Survivin is upregulated in myeloma cell lines cocultured with mesenchymal stem cells.

In this study we investigated the influence of the mesenchymal stem cells on the survival of U266 and H929 myeloma cell lines. We found that both soluble factors and direct cell contact inhibited daunorubicin-induced apoptosis of U266 and H929 cells. The mRNA and protein levels of survivin were upregulated in U266 and H929 cells cocultured with mesenchymal stem cells, whereas not increased in that separated by TW insert.

Targeting integrin-linked kinase increases apoptosis and decreases invasion of myeloma cell lines and inhibits IL-6 and VEGF secretion from BMSCs.

In this study, we investigated ILK expression in myeloma cell lines U266 and H929 kept in suspension and cocultured with BMSCs, and studied the pharmacologic inhibitors of ILK on the apoptosis, invasive potential of myeloma cell lines, and production of pro-angiogenic factors of bone marrow stromal cells. We found that ILK protein was expressed in U266 and H929 cells and kinase activity was elevated when cocultured with BMSCs. ILK inhibitor QLT0267 reduced ILK kinase activity and increased apoptosis both in myeloma cell lines kept in suspension and cocultured with BMSCs.

The Mg-chelatase H subunit of Arabidopsis antagonizes a group of WRKY transcription repressors to relieve ABA-responsive genes of inhibition.

The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a vital role in plant development and response to environmental challenges, but the complex networks of ABA signaling pathways are poorly understood. We previously reported that a chloroplast protein, the magnesium-protoporphyrin IX chelatase H subunit (CHLH/ABAR), functions as a receptor for ABA in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we report that ABAR spans the chloroplast envelope and that the cytosolic C terminus of ABAR interacts with a group of WRKY transcription factors (WRKY40, WRKY18, and WRKY60) that function as negative regulators of ABA signaling in seed germination and postgermination growth.

[Clinical analysis of acute pulmonary thromboembolism in 68 elderly patients].

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics of acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in elderly patients, in order to improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Method: The clinical data were reviewed for patients aged over 60 years old hospitalized with acute PTE in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2006 to January 2009.

Results: The average age of the 68 patients was (72 +/- 6) years old.

Hantavirus-like particles generated in CHO cells induce specific immune responses in C57BL/6 mice.

A safe and effective hantavirus vaccine is highly desirable since hantaviruses are distributed worldwide and cause an acute and often fatal disease (hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, HFRS). Virus-like particles (VLPs) displaying functional viral proteins could provide effective vaccines against a few viruses, but their ability to induce hantavirus-specific immune response has not been adequately investigated. To measure the immunogenicity of Hantaan virus-like particles (HTN-VLPs) vaccine, we generated recombinant HTN-VLPs by co-expressing Hantaan virus nucleocapsid (N) protein and glycoproteins (Gn and Gc) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells.

Structure-activity relationship of an ozonide carboxylic acid (OZ78) against Fasciola hepatica.

In this paper, we describe the SAR of ozonide carboxylic acid OZ78 (1) as the first part of our search for a trematocidal synthetic peroxide drug development candidate. We found that relatively small structural changes to 1 resulted most commonly in loss of activity against Fasciola hepatica in vivo. A spiroadamantane substructure and acidic functional group (or ester prodrug) were required for activity.

Lineage pattern, trans-species polymorphism, and selection pressure among the major lineages of feline MHC-DRB peptide-binding region.

The long-term evolution of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) involves the birth-and-death process and independent divergence of loci during episodes punctuated by natural selection. Here, we investigated the molecular signatures of natural selection at exon-2 of MHC class II DRB gene which includes a part of the peptide-binding region (PBR) in seven of eight putative extant Felidae lineages. The DRB alleles in felids can be mainly divided into five lineages.

Two coupled components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade MdMPK1 and MdMKK1 from apple function in ABA signal transduction.

Plant mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are involved in a range of biotic and abiotic stress responses, but many members of the MAPK family involved in signal transduction of the stress-related hormone ABA remain to be identified and how they regulate ABA signaling is still unclear. Here we characterized biochemically an apple MAPK signaling cascade MdMKK1-MdMPK1, which is transiently activated by ABA. Expression of MdMKK1 or MdMPK1 in the reference plant Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) confers ABA hypersensitivity in both seed germination and seedling growth, showing that MdMKK1 and MdMPK1 are positively involved in ABA signaling.

[Clinical analysis of 45 cases with pulmonary thromboembolism after surgical procedures].

Objective: To analyze the occurrence of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) after surgical procedures to attract more attention to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Methods: Retrospectively analyze the clinical data of the hospitalized patients with post-surgical PTE from June 2004 to February 2009. The average age of the 45 cases was (60 +/- 16) years old, 35 cases received anticoagulant therapy and 6 cases received thrombolytic therapy, the other 4 cases only received emergency medical treatment.

Rapid growth produces transient cortical weakness: a risk factor for metaphyseal fractures during puberty.

Fractures of the distal radius in children have a similar incidence to that found in postmenopausal women but occur more commonly in boys than in girls. Fractures of the distal tibia are uncommon in children and show no sex specificity. About 90% of lengthening of the radius but only 30% of lengthening of the tibia during puberty occur at the distal growth plate.

[Current situation and surveillance on dengue fever in China, 2005 - 2007].

Objective: To provide scientific evidence for prevention and control program on dengue fever through analyzing the situation of dengue fever in China, from 2005 to 2007.

Methods: Data was collected from Internet-based National Notifiable Infectious Disease Reporting System, National Enhanced Dengue Fever Surveillance System and field investigation on dengue outbreaks, described and analyzed with descriptively and by SPSS statistical software.

