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Wang CL, Li DF, Lu WQ, Wang YH, Lai CH. Influence of cultivating conditions on the alpha-galactosidase biosynthesis from a novel strain of Penicillium sp. in solid-state fermentation. Lett Appl Microbiol 2004; 39:369-75. [PMID: 15355541 DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-765x.2004.01594.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The work is intended to achieve optimum culture conditions of alpha-galactosidase production by a mutant strain Penicillium sp. in solid-state fermentation (SSF). METHODS AND RESULTS Certain fermentation parameters involving incubation temperature, moisture content, initial pH value, inoculum and load size of medium, and incubation time were investigated separately. The optimal temperature and moisture level for alpha-galactosidase biosynthesis was found to be 30 degrees C and 50%, respectively. The range of pH 5.5-6.5 was favourable. About 40-50 g of medium in 250-ml flask and inoculum over 1.0 x 10(6) spores were suitable for enzyme production. Seventy-five hours of incubation was enough for maximum alpha-galactosidase production. Substrate as wheat bran supplemented with soyabean meal and beet pulp markedly improved the enzyme yield in trays. CONCLUSIONS Under optimum culture conditions, the alpha-galactosidase activity from Penicillium sp. MAFIC-6 indicated 185.2 U g(-1) in tray of SSF. SIGNIFICANT AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The process on alpha-galactosidase production in laboratory scale may have a potentiality of scaling-up.
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Abstract
Myxoma is the most common benign neoplasm of the heart. This work is the first to present an unusual left atrium and mitral valve cardiac myxoma which cannot be completely resected. This cardiac myxoma was also associated with abundant mucopolysaccharidic matrix, including mucin. Mucin gene expression is cell- and tissue-specific, with variations during cell differentiation and inflammation, and is altered during carcinogenesis. The expression of mucin genes in cardiac myxoma has never been elucidated previously. Detailed immunohistochemical analysis of MUC1, MUC2 and MUC5AC has been performed in this left atrium and mitral valve myxoma. Notably, the expressions of mucins in cardiac myxoma must be further evaluated.
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153
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Kawai J, Tanabe K, Wang CL, Tani T, Yagi T, Shiotani H, Morioka S. Comparison of left atrial size by freehand scanning three-dimensional echocardiography and two-dimensional echocardiography. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2004; 5:18-24. [PMID: 15113008 DOI: 10.1016/s1525-2167(03)00050-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
AIMS As the left ventricular (LV) dimension is a poor indicator of LV volume, there are well-known limitations of left atrial (LA) antero-posterior dimensions as indicators of chamber size. LA volume has been shown to provide a more accurate assessment of LA size than LA dimension. To evaluate two-dimensional (2D)-derived LA volume in assessing LA size, we compared LA dimension and 2D LA volume with three-dimensional (3D)-derived LA volume. METHODS We performed transthoracic freehand scanning 3D echocardiography (3D EchoTech, Germany) using magnetic fields and a harmonic imaging system in 32 patients. We collected a series of LA tomograms by slowly tilting the probe (fan-like scanning) in the parasternal position. The 3D LA volume was calculated by using the multiplanar Simpson's method. The 2D LA volume was measured by using the modified biplane Simpson's rule. RESULTS LA antero-posterior dimensions and 2D volumes showed a significant positive correlation with 3D LA volumes. However, the correlation coefficient was significantly greater for the relationship between 2D LA volumes and 3D LA volumes than for that between LA dimensions and 3D LA volume. CONCLUSIONS The 2D LA volumes provide a more accurate measure of the true size of the LA and are more sensitive to changes in LA size.
