Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci of the Chinese muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi)

Eight polymorphic microsatellite markers for Muntiacus reevesi were identified and characterized in this study. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 10 across 24-48 samples. The loci showed expected and observed heterozygosities of 0.577-0.876 and 0.387-0.933, respectively, with an average polymorphic information content value of 0.682. These markers should be a useful tool for further population and conservation genetic studies of Muntiacus reevesi.

Enrichment of ovarian cancer stem-like cells is associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition through an miRNA-activated AKT pathway

OBJECTIVES

Evidence has indicated that ovarian epithelial cancer-type cells under serum-free culture conditions can form spheroid cells and exhibit characteristics expected of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). However, the mechanism by which differentiated ovarian cancer cells acquire stem-cell properties during CSC enrichment has needed to be elucidated. Recent studies have demonstrated that induction of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) can generate CSCs and be associated with tumour aggressiveness and metastasis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ovarian epithelial cancer cell lines, SKOV3 and HO8920, were cultured for spheroid cells and adherent cells. CSC enrichment was investigated using MTT assay, flow cytometery and qRT-PCR and expression level of PI3K/AKT pathway components was analysed by western blotting.

RESULTS

Compared to adherent cells, the spheroid cells expressed mesenchymal markers highly and exhibited significantly more motility; we also observed increases in phosphate AKT1 levels in the spheroid cells. Moreover, transfection of miR-20a or miR-200c led to corresponding reduction in endogenous PTEN protein, while AKT1 and phosphate AKT1 levels were upregulated in miRNAs-transfected cells. Finally, PI3K/AKT pathway inhibitor LY294002 reduced expressions of mesenchymal markers and stem-cell gene activity in spheroid cells, enhancing sensitivity of spheroid cells to paclitaxel treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that EMT contributed to enrichment of ovarian CSCs in vitro, making EMT targeting in epithelial ovarian cancer a novel therapeutic option.

[Analysis of a case with typical Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome with scleroderma-like skin changes and review of literature]

OBJECTIVE

To explore clinical, radiographical and genetic characteristics of classical Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS).

METHOD

Data of a case of HGPS diagnosed at Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology was analyzed and related literature was reviewed.

RESULT

At the age of 8 months, the affected-infant presented with characteristic manifestation such as short stature, low weight, frontal bossing, alopecia, prominent scalp veins, micrognathia with a vertical midline groove in the chin, sclerodermatous skin, knee joints contracture with a horse-riding stance, and limited range of movement of ankle joints. Blood test showed blood platelet count (416-490) ×10(9)/L. Lower extremities MRI showed reduced subcutaneous fat. LMNA gene analysis showed that the affected-infant carried typical heterozygous mutation: c. 1824C>T (p. G608G), while his parents were normal. At the age of 13 months, X-rays showed short distal phalanges and clavicles with acro-osteolysis. After following up for 15 months, his appearance of progeria became more apparent. As far as we know, there are only 2 cases of classical HGPS confirmed by gene analysis in China.

CONCLUSION

Classical HGPS should be considered when infants appeared with sclerodermatous skin. Genetic analysis could help to diagnose classical HGPS as early as possible and avoid unnecessary investigations. In addition, affected-infants need to be long term followed-up and provided genetic counseling.

Energy dependence of moments of net-proton multiplicity distributions at RHIC

We report the beam energy (sqrt[sNN]=7.7-200  GeV) and collision centrality dependence of the mean (M), standard deviation (σ), skewness (S), and kurtosis (κ) of the net-proton multiplicity distributions in Au+Au collisions. The measurements are carried out by the STAR experiment at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) and within the transverse momentum range 0.4<pT<0.8  GeV/c in the first phase of the Beam Energy Scan program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. These measurements are important for understanding the quantum chromodynamic phase diagram. The products of the moments, Sσ and κσ2, are sensitive to the correlation length of the hot and dense medium created in the collisions and are related to the ratios of baryon number susceptibilities of corresponding orders. The products of moments are found to have values significantly below the Skellam expectation and close to expectations based on independent proton and antiproton production. The measurements are compared to a transport model calculation to understand the effect of acceptance and baryon number conservation and also to a hadron resonance gas model.

