. There was no association of polyps seen with age, BMI, skin tags, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index, duration of disease, and basal and glucose-suppressed GH and IGF-1 levels. There were no specific predictive factors detected. Screening full colonoscopy is recommended in all cases with acromegaly.

Management of Colonic Volvulus

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Gingold, Daniel; Murrell, Zuri

2012-01-01

Colonic volvulus is a common cause of large bowel obstruction worldwide. It can affect all parts of the colon, but most commonly occurs in the sigmoid and cecal areas. This disease has been described for centuries, and was studied by Hippocrates himself. Currently, colonic volvulus is the third most common cause of large bowel obstruction worldwide, and is responsible for ∼15% of large bowel obstructions in the United States. This article will discuss the history of colonic volvulus, and the predisposing factors that lead to this disease. Moreover, the epidemiology and diagnosis of each type of colonic volvulus, along with the various treatment options will be reviewed. PMID:24294126

Amine dependence of proliferative activity in two transplantable lines of mouse colonic carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Tutton, P J; Barkla, D H

1987-01-01

Serotonin, histamine and their antagonists have previously been shown to influence both the cell proliferation rate and the volumetric growth rate of colonic tumours. Of these earlier studies, those on cell proliferation could not distinguish between direct effects on tumour cells and indirect effects on the host, whereas those on the volumetric growth rate of tumours, whilst suggesting an outcome related to the individual properties of the tumour rather than the host, could not distinguish between influences on cell gain, cell loss or stromal changes. In an attempt to distinguish between these possibilities the current experiments on the mitotic rate in two lines of transplantable mouse colonic carcinoma were undertaken. One line of tumour proved to be sensitive to inhibition by a histamine H2 receptor antagonist and a dopamine D2 antagonist but resistant to serotonin antagonists; the inhibition by histamine antagonists was surmountable by co-administration of histamine. The other line proved to be highly sensitive to the inhibitory effects of serotonin antagonist and less so to antagonists of the other two amines and in this case the effect of serotonin antagonists was surmountable by serotonin. These results suggest that the variations between different colonic tumours in the response to amine antagonists is due to differences in the extent of inhibition of cell proliferation rather than differences in cell loss or stromal effects. Thus it appears likely that amine antagonists are able to directly interfere with the proliferation of some colonic tumour cells.

CT findings of colonic diverticulitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasaki, Shigeru; Ohba, Satoru; Mizutani, Masaru

1998-01-01

Although colonic diverticulitis has no indication for operation, but in some mistaken cases were operated with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. We evaluated the CT findings of colonic diverticulitis about 19 cases and of asymptomatic colonic diverticula about 15 cases retrospectively. Diagnosis was confirmed of barium enema and operation. CT are complementary methods of examination that can delineated the range of thickening of the colon and the extension of inflammatory changes around the colon. We also believe that CT findings of colonic diverticulitis are useful for differentiating from a diagnosis of appendicitis. (author)

Effect of beta-carotene-rich tomato lycopene beta-cyclase ( tlcy-b) on cell growth inhibition in HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Palozza, Paola; Bellovino, Diana; Simone, Rossella; Boninsegna, Alma; Cellini, Francesco; Monastra, Giovanni; Gaetani, Sancia

2009-07-01

Lycopene beta-cyclase (tlcy-b) tomatoes, obtained by modulating carotenogenesis via genetic engineering, contain a large amount of beta-carotene, as clearly visible by their intense orange colour. In the present study we have subjected tlcy-b tomatoes to an in vitro simulated digestion and analysed the effects of digestate on cell proliferation. To this aim we used HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells, grown in monolayers, as a model. Digested tomatoes were diluted (20 ml, 50 ml and 100 ml/l) in culture medium and added to the cells for different incubation times (24 h, 48 h and 72 h). Inhibition of cell growth by tomato digestate was dose-dependent and resulted from an arrest of cell cycle progression at the G0/G1 and G2/M phase and by apoptosis induction. A down-regulation of cyclin D1, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl expression was observed. We also found that heat treatment of samples before digestion enhanced beta-carotene release and therefore cell growth inhibition. To induce with purified beta-carotene solubilised in tetrahydrofuran the same cell growth inhibition obtained with the tomato digestate, a higher amount of the carotenoid was necessary, suggesting that beta-carotene micellarised during digestion is utilised more efficiently by the cells, but also that other tomato molecules, reasonably made available during digestion, may be present and cooperate with beta-carotene in promoting cell growth arrest.

A population balance equation model of aggregation dynamics in Taxus suspension cell cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolewe, Martin E; Roberts, Susan C; Henson, Michael A

2012-02-01

The nature of plant cells to grow as multicellular aggregates in suspension culture has profound effects on bioprocess performance. Recent advances in the measurement of plant cell aggregate size allow for routine process monitoring of this property. We have exploited this capability to develop a conceptual model to describe changes in the aggregate size distribution that are observed over the course of a Taxus cell suspension batch culture. We utilized the population balance equation framework to describe plant cell aggregates as a particulate system, accounting for the relevant phenomenological processes underlying aggregation, such as growth and breakage. We compared model predictions to experimental data to select appropriate kernel functions, and found that larger aggregates had a higher breakage rate, biomass was partitioned asymmetrically following a breakage event, and aggregates grew exponentially. Our model was then validated against several datasets with different initial aggregate size distributions and was able to quantitatively predict changes in total biomass and mean aggregate size, as well as actual size distributions. We proposed a breakage mechanism where a fraction of biomass was lost upon each breakage event, and demonstrated that even though smaller aggregates have been shown to produce more paclitaxel, an optimum breakage rate was predicted for maximum paclitaxel accumulation. We believe this is the first model to use a segregated, corpuscular approach to describe changes in the size distribution of plant cell aggregates, and represents an important first step in the design of rational strategies to control aggregation and optimize process performance. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Arctigenin induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells through ROS/p38MAPK pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qing-chun; Liang, Yun; Tian, Yuan; Hu, Guang-rui

2016-01-01

In the current study the antiproliferative effect of arctigenin, plant lignin, was evaluated on human colon cancer cell line HT-29. Furthermore, attempts were made to explore the signaling mechanism which may be responsible for its effect. Cell growth inhibition was assessed by MTT and LDH assays. Flow cytometric analysis was performed to determine cell arrest in the cell cycle phase and apoptosis. Furthermore, to confirm the apoptotic activity of arctigenin, caspase-9 and -3 activities analysis was performed. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) were investigated to determine their role in inducing apoptosis in arctigenin-treated HT-29 colon cancer cell line. MTT and LDH results demonstrated significant cell growth inhibitory effect of arctigenin on HT-29 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, increase in cell number arrested at G2/M phase was observed in flow cytometric analysis upon arctigenin treatment. In addition, arctigenin increased the apoptotic ratio in a dose-dependent manner. The involvement of intrinsic apoptotic pathway was indicated by the activation of caspase-9 and -3. Moreover, increased ROS production, activation of p38 MAPK and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) also revealed the role of intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway in cell growth inhibition after arctigenin exposure. Arctigenin induces apoptosis in HT-29 colon cancer cells by regulating ROS and p38 MAPK pathways.

Energy challenges in optical access and aggregation networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilper, Daniel C; Rastegarfar, Houman

2016-03-06

Scalability is a critical issue for access and aggregation networks as they must support the growth in both the size of data capacity demands and the multiplicity of access points. The number of connected devices, the Internet of Things, is growing to the tens of billions. Prevailing communication paradigms are reaching physical limitations that make continued growth problematic. Challenges are emerging in electronic and optical systems and energy increasingly plays a central role. With the spectral efficiency of optical systems approaching the Shannon limit, increasing parallelism is required to support higher capacities. For electronic systems, as the density and speed increases, the total system energy, thermal density and energy per bit are moving into regimes that become impractical to support-for example requiring single-chip processor powers above the 100 W limit common today. We examine communication network scaling and energy use from the Internet core down to the computer processor core and consider implications for optical networks. Optical switching in data centres is identified as a potential model from which scalable access and aggregation networks for the future Internet, with the application of integrated photonic devices and intelligent hybrid networking, will emerge. © 2016 The Author(s).

Aggregate Size and Architecture Determine Microbial Activity Balance for One-Stage Partial Nitritation and Anammox

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vlaeminck, S.E.; Terada, Akihiko; Smets, Barth F.

2010-01-01

by the anoxic nitrite consumption rate. The smallest reactor A, B, and C aggregates were nitrite sources (NARR, > 1.7). Large reactor A and C aggregates were granules capable of autonomous nitrogen removal (NARR, 0.6 to 1.1) with internal AnAOB zones surrounded by an AerAOB rim. Around 50% of the autotrophic......AOB-rich aggregates (reactors B and C). The hypothesized granulation pathways include granule replication by division and budding and are driven by growth and/or decay based on species-specific physiology and by hydrodynamic shear and mixing....

Differential growth responses of Brachypodium distachyon genotypes to inoculation with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

do Amaral, Fernanda P; Pankievicz, Vânia C S; Arisi, Ana Carolina M; de Souza, Emanuel M; Pedrosa, Fabio; Stacey, Gary

2016-04-01

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can associate and enhance the growth of important crop grasses. However, in most cases, the molecular mechanisms responsible for growth promotion are not known. Such research could benefit by the adoption of a grass model species that showed a positive response to bacterial inoculation and was amenable to genetic and molecular research methods. In this work we inoculated different genotypes of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon with two, well-characterized PGPR bacteria, Azospirillum brasilense and Herbaspirillum seropedicae, and evaluated the growth response. Plants were grown in soil under no nitrogen or with low nitrogen (i.e., 0.5 mM KNO3). A variety of growth parameters (e.g., shoot height, root length, number of lateral roots, fresh and dry weight) were measured 35 days after inoculation. The data indicate that plant genotype plays a very important role in determining the plant response to PGPR inoculation. A positive growth response was observed with only four genotypes grown under no nitrogen and three genotypes tested under low nitrogen. However, in contrast, relatively good root colonization was seen with most genotypes, as measured by drop plate counting and direct, microscopic examination of roots. In particular, the endophytic bacteria H. seropedicae showed strong epiphytic and endophytic colonization of roots.

Right Versus Left Colon Cancer Biology: Integrating the Consensus Molecular Subtypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Michael S; Menter, David G; Kopetz, Scott

2017-03-01

Although clinical management of colon cancer generally has not accounted for the primary tumor site, left-sided and right-sided colon cancers harbor different clinical and biologic characteristics. Right-sided colon cancers are more likely to have genome-wide hypermethylation via the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), hypermutated state via microsatellite instability, and BRAF mutation. There are also differential exposures to potential carcinogenic toxins and microbiota in the right and left colon. Gene expression analyses further shed light on distinct biologic subtypes of colorectal cancers (CRCs), with 4 consensus molecular subtypes (CMSs) identified. Importantly, these subtypes are differentially distributed between right- and left-sided CRCs, with greater proportions of the "microsatellite unstable/immune" CMS1 and the "metabolic" CMS3 subtypes found in right-sided colon cancers. This review summarizes important biologic distinctions between right- and left-sided CRCs that likely impact prognosis and may predict for differential responses to biologic therapy. Given the inferior prognosis of stage III-IV right-sided CRCs and emerging data suggesting that anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody therapy is associated with worse survival in right-sided stage IV CRCs compared with left-sided cancers, these biologic differences between right- and left-sided CRCs provide critical context and may provide opportunities to personalize therapy. Copyright © 2017 by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

Specific oncogenic activity of the Src-family tyrosine kinase c-Yes in colon carcinoma cells.

