Effects of Panax quinquefolius L. on brainstem neuronal activities: comparison between Wisconsin-cultivated and Illinois-cultivated roots

Brainstem neurons receiving subdiaphragmatic vagal inputs were recorded in an in vitro neonatal rat brainstem-gastric preparation. Aqueous extracts of American ginseng root (Panax quinquefolius L.) from Wisconsin and Illinois were applied to the gastric compartment or the brainstem compartment of the bath chamber to evaluate the peripheral gut or central brain effects of the extracts on brainstem unitary activity. After P. quinquefolius extract application to the gastric or brainstem compartment, a concentration-related inhibition in neuronal discharge frequency in brainstem unitary activity was observed, suggesting that P. quinquefolius plays an important role in regulating the digestive process and modulating the brain function in the rat. In this study, pharmacological effects of Wisconsin-cultivated P. quinquefolius and Illinois-cultivated P. quinquefolius were compared. Our results showed that Illinois-cultivated P. quinquefolius possesses a significantly stronger peripheral gastric as well as central brain modulating effect on brainstem neuronal activity. Data from our high performance liquid chromatography ginsenoside analysis suggest that this increase in inhibitory effects by Illinois-cultivated P. quinquefolius may be due to its different ginsenoside profile.

[Expression of rasp21, C-myc, C-erbB-2, and AFP in 2-FAA induced experimental hepatocarcinogenesis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the distribution of oncogenes and their relationships in 2-FAA induced experimental hepatocarcinogenesis.

METHODS

Rasp21, C-myc, C-erbB-2, and AFP were detected and analyzed by the SP method of immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Some cells expressed rasp21, C-myc, and AFP in peripheral liver lobules and alternated hepatocyte foci in the early stage of the experiment. And with the formation and progression of hyperplastic hepatocytic nodules, expressed cells increased and often accompanied each other. Expression of C-erbB-2 appeared in the middle stage of the hepatocarcinogenesis.

CONCLUSIONS

Expression of rasp21, C-myc, and AFP in the experimental hepatocarcinogenesis is an early molecule change, which may relate to the initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis and be considered to be one of the molecular bases for the morphogenesis of hepatocarcinogenesis. During the development of lesion, C-erbB-2 may have promoting effects. It is also clear that malignant transformation of hepatocyte needs the cooperation of multiple oncogenes.

Role of platelet-activating factor in hepatectomy with Pringle's maneuver

BACKGROUND

Interruption of hepatic inflow is commonly used to reduce blood loss during extensive liver resection, but may cause liver dysfunction. The present study investigated the effects of platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonist E5880 on total liver warm ischemia and 70% hepatectomy.

METHODS

Rabbits were used in this study and were divided into four groups: group 1, those treated with only 70% hepatectomy; group 2, those treated with only 20 min Pringle's maneuver; group 3, those treated with both Pringle's maneuver and 70% hepatectomy without pretreatment; and group 4, those pretreated with PAF antagonist E5880 (0.3 mg/kg) followed by Pringle's maneuver and 70% hepatectomy. The remnant liver function was then evaluated after reperfusion.

RESULTS

Seven-day survival rates in both groups 1 and 2 were 100%. E5880 treatment significantly increased 7-day survival rate (group 4: 38% vs group 3: 0%, P < 0.05) after a combination of Pringle's maneuver and 70% hepatectomy. The elevations of serum liver enzymes (GOT, GPT, mGOT, and LDH) were significantly inhibited in group 4 at 1 and 4 h after reperfusion. Portal venous pressure and the energy charge of liver were also significantly improved in group 4, compared with those in group 3. Endothelin-1 levels of arterial and portal venous blood progressively increased after reperfusion; however, there were no significant differences between the two groups. Leukocyte infiltration into the liver was significantly inhibited in group 4.

CONCLUSION

E5880 pretreatment has protective effects on liver function after 70% hepatectomy with Pringle's maneuver in rabbits.

A tandemly repeated DNA sequence is associated with both knob-like heterochromatin and a highly decondensed structure in the meiotic pachytene chromosomes of rice

Highly repetitive tandem DNA sequence repeats are often associated with centromeric and telomeric regions of eukaryotic chromosomes. The rice tandem repeat Os48 is organized as long arrays of a 355 bp monomer and is mainly located in the telomeric regions. The chromosomal locations of the Os48 sequence were determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on rice pachytene chromosomes. The majority of the Os48 loci are associated with brightly 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-stained and knob-like heterochromatin in rice pachytene chromosomes. As with other DNA sequences located in the heterochromatic regions, the cytosines of the CG and C(A/T)G sites within the Os48 repeat are heavily methylated. Surprisingly, a proportion of the FISH signals are highly decondensed and deviate significantly from the DAPI-stained periphery of the pachytene chromosomes. This highly decondensed chromatin structure has not been reported in pachytene chromosomes prepared from alcohol/acid-fixed meiotic samples in any other eukaryotic species. The condensation of the Os48 sequences is dynamic during prophase I of meiosis. The FISH signals derived from the Os48 repeat progress from a condensed configuration between leptonema and early pachynema into a decondensed structure from middle pachynema to diakinesis, and then return to a condensed form at metaphase I.

