Microarray analysis of differentially expressed microRNAs in allergic rhinitis.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa, but we have not fully understood the mechanism responsible for the development of AR. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short endogenous noncoding RNAs regulating protein translation through a mechanism known as RNA interference. To understand the molecular mechanisms of miRNA involved in the pathogenesis of AR, expressed miRNAs in AR were investigated through genomewide microarray analysis.

Anti-proliferation effect of APO866 on C6 glioblastoma cells by inhibiting nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase.

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is a key enzyme in the salvaging pathway for the synthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) that is involved in cell metabolism and proliferation. NAMPT is normally absent in astrocyte but highly expressed in glioblastoma, suggesting that it may promote cell survival through synthesizing more NAD. In this report, we evaluated the effect of APO866, a potent inhibitor of NAMPT against C6 glioblastoma.

A case of McCune-Albright syndrome associated with pituitary GH adenoma: therapeutic process and autopsy.

Background: McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is a clinical syndrome with low incidence, and its concurrence with pituitary GH adenoma is rare. Little of the history, treatment and outcome has been studied.

Method: Follow-up of a 37-year-old male patient of MAS associated with pituitary GH adenoma was performed continuously recording the disease development and the treatment process until death, after which an autopsy was performed.

Down-regulation of Notch signaling by a γ-secretase inhibitor enhances the radiosensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.

Currently, the main approach to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treatment is radiotherapy (RT), but for many NPC patients, RT is not effective. Increasing RT sensitivity of NPC cells would provide a significant treatment advance for NPC patients. While γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) have gained recent attention as novel anticancer drugs, the mechanism of action of GSIs as radiosensitizers is not well understood.

Deferoxamine affects heat shock protein expression in heart after intracerebral hemorrhage in aged rats.

Cardiac dysfunction can occur after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This study examined the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in the heart after ICH in aged rats and whether deferoxamine (DFX), an iron chelator, affects HSP expression. Male Fischer 344 rats (18 months old) received an injection of 100 μl autologous blood into the right caudate, whereas sham-operated rats had a needle insertion.

Iron accumulation and DNA damage in a pig model of intracerebral hemorrhage.

Cerebral iron overload causes brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rats and pigs. The current study examined whether an iron chelator, deferoxamine, can reduce ICH-induced DNA damage in pigs. Pigs received an injection of autologous blood into the right frontal lobe.

Validation of a mobile phone-assisted microarray decoding platform for signal-enhanced mutation detection.

We have established a mobile phone-assisted microarray decoding platform for signal-enhanced mutation detection. A large amount of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) was obtained by combining symmetric PCR and magnetic isolation, and ssDNA prepared with magnetic bead as label was further allowed to hybridize against the tag-array for decoding purpose. High sensitivity and specificity was achieved with the detection of genomic DNA.

[Effects of jiawei huzhang san decoction on the expressions of inflammatory factors MCP-1 and PDGF-BB in rat models of experimental autoimmune prostatitis].

Objective: To study the effects of Jiawei Huzhang San (JWHZS) decoction on the expressions of the inflammatory factors monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) on experimental autoimmune prostatitis in rats.

Methods: Twelve male Wistar rats were taken as normal controls, and models of experimental autoimmune prostatitis were established in another 60 by injection of SC purified prostate protein with FCA, and then divided into five groups to be treated with normal saline, indomethacin, high-dose JWHZS (0.445 g/kg), medium-dose JWHZS (0.

[Thinking on the prevention and treatment of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by Chinese medicine therapy of activating blood circulation and removing stasis].

In this paper, the theoretical and experimental researches concerning the prevention and treatment of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury by Chinese medicine (CM) therapy of activating blood circulation and removing stasis in recent five years were reviewed, and the mechanisms were summarized. Thereby, based upon the current development of molecular biology and application of new technology, the authors offered their suggestions on the emphasized points and methods of present CM study in this scope.

Effects of endogenous substance P expression on degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells.