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Florence Sancier

Full Text Available c-Yes, a member of the Src tyrosine kinase family, is found highly activated in colon carcinoma but its importance relative to c-Src has remained unclear. Here we show that, in HT29 colon carcinoma cells, silencing of c-Yes, but not of c-Src, selectively leads to an increase of cell clustering associated with a localisation of β-catenin at cell membranes and a reduction of expression of β-catenin target genes. c-Yes silencing induced an increase in apoptosis, inhibition of growth in soft-agar and in mouse xenografts, inhibition of cell migration and loss of the capacity to generate liver metastases in mice. Re-introduction of c-Yes, but not c -Src, restores transforming properties of c-Yes depleted cells. Moreover, we found that c-Yes kinase activity is required for its role in β-catenin localisation and growth in soft agar, whereas kinase activity is dispensable for its role in cell migration. We conclude that c-Yes regulates specific oncogenic signalling pathways important for colon cancer progression that is not shared with c-Src.

In vitro colonic metabolism of coffee and chlorogenic acid results in selective changes in human faecal microbiota growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Charlotte E; Tzounis, Xenofon; Oruna-Concha, Maria-Jose; Mottram, Don S; Gibson, Glenn R; Spencer, Jeremy P E

2015-04-28

Coffee is a relatively rich source of chlorogenic acids (CGA), which, as other polyphenols, have been postulated to exert preventive effects against CVD and type 2 diabetes. As a considerable proportion of ingested CGA reaches the large intestine, CGA may be capable of exerting beneficial effects in the large gut. Here, we utilise a stirred, anaerobic, pH-controlled, batch culture fermentation model of the distal region of the colon in order to investigate the impact of coffee and CGA on the growth of the human faecal microbiota. Incubation of coffee samples with the human faecal microbiota led to the rapid metabolism of CGA (4 h) and the production of dihydrocaffeic acid and dihydroferulic acid, while caffeine remained unmetabolised. The coffee with the highest levels of CGA (Pspp. relative to the control vessel at 10 h after exposure (Pspp. (PEubacterium rectale group (P<0·05). This selective metabolism and subsequent amplification of specific bacterial populations could be beneficial to host health.

Influence of prostaglandin analogues on epithelial cell proliferation and xenograft growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Tutton, P J; Barkla, D H

1980-01-01

The influence of two prostaglandin (PG) analogues, 16,16-dimethyl PG E2 and 16,16-dimethyl PG F2 alpha and of the cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, flurbiprofen, on epithelial cell proliferation was assessed using a stathmokinetic technique. The epithelia examined were those of the jejunal crypts, the colonic crypts and that of dimethylhydrazine-induced adenocarcinomas of rat colon. The influence of the two prostaglandin analogues, and of flurbiprofen, on the growth of a human colorectal tumour propagated as xenografts in immune-deprived mice was also assessed. The PG E2 analogue transiently inhibited xenograft growth, but was without effect on the mitotic rate in the rat tissues. The PG F2 alpha analogue was also found to inhibit xenograft growth but, unlike the PG E2 analogue, it was found to be a strong inhibitor of cell proliferation in rat colonic tumours, and an accelerator of proliferation in jejunal-crypt cells. The only statistically significant effect of flurbiprofen was to accelerate cell division in the rat colonic tumours.

Colon Trauma: Evidence-Based Practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Ryo; Logue, Alicia J; Muir, Mark T

2018-01-01

Colon injury is not uncommon and occurs in about a half of patients with penetrating hollow viscus injuries. Despite major advances in the operative management of penetrating colon wounds, there remains discussion regarding the appropriate treatment of destructive colon injuries, with a significant amount of scientific evidence supporting segmental resection with primary anastomosis in most patients without comorbidities or large transfusion requirement. Although literature is sparse concerning the management of blunt colon injuries, some studies have shown operative decision based on an algorithm originally defined for penetrating wounds should be considered in blunt colon injuries. The optimal management of colonic injuries in patients requiring damage control surgery (DCS) also remains controversial. Studies have recently reported that there is no increased risk compared with patients treated without DCS if fascial closure is completed on the first reoperation, or that a management algorithm for penetrating colon wounds is probably efficacious for colon injuries in the setting of DCS as well.

Colonic Diverticulitis in the Elderly

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Chien-Kuo Liu

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Diverticular disease of the colon is a disease that mainly affects the elderly and presents in 50–70% of those aged 80 years or older. The most common complication is colonic diverticulitis. Eighty percent of patients who present with colonic diverticulitis are aged 50 years and older. Diagnosis and treatment of colonic diverticulitis in the elderly is more difficult and complicated owing to more comorbid conditions. Computed tomography is recommended for diagnosis when colonic diverticulitis is suspected. Most patients admitted with acute colonic diverticulitis respond to conservative treatment, but 15–30% of patients require surgery. Because surgery for acute colonic diverticulitis carries significant rates of morbidity and mortality, conservative treatment is recommended in the elderly. Conservative treatment of colonic diverticulitis with antibiotics, bowel rest, possibly including parenteral alimentation, is usually applied for 1–2 weeks. In the absence of a response to conservative treatment, frequent recurrence or complications (abscesses, fistulas, bowel obstructions, and free perforations, surgery is indicated.

Defining and systematic analyses of aggregation indices to evaluate degree of calcium oxalate crystal aggregation

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Chaiyarit, Sakdithep; Thongboonkerd, Visith

2017-12-01

Crystal aggregation is one of the most crucial steps in kidney stone pathogenesis. However, previous studies of crystal aggregation were rarely done and quantitative analysis of aggregation degree was handicapped by a lack of the standard measurement. We thus performed an in vitro assay to generate aggregation of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals with various concentrations (25-800 µg/ml) in saturated aggregation buffer. The crystal aggregates were analyzed by microscopic examination, UV-visible spectrophotometry, and GraphPad Prism6 software to define a total of 12 aggregation indices (including number of aggregates, aggregated mass index, optical density, aggregation coefficient, span, number of aggregates at plateau time-point, aggregated area index, aggregated diameter index, aggregated symmetry index, time constant, half-life, and rate constant). The data showed linear correlation between crystal concentration and almost all of these indices, except only for rate constant. Among these, number of aggregates provided the greatest regression coefficient (r=0.997; pr=0.993; pr=‑0.993; pr=0.991; p<0.001 for both). These five indices are thus recommended as the most appropriate indices for quantitative analysis of COM crystal aggregation in vitro.

The Effect of Zeolite on Aggregate Stability Indices

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F. Sohrab

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Soil structural stability affects the profitability and sustainability of agricultural systems. Particle size distribution (PSD and aggregate stability are the important characteristics of soil. Aggregate stability has a significant impact on the development of the root system, water and carbon cycle and soil resistance against soil erosion. Soil aggregate stability, defined as the ability of the aggregates to remain intact when subject to a given stress, is an important soil property that affects the movement and storage of water, aeration, erosion, biological activity and growth of crops. Dry soil aggregate stability (Mean Weight Diameter (MWD, Geometric Mean Diameter (GMD and Wet Aggregate Stability (WAS are important indices for evaluating soil aggregate stability.To improve soil physical properties, including modifying aggregate, using various additives (organic, inorganic and chemicals, zeolites are among what has been studied.According to traditional definition, zeolites are hydratealuminosilicates of alkaline and alkaline-earth minerals. Their structure is made up of a framework of[SiO4]−4 and [AlO4]−5 tetrahedron linked to each other's cornersby sharing oxygen atoms. The substitution of Si+4 by Al+3 intetrahedral sites results inmore negative charges and a high cation exchange capacity.Zeolites, as natural cation exchangers, are suitable substitutes to remove toxic cations. Among the natural zeolites,Clinoptilolite seems to be the most efficient ion exchanger and ion-selective material forremoving and stabilizing heavy metals.Due to theexisting insufficient technical information on the effects of using different levels of zeolite on physical properties of different types of soils in Iran, the aim of this research was to assess the effects of two different types of zeolite (Clinoptilolite natural zeolite, Z4, and Synthetic zeolite, A4 on aggregate stability indicesof soil. Materials and Methods: In this study at first

A Root-Colonizing Pseudomonad Lessens Stress Responses in Wheat Imposed by CuO Nanoparticles.

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Melanie Wright

Full Text Available Nanoparticle (NPs containing essential metals are being considered in formulations of fertilizers to boost plant nutrition in soils with low metal bioavailability. This paper addresses whether colonization of wheat roots by the bacterium, Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6 (PcO6, protected roots from the reduced elongation caused by CuO NPs. There was a trend for slightly elongated roots when seedlings with roots colonized by PcO6 were grown with CuO NPs; the density of bacterial cells on the root surface was not altered by the NPs. Accumulations of reactive oxygen species in the plant root cells caused by CuO NPs were little affected by root colonization. However, bacterial colonization did reduce the extent of expression of an array of genes associated with plant responses to stress induced by root exposure to CuO NPs. PcO6 colonization also reduced the levels of two important chelators of Cu ions, citric and malic acids, in the rhizosphere solution; presumably because these acids were used as nutrients for bacterial growth. There was a trend for lower levels of soluble Cu in the rhizosphere solution and reduced Cu loads in the true leaves with PcO6 colonization. These studies indicate that root colonization by bacterial cells modulates plant responses to contact with CuO NPs.

Induction of apoptosis by tomato using space mutation breeding in human colon cancer SW480 and HT-29 cells.

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Shi, Jiahui; Yang, Bin; Feng, Pan; Li, Duo; Zhu, Jiajin

2010-03-15

As far as we know, there have been no reports concerning the functional characteristics of tomatoes using space mutation breeding. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-colon cancer effect of tomatoes M1 and M2 using space mutation breeding. In the present study, obvious anti-cancer activity was shown with tomato juice of M1 and M2 and their parent CK treatment in colon cancer cell lines SW480 and HT-29 in cell growth inhibition. In addition, SW480 cells were more sensitive to M1 and M2 than HT-29 cells in cell apoptosis. Furthermore, M1 and M2 induced cell cycle arrest both in G0-G1 and G2/M phases. These data suggest that consumption of tomato using space mutation breeding may provide benefits to inhibit growth of colon cancer cells. Therefore, tomato production using space mutation breeding may be a good candidate for development as a dietary supplement in drug therapy for colon cancer.

Sustainable aggregates production : green applications for aggregate by-products.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-06-01

Increased emphasis in the construction industry on sustainability and recycling requires production of : aggregate gradations with lower dust (cleaner aggregates) and smaller maximum sizeshence, increased : amount of quarry by-products (QBs). QBs ...

Aggregate supply and demand modeling using GIS methods for the front range urban corridor, Colorado

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Karakas, Ahmet; Turner, Keith

2004-07-01

The combined use of allocation modeling and geographical information system (GIS) technologies for providing quantitative assessments of aggregate supply and demand is evaluated using representative data for the Front Range Urban Corridor (FRUC) in Colorado. The FRUC extends from the Colorado-Wyoming border to south of Colorado Springs, and includes Denver and the major urban growth regions of Colorado. In this area, aggregate demand is high and is increasing in response to population growth. Neighborhood opposition to the establishment of new pits and quarries and the depletion of many deposits are limiting aggregate supplies. Many sources are already covered by urban development or eliminated from production by zoning. Transport of aggregate by rail from distant resources may be required in the future. Two allocation-modeling procedures are tested in this study. Network analysis procedures provided within the ARC/INFO software, are unsatisfactory. Further aggregate allocation modeling used a model specifically designed for this task; a modified version of an existing Colorado School of Mines allocation model allows for more realistic market analyses. This study evaluated four scenarios. The entire region was evaluated with a scenario reflecting the current market and by a second scenario in which some existing suppliers were closed down and new potential suppliers were activated. The conditions within the Denver metropolitan area were studied before and after the introduction of three possible rail-to-truck aggregate distribution centers. GIS techniques are helpful in developing the required database to describe the Front Range Urban Corridor aggregate market conditions. GIS methods allow the digital representation of the regional road network, and the development of a distance matrix relating all suppliers and purchasers.

