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Biomedical subjects

L Zuo

Publications and source records attributed to L Zuo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Size dependence of incipient dislocation plasticity in Ni3Al.

Molecular dynamics simulations are carried out to study the incipient dislocation plasticity in Ni3Al. Dislocation nucleation is found to occur preferentially at energetic atomic clusters with larger-than-average relative displacements. From the simulated distribution of the atomic relative displacements, a scaling model is proposed to predict the size dependence of the incipient plasticity condition in real-sized specimens.

Journal Article↗

[Pulmonary damage caused by right side infective endocarditis in intravenous drug users].

OBJECTIVE: To highlight the understanding of pulmonary damage caused by right side infective endocarditis (RIE). METHODS: 28 intravenous drug users with pulmonary damage caused by RIE from 1994 to 2000 were reviewed with chest roentgenogram, chest B-ultrasound, blood gas analysis and sputum cultures. RESULTS: 100% (28/28) cases with RIE showed pulmonary damage, in which cough 100% (28/28), expectoration 71% (20/28), breathlessness 64% (18/28), pleuritic chest pain 57% (16/28), hemoptysis 36% (10/28) rales were present in 20 cases (71%) (20/28). By chest X-rays 82% (23/28) patients showed pulmonary infiltrative lesion, 21% (6/28) showed multiple thin wall cystic lesion. manifestations for pulmonary embolism were shown in 6 cases (21%). Pleural effusion was confirmed by chest B-ultrasound in 6 cases (21%). Respiratory failure present in 4 cases (4/28). Positive rate of sputum cultures was 54% (15/28). The prognosis for twenty-three patients (82%) when treated with the regimen of 4 to 6 weeks of parenteral antibiotics was good, Five patients (18%) underwent surgery, and two of them died. CONCLUSION: The pulmonary damage by RIE should be paid more attention to for avoiding misdiagnosis.

Adolescent↗

Intra- and extracellular measurement of reactive oxygen species produced during heat stress in diaphragm muscle.

Skeletal muscles are exposed to increased temperatures during intense exercise, particularly in high environmental temperatures. We hypothesized that heat may directly stimulate the reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in diaphragm (one kind of skeletal muscle) and thus potentially play a role in contractile and metabolic activity. Laser scan confocal microscopy was used to study the conversion of hydroethidine (a probe for intracellular ROS) to ethidium (ET) in mouse diaphragm. During a 30-min period, heat (42 degrees C) increased ET fluorescence by 24 +/- 4%, whereas in control (37 degrees C), fluorescence decreased by 8 +/- 1% compared with baseline (P < 0.001). The superoxide scavenger Tiron (10 mM) abolished the rise in intracellular fluorescence, whereas extracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD; 5,000 U/ml) had no significant effect. Reduction of oxidized cytochrome c was used to detect extracellular ROS in rat diaphragm. After 45 min, 53 +/- 7 nmol cytochrome c. g dry wt(-1). ml(-1) were reduced in heat compared with 22 +/- 13 nmol. g(-1). ml(-1) in controls (P < 0.001). SOD decreased cytochrome c reduction in heat to control levels. The results suggest that heat stress stimulates intracellular and extracellular superoxide production, which may contribute to the physiological responses to severe exercise or the pathology of heat shock.

1,2-Dihydroxybenzene-3,5-Disulfonic Acid Disodium ↗

Flow cytometric DNA analyses of epithelial dysplasia of the esophagus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate, with flow cytometry, DNA aneuploidy as a marker of early carcinogenesis in dysplastic esophageal lesions. STUDY DESIGN: DNA content of exfoliated cells from 789 cases of esophageal dysplasia (including mild dysplasia, 195 cases; moderate dysplasia, 383 cases; and severe dysplasia, 211 cases) was determined with a FACS 420 flow cytometer. RESULTS: Cellular DNA content was closely related to the severity of dysplasia. The carcinogenesis rate in patients with dysplasia showed that DNA aneuploidy was significantly higher than in patients showing DNA diploidy. CONCLUSION: DNA aneuploidy in dysplastic lesions is a very important early signal of carcinogenesis. Patients with dysplastic lesions showing DNA aneuploidy should be treated and closely followed.

