Characterization of two parvalbumin genes and their association with growth traits in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer)

Parvalbumins are extremely abundant in fish muscle and play an important role in muscle relaxation. In this study, two parvalbumin genes (PVALB1 and PVALB2) were cloned from Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer). The cDNAs for PVALB1 and PVALB2 were 840 and 667 bp respectively. Both genes consisted of five exons and four introns, encoded 109 amino acids, and were of beta lineage. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction, expression of PVALB1 was detected in all 10 tissues tested, with expression in brain, kidney, muscle and small intestine being 15- to 322-fold higher than in the other tissues. Expression of PVALB2 was detected only in muscle, brain and intestine, and was up to 10-fold lower than PVALB1 expression. A (CT)(17) microsatellite in the 3'-untranslated region of PVALB1 and three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the third intron of PVALB2 were identified. The microsatellite in PVALB1 was significantly associated with body weight and body length at 90 days post-hatch (P < 0.01), whereas the SNPs in PVALVB2 were not associated with these traits.

Dynamic characteristics of long-wavelength quantum dot vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with light injection

This investigation experimentally demonstrates the dynamic characteristics of quantum dot vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (QD VCSEL) without and with light injection. The QD VCSEL is fully doped structure on GaAs substrate and operates in the 1.3 mum optical communication wavelength. The eye diagram, frequency response, and intermodulation distortion are presented. We also demonstrate that the frequency response enhancement by light injection technique allows us to improve the performance of subcarrier multiplexed system.

Activity of five quinolones, three macrolides and telithromycin against 12 Haemophilus influenzae strains with different resistance phenotypes

Gemifloxacin MICs for 12 Haemophilus influenzae strains with different resistance phenotypes were 0.001-0.015 mg/L. Gemifloxacin was bactericidal against all 12 strains after 24 h at 2 x MIC. Ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin had MICs of 0.008-0.03 mg/L and similar kill kinetics. Macrolides and telithromycin had unimodal MICs (1.0-8.0 mg/L), except for two strains without efflux systems (0.0125-0.5 mg/L) and two with efflux systems and ribosomal protein mutations (> 64.0 mg/L), and were bactericidal against eight to ten strains tested at 2 x MIC after 24 h.

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence and characterization of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the control region of the Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer)

We determined the complete mtDNA nucleotide sequence of Lates calcarifer using the shotgun sequencing method. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was 16,535 base pairs (bp) in length, and contained 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, 2 ribosomal RNAs, and one major noncoding control region (CR). The CR was unusually short at only 768 bp. A striking feature of the mitochondrial genome was the high G+C content (46.1%), which is among the highest in fish. The gene order was identical to that of a typical vertebrate. Phylogenetic analyses using concatenated amino acid sequences of 12 protein-coding genes of 30 fish species representing 14 suborders clearly showed Lates calcarifer was located in the cluster of fish species from the order Perciformes, supporting the traditional systematic classification. We characterized single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CR by sequencing the complete CR of 25 individuals obtained from Australia and Singapore. A total of 68 SNPs were detected. Eighteen SNPs were fixed with alternative nucleotides in Australian and Singapore seabass, and these SNPs could be used for differentiating fish from the two countries.

Probing Structure–Function Relationships of Serine Hydrolases and Proteases with Carbamate and Thiocarbamate Inhibitors

Benzene-1,3-di-N-n-octylcarbamate (1), benzene-1-hydroxyl-3-N-n-octylcarbamate (2), benzene-1,3-di-N-n-ocztylthiocarbamate (3), and benzene-1-hydroxyl-3-N-n-octylthiocarbamate (4) are synthesized from 1,3-benzene-diol and are characterized as the pseudo-substrate inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, cholesterol esterase, lipase, trypsin, and chymotrypsin. For these six enzyme inhibitions by 1-4, the pKi values are linearly correlated with their log ki values - Brønsted plots. Therefore, 1-4 inhibit these enzymes through a common mechanism. Moreover, both pKi and log ki values for the inhibitions by 1,3, and 4 are linearly correlated with both pKi and log ki values for the inhibitions by 2, respectively. Thus, the pKi values for the inhibitions by 2 are defined as the nucleophilicity constants of these enzymes (nenzyme). The log k2 values for the inhibitions by 1-4 are also linearly correlated with the nenzyme values. Therefore, the nucleophilicity for serine hydrolases and proteases toward 1-4 also applies the Swain-Scott correlations.

Multistrange Baryon elliptic flow in Au+Au collisions at square root of sNN=200 GeV

We report on the first measurement of elliptic flow v2(pT) of multistrange baryons Xi- +Xi+ and Omega- + Omega+ in heavy-ion collisions. In minimum-bias Au+Au collisions at square root of s(NN)=200 GeV, a significant amount of elliptic flow, comparable to other nonstrange baryons, is observed for multistrange baryons which are expected to be particularly sensitive to the dynamics of the partonic stage of heavy-ion collisions. The pT dependence of v2 of the multistrange baryons confirms the number of constituent quark scaling previously observed for lighter hadrons. These results support the idea that a substantial fraction of the observed collective motion is developed at the early partonic stage in ultrarelativistic nuclear collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider.