Objective And Design: To determine whether RBL-2H3 cells have endogenous substance P (SP) expression under immunoglobulin E (IgE)-activated and inactivated conditions, and to ascertain the function of endogenous SP in the antigen-induced degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells.

Materials And Methods: SP mRNA and protein expression in both inactivated and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP)-specific IgE-activated RBL-2H3 cells were assessed by real-time PCR and immunofluorescence, respectively. Following activation with DNP-specific IgE, the degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells in response to DNP-bovine serum albumin (BSA), with and without endogenous SP expression, was assessed by monitoring the release of the granular enzyme β-hexosaminidase.

Disruption of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 gene enhances spontaneous enlargement of mouse airspace with increasing age.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is the most effective protease inhibitor in the fibrinolysis system, and plays an important role in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix. We therefore explored whether PAI-1 is involved in the change of lung structure with increasing age. PAI-1 gene knockout mice and wild-type mice were sacrificed at age 3 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 15 months for histopathology analysis, and assessed the relationship between PAI-1 and the change in lung structure with age.

[P50 sensory gating studies in schizophrenics: a systematic review].

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of P50 sensory gating studies in schizophrenics and the change between before and after treatment.

Methods: Standard search strategy for the Cochrane Review Group was performed by two review authors. Searches were made in PubMed, EMBase, Web of knowledge, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP and CBMDisc databases.

The influence of different Student's T mosaic distributions on the extinction factor in mosaic crystals.

During the preparation of versatile tables for the secondary extinction factor Y(μ) of cylindrical and spherical mosaic crystals expressed as functions of the Bragg angle θ, absorption coefficient times radius μρ and reduced radius τ(0) = σ(0)ρ [σ(0) = (2π)(1/2)Q/η], or of θ, τ(0) and ξ(0) = μ/σ(0), five kinds of Student's Tn probability functions T1, T2, T3, T4, T∞ for describing the mosaic distribution of crystals have been tested. T1 is Lorentzian (L) and T∞ is close to Gaussian (G). The influence of these different mosaic distributions upon the reflection power ratio, the integrated reflection power ratio (the area under the rocking curve) and the extinction factor Y(μ) in cylindrical crystals has been thoroughly investigated.

Expression of TRF1, TRF2, TIN2, TERT, KU70, and BRCA1 proteins is associated with telomere shortening and may contribute to multistage carcinogenesis of gastric cancer.

Purpose: Telomere dysfunction is believed to be a significant factor in carcinogenesis. To elucidate the carcinogenesis mechanism in gastric cancer, the expression of telomeric proteins and changes in telomere length were investigated during multistage carcinogenesis of gastric cancer.

Methods: Tissue samples were obtained during surgical operations from the normal gastric mucosa of 10 patients, the precancerous lesions of 15 patients, the gastric cancer tissues (GC) of 20 patients, and of tumors due to gastric cancer with lymph node metastasis (GCLM) from 5 patients.

Distinct nonuniform cable properties optimize rapid and efficient activation of fast-spiking GABAergic interneurons.

Fast-spiking, parvalbumin-expressing basket cells (BCs) play a key role in feedforward and feedback inhibition in the hippocampus. However, the dendritic mechanisms underlying rapid interneuron recruitment have remained unclear. To quantitatively address this question, we developed detailed passive cable models of BCs in the dentate gyrus based on dual somatic or somatodendritic recordings and complete morphologic reconstructions.

Dendritic mechanisms underlying rapid synaptic activation of fast-spiking hippocampal interneurons.

Fast-spiking, parvalbumin-expressing basket cells (BCs) are important for feedforward and feedback inhibition. During network activity, BCs respond with short latency and high temporal precision. It is thought that the specific properties of input synapses are responsible for rapid recruitment.

[Sodium ferulate treatment and interventional mechanism reverse erectile dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats].

Objective: To investigate the effect and mechanism of sodium ferulate (SF) on reversing erectile dysfunction in diabetes mellitus (DM) rats.

Methods: Forty-four male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were induced for diabetes by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Then the successful models were randomly divided into DM + SF group and DM group (22 rats each respectively).