Aneuploidy↗

[Effects of excessive iodine on apoptosis and expression of bcl-2, bax genes in the cells of brain and thyroid gland in guinea pigs].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of excessive iodine intake on apoptosis and the expression of bcl-2, bax genes in the cells of brain and thyroid gland. METHODS: Guinea pigs, divided into two groups at random, were fed with distilled water containing iodine 50 microg/L (a control group with appropriate iodine) and 10,000 microg/L (a trial group with excessive iodine), respectively for six months. Apoptosis rate and expression of bcl-2, bax gene in the cells of cerebral cortex, hippocampus and thyroid gland in guinea pigs were quantitatively determined by flow cytometry and immunofluorescent techniques. RESULTS: The proportion of apoptosis in the cells of cerebral cortex, hippocampus and thyroid gland was significantly higher in the group with excessive iodine intake than that in the control one (P < 0.01). The level of expression of bcl-2 gene was notably decreased (P < 0.05), but that of bax was notably increased (P < 0.01), in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and thyroid gland in the group with excessive iodine than in the control one. The ratio of bcl-2 to bax in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and thyroid gland of the group with excessive iodine was decreased significantly (P < 0.01) than that of the control one. CONCLUSION: Excessive iodine intake may induce apoptosis in the cells of cerebral cortex, hippocampus and thyroid gland. The over-expression of bax gene and the down-regulation of bcl-2, which can then cause the decrease in a ratio of bcl-2 to bax, appear to play an important role in the course of apoptosis induced by excessive iodine intake.

Animals↗

[Effect of deoxynivalenol and aflatoxin G1 on apoptosis of human blood lymphocytes in vitro].

Effect of deoxynivalenol (DON) and aflatoxin G1 (AFG1) on human blood lymphocytes in culture were studied with flow cytometric DNA content analyses and DNA agarose gel electrophoresis. DON and AFG1 are two of the predominant mycotoxins contaminating foodstuffs or residents in a high incidence of esophageal cancer in Cixian County, Hebei province. A typical sub-diploid apoptosis peak was demonstrated in lymphocytes treated with DON and AFG1. A significant dose-effect response and time-effect correlation could be found between apoptosis rates and mycotoxin concentrations (DON: 50-2000 micrograms/L and AFG1: 3.12-2000 micrograms/L) and the treated time (DON: 2-72 hours and AFG1: 2-24 hours). The lymphocytes treated with DON and AFG1 showed characteristic 'ladder' pattern in agarose gel electrophoresis. All results confirmed that DON and AFG1 could induce and accelerate apoptosis in human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

Aflatoxins↗

Oxidants and skeletal muscle function: physiologic and pathophysiologic implications.

Previous studies have demonstrated that skeletal muscles generate considerable reactive oxygen during intense muscle contraction. However, the significance of this phenomenon and whether it represents normal physiology or pathology are poorly understood. Treatment with exogenous antioxidants suggests that normal redox tone during contraction is influencing ongoing contractile function, both at rest and during intense exercise. This could represent the influence of redox-sensitive proteins responsible for excitation-contraction coupling or redox-sensitive metabolic enzymes. Some conditions associated with intense exercise, such as local tissue hypoxia or elevated tissue temperatures, could also contribute to reactive oxygen production. Evidence that muscle conditioning results in upregulation of antioxidant defenses also suggests a close relationship between reactive oxygen and contractile activity. Therefore, there appears to be a significant role for reactive oxygen in normal muscle physiology. However, a number of conditions may lead to an imbalance of oxidant production and antioxidant defense, and these, presumably, do create conditions of oxidant stress. Ischemia-reperfusion, severe hypoxia, severe heat stress, septic shock, and stretch-induced injury may all lead to oxidant-mediated injury to myocytes, resulting in mechanical dysfunction.

Animals↗

Cellular DNA, ras p21 and p53 expression in the carcinogenesis of adenomatous colorectal polyps.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the possible roles of cellular DNA, oncogene ras and tumor suppressor gene p53 in the carcinogenesis of colorectal adenomatous polyps (CAP). STUDY DESIGN: Cellular DNA content, oncogene ras and tumor suppressor gene p53 expression at the protein level were quantitatively studied with flow cytometry (FCM) in 16 cases of CAP with mild epithelial dysplasia (CAP-MD), 16 cases of CAP with moderate/severe epithelial dysplasia (CAP-M/SD) and 11 cases of cancer in adenomatous polyps (CIAP). RESULTS: Nuclear DNA contents of CAP-M/SD (DNA [DI] = 1.11 +/- 0.06) and CIAP (DI = 1.29 +/- 0.03) were significantly higher than those of CAP-MD (DI = 1.06 +/- 0.06) and normal controls (DI = 1.00, P < .005) and were in the FCM DNA aneuploidy range. The rates and amount (as determined by the fluoresence index) of mutant p53 protein expression in CAP-M/SD and CIAP were significantly higher than those in the control and CAP-MD groups. Positive rates of ras p21 expression were all high in CAP-MD, CAP-M/SD and CIAP (80%, 75% and 100%, respectively), yet the intensity of expression in the last was significantly stronger than those in the former two groups. DNA aneuploid, ras p21 and p53 coexpression were found in 10 of 11 cases of CIAP. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that cellular DNA, ras p21 and p53 are all involved in the carcinogenesis of CAP. Clinically, the appearance of DNA aneuploidy, ras p21 or p53 overexpression should be considered markers of malignant conversion in CAP.

