Fear renewal activates cyclic adenosine monophosphate signaling in the dentate gyrus.

Background: Fear renewal, the context-specific relapse of a conditioned fear after extinction, is a widely pursued model of post-traumatic stress disorder and phobias. However, its cellular and molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. The dentate gyrus (DG) has emerged as a critical locus of plasticity with relevance to memory, anxiety disorders, and depression, and it contributes to fear memory retrieval.

Analysis of 24 Y-STR haplotype data in a Chinese Han population from Guangdong Province.

In this study, we investigated the genetic polymorphisms of 24 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (Y-STR) loci in 885 unrelated Chinese Han male individuals from Guangdong Province, using a domestic AGCU Y24 STR kit. A total of 878 different haplotypes were observed at the 24 Y-STR loci; among them, 871 haplotypes were unique and 7 haplotypes occurred twice. The overall haplotype diversity was 0.

Genetic polymorphisms and mutation rates of 27 Y-chromosomal STRs in a Han population from Guangdong Province, Southern China.

In this study, we collected blood samples from 1033 father-son pairs of a Han population from Guangdong Province, Southern China, of which 1007 fathers were unrelated male individuals. All together, 2040 male individuals were analyzed at 27 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) with Yfiler(®) Plus system. A total of 1003 different haplotypes were observed among 1007 unrelated fathers, with the overall haplotype diversity (HD) 0.

[Mutations in a Large Pedigree with Y-STR Genetic Markers].

Objective: To explore the mutation of Y-STR loci in meiotic allelic transmission in a large pedigree.

Methods: The oral swabs of 163 male individuals were collected from a Lin pedigree. Twenty-two Y-STR genetic markers were typed with AGCU Y24 fluorescent detection kit (AGCU Y24 system), which also contained 16 Y-STR markers included in Yfiler multiple amplification kit (Yfiler system).

Analysis of 17 Y-STR loci haplotype and Y-chromosome haplogroup distribution in five Chinese ethnic groups.

To investigate genetic diversity in Chinese populations, 706 unrelated male individuals from five ethnic groups (Han, Korean, Hui, Mongolian, and Tibetan, respectively) were analyzed with 17 Y-chromosomal STRs. The haplotype diversity was 0.99985 in the combined data.

[Age estimation using content of sjTREC in human peripheral blood].

Objective: To determine and verify the correlation formula of age estimation using the content of signal joint T-cell receptor excision DNA circle (sjTREC) in human peripheral blood and to discuss its application value in forensic biological practice.

Methods: The samples of peripheral blood stains were collected from 30 healthy unrelated individuals whose ages were known. The DNAs were extracted from the samples stored at room temperature after 4 weeks.

A novel micro-linear vector for in vitro and in vivo gene delivery and its application for EBV positive tumors.

Background: The gene delivery vector for DNA-based therapy should ensure its transfection efficiency and safety for clinical application. The Micro-Linear vector (MiLV) was developed to improve the limitations of traditional vectors such as viral vectors and plasmids.

Methods: The MiLV which contained only the gene expression cassette was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Predicting human age with bloodstains by sjTREC quantification.

The age-related decline of signal joint T-cell receptor rearrangement excision circles (sjTRECs) in human peripheral blood has been demonstrated in our previous study and other reports. Until now, only a few studies on sjTREC detection in bloodstain samples were reported, which were based on a small sample of subjects of a limited age range, although bloodstains are much more frequently encountered in forensic practice. In this present study, we adopted the sensitive Taqman real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method to perform sjTREC quantification in bloodstains from individuals ranging from 0-86 years old (n = 264).

[Calculation of the avuncular index].

Objective: To introduce the method of avuncular index (AI) calculation.

Methods: Identity by decent coefficient, coancestry coefficient and AI law were employed in identification of uncle-niece relationship, when autosomal STR loci were detected to determine controversial uncle-niece relationship.

Results: The results of AI calculation were coincidental using identity by descent coefficien, coancestry coefficient and AI law.

[Cloning of Rcet3, a novel gene related to family 2 cystatins].

Objective: To clone the full-length Rcet3 gene, a novel gene related to family 2 cystatins, from mouse testis or other tissues.

Methods: Rcet3 gene was cloned using digital differential display (DDD) and RT-PCR was performed for cloning the full-length Rcet3 gene from adult mouse testis cDNA library with sequence analysis.

Results: Rcet3 cDNA was 610 bp in length, consisting of 4 exons to encode a protein with 140 amino acid residues.

[Proliferation cycle changes of Epstein-Barr virus in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE after infection].

Background & Objective: The strategy of gene therapy on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is determined by the characteristics of proliferation cycle of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in different histological types of NPC cells. This study was to investigate the characteristics of proliferation cycle of EBV in NPC cell line CNE2.

Methods: CNE2 cells were co-cultivated with marmoset lymphocyte line B95-8, which was EBV-positive.

[Preparation of anti-human indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase polyclonal antibody].

Background & Objective: Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), a cytosolic hemoprotein, catalyzes the rate-limiting step in tryptophan catabolism along the kynurenine pathway in mammals, arrests the growth of pathogens, and suppresses T-cell responses, therefore, leads to IDO-dependent tumor immune tolerance. This study was to express and purify His-hIDO fusion protein and to generate rabbit anti-human IDO polyclonal antibody, which was used to analyze IDO expression in tumor cells.

Methods: Human IDO cDNA was cloned into pET30a(+).

Rapid detection of six common Chinese G6PD mutations by MALDI-TOF MS.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a common X-linked hereditary enzymopathy. We describe here the techniques based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and multiprimer extension (multi-PEX) to detect the most common Chinese G6PD mutations, which are the single-point mutations G-->T at nt 1376, G-->A at nt 1388, A-->G at nt 95, G-->T at nt 392, C-->T at nt 1024, and C-->T at nt 1311. Fifteen samples were genotyped using this method coupled with direct sequencing, after identification of G6PD mutations by ARMS.