Generation of an inducible colon-specific Cre enzyme mouse line for colon cancer research.

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Tetteh, Paul W; Kretzschmar, Kai; Begthel, Harry; van den Born, Maaike; Korving, Jeroen; Morsink, Folkert; Farin, Henner; van Es, Johan H; Offerhaus, G Johan A; Clevers, Hans

2016-10-18

Current mouse models for colorectal cancer often differ significantly from human colon cancer, being largely restricted to the small intestine. Here, we aim to develop a colon-specific inducible mouse model that can faithfully recapitulate human colon cancer initiation and progression. Carbonic anhydrase I (Car1) is a gene expressed uniquely in colonic epithelial cells. We generated a colon-specific inducible Car1 CreER knock-in (KI) mouse with broad Cre activity in epithelial cells of the proximal colon and cecum. Deletion of the tumor suppressor gene Apc using the Car1 CreER KI caused tumor formation in the cecum but did not yield adenomas in the proximal colon. Mutation of both Apc and Kras yielded microadenomas in both the cecum and the proximal colon, which progressed to macroadenomas with significant morbidity. Aggressive carcinomas with some invasion into lymph nodes developed upon combined induction of oncogenic mutations of Apc, Kras, p53, and Smad4 Importantly, no adenomas were observed in the small intestine. Additionally, we observed tumors from differentiated Car1-expressing cells with Apc/Kras mutations, suggesting that a top-down model of intestinal tumorigenesis can occur with multiple mutations. Our results establish the Car1 CreER KI as a valuable mouse model to study colon-specific tumorigenesis and metastasis as well as cancer-cell-of-origin questions.

Yeasts from skin colonization are able to cross the acellular dermal matrix.

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Jarros, Isabele Carrilho; Okuno, Érika; Costa, Maiara Ignacio; Veiga, Flávia Franco; de Souza Bonfim-Mendonça, Patricia; Negri, Melyssa Fernanda Norman; Svidzinski, Terezinha Inez Estivalet

2018-04-01

In recent decades, the prognosis for burn patients has improved considerably with the development of specialized care. The acellular dermal matrix (ADM) is a totally artificial acellular device that functions to control water loss, prevent penetration by bacteria and allow migration of endothelial cells and fibroblasts from patient tissues. However, little is known about its effectiveness against yeasts. The present study evaluated the capacity of colonization and migration of some human commensal yeasts. Three clinical isolates from skin scales, identified as Candida parapsilosis, Candida glabrata and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, were used. Their ability to cross the ADM was evaluated. After three days, all isolates had crossed the ADM. C. parapsilosis showed the lowest growth, while R. mucilaginosa showed intermediate and C. glabrata the highest growth. In the plates incubated for seven days, the growth of C. parapsilosis and C. glabrata increased by 1 log over the third day. All isolates have the capacity to colonize and migrate through the matrix, increasing the potential risk to burn patients, who can develop severe and even fatal infections by invasive fungi. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Root colonization and phytostimulation by phytohormones producing entophytic Nostoc sp. AH-12.

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Hussain, Anwar; Hamayun, Muhammad; Shah, Syed Tariq

2013-11-01

Nostoc, a nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium, has great potential to make symbiotic associations with a wide range of plants and benefit its hosts with nitrogen in the form of nitrates. It may also use phytohormones as a tool to promote plant growth. Phytohormones [cytokinin (Ck) and IAA] were determined in the culture of an endophytic Nostoc isolated from rice roots. The strain was able to accumulate as well as release phytohormones to the culture media. Optimum growth conditions for the production of zeatin and IAA were a temperature of 25 °C and a pH of 8.0. Time-dependent increase in the accumulation and release of phytohormones was recorded. To evaluate the impact of cytokinins, an ipt knockout mutant in the background of Nostoc was generated by homologous recombination method. A sharp decline (up to 80 %) in the zeatin content was observed in the culture of mutant strain Nostoc AHM-12. Association of the mutant and wild type strain with rice and wheat roots was studied under axenic conditions. The efficacy of Nostoc to colonize plant root was significantly reduced (P Nostoc to colonize plant root and promote its growth.

The Physics of Protoplanetesimal Dust Agglomerates. VIII. Microgravity Collisions between Porous SiO{sub 2} Aggregates and Loosely Bound Agglomerates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whizin, Akbar D.; Colwell, Joshua E. [Dept. of Physics, Center for Microgravity Research, University of Central Florida, 4111 Libra Drive, Orlando, FL 32816 (United States); Blum, Jürgen, E-mail: Akbar.Whizin@ucf.edu [Institut für Geophysik und extraterrestrische Physik, University of Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 3, D-38106 Braunschweig (Germany)

2017-02-10

We performed laboratory experiments colliding 0.8–1.0 mm and 1.0–1.6 mm SiO{sub 2} dust aggregates with loosely bound centimeter-sized agglomerates of those aggregates in microgravity. This work builds on previous microgravity laboratory experiments examining the collisional properties of porous loosely bound dust aggregates. In centimeter-sized aggregates, surface forces dominate self-gravity and may play a large role in aggregate growth beyond this size range. We characterize the properties of protoplanetary aggregate analogs to help place constraints on initial formation mechanisms and environments. We determined several important physical characteristics of these aggregates in a large number of low-velocity collisions. We observed low coefficients of restitution and fragmentation thresholds near 1 m s{sup −1} for 1–2 cm agglomerates, which are in good agreement with previous findings in the literature. We find the accretion efficiency for agglomerates of loosely bound aggregates to be higher than that for just aggregates themselves. We find sticking thresholds of 6.6 ± 2 cm s{sup −1}, somewhat higher than those in similar studies, which have observed few aggregates stick at speeds of under 3 cm s{sup −1}. Even with highly dissipative collisions, loosely bound agglomerates have difficulty accreting beyond centimeter-sized bodies at typical collision speeds in the disk. Our results indicate agglomerates of porous aggregates have slightly higher sticking thresholds than previously thought, allowing possible growth to decimeter-sized bodies if velocities are low enough.

Guargum and Eudragit ® coated curcumin liquid solid tablets for colon specific drug delivery.

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S Kumar, Vrinda; Rijo, John; M, Sabitha

2018-04-15

Colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer, is the uncontrolled cell growth in the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine), or in the appendix. The colon specific drug delivery would alleviate the systemic side effects and would assure the safe therapy for colonic disorders with minimum dose and duration of therapy. The liquisolid technique refers to solubilisation of drug in a non-volatile solvent combined with inclusion of appropriate carrier and coating agent required for tableting. Colon specific degradation of natural polymer, guar gum and pH dependant degradative (pH-7) property of eudragit L100 restricts the delivery of curcumin in gastric and intestinal pH. Formulated curcumin liquisolid powder was evaluated for the micrometric properties, solubility and by differential thermal analysis, X ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Curcumin loaded liquisolid tablet showed more anticancer activity against HCT-15 compared with free curcumin. Bioavailability study of the coated and uncoated liquisolid tablets were performed using Newzealand white rabbits. The present study concludes that liquisolid technique is a promising alternative for improving oral bioavailability and dissolution rate of water insoluble drug and coating liquisolid tablet with colon sensitive polymers showed site specific release of drug in the colon. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transverse loop colostomy and colonic motility.

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Pucciani, F; Ringressi, M N; Maltinti, G; Bechi, P

2014-11-01

The motility of the defunctionalized colon, distal to transverse loop colostomy, has never been studied "in vivo." The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of transverse loop colostomy on colonic motility. Thirteen patients were examined before stoma closure by means of clinical evaluation and colonic manometry; we studied both the right and distal colon in both fasting and fed patients in order to detect motor activity. Quantitative and qualitative manometric analyses showed that the diverted colon had motor activity even if no regular colonic motor pattern was observed. The spreading of aboral propagated contractions (PCs) was sometimes recorded from the right colon to the distal colon. The response of the proximal and distal colon to a standard meal, when compared to fasting values, increased more than 40 and 35 %, respectively. Stool and gas ejections from the colostomy were never related to a particular type of colonic motility: Motor quiescence such as PCs was chaotically related to stool escape. In conclusion, motility of the defunctionalized colon is preserved in patients with transverse loop colostomy.

Rhein induces apoptosis of HCT-116 human colon cancer cells via ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Rhein, a major compound in rhubarb, has been found to have anti-tumor properties in many human cancer cells. However, the details about rhein suppressing the growth of human colon cancer cells remained elusive. In this paper, we explored the potential of rhein as a chemotherapeutic agent on HCT- 116 cells and ...

Polymer depletion-driven cluster aggregation and initial phase separation in charged nanosized colloids

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Gögelein, Christoph; Nägele, Gerhard; Buitenhuis, Johan; Tuinier, Remco; Dhont, Jan K. G.

2009-05-01

We study polymer depletion-driven cluster aggregation and initial phase separation in aqueous dispersions of charge-stabilized silica spheres, where the ionic strength and polymer (dextran) concentration are systematically varied, using dynamic light scattering and visual observation. Without polymers and for increasing salt and colloid content, the dispersions become increasingly unstable against irreversible cluster formation. By adding nonadsorbing polymers, a depletion-driven attraction is induced, which lowers the stabilizing Coulomb barrier and enhances the cluster growth rate. The initial growth rate increases with increasing polymer concentration and decreases with increasing polymer molar mass. These observations can be quantitatively understood by an irreversible dimer formation theory based on the classical Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek pair potential, with the depletion attraction modeled by the Asakura-Oosawa-Vrij potential. At low colloid concentration, we observe an exponential cluster growth rate for all polymer concentrations considered, indicating a reaction-limited aggregation mechanism. At sufficiently high polymer and colloid concentrations, and lower salt content, a gas-liquidlike demixing is observed initially. Later on, the system separates into a gel and fluidlike phase. The experimental time-dependent state diagram is compared to the theoretical equilibrium phase diagram obtained from a generalized free-volume theory and is discussed in terms of an initial reversible phase separation process in combination with irreversible aggregation at later times.

Polyamine and methionine adenosyltransferase 2A crosstalk in human colon and liver cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tomasi, Maria Lauda [Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); USC Research Center for Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); The Southern California Research Center for Alcoholic and Pancreatic Diseases and Cirrhosis, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); Ryoo, Minjung; Skay, Anna [Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); USC Research Center for Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); Tomasi, Ivan; Giordano, Pasquale [Department of Colorectal Surgery, Whipps Cross University Hospital, London E11 1NR (United Kingdom); Mato, José M. [CIC bioGUNE, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (Ciberehd), Technology Park of Bizkaia, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia (Spain); Lu, Shelly C., E-mail: shellylu@usc.edu [Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); USC Research Center for Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); The Southern California Research Center for Alcoholic and Pancreatic Diseases and Cirrhosis, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States)

2013-07-15

Methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) is an essential enzyme that is responsible for the biosynthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), the principal methyl donor and precursor of polyamines. MAT1A is expressed in normal liver and MAT2A is expressed in all extrahepatic tissues. MAT2A expression is increased in human colon cancer and in colon cancer cells treated with mitogens, whereas silencing MAT2A resulted in apoptosis. The aim of the current work was to examine the mechanism responsible for MAT2A-dependent growth and apoptosis. We found that in RKO (human adenocarcinoma cell line) cells, MAT2A siRNA treatment lowered cellular SAMe and putrescine levels by 70–75%, increased apoptosis and inhibited growth. Putrescine supplementation blunted significantly MAT2A siRNA-induced apoptosis and growth suppression. Putrescine treatment (100 pmol/L) raised MAT2A mRNA level to 4.3-fold of control, increased the expression of c-Jun and c-Fos and binding to an AP-1 site in the human MAT2A promoter and the promoter activity. In human colon cancer specimens, the expression levels of MAT2A, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), c-Jun and c-Fos are all elevated as compared to adjacent non-tumorous tissues. Overexpression of ODC in RKO cells also raised MAT2A mRNA level and MAT2A promoter activity. ODC and MAT2A are also overexpressed in liver cancer and consistently, similar MAT2A-ODC-putrescine interactions and effects on growth and apoptosis were observed in HepG2 cells. In conclusion, there is a crosstalk between polyamines and MAT2A. Increased MAT2A expression provides more SAMe for polyamines biosynthesis; increased polyamine (putrescine in this case) can activate MAT2A at the transcriptional level. This along with increased ODC expression in cancer all feed forward to further enhance the proliferative capacity of the cancer cell. -- Highlights: • MAT2A knockdown depletes putrescine and leads to apoptosis. • Putrescine attenuates MAT2A knockdown-induced apoptosis and growth

Mutualistic interaction between Salmonella enterica and Aspergillus niger and its effects on Zea mays colonization.

