A functional gene encoding carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 and its transcriptional and kinetic regulation during fasting in large yellow croaker.

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) plays an essential role in maintaining energy supply via fatty acid oxidation, especially under fasting. In this study, the complete cDNA sequence of cpt1a was cloned from liver of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea), with an open reading frame of 2319 bp encoding a protein of 772 amino acids. Bioinformatics analysis predicted the presence of conserved functional motifs and amino acid residues.

Life-cycle exposure to cadmium induced compensatory responses towards oxidative stress in the liver of female zebrafish.

The current study examined effects of waterborne cadmium (Cd) at environmental relevant concentrations (0, 2.5 and 5 μg/L) on growth, survival, histology, ultrastructure, metal homeostasis, and antioxidant responses in female zebrafish from embryos to sexually maturity for 15 weeks. Growth and survival rate were not significantly affected by Cd exposure.

Positive and negative innate immune responses in zebrafish under light emitting diodes conditions.

Certain light emitting diodes (LEDs) have become popular in fish farming beacause of a promoting effect on growth and reproduction. However, little information is available on innate immune responses in related tissues under LEDs conditions. The present study assessed the effects of a white fluorescent bulb (the control) and two different light-emitting diodes (LEDs: blue, LDB, peak at 450 nm; red, LDR, 630 nm) on growth and innate immune responses in the serum, liver and ovary of zebrafish for 8 weeks.

Chronic waterborne zinc and cadmium exposures induced different responses towards oxidative stress in the liver of zebrafish.

Based on the same toxic level of 0.6% LC50 for 96-h and the severe situation of water pollution, we compared effects of chronic Zn (180μgL(-1)) and Cd exposures (30μgL(-1)) on growth, survival, histology, ultrastructure, and oxidative stress in the liver of zebrafish for 5 weeks. Growth performance and survival rate remained relatively constant under Zn stress, but was reduced under Cd exposure.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Epigonichthys cultellus (Cephalochordata: Branchiostomatidae).

The systematic position of the amphioxus species with dextral gonads distributed in the southeast Pacific and Indian Oceans has remained to be clarified due to the adoption of different names by different researchers. Mitochondrial (mt) DNA is generally considered to be a powerful molecular marker in taxonomic studies. For a reliable systematics of the amphioxi collected from the South China Sea, we sequenced the complete mtDNA from a single specimen and compared it with those of the other eight amphioxus species.

[Effects of thymosin alpha1 on immune effector molecules of mouse].

Objective: To analysis the effects of Talpha1 on the immune effector molecules in mouse immune system.

Methods: Sixty five BABL/c mice were divided into four groups: CsA group (n=20), Talpha1 group (n= 20), CsA+Talpha1 group (n=20) and control group (n=5). In the 3 experimental groups, 10 mg/kg CsA, 400 microg/ kg Talpha1, 10 mg/kg CsA+400 microg/kg Talpha1 were respectively administrated by intraperitoneal injection daily.

[Establishment of full-sib families of Branchiostoma japonicum and the relationship between early development patterns and larvae survival rates].

One general requirement of individual laboratory animals is that they have known genetic backgrounds. However, ensuring such genetic similarity is difficult, and can be facilitated by breeding a full strain for experimentation. To this end, the authors bred 34 full-sib families of amphioxus larvae/embryos.

Axonal loss and blood flow disturbances in the natural course of indirect traumatic optic neuropathy.

Background: Indirect traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) is an acute injury of the optic nerve associated with severe visual dysfunction, which may be a result of secondary mechanical injury and vascular disorder of the optic nerve due to trauma. We analyzed the natural course of axonal loss and blood flow disturbances in patients with indirect TON to find a possible therapeutic window.

Methods: A cohort of 54 patients with indirect TON recruited between October 2008 and October 2010 at Beijing Tongren Hospital was retrospectively analyzed.

[Identification and expressional analysis of green fluorescent protein genes in amphioxus].

Endogenous green fluorescent proteins (GFPs) have recently been found in amphioxus, where different characteristics of light production in different development stages and between different individuals have manifested. We identified the GFP genes in an amphioxus species Branchiostoma belcheri and monitored real time fluorescence signals of GFPs during different developmental stages to provide an insight on the GFP function in amphioxus. We found there are at least 12 endogenous GFP genes in amphioxus genome, and fluorescent expression changes in body position during different developmental stages.

Erythropoietin receptor positive circulating progenitor cells and endothelial progenitor cells in patients with different stages of diabetic retinopathy.

Objective: To investigate the possible involvement of erythr opoietin (EPO)/erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) system in neovascularization and vascular regeneration in diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: EPOR positive circulating progenitor cells (CPCs: CD34(+)) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs: CD34(+)KDR(+)) were assessed by flow cytometry in type 2 diabetic patients with different stages of DR. The cohort consisted of age- and sex-matched control patients with out diabetes ( n=7),non-proliferative DR (NPDR, n=7),non-proliferative DR (PDR, n=8), and PDR complicated with diabetic nephr opathy (PDR-DN, n=7).

[Analysis of amphioxus geographic populations in the West Pacific Ocean based on COX I gene].

Amphioxus (lancelet) is an important model animal in the field of Evo-Devo study. However, the specimens for laboratorial experiments are usually sampled directly from the field. Thus, it is necessary to correctly identify species and evaluate the genetic diversity of geographic populations.

Pharmacokinetic and toxicity study of intravitreal erythropoietin in rabbits.

Aim: To study the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of intravitreal erythropoietin (EPO) for potential clinical use.

Methods: For toxicity study, 4 groups (60 rabbits) with intravitreal injection (IVit) of EPO were studied (10 U, 100 U, or 1,000 U) per eye for single injection and 0.6 U/eye (the designed therapeutic level in rabbits) for monthly injections (6X).