A fungus CQ31 isolated from soil samples was identified as Chaetomium sp.. This strain produced effectively xylanases utilizing several liguocellulosic materials in the solid-state fermentation (SSF), and corn straw was the best carbon source. The results of single-factor-experiment showed that the corn straw as the carbon source, tryptone as the nitrogen source, initial moisture content of 80% and initial pH 9.0 were the optimal conditions for xylanase production. Under the optimized conditions, it produced xylanase which was 4897 U/g dry substrate while mannanase was 803 U/g dry substrate after 7 days of cultivation. Therefore, xylanase and mannanase production by Chaetomium sp. CQ31 in SSF possess potential for commercial applications.

A distributed simulation method of electric field based on the atrial defibrillation of the heart modeling and finite element solution is proposed in this study. In order to solve the problem that ordinary clinical trials could not measure the actual distribution of the defibrillation electric field in the heart accurately, this method provides a research tool for electrical defibrillation. A complete atrial anatomical structure in the heart model is used in the research, the finite element method is proceeded to solve; Three parameters: defibrillation threshold voltage, the high field strength rate and the defibrillation threshold energy are set to evaluate the effect of defibrillation. The heart electric field distributions of transvenous atrial defibrillation with different electrode locations or sizes are simulated. The simulation results and the reported results match fairly well, which initially verify the feasibility of this method.
Atrial Fibrillation ; therapy ; Computer Simulation ; Electric Countershock ; instrumentation ; methods ; Electrodes

Apoptosis of PK-15 cells induced by Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) in vitro was reported in this paper. Typical cell apoptosis was detected by use of Hoechst 33258 fluorescence probe, agarose gel electrophoresis and in situ end-labeling (TUNEL). After PK-15 cells were infected by titration of 4.8 lg TCID50/mL FMDV for 32 h, apoptosis characteristics of nuclear condensation, fragmentation, accompanied by apoptotic bodies formation (Hoechst 33258 staining), 180-200 integer-fold sized pieces DNA Ladders (agarose gel electrophoresis) and strong green fluorescence dots (TUNEL) were all exhibited, and cell apoptosis was approximately 20%. In addition, the quantitative analysis of apoptosis in PK-15 cells induced by FMDV showed that apoptosis was correlated with infection of virus, and it was also time-dependent. Results indicate that FMDV can induce apoptosis of host cells and apoptosis plays an important role in the cytopathogencity effect of FMDV.

Copy number aberrations (CNAs) in chromosome arm 8q have been associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes of several cancers and progressive tumor characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).This study was to identify correlation of CNAs in 8q with clinical outcomes of HCC patients,and further screen for differentially expressed genes in outcome-related CNAs.Array comparative genomic hybridization and expression arrays were performed to detect CNAs and expression levels,respectively.The correlations between CNAs in 8q and outcomes were analyzed in 66 patients,with a median follow-up time of 45.0 months (range,2.6-108.6 months).One hundred and nine cases were further evaluated to identify differentially expressed genes in the potential outcome-related CNAs.Copy number gain in 8q was observed in 22 (33.3 ％) of the 66 HCC cases.The most recurrent gains (with frequencies ＞20％) were 8q13.3-21.3,8q21.3-23.3,8q23.3-24.13,8q24.13-24.3,and 8q24.3.Survival analysis showed that 8q24.13-24.3 gain was significantly associated with reduced overall survival (P=0.010).Multivariate Cox analysis identified 8q24.13-24.3 gain as an independent prognostic factor for poor overall survival (HR=2.47;95％CI=1.16-5.26;P=0.019).A panel of 17 genes within the 8q24.13-24.3 region,including ATAD2,SQLE,PVT1,ASAP1,and NDRG1 were significantly upregulated in HCCs with 8q24.13-24.3 gain compared to those without.These results suggest that copy number gain at 8q24.13-24.3 is an unfavorable prognostic marker for HCC patients,and the potential oncogenes ATAD2,SQLE,PVT1,ASAP1,and NDRG1 within the regional gain,may contribute coordinately to the 8q24.13-24.3 gain-related poor prognosis.

BACKGROUNDHuman piebaldism is a rare autosomal dominant condition characterized by congenital white forelock and depigmented patches of skin, typically on the forehead, anterior trunk and extremities. Mutations in the KIT gene have been proposed to be responsible for the underlying changes in this disorder. The aim of this study was to identify gene mutation in a Chinese family with piebaldism.

METHODSA Chinese family with piebaldism presenting with white forelock and large depigmented skin macules on the abdomen, arms and legs was collected. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood of the family members. The encoding exons with flanking intron regions of the KIT gene were analyzed by polymerase chain reactions (PCR) and direct DNA sequencing. Besides, DNA extracted from 100 ethnically matched population individuals was as controls.

RESULTSA heterozygous missense mutation c.2590T > C was identified in the patients of the family. This mutation converted a serine residue to proline (p.Ser864Pro). The mutation was not found in their unaffected family members or normal controls.

CONCLUSIONA novel missense mutation c.2590 T > C was found and it might play a significant role in the piebaldism phenotype in the family.

Child ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation, Missense ; Piebaldism ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; genetics ; physiology

OBJECTIVET To explore the relationship between the expression of SOX4 gene and early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after curative resection.

