A DNA-binding protein, tfp1, involved in juvenile hormone-regulated gene expression in Locusta migratoria

A partially palindromic 15-nt. sequence upstream from a juvenile hormone-regulated gene (jhp21) was previously identified in the African migratory locust, Locusta migratoria. This sequence was proposed as a juvenile hormone (JH) response element (JHRE), and a protein that bound to it, as a transcription factor (TF). A yeast strain was constructed containing four tandem copies of the JHRE and after transfection with a cDNA library made to fat bodies from vitellogenic females, yeast one-hybrid experiments yielded sequences for four putative binding proteins. One of these sequences, corresponding to a transcript that was present in fat body irrespective of JH stimulation, encodes a 35kDa protein. This was designated tfp1 and appears to have a leucine zipper motif and a lipid-binding motif. Recombinant tfp1 bound to JHRE in electrophoretic mobility shift experiments and addition of tfp1 antibody in the binding reaction resulted in the disappearance or shift of TF. We suggest that JH induces the association of pre-existing proteins, including tfp1, to form an active complex, which binds to the JHRE upstream from jhp21 and regulates its transcription.

Dense-medium modifications to jet-induced hadron pair distributions in Au+Au collisions at sqrt s NN=200 GeV

Azimuthal correlations of jet-induced high-p(T) charged hadron pairs are studied at midrapidity in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. The distribution of jet-associated partner hadrons (1.0<p(T)<2.5 GeV/c) per trigger hadron (2.5<p(T)<4.0 GeV/c) is found to vary with collision centrality, in both shape and yield, indicating a significant effect of the nuclear collision medium on the jet fragmentation process.

Methylglyoxal bypass identified as source of chiral contamination in l(+) and d(-)-lactate fermentations by recombinant Escherichia coli

Two new strains of Escherichia coli B were engineered for the production of lactate with no detectable chiral impurity. All chiral impurities were eliminated by deleting the synthase gene (msgA) that converts dihydroxyacetone-phosphate to methylglyoxal, a precursor for both L: (+)- and D: (-)-lactate. Strain TG113 contains only native genes and produced optically pure D: (-)-lactate. Strain TG108 contains the ldhL gene from Pediococcus acidilactici and produced only L: (+)-lactate. In mineral salts medium containing 1 mM betaine, both strains produced over 115 g (1.3 mol) lactate from 12% (w/v) glucose, >95% theoretical yield.

The role of alpha-fetoprotein in maintaining the growth of human hepatoma cells

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Background: This study was to explored the functional mechanism of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in maintaining the proliferation of human hepatoma cells line Bel 7402 and the immunsuppression of lymphocyte Jurkat cells. Methods: Western blot was used to detecting the expression of some apoptosis-related gene, fluorescence labeled AFP and confocal microscopy scanning for receptor binding assay in the membrane in Jurkat cells. Results: It showed that AFP could enhance the expression of survivin and c-ras, but restrain caspase-3 express in Bel 7402 cells by Western blotting analysis. It also showed that AFP could bind to the membrane of Jurkat cells by confocal microscopy scanning, and when treated Jurkat with AFP, it indicated that AFP could repress the expression of survivin and Livin and elevated the activity of caspase-3 in the cells; Co-cultured Bel 7402 cells with Jurkat cells, the expression of tumor necrosis related-apoptosis induced ligand (TRAIL) in Jurkt cells was inhibited, when pretreatment with monoclonal antibody of AFP (Anti-AFP), the restrained effect of TRAIL express and the activity of caspase-3 was elevated in Jurkat cells was removed. It also indicated that Anti-AFP had an ability to block these functions of AFP. Conclusions: AFP has a capability to promote the growth and escape from immune surveillance of human hepatoma cells through enhancing the expression of ras and survivin gene in Bel 7402 cells, suppressing TRAIL, survivin and Livin expressed and upregulated activity of caspase-3 in Jurkat cells.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Intratumoral injection of oncolytic adenovirus H101 in combination with vinorelbine/cisplatin chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

