Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated an inverse relationship between the expression level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the metastatic potential of murine K-1735 melanoma ...cells. The purpose of this study was to provide direct evidence that the expression of iNOS suppresses metastatic potential of melanoma cells. Highly metastatic K-1735 clone 4 cells (C4.P), which express low levels of iNOS, were transfected with a functional iNOS (C4.L8), inactive-mutated iNOS (C4.S2), or neomycin-resistance (C4.Neo) genes in medium containing 3 mM NG-methyl-L-arginine (NMA). Positive transfectants were identified by Southern and Northern blot analyses and homogeneous staining with a specific anti-iNOS monoclonal antibody. Semiconfluent cultures of C4.P (parental), C4.Neo.3 (control transfection), C4.S2.3 (inactive iNOS), and C4.L8.5 (functional iNOS) were harvested, and viable cells were injected intravenously into syngeneic C3H/HeN mice and allogeneic BALB/c nude mice. C4.P, C4.Neo.3, and C4.S2.3 cells were highly metastatic whereas C4.L8.5 cells were not metastatic. Experiments with 125IdUrd-labeled tumor cells demonstrated that the initial arrest in the lung microvasculature did not differ among the lines, but that C4.L8.5 cells died by 48-72 h after injection. Enhanced survival of all K-1735 C4 cells (including C4.L8.5) was found in mice given twice daily injections of 20 mg NMA. The C4.L8.5 cells produced slow growing subcutaneous tumors in nude mice, whereas the other three lines produced fast growing tumors. In vitro studies confirmed that in the absence of NMA the expression of iNOS in C4.L8.5 cells induced apoptosis. Collectively, these data demonstrate that the expression of recombinant iNOS in melanoma cells is associated with apoptosis, suppression of tumorigenicity, and abrogation of metastasis.
The potential of adsorptive removal of basic dyes with titanate nanotubes (TNTs) and acid dyes with surfactant (hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA) chloride)-modified TNTs were investigated. TNTs were ...prepared via a hydrothermal method and subsequently washed with HCl aqueous solutions of different concentrations. The prepared TNTs were then mediated by the HDTMA ions through the cation exchange process. Effects of acid washing and HDTMA-modified process on the revolution of microstructure and surface chemistry characteristics of TNTs were characterized with XRD, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms, and FTIR. The adsorption capacities of two basic dyes (two acid dyes) on TNTs (their HDTMA-modified version) at initial dye concentration of 2000
mg/L were measured. It was experimentally concluded that if the amount of Na
+ in the TNTs was not very low, the TNTs and their HDTMA-modified version might be a good adsorbent for the removal of basic and acid dyes from aqueous solution through the cation and anion exchange mechanism, respectively. The adsorption capacity for basic and acid dyes could reach 380 and 400
mg/g, respectively.
The removal of surfactants from water by adsorption onto raw and HCl-activated montmorillonite in fixed beds was studied. Three surfactants hexadecylpyridinium chloride (cationic), sodium dodecyl ...sulfate (anionic), and Triton X-102 (non-ionic) were selected in the concentration ranges lower than their critical micelle concentrations in fixed bed experiments. It was shown that the adsorption of anionic surfactant onto Ca-montmorillonite (SAz-1) decreased with increasing pH but that of cationic surfactant increased. The adsorption capacity of non-ionic surfactant was maximized at pH 7.0. For given clay, the adsorption capacities of surfactants were strongly pH-dependent. The adsorption capacity and adsorption rate of non-ionic surfactant onto SAz-1 could be largely improved after acid activation of the clay. Such an improvement was due to the fact that the dissolution of Al
3+ or Fe
2+ of montmorillonite occurs in acid solution. The calculated breakthrough curves in fixed bed agreed with the measured ones (standard deviation
<
6%). The 50% C/C
0 breakthrough time (
τ) decreased with increasing liquid flow rate. The effects of flow rate on the adsorption constant and adsorption capacity were also discussed.
Intentional methanol intoxication (IMI) is an emerging public health issue in Asian countries, but few data are available in the literature on underlying psychiatric comorbidities in these suicide ...attempters.
