The association between
risk factors and occurrence or development of cervical intraepithelial lesions,
such as persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV),
multiple sexual partners and smoking have been discussed. However, the effect of passive smoking on the
disease is unclear. In this case-control study, Du et al. found that passive smoking was a significant independent risk factor on
the occurrence of HSIL and showed a positive correlated dose-response
relationship. HPV infection interacting with passive smoking led to an even
higher disease risk. Adolescent exposure to passive smoking persistent for more than 20 years
would also increase the HSIL risk.
Aging is the most important risk factor for various diseases such as cancer,
osteoarthritis, dementia, atherosclerosis, and infection. Therefore, the
researchers has attempted to find phytochemicals for ameliorating aging-related
diseased. Latifolin, isolated from Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen, has been
reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic activities. In
present study, the authors investigated the anti-aging effect of latifolin in
human dermal fibroblasts. Modulation of SIRT1 may be involved in latifolin
protective effect against H2O2-induced
oxidant injury. These results suggest that latifolin supplementation might be a
possible route for improving aging and age-related diseases.
Patients
with cholestatic liver diseases, such as primary biliary cirrhosis, usually
suffer from pruritus. However, the pathogenesis of cholestatic pruritus is
unclear, and there is no current effective treatment for it. In order to find a
treatment for the condition, an appropriate mouse model should be developed. Andoh
et al. established a surgically-induced mouse model of cholestatic pruritus and
evaluated anti-pruritic effects of several drugs using this mouse model. In
results, they suggested that partial obstruction of bile secretion in mice
induced anti-histamine-resistant itching and that central opioid system is
involved in cholestatic itching.
Large conductance Ca2+-activated K+
(BKCa) channels possess significant physiological functions in
various types of cells. The stoichiometry
between BKa and newly identified ɤ1
subunits (BKɤ1) remains unclear. Here, the
authors utilized a single molecule fluorescence imaging with a total internal
reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscope to directly count the number of
GFP-tagged BKɤ1
within a single BKCa channel complex in HEK293 expression system. Counting of GFP bleaching steps revealed that a BKCa
channel contains mainly four BKɤ1 per
channel. These results suggest that BKɤ1 forms a BKCa channel complex with BKa in a
1:1 stoichiometry in a human cell line.