The effects of metabolic factors were investigated on the prognosis of patients undergoing resection of HCC. Methods:  A total of 469 HCC patients were classified into three groups; hepatitis B virus (HBV)-, hepatitis C virus (HCV)-, and non-HBV/HCV (NBC)-related HCC. Further, the patients with HCV-related HCC were sub-classified into three groups; the patients who did not have documented hypertension, hypertensive patients who received angiotensin II-blocking agents (ABA), and hypertensive patients who received no ABA. Results:  There were no significant difference of survival in the

HBV-HCC and NBC-HCC patients with or without obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. In the patients with HCV-related HCC, however, hypertensive patients Fulvestrant were significantly worse on both disease-free and overall survivals than non-hypertensive patients. RO4929097 cell line Among the HCV-HCC patients with chronic hepatitis, hypertensive patients with ABA had significantly better preoperative liver function, and hypertensive patients without ABA were significantly worse on both disease-free and overall survivals than those of hypertensive patients with ABA and non-hypertensive patients. Conclusions:  Results suggest that hypertension is a risk factor

for a poor prognosis after resection of HCV-related HCC. Angiotensin II blockade may improve the prognosis of hypertensive patients with early hepatic fibrosis after resection in HCV-related HCC. “
“Previous studies examining the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype B and C and response to interferon therapy in Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic

hepatitis B patients have yielded conflicting results. We aim to summarize data to reach firm conclusions on the role of HBV genotype B and C in response to interferon therapy. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for relevant articles published up to March 2013. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were 上海皓元医药股份有限公司 calculated by fixed- or random-effects models. Heterogeneity, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias were also assessed. Fifteen studies were identified. All studies except for those evaluating the rate of end-of-treatment HBeAg seroconversion exhibited significant heterogeneity. There were significant differences in rates of end-of-treatment alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization, HBV DNA negative, and HBeAg seroconversion between the genotype B and genotype C groups, but not in HBeAg clearance. The pooled results showed higher rates of sustained ALT normalization (OR = 2.24, 95%CI 1.53–3.27), HBV DNA negative (OR = 2.60, 95%CI 1.65–4.12), HBeAg clearance (OR = 2.13, 95%CI 1.29–3.52) and HBeAg seroconversion (OR = 1.95, 95%CI 1.27–2.98) in patients with genotype B than those with genotype C.

The effects of metabolic factors were investigated on the prognosis of patients undergoing resection of HCC. Methods:  A total of 469 HCC patients were classified into three groups; hepatitis B virus (HBV)-, hepatitis C virus (HCV)-, and non-HBV/HCV (NBC)-related HCC. Further, the patients with HCV-related HCC were sub-classified into three groups; the patients who did not have documented hypertension, hypertensive patients who received angiotensin II-blocking agents (ABA), and hypertensive patients who received no ABA. Results:  There were no significant difference of survival in the

HBV-HCC and NBC-HCC patients with or without obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. In the patients with HCV-related HCC, however, hypertensive patients find more were significantly worse on both disease-free and overall survivals than non-hypertensive patients. AP24534 cost Among the HCV-HCC patients with chronic hepatitis, hypertensive patients with ABA had significantly better preoperative liver function, and hypertensive patients without ABA were significantly worse on both disease-free and overall survivals than those of hypertensive patients with ABA and non-hypertensive patients. Conclusions:  Results suggest that hypertension is a risk factor

for a poor prognosis after resection of HCV-related HCC. Angiotensin II blockade may improve the prognosis of hypertensive patients with early hepatic fibrosis after resection in HCV-related HCC. “
“Previous studies examining the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype B and C and response to interferon therapy in Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic

