Objective To explore the relationship between polymorphism of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene valine (Val) 158 methionine (Met) (G to A transition)and the distribution in population and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Yili prefecture of Xinjiang.Methods A hospital based case-control study was adopted, a total of 622 subjects, which including 214 ESCC patients and 408 age, gender and ethnicity-matched normal control individuals.The polymorphism of COMT gene G to A transition was analyzed with PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism approaches.Results The COMT genotype frequencies in 622 subjects in Yili prefecture were GG genotype accounted for 47.3%, GA type for 42.3% and AA type for 10.4%, G allele was 68.4% and A allele was 31.6%.There was no statistical difference in the COMT genotype and frequencies of allele distribution between ESCC group and control group.Furthermore, stratified analysis indicated that there was statistical difference between ESCC group and control group in subjects less than 60 years old.There was statistical difference in the allele distribution among Kazak,Uygur and Han ESCC groups.The COMT genotype and frequency of allele distribution among normal control groups of the three ethnic groups were statistically different.After corrected age and gender,there was no statistical difference in COMT Val158Met polymorphisms among Kazakh, Uygur and Han ethnic groups in both ESCC and control groups in Yili Prefecture of Xinjiang.Conclusion COMT gene Val158Met single nucleotide polymorphism may not be the genetic markers of ESCC risk in Yili Prefecture of Xinjiang.

Objective To identify the Banna viruses isolated in northwestern part of Yunnan prov-ince in order to make the difference clear between the isolates and other Banna viruses isolated in other parts of Yunnan. Methods Three isolates of Banna vires isolated in 2005 and 2006 were identified by morpholo-gy, RNA-PAGE profile and molecular biologic method. Nueleotide and amino acid sequences of segment 12 of the 3 isolates were sequenced and analyzed. Results Three Banna viruses were isolated from mosquitoes collected in northwestern part of Yunnan during 2005 and 2006. Electron microscopy study showed that they are spherical with a diameter of 70 nm, no envelope but two layers of eapsid. It was found that the genome of the 3 isolates composes of 12 segments presenting band profile of 6-6 in RNA-PAGE. Nueleotide acid se-quence analysis about segment 12 showed that the identity was 99% between the 3 new isolates, 98% and 90% between the 3 isolates and the strains isolated in other parts of Yunnan, China and Indonesia, respec-tively. Phylogenetie analysis based on segment 12 gene showed that 3 new isolates clnstered in the same branch with the viruses isolated in other parts of Yunnan. The same difference of amino acids was found between Banna viruses isolated in China and Indonesia strains in the analysis of segment 12. Conclusion Banna virus strains were firstly isolated from mosquitoes collected in northwestern part of Yunnan province. Nueleotide acid sequence analysis of the 3 new isolates showed higher identity with strains isolated in other parts of Yunnan.

