p53和顺铂对Wnt通路抑制剂FrpHE的表达作用

将携带p53基因的复制缺陷型腺病毒载体Adp53导入到p53完全缺失的人肝癌细胞株中,培养人肿瘤细胞,并分别加入5μmol/L顺铂(Pt)作用24 h,以RT-PCR技术检测FrpHE mRNA的表达作用,以流式细胞术检测Adp53的转基因情况和β-catenin的改变为功能指标评价Wnt通路的变化.FrpHE mRNA表达水平在转染Adp53和作用Pt 24 h后即有明显升高,在人大肠癌细胞和人神经胶质瘤细胞中,未见FrpHE mRNA表达.β-catenin表达水平逐渐下降.提示外源性物质p53和顺铂能明显诱导FrpHE的表达,进而产生抑制Wnt通路的作用.     

Unravelling developmental disregard in children with unilateral cerebral palsy by measuring event-related potentials during a simple and complex task

Background

In a subset of children with unilateral Cerebral Palsy (CP) a discrepancy between capacity and performance of the affected upper limb can be observed. This discrepancy is known as Developmental Disregard (DD). Though the phenomenon of DD has been well documented, its underlying cause is still under debate. DD has originally been explained based on principles of operant conditioning. Alternatively, it has been proposed that DD results from a diminished automaticity of movements, resulting in an increased cognitive load when using the affected hand. To investigate the amount of involved cognitive load we studied Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) preceding task-related motor responses during a single-hand capacity and a dual-hand performance task. It was hypothesised that children with DD show alterations related to long-latency ERP components when selecting a response with the affected upper limb, reflecting increased cognitive load in order to generate an adequate response and especially so within the dual-hand task.

Methods

Fifteen children with unilateral CP participated in the study. One of the participants was excluded due to major visual impairments. Seven of the remaining participants displayed DD. The other seven children served as a control group. All participants performed two versions of a cue-target paradigm, a single-hand capacity and a dual-hand performance task. The ERP components linked to target presentation were inspected: the mid-latency P2 component and the consecutive long-latency N2b component.

Results

In the dual-hand performance task children with DD showed an enhancement in mean amplitude of the long-latency N2b component when selecting a response with their affected hand. No differences were found regarding the amplitude of the mid-latency P2 component. No differences were observed regarding the single-hand capacity task. The control group did not display any differences in ERPs linked to target evaluation processes between both hands.

Conclusion

These electrophysiological findings show that DD is associated with increased cognitive load when movements are prepared with the affected hand during a dual-hand performance task. These findings confirm behavioural observations, advance our insights on the neural substrate of DD and have implications for therapy.     

Ajoene the main active compound of garlic (Allium sativum): a new antifungal agent

The curative properties of garlic in medicine have been known for a long time. But, it was only in the last three decades when garlic properties were seriously investigated confirming its potential as therapeutic agent. Allicin, ajoene, thiosulfinates and a wide range of other organosulphurate compounds, are known to be the constituents linked to the garlic properties. Regarding the biochemical properties of these compounds, ajoene [(E,Z)-4,5,9 Trithiadodeca 1,6,11 Triene 9-oxide] is stable in water, and it can be obtained by chemical synthesis. There is evidence that some of the garlic constituents exert a wide variety of effects on different biological systems. However, ajoene is the garlic compound related to more biological activities, as showed in in vitro and in vivo systems. Those studies found that ajoene has antithrombotic, anti-tumoral,antifungal, and antiparasitic effects. This study deals with a recently described antifungal property of ajoene, and its potential use in clinical trails to treat several fungal infections.     

Endometrial claudin-4 and leukemia inhibitory factor are associated with assisted reproduction outcome

Background  

Claudin-4 (CLDN4) is one of several proteins that act as molecular mediators of embryo implantation. Recently, we examined immunolabeling of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) in the endometrial tissue of 52 IVF patients, and found that LIF staining intensity was strongly correlated with successful pregnancy initiation. In the same set of patients, we have now examined endometrial CLDN4 expression, to see how expression intensity may vary with LIF. We examined CLDN4 in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, immediately preceding IVF treatment. Our aim was to compare expression of LIF and CLDN4 in the luteal phase, and document these patterns as putative biomarkers for pregnancy.     

Ten new microsatellite markers for the buttonwood mangrove (Conocarpus erectus L., Combretaceae)

We present 10 microsatellite markers for the buttonwood mangrove, Conocarpus erectus, a wide-range mangrove associate species. Polymorphism was assessed among individuals from six different populations along the Pacific Coast of Mexico and Costa Rica, as well as in two individuals from the Yucatan Peninsula in the Atlantic. The number of alleles detected in the Pacific ranged from two to five. All loci amplified in the Yucatan samples and seven loci revealed a unique Atlantic allele. These markers will be useful for studies in the conservation of the species and to study the basic biology of C. erectus.     

Comparative scanning electron microscopy of third-instar Hypoderma spp. (Diptera: Oestridae)

Scanning electron microscope study of third-instar larvae of four species of Hypoderma revealed differences among species in the pattern of spination, spine morphology and morphology of the spiracular plates. These observations identify characters that enable the differentiation of Hypoderma actaeon and H. diana, parasitizing red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) in Europe, and provide additional characters for differentiating H. bovis and H. lineatum parasitizing cattle.