Adenomatous Polyps↗

[Misdiagnosis of acute renal failure and the clinical significance of renal biopsy].

OBJECTIVE: To improve the diagnostic accuracy of acute renal failure (ARF) by analyzing the causes of misdiagnosis. METHODS: To compare the correlation between admission and final diagnoses, find the possible causes of misdiagnosis and summarize the influence of early diagnosis and treatment on prognosis. RESULTS: In 111 ARF patients, only 67.6% (75/111) was diagnosed as ARF before admission; 14.4% (16/111) was misdiagnosed as chronic renal failure (CRF); 18.0% (20/111) as renal tumor, urinary lithiasis and hematuria or proteinuria of unknown origin. Renal biopsy was performed in 69 cases. Diagnosis was corrected in 21.7% (15/69) of the cases and the method of treatment was changed in 56.5% (39/69) cases after biopsy. CONCLUSION: It is showed that some cases of ARF were misdiagnosed as CRF. The size of the kidney and finger nail creatinine level would be helpful in the differentiation of CRF and ARF. The difficulty in establishing the causes of ARF is the differentiation between acute glomerulonephritis and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN), acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and acute interstitial nephritis (AIN). ATN or AIN with chronic glomerulonephritis may be confused with RPGN. When there is difficulty in differentiation, renal biopsy should be performed as soon as possible.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

[Purification of outer membrane proteins in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by high performance ion-exchange liquid chromatography].

Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 was used in this study. Isolation of outer membrane was accomplished by treating the cell envelope with EDTA and lysozyme, followed by centrifugation. The outer membrane (10 mg of protein) was mixed with 34 mmol/L octyl beta-glucoside-5 mmol/L EDTA-10 mmol/L Tris-HCl (pH 8.0) and subjected to supersonic oscillation for 2 min. The centrifuged supernatant (100 kgf for 30 min at 20 degrees C) was applied onto a DEAE ion-exchange high performance liquid chromatographic column (TSK gel-DEAE-5PW column, 0.75 cm x 7.5 cm i.d.) that was equilibrated with a solution of 10 mmol/L Tris-HCl buffer (pH 8.0) containing 2.5 mmol/L beta-C12E8 and 1 mmol/L EDTA. The column was washed with the same solution and eluted with a linear gradient of 0-0.5 mol/L NaCl in the same solution and fractions A, B, C were collected. Proteins in these fractions were analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and quantified by the method of Lowry et al. Protein E(Mr 43,000), G(Mr 25,000) and H (Mr 19,000) flowed through the column without adsorption in fraction A. Protein C(Mr 70,000), D(Mr 46,000) and a small amount of F (Mr 34,000) were eluted in fraction B. Fraction A was concentrated with ultrafiltration and applied again onto a DEAE ion-exchange HPLC column equilibrated with 10 mmol/L Tris-HCl buffer, pH 8.0, containing 34 mmol/L beta-C12E8 and 1 mmol/L MgCl2. Fraction B was subjected to DEAE ion-exchange HPLC column in the presence of EDTA. This fraction was then applied onto a DEAE ion-exchange HPLC column equilibrated with 10 mmol/L Tris-HCl buffer, pH 8.0, containing 34 mmol/L octylglucoside and 1 mmol/L EDTA. By these procedures protein C, D and E were purified to apparent homogeneity as judged by SDS-PAGE. In this work, we purified the outer membrane proteins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and used a new technique selectively solubilizing the cytoplasmic membrane with sodium lauryl sarcosinate for isolating the outer membrane proteins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa because of its relative simplicity.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

Inactivating mutations in an SH2 domain-encoding gene in X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome.