Results: There was a total number of 1623 dengue cases (including 1356 laboratory confirmed cases and 267 probable cases) and 1 death case reported in China from 2005 to 2007.

[Surface emission characteristics of ZnO nanoparticles].

The size-dependence of photoluminescence (PL) of ZnO nanoparticles with diameter from 17 to 300 nm was demonstrated by time resolved laser spectroscopy. Broad PL spectra were obtained and found to consist of three Gaussian components. The authors found that the PL peak position and relative amplitude depend on the size of nanoparticles for the Gaussian PL band inside the energy band-gap.

Assisted sonodynamic damage of bovine serum albumin by metronidazole under ultrasonic irradiation combined with photosensitive antitumor drug-Amsacrine.

By research, it was found that the Amsacrine (AMSA) can interact with bovine serum albumin (BSA). In this work, the AMSA was adopted as a sonosensitizer and the Metronidazole (MET) was used as a sensitizer to further damage BSA molecules under ultrasonic irradiation. It could be concluded that the damage degree of BSA molecules in the presence of AMSA and MET was more serious than in the presence of pure AMSA.

[The expression and significance of nerve growth factor and its receptors in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma].

Objective: To investigate nerve growth factor (beta-NGF) and its receptors expression in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Methods: Expression and distribution of beta-NGF, tyrosine kinase A (TrKA) and P75(NGFR) were detected in operation tissue specimens of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. Relations of beta-NGF and its receptors with clinical pathological characters, especially nerve invasion were analyzed.

The structure-activity relationship of the antimalarial ozonide arterolane (OZ277).

The structure and stereochemistry of the cyclohexane substituents of analogues of arterolane (OZ277) had little effect on potency against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. Weak base functional groups were not required for high antimalarial potency, but they were essential for high antimalarial efficacy in P. berghei-infected mice.

Cyclic nucleotide signaling in polycystic kidney disease.

Increased levels of 3'-5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) stimulate cell proliferation and fluid secretion in polycystic kidney disease. Levels of this molecule are more sensitive to inhibition of phosphodiesterases (PDEs), whose activity far exceeds the rate of cAMP synthesis by adenylyl cyclase. Several PDEs exist, and here we measured the activity and expression of PDE families, their isoforms, and the expression of downstream effectors of cAMP signaling in the kidneys of rodents with polycystic kidney disease.

Angiotensin II type 2 receptor mediated angiotensin II and high glucose induced decrease in renal prorenin/renin receptor expression.

Activation of prorenin/renin receptor [(P)RR] mediates non-enzymatic pathway for the physiological function of prorenin/renin. It also plays a role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. However, the mechanisms of regulating (P)RR expression are only partially understood.

Structure-antioxidant relationships of sulfated galactomannan from guar gum.

Sulfated polysaccharides exerted potential biological property which was relative to degree of sulfation (DS), M(w), substitution position and chain conformation. In the present study, commercial guar gum was purified and its sulfated derivates with different DS and M(w) were synthesized. FT-IR and 13C NMR analysis indicated that C-6 substitution was predominant in sulfated samples compared with other positions.

Inhibition of caspase-mediated anoikis is critical for basic fibroblast growth factor-sustained culture of human pluripotent stem cells.

Apoptosis and proliferation are two dynamically and tightly regulated processes that together maintain the homeostasis of renewable tissues. Anoikis is a subtype of apoptosis induced by detachment of adherent cells from the extracellular matrix. By using the defined mTeSR1 medium and collecting freshly detached cells, we found here that human pluripotent stem (PS) cells including embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem cells are subject to constant anoikis in culture, which is escalated in the absence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).

A crucial role for hydrogen sulfide in oxygen sensing via modulating large conductance calcium-activated potassium channels.

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is an important signaling molecule produced from L-cysteine by cystathionine beta-synthetase (CBS) or cystathionine gamma-lyase (CSE). Here we examined the role of H(2)S in the oxygen-sensing function of the carotid body chemoreceptors, where the large conductance Ca(2+)-activated potassium channel (BK(Ca)) plays a key role. In the isolated mouse carotid body/sinus nerve preparations, the H(2)S donor, NaHS, excited the chemoreceptor afferent nerves in a concentration-dependent manner that was reversed by carbon monoxide donor.

[Simultaneous determination of seven sexual hormones in essential oil by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array and fluorescence detectors].

An efficient method for analyzing seven sexual hormones (estradiol-17beta, estriol, estrone, testosterone, methyl-testosterone, progesterone and diethylstilbestrol) in essential oil by high performance liquid chromatography was developed. The samples were dissolved in n-hexane, then extracted with 90% methanol solution. The n-hexane layer was discarded and the methanol layer was cleaned-up twice with n-hexane.

A comparison study on microwave-assisted extraction of Artemisia sphaerocephala polysaccharides with conventional method: Molecule structure and antioxidant activities evaluation.

The conventional extraction methods for polysaccharides were time-consuming, laborious and energy-consuming. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique was employed for the extraction of Artemisia sphaerocephala polysaccharides (ASP), which is a traditional Chinese food. The extracting parameters were optimized by Box-Behnken design.

Zinc-finger intron 7: a new locus for sex identification of giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).

We developed a single-reaction test for identifying the sex of giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) targeted to co-amplify homologous fragments with size polymorphism that located at zinc-finger (ZF) intron 7 by using one pair of primers. This assay produced one sex-specific fragment in females (XX genotypes) whereas two fragments were produced in males (XY genotypes). Indels (insertion/deletion) in intron 7 of Y-linked allele provide a significant discrimination between ZFX and ZFY, thus the amplification products can be simply distinguished by agarose gel electrophoresis, exhibiting sex-specific banding patterns (female, 354 bp; male, 354 bp, 135 bp).