Comparative analysis of the anxiety-related behaviors in four inbred mice

An anxiety-related behavior is an emotional response of an organism, which is quantitatively measured by several behavioral paradigms. We employed two most frequently used behavioral tests, the open field and light-dark exploration, to comparatively analyze the anxiety-like behaviors in four inbred mice. For an accurate recording of movement, motion analysis software was developed that acquires a real-time video input to generate a behavioral path. Effects of the strains on the test results were evaluated by ANOVA with the Newman-Keuls post hoc comparison. Eight different behavioral indices, four from each tests, were grouped into two classes; the results of duration, center crossing, transition, rearing, and ambulation indicate strain differences of FVB/N>C57BL/6J>/=BALB/cA>/=CBA/N (I), while stretched-attend posture, peeping, and defecation show the tendency of FVB/N=C57BL/6J相似文献   

Effects of carbon dioxide on metabolite production and bacterial communities during kimchi fermentation

Bacterial communities and metabolites in kimchi fermented under conventional conditions (CC) compared to CO₂-rich environments (CO₂) were analyzed. After a 20-day fermentation, lactic and acetic acid productions were 54 and 69 mM under CC, and 19 and 12 mM under CO₂, respectively. The final pH of kimchi fermented under CC (CC-fermenting) and CO₂ (CO₂-fermenting) were 4.1 and 4.7, respectively. For bacterial communities, OTU and Chao1 indices were both 35 in fresh kimchi, 10 and 15 in CC-fermenting kimchi, and 8 and 24 in CO₂-fermenting kimchi, respectively. Shannon and Simpson indices were 3.47 and 0.93 in fresh kimchi, 1.87–0.06 and 0.46–0.01 in CC-fermenting kimchi, and 1.65–0.44 and 0.63–0.12 in CO₂-fermenting kimchi, respectively. Non-lactic acid bacteria were eliminated in fermenting kimchi after 12 days under CC and 6 days under CO₂. I conclude that carbon dioxide can alter bacterial communities, reduce metabolite production, and improve fermented kimchi quality.     

Green fluorescent protein as a signal for protein-protein interactions.

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is autofluorescent. This property has made GFP useful in monitoring in vivo activities such as gene expression and protein localization. We find that GFP can be used in vitro to reveal and characterize protein-protein interactions. The interaction between the S-peptide and S-protein fragments of ribonuclease A was chosen as a model system. GFP-tagged S-peptide was produced, and the interaction of this fusion protein with S-protein was analyzed by two distinct methods: fluorescence gel retardation and fluorescence polarization. The fluorescence gel retardation assay is a rapid method to demonstrate the existence of a protein-protein interaction and to estimate the dissociation constant (Kd) of the resulting complex. The fluorescence polarization assay is an accurate method to evaluate Kd in a specified homogeneous solution and can be adapted for the high-throughput screening of protein or peptide libraries. These two methods are powerful new tools to probe protein-protein interactions.     

Constitutive RelA activation mediated by Nkx3.2 controls chondrocyte viability

During endochondral ossification, a process that accounts for the majority of bone formation in vertebrates, hypertrophic chondrocytes display a greater susceptibility to apoptosis when compared to proliferating chondrocytes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear. Nkx3.2, a member of the NK class of homeoproteins, is initially expressed in chondrogenic precursor cells, and later, during cartilage maturation, its expression is restricted to proliferating chondrocytes. Here, we show that the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) pathway is required for chondrocyte viability and that Nkx3.2 supports chondrocyte survival by constitutively activating RelA. Although signal-dependent NF-kappaB activation has been intensively studied, ligand-independent NF-kappaB activation is poorly understood. The data presented here support a novel ligand-independent mechanism of NF-kappaB activation, whereby Nkx3.2 recruits the RelA-IkappaBalpha heteromeric complex into the nucleus by direct protein-protein interactions and activates RelA through proteasome-dependent IkappaBalpha degradation in the nucleus. Furthermore, we demonstrate that stage-specific NF-kappaB activation, mediated by Nkx3.2, regulates chondrocyte viability during cartilage maturation.     

Effect of operating parameters on specific production rate of a cloned-gene product and performance of recombinant fermentation process