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Wang CL, Liu JH, Yao MY. [Recent progress in the research of immunology of Toxoplasma infection]. ZHONGGUO JI SHENG CHONG XUE YU JI SHENG CHONG BING ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY & PARASITIC DISEASES 2003; 19:121-3. [PMID: 12572006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
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155
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Zhang YZ, Zhang SC, Liu XZ, Xu YY, Wang CL, Sawant MS, Li J, Chen SL. Cryopreservation of flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) sperm with a practical methodology. Theriogenology 2003; 60:989-96. [PMID: 12935875 DOI: 10.1016/s0093-691x(03)00097-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A simple and convenient protocol for the cryopreservation of the flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) sperm was established for "on the spot" cryopreservation of large quantities of semen. The use of three cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), glycerol (Gly) and methanol was tested in the method. The percentage of motile sperm present in semen after it had been frozen and thawed in the presence of DMSO, Gly or methanol was 60.5+/-3.6, 79.17+/-4.5 and 13.25+/-4.7%, respectively. The fertilization rates of this sperm were 67.06+/-15.1, 76.20+/-10.0 and 44.93+/-22.6%, while the hatching rates of eggs fertilized with this sperm were 37.40+/-8.3, 48.18+/-25.7 and 23.35+/-10.8%, respectively. It was found that Gly and DMSO were better cryoprotectants than methanol, with Gly giving the best overall results. Under scanning electron microscopy, it could be seen that while the majority of the frozen-thawed sperm remained morphologically normal, some exhibited lost or dilated mitochondria, swollen mid-pieces, broken tails, or damaged cell membrane, which probably caused the decrease in motility and fertility of the frozen-thawed sperm.
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156
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Ozanne SE, Olsen GS, Hansen LL, Tingey KJ, Nave BT, Wang CL, Hartil K, Petry CJ, Buckley AJ, Mosthaf-Seedorf L. Early growth restriction leads to down regulation of protein kinase C zeta and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. J Endocrinol 2003; 177:235-41. [PMID: 12740011 DOI: 10.1677/joe.0.1770235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have revealed a relationship between early growth restriction and the subsequent development of type 2 diabetes. A rat model of maternal protein restriction has been used to investigate the mechanistic basis of this relationship. This model causes insulin resistance and diabetes in adult male offspring. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of early growth restriction on muscle insulin action in late adult life. Rats were fed either a 20% or an isocaloric 8% protein diet during pregnancy and lactation. Offspring were weaned onto a 20% protein diet and studied at 15 Months of age. Soleus muscle from growth restricted offspring (LP) (of dams fed 8% protein diet) had similar basal glucose uptakes compared with the control group (mothers fed 20% protein diet). Insulin stimulated glucose uptake into control muscle but had no effect on LP muscle. This impaired insulin action was not related to changes in expression of either the insulin receptor or glucose transporter 4 (GLUT 4). However, LP muscle expressed significantly less (P<0.001) of the zeta isoform of protein kinase C (PKC zeta) compared with controls. This PKC isoform has been shown to be positively involved in GLUT 4-mediated glucose transport. Expression levels of other isoforms (betaI, betaII, epsilon, theta) of PKC were similar in both groups. These results suggest that maternal protein restriction leads to muscle insulin resistance. Reduced expression of PKC zeta may contribute to the mechanistic basis of this resistance.
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157
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Lin M, Wang CL, Chen FS, Ho LH. Fatal hemolytic transfusion reaction due to anti-Ku in a Knull patient. Immunohematology 2003; 19:19-21. [PMID: 15373542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
A fatal transfusion reaction due to anti-Ku in a Knull (Ko) patient is reported. The patient was transfused with 34 units of incompatible RBCs during 44 days of hospitalization. Apart from the first transfusion, all subsequent transfusions failed to raise the patient's Hb. No serum antibody was identified until he was transferred to another hospital for dialysis. A compatibility test demonstrated a weak antibody and autocontrol reacting at room temperature by a manual polybrene method. The antibody was considered to be a "cold agglutinin." A blood sample was sent to a reference laboratory where the patient was found to be Knull and the antibody was identified as anti-Ku.