Objective To perform molecular cloning and sequencing, bioinformatics analysis,protein expression and function of extracellular signal regulated kinase (EgERK1) of Echinococcus granulosus in Xinjiang. Methods The specific primers of EgERK1 were designed and total RNA was extracted from Echinococcus granulosus in Xinjiang. EgERK1 gene was amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and prokaryotic expression plasmid pET28a-EgERK1 was constructed and sequenced. The sequences were analyzed by DNA sequencing and bioinformatics technology. The recombinant EgERK1 protein was induced and expressed. The biological function was detected using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electropheresis and Western blot. Results The sequence of RT-PCR product was 1125 bp, encoding 374 amino acids with isoelectric point of 6.34.This gene was a new ERK-homologues gene indicated by BLAST, named EgERK1(EU701008).Homology comparisons indicated that the homology of EgERK1 and EmMPK1from Echinococcus multilocularis was 95.45%, and was 43.04%-61.88% to ERK from Caenorhabditis elegans, S. cerevisiae, D. melanogaster and human. Phylogenetic analysis showed that EgERK1 clustered with EmMPK1. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that EgERK1 contained a highly conserved T-X-Y motif and activation loop segment of ERK-like kinase.Western blot results showed the EgERK1 recombinant protein could reacted specifically with anti-human ERK monoclonal antibody. Conclusion A new EgERK1 gene of Echinococcus granulosus is successfully cloned and its recombinant protein could reacted specifically with ERK1/2 antibody, which provides the basis for further study of EgERK1 function in the host-parasite interaction.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the rules about the pathway and branch patterns of the internal maxillary artery in pterygopalatine fossa, provide the anatomic basis for treating the internal maxillary artery during the transnasal endoscopic surgery. METHOD: Ten adult cadaveric skull base were dissected, the sphenopalatine artery and its branches were observed. The pterygopalatine fossa was opened through trans-maxillary sinus endoscopic approach, all the branches of the internal maxillary artery in pterygopalatine fossa were exposed. The concave of the maxillary sinus posterior-medial wall was defined as point A, the cross point of the horizontal line pass through the infraorbital foramen, the maxillary sinus anterior wall and posterior-lateral wall as point B, the cross point of the maxillary sinus anterior wall, floor and posterior-lateral wall as point D, the midpoint of BD as C, the C' denoted the first branch root of internal maxillary artery in pterygopalatine fossa. Observed the pterygopalatine segment of internal maxillary artery based on the marking points. RESULT: The distance between the sphenoid sinus os and the sphenopalatine fossa was (5.88 +/- 2.21) mm. The C' point locate on AC at 13 sides specimen, locate on AB at 5 sides specimen, locate on AC at 1 side specimen, higher than AB at 1 side specimen. CONCLUSION Being familiar with the pathway and branch patterns of the internal maxillary artery in pterygopalatine fossa is important for treating the uncontrol epistaxis and endoscopic pterygopalatine fossa surgery, the rules described by A, B, C, D in our experiments will be helpful in ligation of internal maxillary artery during the endoscopic transnasal/maxillary-pterygopalatine fossa surgery.
Adult ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Maxillary Artery ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Pterygopalatine Fossa ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Sphenoid Sinus ; anatomy & histology

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility to measure the anatomy landmarks in the anatomy research, even in the operation by the MicronTracker binocular visual navigation system, and to study the anatomy of the transnasal endoscopic surgery of skull base. METHOD: We designed a new anatomy data collection system based on the MicronTracker binocular visual navigation system to measure and record the anatomy landmarks, and measured the angles and distances between the related planes and the important structures on 67 dry adult cranium specimens (32 male, 35 female). RESULT: 1) The system is reliable, the angles and the distances can be acquired in the real time. 2) The major date of the landmarks was the pitch of the Frankfurt horizontal plane according to the frontal bone plane, male: (77.7 +/- 4.7) degrees, female: (81.6 +/-4.5) degrees; the pitch of the bony nasal floor according to the frontal bone plane, male: (78.6 +/- 5.8) degrees, female: (82.0 +/- 4.5) degrees; from the same side of nasal spine to the anterior edge of foramen lacerum, pitch, male: (61.3 +/- 7.6) degrees, female: (65.6 +/-7.1) degrees, azimuth, male: (7.0 +/- 2.6) degrees, female: (7.1 +/- l.8) degrees, the distance, male: (68.9 +/- 4.1) mm, female: (66.3 +/- 3.9) mm; from the same side of the nasal spine to the aperture of the sphenoidal sinus, pitch, male: (40.5 +/- 9.3) degrees, female: (46.4 +/- 6. 8) degrees, azimuth, male: (2.1 +/- 1.8) degrees, female: (3.6 +/- 2. 6) degrees, the distance, male: (56.2 +/- 3.1) mm, female: (53.4 +/- 3.0) mm. CONCLUSION 1) The anatomy data collection system based on the MicronTracker binocular visual navigation system can be used to measure the anatomy landmarks conveniently, accurately and quickly. 2) The relationship between the landmarks of the skull base and the nasal cavity and the frontal bone plane and the sagittal plane is stable, and the planes can be used as the datum plane to look for the landmarks in the transnasal endoscopic surgery of skull base.
Adult ; Anatomy ; instrumentation ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nasal Bone ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Nasal Cavity ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Nose ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Skull Base ; anatomy & histology ; surgery

