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Water-soluble Mn(2+)-doped ZnS quantum dots (QDs) were prepared using mercaptoacetic acid as the stabilizer. The optical properties and structure features were characterized by X-Ray, absorption spectrum, IR spectrum and fluorescence spectrum. In pH 7.8 Tris-HCl buffer, the QDs emitted strong fluorescence peaked at 590 nm with excitation wavelength at 300 nm. The presence of sulfide anion resulted in the quenching of fluorescence and the intensity decrease was proportional to the S(2-) concentration. The linear range was from 2.5 x 10(-6) to 3.8 x 10(-5) mol L(-1) with detection limit as 1.5 x 10(-7) mol L(-1). Most anions such as F(-), Cl(-), Br(-), I(-), CH(3)CO(2) (-), ClO(4) (-), CO(3) (2-), NO(2) (-), NO(3) (-), S(2)O(3) (2-), SO(3) (2-) and SO(4) (2-) did not interfere with the determination. Thus a highly selective assay was proposed and applied to the determination of S(2-) in discharged water with the recovery of ca. 103%.

Based on the catch amount data of Chinese squid jigger vessels from January to July 2006 and the sea current, sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll-a (chl-a) data derived from satellites, the characteristics of Illex argentinus fishing grounds, their productivity, and environment factors in southwest Atlantic were analyzed. There were two main I. argentinus fishing grounds in southwest Atlantic, one in its south part (60 degrees 30' W, 45 degrees 30' S) and the other in the north part (58 degrees 00' W, 42 degrees 00' S). From January to July, the main fishing grounds migrated from south to north. The productivity fluctuated notably in different months, being higher from January to April and the highest in March. After May, the productivity decreased gradually. The locations of the fishing grounds had close relationships with Falkland cold current. North fishing ground located at the main axis of the current, with a current speed of about 28-60 cm x s(-1); and south fishing ground located at the west of the current, with a small scale anticyclone and a current speed of about 5-32 cm x s(-1). The favorable SST in the fishing grounds was 7 degrees C-15 degrees C, with a favorite SST of 12 degrees C, and the favorable chl-a concentration was 0.4-1.5 mg x m(-3), with a favorite chl-a concentration of 0.9-1.2 mg x m(-3). A significant positive relationship was observed between I. argentinus productivity and chl-a concentration (P < 0.05).

Objective: To find new serum tumor markers for ovarian epithelial cancers by 2-DE DIGE and MALDI-TOF/TOF proteomic methods, in order to improve the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity., Methods: Serum samples from 103 cases of ovarian epithelial cancers, 60 cases of healthy women, 63 cases of benign ovarian tumors and 63 cases of benign pelvic diseases were collected. Sera of 20 cases of ovarian epithelial cancers (A), 20 cases of ovarian benign tumors (B), 20 cases of pelvic benign diseases (C) and 20 cases of health control (D) were matched by age and pooled, respectively. After depletion of high abundance serum albumin and IgG, the samples were assayed by 2-DE DIGE. The test was repeated three times. Analysis with DeCyder software revealed significant differential protein spots which were identified by MAIDI-TOF/TOF. Western blot and ELISA were used to validate the candidate serum markers., Results: 1) There were 41 proteins having significant differences between the groups. MAIDI-TOF/TOF successfully identified 28 proteins. Haptoglobin (Hp) was the most significantly up-regulated protein, and transferrin (Tf) was the most significantly down-regulated protein. 2) Western blot and ELISA proved that there were significant differences in Hp and Tf between ovarian epithelial cancers and normal controls (P = 0.000), between ovarian epithelial cancers and ovarian benign tumors (P = 0.000), between ovarian epithelial cancers and benign pelvic disease sera (P = 0.000). 3) CA125 + Hp + Tf combined detection of ovarian cancer had higher sensitivity and specificity than CA125, Hp or Tf detection alone., Conclusion: Hp and Tf are differently expressed in the sera of patients with ovarian epitheliual cancers. They can be used as serum biomarkers for ovarian epithelial cancers. CA125 + Hp + Tf combined detection may improve the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis of ovarian epithelial cancers.

