Detection of Ancestry Information of Urumqi Mongolians Based on the AIM-InDels Loci Multiplex System.

ABSTRACT: Objective To explore the genetic background and structure of Urumqi Mongolians, the previously developed 39-AIM-InDels panel for ancestry inference was utilized in the present study. Methods The blood samples of 145 unrelated healthy Urumqi Mongolian individuals were collected and genotyped. The compositions of ancestry information of Urumqi Mongolians were studied with 17 different populations from three continents （East Asia, Europe and Africa） as reference populations. Then, multiple population genetics and bioinformatics analysis methods were applied, the Fst and DA values between matched populations were compared and analyzed, PCA analysis was performed and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. The proportions of ancestry information components of Urumqi Mongolians were analyzed with Structure software, etc. Results The ancestry information components of Urumqi Mongolian group in different intercontinental populations accounted for 89%, 7%, and 3% of East Asian, European, and African populations, respectively. Compared with other intercontinental populations, Urumqi Mongolian group and East Asian populations have lower Fst and DA values, and they were in the same cluster in PCA analysis as well. In a phylogenetic tree, the Urumqi Mongolian group was in the same branch as East Asian populations. Conclusion Urumqi Mongolian group had relatively close genetic relationships with East Asian populations, and the proportion of its East Asian ancestry was about 89%.

Cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris on wastewater containing high levels of ammonia for biodiesel production.

The feasibility of cultivating Chlorella vulgaris with wastewater containing high ammonia nitrogen concentrations was examined. The average specific growth rate of C. vulgaris was 0.92 d(-1) at 17 mg L(-1) NH4+-N, but declined to 0.33 d(-1) at NH4+-N concentrations of 39-143 mg L(-1). At 39 mg L(-1) NH4+-N, lipid productivity reached a maximum value (23.3 mg L(-1)d(-1)) and dropped sharply at higher NH4+-N levels, which demonstrated NH4+-N should be controlled for biodiesel production. C16 and C18 fatty acids accounted for 80% of total fatty acids. Increasing NH4+-N from 17 to 207 mg L(-1) yielded additional short-chain and saturated fatty acids. Protein content was in positive correlation with NH4+-N content from 17 mg L(-1) (12%) to 207 mg L(-1) (42%). Carbohydrate in the dried algae cell was in the range of 14-45%, with a peak value occurring at 143 mg L(-1) NH4+-N. The results demonstrate that product quality can be manipulated by NH4+-N concentrations of the initial feeds.

Diversity of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor genes in the Bai ethnic minority of Yunnan, China.

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs), expressed in both natural killer (NK) cells and a subset of T cells, represent a family of both inhibitory and activating receptors that can regulate NK and T cells upon interacting with human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules on target cells. The number and distribution of KIR genes vary between individuals and populations from different geographical regions and ethnic origins. In this study, we investigated KIR gene frequencies and genotype diversities of 13 KIR genes, 2 pseudogenes, expressed and non-expressed forms of KIR2DL5 and the two subtypes, full-length and deleted forms, of KIR2DS4 in 100 unrelated healthy individuals of the Bai population, living in the Dali Bai autonomous prefecture in the Yunnan province. All individuals were typed positive for the three framework loci KIR3DL3, 2DL4 and 3DL2, as well as for three non-framework genes KIR2DL1, 2DL3 and the pseudogene KIR2DP1. The gene frequencies of the other KIR genes ranged from 7%-95%. The results of tested linkage disequilibrium (LD) among KIR genes demonstrated that they display a wide range of LD. χ² analysis among non-ubiquitous genes, using the KIR gene frequency data from our study population, as well as from previously published population data, was conducted and revealed significant differences in the KIR2DL1, 2DL2, 3DL1 and KIR2DS1 genes. The results of the present study can be valuable for enriching the Chinese ethnic gene information resources of the KIR gene pool, for anthropological studies, as well as for KIR-related disease research.

HLA-B*15 subtypes distribution in Han population in Beijing, China, as compared with those of other populations.