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158
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Wang CL, Thomas F. Egg production by metacercariae of Microphallus papillorobustus: a reproductive insurance? J Helminthol 2002; 76:279-81. [PMID: 12363383 DOI: 10.1079/joh2002115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to determine whether metacercariae of Microphallus papillorobustus (Trematoda: Microphallidae) produce eggs by self-fertilization when their intermediate host, the gammarid Gammarus insensibilis, dies before being eaten by predatory definitive hosts. Such a mechanism would allow the parasite to reproduce even if transmission fails. The percentage of metacercariae that produced eggs and the mean number of eggs were significantly higher in metacercariae placed in a Ringer's solution compared with those in salt water or metacercariae remaining inside the dead gammarid. The lack of egg production in metacercariae removed from dead gammarids in the field supported the idea that self-fertilization is not, for this parasite, a mechanism of reproductive insurance when establishment in the definitive hosts fails.
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159
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Abstract
Smooth muscles exist in the wall of hollow organs in our body and are responsible for controlling the flow of vital fluids that are essential for the normal function of the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. Many diseases, such as hypertension, asthma, indigestion, and premature birth, may attribute to malfunction of smooth-muscle contraction. It is therefore important to decipher how smooth-muscle contraction is regulated. This review attempts to give a brief overview of current understanding about the molecular mechanisms of smooth-muscle regulation and, in particular, to discuss possible roles of caldesmon in this regulatory process.
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160
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Wang CL, Renaud F, Thomas F. Negative influence of Gammarinema gammari (Nematoda) on the fecundity of Microphallus papillorobustus (Trematoda): field and experimental evidence. J Parasitol 2002; 88:425-7. [PMID: 12054032 DOI: 10.1645/0022-3395(2002)088[0425:nioggn]2.0.co;2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The gammarid amphipod Gammarus insensibilis frequently harbors adult individuals of the ectoparasitic nematode Gammarinema gammari as well as metacercariae of the trematode Microphallus papillorobostus. After the demonstration in a previous study of a negative relationship between the abundance of these 2 parasites, the nature of the relationship between these 2 parasites was explored in more detail by studying, in the field and in the laboratory, the influence of nematode abundance on trematode fecundity. In gammarids collected in the field, a negative relationship between metacercarial fecundity and the number of co-occurring nematodes was found. By manipulating the nematode abundance in the laboratory, it was confirmed that G. gammari has a negative effect on egg production in M. papillorobustus.
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161
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Mabuchi K, Li Y, Carlos A, Wang CL, Graceffa P. Caldesmon exhibits a clustered distribution along individual chicken gizzard native thin filaments. J Muscle Res Cell Motil 2002; 22:77-90. [PMID: 11563552 DOI: 10.1023/a:1010392322503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Our earlier immuno-gold electron microscopic study indicated that the distribution of caldesmon (CaD) on actin filaments is not uniform and is restricted to the vicinity of the myosin filaments (Mabuchi K, Li Y, Tao T, Wang CLA (1996) J Muscle Res Cell Motil 17: 243). This suggested that CaD could effectively inhibit muscle contraction, if those actin filaments in the vicinity of myosin filaments were saturated with CaD. In the present study we further examined the distribution of CaD along isolated, crude and purified native thin filaments (NTF). Individual CaD molecules on purified NTF were visualized with the aid of a chemical crosslinker, 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid), which efficiently crosslinks CaD to actin (Graceffa P, Adam LP, Lehman W (1993) Biochem J294: 63), and of a monoclonal anti-CaD antibody. The results indicated that individual NTF had alternating CaD-rich and CaD-deficient regions. Moreover, we found that the N-termini of all CaD molecules in a given cluster appeared on the same side of an actin filament. Electron microscopic images of crude NTF immunoprecipitated by a polyclonal antibody clearly indicated that the spacing between the CaD clusters is wide enough for myosin heads to interact with actin subunits. Similar clustering of CaD was also observed in plastic embedded tissue sections. These observations raise the possibility that CaD is not acting as a simple on/off switch, but more likely as a modulator, of smooth muscle contraction.