X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome (XLP) is an inherited immunodeficiency characterized by increased susceptibility to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). In affected males, primary EBV infection leads to the uncontrolled proliferation of virus-containing B cells and reactive cytotoxic T cells, often culminating in the development of high-grade lymphoma. The XLP gene has been mapped to chromosome band Xq25 through linkage analysis and the discovery of patients harboring large constitutional genomic deletions. We describe here the presence of small deletions and intragenic mutations that specifically disrupt a gene named DSHP in 6 of 10 unrelated patients with XLP. This gene encodes a predicted protein of 128 amino acids composing a single SH2 domain with extensive homology to the SH2 domain of SHIP, an inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase that functions as a negative regulator of lymphocyte activation. DSHP is expressed in transformed T cell lines and is induced following in vitro activation of peripheral blood T lymphocytes. Expression of DSHP is restricted in vivo to lymphoid tissues, and RNA in situ hybridization demonstrates DSHP expression in activated T and B cell regions of reactive lymph nodes and in both T and B cell neoplasms. These observations confirm the identity of DSHP as the gene responsible for XLP, and suggest a role in the regulation of lymphocyte activation and proliferation. Induction of DSHP may sustain the immune response by interfering with SHIP-mediated inhibition of lymphocyte activation, while its inactivation in XLP patients results in a selective immunodeficiency to EBV.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Reduction of gut hypoplasia and cachexia in tumor-bearing rats maintained on total parenteral nutrition and treated with peptide YY and clenbuterol.

Prevention of gut hypoplasia associated with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) was investigated in 67 adult male Fisher 344 rats. Mass and protein content of the small intestine was reduced by 31% and 39%, respectively, after 7 d of TPN in tumor-bearing (TB) rats. Coinfusing peptide YY (PYY; 1 nmol.kg-1.h-1) and treating the rats with the anabolic beta-adrenergic agonist, clenbuterol (CLE; 2 mg.kg-1.d-1), resulted in significant savings in small intestine weight (26% increase) and protein (42% increase). Although the colon also exhibited a significant decrease in mass (31%), none of the treatment combinations were effective in this region of the gut. Histologic analysis of ileum suggested that the additive effects of PYY and CLE were due to differential effects of these compounds on mucosal and muscular tissues, respectively. This combination of treatments also resulted in significant savings (30% increase) in gastrocnemius protein, suggesting a reduction in the cachectic response. These results suggest that TPN-induced gut hypoplasia and cancer cachexia may be reduced by the proper combination of nutritional, hormonal, and pharmacologic treatments. In addition, the anabolic effects of various treatments may be additive to counteract TPN-induced gut atrophy.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

[Quantitative study on synergistic effect of radix astragali A6 and acyclovir against herpes simplex virus type I by polymerase chain reaction].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the synergistic effect of Radix Astragali A6(A6) and acyclovir (ACV) in antagonizing herpes simplex virus type I (HSV1). METHODS: The synergistic effect was measured by competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and compared with that measured by traditional cytopathic effect (CPE) inhibition method. RESULTS: The minimum inhibition concentration of A6, ACV and A6 + ACV measured by PCR was 1.88 mg/ml, 3.37 micrograms/ml and 0.47 mg/ml + 0.84 microgram/ml respectively, while measured by CPE, it was 6.25 mg/ml, 50 micrograms/ml and 0.94 mg/ml + 12.5 micrograms/ml respectively. The fractional inhibitory combined indexes were all less than 0.5, which is an indication of obvious co-synergistic effect. CONCLUSION: The quantitative PCR is an effective method of screening antiviral drugs. The inhibitory action of A6 and ACV on HSV1 revealed mainly at the replicative stage of viral proliferation cycle.

Acyclovir↗

[Preserving remnant liver function after major hepatic vein occlusion].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the pathological changes of the remained hepatic lobe after major hepatic vein (MHV) occlusion. METHOD: Seventy-eight rats were randomly divided into the control group, the ligation group of segmental hepatic vein, the stricture group of left MHV, and the ligation group of left MHV. The pathology, hepatic microcirculation and hemodynamic changes of the involved hepatic lobe of MHV occlusion were dynamically determined. RESULT: Necrosis occurred in the hepatocytes at the first postoperative day in the ligation group of MHV. Extensive collaterals between the hepatic veins and the portal veins appeared in the periphery of involved liver lobe in the stricture group of MHV. The levels of endotoxin and TXB(2)/6-Keto-PGF1alpha in the blood of portal vein obviously increased in the ligation group of MHV and also increased in the stricture group of MHV. The levels of endotoxin and TXB(2)/6-Keto-PGF1alpha in the blood of portal vein in the ligation and stricture group of MHV were apparently higher than those in the ligation group of segmental hepatic vein and in the control group. CONCLUSION: The involved liver tissue can not tolerate complete MHV occlusion. The hepatic tissue lacking of MHV drain not only loss its function, but also cause endotoxemia and disorder of hepatic microcirculation. The involved hepatic lobe after the MHV ligation should have been resected at the same time.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗

[The experimental study on competitive PCR for quantitation of herpesviruses].

