[Analysis of volatile constituents in oakmoss concrete by GC-MS with solid phase microextraction].
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Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry↗
Biomedical subjects
Qiang Liu
Publications and source records attributed to Qiang Liu.
[Changes of serum nerve growth factor level in n-hexane induced neuropathy].
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Adolescent↗
[A pilot study of using pure albumin as a dialysate in the treatment of liver failure].
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of a new extracorporeal hepatic support-hemodialysis with albumin-based dialysate on patient with liver failure, and to compare the result with that of molecular absorbent recycling system (MARS). METHODS: Eighteen patients with liver failure were enrolled and treated intermittently with artificial liver on the basis of conventional regime. Among them, 12 of them were treated with single albumin dialysis (SAD) for 6 hours each period, and 6 with MARS for 6 hours. During each session of SAD, 4,000 ml albumin-based dialysate (45 g/L) was circulated in the dialysate route at a flow rate of 10 L/h with the blood flow rate of 250 ml/min. Liver and renal function, prothrombin activity (PTA), serum ammonia (NH(3)), endotoxin were monitored before and after the treatment, and the serial bilirubin content was measured in the serum and the albumin dialysate of all patients respectively 1-hour, 3-hour, 6-hour after the treatment with SAD. RESULTS: After treatment with SAD, the clinical symptoms and signs were improved and the hemodynamics were stabilized, complications were ameliorated partially, in particular hepatic encephalopathy was improved, with low incidence of adverse reaction, and the effective rate and survival rate were high. The serum PTA was increased obviously (P<0.05), and the serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), total bilirubin (TB), total bile acid (TBA), NH(3), endotoxin were decreased significantly (all P<0.05), and elimination of bilirubin slowed down gradually. The results showed that SAD was as effective as MARS, with a lower cost, and simpler and more convenient than MARS. CONCLUSION: Single albumin dialysis may eliminate protein-bound and water-soluble hepatic toxins, improve clinical symptoms and liver function in the treatment of liver failure, and worth further clinical study.
Adult↗
[Thinking of acupuncture and moxibustion slimming treatment].
The authors think the problems at present in clinical slimming treatment of acupuncture and moxibustion, such as the effect and the mechanism of slimming, local slimming and the rebounding of body weight after slimming therapy, etc.. Holding that acupuncture and moxibustion slimming therapy has a certain therapeutic effect, acupuncture and moxibustion treatment combined with proper control of diet, sports and other methods can increase the effect of reduction of body weight; and regulation of the satiety center, inhibition of excessive appetite and mobilization of decomposition of lipids are an ideal program for acupuncture and moxibustion slimming treatment; local slimming treatment should be conducted on the basis of general slimming treatment; regulation of the satiety center, scientific combination of diet and proper sports are a tactic for prevention from rebounding of body weight after slimming treatment.
Acupuncture Points↗
[Genetic relationships among Fructus Aurantii cultivars revealed by ISSR].
OBJECTIVE: A total of 27 samples belonging to 5 cultivars of Fructus Aurantii (Citrus aurantium), i. e. cv. Xiucheng, cv. Xiangcheng, cv. Lecheng, cv. Jizicheng, and cv. Youzicheng, collected at Changfu and Huanggang, Zhangshu City, Jiangxi Province, were assayed to reveal the genetic relationship among the cultivars and the accordance between morphological and molecular markers. METHOD: Cultivar identification was based on morphology and cultivar relationship was based on Inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR). RESULT: Twenty out of 40 ISSR primers screened generated 392 loci across all 27 samples with 315 informative loci. The UPGMA dendrogram showed that samples within cv. Xiucheng and cv. Xiangcheng from Changfu were closely related. However, samples of cv. Lecheng, cv. Jizicheng and cv. Youzicheng from Huanggang, or cv. Xiucheng and cv. Xiangcheng from both Changfu and Huanggang did not exhibited close relationships within each cultivars. CONCLUSION: Based on morphology the same cultivar grown in different plantations, or even within a single plantation sometimes do not show close genetic relationship, indicating diverse origin of the cultivars. Synonyms or homonyms are believed to common phenomenon in Fructus Aurantii production. To solve the problem ISSR markers can serve a kind of molecular markers which are preferable to partition genetic variations within and between cultivars and to establish genetic relationships among them.