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162
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Wang CL, Takenaka S, Murakami S, Aoki K. Isolation of a benzoate-utilizing Pseudomonas strain from soil and production of catechol from benzoate by transpositional mutants. Microbiol Res 2002; 156:151-8. [PMID: 11572455 DOI: 10.1078/0944-5013-00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Pseudomonas sp. Ba-0511 was isolated from soil by enrichment cultivation on a medium containing 6 mg/ml of sodium benzoate. The bacterium could grow on a medium containing 20 mg/ml of sodium benzoate by a successive enrichment culture. One hundred and twelve transpositional mutants of the bacterium produced catechol from benzoate and accumulated it outside of the cells. Among the mutants, strain BA+63 produced a maximal amount of catechol (2.3 mg/ml) from 6 mg/ml of sodium benzoate after growing for 10.5 h. The conversion rate of benzoate to catechol was 50% on a molar basis. The catechol production by the resting cells increased in the presence of glycerol, and the maximal amount of catechol produced from 6 mg/ml of sodium benzoate reached 3.3 mg/ml at the conversion rate of 72% after 5 h of incubation. The resting cells converted m-methylbenzoic acid to 3- and 4-methylcatechol and m-chlorobenzoic acid to 3- and 4-chlorocatechol.
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163
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Wang ZZ, Wang CL, Wu TC, Pan HN, Wang SK, Jiang JD. Autoantibody response to heat shock protein 70 in patients with heatstroke. Am J Med 2001; 111:654-7. [PMID: 11755509 DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9343(01)00974-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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164
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Wang CL, Clark DS, Keasling JD. Analysis of an engineered sulfate reduction pathway and cadmium precipitation on the cell surface. Biotechnol Bioeng 2001; 75:285-91. [PMID: 11590601 DOI: 10.1002/bit.10030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
We previously have genetically engineered an aerobic sulfate reduction pathway in Escherichia coli for the generation of hydrogen sulfide and demonstrated the pathway's utility in the precipitation of cadmium. To engineer the pathway, the assimilatory sulfate reduction pathway was modified so that cysteine was overproduced. Excess cysteine was then converted by cysteine desulfhydrase to an abundance of hydrogen sulfide, which then reacted with aqueous cadmium to form cadmium sulfide. In this study, observations of various E. coli clones were combined with an analysis of kinetic and transport phenomena. This analysis revealed that cysteine production is the rate-limiting step in the engineered pathway and provided an explanation for the phenomenon of cell surface precipitation. An analytical model showed that cadmium sulfide must form at the cell surface because the rate of cadmium sulfide formation is extremely fast and the rate of sulfide transport is relatively slow.
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165
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Zhang CG, Li L, Deng MY, Xie F, Wang CL, Zhou WQ, Wang HY, He FC. [Coding region cDNA sequence cloning of rat neuroglobin gene, its polymorphism feature and tissue expression profile analysis]. YI CHUAN XUE BAO = ACTA GENETICA SINICA 2001; 28:997-1001. [PMID: 11725647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
The coding region cDNA sequence of rat neuroglobin (NGB) was obtained by RT-PCR technique using a degeneracy PCR primer pair based on previously reported cDNA sequence of human and mouse NGB gene. Result demonstrated that the coding region cDNA sequence of rat NGB gene is 456 bp in length, which could encode a protein of 151 amino acids. The rat NGB gene is highly homology with mouse (96%) and human (88%) NGB gene. However, several polymorphism sites were also detected in the rat NGB coding region: 113 t/c [L38P], 133 a/g [N45D], 388 a/g[R130G], 417 t/c. The cDNA sequence of rat NGB gene has been registered in GenBank under the accession number AF333245. Moreover, highly expression level of rat NGB in brain, liver, kidney, heart and skeletal muscle was detected by using multiple tissue RT-PCR technique, indicating the functional importance of this novel gene.
