Evaluation of three subclasses of boron difluoride formazanate complexes bearing o-, m-, and p-anisole N-aryl substituents (Ar) as readily accessible alternatives to boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes for cell imaging applications is described. While the wavelengths of maximum absorption (λmax ) and emission (λem ) observed for each subclass of complexes, which differed by their carbon-bound su...

We for the first time reported evidence for the existence of a novel network, a PVS, abovethe epicardium of the rat heart. (1) We were consecutively able to visualize the PVs and the PNs above the epicardial spaces of five rats' hearts by using Cr-Hx spraying or injection. (2) Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and toluidine blue staining of the PVs and the PNs showed that they consisted of a basophil...

A new anticancer ligustrazine derivative, 3β-hydroxyolea-12-en-28-oic acid- 3,5,6-trimethylpyrazin-2-methylester (T-OA, C38H58O3N2), was previously reported. It was synthesized via conjugating hepatoprotective and anticancer ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine. We found that T-OA exerted its anticancer activity by preventing the expression of nuclear transcription factor NF-κB/p65 and C...

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) undergo apoptosis after axonal injury, in part regulated by an intracellular superoxide anion burst, for which the target(s) are unknown. Shifting the RGC redox state towards reduction and preventing sulfhydryl oxidation is neuroprotective in vitro and in vivo, implying that one or more sulfhydryls on one or more critical proteins may be involved. We synthesized no...

Here for the first time, we investigated the cytotoxic effects of the chitosan extracted from the Persian Gulf Chiton shell (Acanthopleura vaillantii) on liver cancer cell line (HepG2). Chitosan extraction was implemented following this method: chitin was produced by demineralization and deproteinization procedure, and the extracted chitin was converted into soluble chitosan using deacetylation...

Planes of successive divisions in Escherichia coli have been proposed to be either parallel or perpendicular to each other, restricted to one or two dimensions. To test the hypothesis that divisions can occur in planes alternating in three dimensions, a method was developed to generate cells with secondary constrictions during growth in suspension. The method involves a combination of thymine l...

Although surgical excision following neoadjuvant chemotherapy has contributed to the long-term survival of osteosarcoma patients, patients that do not respond to commonly used drugs including cisplatin, have a poor prognosis. Autophagy is important in the inhibition of chemotherapeutic apoptosis. Therefore, we investigated whether knockdown of Beclin1-associated autophagy-related key regulator ...

Purpose: To investigate the anti-cancer effect of methyl alcohol extract of Enteromorpha linza (Linnaeus) J. Agardh (MEEL) in U937 human leukemia cells. Methods: Cytotoxicity was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptosis was detected using 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, agarose gel electrophoresis, and flow cytometry. Pr...

BACKGROUND The combined effects of anticancer drugs with nutritional factors against tumor cells have been reported previously. This study characterized the efficacy and possible mechanisms of the combination of sorafenib and vitamin K1 (VK1) on glioma cell lines. METHODS We examined the effects of sorafenib, VK1 or their combination on the proliferation and apoptosis of human malignant gliom...