hepatitis B patients have yielded conflicting results. We aim to summarize data to reach firm conclusions on the role of HBV genotype B and C in response to interferon therapy. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for relevant articles published up to March 2013. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were MCE公司 calculated by fixed- or random-effects models. Heterogeneity, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias were also assessed. Fifteen studies were identified. All studies except for those evaluating the rate of end-of-treatment HBeAg seroconversion exhibited significant heterogeneity. There were significant differences in rates of end-of-treatment alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization, HBV DNA negative, and HBeAg seroconversion between the genotype B and genotype C groups, but not in HBeAg clearance. The pooled results showed higher rates of sustained ALT normalization (OR = 2.24, 95%CI 1.53–3.27), HBV DNA negative (OR = 2.60, 95%CI 1.65–4.12), HBeAg clearance (OR = 2.13, 95%CI 1.29–3.52) and HBeAg seroconversion (OR = 1.95, 95%CI 1.27–2.98) in patients with genotype B than those with genotype C.

In this paper, I review the existing literature on vocal correlates of emotions in mammals. Non-human mammals could serve as ideal models to study vocal expression of emotions, because, contrary to human speech, animal vocalizations are assumed to be largely free of control and therefore direct expressions of underlying emotions. Furthermore, a comparative approach between humans and other animals would give us

a better understanding of how emotion expression evolved. Additionally, these non-invasive indicators could serve various disciplines that require animal emotions to be clearly Neratinib cell line identified, including psychopharmacology and animal welfare science. The existence of emotions in animals had already been suggested by Darwin in his book ‘The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals’ (Darwin, 1872). An emotion is not a high-level cognitive process, as H 89 solubility dmso evidence suggests that emotional states

are in fact generated by lower (medial and caudal subcortical structures) rather than higher brain regions (neocortical structures; Panksepp, 2005). Emotions have a crucial function for an animal’s life as they facilitate responses to external or internal events of significance for the organism; positive emotions elicit approach behaviour towards stimuli that enhance fitness (‘rewards’), whereas negative emotions trigger avoidance behaviour when encountering stimuli that threaten fitness (‘punishers’; Mendl, Burman & Paul, 2010). In scientific terms, an emotion is an intense but short-living affective reaction to a specific event or stimulus.

However, for most people, ‘emotion’ is a synonym of ‘feeling’ (i.e. our conscious/subjective 上海皓元 experience of emotions). For example, if we happen to encounter a dangerous animal in the wild, our heart rate will increase and we will begin to sweat. Our subjective feeling of these physiological changes is what we call ‘fear’ (Davidson, Scherer & Goldsmith, 2003). This is probably why I often hear people asking ‘do animals really have emotions?’ or ‘is it not being anthropomorphic to infer that animals have emotions?’ Yes, non-human animals have emotions (at least ‘basic emotional systems’: seeking, rage, fear, lust, care, panic and play; Panksepp, 2011), even if subjective emotional experiences are not yet possible to prove in animals (de Waal, 2011). In other words, animals express signs of emotions, but their ability to feel these emotions is still highly controversial (Panksepp, 2005). Studying animal emotions can reveal the nature of basic human emotions (Panksepp, 2011). It can help us to understand how emotions evolved and developed, in order to acquire a full understanding of their nature (Adolphs, 2010).

g. C2-CH1, C2-CH2, C2-CH3). The constructs will then be used for tolerance induction both in vivo and in vitro in haemophilia A (FVIII Luminespib ic50 knockout) mice, which will be challenged with FVIII in our standard protocol. This will help determine which regions of the IgG scaffold are indispensable for immune tolerance, which will then be incorporated into minimized fusion proteins. These experiments will also test the hypothesis that the Tregitopes are important in the tolerogenicity

of IgG fusions. Recently, biodegradable nanoparticles have been developed both as vaccine vehicles, and as a novel approach for tolerance [64, 65]. In collaboration with Selecta Biosciences, we have tested nanoparticle delivery of an immune modulator with FVIII. The rationale for this approach was that the drug would be released in the local milieu of the lymphoid tissue and potentially only affect the APCs and specific responding lymphocytes, thus avoiding systemic immunosuppression by the drug. The results of one such study Opaganib manufacturer (Zhang et al., in preparation) are summarized in Fig. 2. Both formulations of nanoparticles given with FVIII led to long-term suppression of inhibitor responses. Moreover, antibody responses to unrelated antigens were normal, a result which validates the

