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Biomedical subjects

J Song

Publications and source records attributed to J Song.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources

Pituitary insulin-like growth factor-I content and gene expression in the streptozotocin-diabetic rat: evidence for tissue-specific regulation.

Insulinopenic diabetes mellitus in the rat is associated with reduced circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), resulting primarily from decreased IGF-I synthesis in liver and extrahepatic sites. Plasma GH levels in these animals are also suppressed, with loss of episodic secretion and decreased pituitary synthesis. Intrapituitary IGF-I has been postulated to exert local autocrine/paracrine negative feedback regulation on GH synthesis and secretion. The present studies were designed to examine regulation of pituitary IGF-I peptide content and gene expression in insulinopenic streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats compared to that in liver and testis. Serum IGF-I levels were reduced by 86% in STZ-diabetic rats together with reduction of IGF-I content in liver (53%) and testis (74%; all P less than 0.001 vs. control). Concomitantly, liver and testicular IGF-I mRNA levels were reduced by 90% (P less than 0.001 vs. control). Insulin treatment restored IGF-I peptide levels in serum, liver, and testis toward normal, with a partial but significant increase in liver IGF-I mRNA. In contrast, pituitary IFG-I peptide content increased by 69% in STZ-diabetic rats (P less than 0.001 vs. control), with no change in IGF-I gene expression. Insulin treatment completely reversed the rise of pituitary IGF-I peptide content. These results demonstrate a novel discordance in the regulation of IGF-I gene expression and peptide content between pituitary and other tissues in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Elevated IGF-I levels in the pituitaries of these animals may partly explain the suppressed GH synthesis and secretion seen in STZ-diabetic rats and provide further evidence for a potential autocrine or paracrine role of pituitary IGF-I in GH regulation.

Animals↗

An analysis of sex ratio of the elderly in Heilongjiang province.

The authors analyze data concerning the sex ratio among those aged 60 and over living in Heilongjiang province, China. "Data from...three population censuses and the 1987 1% sample survey of Heilongjiang Province both [indicate] that the sex ratio of the elderly population is without exception higher than the sex ratio of the whole population...." Some reasons for this differential are discussed, including migration and excess female mortality.

Adult↗

Double-edged limit of total fertility rates.

In this paper we present the accurate estimation of total fertility rates, prove the theorem of upper and lower bounds of double-edged limit and provide the formulas of upper and lower bounds of total fertility rates. Based on these estimations and statistical data, we calculate the upper and lower bounds of the double-edged limit for 46 countries including China. Furthermore, we describe the positive growth rate, negative growth rate and zero growth rate of population development. These results are of great importance for us to control population not only in theory but also in practice.

Fertility↗

[Preliminary study on soilless cultivation techniques of Panax quinquefolium L].

Our experiment has shown 1. Vermiculite with sand (volume 1:1) is a good substrate of soil for American Ginseng. The yield and contents of ginsenoside of American ginseng in this soilless substrate are a little higher than those in ordinary soil. 2. This kind of substrate can be used continuously with fewer occurrences of insect pest and plant diseases and contributes significantly to the reduction of production cost.

Ginsenosides↗

Primary adenocarcinoma of the bladder: favorable prognostic significance of deoxyribonucleic acid diploidy measured by flow cytometry.

Flow cytometric nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy analysis was done successfully on 38 specimens of primary bladder adenocarcinoma treated between 1954 and 1985. Of the specimens 10 (26%) were deoxyribonucleic acid diploid, 8 (21%) were tetraploid and 20 (53%) were aneuploid. Distribution of ploidy patterns between the 14 histological low grade and 24 high grade tumors was similar. Of 38 tumors 35 (92%) showed muscle invasion. One tumor arose in a previously exstrophied bladder, 10 were of urachal origin and 27 arose in an anatomically normal bladder. Of the urachal origin tumors 80% were deoxyribonucleic acid aneuploid. At 5 and 10 years after diagnosis 80 and 70%, respectively, of the patients with diploid tumors were free of disease. By contrast, at 5 and 10 years after treatment only 20 and 12%, respectively, of the patients with nondiploid tumors have not had disease progression (p less than 0.001 log-rank test). None of the 6 patients with diploid, high grade, high stage, muscle invasive tumors had subsequent progression. In contrast, 16 of 17 patients (94%) with high grade, high stage, nondiploid tumors had either local or distant tumor recurrence (p less than 0.0005). Nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy pattern appears to be the most significant prognostic information currently available to stratify expected prognosis for patients with muscle invasive adenocarcinoma of the bladder. This test probably should be a standard tool in the clinical management of patients with this rare bladder malignancy.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Bilayer membrane bending stiffness by tether formation from mixed PC-PS lipid vesicles.