Citrus↗
Expression of survivin and its significance in colorectal cancer.
AIM: To study the expression of survivin, a novel member of inhibitors of apoptosis protein (IAP) and its significance in colorectal carcinoma. METHODS: Survivin mRNA expression was evaluated by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 52 colorectal carcinoma samples and 48 adjacent normal colorectal tissue samples. PCR product was sequenced to verify the desired result. Expressions of survivin protein, proliferating cell nuclear antigen labelling index (PI) and apoptotic index (AI) were detected immunohistochemically in 52 human colorectal carcinomas. RESULTS: The expression of survivin mRNA was detected in a significantly greater proportion of colorectal carcinoma samples than in adjacent normal colorectal tissues (67.3% vs 25%; P<0.01). There was no relationship between survivin mRNA expression in colorectal carcinomas and sex, tumor size, histological types, lymphnode metastasis, distant metastasis and Dukes' stage. The PCR product shared 99% of homology with human counterparts. Survivin expression was observed immunohistochemically in 27 of 52 cases of colorectal carcinoma (51.9%). The AI was significantly lower in survivin positive group than in survivin negative group (0.67+/-0.18% vs 1.14+/-0.42%; P<0.001), while the PI was greater in survivin positive group than in survivin negative group (51+/-22% vs 27+/-18%, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Survivin is a special tumor marker independent of histopathological characteristics. It may play an important role during human colorectal tumorigenesis by inhibiting apoptosis and accelerating proliferative activity of colorectal tumor cells.
Apoptosis↗
[Effects of escharectomy during shock stage on tissue high mobility group box-1 expression and balance of pro-/anti-inflammatory response in rats after severe thermal injury].
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of escharectomy during shock stage on tissue high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) expression and balance of pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokines, and to elucidate the potential mechanism underlying beneficial effect of early escharectomy after severe burns. METHODS: Wistar rats inflicted by 30% full-thickness thermal injury were randomly divided into thermal injury group, 24 h escharectomy group and 72 h escharectomy group, in which escharectomy were performed at 24 and 72 h postburn, respectively. Gene expression of HMGB1, interleukin-10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in liver and lungs was detected with reverse-transcription PCR, and protein levels of IL-10 and TNF-alpha in liver and lung tissues were measured by ELISA. The plasma AST and ALT contents, and pulmonary myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were also assayed. RESULTS: The mRNA expression of HMGB1 and TNF-alpha in liver and lungs was up-regulated on postburn day 2, with IL-10 over-expression on postburn day 8. In the 24 h escharectomy group, HMGB1 and TNF-alpha mRNA expression in liver and lungs was down-regulated on postburn day 4, and IL-10 expression returned to normal range on postburn day 8, while the down-regulation of HMGB1, TNF-alpha and IL-10 were not noted in the 72 h escharectomy group. There were two peaks in liver TNF-alpha protein levels appearing on postburn days 2 and 8, respectively, with an unexpected marked decrease on day 4 in thermal injury controls, yet liver TNF-alpha levels maintained in normal range in animals of 24 h and 72 h escharectomy groups. The ratios of TNF-alpha to IL-10 protein levels in liver tissue were significantly increased on postburn days 2 and 4 (P = 0.0001 and 0.002, respectively), while escharectomy during shock stage markedly reduced hepatic TNF-alpha to IL-10 ratios (P = 0.0008 and 0.040, respectively). No significant changes in TNF-alpha protein levels in lung tissue were observed. Additionally, plasma AST as well as ALT contents, and pulmonary MPO activity were markedly decreased on postburn days 4 and 8 in the 24 h escharectomy group compared to the 72 h escharectomy group or thermal injury controls (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Escharectomy during burn shock stage could inhibit the over-expression of both early and late inflammatory mediators, and maintain the balance of pro-/anti-inflammatory response, thereby improving multiple organ functions in rats following severe burns.
Alanine Transaminase↗
Oligonucleotide ligation assay-based DNA chip for multiplex detection of single nucleotide polymorphism.
