Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; etiology ; Male ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; complications

Animals ; Cold Temperature ; adverse effects ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Inflammation ; physiopathology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Particulate Matter ; adverse effects ; Rats

Cold Temperature ; Dinoprost ; analogs & derivatives ; urine ; Dust ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; urine ; Thromboxane B2 ; analogs & derivatives ; urine ; Weather

The rare edible and medicinal fungus Antrodia cinnamomea has a substantial potential for development. In this study, Illumina HiSeq 2000 was used to sequence its transcriptome.The results were assembled de novo, and 66,589 unigenes with an N50 of 4413 bp were obtained. Compared with public databases, 6,061, 3,257, and 2,807 unigenes were annotated to the Non-Redundant, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases, respectively. The genes related to terpene biosynthesis in the mycelia of A. cinnamomea were analyzed, and acetyl CoA synthase (ACS2 and ACS4), hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGR), farnesyl transferase (FTase), and squalene synthase (SQS) were found to be upregulated in XZJ (twig of C. camphora) and NZJ (twig of C. kanehirae). Moreover, ACS5 and 2,3-oxidized squalene cyclase ( OCS) were highly expressed in NZJ, while heme IX farnesyl transferase (IX-FIT) and ACS3 were significantly expressed in XZJ. The differential expression of ACS1, ACS2, HMGR, IX-FIT, SQS, and OCS was confirmed by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR. This study provides a new concept for the additional exploration of the molecular regulatory mechanism of terpenoid biosynthesis and data for the biotechnology of terpenoid production.

Objective To predict fetal distress in oligohydramnios fetuses in mid-pregnancy by monitoring the blood flows in middle cerebral artery,renal artery and umbilical artery by means of ultrasound.Methods Totally 104 mid-pregnancy women with oligohydramnios in some hospital from January 2020 to May 2022 were selected retrospectively,and were divided into a distress group(n=43)and a non-distress group(n=48)based on the presence of fetal distress.Logistic multivariate regression was used to analyze the risk factors for the occurrence of fetal distress;the predictive value for fetal distress was assessed with ROC curves;a Bayesian network model was constructed and validated.Results The independent risk factors for fetal distress included abnormal findings in fetal movement,fetal cardiac monitoring,lipid levels and blood rheology indices and abnormal parameters of middle cerebral artery,renal artery,and umbilical artery(P＜0.05).Higher predictive efficiency could be obtained for fetal distress when the blood flow parameters of middle cerebral artery,renal artery and umbilical artery were combined than only the parameters of only one artery were involved in.The Bayesian network model predicted an increase in the incidence of fetal distress from 49.9％to 61.50％when the probability of abnormality in all the three artery parameters was 100％,which proved to gain a high net benefit.Conclusion For mid-pregnancy women combined monitoring of the blood flow parameters of middle cerebral artery,renal artery and umbilical artery may predict fetal distress effectively.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(5):60-66]

Aspergillus fumigatus wild-type phytase has many favorable properties, such as a good thermorstability and a broad pH optimum. However, the specific activity of the enzyme is relative low. A. fumigatus Q23L phytase resulted in a remarkable increase in specific activity around pH4.5 - 7.0, but the pH stability of Q23L was lower than A. fumigatus wild-type phytase. To increase the pH stability of Q23L, the mutant Q23LG272E was constructed by site-directed mutagenesis with PCR. The gene of A. fumigatus wild-type phytase and the mutant genes encoding the Q23LG272E and the Q23L were correctly expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115. Enzymes were purified and their enzymatic properties were determined. The results revealed that the specific activity of the Q23L improved remarkably, which increased from 51 u/mg of the wild type to 109 u/mg at pH5.5. Meanwhile, the pH stability of Q23L, decreased evidently, especially from pH3.0 to pH4.0.The pH stability of Q23LG272E in pH3.0 - 4.5 and pH6.5 - 7.0 has been improved compared with Q23L. The specific activity of Q23LG272E basically maintained at the level of Q23L. Analysis of 3-D structure and sequence similarity were used to reveal the presumable factors influencing the enzymatic properties of Q23LG272E, and discussion for the relationship between structure and function of phytase was given.
6-Phytase ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Amino Acid Substitution ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; enzymology ; genetics ; Biocatalysis ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Fungal Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Models, Molecular ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Mutant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mutation ; Pichia ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Protein Conformation ; Protein Engineering ; methods ; Recombinant Proteins ; metabolism ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Substrate Specificity

