Genomics ; methods ; Humans ; Microbiology

Objective To study the cell apoptosis and the dynamic expression and significance of apoptosis-related genes in graft veins. Methods A rat experimental model of autogenous graft vein was established by transplanting the right external jugular vein to infrarenal abdominal aorta in 100 Wistar rats. TUNEL and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the apoptosis, the expression of apoptosis related genes bcl 2 and bax in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of graft veins. Results Within the 8 weeks after transplantation, the apoptotic VSMCs in the graft veins were much more than those in the control group with the apoptotic rate reaching the peak〔(28.5?16.6)%〕 on the 2nd week and dropping to (8.1?2.8)% during the 4th to 8th week. There was statistical difference compared to the control group 〔(0.5?0.2)%, P

Objective Dipole source analysis was employed to investigate the transient changes in brain mechanisms at earlier latencies.Methods Fourteen healthy volunteers were recruited in this research and evoked event-related potentials (ERPs) of unimodal and bimodal visual auditory stimuli were recorded by 64-electrodes electroencephalograph (EEG) recording system.All these earlier phases of the stimuli were divided into several subphases by specific time window for source analysis.Results The results showed that ERPs sources were mainly generated from visual and audio cortex,and there were changes in the location and strength of the dipole sources in each sub-phase.Conclusions The result of this study implies a serial processing of sensory information in human cortices in early phase of visual and auditory stimuli.

Adolescent ; Humans ; Male ; Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor ; genetics ; Mutation ; Waardenburg Syndrome ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of embryonic dermal signal on the hair-inductive capacity of neonatal mice dermal cells which have been amplified in vitro.

METHODSEmbryonic mice dermal cells of embryonic day 14 were added to a chamber on the back of nude mice with neonatal mice dermal cells which had been amplified in vitro for 3 days and freshly isolated neonatal mice epidermal cells. The hair regeneration was compared between the groups with or without embryonic mice dermal cells. Meanwhile, chambers with following cells respectively were constructed as controls: embryonic mice dermal cells + neonatal mice epidermal cells; freshly isolated neonatal mice dermal cells + neonatal mice epidermal cells; amplified neonatal mice dermal cells only; embryonic mice dermal cells only; freshly isolated neonatal mice dermal cells only; neonatal mice epidermal cells only.

RESULTSThe number of regenerated hairs with the aid of embryonic mice dermal cells (207 +/- 15. 948) was significantly higher than that (67 +/- 8.963) in the group without embryonic mice dermal cells (n = 3, t = 7.653, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONEmbryonic dermal signal can enhance the hair-inductive capacity of neonatal mice dermal cells which have been amplified in vitro.

Animals ; Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Cells, Cultured ; Hair ; physiology ; Hair Follicle ; surgery ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Regeneration ; Skin ; cytology ; embryology

Proteins extracted from two varieties of Chinese roses leaves were separated by two- dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) with immobilized pH gradient (IPG). Many difference proteins were isolated with molecular weights ranging 10-30 kDa and pI5-6. Three proteins of high levels observed in a gel were excised and identified using peptide mass fingerprinting and MS-MS. A summary of the identified proteins and their putative functions are presented. They are identified as eIF-5A、LEA protein and Hsp17. 5. Functions of these proteins in plant tolerance to high temperature were discussed.

Vernalization makes Arabidopsis and other cruciferous plants flowering earlier. During this process, an important plant homeodomain-finger(PHD-finger) protein named VIN3 is involved. The PHD domain was a conserved zinc-finger domain in eukaryotic organism. It used to take part in the interaction between proteins, especially the modification on histone of nucleosome, such as methylation, acetylation and phosphorylation. In vernaliazation pathway, the proteins translated by VERNALIZATION INSENSITIVE 3(VIN3) and homologous genes could result in methylation on H3K9 and H3K27 and deacetylation on H3K9 and H3K14 on chromatin histone of FLOWERING LOCUS C, a gene that inhibited flowering. The structure state of FLC would be changed from relaxation into compression. Then the transcription activity of FLC could be restrained and it couldn't inhibit flowering any more, so it would induce flowering earlier. This paper reviewed the function of PHD-finger proteins in vernalization pathway in Arabidopsis and other cruciferous plants, and overviewed the vernalization mechanism.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Arabidopsis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Arabidopsis Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Brassicaceae ; genetics ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; genetics ; physiology ; Histones ; metabolism ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; MADS Domain Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Zinc Fingers