A two-stage continuous system in combination with a temperature-sensitive expression system were used as model systems to maximize the productivity of a cloned gene and minimize the problem associated with the plasmid instability for a high-expression recombinant. In order to optimize the two-stage fermentation process, the effects of such operational variables as temperature and dilution rate on productivity of cloned gene were studied using the model systems and a recombinant, Escherichia coli K12 DeltaH1 Deltatrp/pPLc23trp A1. When the expression of cloned gene is induced by raising the operating temperature above 38 degrees C, a significant decrease in the colony-forming-units (CFU) of the plasmid-harboring cell was observed, and the decrease was related to the product concentration. In order to describe this phenomenon, a new kinetic parameter related to the metabolic stress (metabolic stress factor) was introduced. It is defined as the ratio of the rate of change of pheno-type from colony-forming to non-colony-forming cells to the product accumulation per unit cell mass. At a fixed temperature of 40 degrees C, the varying dilution rate D in the range of 0.35-0.90 h(-1) did not affect the metabolic stress factor significantly. At a fixed dilution rate of D = 0.35 h(-1), this factor remained practically constant up to 41 degrees C but increased rapidly beyond 41 degrees C. The effects of temperature and dilution rate in the second stage on the specific production rate were also studied while maintaining the apparent specific growth rate (mu(2) (app)) of the second stage constant at or near mu(2) (app) = 0.26 h(-1). Under a constant dilution rate, D(2) = 0.35 h(-1), the maximum specific production rate obtained was about q(p, max) = 38 units TrpA/mg cell/h at 41 degrees C. At a constant temperature, T(2) = 40 degrees C, specific production rate increased with decreasing dilution rate with in the dilution rate range of D(2) = 0.35-0.90 h(-1). Based on the results of our study, the optimal operating conditions found were dilution rate D(2) = 0.35 h(-1) and operating temperature T(2) = 41 degrees C at the apparent specific growth rate of 0.26 h(-1). Under the optimal operating conditions, about threefold increase in productivity was achieved compared to the best batch culture result. In addition, the fermentation period could be extended for more than 100 h.     

Prognostic Impact of IPSS-R and Chromosomal Translocations in 751 Korean Patients with Primary Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Chromosomal translocations are rare in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and their impact on overall survival (OS) and response to hypomethylating agents (HMA) is unknown. The prognostic impact of the revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) and for chromosomal translocations was assessed in 751 patients from the Korea MDS Registry. IPSS-R effectively discriminated patients according to leukaemia evolution risk and OS. We identified 40 patients (5.3%) carrying translocations, 30 (75%) of whom also fulfilled complex karyotype criteria. Translocation presence was associated with a shorter OS (median, 12.0 versus 79.7 months, P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that translocations (hazard ratio [HR] 1.64 [1.06–2.63]; P = 0.03) as well as age, sex, IPSS-R, and CK were independent predictors of OS. In the IPSS-R high and very high risk subgroup (n = 260), translocations remained independently associated with OS (HR 1.68 [1.06–2.69], P = 0.03) whereas HMA treatment was not associated with improved survival (median OS, 20.9 versus 21.2 months, P = 0.43). However, translocation carriers exhibited enhanced survival following HMA treatment (median 2.1 versus 12.4 months, P = 0.03). Our data suggest that chromosomal translocation is an independent predictor of adverse outcome and has an additional prognostic value in discriminating patients with MDS having higher risk IPSS-R who could benefit from HMA treatment.     

Photoacoustic Imaging of Breast Microcalcifications: A Preliminary Study with 8-Gauge Core-Biopsied Breast Specimens

Background

We presented the photoacoustic imaging (PAI) tool and to evaluate whether microcalcifications in breast tissue can be detected on photoacoustic (PA) images.

Methods

We collected 21 cores containing microcalcifications (n = 11, microcalcification group) and none (n = 10, control group) in stereotactic or ultrasound (US) guided 8-gauge vacuum-assisted biopsies. Photoacoustic (PA) images were acquired through ex vivo experiments by transmitting laser pulses with two different wavelengths (700 nm and 800 nm). The presence of microcalcifications in PA images were blindly assessed by two radiologists and compared with specimen mammography. A ratio of the signal amplitude occurring at 700 nm to that occurring at 800 nm was calculated for each PA focus and was called the PAI ratio.

Results

Based on the change of PA signal amplitude between 700 nm and 800 nm, 10 out of 11 specimens containing microcalcifications and 8 out of 10 specimens without calcifications were correctly identified on blind review; the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive and negative predictive values of our blind review were 90.91%, 80.0%, 85.71%, 83.33% and 88.89%. The PAI ratio in the microcalcification group was significantly higher than that in the control group (the median PAI ratio, 2.46 versus 1.11, respectively, P = .001). On subgroup analysis in the microcalcification group, neither malignant diagnosis nor the number or size of calcification-foci was proven to contribute to PAI ratios.

Conclusion

Breast microcalcifications generated distinguishable PA signals unlike breast tissue without calcifications. So, PAI, a non-ionizing and non-invasive hybrid imaging technique, can be an alternative in overcoming the limitations of conventional US imaging.     

Mechanism of T cell exhaustion in a chronic environment

T cell exhaustion develops under conditions of antigen-persistence caused by infection with various chronic pathogens, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), or by the development of cancer. T cell exhaustion is characterized by stepwise and progressive loss of T cell function, which is probably the main reason for the failed immunological control of chronic pathogens and cancers. Recent observations have detailed some of the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence the severity of T cell exhaustion. Duration and magnitude of antigenic activation of T cells might be associated with up-regulation of inhibitory receptors, which is a major intrinsic factor of T cell exhaustion. Extrinsic factors might include the production of suppressive cytokines, T cell priming by either non-professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) or tolerogenic dendritic cells (DCs), and alteration of regulatory T (Treg) cells. Further investigation of the cellular and molecular processes behind the development of T cell exhaustion can reveal therapeutic targets and strategies for the treatment of chronic infections and cancers. Here, we report the properties and the mechanisms of T cell exhaustion in a chronic environment.