Neuronal correlates of gastric pain induced by fundus distension: a 3T-fMRI study.

Visceral hypersensitivity in gastric fundus is a possible pathogenesis for functional dyspepsia. The cortical representation of gastric fundus is still unclear. Growing evidence shows that the insula, but not the primary or secondary somatosensory region (SI or SII), may be the cortical target for visceral pain.

Prostratin antagonizes HIV latency by activating NF-kappaB.

A subset of quiescent memory CD4 T cells harboring integrated but transcriptionally silent proviruses poses a currently insurmountable barrier to the eradication of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in infected patients. Induction of HIV gene expression in these latently infected cells by immune activating agents has been proposed as one approach to confer sensitivity to antiretroviral therapy. Interest has recently focused on the non-tumor-promoting phorbol ester, prostratin, as a potential agent to activate latent HIV proviruses.

NF-kappaB is essential for induction of CYLD, the negative regulator of NF-kappaB: evidence for a novel inducible autoregulatory feedback pathway.

The transcription factor NF-kappaB regulates genes involved in inflammatory and immune responses, tumorigenesis, and apoptosis. In contrast to the pleiotropic stimuli that lead to its positive regulation, the known signaling mechanisms that underlie the negative regulation of NF-kappaB are very few. Recent studies have identified the tumor suppressor CYLD, loss of which causes a benign human syndrome called cylindromatosis, as a key negative regulator for NF-kappaB signaling by deubiquitinating tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor (TRAF) 2, TRAF6, and NEMO (NF-kappaB essential modulator, also known as IkappaB kinase gamma).

Regulation of NF-kappaB action by reversible acetylation.

While the proximal cytoplasmic signalling events controlling the activation of NF-kappaB are understood in considerable detail, the subsequent intranuclear events that regulate the strength and duration of NF-kappaB action remain poorly defined. Recently, we have demonstrated that the RelA subunit of the NF-kappaB heterodimer is subject to reversible acetylation. The p300/CBP acetyltransferases play a major role in the in vivo acetylation of RelA principally targeting lysines 218, 221 and 310 for modification.

p53 induces NF-kappaB activation by an IkappaB kinase-independent mechanism involving phosphorylation of p65 by ribosomal S6 kinase 1.

Apoptosis induced by p53 has been proposed to involve activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB. Here we describe the novel molecular mechanism through which p53 and DNA-damaging agents activate NF-kappaB. NF-kappaB induction by p53 does not occur through classical activation of the IkappaB kinases and degradation of IkappaBalpha.

Orthographic and phonological processing of Chinese characters: an fMRI study.

The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the orthographic and phonological processing of Chinese characters. Four tasks were devised, including one homophone judgment and three physical judgments of characters, pseudo-characters, and Korean-like nonsense figures. While the left occipitotemporal region, left dorsal processing stream, and right middle frontal gyrus constitute a network for orthographic processing, the left premotor gyrus, left middle/inferior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area (SMA), and the left temporoparietal region work in concert for phonological processing.

Prenatal diagnosis of the distal 11q deletion and review of the literature.

Objectives: To present the prenatal diagnosis of de novo distal 11q deletions and a review of the literature. CLINICAL SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A 31-year-old primigravid woman underwent amniocentesis at 20 weeks' gestation because of a maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) level of 2.63 multiples of the median.

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 tax induction of biologically Active NF-kappaB requires IkappaB kinase-1-mediated phosphorylation of RelA/p65.

Activation of the NF-kappaB/Rel family of transcription factors proceeds through a catalytic complex containing IkappaB kinase (IKK)-1 and IKK2. Targeted disruption of each of the IKK genes suggests that these two kinases may mediate distinct functions in the activation pathway. In our studies of the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax oncoprotein, we have uncovered a new function of IKK1 required for complete activation of the NF-kappaB transcriptional program.

[Studies on the changes in expression of hypoxia induction factor-1alpha in myocardial tissue in severely scalded rats during early postburn stage].

Objective: To investigate the changes in the expression of hypoxia induction factor-1alpha (HIF1-alpha) in myocardial tissues in severely scalded rats during early postburn stage.

Methods: Male Wistar rats inflicted with 40% TBSA III degree scald were employed as the model. The myocardial tissue samples were harvested from the left and right ventricles at different postburn time points, and samples were also obtained from normal rats as control.

ICA-based spatiotemporal approach for single-trial analysis of postmovement MEG beta synchronization.

The extraction of event-related oscillatory neuromagnetic activities from single-trial measurement is challenging due to the non-phase-locked nature and variability from trial to trial. The present study presents a method based on independent component analysis (ICA) and the use of a template-based correlation approach to extract Rolandic beta rhythm from magnetoencephalographic (MEG) measurements of right finger lifting. A single trial recording was decomposed into a set of coupled temporal independent components and corresponding spatial maps using ICA and the reactive beta frequency band for each trial identified using a two-spectrum comparison between the postmovement interval and a reference period.

Prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 18p and distal 21q22.3 deletion.

Objectives: To present the perinatal findings and molecular cytogenetic analysis of concomitant trisomy 18p (18p11.2-->pter) and distal 21q22.3 deletion.

Regulation of distinct biological activities of the NF-kappaB transcription factor complex by acetylation.