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Background: Chemotherapy is main treatment for advanced NSCLC. But its efficacy is quite small with improvement of 1–2 months in median survival. New strategy against NSCLC is needed. Oncolytic adenovirus H101 is found to be effective against NSCLC. This trial is desigened to investigate efficacy and toxicity of intratumoral injection of H101 in combination with chemotherapy in the treatment of NSCLC. Methods: The NSCLC patients confirmed cytologically or pathologically were randomized to intratumoral injection of adenovirus H101 (1.5 × 1012 viral particles) plus NP chemotherapy (arm A) or NP chemotherapy (arm B). Objetive response was evaluated every two cycles and time to progression (TTP) and overall survival were followed up. Results: Out of 18 evaluable patients in Arm A, 4 patients showed partial response (PR),3 minor response(MR), 7 stable disease (SD) and 4 disease progression (PD), while in Arm B 16 evaluable patients showed 3 PR, 4 MR, 3 SD and 6 PD. At the first time of response evaluation, there was 1 PD in Arm A,but in Arm B there were 5 of PD. Failure rate in Arm B was significantly higher than in Arm B. Survival curves between the two arms were similar. Six month, 9 month and 1 year survival rates were slightly higher in Arm B and median TTP was also prolonged in Arm A. Except non-infectious fever, Arm A was similar in other toxicities to Arm B. there was only 2 patients developing mild pneumothorax. Conclusions: Intratumoral injection of H101 1.5 × 1012 viral particles in combination with NP chemotherapy was feasible, effective and safe in treatment of advanced NSCLC.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Azimuthal angle correlations for rapidity separated Hadron pairs in d+Au collisions at square root of sNN=200 GeV

Deuteron-gold (d+Au) collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider provide ideal platforms for testing QCD theories in dense nuclear matter at high energy. In particular, models suggesting strong saturation effects for partons carrying small nucleon momentum fraction (x) predict modifications to jet production at forward rapidity (deuteron-going direction) in d+Au collisions. We report on two-particle azimuthal angle correlations between charged hadrons at forward/backward (deuteron/gold going direction) rapidity and charged hadrons at midrapidity in d+Au and p+p collisions at square root of sNN=200 GeV. Jet structures observed in the correlations are quantified in terms of the conditional yield and angular width of away-side partners. The kinematic region studied here samples partons in the gold nucleus with x~0.1 to ~0.01. Within this range, we find no x dependence of the jet structure in d+Au collisions.

The mode of action of insecticidal controlled atmospheres

Arthropods cope with reduced oxygen and elevated carbon dioxide atmospheres with a reduction in metabolic rate, also called metabolic arrest. The reduction in metabolism lessens the pressure on the organism to initiate anaerobic metabolism, but also leads to a reduction in ATP production. The natural permeability of cellular membranes appears to be important for the survival of the arthropod under low oxygen or high carbon dioxide atmospheres. Despite the similarities in response, arthropod mortality is generally greater in response to high carbon dioxide as apposed to low oxygen atmospheres. There appears to be a greater decrease in ATP and energy charge in arthropods exposed to high carbon dioxide as compared with low oxygen atmospheres, and this may be due to greater membrane permeability under carbon dioxide leading to an inefficient production of ATP. Reduced oxygen and elevated carbon dioxide atmospheres can have an additive effect in some cases, depending on the concentrations used. The effect of these atmospheres on arthropods depends also on temperature, species and life stage. Additional work is needed to fully understand the mode of action of controlled atmospheres on arthropod pests.

Common suppression pattern of eta and pi0 mesons at high transverse momentum in Au + Au collisions at square root S(NN) = 200 GeV

Inclusive transverse momentum spectra of eta mesons have been measured within p(T) = 2-10 GeV/c at midrapidity by the PHENIX experiment in Au + Au collisions at square root S(NN) = 200 GeV. In central Au+Au the eta yields are significantly suppressed compared to peripheral Au + Au, d + Au, and p + p yields scaled by the corresponding number of nucleon-nucleon collisions. The magnitude, centrality, and p(T) dependence of the suppression is common, within errors, for eta and pi0. The ratio of eta to pi0 spectra at high p(T) amounts to 0.40 < R(eta/pi)0 < 0.48 for the three systems, in agreement with the world average measured in hadronic and nuclear reactions and, at large scaled momentum, in e+e- collisions.

