AMP-activated protein kinase supports the NGF-induced viability of human HeLa cells to glucose starvation.

As an important cellular energy regulation kinase, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been demonstrated as a key molecule in the development of tolerance to nutrient starvation. Activation of AMPK includes the phosphorylation of Thr172 of the alpha-subunit. Nerve growth factor (NGF) was originally isolated for its ability to stimulate both survival and differentiation in peripheral neurons, but many investigations have shown that the NGF also plays an important role in survival, growth and invasion of many human cancers.

Calculating the critical relative humidity from the solubility of electrolyte according to extended non-random two liquid model.

According to thermodynamic principle, the critical relative humidity of electrolytes is closely related to their solubility. The authors explored the relationship theoretically and calculated the critical relative humidity of 21 electrolytes in the light of Raoult's law, modified Debye-Hückel model and extended non-random two liquid (NRTL) model from their solubility. The results indicate that the critical relative humidity values calculated by Raoult's law can not accord with the reported ones and there is a systematic error in high concentration range; the values calculated by modified Debye-Hückel model still can not accord with the reported ones well although without systematic error; and the values calculated by extended NRTL are comparable to the reported ones.

A new route for the synthesis of propylene oxide from bio-glycerol derivated propylene glycol.

The synthesis of propylene oxide from propylene glycol, a derivative of bio-glycerol, was firstly realized in the presence of alkali-loaded silica catalysts to achieve 44% conversion and 70% selectivity.

Long-term hepatitis C internal ribosome entry site-dependent gene expression mediated by phage phiC31 integrase in mouse model.

Background: The lack of a robust small animal model for hepatitis C virus (HCV) has hindered the development of novel drugs, including internal ribosome entry site (IRES) inhibitors. Phage phiC31 integrase has emerged as a potent tool for achieving long-term gene expression in vivo. This study utilized phiC31 integrase to develop a stable, reproducible and easily accessible HCV IRES mouse model.

PhiC31 integrase and liver-specific regulatory elements confer high-level, long-term expression of firefly luciferase in mouse liver.

To improve the efficiency of expression of reporter transgenes delivered by hydrodynamic injection, we generated expression cassettes carrying different liver-specific regulatory elements using the firefly luciferase gene as a reporter. From our studies the human alpha-antitrypsin promoter together with the apolipoprotein E/C-I and albumin enhancer was the combination of choice for prolonged transgene expression, but reporter gene expression in vivo lasted for no more than 7 weeks. Subsequently, phage phiC31 integrase was introduced as a potential tool to improve further the efficiency of expression of the delivered transgene.

[The short-term efficacy of autogenous bone pate and palva graft for obliterating huge mastoid cavity in canal wall-down approach].

Objective: To observe the short-term efficacy of autogenous bone pate and Palva graft for obliterating huge remnant mastoid cavity in canal wall down approach.

Method: Retrospective analysis clinical data of twenty-one cholesteatomatous cases operated by one surgeon from 2004 to 2007. In twelve cases, simultaneous III type tympanoplasty (Sheehy, P.

[Sequence analysis of the nucleocapsid gene and genome promoter region of peste des petits ruminants virus of Chinese origin].

The N gene and genome promoter nucleotide sequence of a Chinese Peste des petits rumiants virus (PPRV) ("China/Tib/Gej/07-30") was firstly determined. The length of N gene was 1689 nucleotides with a single open reading frame (ORF). The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence was compared with the homologous region of other PPRV isolates.

Bis(μ(2)-3,5-diisopropyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole-κN:N)bis-[(nitrato-κO)silver(I)].

The neutral N-heterocycle in the title centrosymmetric dinuclear compound, [Ag(2)(NO(3))(2)(C(8)H(15)N(3))(2)], bridges two metal atoms through its imino N atoms. The N-Ag-N skeleton is bent [N-Ag-N = 127.2 (3)°]; as one of two O atoms of the nitrate anion is nearly coplanar with this N-Ag-N skeleton [Ag-O = 2.

Kinetics of photoinduced anisotropy in bacteriorhodopsin film under two pumping beams.

Photoinduced anisotropy in bacteriorhodopsin (BR) film arises from the selective bleaching of BR molecules to linearly polarized light. The kinetics of photoinduced anisotropy excited by single and two pumping beams are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Compared with a single pumping beam (650 nm), which produces comparatively small photoinduced anisotropy, dual-wavelength linearly polarized pumping beams (650 and 405 nm) can obviously change the photoinduced anisotropy.

Influence of polarization orientation of violet light on the diffraction efficiency of bacteriorhodopsin.

When a grating is recorded in a bacteriorhodopsin film by two linear parallel polarized beams together with an auxiliary violet light, the diffraction efficiency has a dependence on the polarization orientation of the violet light as well as its intensity. A method for calculating the diffraction efficiency of gratings in bacteriorhodopsin is proposed based on the two-state photochromic model, considering the saturation effect and the polarization status of all the involved lights. It is found that the polarization orientation of the violet light produces an approximate-cosine and an approximate-sine modulation on the steady-state diffraction efficiency separately at low and high intensities, respectively.

Phase and amplitude reconstruction from a single carrier-frequency interferogram without phase unwrapping.

A rapid algorithm for phase and amplitude reconstruction from a single spatial-carrier interferogram is proposed by bringing a phase-shifting mechanism into reconstruction of a carrier-frequency interferogram. The algorithm reconstructs phase through directly obtaining and integrating its real-value derivatives, avoiding a phase unwrapping process. The proposed method is rapid and easy to implement and is made insensitive to the profile of the interferogram boundaries by choosing a suitable integrating path.

The study of abnormal bone development in the Apert syndrome Fgfr2+/S252W mouse using a 3D hydrogel culture model.