Although the proximal cytoplasmic signaling events that control the activation of the NF-kappaB transcription factor are understood in considerable detail, the subsequent intranuclear events that regulate the strength and duration of the NF-kappaB-mediated transcriptional response remain poorly defined. Recent studies have revealed that NF-kappaB is subject to reversible acetylation and that this posttranslational modification functions as an intranuclear molecular switch to control NF-kappaB action. In this review, we summarize this new and fascinating mechanism through which the pleiotropic effects of NF-kappaB are regulated within the cells.

[Sequence analysis of the late region of human papillomavirus type 6 genome].

Objective: To study variations of genome late region of human papillomavirus type 6 (HPV-6) isolated from Chinese patients with condyloma acuminatum.

Methods: Using overlap PCR design, major capsid protein (L1) and minor capsid protein (L2) genes were separately amplified from clinical samples following HPV type determination, and were further assembled into HPV-6 genome late region sequences after inserting into plasmid and sequencing.

Results: Two sequences (GenBank accession number AY015006, AY015008) of HPV-6 late region were assembled, which are 2,869 bp long covering 35% HPV-6 genome and with complete open reading frames (ORFs) for L1 and L2.

Healthy-side dominance of cortical neuromagnetic responses in sudden hearing loss.

Previous brain imaging and mapping studies have reported findings indicating functional reorganization in the central auditory pathways of patients with profound unilateral hearing loss. This study reports for the first time to our knowledge, using a whole-head neuromagnetometer with monaural stimulation of both intact and affected ears, a pattern of healthy-side dominance for cortical neuromagnetic responses in adult patients in the early stage of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss, and a pattern of contralateral dominance is verified in controls.

Prenatal diagnosis of mosaic ring chromosome 22 associated with cardiovascular abnormalities and intrauterine growth restriction.

Objectives: To present the prenatal diagnosis and perinatal findings of mosaic ring chromosome 22.

Case: Amniocentesis was performed at 18 gestational weeks because of an advanced maternal age. Cytogenetic analysis of the cultured amniotic fluid cells revealed mosaicism for ring chromosome 22, 45,XX,-22[6]/46,XX,r(22)(p13q13.

Expression of human papillomavirus type 6 L1 and L2 isolated in China and self assembly of virus-like particles by the products.

To study variations of genome late region of human papillomavirus type 6 (HPV-6) isolated in China and assembling capabilities of the encoded capsid proteins, HPV-6 L1 and L2 sequences were cloned and used for expression in Bac-to-Bac baculovirus expression systems (Gibco BRL). Based upon L1 and L2 overlapping sequence two sequences (GenBank accession number AY015006, AY015008) of HPV-6 late region (2869 bp long) were assembled and classified into HPV-6b by phylogenetic analysis. Compared with prototype sequence, nine point mutations were found, including four missense mutations.

[Thirteen-year follow-up in 8 cases of penis reconstruction by ilio-inguinal and umbilical-thoracic compound flaps].

Objective: To observe the long-term effect of ilio-inguinal and umbilical-thoracic compound flaps in one-stage reconstruction of the penis.

Methods: Eight patients, who received one-stage reconstruction of the penis using ilio-inguinal and umbilical-thoracic compound flaps, were all followed up regularly at 6 months, 1, 3, 7 and 13 years postoperatively. The color, diameter, length, and sense recovery of the organ, along with urodynamics and satisfaction degree of both patients and their wives were recorded.

Acetylation of RelA at discrete sites regulates distinct nuclear functions of NF-kappaB.

The nuclear function of the heterodimeric NF-kappaB transcription factor is regulated in part through reversible acetylation of its RelA subunit. We now demonstrate that the p300 and CBP acetyltransferases play a major role in the in vivo acetylation of RelA, principally targeting lysines 218, 221 and 310 for modification. Analysis of the functional properties of hypoacetylated RelA mutants containing lysine-to-arginine substitutions at these sites and of wild-type RelA co-expressed in the presence of a dominantly interfering mutant of p300 reveals that acetylation at lysine 221 in RelA enhances DNA binding and impairs assembly with IkappaBalpha.

Inhibition of growth of mouse gastric cancer cells by Runx3, a novel tumor suppressor.

We reported recently that the silencing of RUNX3 is causally related to gastric cancer in humans. Here we report that in three of four cell lines derived from N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced mouse glandular stomach carcinomas, Runx3 is silenced due to hypermethylation of CpG islands in the promoter region, as we also observed for human gastric cancer cells. Although two of the sites we tested in the promoter of the fourth line were not methylated, in all four cases the silencing of Runx3 could be reversed by treatment of the cells with 5'-azacytidine and trichostatin A.

Growth and cell cycle regulation by isoflavones in human breast carcinoma cells.

The isoflavones daidzein and biochanin A induced a biphasic growth response in T-47D human breast cancer cells. At growth stimulatory concentrations, daidzein increased the percentage of cells entering the S phase, while at a growth inhibitory concentration, daidzein obstructed the progression of the cell cycle in the G2/M phase. Biochanin A regulated the cell cycle progression in a similar manner and showed a delay in the progression from the S phase to the G2/M phase at growth inhibitory concentrations.