[Study and drawing of standard curve of body height and weight for orthodontics]

OBJECTIVE

To study and trace the standard growth curve of body height and weight of adolescent in Shenzhen area for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning.

METHODS

Based on the general assessment data of 21,120 students (7-18 years) in Shenzhen, the body height and weight were measured and the standard curve of body height and weight was drawn.

RESULTS

Under 12 years, the annual increment of body height and weight was similar for both sexes. Above 12 years, the annual body height and weight increment of girls was slower than that of boys. The annual body weight increment peak was between 11-12 years for girls and 13 years for boys.

CONCLUSIONS

The standard growth curve of body height and weight plays an important role in the orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning.

Development and applications of a complete set of rice telotrisomics

We previously isolated a complete set of primary trisomics along with many other aneuploids from triploid plants derived from an indica rice variety "Zhongxian 3037." About 30,000 progeny from these trisomic and aneuploid plants were grown each year from 1994 to 1999. The variants that differed morphologically from both the diploids and the original primary trisomics were collected for cytological identification. From these variants, a complete set of telotrisomics covering all 24 rice chromosome arms was obtained. The identities of the extra chromosomes were further confirmed by dosage analysis of the RFLP markers on extra chromosome arms. The telocentric nature of the extra chromosomes in these stocks was verified by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using a rice centromeric BAC clone as a marker probe. In general, the shorter the extra chromosome arm of a telotrisomic, the stronger the resemblance it bears to the diploid; the longer the extra chromosome arm, the stronger the resemblance to the corresponding primary trisomic. We demonstrated that DNA clones can be rapidly assigned to specific chromosome arms by dosage analysis with the telotrisomics. We also showed that telotrisomics are valuable tools for chromosome microdissection and for developing chromosome-specific DNA markers.

Three-dimensional localisation of fluorescence resonance energy transfer in living cells under two-photon excitation

Three-dimensional (3-D) imaging of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) in human cells under two-photon excitation was demonstrated in this study. A sample was prepared by expressing a donor and an acceptor in living cells and using an antibody to secure the proximity of contact between the donor and the acceptor. The quenching of fluorescence emission of a donor in the double-labelled cells indicates the presence of FRET that occurred in these living cells. Because of the quadratic relation of the excitation power, 3-D localisation of FRET becomes possible.

Effect of handling and fixation processes on fluorescence spectroscopy of mouse skeletal muscles under two-photon excitation

We investigated the effects of handling and fixation processes on the two-photon fluorescence spectroscopy of endogenous fluorophors in mouse skeletal muscle. The skeletal muscle was handled in one of two ways: either sectioned without storage or sectioned following storage in a freezer. The two-photon fluorescence spectra measured for different storage or fixation periods show a differential among those samples that were stored in water or were fixed either in formalin or methanol. The spectroscopic results indicate that formalin was the least disruptive fixative, having only a weak effect on the two-photon fluorescence spectroscopy of muscle tissue, whereas methanol had a significant influence on one of the autofluorescence peaks. The two handling processes yielded similar spectral information, indicating no different effects between them.

High-numerical-aperture optical microscopy and modern applications: introduction to the feature issue

This feature issue comprises a collection of papers from groups in the forefront of the research of high-numerical-aperture optical systems and their applications. We have assembled 13 papers from a wide subject area within optical microscopy. Contributions include surface-plasmon microscopy, interference microscopy, optical coherence tomography, polarized-light microscopy, and the optical theories of these techniques.

Pharmacologic graft protection without donor pretreatment in liver transplantation from non-heart-beating donors

BACKGROUND

Non-heart-beating donors (NHBDs) are considered potential sources of transplant organs in an effort to alleviate the problem of donor shortage in clinical liver transplantation. We investigated the possibility of pharmacologic protection of hepatic allograft function from NHBDs without donor pretreatment.