Apert syndrome is caused by mutations in fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (Fgfr2) and is characterized by craniosynostosis and other skeletal abnormalities. The Apert syndrome Fgfr2+/S252W mouse model exhibits perinatal lethality. A 3D hydrogel culture model, derived from tissue engineering strategies, was used to extend the study of the effect of the Fgfr2+/S252W mutation in differentiating osteoblasts postnatally.

Identification of a novel human lactate dehydrogenase gene LDHAL6A, which activates transcriptional activities of AP1(PMA).

L-lactate dehydrogenase is a crucial enzyme in the process of glycolysis. Here we report the cloning and characterization of another novel lactate dehydrogenase gene, named as LDHAL6A (lactate dehydrogenase A-like 6A), which encodes a 332-amino-acid protein. The LDHAL6A gene consists of seven exons, and is mapped to 11p15.

Effect of reconstruction beam polarization on the kinetics of anisotropic gratings in bacteriorhodopsin.

Anisotropic gratings are recorded on bacteriorhodopsin films by two parallelly polarized beams, and the effect of the polarization orientation of the reconstructing beam on the diffraction efficiency kinetics is studied. A theoretical model for the diffraction efficiency kinetics of the anisotropic grating is developed by combining Jones-matrix and photochromic two-state theory. It is found that the polarization azimuth of the reconstructing beam produces a cosine modulation on the kinetics of the diffraction efficiency, being positive at the peak efficiency and negative for steady state.

[Enhancing transfection efficiency of polyethylenimine by a hydrophobic peptide from bee venom].

The study was aimed to investigate the possibility of enhancing transfection efficiency of branched polyethylenimine (BPEI) in HeLa cells by hydrophobic tail of bee venom peptide (melittin). Hydrophobic tail of melittin was synthesized and its membrane permeable activity was evaluated by hemolysis test. The peptide was mixed with BPEI and the transfection efficiency was determined in HeLa cells by using green fluorescent protein gene (GFP) as a reporter gene.

B to O erythrocyte conversion by the recombinant alpha-galactosidase.

Background: Human group O red blood cells have great benefit in specialized transfusion areas such as armed conflict and natural calamity. The group B antigen differs structurally from group O antigen only by the addition of one terminal alpha-linked galactose residue. In this study we aimed to remove the terminal galactose from group B red blood cell to get group O red blood cell.

Cloning and characterization of the human gene RAP2C, a novel member of Ras family, which activates transcriptional activities of SRE.

The Ras family regulates a wide variety of cellular functions that include cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. In this study, we identified a novel human gene named RAP2C, isolated from human testis cDNA library, and mapped to Xq26.2 by searching the UCSC genomic database.

Identification of a novel human lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase, LPAAT-theta, which activates mTOR pathway.

Lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT) is an intrinsic membrane protein that catalyzes the synthesis of phosphatidic acid (PA) from lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). It is well known that LPAAT is involved in lipid biosynthesis, while its role in tumour progression has been of emerging interest in the last few years. To date, seven members of the LPAAT gene family have been found in human.

BRSK2 is activated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A through phosphorylation at Thr260.

Brain selective kinase 2 (BRSK2) has been identified as a member of AMPK related kinases. LKB1 can phosphorylate the Thr174 of BRSK2, increasing its activity >50-fold. In this study, we identified cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) as another upstream kinase of BRSK2, which can phosphorylate BRSK2 at Thr260.

Transcriptional inhibition by an oxidized abasic site in DNA.

2-Deoxyribonolactone (dL) is an oxidized abasic site in DNA that can be induced by gamma-radiolysis, ultraviolet irradiation, and numerous antitumor drugs. Although this lesion is incised by AP endonucleases, suggesting a base-excision repair mechanism for dL removal, subsequent excision and repair synthesis by DNA polymerase beta is inhibited due to accumulation of a protein-DNA cross-link. This raises the possibility that additional repair pathways might be required to eliminate dL from the genome.

Optical image processing using the photoinduced anisotropy of pyrrylfulgide.

A synthesized photochromic compound-pyrrylfulgide--is prepared as a thin film doped in a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) matrix. Under irradiation by UV light, the film converts from the bleached state into a colored state that has a maximum absorption at 635 nm and is thermally stable at room temperature. When the colored state is irradiated by a linearly polarized 650 nm laser, the film returns to the bleached state; photoinduced anisotropy is produced during this process.

Polarization holographic high-density optical data storage in bacteriorhodopsin film.

Optical films containing the genetic variant bacteriorhodopsin BR-D96N were experimentally studied in view of their properties as media for holographic storage. Different polarization recording schemes were tested and compared. The influence of the polarization states of the recording and readout waves on the retrieved diffractive image's intensity and its signal-to-noise ratio were analyzed.

Polarization multiplexed write-once-read-many optical data storage in bacteriorhodopsin films.

In polymeric films of bacteriorhodopsin (BR) a photoconversion product, which was named the F620 state, was observed on excitation of the film with 532 nm nanosecond laser pulses. This photoproduct shows a strong nonlinear absorption. Such BR films can be used for write-once-read-many (WORM) optical data storage.

Application of dietary fiber in clinical enteral nutrition: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of dietary fiber (DF) as a part of enteral nutrition (EN) formula on diarrhea, infection, and length of hospital stay.

Methods: Following electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials about DF: Chinese Biomedicine Database (CBM), MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. RevMan 4.

Abnormalities in cartilage and bone development in the Apert syndrome FGFR2(+/S252W) mouse.

Apert syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by malformations of the skull, limbs and viscera. Two-thirds of affected individuals have a S252W mutation in fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2). To study the pathogenesis of this condition, we generated a knock-in mouse model with this mutation.