An oligonucleotide ligation assay-based DNA chip has been developed to detect single nucleotide polymorphism. Synthesized nonamers, complementary to the flanking sequences of the mutation sites in target DNA, were immobilized onto glass slides through disulfide bonds on their 5' terminus. Allele-specific pentamers annealed adjacent to the nonamers on the complementary target DNA, containing 5'-phosphate groups and biotin labeled 3'-ends, were mixed with the target DNA in tube. Ligation reactions between nonamers and pentamers were carried out on chips in the presence of T4 DNA ligase. Ligation products were directly visualized on chips through enzyme-linked assay. The effect of G:T mismatch at different positions of pentamers on the ligation were evaluated. The results showed that any mismatch between pentamer and the target DNA could lead to the decrease of ligation, which can be detected easily. The established approach was further used for multiplex detection of mutations in rpoB gene of rifampin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates.
DNA↗
Nicotine attenuates beta-amyloid peptide-induced neurotoxicity, free radical and calcium accumulation in hippocampal neuronal cultures.
1. Recent studies indicate that neuronal loss in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is accompanied by the deposition of beta-amyloid protein (A beta) in senile plaques. Nicotine as a major component of cigarette smoke has been suggested to have a protective effect for neurons against A beta neurotoxicity. 2. Our present study demonstrates that nicotine protected cultured hippocampal neurons against the A beta-induced apoptosis. Nicotine effectively inhibits apoptosis in hippocampal cultures caused by A beta(25-35) or A beta(1-40) treatment and increase of caspase activity induced by A beta(25-35) or A beta(1-40). 3. Measurements of cellular oxidation and intracellular free Ca(2+) showed that nicotine suppressed A beta-induced accumulation of free radical and increase of intracellular free Ca(2+). 4. Cholinergic antagonist mecamylamine inhibited nicotine-induced protection against A beta-induced caspase-3 activation and ROS accumulation. 5. The data show that the protection of nicotine is partly via nicotinic receptors. Our results suggest that nicotine may be beneficial in retarding the neurodegenerative diseases such as AD.
Amyloid beta-Peptides↗
Pyrophosphorolysis by Type II DNA polymerases: implications for pyrophosphorolysis-activated polymerization.
We find that Type II DNA polymerases can catalyze pyrophosphorolysis, the reverse reaction of DNA polymerization. This property is applied utilizing pyrophosphorolysis-activated polymerization (PAP), a method of nucleic acid amplification using serial coupling of pyrophosphorolysis and polymerization. PAP can be used for ultrarare allele detection (detection of minimal residual disease and cancer risk assessment through measurement of mutation load) and for microarray-based scanning for unknown mutations. Herein, we show that Type II DNA polymerases efficiently catalyze template-dependent pyrophosphorolysis to activate oligonucleotides blocked at their 3' termini with acyclonucleotides in which a 2-hydroxyethoxymethyl group substitutes for the 2'-deoxyribofuranosyl sugar. Type II archeon DNA polymerases Vent (exo-) and Pfu (exo-) can be utilized for PAP or a bidirectional form of PAP with acyclonucleotide-blocked oligonucleotides, but not with dideoxynucleotide-blocked oligonucleotides. In contrast, a Type I DNA polymerase, TaqFS, can utilize either acyclonucleotide-blocked or dideoxynucleotide-blocked oligonucleotides. These findings expand the potential of nascent PAP technology.
Alleles↗
Three-tiered noninvasive diagnosis in 96% of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
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Humans↗
PAP: detection of ultra rare mutations depends on P* oligonucleotides: "sleeping beauties" awakened by the kiss of pyrophosphorolysis.