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Balbontín, Roberto; Vlamakis, Hera; Kolter, Roberto

2014-11-01

Salmonella Typhimurium inhabits a variety of environments and is able to infect a broad range of hosts. Throughout its life cycle, some hosts can act as intermediates in the path to the infection of others. Aspergillus niger is a ubiquitous fungus that can often be found in soil or associated to plants and microbial consortia. Recently, S. Typhimurium was shown to establish biofilms on the hyphae of A. niger. In this work, we have found that this interaction is stable for weeks without a noticeable negative effect on either organism. Indeed, bacterial growth is promoted upon the establishment of the interaction. Moreover, bacterial biofilms protect the fungus from external insults such as the effects of the anti-fungal agent cycloheximide. Thus, the Salmonella-Aspergillus interaction can be defined as mutualistic. A tripartite gnotobiotic system involving the bacterium, the fungus and a plant revealed that co-colonization has a greater negative effect on plant growth than colonization by either organism in dividually. Strikingly, co-colonization also causes a reduction in plant invasion by S. Typhimurium. This work demonstrates that S. Typhimurium and A. niger establish a mutualistic interaction that alters bacterial colonization of plants and affects plant physiology. © 2014 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Percutaneous drainage of colonic diverticular abscess: is colon resection necessary?

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Gaertner, Wolfgang B; Willis, David J; Madoff, Robert D; Rothenberger, David A; Kwaan, Mary R; Belzer, George E; Melton, Genevieve B

2013-05-01

Recurrent diverticulitis has been reported in up to 30% to 40% of patients who recover from an episode of colonic diverticular abscess, so elective interval resection is traditionally recommended. The aim of this study was to review the outcomes of patients who underwent percutaneous drainage of colonic diverticular abscess without subsequent operative intervention. This was an observational study. This investigation was conducted at a tertiary care academic medical center and a single-hospital health system. Patients treated for symptomatic colonic diverticular abscess from 2002 through 2007 were included. The primary outcomes measured were complications, recurrence, and colectomy-free survival. Two hundred eighteen patients underwent percutaneous drainage of colonic diverticular abscesses. Thirty-two patients (15%) did not undergo subsequent colonic resection. Abscess location was pelvic (n = 9) and paracolic (n = 23), the mean abscess size was 4.2 cm, and the median duration of percutaneous drainage was 20 days. The comorbidities of this group of patients included severe cardiac disease (n = 16), immunodeficiency (n = 7), and severe pulmonary disease (n = 6). Freedom from recurrence at 7.4 years was 0.58 (95% CI 0.42-0.73). All recurrences were managed nonoperatively. Recurrence was significantly associated with an abscess size larger than 5 cm. Colectomy-free survival at 7.4 years was 0.17 (95% CI 0.13-0.21). This study was limited by its retrospective, nonexperimental design and short follow-up. In selected patients, observation after percutaneous drainage of colonic diverticular abscess appears to be a safe and low-risk management option.

Influence of Aggregate Wettability with Different Lithology Aggregates on Concrete Drying Shrinkage

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Yuanchen Guo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The correlation of the wettability of different lithology aggregates and the drying shrinkage of concrete materials is studied, and some influential factors such as wettability and wetting angle are analyzed. A mercury porosimeter is used to measure the porosities of different lithology aggregates accurately, and the pore size ranges that significantly affect the drying shrinkage of different lithology aggregate concretes are confirmed. The pore distribution curve of the different coarse aggregates is also measured through a statistical method, and the contact angle of different coarse aggregates and concrete is calculated according to the linear fitting relationship. Research shows that concrete strength is determined by aggregate strength. Aggregate wettability is not directly correlated with concrete strength, but wettability significantly affects concrete drying shrinkage. In all types’ pores, the greatest impacts on wettability are capillary pores and gel pores, especially for the pores of the size locating 2.5–50 nm and 50–100 nm two ranges.

Genomic instability and radiation risk in molecular pathways to colon cancer.

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Jan Christian Kaiser

Full Text Available Colon cancer is caused by multiple genomic alterations which lead to genomic instability (GI. GI appears in molecular pathways of microsatellite instability (MSI and chromosomal instability (CIN with clinically observed case shares of about 15-20% and 80-85%. Radiation enhances the colon cancer risk by inducing GI, but little is known about different outcomes for MSI and CIN. Computer-based modelling can facilitate the understanding of the phenomena named above. Comprehensive biological models, which combine the two main molecular pathways to colon cancer, are fitted to incidence data of Japanese a-bomb survivors. The preferred model is selected according to statistical criteria and biological plausibility. Imprints of cell-based processes in the succession from adenoma to carcinoma are identified by the model from age dependences and secular trends of the incidence data. Model parameters show remarkable compliance with mutation rates and growth rates for adenoma, which has been reported over the last fifteen years. Model results suggest that CIN begins during fission of intestinal crypts. Chromosomal aberrations are generated at a markedly elevated rate which favors the accelerated growth of premalignant adenoma. Possibly driven by a trend of Westernization in the Japanese diet, incidence rates for the CIN pathway increased notably in subsequent birth cohorts, whereas rates pertaining to MSI remained constant. An imbalance between number of CIN and MSI cases began to emerge in the 1980s, whereas in previous decades the number of cases was almost equal. The CIN pathway exhibits a strong radio-sensitivity, probably more intensive in men. Among young birth cohorts of both sexes the excess absolute radiation risk related to CIN is larger by an order of magnitude compared to the MSI-related risk. Observance of pathway-specific risks improves the determination of the probability of causation for radiation-induced colon cancer in individual patients

Laparoscopic colectomy for transverse colon carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Zmora, O; Bar-Dayan, A; Khaikin, M; Lebeydev, A; Shabtai, M; Ayalon, A; Rosin, D

2010-03-01

Laparoscopic resection of transverse colon carcinoma is technically demanding and was excluded from most of the large trials of laparoscopic colectomy. The aim of this study was to assess the safety, feasibility, and outcome of laparoscopic resection of carcinoma of the transverse colon. A retrospective review was performed to identify patients who underwent laparoscopic resection of transverse colon carcinoma. These patients were compared to patients who had laparoscopic resection for right and sigmoid colon carcinoma. In addition, they were compared to a historical series of patients who underwent open resection for transverse colon cancer. A total of 22 patients underwent laparoscopic resection for transverse colon carcinoma. Sixty-eight patients operated for right colon cancer and 64 operated for sigmoid colon cancer served as comparison groups. Twenty-four patients were identified for the historical open group. Intraoperative complications occurred in 4.5% of patients with transverse colon cancer compared to 5.9% (P = 1.0) and 7.8% (P = 1.0) of patients with right and sigmoid colon cancer, respectively. The early postoperative complication rate was 45, 50 (P = 1.0), and 37.5% (P = 0.22) in the three groups, respectively. Conversion was required in 1 (5%) patient in the laparoscopic transverse colon group. The conversion rate and late complications were not significantly different in the three groups. There was no significant difference in the number of lymph nodes harvested in the laparoscopic and open groups. Operative time was significantly longer in the laparoscopic transverse colectomy group when compared to all other groups (P = 0.001, 0.008, and transverse colectomy, respectively). The results of laparoscopic colon resection for transverse colon carcinoma are comparable to the results of laparoscopic resection of right or sigmoid colon cancer and open resection of transverse colon carcinoma. These results suggest that laparoscopic resection of transverse

Spontaneous intramural hematoma of the colon.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Samuel; Gonçalves, Ana Rita; Araújo Correia, Luís

2016-08-01

A 73-year-old man was admitted to our clinic with sudden left quadrant abdominal pain and hematochezia. There was no history of trauma. He denied other symptoms or taking off-the-counter medication. His medical history was relevant for ischemic and aortic-mitral valve disease with prosthetic valves for which he was medicated with aspirin and warfarin. On physical examination the patient presented normal vital signs with tenderness on palpation of the left side of the abdomen. Laboratory tests revealed moderate anemia (10.8 g/dl) and thrombocytopenia (135.000x10^9 U/L) with therapeutic international normalized ratio (2.53). Colonoscopy revealed an extensive area of erythematous and bluish mucosa with an apparent torsion of the proximal descending colon around a volumous hematoma measuring 6.5x3 cm (Figure 1 A-C). Urgent abdominal CT confirmed the presence of a large intramural hematoma of the descending colon (Figure 2 A-B). A conservative approach was adopted with temporary suspension of anticoagulation. Given the high thrombotic risk, abdominal ultrasound was performed after 72 hours showing considerable reduction in the size of the hematoma. Anti-coagulation was then resumed without complications. One month later, colonoscopy was repeated showing complete healing of the mucosa. The increasing use of anti-aggregating and anti-coagulant therapy, especially in elderly patients, explains the increasing incidence of bleeding events seen in this population. However, gastrointestinal hematomas are estimated to occur in only 1 for every 250.000 anti-coagulated patients. Diagnosis is based on characteristic radiologic findings. While most parietal hematomas can be approached conservatively, surgery is indicated in the presence of complications or persistence of the hematoma.

Colon and rectal cancer survival by tumor location and microsatellite instability: the Colon Cancer Family Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

Phipps, Amanda I; Lindor, Noralane M; Jenkins, Mark A; Baron, John A; Win, Aung Ko; Gallinger, Steven; Gryfe, Robert; Newcomb, Polly A

2013-08-01

Cancers in the proximal colon, distal colon, and rectum are frequently studied together; however, there are biological differences in cancers across these sites, particularly in the prevalence of microsatellite instability. We assessed the differences in survival by colon or rectal cancer site, considering the contribution of microsatellite instability to such differences. This is a population-based prospective cohort study for cancer survival. This study was conducted within the Colon Cancer Family Registry, an international consortium. Participants were identified from population-based cancer registries in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Information on tumor site, microsatellite instability, and survival after diagnosis was available for 3284 men and women diagnosed with incident invasive colon or rectal cancer between 1997 and 2002, with ages at diagnosis ranging from 18 to 74. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios for the association between all-cause mortality and tumor location, overall and by microsatellite instability status. Distal colon (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.49-0.71) and rectal cancers (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.57-0.81) were associated with lower mortality than proximal colon cancer overall. Compared specifically with patients with proximal colon cancer exhibiting no/low microsatellite instability, patients with distal colon and rectal cancers experienced lower mortality, regardless of microsatellite instability status; patients with proximal colon cancer exhibiting high microsatellite instability had the lowest mortality. Study limitations include the absence of stage at diagnosis and cause-of-death information for all but a subset of study participants. Some patient groups defined jointly by tumor site and microsatellite instability status are subject to small numbers. Proximal colon cancer survival differs from survival for distal colon and rectal cancer in a manner apparently dependent on microsatellite instability status. These

EVALUATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MAIZE PLANTS (Zea mays L.) AFTER COLONIZATION BY ENDOPHYTE FUNGUS Fusarium verticillioides

OpenAIRE

Gomes, Ulisses de Deus; Orlandelli, Ravely Casarotti; Santos, Mariana Sanches; Polonio, Julio Cesar; Pamphile, João Alencar; Rubin Filho, Celso João

2013-01-01

Endophyte fungi inhabit the inside of plants without causing any damage. Benefits from endophyte-plant interactivities include vegetal growth and the plant´s defense against insects and other pathogens. Some endophytes, however, may act as latent pathogens which cause physiological changes and disease symptoms in the host. Current analysis evaluates the development of maize plants colonizer (treatment) and non-colonized (control) with the frequently found endophyte Fusarium verticillioides an...