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) treatment urgently requires a novel drug. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are a family of Ser/Thr protein kinases, but still have to be characterized in Echinococcus granulosus. We identified a 1,107 bp cDNA encoding a 368 amino acid MAPK protein (Egp38) in E. granulosus. Egp38 exhibits 2 distinguishing features of p38-like kinases: a highly conserved T-X-Y motif and an activation loop segment. Structural homology modeling indicated a conserved structure among Egp38, EmMPK2, and H. sapiens p38α, implying a common binding mechanism for the ligand domain and downstream signal transduction processing similar to that described for p38α. Egp38 and its phosphorylated form are expressed in the E. granulosus larval stages vesicle and protoscolices during intermediate host infection of an intermediate host. Treatment of in vitro cultivated protoscolices with the p38-MAPK inhibitor ML3403 effectively suppressed Egp38 activity and led to significant protoscolices death within 5 days. Treatment of in vitro-cultivated protoscolices with TGF-β1 effectively induced Egp38 phosphorylation. In summary, the MAPK, Egp38, was identified in E. granulosus, as an anti-CE drug target and participates in the interplay between the host and E. granulosus via human TGF-β1.
Cloning, Molecular* ; DNA, Complementary ; Echinococcosis ; Echinococcus granulosus* ; Echinococcus* ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinases* ; Signal Transduction

Bioethanol is one of the most promising and representative biofuel products. Photosynthetic production of ethanol using CO₂ and solar energy based on cyanobacteria is of great significance for research and application, due to the potential to reduce CO₂ emission and to provide renewable energy simultaneously. Here we review the history and updated development of cyanobacteria cell factories for ethanol photosynthetic production, the progress and problems in pathway optimization, chassis selection, and metabolic engineering strategies, and finally indicate the future development in this area.

Cyanobacteria are important photosynthetic autotrophic microorganisms and are considered as one of the most promising microbial chassises for photosynthetic cell factories. Glycogen is the most important natural carbon sink of cyanobacteria, playing important roles in regulating its intracellular carbon distributions. In order to optimize the performances of cyanobacterial photosynthetic cell factories and drive more photosynthetic carbon flow toward the synthesis of desired metabolites, many strategies and approaches have been developed to manipulate the glycogen metabolism in cyanobacteria. However, the disturbances on glycogen metabolism usually cause complex effects on the physiology and metabolism of cyanobacterial cells. Moreover, the effects on synthesis efficiencies of different photosynthetic cell factories usually differ. In this manuscript, we summarized the recent progress on engineering cyanobacterial glycogen metabolism, analyzed and compared the physiological and metabolism effects caused by engineering glycogen metabolism in different cyanobacteria species, and prospected the future trends of this strategy on optimizing cyanobacterial photosynthetic cell factories.
Carbon/metabolism* ; Carbon Dioxide/metabolism* ; Cyanobacteria/metabolism* ; Glycogen/metabolism* ; Metabolic Engineering ; Photosynthesis/physiology*

Biorefinery technologies provide promising solutions to achieve sustainable development facing energy and environment crisis, while abundant sugar feedstock is an essential basis for biorefinery industries. Photosynthetic production of sucrose with cyanobacteria is an alternative sugar feedstock supply route with great potentials. Driven by solar energy, cyanobacteria photosynthetic cell factory could directly convert carbon dioxide and water into sucrose, and such a process could simultaneously reduce carbon emissions and supply sugar feedstocks. Here we introduced the history and updated the state-of-the-art on development of cyanobacteria cell factories for photosynthetic production of sucrose, summarized the progress and problems on mechanisms of sucrose synthesis, metabolic engineering strategies and technology expansions, and finally forecasted the future development direction in this area.
Carbon Dioxide ; Cyanobacteria ; Metabolic Engineering ; Photosynthesis ; Sucrose