specificity of this effect. Suppression by intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG,Group 4) occurred early on but was short-lived. Tregs have been proposed to treat undesirable immune responses [66-68]. Expanded so-called natural Tregs, originating in the thymus, have

the potential to be useful but are generally not antigen-specific and could potentially cause global immunosuppression. Activated specific Tregs generated in response to an antigen are more desirable, but obtaining large numbers of these cells from patient samples is technically challenging. To overcome these disadvantages, we elected to create antigen-specific Tregs by transduction of T-cell receptor (TCR) variable regions into expanded human Foxp3+ Tregs. The TCRs came from well-characterized T-cell clones that recognized defined FVIII epitopes [69, 70]. Using retroviral transduction of such an engineered TCR from a patient with MCE公司 haemophilia into expanded human natural Tregs, we recently created epitope-specific Tregs. These are able to suppress the proliferation and cytokine production of FVIII-specific effector cells, thus validating their potential utility to treat inhibitor antibody formation in haemophilia. A model for clinical translation is shown in Fig. 3. Inhibitor formation is the major adverse event that pre-empts successful treatment of bleeding disorders. Efforts to prevent and/or reverse these antibody responses have emerged during the last decade based on increased knowledge of the immune response to FVIII and novel tolerogenic approaches.

Each one of these patients was matched by age (±5 years) and sex to two

controls with decompensated cirrhosis of the same aetiology. All the patients were abstinent from alcohol for at least the preceeding 6 months. Patients were followed-up for up to 2 year, death or liver transplantation. Results:  Twenty patients (18 male, 2 female) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Median (range) age was 58 (41−76) years. 9 were Child-Pugh B and 11 Child-Pugh C. We matched them with 40 controls. Survival and risk of developing portal hypertension-related complications were compared between rifaximin group and controls. Patients who received rifaximin had a significant lower risk of developing variceal bleeding (33% vs 55%, p < 0.05), hepatic encephalopathy (3% vs. 45%, p < 0.05), spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (8% vs. 42%, p = 0.022) and hepatorenal syndrome (5% vs. 45%, p = 0.031) than controls. After two years of follow-up, check details 19

patients died (5 in the rifaximin group and 14 in the control arm). Two year cumulative probability of survival was significantly higher in patients receiving rifaximin than in controls (57% vs. 16.4%, p = 0.01). In the multivariate analysis, rifaximin administration was independently associated with lower risk of developing variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatorenal syndrome, and higher survival. Rifaximin was well tolerated, no case of pseudomembranous colitis reported. Conclusion: In small Selleckchem Saracatinib subset of patients with alcohol-related decompensated cirrhosis, long-term Rifaximin

administration is associated with reduced risk of developing complications of portal hypertension and with improved survival. Rifaximin was found to be safe in long term use. We need larger studies. Key Word(s): 1. rifaximin; 2. cirrhosis; 3. hepatorenal syndrome; 4. ascites; Presenting Author: YAN WANG Additional Authors: JUNJI JUNJI, LEI CHEN, HUIQING JIANG Corresponding Author: HUIQING JIANG Affiliations: The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University Objective: Hepatic fibrosis as a common consequence of acute and chronic 上海皓元 liver injury is characterized by the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signals participate in the regulation of HSC migration and adhesion. FAK-related nonkinase (FRNK) acts as a dominant-negative inhibitor of FAK. This study is aimed to reveal dynamic expressions of actin, PI3K and activatorprotein-1 (AP-1) (c-fos, c-jun) in livers of the bile duct ligated rats, and the effects of FRNK on HSC adhesion and migration, as well as the signal transduction mechanism. Methods: Hepatic fibrosis was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by bile duct ligation (BDL). Livers were harvested at fixed time points: 1 wk, 2 wk, 3 wk and 4 wk after operation.

