Phosphorylation of Shox2 is required for its function to control sinoatrial node formation.

Background: Inactivation of Shox2, a member of the short-stature homeobox gene family, leads to defective development of multiple organs and embryonic lethality as a result of cardiovascular defects, including bradycardia and severe hypoplastic sinoatrial node (SAN) and sinus valves, in mice. It has been demonstrated that Shox2 regulates a genetic network through the repression of Nkx2.5 to maintain the fate of the SAN cells.

Stenotic transverse sinus predisposes to poststenting hyperperfusion syndrome as evidenced by quantitative analysis of peritherapeutic cerebral circulation time.

Background And Purpose: Hyperperfusion syndrome is a devastating complication of carotid stent placement. The shortening of cerebral circulation time after stent placement is seen as a good indicator of the development of hyperperfusion syndrome. The purpose of our study was to evaluate whether patients with ipsilateral transverse sinus stenosis are prone to having shortened cerebral circulation time after stent placement, subsequently leading to the possible development of hyperperfusion syndrome.

Radiation doses of cerebral blood volume measurements using C-arm CT: A phantom study.

Background And Purpose: Parenchymal blood volume measurement by C-arm CT facilitates in-room peritherapeutic perfusion evaluation. However, the radiation dose remains a major concern. This study aimed to compare the radiation dose of parenchymal blood volume measurement using C-arm CT with that of conventional CTP using multidetector CT.

Ptpn11 deletion in a novel progenitor causes metachondromatosis by inducing hedgehog signalling.

The tyrosine phosphatase SHP2, encoded by PTPN11, is required for the survival, proliferation and differentiation of various cell types. Germline activating mutations in PTPN11 cause Noonan syndrome, whereas somatic PTPN11 mutations cause childhood myeloproliferative disease and contribute to some solid tumours. Recently, heterozygous inactivating mutations in PTPN11 were found in metachondromatosis, a rare inherited disorder featuring multiple exostoses, enchondromas, joint destruction and bony deformities.

Meta-analysis of the diagnostic performance of [18F]FDG-PET and PET/CT in renal cell carcinoma.

Objectives: Positron emission tomography (PET) using fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is useful for restaging renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and detecting metastatic diseases but is less satisfactory for detecting primary disease. We evaluated whether the integration of computed tomography (CT) scans with the PET system could increase the applicability of FDG-PET for RCC.

Methods: The MEDLINE databases were searched for relevant studies published since 2001.

The expression of plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase isoform 2 and its splice variants at sites A and C in the neonatal rat cochlea.

Objective: To study the expression of plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase isoform 2 (PMCA2) and its alternative splicing at sites A (the first intracellular loop) and C (the C-terminal region) in the neonatal rat cochlea.

Methods: The cochleae from rats postnatal day 3 to postnatal day 4 (P3-P4) were dissected, fixed, embedded, and sectioned. Meanwhile, the cochlear coils from neonatal rats were isolated and fixed.

Novel pandemic influenza A(H1N1) viruses are potently inhibited by DAS181, a sialidase fusion protein.

Background: The recent emergence of a novel pandemic influenza A(H1N1) strain in humans exemplifies the rapid and unpredictable nature of influenza virus evolution and the need for effective therapeutics and vaccines to control such outbreaks. However, resistance to antivirals can be a formidable problem as evidenced by the currently widespread oseltamivir- and adamantane-resistant seasonal influenza A viruses (IFV). Additional antiviral approaches with novel mechanisms of action are needed to combat novel and resistant influenza strains.

A prospective study of factors influencing return to work after traumatic spinal cord injury in Taiwan.

Unlabelled: Lin M-R, Hwang H-F, Yu W-Y, Chen C-Y. A prospective study of factors influencing return to work after traumatic spinal cord injury in Taiwan.

Objective: To examine comprehensively the effects of physical, psychologic, and sociologic characteristics on employment among persons after a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in Taiwan.

Two groups of MYB transcription factors share a motif which enhances trans-activation activity.

MYB transcription factors play important roles in many plant developmental processes and various defense responses. Two groups of MYB transcription factors were found to share a W/Y-MDDIW motif. This motif alone shows no trans-activation activity in yeast, however, it enhances the trans-activation activity of the neighbor regions greatly.

The roles of the residues on the channel beta-hairpin and loop structures of simian virus 40 hexameric helicase.

Simian virus 40 large tumor antigen is required for DNA unwinding during viral replication. The helicase-active form of large tumor antigen is a ring-shaped hexamer/double hexamer, which has a positively charged hexameric channel for interacting with DNA. On the hexameric channel surface are six beta-hairpin structures and loops, emanating from each of the six subunits.

The toxic effect of phthalate esters on immune responses of giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) via oral treatment.

A previous in vitro study has indicated that four phthalate esters (PAEs) could damage hemocytes and decreases the cellular immunity of prawns [Sung, H.H., Kao, W.

No association between the serotonin 1B receptor gene and schizophrenia in a case-control and family-based association study.

Previous studies have demonstrated that polymorphisms in the putative promoter region of the human serotonin receptor 1B (HTR1B) gene affect gene expression [H.F. Sun, Y.

Snt309p, a component of the Prp19p-associated complex that interacts with Prp19p and associates with the spliceosome simultaneously with or immediately after dissociation of U4 in the same manner as Prp19p.

The yeast protein Prp19p is essential for pre-mRNA splicing and is associated with the spliceosome concurrently with or just after dissociation of U4 small nuclear RNA. In splicing extracts, Prp19p is associated with several other proteins in a large protein complex of unknown function, but at least one of these proteins is also essential for splicing (W.-Y.