Objective: To explore the situation of residual lesions in excision margin after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) and cold knife conization (CKC) and the risk factors of recurrence in the cases featuring with positive margin., Methods: The medical records of 1213 women undergoing LEEP or CKC, aged (35 +/- 5) (22-40), were retrospectively reviewed. 148 of the 1213 patients (12.2%) who were identified as with positive margin were re-underwent pathological reexamination. 118 of the 148 patients were diagnosed as with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III (CIN III) and 30 as with stage Ia invasive cervical carcinoma. These patients were followed up for 12-99 months. The pathologic diagnoses, position of positive margin, and residual lesion in subsequent specimens were analyzed., Results: Endocervical positive margins were identified in 30 of the 118 (25.4%) CIN III patients and 26 of the 30 (86.6%) stage Ia patients. Residual lesions were found in 15 of the 28 (53.6%) stage Ia cases and 4 pf the 19 (19%) CIN III cases. The rates of endocervical positive margin and residual lesion were higher in stage Ia patients. The risk of residual lesion was 53.1% (17/32) in the patients with endocervical positive margins, significantly higher than that of the patients with extracervical positive margin (16.7%). Recurrence was found in 90 patients during follow-up., Conclusion: Residual lesions often occur in some patients with positive margin. Choice between additional surgery and closely follow-up in the young patients with positive margins who want to preserve their fertility depends on the lesion seriousness and positive position. Residual lesions more frequently exist in the patients with microinvasion and endocervical positivity. Additional surgery should be considered in these cases.

In this paper we reported a metal complex 1-Zn (2,5-di-[2-(3,5-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine-4-hydroxy-phenyl)-ethylene]-pyrazine-Zn) as a fluorescent probe sensing DNA. The result of the competitive experiment of the probe with ethidium bromide (EB) to bind DNA, absorption spectral change and polarization change in the presence and absence of DNA revealed that interaction between the probe and DNA was via intercalation. Ionic strength experiment showed the existence of electrostatic interaction as well. Scatchard plots also confirmed the combined binding modes. The fluorescence enhancement of the probe was ascribed to highly hydrophobic environment when it bound the macromolecules such as DNA, RNA or denatured DNA. The binding constant between the probe and DNA was estimated as 3.13 x 10(7) mol(-1) L. The emission intensity increase was proportional to the concentration of DNA. Based on this, the probe was used to determine the concentration of calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA). The corresponding linear response ranged from 2.50 x 10(-7) to 4.75 x 10(-6) mol L(-1), and detection limit was 1.93 x 10(-8) mol L(-1) for ct-DNA.

A fluorescent assay of Hg(2+) in neutral aqueous solution was developed using N-[p-(dimethylamino)benzamido]-N'-phenylthiourea (1). 1's fluorogenic chemodosimetric behaviors towards various metal ions were studied and a high sensitivity as well as selectivity was achieved for Hg(2+). It was because of a strongly fluorescent 1,3,4-oxadiazoles which was produced by the Hg(2+) promoted desulfurization reaction. The spectra of ESI mass and IR provided evidences for this reaction. According to fluorescence titration, a good linear relationship ranging from 1.0 x 10(-7) to 2.0 x 10(-5) mol l(-1) was obtained with the limit of detection as 3.1 x 10(-8) mol l(-1).

Objective: To detect the differentially expressed genes in human polycystic kidney by cDNA microarray., Methods: The PCR products of 8398 genes were spotted onto a chip in array. Both mRNAs isolated from polycystic kidney tissue and normal kidney tissue were reversely transcribed to cDNAs with the incorporation of fluorescent dUTP (Cy5-dUTP and Cy3-dUTP) for preparing the hybridization probes. The mixed probes were hybridized to the cDNA microarray. Then the cDNA microarray was scanned for the fluorescent signals and the display of differences between the 2 tissues. IGF1 mRNA, one of the up regulated genes was detected by in situ hybridization technique in the two tissues to validate the result from cDNA microarray., Results: The result indicated that the expressions of 263 genes were up regulated while the expressions of 94 genes were down regulated in the polycystic kidney tissue among the 8398 target genes. Bioinformatical analysis of those genes had been performed. The up-regulated genes were mainly the ones of oncogene, cellular skeleton and movement, apoptosis related protein, cell signal transduction protein, and cytokine. The down regulated genes were mainly the ones of anti-oncogene, DNA binding and transcription factors, cell signal transduction protein, and metabolism protein. The IGF1 mRNA expression detected by in situ hybridization was consequently consistent with the cDNA microarray., Conclusion: cDNA microarray is an effective and quick method for studying differential expressed genes. Three hundred and fifty-seven differentially expressed genes with different functions were revealed in the polycystic kidney tissue, which may play some roles in the progression of polycystic kidney.

