No abstract available.
Hedgehogs*

The gastric epithelium is continuously regenerated by gastric stem cells, which give rise to various kinds of daughter cells, including parietal cells, chief cells, surface mucous cells, mucous neck cells, and enteroendocrine cells. The self-renewal and differentiation of gastric stem cells need delicate regulation to maintain the normal physiology of the stomach. Recently, it was hypothesized that cancer stem cells drive the cancer growth and metastasis. In contrast to conventional clonal evolution hypothesis, only cancer stem cells can initiate tumor formation, self-renew, and differentiate into various kinds of daughter cells. Because gastric cancer can originate from gastric stem cells and their self-renewal mechanism can be used by gastric cancer stem cells, we review here how critical signaling pathways, including hedgehog, Wnt, Notch, epidermal growth factor, and bone morphogenetic protein signaling, may regulate the self-renewal and differentiation of gastric stem cells and gastric cancer stem cells. In addition, the precancerous change of the gastric epithelium and the status of isolating gastric cancer stem cells from patients are reviewed.
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; Cell Differentiation ; Clonal Evolution ; Enteroendocrine Cells ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; Epithelium ; Hedgehogs ; Humans ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; Nuclear Family ; Stem Cells ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

Transportation between the cytoplasm and the nucleoplasm is critical for many physiological and pathophysiological processes including gene expression, signal transduction, and oncogenesis. So, the molecular mechanism for the transportation needs to be studied not only to understand cell physiological processes but also to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Recent progress in the research of the nuclear transportation (import and export) via nuclear pore complex and four important factors affecting nuclear transport (nucleoporins, Ran, karyopherins, and nuclear localization signals/nuclear export signals) will be discussed. Moreover, the clinical significance of nuclear transport and its application will be reviewed. This review will provide some critical insight for the molecular design of therapeutics which need to be targeted inside the nucleus.
Active Transport, Cell Nucleus* ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Physiological Processes ; Cytoplasm ; Gene Expression ; Karyopherins ; Nuclear Localization Signals ; Nuclear Pore ; Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins ; Signal Transduction ; Transportation

The antioxidant effects of HS-1580 derived from Brown seaweeds in comparison with NOS inhibitor, L-NAME, were tested in the Parkinson's disease animal model. C57BL/6 mice were implanted with osmotic pump containing vehicle, HS-1580 or L-NAME intraperitoneally 2 days before MPTP injection. The Parkinson's animal model were prepared by intraperitonal injection of MPTP (20 mg/kg, 4 times with 2 hours intervals in a ay).The mice were perfused with Zamboni fixative 2 days or 7days after MPTP injection. The 30 micrometer cryostat section were immunostained with free-floating method. Rabbit anti-tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)and rat anti-mouse MAC-1 were used as the primary antibodies. The following results were obtained. The number of TH-immunoreactive (ir)neurons in substantia nigra (SN)and the relative density of TH-ir axon terminals in striatum were decreased by MPTP injection. But the ecrease was significantly attenuated with 10%HS-1580 or L-NAME (50 mg/kg)pretreatment before MPTP injection. MAC-1-ir activated microglia were observed in substantia nigra 2 days after MPTP injection. Activated microglia were showed as thickened processes with round cell bodies. The morphological changes of MAC-1-ir activated microglia were inhibited by HS-15980 or L-NAME pretreatment before MPTP injction. Above results mean that the damage of nigrostriatal dopaminergic system was rescued by pretreatment of HS-1580 or L-NAME in MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease animal model.
1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine ; Animals* ; Antibodies ; Antioxidants ; Mice ; Microglia ; Models, Animal* ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Parkinson Disease* ; Presynaptic Terminals ; Rats ; Specific Gravity ; Substantia Nigra

The generation and maintenance of consciousness are fundamental but difficult subjects in the fields of psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, and medicine. However, recent developments in neuro-imaging techniques coupled with network analysis have greatly advanced our understanding of consciousness. The present review focuses on large-scale functional brain networks based on neuro-imaging data to explain the awareness (contents) and wakefulness of consciousness.Despite limitations, neuroimaging data suggests brain maps for important psychological and cognitive processes such as attention, language, self-referential, emotion, motivation, social behavior, and wakefulness. We considered a review of these advancements would provide new insights into research on the neural correlates of consciousness.

