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Biomedical subjects

Z Cai

Publications and source records attributed to Z Cai.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Ab Initio Study of the Electronic Spectrum of the SiN Radical

The potential energy curves of the SiN radical for the low-lying electronic states correlating up to the fourth dissociation channel have been calculated at the internally contracted multireference configuration interaction (CMRCI) level with Dunning's correlation-consistent polarization valence triple zeta (cc-pVTZ) basis set. The equilibrium bond length (re), harmonic frequency (omegae), first- and second-order anharmonicity constants (omegaexe, omegaeye), rotational constant (Be), centrifugal distortion constant (De), and rotation-vibrational and centrifugal coupling constants (alphae and betae, respectively), as well as the dipole moment (&mgr;0), excitation (Te), and dissociation energies (D0) for the 11 bound doublet states X2Sigma+, A2Pi, B2Sigma+, C2Pi, D2Sigma-, E2Delta, F2Pi, G2Delta, H2Sigma+, I2Phi, and J2Pi and 10 bound quartet states a4Sigma+, b4Pi, c4Delta, d4Sigma-, e4Sigma+, f4Sigma-, h4Delta, i4Sigma+, j4Pi, and k4Delta have been calculated at the CMRCI level with Dunning's correlation-consistent polarization valence quadruple zeta (cc-pVQZ) basis set. Our calculations imply that the D2Pi and L2Pi states in the literature should be reassigned as C2Pi and F2Pi, respectively. Where available, our results are found to be in good agreement with the experimental data. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗

Half-embryo cocultivation technique for estimating the susceptibility of pea (Pisum sativum L.) and lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) cultivars to Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Longitudinally sliced embryonic axes from pea and lentil mature seeds cocultivated with A. tumefaciens carrying a gus reporter gene in its T-DNA provided a convenient means to evaluate the efficiency of gene transfer to tissues in different cultivars and cocultivation conditions. Use of this technique demonstrated wide variation in susceptibility to Agrobacterium among several pea and lentil commercial genotypes.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens↗

Prenatal ethanol exposure enhances glutamate release stimulated by quisqualate in rat cerebellar granule cell cultures.

Effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on extracellular glutamate accumulation stimulated by glutamate receptor agonists were studied in rat cerebellar granule cell cultures. The prenatal exposure to ethanol was achieved via maternal consumption of a Sustacal liquid diet containing either 5% ethanol or isocaloric sucrose (pair-fed) substituted for ethanol from gestation d 11 until the day of parturition. Neither the basal level of extracellular glutamate nor the increased accumulation of glutamate stimulated by KCl (40 mM) or by ionotropic glutamate receptor agonists, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) or kainate (KA) (100 microM each), in cells prepared from the ethanol-fed group was significantly different from that in cells prepared from the pair-fed group. Glutamate accumulation stimulated by quisqualate (QA, 100 microM) or by trans-(+/-)-1-amino-1,3-cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid (t-ACPD, 250 microM) in the ethanol-fed group was higher than that in the pair-fed group by 116 and 36%, respectively. In the presence of 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX, 100 microM), an ionotropic QA receptor antagonist, the QA-induced accumulation of glutamate in the ethanol-fed group was still higher than that in the pair-fed group. In the presence of MK-801 (5 microM), an antagonist of the NMDA receptor, the enhanced accumulation of glutamate stimulated by either QA or t-ACPD was still observable in the ethanol-fed group as compared to the pair-fed group. Addition of (RS)-alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine (MCPG, 500 microM), a selective antagonist of the metabotropic glutamate receptor, abolished the enhanced accumulation of glutamate stimulated by either QA or t-ACPD in the ethanol-fed group. Although immunoblotting of mGluR1 and mGluR2/3 did not show apparent differences between the pair-fed and the ethanol-fed groups, the overall results suggest that the effect of prenatal ethanol exposure was selectively through a pathway mediated by the metabotropic glutamate receptor.

Alcoholism↗

Experimental studies on traumatic facial nerve injury.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcome of different injuries to the facial nerve. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six patterns of injuries (exposure, compression, crushing, stretching, division and post-division anastomosis) were produced in the buccal branches of the facial nerve in 60 rabbits. Electroneuronography (ENoG) and histology at definite time were used to evaluate the results. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Exposure and compression injuries produced a neuropraxic injury and rapid recovery. Crushing and stretching injuries resulted in axonotmesis and whilst complete recovery can take place it may be very slow. Division and post-division anastomosis fall into neurotmesis injury and do not completely recover within six months; the former recovers slower and later than the latter.

