[Effect of inorganic carbon source on lipid production with autotrophic Chlorella vulgaris].

We studied the effects of three inorganic carbon sources, Na2CO3, NaHCO3 and CO2, and their initial concentrations on lipid production of Chlorella vulgaris. Chlorella vulgaris could utilize Na2CO3, NaHCO3 and CO2 to produce lipids. After 10-day cultivation with each of the three inorganic carbon sources, lipid yield of Chlorella vulgaris reached its peak with the concentration increase of the inorganic carbon source, but dropped again by further increase of the concentration.

[Isolation and identification of a pyrene-degrading bacterial strain from contaminated soil].

Objective: The aim of this study was to isolate high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HMW-PAHs) degrading bacterial strains, and to study their degradation potential.

Methods: We used sublimation method to enrich and isolate the degrading bacteria from coking plant samples. Morphological properties, the sequence homology of 16S rRNA and gyrb genes were used to identify the isolated strains.

Resveratrol induces cellular senescence with attenuated mono-ubiquitination of histone H2B in glioma cells.

Resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a polyphenol naturally occurring in grapes and other plants, has cancer chemo-preventive effects and therapeutic potential. Although resveratrol modulates multiple pathways in tumor cells, how resveratrol or its affected pathways converge on chromatin to mediate its effects is not known. Using glioma cells as a model, we showed here that resveratrol inhibited cell proliferation and induced cellular hypertrophy by transforming spindle-shaped cells to enlarged, irregular and flatten-shaped ones.

Disruption of Chlorella vulgaris cells for the release of biodiesel-producing lipids: a comparison of grinding, ultrasonication, bead milling, enzymatic lysis, and microwaves.

A comparative evaluation of different cell disruption methods for the release of lipids from marine Chlorella vulgaris cells was investigated. The cell growth of C. vulgaris was observed.

Expression of Numb and Numb-like in the development of mammalian auditory sensory epithelium.

The Numb and Numb-like are evolutionarily conserved cell fate-determining factors in mammals. For the first time, we investigate the involvement of the Numb and Numb-like in the developing auditory sensory epithelium. We show that both of them are expressed in the rat auditory sensory epithelium, and the four isoforms of the Numb have dynamic expression patterns during cochlear development.

Glucose metabolism induces mono-ubiquitination of histone H2B in mammalian cells.

Histone modifications play an important role in transcriptional regulation and are intimately involved in important biological and disease processes. Despite their functional significance, whether and how extracellular signals modulate histone modifications are not well defined. Using mono-ubiquitination of histone H2B as a model system, we have previously shown that mono-ubiquitination of histone H2B is induced by glucose through glycolysis in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Determination of ozonization reaction rate constants of aromatic pollutants and QSAR study.

Rate constants of ozone with 39 aromatic compounds in aqueous solution were determined at 298 K. And optimized calculation was carried out at B3LYP/6-311G** level with DFT method. 10 molecular parameters obtained from calculations were selected as the descriptors to establish QSAR models for predicting the rate constants.

[The surface modification of eguus asinus augment fibroblast adhesion and proliferation on silk fibroin materials].

Eguus asinus is one of the rare Chinese drugs famous for promoting blood circulation. In this experiment, it was employed to modify the silk fibroin (SF) by physical blending. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts NIH-3T3 were seeded on pure and modified SF surfaces.

Differential expression of growth differentiation factor-9 in keloids.

Objective: The mechanisms of keloid invasion are largely unknown. This study aims to analyze the differentially expressed genes between keloid peripheral and central areas and thus to define the molecule that might be responsible for keloid invasion.

Methods: The gene chip of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily signaling pathway was used to analyze differentially expressed genes of the fibroblasts derived from peripheral area and central area of 3 keloids.

Survival and fate of transplanted embryonic neural stem cells by Atoh1 gene transfer in guinea pigs cochlea.

Embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs) were isolated from the neuroepithelium of the dorsal telencephalon of embryonic rats and infected by Ad5-Atoh1-enhanced green fluorescent protein. These NSCs were then delivered into neurosphere culture medium or transplanted into the endolymphatic space of the normal guinea pig cochlea through cochleostomy. Embryonic NSC phenotype of these isolated cells was determined by immunohistochemical detection of cell-specific protein markers.

Photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional calculations of Fe(n)BO2- clusters.

We conducted a study of Fe(n)BO(2)(-) clusters by mass spectrometry and photoelectron spectroscopy. The vertical detachment energies and adiabatic detachment energies of these clusters were evaluated from their photoelectron spectra. We have also performed density-functional calculations of Fe(n)BO(2)(-) (n=1-5) clusters and determined their structures by comparison of theoretical calculations to experimental results.

Analysis of diversity in Chinese cultivated barley with simple sequence repeats: differences between eco-geographic populations.

The genetic diversity of 116 barley accessions, representing five Chinese eco-geographic populations, was studied using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The 21 SSR loci revealed 128 alleles with an average of 6.1 alleles per locus.

Mitochondrial ROS and radiation induced transformation in mouse embryonic fibroblasts.

Manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2) is a nuclear encoded and mitochondria localized antioxidant enzyme that converts mitochondria derived superoxide to hydrogen peroxide. This study investigates the hypothesis that mitochondria derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulate ionizing radiation (IR) induced transformation in normal cells. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) with wild type SOD2 (+/+), heterozygous SOD2 (+/-), and homozygous SOD2 (-/-) genotypes were irradiated with equitoxic doses of IR, and assayed for transformation frequency, cellular redox environment, DNA damage, and cell cycle checkpoint activation.

[Modification and application of the micropipette aspiration method for measuring the cell adhesion force on material surface].

The micropipette aspiration technique was improved by selecting the uniform cells in round shape (UCR) from a number of adhered cells on the testing surface so as to measure the adhesion forces during the initial adhesion stage. Silk fibroin film and silk fibroin/fucoidan film were used as testing substrates. The testing results revealed that the modified micropipette method was more rapid for testing.

Inhibition of mast cell degranulation by saponins from Gleditsia sinensis--structure-activity relationships.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of saponins from the anomalous fruits of Gleditsia sinensis on mast cell degranulation triggered by compound 48/80 and to determine possible structure-activity relationships. Among the eleven saponins tested, four effectively inhibited beta-hexosaminidase release from rat peritoneal mast cells. Studies of structure-activity relationships indicated that saponins with an aglycone of echinocystic acid instead of oleanolic acid were more effective.

Experimental and theoretical investigation on binary anionic clusters of Al(m)Bi(n)(-).

Al(m)Bi(n)(-) (m = 1-12; n = 1-4) binary cluster anions are generated by laser ablation of a sample composed of Al and Bi, and studied by reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometry (RTOF-MS) in the gas phase. Some clusters with magic numbers are present in the mass spectrum. The structures of Al(m)Bi(n)(-) (m + n View Article and Find Full Text PDF

[Clinical study of auricular keloid treatment with both surgical excision and intralesional injection of low-dose 5-fluorouracil and corticosteroids].

Objective: To investigate whether intralesional injection of low-dose 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) and corticosteroid can increase effective rate and decrease recurrence rate of surgically removed auricular keloid.

Methods: Eighty-three patients with 166 total ear keloids were studied, including 79 keloids of helix and 87 of earlobe with an average disease history of 2.9 years.

Photoelectron spectroscopic and theoretical studies of M(m)C(6)F(5) anionic complexes (M = Pb and Bi; m = 1-4).

