Search

To discover the differences and modes of saccharifying ability among Rhizopus arrhizus strains isolated from various habitats, we grew strains in glutinous rice media to monitor the production of glucose from starch using spectrophotometry at regular time intervals. The saccharifying capacity of R. arrhizus var. delemar was found to be weaker than that of var. arrhizus and var. tonkinensis. These data provide additional phenotypic support for recognization of this genetically distinct lineage (var. delemar) as a separate species. Clinical isolates were generally low in saccharifying abilities, while all strains from southwest China had an excellent diastatic power.

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is the main cause of retinal detachment surgery failure. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by transforming growth factor (TGF-β2) plays an important role in the development of PVR. Artesunate has been widely studied as a treatment for ophthalmic diseases because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic and antiproliferative properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of artesunate on the TGF-β2-induced EMT in ARPE-19 cells and PVR development. We found that artesunate inhibited the proliferation and contraction of ARPE-19 cells after the EMT and the autocrine effects of TGF-β2 on ARPE-19 cells. Additionally, the levels of Smad3 and p-Smad3 were increased in clinical samples, and artesunate decreased the levels of Smad3 and p-Smad3 in ARPE-19 cells treated with TGF-β2. Artesunate also inhibited the occurrence and development of PVR in vivo. In summary, artesunate inhibits the occurrence and development of PVR by inhibiting the EMT in ARPE-19 cells.

This work proposes a dual Z-scheme photoelectronic material for amplifying photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensing signal. Herein, CdS/Bi2S3/BiOCl with great PEC performance is obtained by one-step synthesis strategy for the first time. Thereinto, the unique dual Z-scheme material displays higher activity compared with a single material and binary composites. In addition, l -ascorbic acid 2-phosphate is catalyzed in situ by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) to produce ascorbic acid (electron donor). The cross-linking reaction of chitosan and glutaraldehyde is applied for fixing ALP. Since the electron donor is produced by the catalytic reaction, the recombination of photo-induced electrons and holes is inhibited. Accordingly, the photocurrent is increased, getting the phenomenon of signal-on. Under optimal conditions, the sensing platform is constructed in a desired linear range (0.1–4000 U L−1) as well as the detection limit of 0.06 U L−1. The established PEC platform shows good stability and specificity. Consequently, Z-scheme CdS/Bi2S3/BiOCl would provide a potential strategy for PEC analysis and the field of photocatalysis.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that accounts for the most cases of dementia, which is characterized by the deposition of dense plaques of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles consisting of hyperphosphorylated tau. The two main types of AD can be classified as early-onset AD (EOAD, onset < 65 years) and late-onset AD (LOAD, onset ≥ 65 years). Evidence from family and twin studies indicate that genetic factors are estimated to play a role in at least 80% of AD cases. The first milestone with linkage analysis revealed the mutations in APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2 genes that cause EOAD. But pathogenic mutations in these three genes can only explain a small fraction of EOAD families. The additional disease-causing genes have not yet been identified. This review provides an overview of the genetic basis of EOAD and the relationship between the functions of these risk genes and the neuropathologic features of AD. A better understanding of genetic mechanisms underlying EOAD pathogenesis and the potentially molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration will lead to the development of effective diagnosis and treatment strategies for this devastating disease.

α -Al 2 O 3 ceramic coatings were prepared by a novel metal organic decomposition (MOD) method on 316L stainless steel. Effects of electron irradiation and post-irradiation annealing process on the surface morphology, composition, phases and corrosion resistance of the coating were studied by using AFM, FESEM, EDS, XRD and electrochemical workstation. The results show that the surface of α -Al 2 O 3 ceramic coating was roughened after irradiation and then smoothed after subsequent annealing. The oxygen content of the coating was highly decreased after electron irradiation and then increased after subsequent annealing. The FeO phase of the coating was disappeared after irradiation and re-formed with the disappearance of AlFeCr phase after subsequent annealing. Both the irradiated and post-irradiated annealed coatings behaved superior corrosion resistance and protective ability compared to the original counterpart due to microstructure modification induced by irradiation. Meanwhile, two electrical circuit models were proposed to simulate the EIS results to explain the corrosion mechanism of the coatings.

