[Cytochrome C oxidase expression and endothelial cell apoptosis in lungs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Objective: To observe the expression and activity of cytochrome C oxidase and pulmonary endothelial apoptosis in lungs of COPD patients, and therefore to investigate the pathogenesis of COPD.

Methods: According to COPD diagnostic criteria and patients' smoking status, 20 patients who had undergone lung resections were divided into 3 groups: group A, non-smokers without COPD (7 patients); group B, smokers without COPD (7 patients); and group C, smokers with COPD (6 patients). Their normal lung tissues were used in the study.

Further purification of industrial quartz by much milder conditions and a harmless method.

A much "greener" and harmless leaching method for removing impurity aluminum further from industrial quartz sands by very dilute mixed acids has been presented. With the help of supersonic, the percentage of removal aluminum reached up to 52.5%/53%, that is, 17.

Plumbagin enhances TRAIL-mediated apoptosis through up-regulation of death receptor in human melanoma A375 cells.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising anti-cancer agent. However, emergence of drug resistance limits its potential use. Plumbagin is a natural quinonoid compound isolated from plant.

Adult SVZ lineage cells home to and leave the vascular niche via differential responses to SDF1/CXCR4 signaling.

Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the adult subventricular zone (SVZ) are associated with ependymal and vasculature niches, which regulate stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Activated Type B stem cells and their progeny, the transit-amplifying type C cells, which express EGFR, are most highly associated with vascular cells, indicating that this niche supports lineage progression. Here, we show that proliferative SVZ progenitor cells home to endothelial cells in a stromal-derived factor 1 (SDF1)- and CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4)-dependent manner.

[The expression of prostacyclin in lungs from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Objective: to investigate the expression of prostacyclin in lungs from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: the lung tissues were obtained from 12 patients with COPD and 10 patients without COPD. The apoptosis of pulmonary vascular endothelial cells was analyzed quantitatively using TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL).

DFT study on the interactions between Au(n) (n = 2...4) and adenine.

Binding of gold clusters with adenine was studied using density functional method (DFT). Geometries of neutral adenine with Au(n) (n = 2, 3 and 4) clusters were optimized using the B3LYP approach. The 6-31G+(d, p) basis set was used for adenine and the Stuttgart/Dresden effective core potential (ECP) basis set SDD was employed for the gold atom.

SSeCKS promote beta-amyloid-induced PC12 cells neurotoxicity by up-regulating tau phosphorylation in Alzheimer's disease.

In Alzheimer's disease, beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) could induce tau hyperphosphorylation which is the major cause of neuron apoptosis. However, the underlying mechanisms in the process remain unclear. In this study, Abeta-induced apoptosis and tau phosphorylation were investigated in differentiated PC12 cells.

EGCG enhances TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in human melanoma A375 cell line.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising anti-cancer agent. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a polyphenolic constituent of green tea. In this study, inhibitory effect of combined use of EGCG and TRAIL on human melanoma A375 cells was examined and the possible mechanism investigated.

[Cloning, sequencing of G3PD gene from Brugia malayi and prediction of B cell epitopes in its amino acid sequence].

Specific primers were designed and synthesized based on the reported glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (BmG3PD) gene of Brugia malayi (GenBank Accession No. U18137). Total RNA was extracted from Brugia malayi and its BmG3PD gene was amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

[Cloning and eukaryotic expression of the gene encoding myosin from Brugia malayi].

Total RNA was extracted from periodic microfilariae of Brugia malayi and its myosin partial gene (Bm-M55) was amplified by RT-PCR. The PCR product was cloned and then subcloned into pcDNA3.1 (+)vector.

Expression QTL and regulatory network analysis of microtubule-associated protein tau gene.

Numerous studies have shown that the microtubule-associated protein tau (Mapt) gene plays an important role in tauopathies. However, little is known about the genetic regulatory network. In this study, we combined array analysis and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping approaches (genetical genomics) to characterize the expression variation and the regulatory network of Mapt in mouse.

Rapid identification and high sensitive detection of cancer cells on the gold nanoparticle interface by combined contact angle and electrochemical measurements.

In this study, we have proposed a novel strategy for the rapid identification and high sensitive detection of different kinds of cancer cells by means of electrochemical and contact angle measurements. A simple, unlabeled method based on the functionalized Au nanoparticles (GNPs) modified interface has been utilized to distinguish the different cancer cells, including lung cancer cells, liver cancer cells, drug sensitive leukemia K562/B.W cells and drug resistant leukemia K562/ADM cells.

The incredible elastic brain: how neural stem cells expand our minds.

