[Effects of the Transformation from Natural Alpine Grassland to Mixed Artificial Grassland on the Characteristics of Soil Microbial Community].

This study aimed to analyze the effects of the transformation from natural alpine grassland (NAG) to mixed artificial grassland (MAG) on the characteristics of soil microbial community. We used Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing technology to investigate the soil microbial community of natural grassland and mixed artificial grassland. The results showed that plant diversity and the content of soil organic matter decreased significantly from NAG to MAG.

Twins methods quantitatively explore the genetic impact on children and adolescents brain gray matter volume.

The gray matter volumes of 58 pairs of twins ranging in age from 12 to 18 were measured by MRI to explore the genetic and environmental impacts on gray matter volume in twin children and adolescents. By means of A/C/E structural equation modeling, it was found that the gray matter volume in children and adolescents was jointly affected by genetic (A: 0.89) and environmental factors while genetic factors play a greater role.

[Effect of Risperidone on BDNF-TrkB Signaling Pathway in Rat Brain].

Objective: To investigate the effect of risperidone on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptors, tyrosine kinase receptor (TrkB) and P75 neurotrophin receptor (P75NTR) in rat brain.

Methods: Sixteen SD rats were divided into two groups (n = 8 for each group). The rats in experimental group were treated with risperidone [0.

Activated protease receptor-2 induces GATA6 expression to promote survival in irradiated colon cancer cells.

Background And Aims: The resistance to irradiation is common and a great drawback in the treatment of cancer with radiotherapy; the underlying mechanism is unclear. GATA binding protein 6 (GATA6) is associated with the pathogenesis of cancer. This study aims to investigate the role of GATA6 on compromising irradiation effect on HT55 and HT29 cells, 2 colorectal cancer cell lines.

Polymorphisms of genes in neurotransmitter systems were associated with alcohol use disorders in a Tibetan population.

Studies of linkage and association in various ethnic populations have revealed many predisposing genes of multiple neurotransmitter systems for alcohol use disorders (AUD). However, evidence often is contradictory regarding the contribution of most candidate genes to the susceptibility of AUD. We, therefore, performed a case-control study to investigate the possible associations of genes selected from multiple neurotransmitter systems with AUD in a homogeneous Tibetan community population in China.

Cortical surface area correlates with STON2 gene Ser307Pro polymorphism in first-episode treatment-naïve patients with schizophrenia.

Background: Evidence shows that STON2 gene is associated with synaptic function and schizophrenia. This study aims to explore the relationship between two functional polymorphisms (Ser307Pro and Ala851Ser) of STON2 gene and the cortical surface area in first-episode treatment-naïve patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls.

Methodology/principal Findings: Magnetic resonance imaging of the whole cortical surface area, which was computed by an automated surface-based technique (FreeSurfer), was obtained from 74 first-episode treatment-naïve patients with schizophrenia and 55 healthy controls.

[Genome-wide linkage scan for an ethnic Han Chinese pedigree affected with schizophrenia].

Objective: To perform genome-wide linkage analysis for an ethnic Han Chinese pedigree with schizophrenia in order to locate the susceptibility genes.

Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from 4 mL of peripheral blood using conventional phenol-chloroform method. Illumina Infinium Linkage 24 BeadChips chip was used for determining the genotypes through detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

[Association study of the 5-HTT polymorphism and posttraumatic stress disorder in adolescents].

Objective: To study the association between 5-HTTVNTR polymorphism and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Chinese Han adolescents after the Wenchuan Earthquake, and investigation of the genetic mechanism of PTSD.

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the distributive frequency of 5-HTTVNTR polymorphism of 236 PTSD patients (patient group) and 234 normal people (control group), Plink version 1.07 was used to analyze the genotyping results.

[Association study of NOS1 gene polymorphisms and schizophrenia].

Objective: To assess the association between nitric oxide synthase 1 (NOS1) gene polymorphisms and schizophrenia.

Methods: Twenty eight tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of NOS1 in 382 schizophrenic patients and 448 healthy individuals sampled from Chinese Han population were analyzed by a Illumina GoldenGate Genotyping Assay.

Results: One SNP (rs1520811) was found to be associated with schizophrenia, which however becomes negative after Bonferroni correction (P>0.

[Genome-wide association study with memory measures as a quantitative trait locus for schizophrenia].

