Integrative transcriptomic and genomic analysis of odorant binding proteins and chemosensory proteins in aphids.

Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) and chemosensory proteins (CSPs) play essential roles in insect chemosensory recognition. Here, we identified nine OBPs and nine CSPs from the Myzus persicae transcriptome and genome. Genomic structure analysis showed that the number and length of the introns are much higher, and this appears to be a unique feature of aphid OBP genes. Three M. persicae OBP genes (OBP3/7/8) as well as CSP1/4/6, CSP2/9 and CSP5/8 are tandem arrayed in the genome. Phylogenetic analyses of five different aphid species suggest that aphid OBPs and CSPs are conserved in single copy across all aphids (with occasional losses), indicating that each OBP and CSP class evolved from a single gene in the common ancestor of aphids without subsequent duplication. Motif pattern analysis revealed that aphid OBP and CSP motifs are highly conserved, and this could suggest the conserved functions of aphid OBPs and CSPs. Three OBPs (MperOBP6/7/10) are expressed antennae specifically, and five OBPs (MperOBP2/4/5/8/9) are expressed antennae enriched, consistent with their putative olfactory roles. M. persicae CSPs showed much broader expression profiles in nonsensory organs than OBPs. None of the nine MperCSPs were found to be antennae specific, but five of them (MperCSP1/2/4/5/6) showed higher expression levels in the legs than in other tissues. MperCSP10 mainly expressed in the antennae and legs. The broad and diverse expression patterns of M. persicae CSPs suggest their multifunctions in olfactory perception, development and other processes.

Identifying hub genes and dysregulated pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the hub genes and dysregulated pathways of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and explore the molecular mechanism of the biological process associated with HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Microarray data were got from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The most significant top 100 up-regulated gene signatures and top 100 down-regulated gene signatures were identified by integrated analysis of the multiple microarray datasets using a novel model genome-wide relative significance (GWRS) and genome-wide global significance (GWGS). Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and pathway analysis of those genes were performed based on Gene Ontology website and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using Cytoscape 2.1. In addition, we analysed the significantly dysregulated signaling pathways across the PPI network and KEGG pathway analysis. RESULTS: We screened 2920 up-regulated and 2231 down-regulated gene signatures across multiple studies by GWRS and GWGS. The top 100 up-regulated and top 100 down-regulated gene signatures were selected for further research. GO enrichment analysis showed that these genes significantly enriched in terms of mitosis (p = 5.83×10-20), nuclear division (p = 5.83×10-20) and M phase of mitotic cell cycle (p = 9.39×10-20). The most significant terms of KEGG pathway included cell cycle (p = 1.33×10-8), oocyte meiosis (p = 1.41×10-4), drug metabolism (p = 2.15×10-4) and p53 signaling pathway (p = 3.57×10-4). PPI network suggested that BIRC5, CDC20, CCNB1, BUB1B, MAD2L1 and CDK1 were important significant genes which were considered as hub genes. Across the PPI and pathway, cell cycle, oocyte meiosis and p53 signaling pathway were the significantly dysregulated pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Our study displayed robust gene signatures in HCC. It showed that the dysregulations of cell cycle, oocyte meiosis, p53 signaling pathway and progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation pathway were closely associated to the development and progression of HCC. Besides, genes BIRC5, CDC20, CCNB1, BUB1B, MAD2L1 and CDK1 as the hub genes might play important roles for diagnosing and therapy of HCC.

Protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury in aged liver donor by the induction of exogenous human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene.

BACKGROUND: Liver ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is of great importance in primary graft dysfunction after transplantation, and could be more severe in transplantation using aged donor livers. In order to alleviate the I/R injury in aged donor livers, we transferred exogenous human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene into aged rat's livers before liver transplantation. After transplantation, the effect of the gene for aged rats on cell apoptosis caused by I/R injury was evaluated. METHODS: The experiment was divided into 2 parts: comparative experiment between aged rats and adult rats, and exogenous induction experiment of aged rats. In the first part, Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups; group I was composed of adult rats (5 months) and group II was composed of aged rats (16-18 months). After successful transplantation, chronic oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation-related indicators (contents of vitamin C and vitamin E; activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and methane decarboxylic aldehyde) and alanine aminotransferase activity were examined. In the second part, additional aged rats were divided into 3 groups: group A included the donors pretreated with exogenous hTERT gene; group B included the donors pretreated with adenovirus vector; and group C was composed of the donors pretreated with physiological saline. Various indicators were detected to analyze the effect of the gene on I/R injury of the aged rats. RESULTS: The lower vitamin C, vitamin E, SOD, and CAT contents in the aged group than those in the adult group (P < .05), and the higher MDA and ALT contents in the aged group than those in the adult group (P < .05) were observed. The apoptotic index and ALT levels in the hTERT gene-pretreated group were significantly lower than those in the adenovirus vector group and the physiological saline group (P < .05). Meanwhile, mild histological injury and increased telomerase activity were also observed in the hTERT gene-pretreated group. CONCLUSION: Compared with the adult rats, I/R injury in the aged liver donor is more severe. The induction of exogenous hTERT gene offers protection against I/R injury in the aged liver.

