Vitamin D Plays a Crucial Role in Regulating Dopamine Nervous System in Brain / 生物化学与生物物理进展

Vitamin D is a unique fat-soluble vitamin that plays an indispensable role in human health. It exists in various forms, the most significant being vitamin D2 (derived from plant sources) and vitamin D3 (synthesized naturally in human skin upon exposure to sunlight). Vitamin D’s primary function is to facilitate the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which are crucial for maintaining healthy bones. Beyond its role in bone health, vitamin D significantly influences the immune system, muscle function, cardiovascular health, and the regulation of brain functions. A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to various chronic diseases such as rickets, osteoporosis, decreased immunity, increased risk of mental disorders, and cancers. The synthesis of vitamin D in the human body, both peripherally and centrally, relies on sunlight exposure, dietary sources, and various supplements. As a neuroactive steroid, vitamin D impacts both the physiological and pathological processes of the nervous system and plays a key role in brain health. It profoundly affects the brain by regulating neurotransmitter synthesis and maintaining intracellular calcium balance. As an essential chemical molecule, vitamin D participates in complex signal transduction pathways, impacting neurotransmitter functions and synaptic plasticity. Vitamin D’s role in regulating dopamine (DA)—a neurotransmitter critical for motivation, reward perception, and other higher cognitive functions—is particularly noteworthy. Recent studies have revealed that vitamin D not only promotes the synthesis of DA but also plays a role in regulating DA levels within the brain. It exerts neuroprotective effects on DA neurons through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant actions, and neurotrophic support, thereby creating an optimal environment for DA neurons, influencing neuronal structure, and affecting the movement of calcium ions within nerve cells, positively impacting the overall health and functionality of the DA system. Furthermore, vitamin D can regulate the synthesis and release of DA, thus affecting the signal transmission of various DA neural projection pathways in the brain. This function is vital for understanding the complex interactions between neural mechanisms and their effects on key behaviors and cognitive functions. This review aims to delve deeply into the synthesis, metabolism, and pathways of vitamin D’s action, especially its regulatory mechanisms on DA neurons. Through this exploration, this article seeks to provide a solid theoretical foundation and research framework for a deeper understanding of vitamin D’s role in motivation and reward behaviors. This understanding is crucial for appreciating the broader significance of vitamin D in the fields of neuroscience and neurology. In summary, research and discoveries regarding vitamin D’s impact on the nervous system highlight its importance in neural health and function. These insights not only enhance our understanding of the complex workings of the nervous system but also open new avenues for the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases. The exploration of vitamin D’s multifaceted roles offers promising prospects for developing new therapeutic strategies, underscoring the compound’s potential in addressing a range of neural dysfunctions and diseases. As research continues to evolve, the profound implications of vitamin D in the field of neurology and beyond become increasingly apparent, marking it as a key target for ongoing and future scientific inquiry.

Clinical analysis of 10 cases of olfactory neuroblastoma / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To review the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of olfactory neuroblastoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical data were retrospectively reviewed in 10 cases of olfactory neuroblastoma admitted from 1998 to 2002, including data of transmission electron microscopic (TEM) observation in 4 cases. According to Kadish's classification, 2 cases were in stage A, 4 in stage B and 4 in stage C. Three patients were treated with surgery alone, 7 with combined surgery and radiation.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Among 10 cases, the overall 5-year survival rate was 60 %(6/10); 3 patients died from local recurrence, 1 lost follow-up. TEM demonstrated granules in the cytoplasm of 3 patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The combined surgery and radiation can achieve excellent local control. Transmission electron microscope is important for its diagnosis.</p>

Construction of the Bac-to-Bac System of Bombyx mori Nucleopolyhedroviru / 中国病毒学

To construct the Bac-to-Bac expression system of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), a transfer vector was constructed which contained an Escherichia coli (E. coli) mini-F replicon and a lacZ: attTN7: lacZ cassette within the upstream and downstream regions of the BmNPV polyhedrin gene. B. mori larvae were cotransfected with wild-type BmNPV genomic DNA and the transfer vector through subcutaneous injection to generate recombinant viruses by homologous recombination in vivo. The genomic DNA of budded viruses extracted from the hemolymph of the transfected larvae was used to transform E. coli DH10B. Recombinant bacmids were screened by kanamycin resistance, PCR and restriction enzyme (REN) digestion. One of the bacmid colonies, BmBacJS13, which had similar REN profiles to that of wild-type BmNPV, was selected for further research. To investigate the infectivity of BmBacJS13, the polyhedrin gene was introduced into the bacmid and the resultant recombinant (BmBacJS13-ph) was transfected to BmN cells. The budded viruses were collected from the supernatant of the transfected cells and used for infecting BmN cells. Growth curve analysis indicated that BmBacJS13-ph had a similar growth curve to that of wild-type BmNPV. Bio-assays indicated that BmBacJS13-ph was also infectious to B. mori larvae.