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166
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Shau YW, Wang CL, Hsieh FJ, Hsiao TY. Noninvasive assessment of vocal fold mucosal wave velocity using color doppler imaging. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2001; 27:1451-1460. [PMID: 11750743 DOI: 10.1016/s0301-5629(01)00453-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The vibratory movement of the vocal folds (VF) plays an important role in normal function of phonation. We developed a noninvasive technique to quantify the human mucosal wave velocity (MWV) in vivo using color Doppler imaging (CDI). During phonation, the motion of mucosa-air interface generates a unique pattern of US color artefacts that assist the identification of true VF location. An in vitro study using a vibrating string phantom was conducted to investigate how the CDI displayed a vibrating soft tissue at high frequency. The vibrating amplitude, frequency, mass density and the acoustic impedance of the soft tissues were found to dominate the formation of color artefacts. Based on the model of finite string with fixed ends, we estimated the mean MWV for 10 adult volunteers (6 men, 4 women, ages 34 +/- 5 years) with normal VF function. The mean MWVs for the men were found to vary from 2.1 to 10 m/s in a frequency range of 85 to 310 Hz at their comfortable pitch and intensity, and the women typically had higher MWVs that varied from 5.0 to 16.5 m/s in a frequency range of 180 to 480 Hz. The MWV increased linearly with the frequency and there was no observable difference in mucosa stiffness due to the effect of gender. The variation in MWV as it propagates vertically can be seen from the color and shape of the artefacts. The VF polyp resulted in abnormal MWV and different CDI vibratory artefacts. The CDI artefacts provide insight on the dynamics of mucosa structure during phonation, and the method presented is promising for noninvasive monitoring of laryngeal functions clinically.
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167
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Wang CL, Hsu LA, Ko YS, Ko YL, Lee YH. Lack of association between the Glu298Asp variant of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene and the risk of coronary artery disease among Taiwanese. J Formos Med Assoc 2001; 100:736-40. [PMID: 11802531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays a key role in atherosclerosis, because its product, nitric oxide, possesses antiatherogenic properties. Recent reports of molecular genetic analysis have suggested that genetic polymorphisms of the eNOS gene may be associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) or myocardial infarction (MI). However, some studies have reported discrepant results. The aims of this study were to assess whether any association exists between the Glu298Asp variant of the eNOS gene and the risk of CAD and/or MI among Taiwanese. METHODS The subjects included 218 CAD patients and the same number of age- and sex-matched control subjects from Taiwan. Subjects' DNA was extracted from their blood and genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction mapping using the restriction enzyme MboI. The alleleic and genotypic frequencies were analyzed. RESULTS The frequencies of the eNOS genotypes were similar for CAD patients (GG:GT:TT = 81.7%:17.4%:0.9%) and controls (81.2%:17.4%:1.4%; p = 0.904). No evidence of difference was found in the frequency of the T allele between CAD patients (9.6%) and controls (10.1%; p = 0.822), or between MI patients (7.5%) and controls (p = 0.322). Subjects with the GT or TT genotype did not demonstrate an increased risk of CAD compared with those with a GG genotype (p = 0.89; OR = 0.98; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.76-1.27) in multivariate logistic regression, or when different subgroups of age, sex, or risk factors were analyzed. CONCLUSIONS In the present case-control study, we found no evidence of an association between the Glu298Asp variant of the eNOS gene and CAD/MI among Taiwanese.