Animals↗

Solution structure of P22 transcriptional antitermination N peptide-boxB RNA complex.

We have determined the solution structure of a 15-mer boxB RNA hairpin complexed with a 20-mer basic peptide of the N protein involved in bacteriophage P22 transcriptional antitermination. Complex formation involves adaptive binding with the N peptide adopting a bent alpha-helical conformation that packs tightly through hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions against the major groove face of the boxB RNA hairpin, orienting the open opposite face for potential interactions with host factors and/or RNA polymerase. Four nucleotides in the boxB RNA hairpin pentaloop form a stable GNRA like tetraloop structural scaffold on complex formation, allowing the looped out fifth nucleotide to make extensive hydrophobic contacts with the bound peptide. The guanidinium group of a key arginine is hydrogen-bonded to the guanine in a loop-closing sheared G.A mismatch and to adjacent backbone phosphates. The identified intermolecular contacts account for the consequences of N peptide and boxB RNA mutations on bacteriophage transcriptional antitermination.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Increased serum midkine levels during hemodialysis using heparin in chronic renal failure.

The heparin-binding growth factor midkine (MK) has been implicated in neuron growth, angiogenesis, and inflammation. In this study, to elucidate the involvement of MK in the development of pathologies associated with uremia, we examined the serum MK levels in patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) by a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunoassay. Although no significant difference was found between control serum and serum before dialysis in HD patients, serum MK levels increased significantly at the early stage of HD sessions using heparin and gradually decreased after dialysis. In normal controls, intravenous administration of heparin induced a similar sudden increase of MK, but the subsequent decrease was also rapid. In an in vitro study, MK was released in time- and heparin-dose dependent manner from cultured vessels, but not from peripheral leukocytes. These results indicate that, in HD patients, MK is released mainly from endothelial cells immediately after administration of heparin during HD and disappears gradually from blood due to renal impairment. This phenomenon might affect some complications associated with HD.

Adult↗

Probing the activation requirements for naive CD8+ T cells with Drosophila cell transfectants as antigen presenting cells.

Activation of T cells involves multiple receptor-ligand interactions between T cells and antigen presenting cells (APC). At least two signals are required for T-cell activation: Signal 1 results from recognition of MHC/peptide complexes on the APC by cell surface T-cell receptors (TCR), whereas Signal 2 is induced by the interactions of co-stimulatory molecules on APC with their complementary receptors on T cells. This review focuses on our attempts to understand these various signals in a model system involving the 2C TCR. The structural basis of Signal 1 was investigated by determining the crystal structure of 2C TCR alone and in complex with MHC/peptide. Analysis of these structures has provided some basic rules for how TCR and MHC/peptide interact; however, the critical question of how this interaction transduces Signal 1 to T cells remains unclear. The effects of Signal 1 and Signal 2 on T-cell activation were examined with naive T cells from the 2C TCR transgenic mice, defined peptides as antigen and transfected Drosophila cells as APC. The results suggest that, except under extreme conditions, Signal 1 alone is unable to activate naive CD8 T cells despite the induction of marked TCR downregulation. Either B7 or intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 can provide the second signal for CD8 T-cell activation. However, especially at low MHC/peptide densities, optimal activation and differentiation of CD8 T cells required interaction with both B7 and ICAM-1 on the same APC. Thus, the data suggest that at least two qualitatively different co-stimulation signals are required for full activation of CD8 T cells under physiological conditions.

Animals↗

[Early postoperative intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of early postoperative intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy (IPPC) on the prevention of peritoneal recurrence and liver metastasis in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. METHODS: From 1990 through 1997, 102 patients with advanced colorectal cancer were admitted. The tumor invaded the intestinal serosa with elevated CEA in the peritoneal fluid. Fifty-four of the 102 patients, beginning from the operation day, were given IPPC, once per day for 6 days, with warm(43-45 degrees C) sterile double distilled water containing 1 g 5-Fu and 10 mg MMC. The other 48 patients, as control, received 1 g 5-Fu and 8 mg MMC by i.v. infusion, once per day for 6 days. In addition, oral tegafur was given to all patients with a total dose of 40 g. RESULTS: In patients treated with IPPC, peritoneal recurrence developed in 2 patients, liver metastasis in 2 patients whereas 12 cases had peritoneal recurrence and 6 had liver metastasis in patients treated by i.v. infusion. No complication developed in any of the treated patients. CONCLUSION: IPPC is effective in preventing tumor recurrence in the peritoneal cavity and metastasis to the liver in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. The treatment procedure is simple and safe.