Objective: To investigate the expression and function of PKD1 and PKD2 in different kidney tissues and cell lines., Methods: Immunoprecipitation, Western blotting, In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical staining methods were used to observe the expression of PKD1 mRNA and PKD2 mRNA and their protein abundance in different kidney tissues and cell lines., Results: Coordinate expressions of PKD1 and PKD2 were found in all kidney tissues and cell lines. Distribution of PKD1 mRNA and PKD2 mRNA and their protein polycystin-1 and polycystin-2 in normal human adult kidney tissue were mainly expressed in the medullary collecting ducts and distal tubules. Positive staining was also found in the majority of cyst-lining epithelial cells of PKD1 cystic kidney tissue, PKD1 cyst-lining epithelia cell line and LLC-PK1. The expression level of them in cystic epithelia of ADPKD kidney tissue was much higher than that in adult renal tubules (P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Similar expression pattern of PKD1 and PKD2 and their different tissue distribution in different kidney tissues show that the molecular mutuality of PC-1 and PC-2 might be the base of their functional correlation. Polycystins might play an important role in the maintenance of tubular architecture.

The inclusion interaction of water-soluble p-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)-calix[8]arene with diphenylamine-4-sulfonic acid sodium salt was investigated by fluorimetric method. When diphenylamine-4-sulfonic acid sodium salt was added into the p-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)-calix[8]arene solution, the emission spectrum of diphenylamine-4-sulfonic acid sodium salt occurred to a blue shift with the enhancement of the fluorescent intensity. The results show that the formation of the inclusion complex of the p-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)-calix[8]arene with diphenylamine-4-sulfonic acid sodium salt. The influence factors such as the pH value of solutions, solvents on the emission and excitation spectra of the inclusion complex were studied. It indicates that diphenylamine-4-sulfonic acid sodium salt penetrated the cavity of the calix[8]arene via the static action between the sulphonyl group of diphenylamine-4-sulfonic acid sodium salt and nitrogen atom of p-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)-calix[8]arene and the hydrophobic interaction of the aromatic rings.

Objective: To use microsatellite DNA tightly linked to polycystic kidney disease gene 2 in the gene diagnosis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease type 2., Methods: Microsatellite DNA of D4S1534, D4S1542, D4S1563,D4S2460 and D4S423 were amplified with PCR and the fragments of products were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis and Genescan and Genotyper software, and then gene diagnosis of the pedigrees was made by linkage analysis., Results: Three families were found to be linked to PKD2 in 20 families. Two carriers of PKD2 mutation were revealed by linkage analysis., Conclusion: Gene diagnosis can be done for PKD2 mutation carriers prior to cytogenesis. Linkage analysis is a rapid, simple method for studying the heterogeneity of polycystic kidney disease and for diagnosing the disease at the molecular level.

Aim: To prepare and identify monoclonal antibody (mAb) against N-terminal domain of polycystin 1., Methods: Total RNA was extracted from kidney tissue of a healthy man. Gene sequence encoding polycystin 1 N-terminal domain was amplified by one-step RT-PCR. The target gene was inserted into prokaryotic expression vector pQE30 and transformed into competent cells E. coli M15. The fusion protein was expressed under IPTG induction and purified by affinity chromatography. The purified fusion protein was then used to immunize BALB/c mice. The splenocytes from immunized mice were fused with myeloma cells Sp2/0 by PEG 4000 mediator method and the hybridomas were selected in HAT medium. The hybridoma clones secreting mAb against polycystin 1 amino-terminal domain were detected by ELISA and cloned by limiting dilution. The specificity of mAb against polycystin 1 N-terminal domain was verified by ELISA and Western blot., Results: cDNA encoding polycystin 1 extracellular region was obtained. Fusion protein of polycystin 1 N-terminal domain were expressed in pQE30 expression system. The relative molecular masses (Mr) of the two fusion proteins were 19,800 and 18,900, respectively. One hybridoma cell 7B1 secreting specific mAb was obtained. Western blot analysis showed that the mAb reacted strongly and specifically to polycystin 1 N-terminal domain., Conclusion: polycystin 1 N-terminal fusion proteins have been expressed in E.coli M15. Anti-fusion protein mAb with antigen-binding activity has been prepared successfully.