Pyrophosphorolysis-activated polymerization (PAP) was initially developed to enhance the specificity of allele-specific PCR for detection of known mutations in the presence of a great excess of wild-type allele. The high specificity of PAP derives from the serial coupling of activation of a 3' blocked pyrophosphorolysis-activable oligonucleotide (P(*)) with extension of the unblocked, activated P(*). In theory, PAP can detect a copy of a single base mutation present in 3x10(11) copies of the wild-type allele. In practice, the selectivity of detection is limited by polymerase extension errors, a bypass reaction, from the unblocked oligonucleotide annealed to the opposing strand. Bi-directional PAP allele-specific amplification (Bi-PAP-A) is a derivative of PAP that uses two opposing pyrophosphorolysis activable oligonucleotides (P(*)) with one nucleotide overlap at their 3' termini. This eliminates the problematic bypass reaction. The selectivity of Bi-PAP-A was examined using lambda phage DNA as a model system. Bi-PAP-A selectively detected two copies of a rare mutated allele in the presence of at least 2x10(9) copies of the wild-type lambda phage DNA. We then applied Bi-PAP-A to direct detection of spontaneous somatic mutations in the lacI transgene in BigBlue transgenic mice at a frequency as low as 3x10(-9). A 370-fold variation in the frequency of a specific somatic mutation among different mouse samples was found, implying hyper-Poisson variance and clonal expansion of mutation occurring during early development. Bi-PAP-A is a simple, rapid, and general method capable of automation and particularly suited to detection of ultra rare mutations. We also show that P(*) oligonucleotides have the novel and unexpected property of high specificity to mismatches with the template throughout lengths of the P(*). Thus, PAP also can form the basis of microarray-based scanning or resequencing methods to detect virtually all mutations.
Alleles↗
Photodynamic therapy upregulates expression of Mac-1 and generation of leukotriene B(4) by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.
This study investigated the expression of Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) and generation of leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in response to Mono-L-aspartyl chlorine 6 (NPe6) mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT was carried out using a laser diode at a light dose of 10 J/cm(2) and wavelength of 664 nm. Expression of Mac-1 was significantly increased about 3-fold by PDT compared with that of Npe6 exposure. The increase in the expression of Mac-1 was not inhibited by 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor (AA861). On the other hand, generation of LTB(4) by PMNs was increased by incubation with NPe6 alone and further promoted by PDT and that was significantly inhibited by AA861. These results suggest that PDT can induce PMNs to express extensively Mac-1 and generate a certain amount of LTB(4) that may play an important cytocidal role in the treatment of oral cancer.
Benzoquinones↗
Firm measures are required to effect any significant decrease in the Japanese age-adjusted mortality rate from malignant neoplasms for the 21st century.
The Japanese have the longest lifespan worldwide, but this has been mostly due to reductions in the mortality rates from diseases other than malignant neoplasms. Changes in the age-adjusted mortality rates (AMRs) for malignant neoplasms in Japan from 1950 to 2000 are analyzed to elucidate the overall trend. The overall AMRs for all malignant neoplasms in men increased from 1950 to 2000, and decreased slowly in women during the same period. Changes since 1990 have been small in both genders, but show a hopeful trend towards a decrease in the total AMR since 1995. These trends reflect a balance between the decreased AMR from gastric (both male and female) and uterine cancers and increases in many other malignant neoplasms. However, in the period 1990-2000, the decrease in the AMR from gastric and uterine cancers has shown a trend towards leveling off. Therefore, improving the trend towards reductions in cancer incidence and mortality in the 21st century and beyond will depend on achieving changes in other cancer sites, which can only be realized through the twofold approach of preventative medicine and research as well as improvements in the levels of diagnosis and therapy. Much more emphasis must therefore be placed on primary prevention, in particular on anti-smoking campaigns, as well as stepping-up research into the etiology of, and novel treatments for other malignant neoplasms, especially colorectal and breast cancers.
Adolescent↗
Cloning and functional analysis of a novel DREB1/CBF transcription factor involved in cold-responsive gene expression in Zea mays L.
The transcription factors DREB1s/CBFs specifically interact with the DRE/CRT cis-acting element (core motif: G/ACCGAC) and control the expression of many stress-inducible genes in Arabidopsis. We isolated a cDNA for a DREB1/CBF homolog, ZmDREB1A in maize using a yeast one-hybrid system. The ZmDREB1A proteins specifically bound to DRE and the highly conserved valine at the 14th residue in the ERF/AP2 DNA binding domain was a key to determining the specific interaction between this protein and the DRE sequence. Expression of ZmDREB1A was induced by cold stress and slightly increased by high-salinity stress. This gene was also transiently expressed by mechanical attack. ZmDREB1A activated the transcription of the GUS reporter gene driven by DRE in rice protoplasts. Overexpression of ZmDREB1A in transgenic Arabidopsis induced overexpression of target stress-inducible genes of Arabidopsis DREB1A resulting in plants with higher tolerance to drought and freezing stresses. This indicated that ZmDREB1A has functional similarity to DREB1s/CBFs in Arabidopsis. The structure of the ERF/AP2 domain of ZmDREB1A in maize is closely related to DREB1-type ERF/AP2 domains in the monocots as compared with that in the dicots. ZmDREB1A is suggested to be potentially useful for producing transgenic plants that is tolerant to drought, high-salinity and/or cold stresses.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Multiplex detection of mutations in clinical isolates of rifampin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis by short oligonucleotide ligation assay on DNA chips.