Recently, a new approach to measure the bending stiffness (curvature elastic modulus) of lipid bilayer membrane was developed (Biophys. J., Vol. 55; pp. 509-517, 1989). The method involves the formation of cylindrical membrane strands (tethers) from bilayer vesicles. The bending stiffness (B) can be calculated from measurements of the tether radius (Rt) as a function of the axial force (f) on the tether: B = f.Rt/2 pi. In the present report, we apply this method to determine the bending stiffness of bilayer membranes composed of mixtures of SOPC (1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidyl choline) and POPS (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidyl serine). Three different mixtures were tested: pure SOPC, SOPC plus 2 percent (mol/mol) POPS, and SOPC plus 16 percent POPS. The bending stiffness determined for these three different lipid mixtures were not significantly different (1.6-1.8 x 10(-12) ergs). Because POPS carries a net negative charge, these results indicate that changes in the density of the membrane surface charge have no effect on the intrinsic rigidity of the membrane. The values we obtain are consistent with published values for the bending stiffness of other membranes determined by different methods. Measurements of the aspiration pressure, tether radius and the tether force were used to verify a theoretical relationship among these quantities at equilibrium. The ratio of the theoretical force to the measured force was 1.12 +/- 0.17.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗

Influence of food deprivation in the rat on hypothalamic expression of growth hormone-releasing factor and somatostatin.

Food deprivation in the rat is associated with a reduction in serum GH levels characterized by suppression of high amplitude GH bursts and a decrease in the duration of secretory episodes. The mechanism(s) mediating this response is unknown. The present studies were designed to evaluate the role of hypothalamic factors potentially responsible for abnormal GH dynamics in food-deprived rats by measuring hypothalamic prepro-GH-releasing factor (GRF) and preprosomatostatin (SRIF) mRNA and peptide levels in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats after 72 h of food deprivation or free access to food. Hypothalamic prepro-GRF mRNA was reduced 80% in food-deprived rats compared to that in fed controls (P less than 0.001), while GRF content was unchanged. Levels of prepro-SRIF mRNA in food-deprived rats were similar to those in controls, as was hypothalamic SRIF content. The time course of hypothalamic prepro-GRF mRNA reduction was determined in groups of rats food-deprived for 24, 48, or 72 h and revealed a significant (30%) reduction of prepro-GRF mRNA (P less than 0.05 vs. fed) by 24 h, with maximal reduction (80%) by 48 h. Refeeding groups of animals for up to 72 h after they had been food-deprived for 72 h resulted in restoration of prepro-GRF mRNA levels to 50% of control levels by 24 h (P less than 0.05 vs. fed) and a return to control values by 48 h. These data suggest that decreased GRF gene expression and possibly GRF release play a major role in the loss of pulsatile GH secretion seen in this model of nutrient deprivation.

Animal Feed↗

[Image processing of topographic EEG in epilepsy].

The processing of epileptic computerized topographical EEG (CTE) with the principle of image enhancement and point-by-point process was reported. The results indicated that the high potential distribution of CTE markedly reduced, the focus location was prominent and the mirror nearly disappeared after processing CTE image. The difference increased between the spike grey and the fast wave. This is advantageous to the surgical treatment of epileptic focus in brain.

Adolescent↗

Neutral glycolipids of migrating and nonmigrating rabbit corneal epithelium in organ and cell culture.