[An association study of brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene polymorphism in bipolar disorders].

Objective: To investigate the association between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene polymorphism and bipolar disorder.

Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms rs6265 and rs11030101 in BDNF gene were detected and compared between 228 patients with bipolar disorder and 361 healthy controls.

Results: The genotypes, alleles and combinative genotype of BDNF gene single nucleotide polymorphism rs6265 and rs11030101 did not show significant differences between two groups.

Complementary theta resonance filtering by two spatially segregated mechanisms in CA1 hippocampal pyramidal neurons.

Synaptic input to a neuron may undergo various filtering steps, both locally and during transmission to the soma. Using simultaneous whole-cell recordings from soma and apical dendrites from rat CA1 hippocampal pyramidal cells, and biophysically detailed modeling, we found two complementary resonance (bandpass) filters of subthreshold voltage signals. Both filters favor signals in the theta (3-12 Hz) frequency range, but have opposite location, direction, and voltage dependencies: (1) dendritic H-resonance, caused by h/HCN-channels, filters signals propagating from soma to dendrite when the membrane potential is close to rest; and (2) somatic M-resonance, caused by M/Kv7/KCNQ and persistent Na(+) (NaP) channels, filters signals propagating from dendrite to soma when the membrane potential approaches spike threshold.

The construction and prospects of the Chongqing twin children database.

Twins could play a crucial role in our understanding of genetic contributions to numerous etiologically complex disorders. In China, although adult twins are relatively rare, twins will become increasingly available due to increasing twin birth rates. Thus, child twin data will be a valuable resource to contribute to the field of child and adolescent psychopathology.

SK (KCa2) channels do not control somatic excitability in CA1 pyramidal neurons but can be activated by dendritic excitatory synapses and regulate their impact.

Calcium-activated K(+) channels of the K(Ca)2 type (SK channels) are prominently expressed in the mammalian brain, including hippocampus. These channels are thought to underlie neuronal excitability control and have been implicated in plasticity, memory, and neural disease. Contrary to previous reports, we found that somatic spike-evoked medium afterhyperpolarizations (mAHPs) and corresponding excitability control were not caused by SK channels but mainly by Kv7/KCNQ/M channels in CA1 hippocampal pyramidal neurons.

Multi-level read-only recording using signal waveform modulation.

A novel multi-level read-only recording using signal waveform modulation (SWM) is presented. The SWM is realized by inserting a sub-pit/sub-land to the original land/pit. Numerical simulation provides a helpful tool for the write strategy optimization.

Prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia by chip-based capillary electrophoresis.

Objective: To explore the potential of chip-based capillary electrophoresis for rapid prenatal diagnosis of genetic diseases, we developed a prenatal diagnosis method for beta-thalassemia, one of the most common recessive inherited disorders.

Method: DNA samples containing known mutations of beta-thalassemia were used to optimize multiplex allele-specific PCR and chip-based capillary electrophoresis was used to simultaneously detect Cy3-labeled PCR products and Cy5-labeled ladder. This system was validated by detecting 40 unknown cases, 4 of which were processed further for prenatal diagnosis.

[The building of chip-based capillary electrophoresis platform and application].

Objective: To detect the point mutations by chip-based capillary electrophoresis and to provide a rapid and sensitive technique detection for beta-thalassemia.

Methods: Multiplex primer-extension reaction was used to amplify the common loci of the samples for beta-thalassemia. The reaction products were detected by the chip-based capillary electrophoresis and the genotypes of the samples were discrened.

Disruption of tissue-type plasminogen activator gene in mice aggravated liver fibrosis.

Background And Aim: Tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) is one of the major components in the matrix proteolytic network whose role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis remains unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of tPA in carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced liver fibrosis.

Methods: Wild-type and tPA knockout mice (8 mice per group) were injected interperitoneumly with 25% CCl(4) 2 ml/kg twice per week as CCl(4) administration groups and olive oil 2 ml/kg as controls.