Each one of these patients was matched by age (±5 years) and sex to two

controls with decompensated cirrhosis of the same aetiology. All the patients were abstinent from alcohol for at least the preceeding 6 months. Patients were followed-up for up to 2 year, death or liver transplantation. Results:  Twenty patients (18 male, 2 female) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Median (range) age was 58 (41−76) years. 9 were Child-Pugh B and 11 Child-Pugh C. We matched them with 40 controls. Survival and risk of developing portal hypertension-related complications were compared between rifaximin group and controls. Patients who received rifaximin had a significant lower risk of developing variceal bleeding (33% vs 55%, p < 0.05), hepatic encephalopathy (3% vs. 45%, p < 0.05), spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (8% vs. 42%, p = 0.022) and hepatorenal syndrome (5% vs. 45%, p = 0.031) than controls. After two years of follow-up, BMS-777607 19

patients died (5 in the rifaximin group and 14 in the control arm). Two year cumulative probability of survival was significantly higher in patients receiving rifaximin than in controls (57% vs. 16.4%, p = 0.01). In the multivariate analysis, rifaximin administration was independently associated with lower risk of developing variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatorenal syndrome, and higher survival. Rifaximin was well tolerated, no case of pseudomembranous colitis reported. Conclusion: In small click here subset of patients with alcohol-related decompensated cirrhosis, long-term Rifaximin

administration is associated with reduced risk of developing complications of portal hypertension and with improved survival. Rifaximin was found to be safe in long term use. We need larger studies. Key Word(s): 1. rifaximin; 2. cirrhosis; 3. hepatorenal syndrome; 4. ascites; Presenting Author: YAN WANG Additional Authors: JUNJI JUNJI, LEI CHEN, HUIQING JIANG Corresponding Author: HUIQING JIANG Affiliations: The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University Objective: Hepatic fibrosis as a common consequence of acute and chronic medchemexpress liver injury is characterized by the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signals participate in the regulation of HSC migration and adhesion. FAK-related nonkinase (FRNK) acts as a dominant-negative inhibitor of FAK. This study is aimed to reveal dynamic expressions of actin, PI3K and activatorprotein-1 (AP-1) (c-fos, c-jun) in livers of the bile duct ligated rats, and the effects of FRNK on HSC adhesion and migration, as well as the signal transduction mechanism. Methods: Hepatic fibrosis was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by bile duct ligation (BDL). Livers were harvested at fixed time points: 1 wk, 2 wk, 3 wk and 4 wk after operation.

Each one of these patients was matched by age (±5 years) and sex to two

controls with decompensated cirrhosis of the same aetiology. All the patients were abstinent from alcohol for at least the preceeding 6 months. Patients were followed-up for up to 2 year, death or liver transplantation. Results:  Twenty patients (18 male, 2 female) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Median (range) age was 58 (41−76) years. 9 were Child-Pugh B and 11 Child-Pugh C. We matched them with 40 controls. Survival and risk of developing portal hypertension-related complications were compared between rifaximin group and controls. Patients who received rifaximin had a significant lower risk of developing variceal bleeding (33% vs 55%, p < 0.05), hepatic encephalopathy (3% vs. 45%, p < 0.05), spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (8% vs. 42%, p = 0.022) and hepatorenal syndrome (5% vs. 45%, p = 0.031) than controls. After two years of follow-up, click here 19

patients died (5 in the rifaximin group and 14 in the control arm). Two year cumulative probability of survival was significantly higher in patients receiving rifaximin than in controls (57% vs. 16.4%, p = 0.01). In the multivariate analysis, rifaximin administration was independently associated with lower risk of developing variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatorenal syndrome, and higher survival. Rifaximin was well tolerated, no case of pseudomembranous colitis reported. Conclusion: In small Ceritinib nmr subset of patients with alcohol-related decompensated cirrhosis, long-term Rifaximin