METHODS

Orthotopic liver transplantation was performed using pigs. In donors, cardiac arrest was induced by stopping the respirator. Forty-five minutes after cessation of the respirator, the liver was flushed with cold lactated Ringer's solution including heparin and with the University of Wisconsin (UW) solution, and then preserved for 8 hr at 4 degrees C in the UW solution. The pigs were divided into two groups: a control group and a treated group. In the treated group, an endothelin antagonist TAK-044 was added to the UW solutions (10 mg/L), and TAK-044 (10 mg/kg body weight) and a platelet activating factor antagonist E5880 (0.3 mg/kg body weight) were also administered to the recipients.

RESULTS

TAK-044 and E5880 treatment significantly increased the 7-day survival rate of the recipients (100% vs. 17%, P<0.05). In the treated group, portal venous pressure immediately after reperfusion of the graft was significantly lower than in the control group, and postoperative increase in serum concentrations of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and total bilirubin was attenuated. Moreover, the energy charge and adenosine triphosphate concentration of the liver were rapidly restored after reperfusion.

CONCLUSIONS

Pharmacologic modulation with TAK-044 and E5880 avoiding donor pretreatment can improve the viability of hepatic allografts procured from NHBDs.

[Proliferation of attenuated infections bursal disease virus(IBDV) on Vero cell on large scale]

Vero cell was selected as productive carrier in production of Attenuated IBDV. The optimal conditions in culturing IBDV in agitating bottle were figured out. After proliferation, supernatant was harvested in batch process under the condition of five-liter-agitated fermenter. The result shows it was successful to culture IBDV by this methodology.

Peritoneal washings in endometrial carcinoma. A study of 298 patients with histopathologic correlation

OBJECTIVE

To correlate findings of peritoneal washings in patients with endometrial carcinoma with histologic parameters.

STUDY DESIGN

Between 1995 and 1998, 298 women with endometrial carcinoma were treated by hysterectomy with intraoperative peritoneal washings (PW) at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. All cytology and pathology slides were available for review. Pathologic parameters of hysterectomy specimens were evaluated and correlated with the findings of PW.

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients (10.7%) had abnormal PW. Two hundred sixty-two had endometrioid adenocarcinoma; 26 of them had abnormal PW (10.0%). Thirty-six patients had other histologic subtypes (papillary serous carcinoma, clear cell carcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma), and six of them had abnormal PW (16.7%). The incidence of abnormal PW in the two groups was not significantly different (P = .78). Among 26 patients with endometrioid adenocarcinoma and abnormal PW, there were 17 cases (9.9%) of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) grade 1, 7 (12.7%) of grade 2 and 2 (5.7%) of grade 3 (P = .56). Ten cases (14.9%) had no myometrial invasion, 10 (7.0%) had myometrial invasion of < or = 50% of myometrial thickness, and 6 (11.5%) had invasion of > 50% of myometrial thickness (P = .18). Vascular invasion was present in 8 cases (14.8%) and absent from 17 (8.2%) (P = .14). Eighteen patients (7.6%) had stage I/II disease, and eight patients (30.8%) had stage III/IV disease (P = .001). Among 298 patients, cervicovaginal smears performed before surgery were available for review in 76. Five of the 7 patients (71.4%) with abnormal PW and 37 of the 69 patients (53.6%) with normal PW had abnormal Pap smears (P = .45).

CONCLUSION

Abnormal PW did not correlate with histologic subtypes, FIGO grade, depth of myometrial invasion, vascular invasion or abnormal Pap smears. A significantly higher incidence of abnormal PW was associated with stage III/IV disease.

Laminin and alpha7beta1 integrin regulate agrin-induced clustering of acetylcholine receptors

The clustering of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) in the post-synaptic membrane of skeletal muscle is an early developmental event in the formation of the neuromuscular junction. Several studies show that laminin, as well as neural agrin, can induce AChR clustering in C2C12 myofibers. We recently showed that specific isoforms of the alpha7beta1 integrin (a receptor normally found at neuromuscular junctions) colocalize and physically interact with AChR clusters in a laminin-dependent fashion. In contrast, induction with agrin alone fails to promote localization of the integrin with AChR clusters. Together both agrin and laminin enhance the interaction of the integrin with AChRs and their aggregation into clusters. To further understand this mechanism we investigated cluster formation and the association of the alpha7beta1 integrin and AChR over time following induction with laminin and/or agrin. Our results show that the alpha7beta1 integrin associates with AChRs early during the formation of the post-synaptic membrane and that laminin modulates this recruitment. Laminin induces a rapid stable association of the integrin and AChRs and this association is independent of clustering. In addition to laminin-1, merosin (laminin-2/4) is present both before and after formation of neuromuscular junctions and also promotes AChR clustering and colocalization with the integrin as well as synergism with agrin. Using site directed mutagenesis we demonstrate that a tyrosine residue in the cytoplasmic domain of both (α)7A and (α)7B chains regulates the localization of the integrin with AChR clusters. We also provide evidence that laminin, through its association with the alpha7beta1 integrin, reduces by 20-fold the concentration of agrin required to promote AChR clustering and accelerates the formation of clusters. Thus laminin, agrin and the alpha7beta1 integrin act in a concerted manner early in the development of the post-synaptic membrane, with laminin priming newly formed myofibers to rapidly and vigorously respond to low concentrations of neural agrin produced by innervating motor neurons.