We conducted a retrospective chart review on patients with methanol intoxication (MI) treated at Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan during 2000-2016. Of the 56 cases of documented MI, 16 were IMI. Baseline demographic, clinical, laboratory, psychiatric diagnoses, and mortality data were collected and analyzed.
Patient group with IMI had more females (62.5% vs 7.5%,
=0.000), less alcohol consumption (33.3% vs 92.5%,
=0.000), and less smoking (40.0% vs 79.5%,
=0.009), but higher past psychiatric disease (73.3% vs 10.0%,
=0.000) and past suicide attempts (81.1% vs 2.5%,
=0.000) than patient group with unintentional MI (UMI). Pesticides (50.0%) comprised the most common source used for suicide, followed by industrial methanol (37.5%). There was no significant difference in mortality rates between these two group (25.0% vs 22.5%,
=0.548). Twelve (75.0%) survivors of IMI were referred to a psychiatric consultation-liaison team, and depressive disorder (58.3%) and adjustment disorder (25.0%) were common.
There is a female predominance and a high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities, namely depression and adjustment disorder in patients with IMI. Besides, alcohol consumption is a prevalent but not adequately treated condition in UMI group.
•Long-term cancer survivors are at increased risk of mood disorders particularly in the first 2 years after diagnosis.•The magnitude of risk of mood disorders varied by cancer subtype as well as by ...the severity of comorbidities, socioeconomic factors and cancer-related factors such as the number of primary cancer and cancer treatment.•Patients with head and neck cancer and esophageal cancers had greater risk of mood disorders after 5 years of follow-up (data not shown), indicating that the need of psychological care for late follow-up of certain cancer subtypes.
The increasing number of long-term cancer survivors over the past few decades poses the challenge of mental health care needs. However, little is known about risks of mood disorders in long-term cancer survivors.
Long-term survivors (≥5 years) of adult cancers (LSAC) (n = 190,748) newly diagnosed between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2007 were matched with one control. The primary outcome was diagnosis of mood disorders requiring psychotropics. Cumulative incidences and sub-hazard ratios (SHR) were calculated and multivariate analyses were conducted after accounting for mortality.
The mood disorder risk was significantly higher in the LSAC cohort than in the control cohort (adjusted SHR = 1.16, 95% confidence interval CI = 1.13–1.18, P < 0.001). Patients with certain cancer types were at increased risk, particularly in the first 2 years after diagnosis. However, patients with head and neck cancers or esophageal cancers had a higher risk after the 5-year follow-up period. Multivariate analysis indicated that being female, aged 40–59 years, with more than two primary cancers, receiving two or more treatment modalities, having CCI scores higher than 3, a higher urbanization level, and lower monthly income were independently associated with an increased risk of mood disorders.
Some potential confounders such as lifestyle factors were not available in the study.
These findings call for increased mental health awareness not only in the early years after the cancer diagnosis, but also during long-term follow-up for certain cancer subtypes.
The possibility of extraction of free and the ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-chelated Cu(II) ions from water through a microporous hollow fiber to an organic phase containing extractants ...LIX64N and Aliquat 336 (a quaternary amine) was studied, in which Cu(II) was simultaneously back-extracted across another hollow fiber to a stripping solutions containing HCl. Experiments were carried out at different flow rates of feed (1.4–4.3
cm
3/s), organic (1.2–4.1
cm
3/s), and stripping phases (1.4–4.3
cm
3/s), and temperatures (298–318
K). It was shown that the extraction rate increased with decreasing feed phase flow rate, but the effect of flow rates of organic and stripping phases was not pronounced under the ranges studied. Mechanism of the mass transfer at each step was discussed and the effect of mutual interaction of the two extractants in the organic phase was also examined. The application potentials of this novel extraction process for this subject appeared to be technically promising.
N-Substituted isatin derivatives have been prepared and their inhibition activities against SARS viral protease were evaluated.
N-Substituted isatin derivatives were prepared from the reaction of ...isatin and various bromides via two steps. Bioactivity assay results (in vitro tests) demonstrated that some of these compounds are potent and selective inhibitors against SARS coronavirus 3CL protease with IC
50 values ranging from 0.95 to 17.50
μM. Additionally, isatin
4o exhibited more potent inhibition for SARS coronavirus protease than for other proteases including papain, chymotrypsin, and trypsin.