Extracolic-infiltrative lesions of the sigmoid colon and recto-sigmoid junction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krestin, G.P.; Beyer, D.; Lorenz, R.

1983-06-01

The problems of extracolic-infiltrative lesions of the sigmoid colon and recto-sigmoid junction are discussed, based on representative case studies. Because of the localisation of these bowel segments in the lower peritoneal cavity, they can be reached by direct infiltration of contiguous tumors - especially carcinoma of the ovary - or by seeding into the pouch of Douglas and the sigmoid mesocolon. In many cases characteristic roentgen-morphologic features indicate a secondary infiltration, but inflammatory and malignant lesions have to be differentiated. The differential-diagnosis must consider also diverticulitis, endometriosis and extracolic growth of colonic carcinoma. Additional ultrasonography and computed tomography may help to clear topographical relations and to detect direct and indirect signs of peritoneal carcinomatosis and abscess.

Extracolic-infiltrative lesions of the sigmoid colon and recto-sigmoid junction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krestin, G.P.; Beyer, D.; Lorenz, R.

1983-01-01

The problems of extracolic-infiltrative lesions of the sigmoid colon and recto-sigmoid junction are discussed, based on representative case studies. Because of the localisation of these bowel segments in the lower peritoneal cavity, they can be reached by direct infiltration of contiguous tumors - especially carcinoma of the ovary - or by seading into the pouch of Douglas and the sigmoid mesocolon. In many cases characteristic roentgen-morphologic features indicate a secondary infiltration, but inflammatory and malignant lesions have to be differentiated. The differential-diagnosis must consider also diverticulitis, endometriosis and extracolic growth of colonic carcinoma. Additional ultrasonography and computed tomography may help to clear topographical relations and to detect direct and indirect signs of peritoneal carcinomatosis and abscess. (orig.)

Cluster-cluster aggregation of Ising dipolar particles under thermal noise

KAUST Repository

Suzuki, Masaru

2009-08-14

The cluster-cluster aggregation processes of Ising dipolar particles under thermal noise are investigated in the dilute condition. As the temperature increases, changes in the typical structures of clusters are observed from chainlike (D1) to crystalline (D2) through fractal structures (D1.45), where D is the fractal dimension. By calculating the bending energy of the chainlike structure, it is found that the transition temperature is associated with the energy gap between the chainlike and crystalline configurations. The aggregation dynamics changes from being dominated by attraction to diffusion involving changes in the dynamic exponent z=0.2 to 0.5. In the region of temperature where the fractal clusters grow, different growth rates are observed between charged and neutral clusters. Using the Smoluchowski equation with a twofold kernel, this hetero-aggregation process is found to result from two types of dynamics: the diffusive motion of neutral clusters and the weak attractive motion between charged clusters. The fact that changes in structures and dynamics take place at the same time suggests that transitions in the structure of clusters involve marked changes in the dynamics of the aggregation processes. © 2009 The American Physical Society.

Quality control system response to stochastic growth of amyloid fibrils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pigolotti, S.; Lizana, L.; Sneppen, K.

2013-01-01

We introduce a stochastic model describing aggregation of misfolded proteins and degradation by the protein quality control system in a single cell. Aggregate growth is contrasted by the cell quality control system, that attacks them at different stages of the growth process, with an efficiency...... that decreases with their size. Model parameters are estimated from experimental data. Two qualitatively different behaviors emerge: a homeostatic state, where the quality control system is stable and aggregates of large sizes are not formed, and an oscillatory state, where the quality control system...

Protein-bound polysaccharide from Phellinus linteus inhibits tumor growth, invasion, and angiogenesis and alters Wnt/β-catenin in SW480 human colon cancer cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Park Hae-Duck

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Polysaccharides extracted from the Phellinus linteus (PL mushroom are known to possess anti-tumor effects. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the anti-tumor properties of PL remain to be explored. Experiments were carried out to unravel the anticancer effects of PL. Methods The anti-cancer effects of PL were examined in SW480 colon cancer cells by evaluating cell proliferation, invasion and matrix metallo-proteinase (MMP activity. The anti-angiogenic effects of PL were examined by assessing human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC proliferation and capillary tube formation. The in vivo effect of PL was evaluated in an athymic nude mouse SW480 tumor engraft model. Results PL (125-1000 μg/mL significantly inhibited cell proliferation and decreased β-catenin expression in SW480 cells. Expression of cyclin D1, one of the downstream-regulated genes of β-catenin, and T-cell factor/lymphocyte enhancer binding factor (TCF/LEF transcription activity were also significantly reduced by PL treatment. PL inhibited in vitro invasion and motility as well as the activity of MMP-9. In addition, PL treatment inhibited HUVEC proliferation and capillary tube formation. Tumor growth of SW480 cells implanted into nude mice was significantly decreased as a consequence of PL treatment, and tumor tissues from treated animals showed an increase in the apoptotic index and a decrease in β-catenin expression. Moreover, the proliferation index and microvessel density were significantly decreased. Conclusions These data suggest that PL suppresses tumor growth, invasion, and angiogenesis through the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in certain colon cancer cells.

Kinetics of inclusion body formation and its correlation with the characteristics of protein aggregates in Escherichia coli.

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Arun K Upadhyay

Full Text Available The objective of the research was to understand the structural determinants governing protein aggregation into inclusion bodies during expression of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli. Recombinant human growth hormone (hGH and asparaginase were expressed as inclusion bodies in E.coli and the kinetics of aggregate formation was analyzed in details. Asparaginase inclusion bodies were of smaller size (200 nm and the size of the aggregates did not increase with induction time. In contrast, the seeding and growth behavior of hGH inclusion bodies were found to be sequential, kinetically stable and the aggregate size increased from 200 to 800 nm with induction time. Human growth hormone inclusion bodies showed higher resistance to denaturants and proteinase K degradation in comparison to those of asparaginase inclusion bodies. Asparaginase inclusion bodies were completely solubilized at 2-3 M urea concentration and could be refolded into active protein, whereas 7 M urea was required for complete solubilization of hGH inclusion bodies. Both hGH and asparaginase inclusion bodies showed binding with amyloid specific dyes. In spite of its low β-sheet content, binding with dyes was more prominent in case of hGH inclusion bodies than that of asparaginase. Arrangements of protein molecules present in the surface as well as in the core of inclusion bodies were similar. Hydrophobic interactions between partially folded amphiphillic and hydrophobic alpha-helices were found to be one of the main determinants of hGH inclusion body formation. Aggregation behavior of the protein molecules decides the nature and properties of inclusion bodies.

Kinetics of Inclusion Body Formation and Its Correlation with the Characteristics of Protein Aggregates in Escherichia coli

Science.gov (United States)

Upadhyay, Arun K.; Murmu, Aruna; Singh, Anupam; Panda, Amulya K.

2012-01-01

The objective of the research was to understand the structural determinants governing protein aggregation into inclusion bodies during expression of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli. Recombinant human growth hormone (hGH) and asparaginase were expressed as inclusion bodies in E.coli and the kinetics of aggregate formation was analyzed in details. Asparaginase inclusion bodies were of smaller size (200 nm) and the size of the aggregates did not increase with induction time. In contrast, the seeding and growth behavior of hGH inclusion bodies were found to be sequential, kinetically stable and the aggregate size increased from 200 to 800 nm with induction time. Human growth hormone inclusion bodies showed higher resistance to denaturants and proteinase K degradation in comparison to those of asparaginase inclusion bodies. Asparaginase inclusion bodies were completely solubilized at 2–3 M urea concentration and could be refolded into active protein, whereas 7 M urea was required for complete solubilization of hGH inclusion bodies. Both hGH and asparaginase inclusion bodies showed binding with amyloid specific dyes. In spite of its low β-sheet content, binding with dyes was more prominent in case of hGH inclusion bodies than that of asparaginase. Arrangements of protein molecules present in the surface as well as in the core of inclusion bodies were similar. Hydrophobic interactions between partially folded amphiphillic and hydrophobic alpha-helices were found to be one of the main determinants of hGH inclusion body formation. Aggregation behavior of the protein molecules decides the nature and properties of inclusion bodies. PMID:22479486

The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on glomalin-related soil protein distribution, aggregate stability and their relationships with soil properties at different soil depths in lead-zinc contaminated area.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yurong; He, Chuangjun; Huang, Li; Ban, Yihui; Tang, Ming

2017-01-01

Glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), a widespread glycoprotein produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), is crucial for ecosystem functioning and ecological restoration. In the present study, an investigation was conducted to comprehensively analyze the effects of heavy metal (HM) contamination on AMF status, soil properties, aggregate distribution and stability, and their correlations at different soil depths (0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40 cm). Our results showed that the mycorrhizal colonization (MC), hyphal length density (HLD), GRSP, soil organic matter (SOM) and soil organic carbon (SOC) were significantly inhibited by Pb compared to Zn at 0-20 cm soil depth, indicating that HM had significant inhibitory effects on AMF growth and soil properties, and that Pb exhibited greater toxicity than Zn at shallow layer of soil. Both the proportion of soil large macroaggregates (>2000 μm) and mean weight diameter (MWD) were positively correlated with GRSP, SOM and SOC at 0-20 cm soil depth (P soil particles together into large macroaggregates and improving aggregate stability. Furthermore, MC and HLD had significantly positive correlation with GRSP, SOM and SOC, suggesting that AMF played an essential role in GRSP, SOM and SOC accumulation and subsequently influencing aggregate formation and particle-size distribution in HM polluted soils. Our study highlighted that the introduction of indigenous plant associated with AMF might be a successful biotechnological tool to assist the recovery of HM polluted soils, and that proper management practices should be developed to guarantee maximum benefits from plant-AMF symbiosis during ecological restoration.

