Historical isolation and contemporary gene flow drive population diversity of the brown alga Sargassum thunbergii along the coast of China.

Background: Long-term survival in isolated marginal seas of the China coast during the late Pleistocene ice ages is widely believed to be an important historical factor contributing to population genetic structure in coastal marine species. Whether or not contemporary factors (e.g.

Hidden diversity and phylogeographic history provide conservation insights for the edible seaweed in the Northwest Pacific.

Understanding the evolutionary processes that have created diversity and the genetic potential of species to adapt to environmental change is an important premise for biodiversity conservation. Herein, we used mitochondrial W-L and 3 and plastid L-S data sets to analyze population genetic variation and phylogeographic history of the brown alga , whose natural resource has been largely exterminated in the Asia-Northwest Pacific in the past decades. Phylogenetic trees and network analysis consistently revealed three major haplotype groups (A, B, and C) in , with A and B distributed in the Japan-Pacific coast.

TLR4 Overexpression Inhibits Endothelial PAS Domain-Containing Protein 1 Expression in the Lower Respiratory Tract of Patients with Chronic COPD.

Background/aims: The study was designed to explore the potential relationship of TLR4 and endothelial PAS domain-containing protein 1 (EPAS1) in vivo and vitro experiments.

Methods: Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were collected from 55 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and 25 healthy subjects. The differential cell count was performed using Wright-Giemsa staining.

Phylogeographic structure and deep lineage diversification of the red alga Chondrus ocellatus Holmes in the Northwest Pacific.

A major goal of phylogeographic analysis using molecular markers is to understand the ecological and historical variables that influence genetic diversity within a species. Here, we used sequences of the mitochondrial Cox1 gene and nuclear internal transcribed spacer to reconstruct its phylogeography and demographic history of the intertidal red seaweed Chondrus ocellatus over most of its geographical range in the Northwest Pacific. We found three deeply separated lineages A, B and C, which diverged from one another in the early Pliocene-late Miocene (c.

Antibacterial activity and mechanism of action of Monarda punctata essential oil and its main components against common bacterial pathogens in respiratory tract.

The aim of the current research work was to study the chemical composition of the essential oil of Monarda punctata along with evaluating the essential oil and its major components for their antibacterial effects against some frequently encountered respiratory infection causing pathogens. Gas chromatographic mass spectrometric analysis revealed the presence of 13 chemical constituents with thymol (75.2%), p-cymene (6.

Expression of fibroblast specific protein-1 in pleural tuberculosis and its clinical biological significance.

Background: Fibroblast specific protein-1 (S100A4) is related with many fibrotic diseases, but its role in the pathogenesis of pleural fibrosis has not been fully elucidated. Then we aim to investigate the expression and effect of fibroblast specific protein-1 (S100A4) in pleural tuberculosis and, subsequently, pleural fibrosis.

Methods: The expression of S100A4 in pleura was examined in 30 patients with pleural tuberculosis and 5 control (disease-free) patients by immunohistochemistry using the streptavidin-peroxidase (S-P) conjugated method.

[Correlations of S100A4 and MMP9 expressions to infiltration, metastasis and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer].

Objective: To observe the expressions of metastasis-associated protein (S100A4) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and investigate their correlations to the infiltration, metastasis and prognosis of NSCLC.

Methods: The expressions of S100A4 and MMP9 were detected in 41 NSCLC specimens and 6 normal lung tissue specimens using immunohistochemistry with SP method. Univariate and multivariate survival analysis were used to analyze the correlations of S100A4 and MMP9 to the clinicopathological characteristics and progrnosis of NSCLC.

[Correlations of S100A4 protein expression to invasion and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer].

Background & Objective: Metastasis-associated protein S100A4 is overexpressed in many malignant tumor cells; it may play a pivotal role in invasion and metastasis of malignant tumors. This study was to determine the expression of S100A4 in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to investigate its correlations to invasion and metastasis of NSCLC.

Methods: The expression of S100A4 in 41 specimens of NSCLC and 6 specimens of normal lung tissues was detected by SP immunohistochemistry.