The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 resulted in 346 probable SARS cases and 37 deaths in Taiwan. This descriptive study, which was conducted from May to June 2003, ...intended to identify staff stress and coping strategies among a SARS team of nursing staff during the outbreak.
Twenty-six female nurses of the SARS team completed a questionnaire about their experiences serving in the SARS team.
SARS had both positive and negative psychological impacts on the nurses. While worrying about infecting their families and colleagues, nurses were able to cope with the situation through various means. Additional findings include the need for more psychiatric staff to provide flexible and continuous service, the importance of meetings to improve teamwork and reduce conflict between doctors and nurses and the useful discovery that video cell phones provided needed reassurance from afar to the worried families of the nurses.
This study reinforces the importance and benefits of psychiatric services for SARS team members in reducing their secondary traumatization. It is hoped that the results will enhance our knowledge on the needs of frontline health care workers and support the planning of better psychiatric services in future epidemics.
To identify mechanisms of camptothecin (CPT) resistance and the relationship between CPT-resistant cells and other anticancer agents, a CPT-resistant cell line (CPT30) and its partial revertant cell ...line (CPT30R) were established from a human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line (HONE-1). CPT30 and CPT30R cells displayed a 14- and 3.5-fold resistance to CPT compared with HONE-1 cells, respectively. The resistant and partial revertant cell lines showed cross-resistance to topotecan and increased sensitivity to cisplatin, carboplatin, and 1,3-bis(chloroethyl)-1-nitrosurea. The topoisomerase (Top) I catalytic activity of CPT30 and CPT30R cells was 30% and 200%, respectively, compared with that of HONE-1 cells. The expression of Top I protein and mRNA levels in CPT30 cells was 40% and 30% less than that in HONE-1 cells, respectively, whereas in CPT30R cells, the levels of Top I protein and mRNA were 50% and 20% higher, respectively, than that in HONE-1 cells. Both the resistant and revertant cell line whole-cell lysates demonstrated different levels of sensitivity to CPT in in vitro assays in comparison with that of HONE-1 cells. Furthermore, CPT exhibited 15- and 7-fold better binding affinity in stabilizing protein-linked DNA breaks in HONE-1 cells than in CPT30 and CPT30R cells, respectively. Direct DNA sequencing of the reverse transcription-PCR product and genomic DNA revealed a point mutation resulting in E418K mutation in the Top I of both CPT30 and CPT30R cells. Wild-type Top I RNA and genomic DNA were also detected in these two cell lines. A yeast system was used to examine whether this mutation could be responsible for CPT resistance. Our results showed that a single amino acid change (E418K) resulted in CPT resistance. Therefore, quantitative and qualitative changes in Top I were responsible for CPT resistance in CPT30 cells. CPT resistance in CPT30R cells was caused by mutation of Top I.
The X-ray Nanoprobe (XNP) Beamline Project has been granted as one of the first seven beamlines at the Taiwan Photon Source (TPS). The XNP beamline and the associated instruments are designed to ...utilize the highly brilliant TPS light source for resolving the atomic, chemical and electronic structures of semiconductor-based devices with tens nm spatial resolution in tomographic and nondestructive manners. The beamline optics is deliberated to deliver focal spot around 40 nm with photon flux in the level of 1010 photons/sec. The stability of the focal position will be highly improved by operating the double crystal monochromator (DCM) in horizontally diffracting geometry, with minor sacrifice in energy resolution. The relative movement between sample and focusing optics is controlled by ultra-precise linear translational/flexure stages and monitored by laser interferometers. The end stations will provide conventional X-ray probes including, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray absorption fine structures (XAFS), X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL), and the emerging techniques, such as the Bragg-ptychography (BP) to overcome the spatial resolution set by the focusing optics. A novel scanning mechanism incorporating surface diffraction and BP for mapping the 3D interfacial strains is under development. The XNP beamline and associated instruments are expected to take the first synchrotron light by the end of 2015.
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