To identify HLA-B*15 subtypes distribution in Han population in Beijing, People's Republic of China, 826 unrelated healthy individuals were typed using the polymerase chain reaction-sequence-based typing method. Within the 246 HLA-B*15 positive individuals, 29 HLA-B*15 alleles were identified, the most predominant of which is B*1501 (40.07%), followed by B*1502 (12.87%), B*1511 (12.87%), B*1518 (9.19%) and B*1532 (3.31%). The distribution of HLA-B*15 subtype frequencies was compared between the Beijing Han, eight other Chinese ethnic minorities and six Chinese populations covering the mainland of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. A neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree was constructed and revealed that the Beijing Han population clustered into the northern populations group and had a closer relationship with northern Han and Hui than with southern Han or other ethnic minorities. These results thus provide useful information that can be used in anthropology, selection for bone marrow transplantation as well as in disease-association study, such as in carbamazepine (CBZ)-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Fabrication and field emission properties of boron nanowire bundles.

We have successfully synthesized large-scale crystalline boron nanowire bundles (BNBs) by chemical vapor deposition method. Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles were used as catalysts spreading on ceramic substrate during the reaction process. The bundles consisted of many thin boron nanowires with a mean diameter of about 25nm and a length of several micrometers. In addition, boron nanowires are single crystals with an alpha-tetragonal structure and grow along [001] orientation. These nanowires have a surface electron affinity of 3.76eV and a work function of 4.54eV. A turn-on field of 5.1V/mum and a threshold field of 10.5V/mum were found in the nanowire bundles, and stable field emission was recorded at the same time.

Stimulation of smooth muscle cell proliferation by ox-LDL- and acetyl LDL-induced macrophage-derived foam cells.

To test the hypothesis that LDL lacking of initial oxidation may also anticipate an essential role in the progression for atherosclerotic lesions, we studied the in vitro effect of foam cells induced by low density lipoprotein (LDL), oxidized (ox)-LDL or acetyl-LDL on smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation. Intraperitoneal macrophages collected from ICR mice were incubated with buffered saline LDL, ox-LDL or acetyl-LDL to induce foam cell formation. Porcine aortas with atherosclerotic lesions were collected from 5 pigs fed high cholesterol diets. The results indicate that foam cells induced by ox-LDL and acetyl-LDL, but not by LDL, promoted SMC proliferation. SMC proliferation was also increased by ruptured, ox-LDL- and acetyl-LDL- induced foam cells. Immunohistochemically, epitopes of the LDL, ox-LDL, and malondialdelyde (MDA)-LDL were present in atherosclerotic lesions, but the acetyl epitope was not. We suggest that foam cells, whether induced by the oxidized or acetyl or acetyl (unoxidized) form, play an essential role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by stimulating SMC proliferation.

Cytotoxicity and sister chromatid exchanges induced in vitro by six anticancer drugs developed in the People's Republic of China.

Growth inhibition in the Chinese hamster cell line V79 and in the human lymphoid cell line Raji and induction of sister chromatid exchange(s) (SCE) in V79 cells after treatment with six anticancer drugs [harringtonine (HRT), homoharringtonine (HHRT), camptothecin (CPT), hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT), lycobetaine (LBT), and oxalysine (OXL)] developed in the People's Republic of China were studied. OXL is a new antibiotic; all other drugs are plant extracts. All drugs caused a dose-dependent growth inhibition in both cell types, as evidenced by decreases in plating efficiencies of V79 cells and in viable cell counts of Raji. However, the degree of inhibition differed widely among the drugs. HRT, HHRT, CPT, and HCPT were the most potent growth inhibitors, LBT was next, and OXL was the least effective inhibitor. SCE analyses were made in V79 cells treated with a drug in the presence or absence of the metabolic activation system S9 mixture (S9 mix), except for the HRT assay in which the S9 mix was not used. CPT, HCPT, and LBT induced a dose-dependent increase in SCE frequencies, while HRT, HHRT, and OXL caused no SCE induction at any dose level used. CPT was the most powerful SCE inducer. HCPT induced SCE but at a much reduced rate when compared to that of CPT. LBT was a weak SCE inducer; SCE induction was seen only in cultures treated with 40 micrograms or more LBT/ml. Addition of the S9 mix did not alter SCE frequencies, indicating that the drugs were direct-acting agents. HRT and HHRT were highly toxic, but they induced no increases in SCE frequency, indicating that cytotoxicity of a compound does not necessarily correlate with SCE induction.