Betaine Tripled the Volumetric Productivity of d(-)-lactate by Escherichia coli Strain SZ132 in Mineral Salts Medium

Osmotic stress restricts glycolytic flux, growth (rate and yield), D-lactate productivity, and D-lactate tolerance in Escherichia coli B strain SZ132 during batch fermentation in mineral salts medium with 10% (w/v) sugar. Addition of 1 mM: betaine, a non-metabolized protective osmolyte, doubled cell yield, increased specific productivity of D-lactate and glycolytic flux by 50%, and tripled volumetric productivity (from 8.6 to 25.7 mmol l(-1) h(-1); 0.8 to 2.3 g l(-1) h(-1)). Glycolytic flux and specific productivity in mineral salts medium with betaine exceeded that in Luria broth, substantially eliminating the need for complex nutrients during D-lactate production. In mineral salts medium supplemented with betaine, SZ132 produced approximately 1 mol D-lactate (90 g) per 100 g sugar (glucose or sucrose).

Fermentation of 10% (w/v) sugar to D: (-)-lactate by engineered Escherichia coli B

Derivatives of ethanologenic Escherichia coli K011 were constructed for D: (-)-lactate production by deleting genes encoding competing pathways followed by metabolic evolution, a growth-based selection for mutants with improved performance. Resulting strains, SZ132 and SZ186, contain native genes for sucrose utilization. No foreign genes are present in SZ186. Strain SZ132 also contains a chromosomally integrated endoglucanase gene (Erwinia chrysanthemi celY). Strain SZ132 produced over 1 mol lactate per liter of complex medium containing 10% (w/v) sugar (fermentation times of 48 h for glucose, 120 h for sucrose). Both strains produced 667-700 mmol lactate per liter of mineral salts medium. Yields for metabolized sugar ranged from 88% to 95% in both media.

Detection of aristolochic acid I, tetrandrine and fangchinoline in medicinal plants by high performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

Problems with identification and labeling of medicinal plants, as well as substitution/adulteration of non-toxic plants by toxic ones have previously led to cancer, renal failure and even deaths. The non-toxic Stephania tetrandra (Fangji) has been known to be substituted by Aristolochia fangchi (Guang fangji), which contains the nephrotoxic and carcinogenic aristolochic acid (AA). In this study, 10 samples of "Fangji" were bought from local medicinal shops. HPLC-DAD chromatographic fingerprints of each methanol extract were compared with those of A. fangchi and S. tetrandra, using aristolochic acid I (AAI), tetrandrine and fangchinoline as marker compounds. Nine of the samples were found to be similar to A. fangchi. The presence of AAI in the nine samples was confirmed using LC-MS/MS. Neither tetrandrine nor fangchinoline were detected in these samples. The methods developed in this study allow the simultaneous detection of AAI, fangchinoline and tetrandrine. The results suggest possible substitution of S. tetrandra by A. fangchi at wholesale or retail level. This study highlights the importance of greater control of medicinal plants with toxic components as these may still be readily accessible to the public.

Single electrons from heavy-flavor decays in collisions at

The invariant differential cross section for inclusive electron production in p+p collisions at [FORMULA: SEE TEXT] has been measured by the PHENIX experiment at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider over the transverse momentum range 0.4<or=pT<OR=5.0 GeV/c in the central rapidity region ([FORMULA: SEE TEXT]). The contribution to the inclusive electron spectrum from semileptonic decays of hadrons carrying heavy flavor, i.e., charm quarks or, at high , bottom quarks, is determined via three independent methods. The resulting electron spectrum from heavy-flavor decays is compared to recent leading and next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations. The total cross section of charm quark-antiquark pair production is determined to be [FORMULA: SEE TEXT].

A comparison study of cerebral protection using Ginkgo biloba extract and Losartan on stroked rats

It has been well documented that oxidative stress is involved in stroke. Currently, many neuroprotective strategies have been targeted at molecules that are able to act as an oxidant to intervene with free-radical mediated apoptosis in the ischemic penumbra. In particular, natural products which contain antioxidant properties have undoubtedly efficacious for stroke treatment. In the current study, therapeutic effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb) against cerebral protection in Wistar rats underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was evaluated. A comparison study was conducted by using Losartan, an antihypertensive drug. Gene expression levels of pro-apoptotic genes (AT2 receptor, Fas, Bax and Bcl-xS) have shown to have significant reduction by EGb- and Losartan-treated groups as compared to vehicle group. Significant reduction of immunoreactivity of protein production of these genes, together with least nuclear green fluorescence observed in TUNEL, EGb, as an antioxidant drug, is concluded to have potent and promising therapeutic effect for stroke treatment.