Acute myocardial infarction caused by blunt chest trauma: a case report.

A 56-year-old woman hit by the heavy objects was admitted to the emergency room. ECG changes and increased CK-MB and troponin I suggested acute myocardial infarction. Three weeks later, coronary angiography was performed and revealed a spiral intimal dissection in the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery.

Changes in retinal pigment epithelium related to cigarette smoke: possible relevance to smoking as a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a major cause of central vision loss in the elderly and smoking is a primary risk factor associated with the prevalence and incidence of AMD. To better understand the cellular and molecular bases for the association between smoking and AMD, we determined the effects of Benzo(a)Pyrene (B(a)P), a toxic element in cigarette smoke, on cultured retinal pigment epithelia (RPE) and we examined the RPE/choroid from mice exposed to chronic cigarette smoke. We measured: mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage, phagocytic activity, lysosomal enzymes, exosome markers and selected complement pathway components.

Early cellular signaling responses to axonal injury.

Background: We have used optic nerve injury as a model to study early signaling events in neuronal tissue following axonal injury. Optic nerve injury results in the selective death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The time course of cell death takes place over a period of days with the earliest detection of RGC death at about 48 hr post injury.

Autophagy, exosomes and drusen formation in age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of loss of vision in developed countries. AMD is characterized by a progressive degeneration of the macula of the retina, usually bilateral, leading to a severe decrease in central vision. An early sign of AMD is the appearance of drusen, which are extracellular deposits that accumulate on Bruch's membrane below the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE).

Phosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein SB401 from Solanum berthaultii regulates its effect on microtubules.

We reported previously that the protein SB401 from Solanum berthaultii binds to and bundles both microtubules and F-actin. In the current study, we investigated the regulation of SB401 activity by its phosphorylation. Our experimental results showed that the phosphorylation of SB401 by casein kinase II (CKII) downregulates the activities of SB401, namely the bundling of microtubules and enhancement of the polymerization of tubulin.

Arabidopsis profilin isoforms, PRF1 and PRF2 show distinctive binding activities and subcellular distributions.

Profilin is an actin-binding protein that shows complex effects on the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton. There are five profilin isoforms in Arabidopsis thaliana L. However, it is still an open question whether these isoforms are functionally different.

Autophagy and exosomes in the aged retinal pigment epithelium: possible relevance to drusen formation and age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major cause of loss of central vision in the elderly. The formation of drusen, an extracellular, amorphous deposit of material on Bruch's membrane in the macula of the retina, occurs early in the course of the disease. Although some of the molecular components of drusen are known, there is no understanding of the cell biology that leads to the formation of drusen.

Age-related increase in mitochondrial DNA damage and loss of DNA repair capacity in the neural retina.

With age, there is increased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage in the central nervous system (CNS) that may underlie, contribute or increase the susceptibility to certain neurodegenerative diseases. We examined retinas from the eyes of young and old rodents for mtDNA damage and for changes in selected DNA repair enzymes. We found increased levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxy-guanosine (8-OHdG) by immunohistochemical labeling for the oxidative DNA damage marker in aged rodent retinas, which was confirmed by quantitative ELISA.

Arabidopsis microtubule-associated protein AtMAP65-2 acts as a microtubule stabilizer.

Nine genes that encode proteins of the MAP65 family have been identified in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome. In this study, we reported that AtMAP65-2, a member of the AtMAP65 family, could strongly stabilize microtubules (MTs). Bacterially-expressed AtMAP65-2 fusion proteins induced the formation of large MT bundles in vitro.

Fertilization in Torenia fournieri: Actin organization and nuclear behavior in the central cell and primary endosperm.

Studies of the living embryo sacs of Torenia fournieri reveal that the actin cytoskeleton undergoes dramatic changes that correlate with nuclear migration within the central cell and the primary endosperm. Before pollination, actin filaments appear as short bundles randomly distributed in the cortex of the central cell. Two days after anthesis, they become organized into a distinct actin network.

Rice ROOT ARCHITECTURE ASSOCIATED1 binds the proteasome subunit RPT4 and is degraded in a D-box and proteasome-dependent manner.

Root growth is mainly determined by cell division and subsequent elongation in the root apical area. Components regulating cell division in root meristematic cells are largely unknown. Previous studies have identified rice (Oryza sativa) ROOT ARCHITECTURE ASSOCIATED1 (OsRAA1) as a regulator in root development.

PGC-1alpha Gly482Ser polymorphism is associated with the plasma adiponectin level in type 2 diabetic men.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1alpha) is a multifunctional transcriptional regulator for the pathways controlling mitochondrial biogenesis, oxidative metabolism, and glucose homeostasis. Genetic studies have suggested that Gly482Ser polymorphism of the PGC-1alpha gene is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Adiponectin is an antidiabetic and antiatherogenic adipocytokine that is specifically produced by adipose tissue, and the transcription of the adiponectin gene is regulated by PPARgamma.

[Study of quality on rhubarb from different habitats in Qinghai Province].

Objective: To investigate the effect of different habitats on rhubarb quality.

Method: The rhubarb samples from various parts of Qinghai province were analysed by fingerprint.

Results And Conclusion: The distribution and quality of wild Tangute rhubarb is better than Palmate sorrel rhubarb.

Increased mitochondrial DNA damage and down-regulation of DNA repair enzymes in aged rodent retinal pigment epithelium and choroid.