Formation of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter by Bacterial Degradation of Phytoplankton-Derived Aggregates

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Joanna D. Kinsey

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Organic matter produced and released by phytoplankton during growth is processed by heterotrophic bacterial communities that transform dissolved organic matter into biomass and recycle inorganic nutrients, fueling microbial food web interactions. Bacterial transformation of phytoplankton-derived organic matter also plays a poorly known role in the formation of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM which is ubiquitous in the ocean. Despite the importance of organic matter cycling, growth of phytoplankton and activities of heterotrophic bacterial communities are rarely measured in concert. To investigate CDOM formation mediated by microbial processing of phytoplankton-derived aggregates, we conducted growth experiments with non-axenic monocultures of three diatoms (Skeletonema grethae, Leptocylindrus hargravesii, Coscinodiscus sp. and one haptophyte (Phaeocystis globosa. Phytoplankton biomass, carbon concentrations, CDOM and base-extracted particulate organic matter (BEPOM fluorescence, along with bacterial abundance and hydrolytic enzyme activities (α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, leucine-aminopeptidase were measured during exponential growth and stationary phase (~3–6 weeks and following 6 weeks of degradation. Incubations were performed in rotating glass bottles to keep cells suspended, promoting cell coagulation and, thus, formation of macroscopic aggregates (marine snow, more similar to surface ocean processes. Maximum carbon concentrations, enzyme activities, and BEPOM fluorescence occurred during stationary phase. Net DOC concentrations (0.19–0.46 mg C L−1 increased on the same order as open ocean concentrations. CDOM fluorescence was dominated by protein-like signals that increased throughout growth and degradation becoming increasingly humic-like, implying the production of more complex molecules from planktonic-precursors mediated by microbial processing. Our experimental results suggest that at least a portion of open

Adrenomedulline improves ischemic left colonic anastomotic healing in an experimental rodent model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oguzhan Karatepe

2011-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Leakage from colonic anastomosis is a major complication causing increased mortality and morbidity. Ischemia is a well-known cause of this event. This study was designed to investigate the effects of adrenomedullin on the healing of ischemic colon anastomosis in a rat model. METHODS: Standardized left colon resection 3 cm above the peritoneal reflection and colonic anastomosis were performed in 40 Wistar rats that were divided into four groups. To mimic ischemia, the mesocolon was ligated 2 cm from either side of the anastomosis in all of the groups. The control groups (1 and 2 received no further treatment. The experimental groups (3 and 4 received adrenomedullin treatment. Adrenomedullin therapy was started in the perioperative period in group 3 and 4 rats (the therapeutic groups. Group 1 and group 3 rats were sacrificed on postoperative day 3. Group 2 and group 4 rats were sacrificed on postoperative day 7. After careful relaparotomy, bursting pressure, hydroxyproline, malondialdehyde, interleukin 6, nitric oxide, vascular endothelial growth factor, and tumor necrosis factor alpha levels were measured. Histopathological characteristics of the anastomosis were analyzed. RESULTS: The group 3 animals had a significantly higher bursting pressure than group 1 (p<0.05. Hydroxyproline levels in group 1 were significantly lower than in group 3 (p<0.05. The mean bursting pressure was significantly different between group 2 and group 4 (p<0.05. Hydroxyproline levels in groups 3 and 4 were significantly increased by adrenomedullin therapy relative to the control groups (p<0.05. When all groups were compared, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide were significantly lower in the control groups (p<0.05. When vascular endothelial growth factor levels were compared, no statistically significant difference between groups was observed. Interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were significantly decreased by adrenomedullin therapy (p<0.05. The

An Act of Colonization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Anders Bo

When Gideon Welles, U.S. Secretary of the Navy, sat down to write his diary entry on September 26, 1862, his thoughts turned once more to colonization. President Lincoln was an ardent proponent of colonization, “the government-promoted settlement of black Americans in Africa or some other location....... Croix. Thus, when the Lincoln administration seriously considered colonization plans in 1862, Danish Charge d’Affaires Waldemar Raasløff offered free transport for freedmen to the Caribbean island, where there was a “distinct lack of laborers.” As a small first step towards colonization, Denmark...

23Na and 35/37Cl as NMR probes of growth and shape of sodium taurodeoxycholate micellar aggregates in the presence of NaCl.

Science.gov (United States)

Asaro, Fioretta; Feruglio, Luigi; Galantini, Luciano; Nardelli, Alessia

2013-02-15

The growth of the aggregates of the dihydroxylated bile salt sodium taurodeoxycholate (NaTDC) upon NaCl addition and the involvement of the counterion were investigated by NMR spectroscopy of monoatomic ionic species. (23)Na T(1) values from 0.015, 0.100, and 0.200 mol kg(-1) NaTDC solutions in D(2)O, at variable NaCl content, proved to be sensitive to the transition from primary to secondary aggregates, which occurs in the former sample, and to intermicellar interaction. Some (79)Br NMR measurements were performed on a 0.100 mol kg(-1) NaTDC sample added by NaBr in place of NaCl for comparison purposes. The (23)Na, (35)Cl, and (37)Cl double quantum filtered (DQF) patterns, from the 0.100 mol kg(-1) NaTDC sample, and (23)Na ones also from the 0.200 mol kg(-1) NaTDC one, in the presence of 0.750 mol kg(-1) NaCl, are a clear manifestation of motional anisotropy. Moreover, the DQF spectra of (23)Na and (37)Cl, which possess close quadrupole moments, display a striking similarity. The DQF lineshapes were simulated exploiting the Scilab environment to obtain an estimate of the residual quadrupole splitting magnitude. These results support the description of NaTDC micelles as cylindrical aggregates, strongly interacting at high ionic strengths, and capable of association with added electrolytes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MALToma of the Transverse colon, Ascending colon and Caecum: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

TNHJOURNALPH

RESULT. We herein report a case of a 40-year-old male with mucosa - associated lymphoid tissue. [MALT] lymphoma of the transverse colon, ascending colon and caecum. He presented with severe abdominal pains and a centrally located huge abdominal mass for which a surgical resection was done. Histologically.

Patterns of [PSI+] aggregation allow insights into cellular organization of yeast prion aggregates

Science.gov (United States)

Tyedmers, Jens

2012-01-01

The yeast prion phenomenon is very widespread and mounting evidence suggests that it has an impact on cellular regulatory mechanisms related to phenotypic responses to changing environments. Studying the aggregation patterns of prion amyloids during different stages of the prion life cycle is a first key step to understand major principles of how and where cells generate, organize and turn-over prion aggregates. The induction of the [PSI+] state involves the actin cytoskeleton and quality control compartments such as the Insoluble Protein Deposit (IPOD). An initially unstable transitional induction state can be visualized by overexpression of the prion determinant and displays characteristic large ring- and ribbon-shaped aggregates consisting of poorly fragmented bundles of very long prion fibrils. In the mature prion state, the aggregation pattern is characterized by highly fragmented, shorter prion fibrils that form aggregates, which can be visualized through tagging with fluorescent proteins. The number of aggregates formed varies, ranging from a single large aggregate at the IPOD to multiple smaller ones, depending on several parameters discussed. Aggregate units below the resolution of light microscopy that are detectable by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy are in equilibrium with larger aggregates in this stage and can mediate faithful inheritance of the prion state. Loss of the prion state is often characterized by reduced fragmentation of prion fibrils and fewer, larger aggregates. PMID:22449721

Stable, metastable, and kinetically trapped amyloid aggregate phases.

Science.gov (United States)

Miti, Tatiana; Mulaj, Mentor; Schmit, Jeremy D; Muschol, Martin

2015-01-12

Self-assembly of proteins into amyloid fibrils plays a key role in a multitude of human disorders that range from Alzheimer's disease to type II diabetes. Compact oligomeric species, observed early during amyloid formation, are reported as the molecular entities responsible for the toxic effects of amyloid self-assembly. However, the relation between early-stage oligomeric aggregates and late-stage rigid fibrils, which are the hallmark structure of amyloid plaques, has remained unclear. We show that these different structures occupy well-defined regions in a peculiar phase diagram. Lysozyme amyloid oligomers and their curvilinear fibrils only form after they cross a salt and protein concentration-dependent threshold. We also determine a boundary for the onset of amyloid oligomer precipitation. The oligomeric aggregates are structurally distinct from rigid fibrils and are metastable against nucleation and growth of rigid fibrils. These experimentally determined boundaries match well with colloidal model predictions that account for salt-modulated charge repulsion. The model also incorporates the metastable and kinetic character of oligomer phases. Similarities and differences of amyloid oligomer assembly to metastable liquid-liquid phase separation of proteins and to surfactant aggregation are discussed.

Generation of an inducible colon-specific Cre enzyme mouse line for colon cancer research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tetteh, Paul W.; Kretzschmar, Kai; Begthel, Harry; Van Den Born, Maaike; Korving, Jeroen; Morsink, Folkert; Farin, Henner; Van Es, Johan H.; Offerhaus, G. Johan A; Clevers, Hans

2016-01-01

Current mouse models for colorectal cancer often differ significantly from human colon cancer, being largely restricted to the small intestine. Here, we aim to develop a colon-specific inducible mouse model that can faithfully recapitulate human colon cancer initiation and progression. Carbonic

Alternative splicing of TIA-1 in human colon cancer regulates VEGF isoform expression, angiogenesis, tumour growth and bevacizumab resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamdollah Zadeh, Maryam A; Amin, Elianna M; Hoareau-Aveilla, Coralie; Domingo, Enric; Symonds, Kirsty E; Ye, Xi; Heesom, Katherine J; Salmon, Andrew; D'Silva, Olivia; Betteridge, Kai B; Williams, Ann C; Kerr, David J; Salmon, Andrew H J; Oltean, Sebastian; Midgley, Rachel S; Ladomery, Michael R; Harper, Steven J; Varey, Alexander H R; Bates, David O

2015-01-01

The angiogenic capability of colorectal carcinomas (CRC), and their susceptibility to anti-angiogenic therapy, is determined by expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) isoforms. The intracellular protein T-cell Intracellular Antigen (TIA-1) alters post-transcriptional RNA processing and binds VEGF-A mRNA. We therefore tested the hypothesis that TIA-1 could regulate VEGF-A isoform expression in colorectal cancers. TIA-1 and VEGF-A isoform expression was measured in colorectal cancers and cell lines. We discovered that an endogenous splice variant of TIA-1 encoding a truncated protein, short TIA-1 (sTIA-1) was expressed in CRC tissues and invasive K-Ras mutant colon cancer cells and tissues but not in adenoma cell lines. sTIA-1 was more highly expressed in CRC than in normal tissues and increased with tumour stage. Knockdown of sTIA-1 or over-expression of full length TIA-1 (flTIA-1) induced expression of the anti-angiogenic VEGF isoform VEGF-A165b. Whereas flTIA-1 selectively bound VEGF-A165 mRNA and increased translation of VEGF-A165b, sTIA-1 prevented this binding. In nude mice, xenografted colon cancer cells over-expressing flTIA-1 formed smaller, less vascular tumours than those expressing sTIA-1, but flTIA-1 expression inhibited the effect of anti-VEGF antibodies. These results indicate that alternative splicing of an RNA binding protein can regulate isoform specific expression of VEGF providing an added layer of complexity to the angiogenic profile of colorectal cancer and their resistance to anti-angiogenic therapy. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effect of a Synthetic Heparan Sulfate on the Healing of Colonic Anastomoses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nerstrøm, Malene; Krarup, Peter-Martin; Jorgensen, Lars Nannestad

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: The mimetic compound OTR4120 may replace endogenous-degraded heparan sulfates that normally maintain the bioactivity of growth factors that are important for tissue repair. Herein, we investigated the effect of OTR4120 on the healing of normal colonic anastomoses. METHODS: We evaluated...

Evolving colon injury management: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Greer, Lauren T; Gillern, Suzanne M; Vertrees, Amy E

2013-02-01

The colon is the second most commonly injured intra-abdominal organ in penetrating trauma. Management of traumatic colon injuries has evolved significantly over the past 200 years. Traumatic colon injuries can have a wide spectrum of severity, presentation, and management options. There is strong evidence that most non-destructive colon injuries can be successfully managed with primary repair or primary anastomosis. The management of destructive colon injuries remains controversial with most favoring resection with primary anastomosis and others favor colonic diversion in specific circumstances. The historical management of traumatic colon injuries, common mechanisms of injury, demographics, presentation, assessment, diagnosis, management, and complications of traumatic colon injuries both in civilian and military practice are reviewed. The damage control revolution has added another layer of complexity to management with continued controversy.

