Regulation of Chloroplast ATP Synthase Modulates Photoprotection in the CAM Plant .

Generally, regulation of cyclic electron flow (CEF) and chloroplast ATP synthase play key roles in photoprotection for photosystems I and II (PSI and PSII) in C3 and C4 plants, especially when CO assimilation is restricted. However, how CAM plants protect PSI and PSII when CO assimilation is restricted is largely known. In the present study, we measured PSI, PSII, and electrochromic shift signals in the CAM plant .

Lentivirus-mediated overexpression of suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 reduces neutrophilic airway inflammation by suppressing T-helper 17 responses in mice with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections.

The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of overexpressed suppressor of cytokine signaling‑3 (SOCS3) on T-helper (Th)17 cell responses and neutrophilic airway inflammation in mice with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infections. SOCS3 expression was enhanced via the administration of tail vein injections of therapeutic lentivirus in mice with chronic PA lung infections. SOCS3 expression in the blood and lung tissue was assessed using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) and western blot analysis.

Interleukin-17A promotes the formation of inflammation in the lung tissues of rats with pulmonary fibrosis.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of interleukin (IL)-17A in a rat model of pulmonary fibrosis. In total, 20 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal saline (NS group) and a bleomycin group (BLM group). The BLM group rats were intratracheally instilled with BLM, while the NS group rats were intratracheally instilled with saline.

5-Fluorouracil and interleukin-2 immunochemotherapy enhances immunogenicity of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells through upregulation of NKG2D ligands.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-cancer effects and mechanisms of immunochemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cells.

Materials And Methods: In order to detect whether 5-FU+IL-2 could effectively inhibit tumor growth in vivo, we established an A549-bearing nude mouse model. The cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells was evaluated using a standard chromium release assay.

Zinc finger X-chromosomal protein promotes growth and tumorigenesis in human osteosarcoma cells.

Objective: To investigate the role of Zinc finger X-chromosomal protein (ZFX) in oncogenesis of Osteosarcoma tumor.

Methods: Here, we first conducted an expression analysis of ZFX in Osteosarcoma cell lines. Then, we constructed ZFX-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA)-lentiviral vector that is capable of effectively inhibiting the expression of ZFX gene in human Osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells, and investigated systemically the impacts of ZFX silence on the growth and invasive ability of the cancer cells in vitro.

Zinc finger X-chromosomal protein (ZFX) promotes solid agar colony growth of osteosarcoma cells.

Zinc finger X-chromosomal protein (ZFX) is a member of the zinc finger family of proteins. The importance of ZFX in several cancer types, including prostate cancer, laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and glioma, has been addressed. However, the role of ZFX in human osteosarcoma remains unknown.

Extracellular matrix-coating pedicle screws conduct and induce osteogenesis.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to study the effects of the extracellular matrix-coating pedicle screws on the conduction and induction of bone formation in young sheep.

Methods: Pedicle screws [coated with collagen/chondroitin sulfate (coll/CS), hydroxyapatite (HA), and coll/CS/HA or uncoated] were randomly implanted into the L2-L5 pedicles of sheep. In the first stage, a static experiment was performed.

Induction of thoracic aortic remodeling by endothelial-specific deletion of microRNA-21 in mice.

MicroRNAs (miRs) are known to have an important role in modulating vascular biology. MiR21 was found to be involved in the pathogenesis of proliferative vascular disease. The role of miR21 in endothelial cells (ECs) has well studied in vitro, but the study in vivo remains to be elucidated.

SMC1A knockdown induces growth suppression of human lung adenocarcinoma cells through G1/S cell cycle phase arrest and apoptosis pathways in vitro.

SMC1A (structural maintenance of chromosomes 1A), which encodes a structural subunit of the cohesin protein complex, is necessary for the process of sister chromatid cohesion during the cell cycle. Mutation and deregulation of SMC1A are highly relevant to diverse human diseases, including Cornelia de Lange syndrome and malignant carcinomas. In order to further investigate the role of SMC1A in the oncogenesis of lung cancer, SMC1A-specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-expressing lentivirus (Lv-shSMC1A) was constructed and used to infect A549 and H1299 cells.

Age-related differences in microstructure, density and biomechanics of vertebral cancellous bone of Chinese males.

The conventional lumbar separation was performed by removing soft tissue, subsidiary structures and leaving only the vertebral body. The vertebral body was cut into two halves along the median sagittal plane, keeping the upper and lower end plates of each half, which were subsequently used for biomechanical, morphological and density experiments. From the age of 20-29 to 30-39 years, both the horizontal trabecular thickness (Tb.

In vivo study of extracellular matrix coating enhancing fixation of the pedicle screw-bone's interface.

Background: Based on in vivo research on the effect of the coating of the extracellular matrix composition of pedicle screws on the conduction and induction of bone formation in young sheep, the aim of this study was to investigate the application of coated pedicle screws in sheep with scoliosis whose spines are under constant development.

Methods: Four groups of pedicle screws were randomly implanted into bilateral L2-L5 pedicles of 2.5- to 3-month-old sheep.

[The clinical efficacy and safety of intravenous cefmetazole in treatment of 1,522 patients with aspiration pneumonia].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous cefmetazole in the treatment of patients with aspiration pneumonia.

Methods: A multicenter, prospective and open-labeled trial was conducted. A total of 1522 patients were enrolled at the beginning, and only 1324 were evaluated at the endpoint.

MED19 promotes proliferation and tumorigenesis of lung cancer.