Oxidative-phosphorylation defects in liver of patients with Wilson's disease

BACKGROUND

Wilson's disease (WD) is caused by mutations in a P-type ATPase and is associated with copper deposition in liver and brain. The WD protein is present in the trans-Golgi network and may also be imported into mitochondria. The WD protein functions as a P-type copper transporting ATPase in the Golgi but any action in mitochondria is at present unknown.

METHODS

We studied mitochondrial function and aconitase activity in WD liver tissue and compared the results with those in a series of healthy controls and patients without WD.

FINDINGS

There was evidence of severe mitochondrial dysfunction in the livers of patients with WD. Enzyme activities were decreased as follows: complex I by 62%, complex II+III by 52%, complex IV by 33%, and aconitase by 71%. These defects did not seem to be secondary to penicillamine use, cholestasis, or poor hepatocellular synthetic function.

INTERPRETATION

The results show that there is a defect of energy metabolism in WD. The pattern of enzyme defects suggests that free-radical formation and oxidative damage, probably mediated via mitochondrial copper accumulation, are important in WD pathogenesis. These results provide a rationale for a study of the use of antioxidants in WD.

Reduced effects of spherical aberration on penetration depth under two-photon excitation

We compare the effects of spherical aberration on the penetration depth of single-photon and two-photon excitation for instances in which the aberration is caused by the refractive-index mismatch when a beam is focused through an interface. It is shown both theoretically and experimentally that two-photon fluorescence imaging experiences less spherical aberration and can thus propagate to a deeper depth within a thick medium.

Association between initial diagnostic procedure and hysteroscopy and abnormal peritoneal washings in patients with endometrial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hysteroscopy has been implicated in the finding of positive peritoneal washings (PW) in patients with endometrial carcinoma in several case reports. The current study was designed to evaluate whether there was an increased incidence rate of positive peritoneal washings in patients after hysteroscopy compared with patients who did not undergo hysteroscopy.

METHODS

Two hundred eighty-four women with endometrial carcinoma were treated by hysterectomy with intraoperative PW at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center between 1995-1998. They were diagnosed by either endometrial biopsy (EMB) or dilatation and curretage (D & C) with or without hysteroscopy during the same period.

RESULTS

Of 173 patients diagnosed by EMB, 16 had abnormal PW (9.2%). Of 111 patients diagnosed by D & C, 11 had abnormal PW (9.9%). There was no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.85). Of 23 patients who were diagnosed by D & C with hysteroscopy, 3 had abnormal PW (13.0%). Of 177 patients who did not undergo hysteroscopy, 17 had abnormal PW (9.6%). Of 84 patients for whom information regarding hysteroscopy was not available, 7 had abnormal PW (8.3%). The incidence rates among the three groups were not significantly different (P = 0.79).

CONCLUSIONS

The initial diagnostic procedure, including hysteroscopy, does not appear to be associated with a high incidence rate of abnormal PW in patients with endometrial carcinoma.

Nitric oxide increases p21(Waf1/Cip1) expression by a cGMP-dependent pathway that includes activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p70(S6k)

Nitric oxide (NO) regulates the expression of p21(Waf1/Cip1) in several cell types. The present study examined the role of both the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p70 S6 kinase (p70(S6k)) in the NO-induced increase in p21 expression that occurred in adventitial fibroblasts during the cell cycle. Both ERK and p70(S6k) were phosphorylated in response to the NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) and the activation was rapid, transient, and preceded increased p21 expresion under defined conditions where serum was present. Addition of a selective inhibitor of ERK phosphorylation (PD98059) prevented the subsequent phosphorylation of p70(S6k) and the increase in p21 protein. Both cGMP and cAMP activated both ERK and p70(S6k), whereas only selective inhibitors of protein kinase G prevented the activation of the kinases by SNAP. A complex between ERK and p70(S6k) was documented by immunoprecipitation procedures. Rapamycin blocked p70(S6k) phosphorylation induced by NO and also inhibited p53 phosphorylation and p21 expression whereas PD98059 only prevented the NO-induced increase in p21 protein without influencing either p53 activation or p21 mRNA expression. The studies show a unique relationship between NO, ERK, and p70(S6k) and also provide evidence for a novel role of p70(S6k) in the activation of p53.

