Publications by authors named "Yu-fang Zheng"

Duplication of MECP2 (methyl-CpG-binding protein 2) gene causes a serious neurological and developmental disorder called MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS), which is usually found in males. A previous clinical study reported that MDS patient has precocious puberty with hyperandrogenism, suggesting increased MeCP2 may cause male hyperandrogenism. Here we use an MDS mouse model and confirm that MECP2 duplication significantly upregulates androgen levels.

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Congenital heart defects (CHDs), the most common congenital human birth anomalies, involves complex genetic factors. Wnt/β-catenin pathway is critical for cardiogenesis and proved to be associated with numerous congenital heart abnormities. AXIN2 has a unique role in Wnt/β-catenin pathway, as it is not only an important inhibitor but also a direct target of Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

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Duplication of MECP2 (Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2) causes severe mental illness called MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS), yet the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here we show, in Tg(MECP2) transgenic mouse brain or cultured neural progenitor cells (NPCs), that elevated MeCP2 expression promotes NPC differentiation into neurons. Ectopic expression of MeCP2 inhibits ADAM10 and thus the NOTCH pathway during NPC differentiation.

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Article Synopsis
  • Periconceptional folic acid supplementation helps reduce neural tube defects (NTDs), but some forms of NTDs are resistant to this treatment, making it a persistent global health issue.
  • A study highlighted the role of the SLC25A32 gene, which is important for transporting folate to mitochondria; when this gene is inactivated in mice, it leads to NTDs that aren't improved by standard folate supplements.
  • However, supplementing with formate was effective in promoting neural tube closure in the majority of affected mice embryos, suggesting potential alternative treatment strategies for folate-resistant NTDs, with similar genetic variants found in a human case.
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Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis(MIPPO)and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) in treating senile NEER IIproximal humerus fractures.

Methods: From March 2014 to March 2016, 46 elderly patients with Neer II proximal humerus fractures were retrospectively reviewed. Among them, 20 patients in MIPPO group included 9 males and 11 females with an average age of (70.

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Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are one of the most common human birth defects worldwide. TBX20 is a crucial transcription factor for the development of embryonic cardiovascular system. Previous studies have demonstrated that mutations in the TBX20 coding region contribute to familial and sporadic CHD occurrence.

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In this article, we have examined the motility-related effects of weak power frequency magnetic fields (MFs) on the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-sensitive motility mechanism, including the F-actin cytoskeleton, growth of invasive protrusions and the levels of signal molecules in human amniotic epithelial (FL) cells. Without extracellular EGF stimulation, the field stimulated a large growth of new protrusions, especially filopodia and lamellipodia, an increased population of vinculin-associated focal adhesions. And, an obvious reduction of stress fiber content in cell centers was found, corresponding to larger cell surface areas and decreased efficiency of actin assembly of FL cells in vitro, which was associated with a decrease in overall F-actin content and special distributions.

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Objective: To investigate and analyze the differential prevalence, as well as the risk factors and clinical features, of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected population without antiretroviral therapy (ART) as compared to the general (non-HIV-infected) population.

Methods: Two-hundred-and-forty-eight individuals with confirmed HIV infection but ART naive (males: 220, females: 28; 15-82 years old) were enrolled in the study, along with 121 healthy individuals (confirmed HIV antibody-negative; males: 53, females: 68; 20-88 years old). HBV markers (hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg); hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg); anti-HBs, anti-HBe and anti-hepatitis B core (HBc) antibodies) were detected by microparticle enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (AxSYM immunology analyzer manufactured by Abbott Laboratories); all cases and controls were confirmed negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).

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Objective: To investigate the differentiation conditions of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into endometrial epithelial cells and to confirm the effect of 17β-estradiol in this process.

Study Design: BMSCs were cultured alone or co-cultured with endometrial stromal cells (EStCs) in control/differentiation medium (17β-estradiol, growth factors) and were co-cultured with EStCs in different concentrations of 17β-estradiol. Flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry were used to identify the isolated cells.

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Objectives: To investigate the markers of endothelial injury, adipocytokine and thrombotic activity and explore whether there are cardiovascular disease risk factors in antiretroviral-naive HIV patients.

Methods: Clinical data and venous blood samples were collected from 43 anti-retroviral naive HIV-infected patients during February-October 2009 in our center, and compared with 17 healthy subjects. Plasma leptin, adiponectin, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), D-dimer were measured by ELISA.