Comparative cost-effectiveness of bazedoxifene and raloxifene in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis in Europe, using the FRAX algorithm

Bazedoxifene and raloxifene were evaluated in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis from health economic perspective in Europe. Based on a computer-based algorithm calculating efficacy of the treatments, bazedoxifene appears to be a cost-effective strategy compared to raloxifene, particularly in patients at high fracture risk.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to compare cost-effectiveness of bazedoxifene and raloxifene in eight European countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.

METHODS

The Fracture Risk Assessment Tool, which is a computer-based algorithm to calculate fracture probability using clinical risk factors alone or with bone mineral density, was incorporated in a Markov Tunnel model to evaluate cost-effectiveness of bazedoxifene 20 or 40 mg vs. raloxifene 60 mg in postmenopausal osteoporotic women. The efficacy of bazedoxifene and raloxifene for vertebral and non-vertebral fractures was measured as a function of the 10-year probability of a major osteoporotic fracture. The model estimated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and net monetary benefit (NMB) from a healthcare perspective, given the willingness to pay <euro>30,000.

RESULTS

In postmenopausal osteoporotic women, bazedoxifene was a cost saving strategy compared to raloxifene in the countries studied. The median NMB of bazedoxifene compared to raloxifene increased monotonically with the 10-year fracture probability. In general, the median NMB became greater than 0 in women with 10-year probabilities of a major osteoporotic fracture between 5 and 10% or above. The impact on results by varying the assumptions in the model was examined in sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSION

Bazedoxifene appears to be a cost-effective strategy compared to raloxifene for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporotic women in Europe, particularly in patients at high fracture risk.

A graphene oxide/conducting polymer nanocomposite for electrochemical dopamine detection: origin of improved sensitivity and specificity

This work describes the performance of a graphene oxide/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanocomposite material as a sensitive and selective electrochemical dopamine sensor.

Efficacy of subcutaneous administration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist on idiopathic central precocious puberty

In order to assess the feasibility of subcutaneous administration of Triptorelin with 6-week intervals for the suppression of pituitary-gonadal axis and changes of clinical signs in girls with idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP), 46 girls with ICPP were treated with GnRHa. Triptorelin (Decapeptyl, 3.75 mg) was administered subcutaneously (SC) at 6-weeks intervals or intramuscularly (IM) at 4-weeks intervals randomly for more than 12 months consecutively. During GnRHa therapy, clinical parameters and laboratory data, including height, weight, pubertal stage, bone age, uterine volume and ovarian size, serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2), were monitored and analyzed. It was found that both treatment regimes led to regression of precocious puberty and reversal of secondary sexual characteristics. Breast developments regressed. Uterine volume was decreased after treatment, but there was no statistically significant difference. Mean ovarian volume did not change significantly during treatment. The height velocity was decreased significantly from 6.3+/-1.4 cm/year to 5.8+/-1.2 cm/year in group SC and 6.7+/-1.3 cm/year to 5.4+/-1.0 cm/year in group IM, respectively. The rate of bone maturation was reduced significantly during treatment. The ratio of deltaBA/deltaCA was 1.2+/-0.2 or 1.3+/-0.3 at the onset of therapy and decreased significantly after the treatment to 0.7+/-0.2 or 0.9+/-0.1, respectively. The predicted adult height was increased significantly and progressively during therapy. The levels of serum LH, FSH and E2 returned to the prepubertal condition. No significant side effects of therapy were noted. The most common side effect during SC treatment was that a non-irritating, 1 cm in diameter mass was palpated at the site of subcutaneous injection in the abdominal wall of patients, which disappeared after 6-12 weeks. Two girls had minimal withdrawal vaginal bleeding episodes after the first injection. It was concluded that both IM and SC triptorelin administrations were clinically effective. They induce profound suppression of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis while stabilizing height velocity, slowing bone maturation and increasing predicted adult height. These results suggest that subcutaneous injection of triptorelin in 6-weeks intervals at a dosage of 3.75 mg be a safe and acceptable regimen for ICPP

Investigations of single nucleotide polymorphisms in folate pathway genes in Chinese families with neural tube defects

AIMS

We investigated the hypothesis that there are interactions between SNPs in folate metabolism pathway genes and environmental risk factors to the etiology of neural tube defects (NTDs).