The reactions between metal (Pb or Bi) clusters formed by laser ablation and hexafluorobenzene (C(6)F(6)) seeded in argon carrier gas were studied by a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer combined with a photoelectron spectrometer. The adiabatic electron affinities of the dominant anionic products, Pb(m)C(6)F(5)(-) and Bi(m)C(6)F(5)(-) (m = 1-4) complexes, were obtained from the photoelectron spectra with 193 nm photons. It was found that the EAs of Pb(m)C(6)F(5) are higher than those of the pure Pb(m) clusters and that the photoelectron spectra of Bi(m)C(6)F(5)(-) show some similarities to those of Bi(m+1)(-).

[Experimental study of electroporation-mediated plasmid gene expression in skin and incisional wound].

Objective: To explore the feasibility of electroporation mediated gene transfer in rat incisional wound.

Methods: 12 Sprague-Dawley rat's dorsal skins were electroporated (800 voltages in amplitude with 6 square wave pulses, each lasting 20 milliseconds with 200 millisecond interval) after injection of plasmid DNA (1 microg/microl, in 100 microl PBS) containing enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) gene. Electroporated skins were incisionally wounded 24 hours after electroporation.

[Effect of RNAi-mediated STAT3 gene inhibition on metastasis of human pancreatic cancer cells].

Objective: To investigate the effect of RNAi-mediated STAT3 gene inhibition on metastasis of human pancreatic cancer cells and its underlying mechanism.

Methods: STAT3 shRNA expression vector was constructed and transfected into SW1990 cells. STAT3 mRNA and STAT3 DNA-binding activity were examined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), respectively.

The anticoagulant ability of ferulic acid and its applications for improving the blood compatibility of silk fibroin.

The hemocompatibility of silk fibroin (SF) was improved with ferulic acid (FA) by graft polymerization. Ferulic acid is an active ingredient of many Chinese herbal medicines, such as Chuanxiong (Rhizoma ligustici wallichii), Danggui (Angelica sinensis) and Awei (Asafoetida giantfennel), which have been used to treat cardiovascular diseases by Chinese physicians for thousands of years. The inhibitory functions of FA on blood coagulation and erythrocyte agglutination were first characterized by a Lee-White test tube method and a micropipette technique, respectively.

Photoelectron spectroscopic and theoretical study of aromatics-Pb(m) anionic complexes (aromatics = C6H5, C5H4N, C4H3O, and C4H4N; m = 1-4): a comparative study.

The reactions between lead vapored by laser ablation and different aromatic molecules (C6H6, C5H5N, C4H4O, or C4H5N) seeded in argon carrier gas were studied by a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer (RTOF-MS) with a photoelectron spectrometer. The adiabatic electron affinities (EAs) of the dominant anionic products PbmC6H5(-), Pb(m)C5H4N(-) (m = 1-4) and Pb(m)C4H3 (-), Pb(m)C4H4N(-) (m = 1-3) dehydrogenated complexes are obtained from the photoelectron spectra with 308 and 193 nm photon, respectively. It is found that the EAs of Pb(m)C4H4N are higher than those of Pb(m)C6H5, Pb(m)C5H4N, and Pb(m)C4H3O with the same metal number m.

Late ROS accumulation and radiosensitivity in SOD1-overexpressing human glioma cells.

This study investigates the hypothesis that CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) overexpression confers radioresistance to human glioma cells by regulating the late accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the G(2)/M-checkpoint pathway. U118-9 human glioma cells (wild type, neo vector control, and stably overexpressing SOD1) were irradiated (0-10 Gy) and assayed for cell survival, cellular ROS levels, cell-cycle-phase distributions, and cyclin B1 expression. SOD1-overexpressing cells were radioresistant compared to wild-type (wt) and neo vector control (neo) cells.

Enhancing arachidonic acid production by Mortierella alpina ME-1 using improved mycelium aging technology.

Traditional mycelium aging technology was improved to enhance arachidonic acid (ARA) production by Mortierella alpina ME-1. Filtration step was skipped and additional carbon and nitrogen sources were fed during aging. The levels of the significant factors (time, temperature, ethanol, and KNO(3)) affecting ARA production during improved aging process were also optimized by applying response surface methodology (RSM), and the maximum ARA yield of 19.