A gene appA encoding a novel phytase was firstly cloned from Hafnia alvei by PCR and sequenced. The gene was consisted of 1335 bp, encoding 444 amino acids. The calculated molecular weight of the mature APPA was about 45.2 kD. The gene appA was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). Recombinant APPA was purified and its enzymatic properties were determined. The optimum pH for the enzyme was 4.5 and the optimum temperature was 60 degrees C. The pH stability of r-APPA is good, the relative phytase activity was above 80% after treated in buffers of pH 2.0-10.0. The specific activity of r-APPA is 356.7 U/mg, and the Km value was 0.49 mmol/L and Vmax of 238 U/mg. The enzyme showed resistance to pepsin and trypsin treatment.
6-Phytase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hafnia ; enzymology ; genetics ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo develop a reliable, rapid assay for detecting pathogenic aspergillus species in fungal sinusitis.

METHODSThirty-seven formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded surgical tissue specimens from patients with fungal sinusitis were used in the present study. The aspergillus specific oligonucleotide probe was designed, commercially synthesized, and digoxigenin-labeled. Twenty-three-base oligonucleotides was selected that was complementary to 18S ribosomal RNA sequences (18S-1 probe) for detecting medically important aspergillus species.

RESULTSIn situ hybridization for aspergillus rRNA was positive in 28 cases with the 18S-1 probe. Compared with HE (21) and methenamine-silver stain (23).

CONCLUSIONIn situ hybridization provides rapid and accurate identification for fungal organism in tissues, and may be useful if cultures are negative or have not performed.

Adult ; Aged ; Aspergillosis ; diagnosis ; Aspergillus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Male ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Fungal ; isolation & purification ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S ; isolation & purification ; Sinusitis ; diagnosis ; microbiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possible pathways for ovarian injury after administration of cyclophosphamide in rats.

METHODSAdult SD rats received a single injection of saline vehicle or chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide, and 8 weeks later, the ovaries were removed, fixed and serially sectioned for pathological examination and ovarian follicle counting. The expression of stem cell factor (SCF) protein was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and immunoreactive score, and SCF mRNA expression determined by RT-PCR in rat ovaries.

RESULTSCyclophosphamide had a detrimental effect on ovarian stromal function and lead to primordial follicle loss. Immunoreactive SCF antigens were expressed on the oocytes in the primordial and primary follicles of rat ovaries, and also in the granulosa cells of the secondary follicles and early antral follicles. There was a higher granulosa SCF, lower oocyte SCF and higher SCF mRNA level in the ovaries of the rats exposed to cyclophosphamide as compared with those in control rat ovaries (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONAltered SCF expression in the ovaries of rats exposed to cyclophosphamide can be helpful for understanding the mechanisms for chemotherapeutic drug-induced ovarian damage.

Animals ; Cyclophosphamide ; adverse effects ; Female ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Granulosa Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Ovary ; cytology ; drug effects ; injuries ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stem Cell Factor ; genetics ; metabolism

Purpose To investigate the role of CHMP4A and TSPYL-2 in early pathogenesis of esophageal cancer.Methods Through comparison of the four subtractive libraries,early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma genes CHMP4A and TSPYL-2 were chosen for further study.Through RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry methods,CHMP4A and TSPYL-2's expression was detected in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue,cancerous tissue and normal esophageal mucosa.Results CHMP4A and TSPYL-2 expression between esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and normal esophageal epithelium tissue had significant differences (P ＜ 0.05),and the CHMP4A gene expression in esophageal mucosa,field cancerization areas,esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue increased,while TSPYL-2 gene expression in esophageal mucosa,field cancerization areas,esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue decreased,which were consistent with the protein expression of CHMP4A and TSPYL-2.Conclusion CHMP4A and TSPYL-2 genes are differentially expressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma,which can be used as alternative genetic markers for further research.