Endometrial adenocarcinoma (EC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed types of endometrial cancer and is typically a consequence of continuous estrogen receptor stimulation. Erythropoietin-producing hepatocyte receptor B4 (EphB4) and its ligand ephrin-B2 have been reported to be overexpressed in EC cells; however, the function in EC remains unclear. The present study aimed to elucidate the role of EphB4 and ephrin-B2 in EC. The protein expression pattern of EphB4 and ephrin-B2 was analyzed through immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis in endometrium with adenomyosis or simple endometrial hyperplasia, atypical endometrial hyperplasia, double-positive estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR) EC and double-negative ER/PR EC. The expression of EphB4 and ephrin-B2 was demonstrated to be increased in atypical EH and ER/PR-positive EC, but not ER/PR-negative EC. Furthermore, EphB4 and ephrin-B2 expression was positively associated with ER expression in EC tissue. The results of the present study suggest that the overexpression of EphB4 and ephrin-B2 in the endometrium serves a role in the pathogenesis of EC, in addition to being associated with ER expression.

The aims of this study were to explore the long-term impact of pericardiectomy on left atrial (LA) functions in patients with constrictive pericarditis (CP) using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) and to correlate post-operative LA functions with clinical status. Echocardiographic examinations were undertaken in 29 patients with CP 1 wk before and 1, 6 and 12 mo after pericardiectomy. STE was performed to obtain LA global longitudinal strain, including strain during the conduit phase (LAScd), strain during the contraction phase (LASct) the sum of the latter and strain during the reservoir phase (LASr). Control patients consisted of 29 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. LASct, LAScd and LASr obtained 6 mo after pericardiectomy improved significantly compared with pre-operative values, but were still lower than the values for control patients. Further increases were observed gradually with normalization of LASct 12 mo after pericardiectomy. However, there were still significant differences between LAScd and LASr obtained in control patients and those obtained 12 mo after pericardiectomy. Moreover, the improvements in LAScd, LASct and LASr 12 mo after pericardiectomy correlated well with symptomatic clinical alleviation (p0.01). These results indicate that LA strains analyzed with STE might be useful in evaluating the long-term impact of pericardiectomy on LA functions.

The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of contrast perfusion echocardiography in the differential diagnosis of different types of cardiac masses. Conventional echocardiography and contrast perfusion echocardiography were performed in 72 patients with cardiac masses. The degree of contrast enhancement of the mass and an adjacent section of myocardium after injection of contrast agent was determined by visual inspection and quantitative time–signal intensity curve analysis. The difference in maximal steady-state pixel intensity between the mass and the adjacent myocardium (Δ A mass–myocardium ) was calculated. All masses had a pathologic diagnosis or resolved after anticoagulation. All 16 cardiac masses without enhancement on visual inspection were confirmed to be cardiac thrombi. Twenty-four masses with incomplete enhancement on visual inspection were recognized as benign tumors with validation methods. Of the 32 cardiac masses with complete enhancement, 30 were confirmed as malignant tumors and two as benign tumors with validation methods. The sensitivity and specificity of Δ A mass–myocardium in differentiating thrombi from tumors were 93% and 100%, respectively, and 100% and 97% in differentiating malignant tumors from benign tumors and thrombi. Both visual and quantitative assessment of degree of enhancement of cardiac masses in relation to the adjacent myocardium during contrast perfusion echocardiography had high diagnostic accuracy for differentiation of a thrombus from a tumor or a benign tumor from a malignant tumor.

EphB1, expressed in Müller cells, and ephrinB2, expressed in both Müller cells and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), constitute an EphB/ephrinB reverse signaling in RGCs. Whether and how this reverse signaling is involved in RGC apoptosis in a rat chronic ocular hypertension (COH) model was investigated. In the COH model, both EphB1 and ephrinB2 were significantly increased and the reverse signaling was activated, which was accompanied by increased protein levels of phosphorylated (p) src, GluA2, and p-GluA2. Intravitreal injection of EphB2-Fc, an activator of ephrinB2, induced an increase in TUNEL-positive signals in normal retinae. A coimmunoprecipitation assay demonstrated direct interactions among ephrinB2, p-src, and GluA2. Moreover, in COH rats the expression of GluA2 proteins on the surface of retinal cells was decreased. Such GluA2 endocytosis could be prevented by preoperational intravitreal injection of 4-amino-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(t-butyl)-1H-pyrazolo [3,4-d] pyrimidine (PP2), an inhibitor of src family tyrosine kinases, and possibly involved the protein interacting with C kinase 1 and phosphorylation of GluA2. In normal rats, intravitreal injection of EphB2-Fc caused changes in these protein levels similar to those observed in COH rats, which all could be avoided by preinjection of PP2. Patch-clamp experiments further showed that the current–voltage relationship of AMPA receptor-mediated EPSCs of RGCs exhibited stronger inward rectification in EphB2-Fc-injected rats. Furthermore, preinjection of PP2 orN-[3-[[4-[(3-aminopropyl)amino]butyl]amino]propyl]-1-naphthaleneacetamide trihydrochloride) (Naspm), a Ca2+-permeable GluA2-lacking AMPA receptor inhibitor, remarkably inhibited RGC apoptosis in either EphB2-Fc-injected or COH rats. Together, elevated GluA2 trafficking induced by activated EphB2/ephrinB2 reverse signaling likely contributes to RGC apoptosis in COH rats.