The effects of ghrelin on colonic anastomosis healing in rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Canan Ceran

2013-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: In addition to its roles in the stimulation of growth hormone secretion and the regulation of appetite and metabolism, ghrelin exerts immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions in several organ systems. In this study, we investigated the effects of ghrelin on the healing of experimental colonic anastomoses. METHODS: Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups (n = 10 in each. A segment of colon was excised, and an end-to-end anastomosis was performed in the distal colon. The Ghrelin Group received 10 ng/kg/day IP ghrelin for seven days postoperatively, whereas the Control Group received an identical volume of saline. On the seventh postoperative day, the anastomotic bursting pressures and hydroxyproline levels were measured, and adhesion formation around the anastomoses was examined. Histopathological analyses were performed to evaluate inflammatory cell infiltration, fibroblast infiltration, collagen density and neovascularization. RESULTS: In the Ghrelin Group, the bursting pressure and hydroxyproline levels were significantly higher than in the Control Group. The adhesion formation scores were lower in the Ghrelin Group than in the Control Group. Although the inflammatory cell infiltration was diminished in the Ghrelin Group, the degrees of fibroblast infiltration, collagen density and neovascularization were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that ghrelin improves the healing of colonic anastomoses in rats.

Activating transcription factor-3 (ATF3) functions as a tumor suppressor in colon cancer and is up-regulated upon heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hackl, Christina; Stoeltzing, Oliver; Lang, Sven A; Moser, Christian; Mori, Akira; Fichtner-Feigl, Stefan; Hellerbrand, Claus; Dietmeier, Wolfgang; Schlitt, Hans J; Geissler, Edward K

2010-01-01

Activating transcription factor-3 (ATF3) is involved in the complex process of cellular stress response. However, its exact role in cancer is discussed controversially because both tumor suppressive and oncogenic effects have been described. Here we followed-up on our previous observation that inhibition of Hsp90 may increase ATF3 expression and sought to determine the role of ATF3 in colon cancer. Regulation of ATF3 was determined in cancer cells using signaling inhibitors and a heat-shock protein-90 (Hsp90) antagonist. Human HCT116 cancer cells were stably transfected with an ATF3-shRNA or a luciferase-shRNA expression plasmid and alterations in cell motility were assessed in migration assays. The impact of ATF3 down-regulation on cancer growth and metastasis were investigated in a subcutaneous tumor model, a model of hepatic tumor growth and in a model of peritoneal carcinomatosis. Human colon cancer tissues were analyzed for ATF3 expression. The results show that therapeutic Hsp90 inhibition substantially up-regulates the expression of ATF3 in various cancer cells, including colon, gastric and pancreatic cancer. This effect was evident both in vitro and in vivo. RNAi mediated knock-down of ATF3 in HCT116 colon cancer cells significantly increased cancer cell migration in vitro. Moreover, in xenogenic mouse models, ATF3 knock-down promoted subcutaneous tumor growth and hepatic metastasis, as well as peritoneal carcinomatosis. Importantly, ATF3 expression was lower in human colon cancer specimens, as compared to corresponding normal surrounding tissues, suggesting that ATF3 may represent a down-regulated tumor suppressor in colon cancer. In conclusion, ATF3 down-regulation in colon cancer promotes tumor growth and metastasis. Considering that blocking Hsp90 induces ATF3 expression, Hsp90 inhibition may represent a valid strategy to treat metastatic colon cancer by up-regulating this anti-metastatic transcription factor

Regulation of the proliferation of colon cancer cells by compounds that affect glycolysis, including 3-bromopyruvate, 2-deoxyglucose and biguanides.

Science.gov (United States)

Lea, Michael A; Qureshi, Mehreen S; Buxhoeveden, Michael; Gengel, Nicolette; Kleinschmit, Jessica; Desbordes, Charles

2013-02-01

In previous studies performed by our group, we observed that 2-deoxyglucose blocked the acidification of the medium used for culture of colon cancer cells caused by incubation with biguanides and it had an additive inhibitory effect on growth. In the present work, we found that 3-bromopyruvate can also prevent the lowering of pH caused by biguanide treatment. 3-Bromopyruvate inhibited colonic cancer cell proliferation, but the effect was not always additive to that of biguanides and an additive effect was more notable in combined treatment with 3-bromopyruvate and 2-deoxyglucose. The induction of alkaline phosphatase activity by butyrate was not consistently affected by combination with other agents that modified glucose metabolism. The drug combinations that were examined inhibited proliferation of wild-type and p53-null cells and affected colonic cancer lines with different growth rates.

Multifractal properties of diffusion-limited aggregates and random multiplicative processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canessa, E.

1991-04-01

We consider the multifractal properties of irreversible diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) from the point of view of the self-similarity of fluctuations in random multiplicative processes. In particular we analyse the breakdown of multifractal behaviour and phase transition associated with the negative moments of the growth probabilities in DLA. (author). 20 refs, 5 figs

Differential regulation of EGFR-MAPK signaling by deoxycholic acid (DCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in colon cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Centuori, Sara M; Martinez, Jesse D

2014-10-01

A high-fat diet coincides with increased levels of bile acids. This increase in bile acids, particularly deoxycholic acid (DCA), has been strongly associated with the development of colon cancer. Conversely, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) may have chemopreventive properties. Although structurally similar, DCA and UDCA present different biological and pathological effects in colon cancer progression. The differential regulation of cancer by these two bile acids is not yet fully understood. However, one possible explanation for their diverging effects is their ability to differentially regulate signaling pathways involved in the multistep progression of colon cancer, such as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. This review will examine the biological effects of DCA and UDCA on colon cancer development, as well as the diverging effects of these bile acids on the oncogenic signaling pathways that play a role in colon cancer development, with a particular emphasis on bile acid regulation of the EGFR-MAPK pathway.

Effect of aggregate graining compositions on skid resistance of Exposed Aggregate Concrete pavement

Science.gov (United States)

Wasilewska, Marta; Gardziejczyk, Wladysław; Gierasimiuk, Pawel

2018-05-01

The paper presents the evaluation of skid resistance of EAC (Exposed Aggregate Concrete) pavements which differ in aggregate graining compositions. The tests were carried out on concrete mixes with a maximum aggregate size of 8 mm. Three types of coarse aggregates were selected depending on their resistance to polishing which was determined on the basis of the PSV (Polished Stone Value). Basalt (PSV 48), gabbro (PSV 50) and trachybasalt (PSV 52) aggregates were chosen. For each type of aggregate three graining compositions were designed, which differed in the content of coarse aggregate > 4mm. Their content for each series was as follows: A - 38%, B - 50% and C - 68%. Evaluation of the skid resistance has been performed using the FAP (Friction After Polishing) test equipment also known as the Wehner/Schulze machine. Laboratory method enables to compare the skid resistance of different types of wearing course under specified conditions simulating polishing processes. In addition, macrotexture measurements were made on the surface of each specimen using the Elatexure laser profile. Analysis of variance showed that at significance level α = 0.05, aggregate graining compositions as well as the PSV have a significant influence on the obtained values of the friction coefficient μm of the tested EAC pavements. The highest values of the μm have been obtained for EAC with the lowest amount of coarse aggregates (compositions A). In these cases the resistance to polishing of the aggregate does not significantly affect the friction coefficients. This is related to the large areas of cement mortar between the exposed coarse grains. Based on the analysis of microscope images, it was observed that the coarse aggregates were not sufficiently exposed. It has been proved that PSV significantly affected the coefficient of friction in the case of compositions B and C. This is caused by large areas of exposed coarse aggregate. The best parameters were achieved for the EAC pavements

Bacteroides intestinalis DSM 17393, a member of the human colonic microbiome, upregulates multiple endoxylanases during growth on xylan.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kui; Pereira, Gabriel V; Cavalcante, Janaina J V; Zhang, Meiling; Mackie, Roderick; Cann, Isaac

2016-09-29

Many human diets contain arabinoxylan, and the ease of genome sequencing coupled with reduced cost have led to unraveling the arsenal of genes utilized by the colonic Bacteroidetes to depolymerize this polysaccharide. The colonic Bacteroidetes with potential to ferment arabinoxylans include Bacteroides intestinalis. In this study, we analyzed the hydrolytic activities of members of a xylan degradation cluster encoded on the genome of Bacteroides intestinalis DSM 17393. Here, it is demonstrated that a cocktail of the xylanolytic enzymes completely hydrolyze arabinoxylans found in human diets. We show that this bacterium and relatives have evolved and secrete a unique bifunctional endoxylanase/arabinofuranosidase in the same polypeptide. The bifunctional enzyme and other secreted enzymes attack the polysaccharides extracellularly to remove the side-chains, exposing the xylan backbone for cleavage to xylo-oligosaccharides and xylose. These end products are transported into the cell where a β-xylosidase cleaves the oligosaccharides to fermentable sugars. While our experiments focused on B. intestinalis, it is likely that the extracellular enzymes also release nutrients to members of the colonic microbial community that practice cross-feeding. The presence of the genes characterized in this study in other colonic Bacteroidetes suggests a conserved strategy for energy acquisition from arabinoxylan, a component of human diets.

Concrete produced with recycled aggregates

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J. J. L. Tenório

Full Text Available This paper presents the analysis of the mechanical and durable properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC for using in concrete. The porosity of recycled coarse aggregates is known to influence the fresh and hardened concrete properties and these properties are related to the specific mass of the recycled coarse aggregates, which directly influences the mechanical properties of the concrete. The recycled aggregates were obtained from construction and demolition wastes (CDW, which were divided into recycled sand (fine and coarse aggregates. Besides this, a recycled coarse aggregate of a specific mass with a greater density was obtained by mixing the recycled aggregates of the CDW with the recycled aggregates of concrete wastes (CW. The concrete was produced in laboratory by combining three water-cement ratios, the ratios were used in agreement with NBR 6118 for structural concretes, with each recycled coarse aggregates and recycled sand or river sand, and the reference concrete was produced with natural aggregates. It was observed that recycled aggregates can be used in concrete with properties for structural concrete. In general, the use of recycled coarse aggregate in combination with recycled sand did not provide good results; but when the less porous was used, or the recycled coarse aggregate of a specific mass with a greater density, the properties of the concrete showed better results. Some RAC reached bigger strengths than the reference concrete.

Graph Aggregation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Endriss, U.; Grandi, U.

Graph aggregation is the process of computing a single output graph that constitutes a good compromise between several input graphs, each provided by a different source. One needs to perform graph aggregation in a wide variety of situations, e.g., when applying a voting rule (graphs as preference

Radioimmunotherapy of human colon cancer xenografts by using 131I labeled-CAb1 F(ab')2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Ling; Xu Huiyun; Mi Li; Bian Huijie; Qin Jun; Xiong Hua; Feng Qiang; Wen Ning; Tian Rong; Xu Liqing; Shen Xiaomei; Tang Hao; Chen Zhinan

2006-01-01

Purpose: Therapeutic efficacy, suitable dose, and administration times of 131 I-CAb 1 F(ab') 2 , a new monoclonal antibody therapeutics specifically directed against a cell surface-associated glycoprotein of colon cancer, were investigated in this article. Methods and Materials: In human colon cancer xenografts, 131 I-CAb 1 F(ab') 2 at the dose of 125 μCi, 375 μCi, and 1125 μCi were administrated intraperitoneally on Days 6 and 18 after implantation of HR8348 cells with CAb 1 high reactivity. Survival time and tumor growth inhibition rate were used to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 131 I-CAb 1 F(ab') 2 in treatment of colon cancer xenografts. Results: Treatment of 125, 375, and 1125 μCi 131 I-CAb1 F(ab') 2 did not significantly decrease the mean survival time of nude mice when compared with nontreated groups (p = 0.276, 0.865, 0.582, respectively). Moreover, the mean survival times of nude mice receiving 375 μCi and 1125 μCi 131 I-CAb1 F(ab') 2 were significantly longer than that of 5-FU-treated groups (p 0.018 and 0.042). Tumor growth inhibition rates of the first therapy were 35.67% and 41.37%, with corresponding 131 I-labeled antibody dosage of 375 μCi and 1125 μCi. After single attack dosage, second reinforcement therapy may rise efficacy significantly. Tumor growth inhibition rates of 125 μCi, 375 μCi, and 1125 μCi 131 I-labeled antibody on Day 20 posttherapy were 42.65%, 56.56%, and 84.41%, respectively. Histopathology examination revealed that tissue necrosis of various degrees was found in 131 I-CAb1 F(ab') 2 -treated groups. Conclusion: 131 I-CAb 1 F(ab') 2 is safe and effective for colon cancer. It may be a novel and potentially adjuvant therapeutics for colon cancer

[Effect of flooding time length on mycorrhizal colonization of three AM fungi in two wetland plants].

