K-ras is the most frequently mutated oncogene in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common form of lung cancer. Recent studies indicate that NSCLC patients with mutant K-ras do not respond to epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors. In the attempt to find alternative therapeutic regimes for such patients, we tested PHA-848125, an oral pan cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor currentl...

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a cytotoxic cytokine that induces apoptosis in tumor cells but rarely kills normal ones. To determine how normal human cells acquire TRAIL-sensitive phenotype during the process of malignant transformation, we used an experimental system that allows for controlled conversion of human cells from normal to cancerous by intro...

Despite the fact that rock glaciers are one of the most common geomorphological expressions of mountain permafrost, the impacts of their solute fluxes on lakes still remain largely obscure. We examined water and sediment chemistry, and biota of two neighboring water bodies with and without a rock glacier in their catchments in the European Alps. Paleolimnological techniques were applied to trac...

Detection of genetic alterations in exfoliated intestinal cells in stool could represent an alternative, noninvasive tool for the screening of colorectal tumors. To verify this, we analyzed p53 and K-ras mutations and microsatellite instability on 46 cases of colorectal cancer and compared the presence of molecular alterations in tumor tissue and stool samples from individual patients. p53 exon...

PURPOSE To assess the biological variability of clinical meaningful molecular markers and their clinical correlations in Chinese patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). MATERIALS AND METHODS In this prospective observational study, frequencies and clinico-pathological features of RAS and BRAFV600E mutations, deficiency of DNA mismatch repair (dMMR) were evaluated in patients with colorectal ca...

Hypercholesterolemia and hypertension are common risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Updated guidelines emphasize target reductions of overall cardiovascular risks. Experimental studies have shown reciprocal relationships between insulin resistance (IR) and endothelial dysfunction. Hypercholesterolemia and hypertension have a synergistic deleterious effect on IR and endothelial dysfu...

Normal human rap1A and 35A rap1A (which encodes a protein with a Thr-35----Ala mutation) were cloned into a baculovirus transfer vector and expressed in Sf9 insect cells. The resulting proteins were purified, and their nucleotide binding, GTPase activities, and responsiveness to GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) were characterized and compared with those of Rap1 purified from human neutrophils....

BACKGROUND Recent studies have suggested that expression of the RAS protein activator like-1 gene (RASAL1) is decreased in gastric carcinoma tissues and cell lines, indicated a role in tumorigenesis and development of gastric cancer. Reduced expression of RASAL1 could result in aberrant increase of activity of RAS signaling pathways in cancer cells. However, the exact mechanism which induces do...

background: recurrent aphthous stomatitis (ras) is the most common inflammatory ulcerative condition of oral cavity. the aim of this study was to compare the levels of the salivary malondialdehyde (mda) and total antioxidant capacity (tac) and blood parameter in ras versus healthy controls. methods: this case-control study consisted of 28 patients with ras and 28 age and sex -matched control wi...