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168
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Wang CL, Takenaka S, Murakami S, Aoki K. Production of catechol from benzoate by the wild strain Ralstonia species Ba-0323 and characterization of its catechol 1,2-dioxygenase. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2001; 65:1957-64. [PMID: 11676005 DOI: 10.1271/bbb.65.1957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Ralstonia sp. Ba-0323, a wild strain isolated from soil, produced catechol from benzoate and accumulated it outside the cells. The bacterium produced a maximal amount of catechol (1.6 mg/ml) from 3 mg/ml of sodium benzoate in a 20-h growing culture. The conversion rate of benzoate to catechol was 70% on a molar basis. The catechol production by the resting cells increased in the presence of glycerol, and the maximal amount of catechol produced from 3 mg/ml of sodium benzoate reached 1.9 mg/ml at the conversion rate of 83% after 8 h of incubation. Catechol 1,2-dioxygenase, which catalyzed the ring cleavage of catechol, was purified to homogeneity from a cell extract of Ralstonia sp. Ba-0323 growing on benzoate and characterized. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was much lower than those of the dioxygenases from other microorganisms reported. The Km for catechol of the purified enzyme was much higher than those of other dioxygenases. In addition, the NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme was less similar to the other catechol 1,2-dioxygenases than they are to each other.
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169
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Loizou CL, Ozanne SE, Martensz ND, Petry CJ, Wang CL, Hales CN. Early growth restriction, membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition, and insulin sensitivity. Metabolism 2001; 50:1070-7. [PMID: 11555841 DOI: 10.1053/meta.2001.25602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
An animal model of protein restriction during pregnancy and lactation with subsequent dietary fatty acid manipulation was used to investigate the association between poor early growth, defective unsaturated fatty acid handling, and later disease. Both control and early growth-restricted animals fed a diet rich in saturated fatty acids showed a doubling of the plasma insulin levels as well as a reduced degree of unsaturation in liver and skeletal muscle membrane phospholipids compared with animals fed diets rich in unsaturated fatty acids. The skeletal muscle of early growth-restricted animals weaned onto a saturated fat diet had reduced proportions of 22:6n-3 and increased proportions of 18:1n-9. This reduction in 22:6n-3 is similar to that observed in Pima Indians, a population with a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes.
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170
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Sohn UD, Cao W, Tang DC, Stull JT, Haeberle JR, Wang CL, Harnett KM, Behar J, Biancani P. Myosin light chain kinase- and PKC-dependent contraction of LES and esophageal smooth muscle. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2001; 281:G467-78. [PMID: 11447027 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.2001.281.2.g467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
In smooth muscle cells enzymatically isolated from circular muscle of the esophagus (ESO) and lower esophageal sphincter (LES), ACh-induced contraction and myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation were similar. Contraction and phosphorylation induced by purified MLC kinase (MLCK) were significantly greater in LES than ESO. ACh-induced contraction and MLC phosphorylation were inhibited by calmodulin and MLCK inhibitors in LES and by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors in ESO. Contraction of LES and ESO induced by the PKC agonist 1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (DG) was unaffected by MLCK inhibitors. Caldesmon and calponin concentration-dependently inhibited ACh-induced contraction of ESO and not LES. In ESO, caldesmon antagonist GS17C reversed caldesmon- but not calponin-induced ACh inhibition. GS17C caused contraction of permeabilized ESO but had much less effect on LES. GS17C-induced contraction was not affected by MLCK inhibitors, suggesting that MLCK may not regulate caldesmon-mediated contraction. DG-induced contraction of ESO and LES was inhibited by caldesmon and calponinin, suggesting that these proteins may regulate PKC-dependent contraction. We conclude that calmodulin and MLCK play a role in ACh-induced LES contraction, whereas the classical MLCK may not be the major kinase responsible for contraction and phosphorylation of MLC in ESO. ESO contraction is PKC dependent. Caldesmon and/or calponin may play a role in PKC-dependent contraction.
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171
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Wang CL, Lum AM, Ozuna SC, Clark DS, Keasling JD. Aerobic sulfide production and cadmium precipitation by Escherichia coli expressing the Treponema denticola cysteine desulfhydrase gene. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2001; 56:425-30. [PMID: 11549014 DOI: 10.1007/s002530100660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The cysteine desulfhydrase gene of Treponema denticola was over-expressed in Escherichia coli to produce sulfide under aerobic conditions and to precipitate metal sulfide complexes on the cell wall. When grown in a defined salts medium supplemented with cadmium and cysteine, E. coli producing cysteine desulfhydrase secreted sulfide and removed nearly all of the cadmium from solution after 48 h. A control strain produced significantly less sulfide and removed significantly less cadmium. Measurement of acid-labile sulfide and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated that cadmium was precipitated as cadmium sulfide. Without supplemental cysteine, both the E. coli producing cysteine desulfhydrase and the control E. coli demonstrated minimal cadmium removal.