Adolescent↗

Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation with maze procedure by radiofrequency ablation.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of treatment of atrial fibrillation (Af) with maze procedure by radiofrequency in 25 patients undergoing mitral valve replacement operation (MVRO) (treatment group) with those in 25 patients undergoing MVRO only (control group). METHODS: The maze procedure modified was completed by radiofrequency ablation with macroscopy during MVRO in the treatment group, whereas the patients in the control group underwent MVRO only. No one in the two groups took antiarrhythmic drugs before and after operation. RESULTS: The heart rhythm became stable sinus rhythm in 22 of 25 patients of the treatment group after operation and the success rate was 88.0%. Af recurred in none of the 22 patients during the follow-up for 3-24 months. In the control group, 5 patients showed transient sinus rhythm, but Af recurred when they left hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Maze procedure by radiofrequency ablation is an effective method to cure Af and its success rate was the same as that of surgical incision and cryolesion. But the former took 10-15 minutes only with light damage of atrial muscle and no bleeding, whereas the latter took 1-1.5 hours.

Adult↗

[RP-HPLC determination of water-soluble active constituents and oleanolic acid in the fruits of Ligustrum lucidum Ait. collected from various areas].

The contents of p-hydroxyphenethyl-beta-D-glucoside, specnuezhenide and oleanolic acid in the fruits of Ligustrum lucidum collected from various areas in China were determined by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The results could be used to evaluate the quality of the crude drug more comprehensively.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

[Nontypical limited resection of the lung].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of limited resection in the treatment of lung disease. METHOD: From 1989 to 1996, 46 limited resections were performed on 35 patients with lung diseases. All patients were followed up for 0.5 to 7 years (mean 29.3 months). RESULT: There were no operative deaths and operative complications. In 16 patients with benign lung diseases, no recurrences and late complications were found. In 5 patients with primary lung cancers, 2 died 1.5 and 2 years after operation, respectively, and 3 are still living well for 2.5, 4 and 5 years postoperatively. In 14 patients with metastatic lung diseases (10 with bilateral multiple metastases), 216 metastatic lesions were excised. 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 78.5%, 50% and 21.4% respectively. CONCLUSION: Limited lung resection could be an additional option and a surgical alternative to conventional lung resection for some compromised patients.

Adolescent↗

[The surgical treatment of tetralogy of fallot in 136 adults].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the experience of surgical treatment of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) in adults. METHOD: From April 1975 to December 1997, 136 adult patients underwent total corrective repair of tetralogy of Fallot. The patient age ranged from 14 to 52 years old. The ventricular septal defects were closed with Dacron patch in 112 patients, with pericardial patch in 24 patients. A right ventricular outflow patch was required to eliminate right ventricular outflow tract obstruction in 126 patients. RESULT: Five patients died during hospitalization, with a hospital mortality of 3.68%. Four early postoperative deaths were due to severe low cardiac output syndrome. CONCLUSION: In view of current improved and standardized techniques, we conclude that the total corrective repair of TOF may have an excellent result in adult patients.

Adolescent↗

[Time resolved photoluminescence of PPV derivatives/C60 combination system].

We report the integrated and picosecond time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurement from two kinds of combination films: Poly(2-methoxy-5-(4-butenyloxy)phenylene vinylene) (MB-PPV)/C60 and Poly (2-methoxy-5-(4'-bromo-butoxy) phenylene vinylene) (MBB-PPV)/C60. Comparing with the pure MBB-PPV film, PL weakening and quenching of MBB-PPV were observed in the multilayer and mixed MBB-PPV/C60 films respectively. From TRPL spectra, the change of PL decay lifetime could be clearly seen, those could be attributed to the excitation transfer (ET) process between the excited MBB-PPV molecule and C60 molecule. Further measurements indicate that there is no noticeable dependence of the ET process on the temperature in the combination films.

English Abstract↗

Resistance of MCF7 human breast carcinoma cells to TNF-induced cell death is associated with loss of p53 function.