Objective To investigate the effects of zoledronic acid on the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF in osteosarcoma LM8 cell line under hypoxic condition. Methods The hypoxic culture model was established. After LM8 cells were treated with zoledronic acid, semi-quantitative PCR was used to assess the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF mRNA. The expression of HIF-lct and VEGF protein was de-tected by immunohistochemical staining and ELISA respectively. Results Compared with cells in normoxic conditions, cells in the hypoxic environment and cells treated with zoledronic acid in the hypoxic condition did not show a significant change in the mRNA level of HIF-1α(P >0. 05). However, the protein expression of HIF-1α was markedly decreased in the cells treated with zoledronic acid in the hypoxic envi-ronment. In contrast, both mRNA and protein expression levels of VEGF were down-regulated in the zoledronic acid treatment hypoxic group (P <0.05). Conclusion Under hypoxic conditions in vitro, zoledronic acid inhibited the expression of HIF-1α protein, which decreased VEGF mRNA level and protein expression in osteosarcorna LM8 cell line.

Objective To analyze the sensitivity of clinical isolates of Candida albicans to flucona- zole,to detect mutations in their ERG11 genes,and to investigate the correlation between ERG11 gene mutation and resistance to fluconazole.Methods Candida albicans was identified from clinical isolates of Candida spp..The sensitivity to fluconazole was detected in vitro by microdilution-basesd method and Rosco tablets method.Three pairs of primers were designed to amplify three fragments of ERG11 gene(483 bps, from 295 bp to777 bp;482bps,from 723 bp to 1204 bp;489 bps,from 1179 bp to 1667 bp)after the extracting of genomic DNA.PCR products were sequenced.Results Eighty clinical isolates of Candida spp.were collected,which included 52 isolates of Candida albicans,all of which were sensitive to flucona- zole.Nineteen mutations were detected in ERG11 gene of 5 fluconazole-sensitive clinical isolates.Of the 19 mutations,14 were samesense mutations,and the remaing 5 missense mutations(T495A,A530C, G640A,A945C and G1609A),resulting in amino acid substitution D116E,K128T,E165K,E266D and V488I,respectively in lanosterol 14 alpha-demethylase.E165K was a novel mutation.Conclusions The clinical isolates of Candida albicans were highly sensitive to fluconazole;E165K and V488I might not lead to the resistance of Candida albicans to fluconazole.

Objective To investigate and analyze the clinical and imageological features of skull base erosion in nasopharyngeal carcinoma( NPC). Methods 67 NPC patients proved by pathology were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent both CT and MRI plain plus enhancement scan. Scan slices were performed from oral pharynx (lower border of second cervical vertebra) to suprasellar cistern by axial CT scans and axial, sagittal and coronal MRI scans. Results (1) 52 patients with skull base erosion were found with MRI, and only 35 patients with CT. The following structures and figures were difined with CT and MRI respectively: pterygoid plates 8,14; clivus 22,25 ; petrous apex 25 ,28 ; sphenoid body or sinus 19,25; sphenoid wing 9, 12; cavernous sinus 14,17. The display difference between CT and MRI had statistical significance ( x2= 9. 47 , P = 0. 02). (2) CT- defined skull base erosion was most bone destruction , however, not only bone destruction but also tumor crossing skull base structure could be defined by MRI. (3) The incidence of headache was 82.7% (43/52) , cranial nerve palsy was 67. 3% (35/52) , both headache and cranial nerve palsy was 57. 7% (30/52). Conclusion Headache and cranial nerve palsy are primary characteristics of the skull base erosion in NPC. MRI is superior to CT in defining both bone erosion and brain tissue abnormality.