The symbiotic bacterium exists in the intestines of entomopathogenic nematodes and is a potential biological agent.Systematic classification of these bacteria is scarce in China.In this paper,seven strains of symbiotic bacteria from local entomopathogenic nematodes were identified by both observation of mor-phology,physiological,biochemical characteristics and sequence analysis of 16S rDNA fragments.

Adolescent ; Aortic Valve ; abnormalities ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; complications ; pathology ; surgery ; Aortic Valve Stenosis ; complications ; pathology ; surgery ; Child ; Endocarditis ; complications ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; complications ; pathology ; surgery ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation ; Humans ; Male ; Rheumatic Heart Disease ; complications ; pathology ; surgery

Glycerol kinase deficiency (GKD), a rare X-linked recessive disorder, is classified into two types: isolated and complex. Complex GKD is an Xp21 contiguous gene deletion involving the glycerol kinase locus together with the adrenal hypoplasia congenita (AHC) or Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) loci or both. Its clinical features depend on the involved loci. GKD can be confirmed by an elevated urinary glycerol concentration tested by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The three cases reported here were all male, presenting symptoms from neonatal period. The predominant clinical profile was characterized by hypoadrenocorticism, glyceroluria and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. After receiving a low fat diet and glucocorticoid replacement, they improved with relieved symptoms of hypoadrenocorticism. But they had significant developmental delays and myasthenia. In the follow-up two of them died of adrenal crisis.
Adrenal Insufficiency ; diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Genetic Diseases, X-Linked ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Glycerol ; urine ; Glycerol Kinase ; deficiency ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

Adolescent ; Child ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Extracellular Matrix ; metabolism ; Female ; Fibrillin-1 ; Fibrillins ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Microfilament Proteins ; metabolism

When the glomerular mesangial cells of rats were cultured in vitro at high glucose concentration,the activity of extraeellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK),the expression of transforming growth factor-?_1(TGF-?_1)mRNA and the content of typeⅣcollagen in the supematant were higher than those at normal glucose concentration.These effects were inhibited by fluvastatin.The results showed that the activation of ERK signal transduction pathways appeared to play a role in the onset and progression of diabetic nephropathy. Furthermore,fluvastatin could protect the kidney by inhibiting ERK signal transduction pathway and TGF-?_1 expression.

Objective To explore protective effect of Heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) on irradiation-induced endothelial cell apoptosis.Methods Human endothelial cell line EA.hy926 were administered with or without HO-1 activator Copp and/or HO-1 inhibitor Znpp,respectively.Then,cells were treated with or without 8 Gy radiation.The HO-1 protein expression of cells were assessed with Western blotting and apoptosis of cells treated with irradiation were evaluated with flow cytometry.Moreover,cytochrome C releasing into cytosol were also determined by Western blotting. Results In PBS+R group,HO-1 protein expression of EA.hy926 was low posterior to irradiation.When cells were preconditioned with Copp and/or Znpp,then recieved with 8Gy irradiation,the HO-1 protein expression of EA.hy926 increased significantly in comparision with the PBS+R group(P

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of ICAM-1 gene transfection on the differentiation of MSCs to adipocytes.

METHODSThe recombinant retroviral expression plasmid MIGR1-ICAM-1 containing full length of mouse ICAM-1 gene was constructed. The constructed plasmid MIGR1-ICAM-1, empty plasmid MIGR1 and packaging plasmid ECOS were transfected into T293 cell lines and then the supernatant generated from T293 cells were used to infect mouse MSCs cell line C3H10T 1/2. The transfective efficiency was determined by inverted fluorescence microscope, real-time PCR and flow cytometry. Furthermore, ICAM-1 overexpressing MSCs (C3H10T 1/2-ICAM-1) and empty vector transfection MSCs (C3H10T 1/2-MIGR1) were cultured in medium with or without induction reagents, Oil-red-O staining was used to detect the lipid accumulation, and the expression of transcriptional factors C/EBPα and PPARγ, which were key factors in the differentiation of MSCs to adipocytes, were tested by real-time-PCR.

RESULTSThe recombinant retrovirus vector containing mouse ICAM-1 gene was successful constructed. After transfection into MSCs cell line C3H10T 1/2, the overexpression ICAM-1 MSCs cell line (C3H10T 1/2-ICAM-1) and control cell line (C3H10T 1/2-MIGR1) were obtained. Furthermore, these two cell lines were treated without or with adipocytic induction reagents, C3H10T 1/2-ICAM-1 showed significantly lower mRNA expression level for C/EBPα [(1.2 ± 0.7), (2.9 ± 0.9)] and PPARγ [(1557.6 ± 70.2), (7547.0 ± 442.2)] when compared with C3H10T 1/2-MIGR1 [(5.8 ± 0.5), (23.0 ± 2.3) and (2453.0 ± 215.6), (9856.3 ± 542.2)](P < 0.05). Moreover, little lipid droplet and decreased quantity of adipocytes were detected in C3H10T 1/2-ICAM-1 [(3.2 ± 0.5)/well, (12.2 ± 3.8)/well] than that in C3H10T 1/2-MIGR1 [(11.2 ± 0.4)/well, (51.3 ± 2.8)/well] (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONOverexpression of ICAM-1 in MSCs can inhibit its adipocytic differentiation.