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Objective: To investigate the expression of exogenous gene transferred by piggyBac (PB) transposon in various gynecological malignant cell lines and reveal its potential application of gene therapy in gynecological cancer.

Methods: Amplified herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene coding region by PCR and integrated it into PB expression vector, PB[Act-RFP]DS, for reconstructing PB[Act-RFP, HSV-tk]DS (pPB/TK). By using different transfection reagents: FuGENE HD, jetPEI, lipofectamine 2000, pPB/TK together with helper plasmid Act-PBase were cotransfected into four mostly common gynecological malignant tumor cell lines HeLa, JEG-3, SKOV3 and HEC-1B.

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Chemotherapy is an important treatment for ovarian cancer. However, conventional chemotherapy has inevitable drawbacks due to side effects from nonspecific biodistribution of the chemotherapeutic drugs. To solve such problem, targeted delivery approaches were developed.

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Gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) is a strategy developed to selectively target cancer cells. However, the clinical benefit is limited due to its poor gene transfer efficiency. To overcome this obstacle, we took advantage of piggyBac (PB) transposon, a natural non-viral gene vector that can induce stable chromosomal integration and persistent gene expression in vertebrate cells, including human cells.

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Objectives: Occult HBV infection is defined by positive HBV DNA in individuals with undetectable levels of HBsAg. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of occult HBV infection in HIV-infected patients.

Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 105 HBsAg-negative HIV patients who were hospitalized and were not given anti-virus treatment at Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center.

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Background: Up to now, there is still no ideal tumor marker in early diagnosis and effective monitoring, especially for surgical resection of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the application of urinary normal and modified nucleosides in diagnosis and surgery monitoring of CRC.

Methods: Between October 2002 and July 2003, 52 consecutive patients with pathological confirmed CRC were enrolled.

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Aim: Fourteen urinary nucleosides, primary degradation products of tRNA, were evaluated to know the potential as biological markers for patients with colorectal cancer.

Methods: The concentrations of 14 kinds of urinary nucleosides from 52 patients with colorectal cancer, 10 patients with intestinal villous adenoma and 60 healthy adults were determined by column switching high performance liquid chromatography method.

Results: The mean levels of 12 kinds of urinary nucleosides (except uridine and guanosine) in the patients with colorectal cancer were significantly higher than those in patients with intestinal villous adenoma or the healthy adults.

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Objective: To evaluate the value of urinary normal and modified nucleosides in diagnosis and surgical monitoring of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: Between October 2002 and July 2003, 52 consecutive patients with pathological confirmed CRC were included in this study. Spontaneous urine samples were collected 1 d before and 8 d after surgery and 14 kinds of urinary nucleosides in the samples were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method.

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Objective: Thirteen urinary nucleosides, primarily degradation products of tRNA, were evaluated as potential tumor markers for breast cancer patients.

Design And Methods: The micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) method has been used to analyze the urinary nucleosides in 41 healthy controls, 20 patients with benign breast tumors, and 26 breast cancer patients.

Results: Urinary nucleoside concentrations of breast cancer patients were found to increase significantly compared to those of patients with benign breast tumors and healthy controls.

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Background & Objective: It was reported that urinary modified nucleosides with abnormally high amounts were found in many cancer patients. This study was designed to investigate the usefulness of urinary nucleosides in the diagnosis of gastric carcinoma.

Methods: The concentrations of 15 kinds of urinary nucleosides from 50 healthy persons and 48 patients with gastric carcinoma were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

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A method for the determination of urinary nucleosides with reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography is described. After nucleosides were extracted from urine on phenyl boronic acid affinity chromatography, the analysis was performed on a column (4.6 mm i.

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A capillary electrophoretic method for determining the inorganic anions in the ash of black powder has been developed. The components and pH of the buffer solution, the concentration of osmotic flow modifier and the separation voltage were investigated. The optimized parameters were 5.

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Thirteen normal and modified nucleosides, primarily degradation products of transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA), were evaluated as potential tumor markers for cancer patients. Their urinary concentrations were determined by means of micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC) in the urine from 54 healthy adults and 70 cancer patients, then quantitatively expressed as a function of creatinine excretion. It was found that urinary nucleosides for cancer patients were on the average significantly higher than those for healthy controls, however, no significant differences were found between male and female or between different ages.

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