Transcription Factor CHF1/Hey2 Regulates Specific Pathways in Serum Stimulated Primary Cardiac Myocytes: Implications for Cardiac Hypertrophy.

We have previously found that overexpression of CHF1/Hey2 in the myocardium prevents the development of phenylephrine-induced hypertrophy. To identify transcriptional pathways regulated by CHF1/Hey2, we cultured primary neonatal mouse cardiac myocytes from wild type and transgenic mice overexpressing CHF1/Hey2 and treated them with serum, a potent hypertrophic stimulus. We verified that overexpression of CHF1/Hey2 suppressed cardiac myocyte hypertrophy induced by serum and then determined transcriptional profiles by microarray hybridization.

Retinoic acid inducible gene-I and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 are induced but not essential for dengue virus induced type I interferon response.

Dengue viruses (DENVs) are important human pathogens that cause mild dengue fever, and severe dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome, and no vaccine or antiviral therapy are currently available. At the initial stage of DENV infection, host pattern recognition receptors are responsible for sensing viral proteins or nucleic acids and initiating innate antiviral responses, including the activation of type I interferon (IFN) and proinflammatory cytokines. Two RNA helicases, retinoic acid inducible gene-I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5), are recently identified as cytoplasmic PPRs for virus infection.

Enhanced mineralization of 2,4-dichlorophenol by ozone in the presence of trace permanganate: effect of pH.

Ozonation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) in the presence of permanganate has been investigated at various levels of pH. Compared with only 40% in single ozonation, by catalytic ozonation the total organic carbon removal efficiency reached almost 95%. It has been shown that the addition of 0.

Major pollutants in soils of abandoned agricultural land contaminated by e-waste activities in Hong Kong.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) compounds and five heavy metals (cadmium, copper, chromium, lead, and zinc) were determined in soil samples collected from six sites of abandoned agricultural land affected by electronic-waste: e-waste dismantling workshop [EW (DW)], e-waste open burning site [EW (OBS)], e-waste storage [EW (S)], and agricultural (A) in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals were detected in all soil samples. EW (DW) contained the highest concentrations of PAHs, Cr, Cu, and Zn, whereas EW (OBS) had the highest concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs, Cd, and Pb.

An SNP in an ultraconserved regulatory element affects Dlx5/Dlx6 regulation in the forebrain.

Dlx homeobox genes play a crucial role in the migration and differentiation of the subpallial precursor cells that give rise to various subtypes of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-expressing neurons of the forebrain, including local-circuit cortical interneurons. Aberrant development of GABAergic interneurons has been linked to several neurodevelopmental disorders, including epilepsy, schizophrenia, Rett syndrome and autism. Here, we report in mice that a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) found in an autistic proband falls within a functional protein binding site in an ultraconserved cis-regulatory element.

Preparation, characterization, and antitumor activity of paclitaxel-loaded folic acid modified and TAT peptide conjugated PEGylated polymeric liposomes.

Targeting therapy is a promising strategy for enhancing the therapeutic potential of chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, we report the construction of a multifunctional drug delivery system, termed folic acid modified and TAT peptide conjugated PEGylated polymeric liposomes (FA-TATp-PLs), which is originally derived from octadecyl-quaternized lysine modified chitosan and cholesterol. Our data revealed that FA-TATp-PLs have a particle size of about 60 nm with a zeta potential of about 30 mV, a low burst release effect within the first day, a sustained release for the next 14 days in vitro as well as an instant cellular uptake by folate receptor-overexpressing KB human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.

Paclitaxel-loaded, folic-acid-targeted and TAT-peptide-conjugated polymeric liposomes: in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

Objective: Folic acid and TAT peptide were conjugated on the octadecyl-quaternized, lysine-modified chitosan-cholesterol polymeric liposomes (FA-TATp-PLs) to investigate their potential feasibility for tumor-targeted drug delivery.

