Current Concepts and Future Directions in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

This paper provides an overview on the biology, monitoring and management of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), with particular attention to issues of relevance to clinical chemistry. The incidence of DTC appears to be increasing and management strategies are evolving as we learn more about its natural history and response to therapy. Clinical chemistry techniques play a central role in these protocols. Technical limitations inherent in current monitoring tools can hamper follow-up, although progress is being made. The molecular basis of DTC is being delineated with the potential to develop new strategies for diagnosis, monitoring and management of this condition.     

实验动物屏障系统微生物动态状况

目的研究运行中的实验动物屏障系统微生物的情况。方法采用沉降菌法、棉拭子法等方法,研究运行中的屏障系统不同区域、不同环境指标下屏障系统内微生物的状况。结果动态下的屏障系统微生物情况与国标GB14925-2001中静态环境有较大不同,动物饲养室和动物实验室沉降菌浓度远高于静态要求;辅助区域在规范化消毒及严格管理的情况下,能达到国标要求。屏障系统的微生物情况存在一定的昼夜变化规律,在晚间出现峰值。结论合适的换气次数可有效控制实验动物屏障系统的沉降菌浓度;加强消毒及硬件的管理,是屏障系统内环境稳定的保障。     

长爪沙鼠高胆固醇血症模型的建立与辛伐他汀的作用

目的探索长爪沙鼠高胆固醇血症模型建立及辛伐他汀的影响。方法在饲喂长爪沙鼠高脂饲料的同时给予不同浓度辛伐他汀抑制胆固醇生物合成,通过观察肝脏颜色,测量体重、肝重、TC、LDL-C及HDL-C等血脂和肝功能指标判断高脂饲料和辛伐他汀对血脂和肝脏功能的影响。结果动物体重、肝重和肝脏指数没有显著变化。高脂饲料能够促进脂肪在肝脏的沉积,但是对AST和ALT等肝脏功能指标影响不显著;辛伐他汀能够有效抑制TC、LDL-C、HDL-C、TBA和GLU的升高,但对其他指标影响不明显。结论高脂饲料能够快速建立长爪沙鼠高胆固醇血症模型;辛伐他汀能够抑制内源性胆固醇的合成从而有效抑制血浆胆固醇（TC）、LDL-C和HDL-C的升高。结果表明,特殊的反馈调节机制导致长爪沙鼠无法在大量摄入胆固醇时终止内源性胆固醇的合成。长爪沙鼠特殊的反馈调节机制可能是易发高胆固醇血症的一个主要原因。     

Effect of cultivation conditions on trehalose content and viability of brewing yeast following preservation via filter paper or lyophilization methods

The effects of variations in cultivation conditions on trehalose concentration and the viability of brewing yeasts following preservation by filter paper or lyophilization methods were evaluated. In case of filter paper preservation, the cultivation period had no affect on yeast viability, while agitation and aeration during cultivation had a positive effect regarding viability of the bottom-fermenting strains, Rh and Frank. For effective preservation, it was necessary to harvest yeast cells from the stationary phase during cultivation. For lyophilization preservation, the yeast strains tested showed a negative effect on viability, independent of strain or cultivation method. No significant correlation was found between trehalose concentration and yeast viability following either filter paper or lyophilization preservation. However, the filter paper preservation method was suitable for both bottom and top brewing yeast strains with regard to feasibility, viability, and maintenance of the yeast’s specific character.     

Identification of genetic polymorphisms in FABP3 and FABP4 and putative association with back fat thickness in Korean native cattle

The aim of this study was to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the beef cattle adipocyte fatty-acid binding protein 3 and 4 (FABP3 and FABP4) genes are associated with carcass weight (CW) and back fat thickness (BF) of beef cattle. By direct DNA sequencing in 24 unrelated Korean native cattle, we identified 20 SNPs in FABP3 and FABP4. Among them, 10 polymorphic sites were selected for genotyping in our beef cattle. We performed SNP, haplotype and linkage disequilibrium studies on 419 Korean native cattle with the 10 SNPs in the FABP genes. Statistical analysis revealed that 220AG (I74V) and 348+303TC polymorphisms in FABP4 showed putative associations with BF traits (P=0.02 and 0.01, respectively). Our findings suggest that the polymorphisms in FABP4 may play a role in determining one of the important genetic factors that influence BF in beef cattle.     