A single pair of oligonucleotide primer selected within a highly conserved region of the DNA polymerase gene in herpesviruses was synthesized. The competitive template DNA purified from cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA was used to carry out competitive PCR amplification with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) DNA (target sequences). And anti-HSV1 effects of acyclovir (ACV) was investigated by the method. The results showed that the efficacy of PCR amplification was equal to each other(the ratio of the quantity of competitor template with DNA to the target sequence was 1.5:1). As the concentration of ACV was increased, the quantity of HSV1, DNA was decreased. It suggests that this method is practicable and some defects of mutant template can be overcomed.

Acyclovir↗

mRNA differential display of colonic mucosa cells in ulcerative colitis.

Involvement of mucosal cells in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be a sequenced process and the molecular difference between involved and uninvolved cells might implicate a possible mechanism in the disease process. The aim of this study was to compare gene expression between involved and uninvolved colonic mucosa cells in an individual with ulcerative colitis (UC) and to clone, sequence, and identify those differentially expressed genes, mRNA differential display was used to identify the gene expression in the mucosa of the UC patient. Anchored oligo(dT) primers and random 5' oligonucleotide 10-mer were used to carry out polymerase chain reaction on reverse-transcribed RNA (RT-PCR). The amplified cDNAs were displayed on a standard sequencing gel and comparisons were drawn between each two lanes representing either involved or uninvolved cells from a specific combination of two primers. Wherever differences were noted between lanes, the bands were reamplified using PCR, cloned into specialized vectors for positive selection, and then confirmed by dot blot. The cloned genes were then sequenced and compared with the GenBank database. About 1200 mRNA species were displayed in the sequencing gel. Among them, 106 fragments were differentially expressed between the two groups. Twenty-five of those differentially displayed gene fragments have been isolated, reamplified, and cloned for sequencing and dot blot analysis. Seventeen of the fragments were differentially expressed using the dot blot technique. Among those 25 gene fragments, 14 have homology to known genes and 11 have no match to any reported genes. Those matched known genes included genes for parathyroid tumor, T cell receptor-beta, alpha-nascent polypeptide-associated complex, ovarian cancer, and myeloblast. This is the first study using mRNA differential display to observe differential gene expression between involved and uninvolved mucosa cells in UC and it shows that differential display is a rapid method for characterizing gene changes in vivo in ulcerative colitis. The results from this study may provide useful information and facilitate further gene studies in this disease.

Autoradiography↗

Organization of the Fugu rubripes Hox clusters: evidence for continuing evolution of vertebrate Hox complexes.

The clustered organization of Hox genes provides a powerful opportunity to examine gene gain and loss in evolution because physical linkage is a key diagnostic feature which allows homology to be established unambiguously. Furthermore, Hox genes play a key role in determination of axial and appendicular skeletal morphology and may be a key component of the evolution of diverse metazoan body forms. Despite suggestions that changes in Hox gene number played a role in evolution of metazoan body plans, there has been a general lack of evidence for such variation amongst gnathostomes (or indeed any vertebrate) and it has therefore been widely assumed that differential regulation may be the key element in all vertebrate Hox evolution. We have studied the Hox gene clusters of a teleost fish, Fugu rubripes, to test the possibility that Hox organization may have varied since the origin of jawed vertebrates. We have identified four Hox complexes in Fugu and found an unprecedented degree of variation when compared with tetrapod clusters. Our data show that: Fugu clusters are widely variant with respect to length; at least nine genes have been lost; there is a new group-2 paralogue; and pseudo-gene remnants of group-1 and group-3 paralogues were found in the Hoxc complex, when compared with the present mammalian clusters. We show that gene loss after duplication of the prototypical vertebrate Hox clusters is a key feature of both tetrapod and fish evolution.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Pituitary lineage determination by the Prophet of Pit-1 homeodomain factor defective in Ames dwarfism.

The gene apparently responsible for a heritable form of murine pituitary-dependent dwarfism (Ames dwarf, df) has been positionally cloned, identifying a novel, tissue-specific, paired-like homeodomain transcription factor, termed Prophet of Pit-1 (Prop-1). The df phenotype results from an apparent failure of initial determination of the Pit-1 lineage required for production of growth hormone, prolactin or thyroid-stimulating hormone, resulting in dysmorphogenesis and failure to activate Pit-1 gene expression. These results imply that a cascade of tissue-specific regulators is responsible for the determination and differentiation of specific cell lineages in pituitary organogenesis.

Alleles↗