administration is associated with reduced risk of developing complications of portal hypertension and with improved survival. Rifaximin was found to be safe in long term use. We need larger studies. Key Word(s): 1. rifaximin; 2. cirrhosis; 3. hepatorenal syndrome; 4. ascites; Presenting Author: YAN WANG Additional Authors: JUNJI JUNJI, LEI CHEN, HUIQING JIANG Corresponding Author: HUIQING JIANG Affiliations: The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University Objective: Hepatic fibrosis as a common consequence of acute and chronic MCE公司 liver injury is characterized by the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signals participate in the regulation of HSC migration and adhesion. FAK-related nonkinase (FRNK) acts as a dominant-negative inhibitor of FAK. This study is aimed to reveal dynamic expressions of actin, PI3K and activatorprotein-1 (AP-1) (c-fos, c-jun) in livers of the bile duct ligated rats, and the effects of FRNK on HSC adhesion and migration, as well as the signal transduction mechanism. Methods: Hepatic fibrosis was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by bile duct ligation (BDL). Livers were harvested at fixed time points: 1 wk, 2 wk, 3 wk and 4 wk after operation.

binderanus is a nonindigenous species to North America. This study underscores the caution that should be applied to questions of diatom (and protistan) distributions in time and space. Clearly, the absence of evidence is not evidence Epigenetics Compound Library order of absence. “
“Blooms of the freshwater stalked diatom Didymosphenia geminata (Lyngb.) M. Schmidt in A. Schmidt typically occur in oligotrophic, unshaded streams and rivers. Observations that proliferations comprise primarily stalk material composed of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) led us to ask whether or not the

production of excessive EPS is favored under nutrient-limited, high-light conditions. We conducted experiments in outdoor flumes colonized by D. geminata using water from the oligotrophic, D. geminata–affected Waitaki River, South Island, New Zealand, to determine the relationship between D. geminata stalk length, cell division rates, and light intensity under ambient and Selleck LY2835219 nutrient-enriched conditions. Stalk lengths were measured in situ, and cell division rates were estimated as the frequency of dividing cells (FDC). FDC responded positively

to increasing light intensity and to nutrient additions (N+P and P). Under ambient conditions, stalk length increased as light level increased except at low ambient light levels and temperature. Nutrient enrichment resulted in decreased stalk length and negative correlations with FDC, with this effect most evident under high light. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that extensive stalk production in D. geminata occurs when cell division rates are nutrient limited and light levels are high. Thus, photosynthetically driven EPS production in the form of stalks, under nutrient-limited conditions, may explain

the development of very high biomass in this species in oligotrophic rivers. The responses of FDC and stalk length under nutrient-replete conditions are also consistent with occurrences of D. geminata as a nondominant component of mixed periphyton communities in high-nutrient streams. “
“In summer to autumn of 2008, a recently described thecate mixotrophic MCE dinoflagellate, Fragilidium duplocampanaeforme Nézan et Chomérat, occurred in Masan Bay, Korea, where it frequently contained bright-orange fluorescent inclusions. Using cultures of F. duplocampanaeforme isolated from Masan Bay, we investigated feeding, digestion, and prey specificity of this mixotroph. F. duplocampanaeforme fed exclusively on Dinophysis spp. when offered a variety of prey including dinoflagellates, a raphidophyte, a cryptophyte, a ciliate, and diatoms separately. In addition, F. duplocampanaeforme had allelopathic effects on other organisms, including cell immobilization/motility decrease (in Dinophysis acuminata, D. caudata, D. fortii, D.

No differences have been observed before LT. Conclusion: Our findings showed that Tregs are enhanced, early after liver transplantation, in patients who will develop a severe HCV recurrence. High levels of Treg might be predictive of severe recurrence, patients with this high expression warrant more intensive management. Disclosures: The following people have nothing to disclose: Kaldoun Ghazal, Morales Olivier, Clement Barjon, Geraldine Dahlqvist, Lynda Aoudjehane, Laurissa Ouaguia, Yvon Calmus, Delhem Nadira,

Filomena Conti Introduction: Delirium has been reported to be common in post-surgical patients. Data on delirium in post liver transplant (LT) setting is growing but conflicting. Aims: We studied the pre-, intra- check details & post-LT predictors of delirium. Moreover, we also examined the relationship of delirium with length of stay (LOS) and mortality. Methods: A retrospective, analytical study of 1237 consecutive, adult LT patients performed from Jan 2000 to Dec 2013. Data on pre-, intra-, and post-LT variables and outcomes was obtained from the