Müller cell gliosis is a general response in a variety of pathological alternations of the retina, which is characterized by the upregulated expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and the downregulation of membrane K(+) conductance. We have demonstrated that downregulation of Kir K(+) currents in Müller cells in an experimental glaucoma model is due to activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR I) by glutamate, which contributes to Müller cell gliosis. Here, whether and how activation of mGluR I modulate membrane Kir4.1 protein internalization and Kir4.1 mRNA expression were investigated in purified cultured rat retinal Müller cells using immunocytochemistry, Western blot and real-time PCR techniques. DHPG (10μM, a selective mGluR I agonist) treatment induced Müller cell gliosis, as evidenced by enhanced GFAP expression. Although total Kir4.1 proteins extracted from the DHPG-treated cells kept unchanged, Kir4.1 proteins in the cell membrane compartment were significantly decreased, which was prior to the change of GFAP in time course. In addition, DHPG (10 and 100μM) treatment induced a transient decrease in Kir4.1 mRNA expression in the cells. All these results suggest that activation of mGluR I by DHPG may decrease the number of functional Kir4.1 channels in purified cultured rat retinal Müller cells through modulating Kir4.1 protein and mRNA, thus contributing to Müller cell gliosis.

In traditional Chinese medicine, Nitraria sibirica Pall. (Nitrariaceae) is used to treat hypertension. This study determined the effects of the total alkaloids of the leaves of Nitraria sibirica (NSTA) on blood pressure and albuminuria in mice treated with angiotensin II and a high-salt diet (ANG/HS). Adult mice were divided into three groups: control; infused with angiotensin II and fed a diet containing 4% NaCl (ANG/HS; and ANG/HS plus injection of NSTA (1 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1), i.p.). After treatment of these regimens, daily water and food intake, kidney weight, blood pressure, urinary albumin excretion, renal concentrations of inflammatory markers, including soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and the expression of renal fibrosis markers were determined. Compared to the control group, the ANG/HS group had higher blood pressure and urinary albumin excretion. Treatment with NSTA in ANG/HS mice for three weeks significantly reduced blood pressure and urinary albumin excretion. ANG/HS treatment caused elevated levels of sICAM-1 and MCP-1, as well as increased fibrosis markers. Concurrent treatment with ANG/HS and NSTA attenuated the levels and expression of renal inflammatory and fibrosis markers. Treatment with NSTA effectively reduces hypertension-induced albuminuria through the reduction of renal inflammatory and fibrosis markers.

The effect of Bisphenol-A on the brain and behavioral development has attracted extensive attention.This study was to investigate the anxiety and depressive behaviors of adult offspring mice following maternal exposed to BPA(0.4 or 4 mg/kg/day) from gestation day 7(GD 7) to GD 20 or postnatal day(PND) 1 to PND 14.The anxiety behavior of BPA-treated mice on PND 56 were tested using open field,dark-light transition,mirrored maze,and elevated plus maze;and depressive behavior was tested using forced swim task.The results showed that,both gestational and lactational exposure to BPA increased anxiety in both sexes of adult offspring but the effect pattern was different due to the exposure period and gender.The females those gestational exposed to BPA exhibited an increased anxiety in all of the 4 models,while the females those lactational exposed to BPA and the males of gestational or lactational exposure to BPA exhibited an increased anxiety in 2 of the 4 models.Gestational exposure to BPA significantly prolonged the immobile time in the forced swim test of both sexes of offspring,and the same effect was induced by lactational exposure to BPA only at 4 mg/kg/day.Furthermore,Western blot analyses showed that gestational or lactational exposure to BPA significantly inhibited the expression of AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 in the hippocampus and amygdale.These results suggest that both gestational and lactational exposure BPA increased anxiety and depression in both sexes of adult offspring mice,and gestational exposure to BPA has stronger effect on the anxiety and depression.The inhibition of GluR1 level in the hippocampus and amygdale might be associated with the BPA-induced anxiety and depressive behaviors of adult offspring mice.