Multiplicity and pseudorapidity distributions of photons in Au+Au collisions at square root of (S(NN)) = 62.4 GeV

We present the first measurement of pseudorapidity distribution of photons in the region 2.3 < or = eta < or = 3.7 for different centralities in Au+Au collisions at square root of (S(NN)) = 62.4 GeV. We find that the photon yield scales with the number of participating nucleons at all collision centralities studied. The pseudorapidity distribution of photons, dominated by pi0 decays, has been compared to those of charged pions, photons, and inclusive charged particles from heavy-ion and nucleon-nucleon collisions at various energies. The photon production has been shown to be consistent with the energy and centrality independent limiting fragmentation scenario.

Activity of the new quinolone WCK 771 against pneumococci

The activity of WCK 771, a new experimental quinolone being developed to overcome quinolone resistance in staphylococci, against quinolone-susceptible and -resistant pneumococci was determined. Comparative activities of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, clinafloxacin, vancomycin, linezolid, amoxycillin, cefuroxime, azithromycin and clarithromycin were determined with MIC and time-kill experiments. Animal experiments were also performed to test the in-vivo anti-pneumococcal activity of WCK 771 compared to levofloxacin. WCK 771 MIC50/90 values for 300 quinolone-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates (108 penicillin-susceptible, 92 penicillin-intermediate and 100 penicillin-resistant) were 0.5/0.5 mg/L; the MICs of beta-lactams and macrolides rose with those of penicillin G, and all isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and linezolid. WCK 771 MIC50/90 values for 25 quinolone-resistant pneumococcal isolates were 4/8 mg/L, compared to 0.5/1 mg/L for clinafloxacin, 2/4 mg/L for gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin, 8/16 mg/L for levofloxacin, and 16/>32 mg/L for ciprofloxacin. Time-kill studies showed that WCK 771 was bactericidal against pneumococci after 24 h at 4 x MIC, as were the other quinolones tested. Animal model studies showed that WCK 771 had efficacy comparable to that of levofloxacin, by both the oral and subcutaneous routes, for systemic infection caused by three quinolone-susceptible isolates of pneumococci. Overall, WCK 771 was potent both in vivo and in vitro against quinolone-susceptible, but not quinolone-resistant, S. pneumoniae, regardless of penicillin susceptibility.

Open charm yields in d+Au collisions at squareroot[sNN]=200 GeV

Midrapidity open charm spectra from direct reconstruction of D0(D0)-->K-/+pi+/- in d+Au collisions and indirect electron-positron measurements via charm semileptonic decays in p+p and d+Au collisions at squareroot[sNN]=200 GeV are reported. The D0(D0) spectrum covers a transverse momentum (pT) range of 0.1<pT<3 GeV/c, whereas the electron spectra cover a range of 1<pT<4 GeV/c. The electron spectra show approximate binary collision scaling between p+p and d+Au collisions. From these two independent analyses, the differential cross section per nucleon-nucleon binary interaction at midrapidity for open charm production from d+Au collisions at BNL RHIC is dsigma(NN)cc/dy=0.30+/-0.04(stat)+/-0.09(syst) mb. The results are compared to theoretical calculations. Implications for charmonium results in A+A collisions are discussed.

The stochastic piston problem

We obtain analytical solutions for the perturbed shock paths induced by time-varying random motions of a piston moving inside an adiabatic tube of constant area. The variance of the shock location grows quadratically with time for early times and switches to linear growth for longer times. The analytical results are confirmed by stochastic numerical simulations, and deviations for large random piston motions are established.

Wogonin suppresses cellular proliferation and expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 in Peyronie's plaque-derived cells

OBJECTIVE

To test the effect of wogonin on cellular proliferation and expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) in cells derived from normal and diseased tunica albuginea (TA), as related to Peyronie's disease (PD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cells with characteristics of fibroblasts were isolated from three tissue sources. Those from the plaque of patients with PD were designated as P cells, those from the adjacent, normal-appearing tissue as C cells, and those from the TA of patients without PD as N cells. These cells were treated with wogonin at doses of 0, 10, 20 and 40 micromol/L for 24 h or treated at a fixed dose of 40 micromol/L for 1, 8 and 24 h. Cell proliferation was assayed with a commercial kit, MCP-1 mRNA expression by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and secreted MCP-1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

Wogonin suppressed cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner; the effect was more pronounced against P cells at 8 and 24 h. Wogonin down-regulated MCP-1 mRNA expression, especially in P cells. Wogonin suppressed the level of secreted MCP-1 by 59-88%. P cells, which secreted far more MCP-1 than N and C cells at 1 h, were suppressed by 88%. C cells were the least suppressed at all three times.