We have investigated the relationship between the development of tumor resistance towards the cytotoxic action of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) and p53 function, using the TNF-sensitive MCF7 human breast adenocarcinoma cell line and two TNF-resistant sublines, MCF7/R-A1 and MCF7/Adr. Use of single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and DNA sequencing shows that MCF7 has a wild-type p53 gene, whereas both TNF-resistant sublines exhibit mutant p53. This includes a point mutation R280K in MCF7/R-A1 cells, and a point mutation at the splicing acceptor site on the upstream border of exon 5 resulting in a 21 pb deletion in MCF7/Adr cells. These mutations result in loss of p53 capacity to transactivate FASAY (functional assay in yeast). In contrast to what is observed for parental MCF7 cells, treatment of resistant sublines with TNF or gamma-irradiation fails neither to induce the expression of the p53-regulated gene products p21waf1/CIP1 and MDM2, nor to arrest the cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Disruption of p53 wild-type function in MCF7 cells by transfection with human papillomavirus type-16 E6 gene, leads to abrogation of the cytotoxic, but not the cytostatic activity of TNF. Altogether, our results strongly suggest that wild-type p53 is involved in cytotoxic action of TNF, and point out that loss of p53 function contributes to resistance of tumor cell to TNF-induced killing.

Apoptosis↗

Prenatal ischemia reduces neuronal injury caused by neonatal hypoxia-ischemia in rats.

To determine whether 'ischemic tolerance', first described in adult rodents, exists in fetal and neonatal rats, a comparison of brain injury was made between two groups of rat pups following neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI). One group of rat pups had previously been subjected to HI in utero (HI + HI); the other had been subjected to a sham operation (SH + HI). Brain infarct size and neuronal injury were measured 24 h after the neonatal HI insult. As indicated by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining and pathological examination, cerebral damage was significantly less in the HI+ HI group than in the SH + HI group. Induction of heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) was immunohistochemically detectable in both groups 24 h after the neonatal HI, and was proportional to the extent of tissue damage. The ischemic tolerance phenomenon observed in immature rats does not appear to be a result of induction of hsp70.

Animals↗

Alteration of the sphingomyelin/ceramide pathway is associated with resistance of human breast carcinoma MCF7 cells to tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated cytotoxicity.

The interference of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) signaling processes with the acquisition of tumor resistance to TNF was investigated using the TNF-sensitive human breast carcinoma MCF7 cell line and its established TNF-resistant variant (R-A1). The resistance of R-A1 cells to TNF correlated with a low level of p55 TNF receptor expression and an absence of TNF signaling through TNF receptors. Stable transfection of wild-type p55 receptor in R-A1 resulted in enhancement of p55 expression and in partial restoration of TNF signaling, including nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation. However, the transfected cells remained resistant to TNF-induced apoptosis. Northern blot analysis revealed a comparable induction of manganous superoxide dismutase and A20 mRNA expression in p55-transfected cells and in sensitive MCF7 cells, making it unlikely that these genes are involved in the resistance to TNF-mediated cytotoxicity. While TNF significantly stimulated both neutral and acidic sphingomyelinase (SMase) activities with concomitant sphingomyelin (SM) hydrolysis and ceramide generation in MCF7, it failed to trigger these events in TNF-resistant p55-transfected cells. In addition, the basal SM content was significantly higher in sensitive MCF7 as compared to the resistant counterparts. Furthermore, the TNF-resistant cells tested could be induced to undergo cell death after exposure to exogenous SMase or cell-permeable C6-ceramide. This study also shows that TNF failed to induce arachidonic acid release in p55-transfected resistant cells, suggesting that an alteration of phospholipase A2 activation may be associated with MCF7 cell resistance to TNF. Our findings strongly suggest a role of ceramide in the mechanism of cell resistance to TNF-mediated cell death and may be relevant in elucidating the biochemical nature of intracellular messengers leading to such resistance.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Requirements for peptide-induced T cell receptor downregulation on naive CD8+ T cells.

The requirements for inducing downregulation of alpha/beta T cell receptor (TCR) molecules on naive major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted T cells was investigated with 2C TCR transgenic mice and defined peptides as antigen. Confirming previous results, activation of 2C T cells in response to specific peptides required CD8 expression on the responder cells and was heavily dependent upon costimulation provided by either B7-1 or ICAM-1 on antigen-presenting cells (APC). These stringent requirements did not apply to TCR downregulation. Thus, TCR downregulation seemed to depend solely on TCR/peptide/interaction and did not require either CD8 or B7-1 expression; ICAM-1 potentiated TCR downregulation, but only with limiting doses of peptides. TCR downregulation was most prominent with high affinity peptides and appeared to be neither obligatory nor sufficient for T cell activation. In marked contrast to T cell activation, TCR downregulation was resistant to various metabolic inhibitors. The biological significance of TCR downregulation is unclear, but could be a device for protecting T cells against excessive signaling.

Animals↗