Purpose: In the central nervous system (CNS), increased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage is associated with aging and may underlie, contribute to, or increase the susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases. Because of the focus on the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choroid as tissue relevant to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), we examined young and aged RPE and choroid, harvested from rodent eyes, for DNA damage and for changes in selected DNA repair enzymes.

Methods: Immunohistochemical labeling and quantitative ELISA for the oxidative DNA damage marker, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxy-guanosine (8-OHdG), were measured in young and aged rodent RPE and choroid.

Sinomenine inhibits activation of rat retinal microglia induced by advanced glycation end products.

Diabetic retinopathy involves an inflammatory response in the retina characterized by an increase in inflammatory cytokines and activation of microglia. The degree of microglia activation may influence the extent of retina injury following an inflammatory stimulus. Cytokines, released by activated microglia, regulate the influx of inflammatory cells to the damaged area.

Salt tolerance requires cortical microtubule reorganization in Arabidopsis.

Although the results of some studies indicate that salt stress affects the organization of microtubules, it remains an open question whether microtubules play an active role in the plant's ability to withstand salt stress. In the present study, we showed that salt stress-induced wild-type Arabidopsis seedling roots display right-handed skewed growth and depolymerization of the cortical microtubules. The results of a long-term observational study showed that cortical microtubules depolymerized then reorganized themselves under salt stress.

[Localization of microtubule-associated protein AtMAP65-1 in guard cells of arabidopsis].

AtMAP65-1 gene was cloned from Arabidopsis genome. A plant expression vector containing AtMAP65-1-GFP fusion gene driven by 35S promoter was constructed and introduced into Arabidopsis by Agrobacterium infection. Under confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), it was found that in the light-induced opening guard cells AtMAP65-1 was distributed radiately from dorsal wall to ventral wall in a bundling way.

SB401, a pollen-specific protein from Solanum berthaultii, binds to and bundles microtubules and F-actin.

We characterize a novel, pollen-specific, microtubule-associated protein, SB401, found in Solanum berthaultii. This protein binds to and bundles taxol-stabilized microtubules and enhances tubulin polymerization in a concentration-dependent manner, particularly at lower temperatures. Electron microscopy revealed that the protein decorates the entire length of microtubules.

The AtMAP65-1 cross-bridge between microtubules is formed by one dimer.

The microtubule-associated protein AtMAP65-1 from Arabidopsis thaliana dimerizes and forms 25 nm cross-bridges between microtubules, but the exact mechanism is unknown. Here, we used the predicted three-dimensional structure of AtMAP65-1 as a basis for analyzing the actual cross-bridging in detail. Fold-recognition predicts that AtMAP65-1 contains four coiled-coil domains and a flexible extended loop.

Age-related changes in neuronal susceptibility to damage: comparison of the retinal ganglion cells of young and old mice before and after optic nerve crush.

To investigate whether or not the aging phenotype has increased vulnerability to axonal injury in vivo, we quantitated the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) after optic nerve crush. After crush, young animals lost 20% in 3 days and 50% of their RGCs in 7 days; however, old animals lost 40% in 3 days and 70% of their RGCs in 7 days. Our results showed that the time course in the loss of RGCs after crush in old mice is faster than that in young mice.

AtMAP65-1 binds to tubulin dimers to promote tubulin assembly.

In Arabidopsis thaliana, the microtubule-associated protein AtMAP65-1 shows various functions on microtubule dynamics and organizations. However, it is still an open question about whether AtMAP65-1 binds to tubulin dimers and how it regulates microtubule dynamics. In present study, the tubulin-binding activity of AtMAP65-1 was investigated.

Gene expression profiling of aging reveals activation of a p53-mediated transcriptional program.

Background: Aging has been associated with widespread changes at the gene expression level in multiple mammalian tissues. We have used high density oligonucleotide arrays and novel statistical methods to identify specific transcriptional classes that may uncover biological processes that play a central role in mammalian aging.

Results: We identified 712 transcripts that are differentially expressed in young (5 month old) and old (25-month old) mouse skeletal muscle.

Genetic influences of beta-adrenoceptor polymorphisms on arterial functional changes and cardiac remodeling in hypertensive patients.

Three subtypes of beta-adrenoceptor, beta1, beta2 and beta3, are involved in the sympathetic nervous system, which plays an important role in the development of hypertension and hypertensive complications. These complications can include left ventricular hypertrophy and arterial stiffness, which are reported risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. We designed clinical trials to clarify the association between hypertensive complications and beta-adrenoceptor single nucleotide polymorphisms in essential hypertension.

Arabidopsis MICROTUBULE-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN18 functions in directional cell growth by destabilizing cortical microtubules.

Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) play important roles in the regulation of microtubule function in cells. We describe Arabidopsis thaliana MAP18, which binds to microtubules and inhibits tubulin polymerization in vitro and colocalizes along cortical microtubules as patches of dot-like structures. MAP18 is expressed mostly in the expanding cells.

The role of ERK in phasic and tonic contractile responses in rat femoral arteries after hindlimb unloading.

The present study tested the hypothesis that the role of ERK in phasic and tonic contractile responses is declined by hindlimb unloading (HU) in rat femoral arteries. Male Wistar rats were randomised into HU and Control group (n=7). After 14d, the femoral arteries were isolated and cut into 3-mm ring segments.