A new approach, short-oligonucleotide-ligation assay on DNA chip (SOLAC), is developed to detect mutations in rifampin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The method needs only four common probes to detect 15 mutational variants of the rpoB gene within 12 h. Fifty-five rifampin-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates were analyzed, resulting in 87.3% accuracy and 83.6% concordance relative to DNA sequencing.
Antibiotics, Antitubercular↗
Helper-dependent adenovirus vectors elicit intact innate but attenuated adaptive host immune responses in vivo.
Helper-dependent adenovirus (HD-Ad) vectors with all adenoviral genes deleted mediate very long-term expression of therapeutic transgenes in a variety of animal models of disease. These vectors are associated with reduced toxicity and improved safety relative to traditional early region 1 deletion first-generation Ad (FG-Ad) vectors. Many studies have clearly demonstrated that FG-Ad vectors induce innate and adaptive immune responses in vivo; however, a comprehensive analysis of host immune responses to HD-Ad vectors has not yet been performed. In DBA/2 mice, intravenous injection of HD-Ad vectors encoding LacZ (HD-AdLacZ) or a murine secreted alkaline phosphatase (HD-AdSEAP) induced an early expression of inflammatory cytokine and chemokine genes in the liver, including interferon-inducible protein 10, macrophage inflammatory protein 2, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, and were expressed in a pattern similar to that induced by FG-Ad vectors encoding AdSEAP. Like AdSEAP, and consistent with the pattern of cellular gene expression, HD-AdLacZ and HD-AdSEAP induced the recruitment of CD11b-positive leukocytes to the transduced liver within hours of administration. AdSEAP also induced a second phase of liver inflammation, consisting of inflammatory gene expression and CD3-positive lymphocytic infiltrates 7 days posttransduction. In contrast, beyond 24 h no infiltrates or expression of inflammatory genes was detected in the livers of mice receiving HD-AdSEAP. Despite the lack of liver inflammation at 7 days, Ad-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes could be detected in mice receiving HD-AdSEAP. This lack of liver inflammation was not due to reduced transduction since levels of transgene expression and the amounts of vector DNA in the liver were equivalent in mice receiving HD-AdSEAP and AdSEAP. These results demonstrate that HD-Ad vectors induce intact innate but attenuated adaptive immune responses in vivo.
Adenoviridae↗
Regulation of mammalian epithelial differentiation and intestine development by class I histone deacetylases.
The biochemical mechanisms underlying epigenetic control of gene expression are increasingly well known. In contrast, the contributions of individual modifications toward activation of lineage-specific genes during vertebrate development are poorly understood. Class II histone deacetylases (HDACs), which show restricted tissue distribution, regulate muscle-specific gene expression, in part through interactions with myogenic transcription factors. We have combined gene expression profiling with manipulation of fetal mouse intestinal tissue to define roles for other regulatory factors. We found that in the developing mouse intestine class I HDACs are confined to the prospective epithelium and that their levels decline coincidently with activation of differentiation genes, suggesting a functional relationship between these events. Overexpression of wild-type but not of mutant HDACs 1 and 2 in fetal intestine explants reverses expression of certain maturation markers. HDAC inhibitors, including the selective class I antagonist valproic acid, activate the same genes prematurely and accelerate cytodifferentiation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation of freshly isolated organs reveals early HDAC2 occupancy at differentiation gene promoters and corresponding histone hypoacetylation that reverses as HDAC levels fall. Thus, modulation of endogenous class I HDAC levels represents a previously unappreciated mechanism to enable onset of tissue-restricted gene expression in a developing mammalian organ.
Acetylation↗