Activity coefficients for NaCl-monosaccharide (D-glucose, D-galactose, D-xylose, D-arabinose)-water systems at 298.15 K

Electrochemical cells with a sodium ion selectivity electrode (Na-ISE) versus a chloride ion selectivity electrode (Cl-ISE) as a reference electrode were used to determine the activity coefficients for NaCl-monosaccharide (D-glucose, D-galactose, D-xylose, and D-arabinose) systems in water at 298.15 K. A comparison of the results thus obtained was made with those determined by another electromotive force (emf) method. It is shown that agreement is excellent. The Gibbs free energy parameters of the interactions between these sugars and NaCl in water were evaluated together with the parameter C1(CHOH, exo), indicating the interaction of the exocyclic CHOH group of saccharide molecules and NaCl. The results suggested that the interactions of these monosaccharides with NaCl are controlled mostly by the dominant conformer of their molecules in water.     

Involvement of polyamines in gibberellin-induced development of seedless grape berries

The roles of polyamines (PAs) in the development of seedless grape berries induced by gibberellin (GA₃) was investigated. The development of seedless grape berries was stimulated by the application of putrescine (Put), but not by that of spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm), regardless of the presence of GA₃. At harvest, the fresh weight of seedless grape berries treated with 500 ppm Put + 25 ppm GA₃ and 500 ppm Put increased to 111 and 112%, respectively, of the control. Treatment with methylglyoxal-bis (guanyl hydrazone), a potent inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase that plays a role in Spd and Spm synthesis, did not affect the development of seedless grape berries induced by 100 ppm GA₃. The application of 100 ppm GA₃ significantly increased endogenous free Put levels. Levels of free Spd and Spm were not affected by GA₃. Although the levels of endogenous perchloric acid insoluble bound PAs were higher than those of free PAs, obvious changes in the levels of bound PAs were not observed. These results indicate that free Put is implicated in the development of seedless grape berries induced by GA₃.     

增强型肿瘤特异性启动子介导CDTK治疗肝癌的体内外研究

目的:探讨运用增强子上调肿瘤特异性启动子h TERT转录活性后,调控自杀融合基因CDTK对人肝癌细胞系Bel-7402的体内外杀伤作用。方法:将CMV增强子、h TERT启动子及CDTK自杀融合基因克隆入核糖体基因区打靶载体p Hrn,构建p Hr-Ce Tp CDTK-GFP治疗载体并转染Bel-7402细胞,经RT-PCR、HPLC、MTT检测CDTK基因的表达和对肝癌细胞的体外杀伤效果。再将Bel-7402细胞接种到裸鼠皮下致瘤,以肿瘤杀伤载体p Hr-Ce Tp CDTK-GFP进行瘤内转染并检测其抑瘤效果,此外将转染后的细胞接种致瘤,检测其成瘤时间及肿瘤生长曲线等,从两方面检测其体内杀伤效果。结果:成功构建了肿瘤特异性治疗载体,体外转染肝癌细胞后,经RTPCR、HPLC证明CDTK基因能在肝癌中表达,且治疗载体在体外对肝癌细胞有明显毒性。动物实验结果发现裸鼠致瘤后治疗组血清中5-Fu浓度为7.694μg/ml,治疗组肿瘤体积与对照组相比减小6.5倍。而细胞转染治疗载体后致瘤,治疗组成瘤时间比对照组晚8天,且治疗组裸鼠的平均生存期较对照组延长16天。结论:p Hr-Ce Tp CDTK-GFP载体能在体内外高效靶向杀伤肝癌细胞,为肝癌基因治疗提供了一种新的途径。     

Hepatitis C Related Chronic Liver Cirrhosis: Feasibility of Texture Analysis of MR Images for Classification of Fibrosis Stage and Necroinflammatory Activity Grade

Purpose

To assess the feasibility of texture analysis for classifying fibrosis stage and necroinflammatory activity grade in patients with chronic hepatitis C on T2-weighted (T2W), T1-weighted (T1W) and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced hepatocyte-phase (EOB-HP) imaging.

Materials and methods

From April 2008 to June 2012, MR images from 123 patients with pathologically proven chronic hepatitis C were retrospectively analyzed. Texture parameters derived from histogram, gradient, run-length matrix, co-occurrence matrix, autoregressive model and wavelet transform methods were estimated with imaging software. Fisher, probability of classification error and average correlation, and mutual information coefficients were used to extract subsets of optimized texture features. Linear discriminant analysis in combination with 1-nearest neighbor classifier (LDA/1-NN) was used for lesion classification. In compliance with the software requirement, classification was performed based on datasets from all patients, the patient group with necroinflammatory activity grade 1, and that with fibrosis stage 4, respectively.