Methods: FA-TATp-PLs encapsulating paclitaxel or calcein were synthesized and characterized. Cellular uptake of PLs, FA-PLs, TATp-PLs and FA-TATp-PLs was studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) in folate receptor (FR)-positive KB nasopharyngeal epidermal carcinoma cells and FR-deficient A549 lung cancer cells.

Health risk assessment of abandoned agricultural soils based on heavy metal contents in Hong Kong, the world's most populated city.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the consequence of changing and using agricultural soils to other purposes in Hong Kong with respect to risk to human health. This study established concentrations of the following priority elements: As, Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn in terms of total burden (using mixed acid microwave digestion) and with respect to metal bioaccessibility (using an in vitro simulated gastric solution). 55 locations were sampled representing 12 different land use types, namely, agricultural (A), abandoned agricultural (Ab), organic farm (OF), container storage (CS), construction waste (CW), e-waste storage (EW (S)), e-waste dismantling workshop (EW (DW)), e-waste open burning site (EW (OBS)), open burning site (OBS), petrol station (PS), metal recycling workshop (MRW) and car dismantling workshop (CDW).

Producing infectious enterovirus type 71 in a rapid strategy.

Background: Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is an etiologic agent of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD), and recent HFMD epidemics worldwide have been associated with a severe form of brainstem encephalitis associated with pulmonary edema and high case-fatality rates. EV71 contains a positive-sense single-stranded genome RNA of approximately 7400 bp in length which encodes a polyprotein with a single open reading frame (ORF), which is flanked by untranslated regions at both the 5' and 3' ends.

Results: A long distance RT-PCR assay was developed to amplify the full length genome cDNA of EV71 by using specific primes carrying a SP6 promoter.

The bHLH transcription factor CHF1/Hey2 regulates susceptibility to apoptosis and heart failure after pressure overload.

Cardiac hypertrophy is a common response to hemodynamic stress in the heart and can progress to heart failure. To investigate whether the transcription factor cardiovascular basic helix-loop-helix factor 1/hairy/enhancer of split related with YRPW motif 2 (CHF1/Hey2) influences the development of cardiac hypertrophy and progression to heart failure under conditions of pressure overload, we performed aortic constriction on 12-wk-old male wild-type (WT) and heterozygous (HET) mice globally underexpressing CHF1/Hey2. After aortic banding, WT and HET mice showed increased cardiac hypertrophy as measured by gravimetric analysis, as expected.

TGFBI gene mutation analysis in a Chinese pedigree of Reis-Bücklers corneal dystrophy.

Purpose: To analyze transforming growth factor beta-induced (TGFBI) gene mutations in a Chinese pedigree with Reis-Bücklers dystrophy (RBCD).

Methods: In a four-generation Chinese family with Reis-Bücklers dystrophy, six members were patients and the rest were unaffected. All members of the family underwent complete ophthalmologic examinations.

Impaired dopaminergic neuron development and locomotor function in zebrafish with loss of pink1 function.

Mutations in the human PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) gene are linked to recessive familial Parkinson's disease. Animal models of altered PINK1 function vary greatly in their phenotypic characteristics. Drosophila pink1 mutants exhibit mild dopaminergic neuron degeneration and locomotion defects.

Decreased copy number of mitochondrial DNA in Ewing's sarcoma.

Background: Somatic mutations and germline variations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been widely detected in a range of human malignancies including Ewing's sarcoma (EWS). However, it still remains unknown whether quantitative alterations in mtDNA level occur during the initiation and/or progression of EWS.

Methods: To test this possibility, we determined mtDNA copy number from 17 cases of EWS tumor tissues and 5 normal bone tissue samples using a quantitative real-time PCR assay.

CHF1/Hey2 promotes physiological hypertrophy in response to pressure overload through selective repression and activation of specific transcriptional pathways.

We have previously found that CHF1/Hey2 prevents the development of phenylephrine-induced cardiac hypertrophy. To determine the role of CHF1/Hey2 in pressure overload hypertrophy, we performed ascending aortic banding on wild-type and transgenic mice overexpressing CHF1/Hey2 in the myocardium. We found that both wild-type and transgenic mice developed increased ventricular weight to body weight ratios 1 week after aortic banding.