The generation and maintenance of consciousness are fundamental but difficult subjects in the fields of psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, and medicine. However, recent developments in neuro-imaging techniques coupled with network analysis have greatly advanced our understanding of consciousness. The present review focuses on large-scale functional brain networks based on neuro-imaging data to explain the awareness (contents) and wakefulness of consciousness.Despite limitations, neuroimaging data suggests brain maps for important psychological and cognitive processes such as attention, language, self-referential, emotion, motivation, social behavior, and wakefulness. We considered a review of these advancements would provide new insights into research on the neural correlates of consciousness.

BACKGROUND: Most local anesthetics decrease neuromuscular transmission and potentiate the neuromuscular blocks of muscle relaxants. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of lidocaine on it effects rocuronium onset and intubation conditions in rapid-sequence intubation and to compare with those of succinylcholine. METHODS: Seventy five ASA physical status 1 and 2 patients were randomly allocated to three groups. Group S received succinylcholine (1.0 mg/kg), Group R received rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg) and additional lidocaine (1.5 mg/kg) was given intravenously prior to the administration of rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg in Group RL. Anesthesia was induced with midazolam 0.03 mg/kg, fentanyl 2microgram/kg, and thiopental 5 mg/kg. Intubation was performed 60 seconds after the administration of muscle relaxants and intubation conditions were evaluated. Neuromuscular blockades were assessed by single twitch responses of the adductor pollicis after ulnar nerve stimulation by accelerography (0.1 Hz, 0.2 ms supramaximal stimuli). RESULTS: The onset time of Group S (47.8+/-11.3) was shorter than those of Group R (87.8+/-30.2) and Group RL (75.4+/-21.5), but no differences was observed between the onset times of Group R and Group RL. Intubation conditions were good or excellent in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Additional lidocaine to rocuronium neither influences intubation condition nor accelerate the rocuronium onset, and it is cannot be viewed as an alternative for succinylcholine in rapid-sequence tracheal intubation.
Anesthesia ; Anesthetics, Local ; Fentanyl ; Humans ; Intubation* ; Lidocaine* ; Midazolam ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Succinylcholine ; Thiopental ; Ulnar Nerve

Cisplatin is a widely used antitumor drug of which the dose-limiting toxicity is predominantly large-fiber neuropathy. Cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity includes sensory and autonomic neurotoxicity of which the mechanism has not been clarified. To determine whether cisplatin induces apoptosis of neuron and to investigate the mechanism of the apoptosis, we observe the effect of cisplatin on the rat pheochromocytoma cells(PC-12 cells). Apoptosis of PC-12 cells was induced dose-and time-dependently by the treatment of cisplatin. Cisplatininduced apoptosis of PC-12 cells was identified by DNA fragmentation. During cisplatin-induced apoptosis of PC-12 cells stress-activated protein kinase(SAPK) activity was increased and mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) activity was decreased. The expression of Bcl-2 was decreased by the treatment of cisplatin without effect on the expression of other Bcl-2 related proteins. It is speculated that cisplatin may induce apoptosis in PC-12 cells by regulation of Bcl-2 related proteins and this regulation might be associated with activation of SAPK and inhibition of MAPK.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Cisplatin ; DNA Fragmentation ; Neurons ; Pheochromocytoma ; Rats

Although perioperative pulmonary thromboembolisms (PTEs) are not rare, most anesthetists are unfamilar with the condition. We experience a case, which showed a sudden capnographic score drop, increased pumonary arterial pressure, and a D-shaped right ventricle by echocardiography in a femur surgery patient under general anesthesia. The case described provides an example of PTE and should remind anesthetists of the clinical course and treatment of this condition.
Anesthesia, General* ; Arterial Pressure ; Echocardiography ; Femur* ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Orthopedics ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Thromboembolism

Nuclear protein-1 (NUPR1) is a small nuclear protein that is responsive to various stress stimuli. Although NUPR1 has been associated with cancer development, its expression and roles in cholangiocarcinoma have not yet been described. In the present study, we found that NUPR1 was over-expressed in human cholangiocarcinoma tissues, using immunohistochemistry. The role of NUPR1 in cholangiocarcinoma was examined by its specific siRNA. NUPR1 siRNA decreased proliferation, migration and invasion of human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines (HuCCT1 and SNU1196 cells). From these results, we conclude that NUPR1 is over-expressed in cholangiocarcinoma and regulates the proliferation and motility of cancer cells.
Cell Line ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Nuclear Proteins ; RNA, Small Interfering