Predictive Value of Electrophysiology for Presence of Thymic Pathology in Myasthenia Gravis.

OBJECTIVE: Single fibre electromyography (SFEMG) and repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) are routinely performed investigations in evaluation of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). Significant number of MG patients have a thymic pathology. We aimed to explore the relationship between the SFEMG and RNS findings with the presence of thymic pathology. METHODS: We studied 159 consecutive patients with MG over a 10 year period. The SFEMG parameters - mean jitter (MJ) and percentage of abnormal fibres (POAF) and the RNS result were correlated with the thymic findings. RESULTS: As compared to patients with normal thymus (MJ:58.3 µsec; POAF:63.5%), patients with thymic pathology had a significantly higher MJ (80.9 µsec; p < 0.0005) and POAF (83.5%; p < 0.0005). MG patients with thymic hyperplasia had the highest MJ (87.6 µsec) and POAF (84.4%) followed by patients with thymoma (MJ:78.6 µsec; POAF:83.2%). The MJ and POAF did not correlate with the stage of thymoma. Mean jitter values above 34.9 µsec and POAF above 31% had 100% sensitivity for the presence of thymic pathology. A positive RNS increased the risk of thymic pathology (OR = 3.9, CI = 1.8-8.5) and thymoma. (OR = 3.5; CI = 1.5-8.1). CONCLUSION: Electrophysiology could be valuable complimentary tool to identify MG patients at high risk for thymic pathology. However, it does not aid us to identify the exact thymic pathology and does not correlate with the stage of thymoma. All OMG patients with higher MJ and PAOF values should also be screened for thymoma. The results reinforce the immunological role of thymic pathology in neuromuscular transmission interference.

The GSTP1 A1578G polymorphism and the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: results from an updated meta-analysis.

Studies investigating the association between the glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) A1578G polymorphism and the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) report conflicting results. The aim of this study was to quantitatively summarize the evidence for such a relationship. Two investigators independently searched the Medline, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wangfang databases for studies of the polymorphism and ALL. Summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the GSTP1 polymorphism and childhood ALL were calculated in a fixed-effect model. Pooled ORs were calculated for a co-dominant model (GG vs AA, AG vs AA), a dominant model (GG + AG vs AA), and a recessive model (GG vs AA + AG). Analyses were also performed in subgroups stratified by race, study design, genotyping methods, and study sample size. This meta-analysis included 8 case-control studies with 1384 childhood ALL cases and 1755 controls. Overall, the variant genotypes (GG and AG) of A1578G were not associated with childhood ALL risk, when compared with the wild-type homozygote AA genotype (GG vs AA, OR = 1.09, 95%CI = 0.84-1.43; AG vs AA, OR = 1.05, 95%CI = 0.91-1.23). Similarly, no associations were found in the dominant and recessive models (dominant model, OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 0.92-1.23; recessive model, OR = 1.09, 95%CI = 0.84-1.43). Stratified analyses did not detect significant association in any subgroup. No heterogeneity or publication bias was observed in the present study. This updated meta-analysis indicates that the GSTP1 A1578G polymorphism is not associated with the risk of childhood ALL. In the future, additional studies in Asian and African-American patients should be performed to re-evaluate the association in these populations.

Correlation between acetylcholine receptor antibody levels and thymic pathology in myasthenia gravis: a review.

Myasthenia gravis is the most common chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease. Anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies are found in at least 80% of patients with generalized myasthenia and have been implicated in disease pathogenesis. Thymic abnormalities are frequently found in seropositive patients, and the thymus is thought to be involved in generation of autoimmunity. This article reviews existing literature on the role of AChR antibodies in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis, and the correlation between AChR antibody titers and thymic pathology. Most studies found that highest titers are seen in thymic hyperplasia, followed by intermediate titers in thymoma, and lowest titers in atrophic or normal thymus. One publication found no difference between titers in thymoma and normal thymus.