Adipocytes ; cytology ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Line ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; genetics ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Mice ; Transfection

Screening of microorganisms producing flocculating substances was carried out. A strain secreting a large amount of bioflocculant was isolated from wastewater samples collected from the Little Moon River in Beijing. Based on the morphological properties and 16S rDNA sequence analysis, the isolate (designated W31) was classified as Vagococcus sp. A bioflocculant (named MBFW31) produced by W31 was extracted from the culture broth by ethanol precipitation and purified by gel chromatography. MBFW31 was heat-stable and had strong flocculating activity in a wide range of pH with relatively low dosage requirement. MBFW31 was identified as a polysaccharide with molecular weight over 2 x 10(6). It contained neutral sugar and uronic acid as its major and minor components, respectively. Infrared spectra showed the presence of hydroxyl, carboxyl and methoxyl group in its molecules. The present results suggested that MBFW31 had potential application in wastewater treatment.
Carbohydrates ; analysis ; chemistry ; Enterococcus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Flocculation ; Species Specificity ; Waste Disposal, Fluid ; methods ; Water Microbiology ; Water Pollutants ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of ghrelin on the proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte, and study the possible mechanisms.

METHODS3T3-L1 preadipocytes were cultured in vitro. The proliferation potentials of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes that were treated with different concentrations of ghrelin were evaluated by MTT methods. The levels of c-myc and thymidine kinase mRNA were detected using RT-PCR. 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were differentiated into the matured adipocytes with insulin (INS) or ghrelin. The morphological changes of 3T3-L1 adipocytes were observed and the differentiation rate was assayed by oil-red O staining. Total RNA was extracted from adipocytes at various times, and the levels of peroxisome proliferation activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and CAAT/enhancer binding protein(C/EBPalpha) mRNA expressions were detected using RT-PCR.

RESULTSGhrelin at concentrations of 10(-7) to 10(-15) mol/L significantly stimulated preadipocyte proliferation (p<0.05). The levels of c-myc and thymidine kinase mRNA significantly increased in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes with 10(-9) mol/L and 10(-11) mol/L ghrelin treatment (p<0.01). The 3T3-L1 preadipocytes treated with 10(-11) mol/L ghrelin had lots of lipid droplets in the cytoplasma, but the differentiation rate was lower than those treated with INS. Ghrelin of 10(-11) mol/L significantly increased the mRNA expression of PPARgamma and C/EBPalpha in the course of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation, compared with the normal control group (p<0.05). The PPARgamma and C/EBPalpha mRNA expression increased with the prolonged differentiation of preadipocytes induced by ghrelin or INS. There were significant differences in the levels of PPARgamma and C/EBPalpha mRNA expression between the 2nd and 8th days of differentiation(p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSGhrelin promotes the proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The proliferation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes induced by ghrelin may be associated with increased c-myc levels. Ghrelin may promote differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes by increasing mRNA expression of PPARgamma and C/EBPalpha, thus enhances the sensitivity of adipocytes to INS.

3T3-L1 Cells ; Adipocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Animals ; CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha ; genetics ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Genes, myc ; Ghrelin ; pharmacology ; Mice ; PPAR gamma ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Thymidine Kinase ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo determine whether patients with suspected heart failure but preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) have systolic dysfunction in left ventricular long axis detected by left ventricular systolic atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD).

METHODSThe data of 96 patients with heart failure who admitted to our hospital between August 2007 and October 2008 were collected. Heart failure with preserved LVEF was diagnosed in 48 patients and heart failure with reduced LVEF was diagnosed in another 48 patients. Fifty age-matched healthy subjects served as the control group. The NYHA classification, etiology of heart failure, AVPD and plasma NT-proBNP concentration were compared among the 3 groups.

RESULTSThere was no difference in terms of NYHA classification between patients with preserved LVEF and reduced LVEF. Hypertension and coronary heart disease were often diagnosed in heart failure patients with preserved LVEF. The degree of AVPD decrease was more significant in heart failure patients with reduced LVEF than those with preserved LVEF. In all subjects, the AVPD was negatively correlated with the NT-proBNP concentration (r = -0.35, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLeft ventricular systolic atrioventricular plane displacement was decreased in heart failure patients with preserved LVEF, therefore, besides "diastolic heart failure", systolic dysfunction was also impaired in these patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Failure ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Heart Ventricles ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Contraction ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; physiopathology ; Young Adult