The industry of auto engineering becomes one important mainstay industry to Chinese economy along with market economic development. This paper employs the principal components analysis with the SPSS19.0 statistical analysis software to evaluate comparative advantage of China's auto industry. It presents the evaluation indexes, including the market structure, economies of scale, product heterogeneity, related industries, technology, resources, human capital and organization. The conclusions are drawn as follows: The trend of comparative advantage of China's Auto industry gradually increased from 1998 to 2009, which from minus 0.05 to 0.86, almost increased by nearly 16 times. Meanwhile, technology, logistics and comprehensive factor become the core three factors to comparative advantage of China's auto industry. Therefore, to improve the comparative advantage of China's auto industry, both the relevant enterprises and the government should take effective measures to inspirit and maximum these useful factors.

Regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins 2 (RGS2) and 4 (RGS4) play an important role in regulating G(i/o)- and G(q)-coupled receptors. In the present study, we investigated the possible impact of RGS2 and RGS4 on modulation of glycine currents of rat retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) mediated by the G(i/o)-coupled melatonin MT(2) receptor, using immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis and whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. By immunofluorescence labeling the expression profiles of RGS2 and RGS4 proteins were basically similar. Both of them were widely expressed in the rat retina, particularly in the inner plexiform layer (IPL) and the ganglion cell layer (GCL). In addition, sparse signals of RGS2 and RGS4 were also detected in the inner nuclear layer (INL). Double immunofluorescence labeling further showed that all of RGCs retrogradely labeled expressed both RGS2 and RGS4. Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of RGS2 and RGS4 proteins in the rat retina. Intracellular dialysis of RGCs with the antibody against RGS2/RGS4 to block RGS2/RGS4 function gradually increased glycine current amplitudes of these cells. In the presence of the RGS2/RGS4 antibody melatonin-induced potentiation of glycine currents of RGCs was not observable. These results suggest that RGS2/RGS4 are coupled to melatonin receptor signaling in rat RGCs and these proteins may regulate the MT(2) receptor to change melatonin-induced modulation of glycine currents in rat RGCs.

The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term changes in left ventricular (LV) mechanics after pericardiectomy in patients with constrictive pericarditis (CP) and to correlate post-operative LV mechanics with clinical status. A total of 24 patients with CP underwent serial speckle tracking echocardiography 1 wk before and 1, 6 and 12 mo after pericardiectomy. Global LV longitudinal, circumferential and radial strains, along with LV twist, were measured. Twenty-three healthy volunteers were served as control patients. Although global LV longitudinal, circumferential and radial strains obtained 6 mo after pericardiectomy increased compared with those for pre-pericardiectomy, they were still significantly lower than those for control patients. Further improvements occurred over time with normalization of global LV longitudinal and radial strains 12 mo after pericardiectomy, but global circumferential strain obtained 12 mo after pericardiectomy was still lower than that for control patients. LV twist remained unchanged after pericardiectomy. In addition, the improvements in global LV circumferential strain after pericardiectomy were associated with improvements in clinical symptoms (p

To investigate the high-risk factors for the quality of general movements (GMs), which has a predictive value for brain dysfunction in infants.A total of 618 infants in the stage of writhing movements and 539 infants in the stage of fidgety movements were selected separately for the evaluation of GMs. The high-risk factors for the quality of GMs in infants were analyzed by ANOVA, chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the factors significantly associated with the quality of GMs in the stage of writhing movements were gestational age (OR=0.762, P0.001), birth weight (OR=0.264, P0.001), severe asphyxia (OR=2.445, P=0.012), and intrauterine distress (OR=4.865, P0.001); the factors significantly associated with the quality of GMs in the stage of fidget movements were gestational age (OR=0.786, P=0.003), birth weight (OR=0.217, P0.001), severe asphyxia (OR=3.765, P=0.001), and hyperbilirubinemia (OR=2.640, P=0.028).Low gestational age, low birth weight, severe asphyxia, hyperbilirubinemia and intrauterine distress are high-risk factors for abnormal GMs in infants, and early screening and intervention should be performed to reduce the incidence of abnormal nervous system sequelae.