MED19 is a subunit of Mediator that is an essential component of RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription machinery. High expression levels of MED19 were examined in human lung adenocarcinoma tissues by immunohistochemical assay. MED19-specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expressing lentivirus was constructed and infected lung cancer cell line A549.

[Artificial neural network parameters optimization software and its application in the design of sustained release tablets].

Artificial neural network (ANN) is a multi-objective optimization method that needs mathematic and statistic knowledge which restricts its application in the pharmaceutical research area. An artificial neural network parameters optimization software (ANNPOS) programmed by the Visual Basic language was developed to overcome this shortcoming. In the design of a sustained release formulation, the suitable parameters of ANN were estimated by the ANNPOS.

Spatial variability of soil organic carbon in relation to environmental factors of a typical small watershed in the black soil region, northeast China.

A total of 292 soil samples were taken from surface soil (0-20 cm) of a typical small watershed-Tongshuang in the black soil region of Heilongjiang province, northeast China in June 2005 for examining the concentration of soil organic carbon (SOC). Spatial variability of SOC in relation to topography and land use was evaluated using classical statistics, geostatistics and geographic information system (GIS) analyses. The objective of this study was to provide a scientific basis for land management targeting at improving soil quality in this region.

[Relationship between expression of cyclin D1, Ki-67 and bcl-2 and biologic behavior in CD117-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors].

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathologic features of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and to identify reliable prognostic parameters.

Methods: Fifty-nine GISTs were studied by immunostaining of CD117, CD34, SMA, desmin, S-100, bcl-2, and Ki-67. Histopathologic evaluations included tumor size, necrosis, histological growth patterns, mitotic activities and tumor lymphocytic infiltrate.

Change in mitochondrial membrane potential is the key mechanism in early warm hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.

The mitochondrion has been proposed to be both a target and a perpetuator of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury because of its reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Our hypothesis is that subcellular derangement in mitochondrial function is one of the earliest steps leading to the early IR-mediated loss of hepatocellular integrity. Under chloralhydrate anesthesia (36 mg/kg BW), Sprague-Dawley rats (n=7) were subjected to 40 min of warm hepatic lobular ischemia followed by 60 min reperfusion.

Inhibition of STAT3 expression by siRNA suppresses growth and induces apoptosis in laryngeal cancer cells.

Aim: To determine the inhibitory effect of the synthetic STAT3 siRNA on the expression of STAT3 gene in human laryngeal cancer cell lines Hep2 and to investigate the effect of STAT3 siRNA on growth and apoptosis in Hep2 cells.

Methods: A pair of DNA templates coding siRNA against STAT3-mRNA was synthesized to reconstruct plasmid of pSilencer1.0-U6 siRNA-STAT3.

[A prospective cohort study of risk factors for ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care unit].

Objective: To study the risk factors of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in intensive care unit (ICU), in order to offer basic epidemiological data for the prevention of VAP in ICU.

Methods: A prospective cohort study on VAP was carried out in intubated or tracheotomied patients in ICU of Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital from Dec.1999 to Feb.

[The impact of gastric colonization on the pathogenesis of ventilator-associated pneumonia].

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for gastric bacterial colonization and its role in the endogenous pathogenesis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

Methods: The type and concentration of gastric colonized bacteria and its relationship with the time when samples were collected, and with the type and occurrence order of the pathogens detected in samples from lower respiratory tract after the onset of VAP were analyzed dynamically in the patients with tracheal-intubation or tracheotomy in intensive care unit (ICU).

Results: (1) The isolation rate of colonized bacteria in gastric cavity was associated with the pH of gastric juice.

Biotransformation of triptolide and triptonide by cell suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus.

Catharanthus roseus cell suspension cultures were used to bioconvert both triptolide (1) and triptonide (2). The same reaction path was followed in both biotransformations. Two biotransformed products were obtained and their structures identified as triptriolide (3) and 12beta,13alpha-dihydroxytriptonide (4), respectively, from 1 and 2.

Increased NAD(P)H fluorescence with decreased blood flow in the steatotic liver of the obese Zucker rat.

The steatotic liver is characterized by deranged intrahepatic microvasculature that is believed to predispose it to ischemia-reperfusion injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the distorted hepatic hemodynamics and its impact on the redox status of the steatotic liver. Hepatic hemodynamic parameters, hepatic microcirculatory perfusion (HMP), and in vivo reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate) [NAD(P)H] autofluorescence, which reflects the mitochondrial redox status and tissue oxygen levels, were measured in obese (n = 7) and lean Zucker rats (n = 7).

The metabolic and microcirculatory impact of orthotopic liver transplantation on the obese Zucker rat.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the metabolic alterations in the recipient and microcirculatory changes to the graft in the first 3 months after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) of nonsteatotic liver grafts from lean rats into obese Zucker rats.

Methods: Body weight and plasma lipids were measured for 3 months post-OLT. Graft perfusion (hepatic microcirculatory perfusion [HMP]) and vascular structure were measured in vivo at 3 months.

Persistence of impaired hepatic microcirculation after nonarterialized liver transplantation in the rat.

Objectives: The nonarterialized orthotopic rat liver transplant (NOLT) is a frequently used model in transplantation research that was recently used to investigate microcirculatory alterations during acute rejection, which occurs within 7 days. The present study sought to establish whether NOLT represents a reasonable model for the study of the hepatic microcirculation beyond the immediate reperfusion phase.

Methods: Three groups of animals were studied: sham-operated control (n = 8), NOLT (n = 7) and arterialized orthotopic liver transplant (AOLT; n = 8).