University Health Network data base. Data were divided into groups with and without delirium. We studied predictors of delirium and its GDC-0941 nmr relationship with LOS and mortality. Patients who died within one week after LT on whom delirium could not be assessed were excluded. We also excluded patients with seizures and CVA. Statistical analysis: Descriptive statistics were reported for all variables to explore the distributions. To assess differences between groups, independent-samples t- tests or Mann-Whitney U and chi-square or Fisher exact tests were conducted where appropriate. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the predictors of delirium and mortality. Linear medchemexpress regression analysis was performed to study the association of delirium with length of stay (LOS). Results: A total of 102 (8.2%) patients develop delirium post- LT. Two pre-LT predictors of delirium were high MELD score (MS) (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.008-1.051, p=0.008) and hepatic encephalopathy

(HE) (OR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.05-2.52, p=0.029). Duct-to

AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; CAR, constitutive Androstane receptor; ECM, extracellular matrix; ILK, integrin-linked kinase; PCNA, proliferative cell nuclear antigen assay; TCPOBOP, 1,4-bis [2-(3,5-dichaloropyridyloxy)] benzene. ILK floxed animals were generated as described20 and donated by Drs. René St. Arnaud (Shriners Hospital and McGill University, Montréal)

and Shoukat Dedhar (British Columbia Cancer Agency and Vancouver Hospital, Jack Bell Research Center, Vancouver), and mated with AFP-enhancer-albumin-promoter-Cre-recombinase-expressing www.selleckchem.com/products/Decitabine.html mice, kindly provided by Dr. Klaus Kaestner (University of Pennsylvania). The offspring were genotyped as described20 and the ILK-floxed/floxed Cre-positive mice were considered ILK-knockout (ILK/liver−/−), whereas their Cre-negative siblings were used as controls or wildtype (WT).16 The following primary antibodies were used in this study: rabbit anti-YAP, rabbit antiphosphorylated YAP, rabbit anticyclin D1, rabbit anti-p27 (1:1,000 dilution, Cell Signaling Technologies, Danvers, MA); rabbit anti-c-Myc, rabbit anti-transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) (Promega, Madison, WI), mouse anti-PCNA (Dako, Carpinteria, CA), mouse anti-β-actin (1:5,000 dilution, Chemicon, Temecula, CA),

and mouse TATA binding protein (Abcam, Cambridge, MA). Goat antimouse, donkey ant-goat, and donkey antirabbit INK 128 concentration secondary antibodies were purchased from Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories (West Grove, PA) and were used at 1:50,000 dilution. TCPOBOP (1 mg/mL dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO]/corn oil mixture) was administered to 35-week-old ILK/liver−/− and WT mice by oral gavage. Mice were sacrificed and liver excised on days 1, 2, 5, and 上海皓元 7 after TCPOBOP administration. Total

protein was isolated from the mouse liver using 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in RIPA buffer (20 mM Tris/Cl pH 7.5, 150 mM NaCl, 0.5% NP-40, 1% TX-100, 0.25% sodium deoxycholate [DOC], 0.6-2 μg/mL aprotinin, 10 μM leupeptin, 1 μM pepstatin). Protein concentrations of all lysates were determined using the bicinchoninic acid protein assay reagents (BCA method) (Pierce Chemical, Rockford, IL). Nuclear proteins were prepared using the NE-PER nuclear and cytoplasmic protein isolation kit (Pierce) according to the manufacturer’s protocol. Pooled samples (n = 3) were used for making nuclear and total cell lysates. Total cell lysates made in RIPA buffer (50 μg) or nuclear preparations (20 μg) were separated by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in 4% to 12% NuPage Bis-Tris gels with 10× MOPS buffer (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA), then transferred to Immobilon-P membranes (Millipore, Bedford, MA) in NuPage transfer buffer containing 20% methanol. Membranes were stained with Ponceau S to verify loading and transfer efficiency.