Common properties between synaptic plasticity in the main olfactory bulb and olfactory learning in young rats.

Aversive olfactory learning was established in young rats after odor exposure paired with foot shock through a classical conditioning paradigm. Using behavioral pharmacology and Western blotting, we previously reported that plasticity in the main olfactory bulb (MOB) underlies aversive olfactory learning. Since long-term potentiation (LTP) observed in the hippocampus is believed to be a cellular substrate for aspects of memory, we attempted to induce LTP in the MOB. Using brain slices containing the MOB, we found that five tetani of the lateral olfactory tract evoked LTP that was blocked by the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist AP5. Although three tetani induced no significant changes in control slices, with noradrenaline (NA) application they produced clear LTP (NA-mediated LTP), which was not dependent on NMDA receptors. NA's facilitating effect on LTP induction was blocked by the beta-adrenoceptor antagonist timolol but not by the alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist phentolamine, and was mimicked by the beta-adrenoceptor agonist isoproterenol. The l-type calcium channel blocker nifedipine completely blocked LTP as well as NA-mediated LTP. In addition, we found that aversive olfactory learning was impaired by beta-adrenoceptor antagonist, timolol but not by alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist, phentolamine, and only odor training established olfactory learning by isoproterenol infusion. Moreover, we found that nifedipine but not AP5 prevented olfactory learning formation. These common properties provided evidence for neural correlates between NA-mediated LTP aversive olfactory learning in young rats.

Functional synapse formation between cultured rat accessory olfactory bulb neurons and vomeronasal pockets.

To investigate the interaction between vomeronasal receptor neurons and accessory olfactory bulb neurons during pheromonal signal processing and specific synapse formation, partially dissociated rat vomeronasal receptor neurons were co-cultured with accessory olfactory bulb neurons. Between 7 and 14 days in co-culture, a few bundles of fibers from a spherical structure, termed the vomeronasal pocket, of cultured vomeronasal receptor neurons extended to the accessory olfactory bulb neurons. An optical recording of the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration was used to monitor the synaptic activation of cultured accessory olfactory bulb neurons. Electrical stimulation of the vomeronasal pocket between 7 and 14 days in co-culture had no effects on most of the cultured neurons tested, although it occasionally evoked weak responses in a small number of neurons. In contrast, vomeronasal pocket stimulation after 21 days in co-culture evoked clear calcium transients in a substantial number of cultured accessory olfactory bulb neurons. These responses of accessory olfactory bulb neurons were reversibly suppressed by the application of 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; the calcium transients disappeared in most of the neurons and were diminished in the others. The application of d-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid partially affected the calcium transients, but blocked spontaneous calcium increases, which were observed repeatedly in accessory olfactory bulb-alone cultures. The application of both 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione and d-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid completely blocked the evoked calcium transients. These results suggest that functional glutamatergic synapses between vomeronasal receptor neurons and accessory olfactory bulb neurons were formed at around 21 days in co-culture.

[A preliminary study on the changes of expression of PDGF-beta, PDGFR-beta, TGF-beta 1, TGFR, bFGF and its relationship with the wound age in wound healing].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between the expression change of cytokines and the wound age during the healing process of rats skin wound. METHODS: Immunohistochemical and image-analysis methods were performed on vital skin wounds(after incision 0.5-168 h am) and postmortem damage(after incision 0.5-6 h pm). RESULTS: The expression of the cytokines PDGF-beta, PDGFR-beta, TGF-beta 1, and bFGF in the epithelial cells was already enhanced since 0.5 h am after damage and their strongest expression reaction was seen at 24-96 h am. In addition, the expression of PDGF-beta, PDGFR-beta, TGF-beta 1 and bFGF was also found in the macrophages and the fibroblasts of the granulation tissue, and the expression changes in the postmortem damage group showed that the skin tissue within 0.5-3 h after incision showed immunohistochemical changes but weakly expression and 3 h thereafter no any change was found. CONCLUSION: The expression characteristics of the above mentioned cytokines in wound repair should be related to the wound age and it reminds therefore that they may be used as immunohistochemical criteria for accurate determining the wound age.

Involvement of complexin II in synaptic plasticity in the CA1 region of the hippocampus: the use of complexin II-lacking mice.