CONCLUSIONS

Wogonin suppressed the proliferation, the expression of MCP-1 mRNA, and the expression of secreted MCP-1 in TA-derived cells. In most cases, the effect of wogonin was greatest against cells derived from the plaque. Wogonin appears to be a worthy candidate for preclinical trials in men with PD.

Neurotrophic effects of vascular endothelial growth factor and neurotrophins on cultured major pelvic ganglia

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the feasibility of using a ganglial culture system to screen various growth factors as potential therapeutic agents for pelvic nerve injuries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The major pelvic ganglia (MPG) were isolated from male rats and attached to culture dishes with the aid of Matrigel (Becton Dickinson, Mountain View, CA, USA). Alternatively, the dorso-caudal region (DCR) of MPG, from which the cavernous nerves originate, was dissected and then attached to a Matrigel-coated coverslip. The MPG or DCR was cultured in serum-free medium supplemented with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, control), 50 ng/mL of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), 20 ng/mL of a neurotrophin (BDNF, NT3, or NT4), or combinations of these growth factors. After 2 days of incubation, the ganglial tissues with their outgrowing nerve fibres were stained for the expression of NADPH-diaphorase, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The length and staining intensity of nerve fibres were analysed.

RESULTS

The outgrowing fibres were significantly longer in MPG treated with any of the four tested growth factors than in PBS-treated MPG. The combination of VEGF and NT3 induced the best fibre growth. Improvements to the culturing conditions allowed a histological examination of the outgrowing fibres for the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), TH and AChE. VEGF and BDNF were equally capable of inducing NOS- and TH-expressing fibres. BDNF was much weaker than VEGF for inducing AChE-expressing fibres.

CONCLUSIONS

This improved culturing system is potentially useful for screening nerve-regenerating factors; VEGF had neurotrophic effects comparable with BDNF, NT3, or NT4.

Isolation of two isoforms of phosphodiesterase 5 from rat penis

Inhibition of cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) has been shown to improve penile erection in patients with erectile dysfunction. We have reported previously the cloning of three PDE5 isoforms from human penile tissues. Here we report the cloning of two PDE5 isoforms from rat penile tissues. The similarity between rat and human PDE5A1-specific sequences were 68 and 88% at the nucleotide and amino-acid levels, respectively. Like the bovine and canine PDE5A1 sequences, the rat PDE5A1 sequence lacks the polyglutamine tract that appears to be unique to the human PDE5A1 sequence. The similarity between rat and human PDE5A2-specific sequences were 64 and 100% at the nucleotide and amino-acid levels, respectively. The equivalent of human PDE5A3-specific sequence was identified in the rat PDE5A gene; however, repeated efforts to clone the putative rat PDE5A3 isoform were not successful. Expression of PDE5A1 and A2 mRNA in various tissues was examined by Northern blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Results from the two experimental procedures were largely in good agreement and indicated that PDE5A1 and A2 mRNA were expressed in a tissue-specific manner with PDE5A2 being the dominant isoform. International Journal of Impotence Research (2003) 15, 129-136. doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3900983

Intracavernosal injection of vascular endothelial growth factor induces nitric oxide synthase isoforms

OBJECTIVE

To identify genes that are affected by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), as an intracavernosal injection with VEGF improved the recovery of erectile function in a rat model of arteriogenic impotence, specifically examining the three nitric oxide synthase (NOS) genes, nNOS, eNOS, and iNOS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male rats had their pudendal arteries ligated or underwent a sham operation. They were then treated by an intracavernosal injection with 4 microg of VEGF in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or PBS alone. At 6 and 24 h after treatment electrostimulation was applied to the cavernosal nerve and the intracorporal pressure measured. The erectile tissue was then harvested for RNA isolation and cryo-sectioning. The isolated RNA was used for microarray and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses, and the tissue sections for immunohistochemical analysis.

RESULTS

Microarray analysis detected nNOS, eNOS and iNOS at very low expression levels in PBS-treated rats; expression levels were higher for eNOS and iNOS in all VEGF-treated rats. These results were further confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. Immunohistochemical analysis identified the cavernosal endothelium and smooth muscle as the tissue types where eNOS and iNOS were up-regulated, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first report of the induction of both eNOS and iNOS in the penis after intracavernosal VEGF. These events may help support a significant recovery of erectile function after interrupting the blood supply to the penis.

[Retrospective analysis of 102 cycles of intracytoplasmic single sperm injection in treating severe male infertility and fertilization failure]

The aim of this study is to retrospectively analyze 102 cycles which received intracytoplasmic single sperm injection (ICSI) in our lab from January 1998 to December 2000. With the improvements of the technique and environment of the microscopic manipulation from February 2000, the survival rate (90.6%). fertilization rate (73.3%) and embryo development rate (97.3%) of the later stage were significantly higher than those of the previous (68.8%, 39.0%, 78.7% respectively). The clinical pregnancy rate reached a higher level (41.3% and 21.4% respectively). The ICSI technique established currently in our lab can effectively treat the severe male infertility and fertilization failure.