Evaluation of monkey intraocular pressure by rebound tonometer.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of the TonoVet rebound tonometer in measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) of monkeys.

Methods: The accuracy of the TonoVet rebound tonometer was determined in cannulated eyes of anesthetized rhesus monkeys where IOP was controlled by adjusting the height of a connected perfusate reservoir. To assess the applicability of the equipment through in vivo studies, the diurnal fluctuation of IOP and effects of IOP-lowering compounds were evaluated in monkeys.

Translational regulation by the 3' untranslated region of the dengue type 2 virus genome.

The role of the 3'untranslated region (UTR) of the dengue virus (DENV) genome during viral translation remains to be elucidated. We assessed the contribution of well-defined RNA elements in the 3'UTR of DENV-2 to viral translation using a virus-induced reporting gene system and deoxyribozymes (DRzs) targeting the 3'UTR of the DENV-2 genome. Results show that mRNAs carrying a deletion of repeated conserved sequence (RCS2)-CS2 are translated less efficiently than wild type mRNAs.

Role of cerebrospinal fluid in glaucoma: pressure and beyond.

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is characterized by optic disc cupping and visual field impairment. Though the elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is thought to be the major risk factor for POAG, about 50% of the POAG patients have normal IOP, called 'normal-tension' glaucoma.

Development of a real-time RT-PCR assay for a novel influenza A (H1N1) virus.

A pandemic caused by a novel influenza A virus (H1N1) poses a serious public health threat. In this study, a real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) assay based on the hemagglutinin gene was developed that discriminates the novel H1N1 from swine influenza virus, seasonal H1N1/H3N2 virus and the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus. The sensitivity of this assay was 0.

High frequency of mitochondrial DNA D-loop mutations in Ewing's sarcoma.

Somatic mutations and polymorphisms in the noncoding displacement (D)-loop of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are present in a variety of human cancers. To investigate whether Ewing's sarcoma (EWS) harbors genetic alterations within the D-loop region and their potential association with EWS carcinogenesis, we analyzed and compared the complete mtDNA D-loop sequences from 17 pairs of tumor tissues and corresponding peripheral blood samples using the direct DNA sequencing method. Our results revealed that 12 of the 17 EWS tumor specimens (70.

Reduced incidence and severity of acute mountain sickness in Qinghai-Tibet railroad construction workers after repeated 7-month exposures despite 5-month low altitude periods.

The construction of the Qinghai-Tibet railroad provided a unique opportunity to study the relation between intermittent altitude exposure and acute mountain sickness (AMS). For 5 yr, workers spent 7-month periods at altitude interspaced with 5-month periods at sea level; the incidence, severity, and risk factors of AMS were prospectively investigated. Six hundred lowlanders commuted for 5 yr between near sea level and approximately 4500 m and were compared to 600 other lowland workers, recruited each year upon their first ascent to high altitude as newcomers, and to 200 Tibetan workers native to approximately 4500 m.

Effects of inoculation with Phanerochaete chrysosporium at various time points on enzyme activities during agricultural waste composting.

The effect of inoculation times on the enzyme activities during agricultural waste composting was determined. Four runs were used: without inoculation (Run A), inoculation with Phanerochaete chrysosporium (P. chrysosporium) during the first fermentation phase (Run B), inoculation during the second fermentation phase (Run C) and inoculation during both the first and the second fermentation phase (Run D).

Sequence analysis of MYOC and CYP1B1 in a Chinese pedigree of juvenile glaucoma with goniodysgenesis.

Purpose: This study was designed to analyze two candidate genes, myocilin (MYOC) and cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1), in a Chinese pedigree of juvenile glaucoma with goniodysgenesis.

Methods: In a three-generation family of juvenile glaucoma with goniodysgenesis (13 members), six of them were patients with glaucoma and the rest were asymptomatic. All members of the family underwent complete ophthalmologic examinations.