Objective: To assess the association between gene polymorphisms and memory function through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of schizophrenia and control group. Memory cognition was used as a quantitative trait (QT).

Methods: Ninty-eight subjects with chronic schizophrenia and 60 matched controls were genotyped with HumanHap660 Bead Array.

Gender-specific interactions between alcohol metabolism genes and severity of quantitative alcohol-related-traits in a Tibetan population.

Association between genes influencing alcohol metabolism and alcohol use disorders (AUD) has been extensively studied, but the effect of interactions between these genes and AUD have rarely been tested. Our previous case-control study in a Tibetan population noted that the positive association between c2 allele of cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1) gene and AUD might only exist in males who are homozygotes for 1 alleles of aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) and alcohol dehydrogenase-1B (ADH1B) genes, but this interaction did not reach statistical significance. Using the same set of data, the present study was aimed at exploring interactions between these genes and quantitative alcohol-related-trait scores (QARTs), and whether these are influenced by gender.

[The effect of genetic and environmental factors on externalizing behaviors of twin children].

Objective: To explore the effect of genetic and environmental factors on externalizing behaviors of children.

Methods: A total of 168 twin pairs aged 6-16 years were recruited. Their parents completed Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to evaluate the children's externalizing behaviors.

[A twin study on intelligence and processing speed heritability of children and adolescent].

Objective: To explore the effects of the genetic and environmental factors on intelligence of children and adolescent from the Southwest China Prospective Twin Registry (SCPT).

Methods: The intelligence was investigated by using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (C-WISC) in 333 twin pairs aged 6-16 years. The effects of genetic and environmental factors on IQ were analyzed by using structural equation modeling (SEM) and correlation analysis method.

[Expression of Toll-like receptors in thymus of myasthenia gravis patients].

Objective: To investigate the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in thymus of myasthenia gravis (MG) patients and the relationship with clinical features.

Methods: Thymic specimens of 36 patients received extended thymectomy for MG were divided into three groups by pathological type: 13 thymoma tissues (thymoma group) and 13 thymic tissues adjacent to thymomas (parathymoma group) from 13 cases of MG patients with thymomas, and 23 thymic tissues from MG patients without thymomas (MG nonthymoma group). Twenty-one normal thymic specimens from cardiac surgery were used as controls.

Functional polymorphism of CYP2E1 gene and alcohol use disorders in a Tibetan population.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the CYP2E1*c1/*c2 polymorphism and alcohol use disorders, and the potential influence of the CYP2E1*c1/*c2 polymorphism on the severity and dimensions of alcohol use disorders in Tibetan.

Methods: Three hundred and forty Tibetans with Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score >or=10 and another 315 matched control subjects with AUDIT score View Article and Find Full Text PDF

[Examining the comorbidity of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder in a population-based twin sample].

Objective: To examine three possible causes of the relationship between attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder: additive genetic factors(A), common environmental factors(C) and individual-specific environmental factors(E).

Methods: One hundred and forty pairs of twins from the Southwestern China Twin Registry were examined with the parent-rated Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The cross-twin within-variable, within-twin cross-variable and cross-twin cross-variable correlations were calculated.

[Association analysis of the parkin gene in patients with sporadic Parkinson's disease from a Han population of Sichuan province].

Objective: To determine whether there are any associations between the -258T/G polymorphism of the promoter and the IVS3 -20T/C polymorphism in parkin gene and Parkinson's disease (PD) from a Han population in Sichuan province.

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism, denaturing high performance liquid chromatography(dHPLC) and sequence analysis were used to determine the genotype of each subject. The -258T/G polymorphism and IVS3 -20T/C polymorphism were analysed in 198 patients with sporadic PD and 187 healthy controls, matched for age and gender.

[Gln192Arg polymorphism of the paraoxonase-1 gene is not associated with Alzheimer's disease in Chinese].

Objective: To explore the relationship between paraoxonase-1 (PON1) gene Gln192Arg polymorphism and sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Chinese.

Methods: A total of 165 AD patients and 174 age-matched control subjects were enrolled in this study for examination of PON1 Gln192Arg and apolipoprotein E gene polymorphisms using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).

Results: The distribution of PON1 allelic and genotypic frequencies did not significantly differ between AD patients and the control subjects, even after the stratification by ApoE-epsilon4 status.