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Lei-Meng; Wang, Peng-Teng; Wang, Shu-Guang

2014-01-01

In order to provide information for elucidating effect of flooding on the formation and function of AM in wetland plants, three AM fungi (Glomus intraradices, Glomus versiforme, Glomus etunicatum) were used to investigate the effects of flooding time length on their colonization in cattail (Typha orientalis) and rice (Oryza sativa L. ). The results showed that the mycorrhizal colonization rate (MCR) presented downtrend with increasing flooding time length. In cattail, MCR of the fungus F3 was higher than those of fungi F1 and F2, but no significant difference in MCR was found between fungi F1 and F2. In rice, the MCRs of fungi F2 and F3 were higher than that of E1. In both plants, the proportional frequency of hyphae was the highest while the proportional frequency of arbuscules and vesicles was very low in all treatments, indicating that hyphal colonization was the main route for AM formation. The proportional frequency of hyphae in cattail increased with the flooding time length, but no significant trend was observed in rice plant. The proportional frequency of arhuscules decreased with the increase of flooding time, and was the highest in the treatment without flooding (treatment IV). The number of spores produced by AM fungi increased with increasing flooding time, and reached the highest in the treatment of long time flooding (treatment I). In the same treatment, the fungus F3 produced more spores than fungi F1 and F2. Changes in wet weight of the two plants showed that AM could increase cattail growth under flooding, hut little effect on rice growth was found. It is concluded that flooding time length significantly affected the mycorrhizal colonization rate and the proportional frequency of colonization. AM could enhance the growth of wetland plant, but this depends on the mycorrhizal dependence of host plant on AM fungi. Therefore, flooding time length should be considered in the inoculation of wetland plants with AM fungi.

p53 Aggregates penetrate cells and induce the co-aggregation of intracellular p53.

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Karolyn J Forget

Full Text Available Prion diseases are unique pathologies in which the infectious particles are prions, a protein aggregate. The prion protein has many particular features, such as spontaneous aggregation, conformation transmission to other native PrP proteins and transmission from an individual to another. Protein aggregation is now frequently associated to many human diseases, for example Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease or type 2 diabetes. A few proteins associated to these conformational diseases are part of a new category of proteins, called prionoids: proteins that share some, but not all, of the characteristics associated with prions. The p53 protein, a transcription factor that plays a major role in cancer, has recently been suggested to be a possible prionoid. The protein has been shown to accumulate in multiple cancer cell types, and its aggregation has also been reproduced in vitro by many independent groups. These observations suggest a role for p53 aggregates in cancer development. This study aims to test the «prion-like» features of p53. Our results show in vitro aggregation of the full length and N-terminally truncated protein (p53C, and penetration of these aggregates into cells. According to our findings, the aggregates enter cells using macropinocytosis, a non-specific pathway of entry. Lastly, we also show that once internalized by the cell, p53C aggregates can co-aggregate with endogenous p53 protein. Together, these findings suggest prion-like characteristics for p53 protein, based on the fact that p53 can spontaneously aggregate, these aggregates can penetrate cells and co-aggregate with cellular p53.

On Growth and Form of the Zebrafish Gut Microbiome

Science.gov (United States)

Jemielita, Matthew; Taormina, Michael; Rolig, Annah; Burns, Adam; Hampton, Jennifer; Guillemin, Karen; Parthasarathy, Raghuveer

2014-03-01

The vertebrate gut is home to a diverse microbial community whose composition has a strong influence on the development and health of the host organism. Researchers can identify the members of the microbiota, yet little is known about the spatial and temporal dynamics of these microbial communities, including the mechanisms guiding their nucleation, growth, and interactions. We address these issues using the larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism, which are raised microbe-free and then inoculated with controlled compositions of fluorophore-expressing bacteria. Live imaging using light sheet fluorescence microscopy enables visualization of the gut's entire microbial population over the first 24 hours of colonization. Image analysis allows us to quantify microbial populations that range from a few individuals to tens of thousands of microbes, and analyze the structure and growth kinetics of gut bacterial communities. We find that genetically-identical microbes can show surprisingly different growth rates and colonization abilities depending on their order of arrival. This demonstrates that knowing only the constituents of the gut community is insufficient to determine their dynamics; rather, the history of colonization matters.

Decoupling Economic Growth and Energy Use. An Empirical Cross-Country Analysis for 10 Manufacturing Sectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mulder, P. [International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg (Austria); De Groot, H.L.F. [Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2004-07-01

This paper provides an empirical analysis of decoupling economic growth and energy use and its various determinants by exploring trends in energy- and labour productivity across 10 manufacturing sectors and 14 OECD countries for the period 1970-1997. We explicitly aim to trace back aggregate developments in the manufacturing sector to developments at the level of individual subsectors. A cross-country decomposition analysis reveals that in some countries structural changes contributed considerably to aggregate manufacturing energy-productivity growth and, hence, to decoupling, while in other countries they partly offset energy-efficiency improvements. In contrast, structural changes only play a minor role in explaining aggregate manufacturing labour-productivity developments. Furthermore, we find labour-productivity growth to be higher on average than energy-productivity growth. Over time, this bias towards labour-productivity growth is increasing in the aggregate manufacturing sector, while it is decreasing in most manufacturing subsectors.

How do banking crises affect aggregate consumption? Evidence from international crisis episodes

OpenAIRE

Gerlach-Kristen, Petra; O'Connell, Brian; O'Toole, Conor

2013-01-01

This paper considers the effect of systemic financial crises on aggregate consumption. Using a sample of 23 countries over 32 years, we find that consumption growth seems lower during banking crises, crises following credit booms and crises following house price booms. Moreover, the response to income growth seems to change, which may be due to credit constraints. In the long run, consumption appears to be linked to income, housing and other financial wealth.

Human colon tissue in organ culture: calcium and multi-mineral-induced mucosal differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dame, Michael K; Veerapaneni, Indiradevi; Bhagavathula, Narasimharao; Naik, Madhav; Varani, James

2011-01-01

We have recently shown that a multi-mineral extract from the marine red algae, Lithothamnion calcareum, suppresses colon polyp formation and inflammation in mice. In the present study, we used intact human colon tissue in organ culture to compare responses initiated by Ca(2+) supplementation versus the multi-mineral extract. Normal human colon tissue was treated for 2 d in culture with various concentrations of calcium or the mineral-rich extract. The tissue was then prepared for histology/immunohistochemistry, and the culture supernatants were assayed for levels of type I procollagen and type I collagen. At higher Ca(2+) concentrations or with the mineral-rich extract, proliferation of epithelial cells at the base and walls of the mucosal crypts was suppressed, as visualized by reduced Ki67 staining. E-cadherin, a marker of differentiation, was more strongly expressed at the upper third of the crypt and at the luminal surface. Treatment with Ca(2+) or with the multi-mineral extract influenced collagen turnover, with decreased procollagen and increased type I collagen. These data suggest that calcium or mineral-rich extract has the capacity to (1) promote differentiation in human colon tissue in organ culture and (2) modulate stromal function as assessed by increased levels of type I collagen. Taken together, these data suggest that human colon tissue in organ culture (supporting in vivo finding in mice) will provide a valuable model for the preclinical assessment of agents that regulate growth and differentiation in the colonic mucosa.

The Effect of a Synthetic Heparan Sulfate on the Healing of Colonic Anastomoses

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Malene Nerstrøm

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. The mimetic compound OTR4120 may replace endogenous-degraded heparan sulfates that normally maintain the bioactivity of growth factors that are important for tissue repair. Herein, we investigated the effect of OTR4120 on the healing of normal colonic anastomoses. Methods. We evaluated the following two treatment groups of male Sprague Dawley rats (220–256 g: control-treated colonic anastomoses (n=25 and OTR4120-treated colonic anastomoses (n=25. We resected 10 mm of the left colon and then applied either saline alone (control or OTR4120 (100 μg/mL in saline to the colonic ends before an end-to-end single-layer anastomosis was constructed and again on the anastomosis before the abdomen and skin were closed. Results. On postoperative day 3, the anastomotic breaking strengths were 1.47 ± 0.32 N (mean ± SD in the control group and 1.52 ± 0.27 N in the OTR4120-treated animals (P=0.622. We also found that the hydroxyproline concentration (indicator of collagen in the anastomotic wounds did not differ (P=0.571 between the two groups. Conclusions. Our data demonstrate that a single local application of OTR4120 intraoperatively did not increase the biomechanical strength of colonic anastomoses at the critical postoperative day 3 when the anastomoses are the weakest.

Carotenoids and colon cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Slattery, M L; Benson, J; Curtin, K; Ma, K N; Schaeffer, D; Potter, J D

2000-02-01

Carotenoids have numerous biological properties that may underpin a role for them as chemopreventive agents. However, except for beta-carotene, little is known about how dietary carotenoids are associated with common cancers, including colon cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between dietary alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin and the risk of colon cancer. Data were collected from 1993 case subjects with first primary incident adenocarcinoma of the colon and from 2410 population-based control subjects. Dietary data were collected from a detailed diet-history questionnaire and nutrient values for dietary carotenoids were obtained from the US Department of Agriculture-Nutrition Coordinating Center carotenoid database (1998 updated version). Lutein was inversely associated with colon cancer in both men and women [odds ratio (OR) for upper quintile of intake relative to lowest quintile of intake: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.66, 1.04; P = 0.04 for linear trend]. The greatest inverse association was observed among subjects in whom colon cancer was diagnosed when they were young (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.92; P = 0.02 for linear trend) and among those with tumors located in the proximal segment of the colon (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.51, 0.91; P lettuce, tomatoes, oranges and orange juice, carrots, celery, and greens. These data suggest that incorporating these foods into the diet may help reduce the risk of developing colon cancer.

Temporal dynamics for soil aggregates determined using X-ray CT scanning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garbout, Amin; Munkholm, Lars Juhl; Hansen, Søren Baarsgaard

2013-01-01

Soil structure plays a key role in the ability of soil to fulfil essential soil functions and services in relation to e.g. root growth, gas and water transport and organic matter turnover. However, soils are not a very easy object to study as they are highly complex and opaque to the human eye...... aggregate properties such as volume, surface area and sphericity based on 3D images. We tested the methods on aggregates from different treatments and quantified changes over time. A total of 32 collections of aggregates, enclosed in mesocosms, were incubated in soil to follow the structural changes over....... Traditionally, they have been studied using invasive or destructive techniques. The advantage of using X-ray computed tomography (CT) in soil morphology is that it enables non-destructive quantification of soil structure in three dimensions (3D). The prime objective of the present study was to characterize soil...