METHOD

In 602 Chinese families, 609 aborted fetus tissues or blood samples were collected from NTD individuals, and 1106 parental blood samples were detected as controls. We analyzed 28 SNPs in 12 folate pathway genes. Folate supplementation, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and medicine administration before and during pregnancy were investigated. Case-parental control study and transmission/disequilibrium tests were performed according to environmental cofactor stratification.

RESULTS

Association between 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T and NTDs was significant in all stratifications (all P<.05), and synergistic effects of no folate supplementation and GDM were shown on NTD occurrence. 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase (MTHM) 501A>G in case of GDM, and betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) 716G>A in case of no folate supplementation significantly associated with NTDs (both P<.05), whereas the two genotypes alone did not significantly associate with NTDs (both P>.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MTHFR 677C>T genotype, especially in case of no folate supplementation and GDM, promotes NTD occurrence. MTHM 501A>G only in case of GDM, and BHMT 716G>A only in case of no folate supplementation contribute to the etiology of NTDs.

p21-activated kinase 4 regulation of endometrial cancer cell migration and invasion involves the ERK1/2 pathway mediated MMP-2 secretion

Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common malignancy of the female genital tract. Patients with metastatic disease have a poor prognosis. So far, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms of EC metastasis are largely unknown. P21-activated kinase 4 (Pak4) is important in cell motility and oncogenesis. Here we investigated a role of Pak4 in EC cell migration and invasion. Pak4 overexpression was observed in multiple human EC cell lines. In clinical samples, expression of total and phosphorylated Pak4 (Pak4 and p-Pak4, respectively) increased significantly with progression of EC from normal tissue to lymph node metastasis; both were positively correlated with depth of myometrial and vascular space invasion, lymph nodes metastasis, and poor histological differentiation. In two human EC cell lines, Pak4 overexpression promoted cell migration and invasion in vitro. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated stable knockdown of Pak4 inhibited the metastatic potential of EC in an ERK1/2-MMP-2-dependent manner. These results suggest that Pak4 is an important regulator of EC cell migration and invasion. Therefore, Pak4 may be a promising target for the treatment of metastatic EC.

Measurement of J/ψ azimuthal anisotropy in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV

The measurement of J/ψ azimuthal anisotropy is presented as a function of transverse momentum for different centralities in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. The measured J/ψ elliptic flow is consistent with zero within errors for transverse momentum between 2 and 10 GeV/c. Our measurement suggests that J/ψ particles with relatively large transverse momenta are not dominantly produced by coalescence from thermalized charm quarks, when comparing to model calculations.

Cigarette smoking, psychopathology and cognitive function in first-episode drug-naive patients with schizophrenia: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

Although patients with chronic schizophrenia have substantially higher smoking rates than either the general population or patients with other mental illnesses, drug-naive patients with a first episode of schizophrenia have received little systemic study. This study examined smoking rates, the association between smoking and symptom severity and cognitive function in Chinese first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients using cross-sectional and case-control designs.

METHOD

Two hundred and forty-four drug-naive FES patients and 256 healthy controls matched for gender, age and education completed the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Patients were also rated on the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS).

RESULTS

The rate and quantity of smoking were not significantly higher among FES patients compared to the general population. Among patients, smokers scored higher than non-smokers on the total PANSS and the positive symptom subscale scores. There were no significant associations between cognitive function and smoking in either FES patients or healthy controls.

CONCLUSIONS

In contrast to studies in patients with chronic schizophrenia, drug-naive FES patients did not smoke more frequently than the general population. Furthermore, patients with psychotic disorders who smoked did not exhibit significant cognitive differences compared with those who did not smoke. However, smoking may have other detrimental effects on physical and mental health, for example on positive symptoms.