Brain development was thought to be largely hardwired and accomplished by birth, and the brain was thought to have essentially no regenerative capacity. The remarkable discovery of adult neurogenesis and neural stem cells (NSCs) existing in the mature CNS changed that, allowing us to think optimistically about CNS repair. These discoveries helped to generate a robust field of neural progenitor cell biology, with relevance to CNS development, pathogenesis, the search for novel neurological therapies, as well as our understanding of how the brain works.

Cell lineage tree models of neurogenesis.

The production of neurons to form the mammalian cortex, known as embryonic cortical neurogenesis, is a complex developmental process. Insight into the process of cell division during neurogenesis is provided by murine cortical cell lineage trees, recorded through experimental observation. Recurring patterns within cell lineage trees may be indicative of predetermined cell behaviour.

Lipopolysaccharide-induced upregulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in rat spinal cord.

The proinflammatory and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-inducible cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) has been shown to enhance primary sensory nociceptive signaling. However, the precise cellular sites of TNF-alpha synthesis is still a matter of controversy. Therefore, we focused our study on TNF-alpha protein synthesis and expression patterns in spinal cord of controls and rats under systemic challenge with LPS.

Adult SVZ stem cells lie in a vascular niche: a quantitative analysis of niche cell-cell interactions.

There is an emerging understanding of the importance of the vascular system within stem cell niches. Here, we examine whether neural stem cells (NSCs) in the adult subventricular zone (SVZ) lie close to blood vessels, using three-dimensional whole mounts, confocal microscopy, and automated computer-based image quantification. We found that the SVZ contains a rich plexus of blood vessels that snake along and within neuroblast chains.

The expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) by the intrathecal injection of lipopolysaccharide in the rat spinal cord.

The proinflammatory and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-inducible cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) has been shown to enhance primary sensory nociceptive signaling. However, the precise cellular site of TNF-alpha synthesis is still a matter of controversy. Therefore, we focused our study on TNF-alpha protein synthesis and expression patterns in spinal dorsal horn of naives and rats under intrathecal challenge with LPS.

Simvastatin prevents cardiac hypertrophy in vitro and in vivo via JAK/STAT pathway.

Simvastatin (SIM), a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, has therapeutic effects that are not limited to cholesterol reduction. In this study, we investigated the change in the cell surface area and protein content of cultured rat cardiomyocytes on exposure to cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), a cytokine involved in the growth and survival of cardiac cells, plus SIM, and thus confirmed that SIM ameliorated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by CT-1. We also showed that SIM attenuated cardiac hypertrophy in rats with pressure overload due to abdominal aortic constriction by measuring such parameters as systolic blood pressure, ratio of heart weight to body weight and ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight in rats as well as cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes.

Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 predominantly enhanced in the microglia of the rat spinal cord following lipopolysaccharide injection.

The present study was initiated to investigate the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 signaling pathway in the early response of spinal cord to systemic inflammation by using Western blotting and immunohistochemical techniques in a rat model intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg/kg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The results showed that there was a considerable amount of phosphorylated ERK 1/2 protein in the spinal cord of inflamed animals killed under pentobarbital anesthesia. The result of Western blotting showed that the phosphorylation level of ERK 1/2 in the spinal cord was increased at one hour; then 12 and 24 h after LPS injection the level decreased, while the total ERK 1/2 level seemed unchanged.

Lipopolysaccharide-induced upregulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and TNF receptors in rat sciatic nerve.

The proinflammatory and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-inducible cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) has been shown to enhance primary sensory nociceptive signaling. However, the precise cellular sites of TNF-alpha and TNF receptors synthesis are still a matter of controversy. Therefore, we focused our study on TNF-alpha, TNFR1, and TNFR2 protein synthesis and expression patterns in sciatic nerve of controls and rats under systemic challenge with LPS.

Role of spinal metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 in the development of tolerance to morphine-induced antinociception in rat.

Prolonged intrathecal (i.t.) administration of morphine results in tolerance to morphine-induced antinociception.

[Evaluation of the four simple methods in the diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of neuropathy symptom score/neuropathy disability score (NSS/NDS), Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI), vibration perception threshold (VPT) and 24010 g monofilament examination in the diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN).

Methods: 240 patients with type 2 diabetes underwent the 4 simple tests: NSS/NDS, MNSI, VPT, and 10 g monofilament examination and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) examination. Using the results of NCV as golden criteria, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, accuracy and kappa values of these tests were analyzed.

[Prevalence of peripheral vascular disease in diabetics and impaired glucose regulation subjects: a community-based study].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired glucose regulation (IGR).

Methods: Follow-up 5 years after the previous epidemiologic study of metabolic syndrome in Chaoyang community, Shanghai, 2000 - 2001 was conducted among 717 patients with DM or IGR. Questionnaire survey about general status and DM-related history and behaviors, including smoking, was carried out.