Application of immunofluorescence and sandwich ELISA with double-antibodies in detection of human rabies / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the application of immunofluorescence and sandwich ELISA with double-antibodies in detection of human rabies.@*METHODS@#The cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem, and hippocampus of four patients died of rabies identified by clinical diagnosis were collected and kept in freezer at -70 degrees C or in formaldehyde solution separately. The rat brain tissue infected by CVS strain of rabies virus was used as a positive control and the brain tissue of a patient died of acute pancreatitis was used as a negative control.@*RESULTS@#Rabies virus was detected in the tissues kept in freezer at -70 degrees C and the positive control but was not detected in the tissues kept in formaldehyde solution and the negative control.@*CONCLUSION@#Immunofluorescence and Sandwich ELISA with double-antibodies could be used in detection of human rabies. The samples should be kept in deep frozen temperature condition instead of in formaldehyde solution.

Management of sinonasal inverted papilloma: endoscopic approach and lateral rhinotomy / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare endoscopic approach with lateral rhinotomy for treatment of the sinonasal inverted papilloma in terms of advantage, indications and limitations of the procedures.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-six cases with inverted papilloma were reviewed retrospectively, among which 23 cases underwent transnasal endoscopic procedures including 10 combined with Caldwell-Luc intervention, and 63 cases underwent lateral rhinotomy. The follow-up period ranged from 11 - 36 m (mean 23 m). The data were processed statistically by SPSS 10.0 software.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Both procedures permitted removal of most sinonasal inverted papilloma. The endoscopic surgery provided an excellent visualization, and preserved a vital anatomic structure and left no facial scar. Lateral rhinotomy was associated with postoperative facial scar or deformity. The recurrence rate in lateral rhinotomy group was 9.5% and in endoscopic approach was 13% (P >0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Endoscopic approach is favored for the treatment of non-massively extending sinonasal inverted papilloma because of an acceptable recurrence and a better cosmetic results.</p>

Comparative study of the replication difference of HearNPV in infected exponential and stationary host cells / 病毒学报

Real-time quantitative PCR was used to characterize HearNPV DNA replication in exponential and stationary phases of HzAM1 cells. Results showed that the doubling time of HzAM1 cells was 22 h in exponential phases. Most of the exponential cells were in S phase (48.6%), and most of the stationary cells in G2/M phase (72.6%). The replication of viral DNA was completed within 60 h post infection (h p. i.) in different phases of HzAM1 cells. During 14 to 20 h p. i., the doubling time of HearNPV replica-tion was 1.8 h in exponential cells and 1.9 h in stationary cells, and no significant difference was found between them. But the amounts of BV entering and releasing, the final progeny virions and viral protein products in the infected exponential phase cells were obviously higher than that in the stationary phase cells. 25% of the total synthesized viral DNAs were released from infected exponential phase cells, but on-ly 13% from the infected stationary phase cells. Viral DNA started to be replicated from 7-8 h p. i. both in infected exponential phase and in stationary phase cells. But in infected exponential phase cells, BVs were started to release from 18-20 h p. i., and BVs were started to release from 22-25 h p. i. from infected sta-tionary phase cells. During 30-60 h p. i., the BV releasing rate was about 483 copies/cell/h in the expo-nential phase cells, but was 100 copies/cell/h in the stationary-phase cells. The initial viral DNA entering into exponential phase cells was much more than that entered into the stationary phase cells. The data of cell membrane fluidity at exponential and stationary phases suggested that the fluidity of cell membrane played an important role during virus entry.

Screen of media for insect cells (HzAm1) growth and its adaptation to low serum culture / 生物工程学报

Insect cell-baculovirus system is a useful tool for both insecticidal virus production and the expression of medically useful foreign genes. Serum-free culture or low serum culture for insect cells is essential and significant. Media for the growth of insect cells HzAm1 from three kinds of commercial media TC-100,GRACE and IPL-41 with 10% serum were investigated and screened. The result shows that medium TC-100 is the most suitable medium for the growth of cells HzAm1. Adaptation of insect cells HzAm1 to cultures in medium TC-100 with serum reduction from 10% to 1% was carried out as cultures were supplemented with lactalbumin hydrolysate and yeastolate etc. Growth of insect cells HzAml in medium TC-100 with serum 1%, lactalbumin hydrolysate and yeastolate was well.