Exposure to bisphenol A disrupts meiotic progression during spermatogenesis in adult rats through estrogen-like activity

The effect of bisphenol A (BPA) on the reproductive system is highly debated but has been associated with meiotic abnormalities. However, evidence is lacking with regard to the mechanisms involved. In order to explore the underlying mechanisms of BPA-induced meiotic abnormalities in adult male rats, we exposed 9-week-old male Wistar rats to BPA by gavage at 0, 2, 20 or 200 μg/kg body weight (bw)/day for 60 consecutive days. 17β-Estradiol (E2) was administered at 10 μg/kg bw/day as the estrogenic positive control. Treatments with 200 μg/kg bw/day of BPA and E2 significantly decreased sperm counts and inhibited spermiation, characterized by an increase in stage VII and decrease in stage VIII in the seminiferous epithelium. This was concomitant with a disruption in the progression of meiosis I and the persistence of meiotic DNA strand breaks in pachytene spermatocytes,and the ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated and checkpoint kinase 2 signal pathway was also activated; Eventually, germ cell apoptosis was triggered as evaluated by terminal dUTP nick-end labeling assay and western blot for caspase 3. Using the estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist ICI 182780, we determined that ER signaling mediated BPA-induced meiotic disruption and reproductive impairment. Our results suggest that ER signaling-mediated meiotic disruption may be a major contributor to the molecular events leading to BPA-related male reproductive disorders. These rodent data support the growing association between BPA exposure and the rapid increase in the incidence of male reproductive disorders.

Chiral phase transition in charge ordered 1T-TiSe2

It was recently discovered that the low-temperature, charge-ordered phase of 1T-TiSe(2) has a chiral character. This unexpected chirality in a system described by a scalar order parameter could be explained in a model where the emergence of relative phase shifts between three charge density wave components breaks the inversion symmetry of the lattice. Here, we present experimental evidence for the sequence of phase transitions predicted by that theory, going from disorder to nonchiral and finally to chiral charge order. Employing x-ray diffraction, specific heat, and electrical transport measurements, we find that a novel phase transition occurs ~7 K below the main charge ordering transition in TiSe(2), in agreement with the predicted hierarchy of charge-ordered phases.

Effects of targeted suppression of glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase by lentivirus-mediated shRNA and excessive intake of lysine on apoptosis in rat striatal neurons

In glutaric aciduria type 1 (GA1), glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GCDH) deficiency has been shown to be responsible for the accumulation of glutaric acid and striatal degeneration. However, the mechanisms by which GA1 induces striatal degeneration remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to establish a novel neuronal model of GA1 and to investigate the effects of GCDH deficiency and lysine-related metabolites on the viability of rat striatal neurons. Thus we constructed a lentiviral vector containing short hairpin RNA targeted against the GCDH gene expression (lentivirus-shRNA) in neurons. A virus containing a scrambled short hairpin RNA construct served as a control. Addition of lysine (5 mmol/L) was used to mimic hypermetabolism. Cell viability was measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide. Apoptosis was assessed using Hoechst33342 staining and Annexin V-PE/7-AAD staining. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MPP) was monitored using tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester. The expression levels of caspases 3, 8, and 9 were determined by Western blotting. We found that lentivirus-shRNA induced apoptosis and decreased MMP levels in neurons, and addition of 5 mmol/L lysine enhanced this effect markedly. Lentivirus-shRNA upregulated the protein levels of caspases 3 and 9 regardless of the presence of 5 mmol/L lysine. The expression level of caspase 8 was higher in neurons co-treated with lentivirus-shRNA and 5 mmol/L lysine than in control. Benzyloxy-carbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp(OMe)-fluoromethylketone, a pan-caspase inhibitor, blocked the apoptosis induced by lentivirus-shRNA and 5 mmol/L lysine to a great extent. These results indicate that the targeted suppression of GCDH by lentivirus-mediated shRNA and excessive intake of lysine may be a useful cell model of GA1. These also suggest that GA1-induced striatal degeneration is partially caspase-dependent.