Results

Based on all patient dataset, LDA/1-NN produced misclassification rates of 28.46%, 35.77% and 20.33% for fibrosis staging and 34.15%, 25.20% and 28.46% for necroinflammatory activity grading in T2W, T1W and EOB-HP images. In the patient group with necroinflammatory activity grade 1, LDA/1-NN yielded misclassification rates of 5.00%, 0% and 12.50% for fibrosis staging in T2W, T1W and EOB-HP images respectively. In the patient group with fibrosis stage 4, LDA/1-NN yielded misclassification rates of 5.88%, 12.94% and 11.76% for necroinflammatory activity grading in T2W, T1W and EOB-HP images respectively.

Conclusion

Texture quantitative parameters of MR images facilitate classification of the fibrosis stage as well as necroinflammatory activity grade in chronic hepatitis C, especially after categorizing the input dataset according to the activity or fibrosis degree in order to remove the interference between the fibrosis stage and necroinflammatory activity grade on texture features.     

MicroRNA 21 Is a Homeostatic Regulator of Macrophage Polarization and Prevents Prostaglandin E2-Mediated M2 Generation

Macrophages dictate both initiation and resolution of inflammation. During acute inflammation classically activated macrophages (M1) predominate, and during the resolution phase alternative macrophages (M2) are dominant. The molecular mechanisms involved in macrophage polarization are understudied. MicroRNAs are differentially expressed in M1 and M2 macrophages that influence macrophage polarization. We identified a role of miR-21 in macrophage polarization, and found that cross-talk between miR-21 and the lipid mediator prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) is a determining factor in macrophage polarization. miR-21 inhibition impairs expression of M2 signature genes but not M1 genes. PGE₂ and its downstream effectors PKA and Epac inhibit miR-21 expression and enhance expression of M2 genes, and this effect is more pronounced in miR-21-/- cells. Among potential targets involved in macrophage polarization, we found that STAT3 and SOCS1 were enhanced in miR-21-/- cells and further enhanced by PGE₂. We found that STAT3 was a direct target of miR-21 in macrophages. Silencing the STAT3 gene abolished PGE₂-mediated expression of M2 genes in miR-21-/- macrophages. These data shed light on the molecular brakes involved in homeostatic macrophage polarization and suggest new therapeutic strategies to prevent inflammatory responses.     

The Selective Impairment of Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Lateral Subregion of the Frontal Pole in Schizophrenia

Objective

Although extensive resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) changes have been reported in schizophrenia, rsFC changes of the frontal pole (FP) remain unclear. The FP contains several subregions with different connection patterns; however, it is unknown whether the FP subregions are differentially affected in schizophrenia. To explore this possibility, we compared rsFC differences of the FP subregions between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.

Method

One hundred healthy controls and 91 patients with schizophrenia underwent resting-state functional MRI with a sensitivity-encoded spiral-in (SENSE-SPIRAL) imaging sequence to reduced susceptibility-induced signal loss and distortion. The FP was subdivided into the orbital (FPo), medial (FPm), and lateral (FPl) subregions. Mean fMRI time series were extracted for each FP subregion and entered into a seed-based rsFC analysis.

Results

The FP subregions exhibited differential rsFC patterns in both healthy controls and schizophrenia patients. Direct comparison between groups revealed reduced rsFCs between the bilateral FPl and several cognitive-related regions, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus, temporal cortex and inferior parietal lobule in schizophrenia. Although the FPl exhibited obvious atrophy, rsFC changes were unrelated to volumetric atrophy in the FPl, to duration of illness, and to antipsychotic medication dosage. No significant differences were observed in the rsFCs of other FP subregions.

Conclusion

These findings suggest a selective (the lateral subregion) functional disconnection of the FP subregions in schizophrenia.     

Clinical Outcomes of FP-7/8 Ahmed Glaucoma Valves in the Management of Refractory Glaucoma in the Mainland Chinese Population

BackgroundTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) and the risk factors associated with AGV implantation failure in a population of Chinese patients with refractory glaucoma.MethodIn total, 79 eyes with refractory glaucoma from 79 patients treated in our institution from November 2007 to November 2010 were enrolled in this retrospective study. The demographic data, preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressures (IOPs), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), number of anti-glaucoma medications used, completed and qualified surgery success rates and postoperative complications were recorded to evaluate the outcomes of AGV implantation. Factors that were associated with implant failure were determined using Cox proportional hazard regression model analysis and multiple linear regression analysis.ConclusionAGV implantation was safe and effective for the management of refractory glaucoma. Patients with a greater number of previous surgeries were more likely to experience surgical failure, and patients with previous trabeculectomy were more likely to use multiple anti-glaucoma drugs to control postoperative IOP.