METHODSSOX4 expression was detected immunohistochemically in 60 HCC patients including 30 with and 30 without early recurrence after curative resection, with 30 normal liver specimens as the control.

RESULTSThe expression of SOX4 was significantly higher in HCC than in normal liver (41.7% vs 16.7%, P<0.05), and in HCC tissues, the expression was significantly higher in early recurrent HCC after curative resection than in HCC without early recurrence (56.7% vs 26.7%, P<0.05). SOX4 expression was inversely correlated to the patients' gender, age, tumor size, HBsAg, and Edmonson grade (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSOX4 is closely associated with early recurrence of HCC after curative resection, and its overexpression may contribute to early recurrence of HCC. SOX4 may serve as a new molecular indicator for evaluating the prognosis of HCC.

Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; metabolism ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; genetics ; Prognosis ; SOXC Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of fixation of Kirschner needle and thread cancellous bone screw through the sinus tarsi interstice for the treatment of calcaneal fractures.

METHODSFrom January 2009 to December 2012,20 patients with calcaneal fracture were treated by minimally invasive Kirschner wire and threaded cancellous bone screw fixation and bone graft,including 12 males and 8 females with an average age of 39 years old ranging from 21 to 65. Among them, 8 cases were left foot, 12 were right foot. According to Sanders's classification, 8 cases were type II, 10 cases were type III, 2 cases were type IV.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 6 to 16 months with an average of 12 months. The incision were healed. Böhler angle were increased from preoperative (17.75 +/- 4.22) degrees to postoperative (26.85 +/- 7.37) degrees (t = 4.308, P = 0.000). Gissane angle were reduced from preoperative (137.05 +/- 24.91) degrees to postoperative (113.75 +/- 13.17) degrees (t = 7.083, P = 0.000). At 3 months after operation, the scores of AOFAS were 85.50 +/- 7.99; the results were excellent in 5 feet and good in 11 feet, fair in 3 feet, and poor in 1 foot.

CONCLUSIONMinimally invasive fixation of Kirschner needle and thread cancellous bone screw fixation is a simple operation, it can get reliable fixation, easy to remove, low cost, less postoperative complications, and it is a good treatment of calcaneal fracture.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Screws ; Bone Wires ; Calcaneus ; injuries ; surgery ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Recently, the interactions between hepatitis C virus (HCV) genes and the host cell factors were the focus of this field. Cell factors in the different biochemical pathway were approved to be interfered when HCV infection. To make sure which HCV gene(s) was the major factor during the interaction process, ten eukaryotic expression plasmids containing different functional genes of HCV: Core, E1, E2, p7, NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A and NS5B were transfected into the CHO-K1 cells respectively. Then ten stable cell lines expressing different HCV functional proteins were constructed under the selective pressure of G418. DNA and mRNA of the HCV genes were both detected by PCR and RT-PCR respectively in the corresponding stable cell lines, freezation and anabiosis would not lose the HCV genes. Besides, the El, E2 and NS5B proteins were detected by Western-blot which demonstrated that the HCV genes have formed stable expression in the host cells. The activity of UDP-glucose ceramide glucosyltransferase (UGCG) in the stable cell lines increased in different degree by TLC assay. For example, the activity of UGCG in CHO-K1-E2 and CHO-K1-p7 was doubled according to the control cells,and in CHO-K1-NS2 and CHO-K1-NS5A was about 1.6 times compared with the control cells. The establishment of the stable cell lines containing different single HCV gene will provide foundation for investigating the interactions between the virus and the host factors, and for the filtration of antiviral medicine.
Animals ; CHO Cells ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Glucosyltransferases ; biosynthesis ; metabolism ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Viral Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

In order to study the roles of integrin beta6 in Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus infection, pig integrin beta6 was firstly molecularly cloned from RNA of the tongue and lung of recovered pig infected experimentally with foot-and-mouth-disease virus (FMDV), and was compared with the beta6 gene of other animals available in GenBank at nucleotide and amino acid leves. GeneBank association number of the beta6 gene is EF432729. Pig integrin beta6 gene (2367bp) encodes a polypeptide of 788 amino acids consisting of 9 potential N-linked glycosylation sites, 3 Glycosaminoglycan attachment sites, a cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation site, 10 Protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, 2 EGF-like domains and 2 cysteine-rich regions. Pig integrin beta6 subunit has a 26-residue putative signal peptide, a 681-residue ectodomain, a 29-residue transmembrane domain, and a 52-residue cytoplasmic domain. 11 mutant nucleotides were found in beta6 gene coding region and 9 amino acids were changed. The nucleotide sequence similarity of integrin beta6 gene between rheses monkey, mouse, Norway rat, dog, guinea pig, human, bovine, sheep is 79.5%, 84.9%, 85.4%, 85.2%, 88.7%, 90.1%, 91.9% and 91.9%, and the amino acid sequence similarity is 93.5%, 88.2%, 88.5%, 88.3%, 91.0%, 92.8%, 93.3% and 93.4% respectively. This study will lay a foundation for understanding the interactions of FMDV with receptors.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus ; pathogenicity ; Integrin beta Chains ; genetics ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Receptors, Virus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Sequence Analysis ; Swine ; genetics