Effect of feeding strategy on the stability of anaerobic sequencing batch reactor responses to organic loading conditions

The goal of this study was to examine the effect of feeding strategy on the capability for treatment and the stability of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) under increasing organic loading. The lab-scale ASBR systems were operated at 35 degrees C using synthetic organic wastewater under both batch and fed-batch operational modes with different feed to cycle time (F:C) ratios. Experimental studies were conducted over a wide range of volumetric organic loading rates (VOLRs) (1.524 g COD/l/d) by varying the hydraulic retention time (HRT) (1.25, 2.5, and 5d) and the feed wastewater's COD (3750-30,000 mg/l). With an F:C ratio greater than or equal to 0.42, the fed-batch mode operation showed higher system efficiency in COD removal, volumetric methane production rate (VMPR), and specific methane production rate (SMPR) as compared to those in the batch mode with identical VOLR and HRT. In the fed-batch mode, the COD removals reached 86-95% with VOLR up to 12 g COD/l/d. The maximums for VMPR of 3.17 l CH4/l/d and for SMPR of 1.63 g CH4-COD/g VSS/d were achieved with a VOLR of 12 g COD/l/d at HRTs of 2.5 and 1.25 d, respectively. The fed-batch operation presented a lower concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) than those in the batch operation. A lower concentration of VFAs confirmed the stability and efficiency of the fed-batch mode operation. The specific methanogenic activity (SMA) analysis showed that the VFA-degrading activity of the biomass in the fed-batch mode was higher for acetate and butyrate, and lower for propionate. Determined biomass yield and bacterial decay coefficients in the fed-batch operational mode were 0.05 g VSS/g COD rem and 0.001 d(-1), respectively.     

Cymbidium hybrida dihydroflavonol 4-reductase does not efficiently reduce dihydrokaempferol to produce orange pelargonidin-type anthocyanins

Some angiosperms are limited to a range of possible flower colors. This limitation can be due to the lack of an anthocyanin biosynthetic gene or to the substrate specificity of a key anthocyanin biosynthetic enzyme, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR). Cymbidium hybrida orchid flowers primarily produce cyanidin-type (pink to red) anthocyanins and lack the pelargonidin-type (orange to brick-red) anthocyanins. To investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of this flower color range, we cloned a Cymbidium DFR gene and transformed it into a DFR- petunia line. We found that the Cymbidium DFR did not efficiently reduce dihydrokaempferol (DHK), which is an essential step for pelargonidin production. Phylogenetic analysis of a number of DFR sequences indicate that the inability to catalyze DHK reduction has occurred at least twice during angiosperm evolution. Our results indicate that developing a pelargonidin-type orange flower color in Cymbidium may require the transformation of a DFR gene that can efficiently catalyze DHK reduction.     

Association analysis of monocyte chemotactic protein-3 (MCP3) polymorphisms with asthmatic phenotypes

The monocyte chemotactic protein-3 (MCP3), on chromosome 17q11.2-q12, is a secreted chemokine, which attracts macrophages during inflammation and metastasis. In an effort to discover additional polymorphism(s) in genes whose variant(s) have been implicated in asthma, we scrutinized the genetic polymorphisms in MCP3 to evaluate it as a potential candidate gene for asthma host genetic study. By direct DNA sequencing in twenty-four individuals, we identified four sequence variants within the 3 kb full genome including 1,000bp promoter region of MCP3; one in promoter region (-420T>C), three in intron (+136C>G, +563C>T, +984G>A) respectively. The frequencies of those four SNPs were 0.020 (-420T>C), 0.038 (+136C>G), 0.080 (+563C>T), 0.035 (+984G>A), respectively, in Korean population (n = 598). Haplotypes, their frequencies and linkage disequilibrium coefficients (|D'|) between SNP pairs were estimated. The associations with the risk of asthma, skin-test reactivity and total serum IgE levels were analyzed. Using statistical analyses for association of MCP3 polymorphisms with asthma development and asthma-related phenotypes, no significant signals were detected. In conclusion, we identified four genetic polymorphisms in the important MCP3 gene, but no significant associations of MCP3 variants with asthma phenotypes were detected. MCP3 variation/haplotype information identified in this study will provide valuable information for future association studies of other allergic diseases.