It is generally believed that plasma membrane glycoconjugates influence corneal epithelial cell migration after wounding. Previous studies have focused on the role of glycoproteins in this event. The present study was designed to determine whether migration-specific glycolipids are synthesized by epithelium of healing rabbit corneas. Migrating and nonmigrating rabbit corneal epithelia were incubated with [3H]-galactose in an organ culture system for 48 hr. At the end of the labeling period, a neutral glycosphingolipid (NGSL) fraction was isolated from each radiolabeled epithelium and was analyzed by thin-layer chromatography. Three radiolabeled NGSL components, M1, M2 and M3 (M1-M3), were present in significantly higher amounts in the extracts of migrating as compared to nonmigrating epithelium. Chromatographic mobility of M3 was similar to that of a standard glucosylceramide; M1 and M2 migrated more slowly than M3. For characterization of the migration-related NGSL, a large amount of the starting material is required. Experiments, therefore, were conducted using cell cultures of rabbit corneal epithelium. Confluent (nonmigrating) cell cultures of rabbit corneal epithelium were found to synthesize either minimal or undetectable amounts of NGSL M1-M3. In contrast, we found that the NGSL M1-M3 are synthesized as major components by sparse (migrating) corneal epithelial cell cultures. Components M1-M3 were synthesized as major components by sparse cultures even in the absence of cell mitosis. This suggests that the increased synthesis of components M1-M3 by sparse cell cultures may be related to cell migration rather than cell mitosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

[Effects of concentration and ratio of N, P and K on seedlings of Panax quinquefolium L].

Results of the orthogonal experiment of N, P and K are as follows: (1) The highest growth rate occurs in treatment 4 (N100ppm, P25ppm, K250ppm) and other features are also good. So this treatment can be used in hydroponics of seedling of P. quinquefolium. (2) The influences of N, P and K concentration on the contents of ginsenosides in different parts of seedling are different. The content of ginsenosides in aerial part is 14.72-16.72%, higher than 3.24-4.00% in root.

Ginsenosides↗

Ultrastructural localization of prolactin and chromogranin B messenger ribonucleic acids with biotinylated oligonucleotide probes in cultured pituitary cells.

A technique for the subcellular localization of prolactin and chromogranin B messenger RNAs (mRNA) in pituitary adenomas by in situ hybridization with biotinylated oligonucleotide probes is described. Ultrastructural examination revealed clusters and individual gold particles in the cytoplasm with this pre-embedding in situ hybridization method. Prolactinomas expressed both prolactin and chromogranin B mRNA, whereas the null cell adenoma expressed only chromogranin B mRNA. Sections of positively labeled cells contained up to 30 gold particles/cell. Treatment of cells with RNAse before hybridization reduced the number of gold particles to less than 1/cell. These results indicate that biotinylated oligonucleotide probes can be used to localize different mRNAs in cultured pituitary cells at the ultrastructural level to study the processing of these molecules within specific cells and for more precise correlation of molecular function with ultrastructural morphology.

Adenoma↗

Rapid and sensitive analysis of 8-methoxypsoralen in plasma.

A new method has been developed to extract 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) from human plasma and to prepare samples for high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Plasma samples are passed through solid phase extraction cartridges that are essentially HPLC "microcolumns" consisting of a bonded silica sorbent that, after activation, selectively retain 8-MOP and then release it when exposed to an eluting solvent. The 8-MOP collected from the cartridge is analyzed by reversed phase HPLC. With this new technique, the 8-MOP is completely recovered and as little as 10 ng/ml can be detected in a 1-ml plasma sample. The average plasma level in a series of 17 patients who had ingested Oxsoralen (approximately 0.6 mg/kg) was 117 ng/ml (+/- 79).

Humans↗

A fertile mule and hinny in China.

Anecdotal reports of fertility in female mules (jack donkey x mare) and hinnies (stallion x jenny donkey) have appeared in the literature over the years, but scientists have generally regarded them with scepticism. The fact that some of these hybrids can come into estrous and ovulate makes fertility conceivable, given that opportunity for mating arises. In China, where mules are bred extensively for work on the farms, a fertile female mule and a fertile female hinny have now been verified by chromosomal investigation. Each had mated with a donkey and produced a filly foal. The foals show unique hybrid karyotypes different from the mule's or hinny's and different from each other's. The studies make it clear that mule and hinny fertility, at least for the female hybrid, is a real possibility.

Animals↗