[Information behavior of microsatellite loci in genome scanning]

OBJECTIVE

To determine the heterozygosity and polymorphism information content of 139 microsatellite loci in Han population.

METHODS

Multiplex approach was used to analyze the 139 loci. The amplified fragments were subjected to electrophoresis in PAGE gel and analyzed with Genescan( TM) and Genotyper(TM).

RESULTS

The heterozygosities are between 0.35 to 0.89, with the heterozygosities of 88% loci >0.60. PICs are in the range of 0.32 and 0.88, with PICs of 95% loci >0.50.

CONCLUSION

The polymorphism information content of microsatellite loci is very high and their distribution varies in different races and populations.

Spatial distribution of single-photon and two-photon fluorescence light in scattering media: Monte Carlo simulation

Three-dimensional fluorescence spatial distributions under single-photon and two-photon excitation within a turbid medium are studied with Monte Carlo simulation. It is demonstrated that two-photon excitation has an advantage of producing much less fluorescence light outside the focal region compared with single-photon excitation. With the increase of the concentration of scattering particles in a turbid medium, the position of the maximum fluorescence intensity point shifts from the geometric focal region toward the medium surface. Further studies show that the optical sectioning property of two-photon fluorescence microscopy is degraded in thick turbid media or when the numerical aperture of an objective becomes low.

Cytokeratin immunoreactivity in Ewing's sarcoma: prevalence in 50 cases confirmed by molecular diagnostic studies

Ewing's sarcoma (ES) and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) are characterized by the presence of the specific t(11;22)(q24;q12) or variants thereof, producing diagnostic EWS fusion transcripts. Cytokeratin has been reported sporadically to be expressed in some cases of ES/PNET. However, its prevalence has not been assessed systematically in a series of cases with confirmatory molecular or cytogenetic evidence of a diagnostic translocation. We present in detail three index patients in whom strong cytokeratin immunoreactivity was a confounding factor in the diagnosis. To establish further the prevalence of cytokeratin immunoreactivity in a series of well-characterized ES/PNET, we then performed immunohistochemical studies with antibodies CAM5.2 and AE1/AE3 on 50 cases of ES/PNET diagnosed at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in which molecular evidence of a specific ES/PNET-associated translocation were available. Immunoreactivity to cytokeratin was present in 10 cases (20%), in five diffusely and five focally. There was no significant association between cytokeratin expression and the following parameters: patient age, sex, skeletal and extraskeletal primary site, and the type of EWS fusion transcript. Cytokeratin expression, a manifestation of epithelial differentiation, is present in as many as 20% of ES/PNET in either a diffuse or focal pattern.

Limiting Factors on Image Quality in Imaging through Turbid Media under Single-photon and Two-photon Excitation

The effect of multiple scattering in a turbid medium on single-photon and two-photon fluorescence microscopy is experimentally investigated for different scattering characteristics including scattering anisotrophy and optical thickness of a turbid medium. It is demonstrated that two-photon excitation can provide significant improvement in penetration depth through turbid media, due to reduced scattering experienced by the excitation beam. It is also shown that the limiting factor in obtaining high-quality images under single-photon excitation is the fast degradation of image resolution caused by multiple scattering, while for two-photon excitation it is limited by the degradation of image contrast due to the reduction in fluorescence strength.

14-3-3zeta interacts with the alpha-chain of human interleukin 9 receptor

Interleukin 9 (IL-9) exerts its pleiotropic effects through the IL-9 receptor (IL-9R) complex, which consists of the IL-9R alpha-chain, which determines the cytokine specificity, and the IL-2 receptor gamma-chain. In the present study we used a modified yeast two-hybrid system to isolate cDNA species encoding proteins that interacted with the intracellular domain of the human IL-9R alpha-chain (hIL-9Ralpha). We have identified 14-3-3zeta as an hIL-9Ralpha-interacting protein. We also mapped residues 518-522 (Arg-Ser(519)-Trp-Thr(521)-Phe) in hIL-9Ralpha and helix I of 14-3-3zeta as being important for interaction. Moreover, peptide competition experi-ments suggested that interaction between hIL-9Ralpha and 14-3-3zeta requires the phosphorylation of Ser(519) or Thr(521). This is the first demonstration that 14-3-3 can interact with a non-tyrosine kinase receptor. The interaction between 14-3-3 and IL-9Ralpha but not IL-4Ralpha also suggests a potential role for 14-3-3 in determining cytokine specificity.