An electrophysiological study was performed with mice lacking complexin II, a presynaptic protein. The long-term potentiation (LTP) by high-frequency stimulation, recorded in the hippocampal CA1 area, was decreased in complexin II-lacking mice (CPXII KO mice). The overall postsynaptic currents elicited by low frequency stimulation on the Schaffer collateral/commissural fibers in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells were not different between wild-type and mutant mice. Excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) recorded in the presence of 50 microM bicuculline and inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) recorded in the presence of 50 microM AP-5 (DL-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid) + 30 microM CNQX (6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione) were also identical between wild-types and mutants. Furthermore, the EPSCs following repetitive stimulation (10 Hz) in CPXII KO mice did not show any difference with wild-types. These findings suggest that complexin II does not play a crucial role in ordinary neural transmission, short-term synaptic plasticity or synaptic transmission during high-frequency repetitive stimulation. Therefore, the protein is thought to be involved in the LTP process following tetanic stimulation, including the induction and/or maintenance of the LTP.

Reduced hippocampal LTP in mice lacking a presynaptic protein: complexin II.

The SNAP receptor (SNARE) complex is a core complex specialized for synaptic vesicle exocytosis, and the binding of SNAPs to the complex is an essential step for neurotransmitter release. Complexin I and II have been identified as SNARE-complex-associated proteins. Importantly, complexins compete with alpha-SNAP for binding to the complex, suggesting that complexins may modulate neurotransmitter release process. To examine this possibility and to understand the physiological function of complexins, we generated complexin II knockout mice. The complexin-II-deficient mice (-/-) were viable and fertile, and appeared normal. Electrophysiological recordings in the mutant hippocampus showed that ordinary synaptic transmission and paired-pulse facilitation, a form of short-term synaptic plasticity, were normal. However, long-term potentiation (LTP) in both CA1 and CA3 regions was impaired, suggesting that complexin II may not be essential for synaptic vesicle exocytosis, but it does have a role in the establishment of hippocampal LTP.

[Enzymehistochemical and immunohistological changes of skeletal muscle motor end-plates and muscle fibers and their relation to the time of death].

In order to investigate the relationship between the retrograde changes of the skeletal muscle and the time of death in various postmortem intervals (PMI), a systemic study of the enzymehistochemical activity of AChE, SDH, LDH, Ca(2+)-ATPase and the immunohistochemical reaction of SYN in motor end-plates and muscle fibers was conducted in rats under different temperatures and at various PMI. The results were analyzed and compared by an image processing system. It was found that these changes were related to the PMI, especially AChE changes. The AChE could be used as a sign-enzyme of skeletal muscle to date death.

Forensic pathological expertise of medical tangle analysis of 139 autopsy cases.

In this article, we report 139 autopsy cases of medical tangle, which were examined by the Department of Forensic Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tongji Medical University from Jan. 1972 to Dec. 1992. The emphasis is put on analyses of the status of medical tangle autopsy in forensic pathology, involved medical departments, distribution of victim's age and sex, differences between clinical diagnosis and autoptical conclusion, the composition and causes of medical tangle. The associated problems in forensic pathological autopsy are also discussed.

Design of intracavitary microwave applicators for the treatment of uterine cervix carcinoma.

A 915 MHz intracavitary applicator was designed to heat tumours in the cervical and upper vaginal regions. The applicator has a 3.5-turn helical coil wound around the distal 19 mm of a dielectric rod 43 mm long and 30 mm in diameter. For treating uterine cancer, a 2450 MHz, 4 mm diameter helical applicator was made by replacing 6 cm of the outer conductor of a coaxial cable with six turns of copper wire soldered to the outer conductor. The heating patterns were determined thermographically in a muscle phantom. The maximum heating rates were 0.42 and 0.83 degrees C/W-min, respectively, for the 915 and 2450 MHz applicators. Intracavitary temperature distributions in the upper vagina, cervix and uterus were measured at the surface of the applicators with thermocouples. The average temperature was 46.0 +/- 2.1 degrees C (S.D.) at mid-tumour and 44.5 +/- 0.8 degrees C at the tumour periphery. The maximum temperature, up to 51.5 degrees C, was measured at the surface of the cervical applicator. The majority of the patients (28/30) tolerated the investigational treatment without burns or pain. Rectal temperatures were also monitored. The location of the hot-spot (40.7 degrees C) in the rectum, 5-7 cm above the anus, corresponded to the tip of the cervical applicator (47.1 degrees C).

Poisoning by toxic plants in China. Report of 19 autopsy cases.

In this article, we report on 19 autopsy cases in China in which the cause of death was poisoning by toxic plants. The emphasis is on analyses of the target organs or tissues affected by these plants. The mechanism of poisoning and cause of death are approached on the basis of the pathologic changes, and associated problems relating to forensic medicine are discussed.