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172
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Hsiao TY, Wang CL, Chen CN, Hsieh FJ, Shau YW. Noninvasive assessment of laryngeal phonation function using color Doppler ultrasound imaging. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2001; 27:1035-1040. [PMID: 11527589 DOI: 10.1016/s0301-5629(01)00399-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Color Doppler imaging (CDI) was used to identify the morphology of vocal folds (VF) and to quantify the tissue horizontal displacement velocity (HDV) in the vibrating portion of VF. Mucosal HDV that gives an estimate of the stiffness of the VF cover is very important clinically. The VF and its cover were shown to be very hypoechoic and not adequately visible in B-scan image. However, in this study, we found that the structure of the true VF, especially the mucosa and the superficial layer of the lamina propria, the so-called "cover," can be easily identified and evaluated using CDI. The mean VF displacement velocity was measured by decoding the pseudocolor codes of the ultrasound (US) image at the vibrating sites. The mucosal mean HDV obtained from 10 normal men of age 34 +/- 8 years phonating at their most comfortable pitch and intensity (98 +/- 12 Hz, 55-65 dB) was about 68 +/- 10 cm/s, which agreed reasonably with the literature. Therefore, the CDI could be used as a potential tool for assessing the phonation function in the larynx nonintrusively.
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Wong KT, Wang ZJ, Chien YY, Wang CL. Synthesis and properties of 9,9-diarylfluorene-based triaryldiamines. Org Lett 2001; 3:2285-8. [PMID: 11463297 DOI: 10.1021/ol016051y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
[reaction: see text] 9,9-Diaryl-2,7-dibromofluorene was synthesized by a triflic acid promoted Friedel-Crafts reaction. Introduction of diarylamino groups at its C2 and C7 positions by a Pd-catalyzed amination results in the formation of a novel class of triaryldiamines. The 9,9-diaryl substituents at the central linkage play a less important role in the photophyscial properties but affect the oxidation potential and improve the morphological stability of these new triarylamines.
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Hou CH, Wang CL, Lin CC. Ultrasound examination of patellar tendon after harvest for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. J Formos Med Assoc 2001; 100:315-8. [PMID: 11432310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Reconstruction of ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) using the middle-third of the patellar tendon has become an established procedure. However, current studies of donor site morbidity have reported discrepant results. This study used ultrasound imaging to evaluate morphologic changes in the patellar tendon after harvest for ACL reconstruction. METHODS Twenty-nine patients who had undergone successful ACL reconstruction with patellar tendon graft more than 1 year previously were enrolled in the study. Ultrasound imaging was used to compare the width, thickness, and tissue reaction of patellar tendons between the operated and contralateral sides. RESULTS The operated side was 4.8% wider on average than the contralateral side (p < 0.05). The operated side was also 58.3% thicker on average (p < 0.0001), with irregular margins and heterogenous echogenecity. CONCLUSION The donor site of the patellar tendon was significantly wider and thicker and was heterogenous when examined on sonogram more than 1 year postoperatively.
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Abstract
The CYP11A1 gene encodes cytochrome P450scc, the enzyme catalyzing the first step of steroid biosynthesis in the adrenal and gonad. We generated transgenic mice containing 2.3 kb of the 5'-flanking region of CYP11A1 driving LacZ reporter gene expression, in order to study hormonal control of CYP11A1 gene expression in different tissues. This 2.3 kb fragment contains information for hormonal control; by ACTH and hCG which increased reporter gene expression, in the adrenal and testis of transgenic mice respectively, while dexamethasone administration decreased reporter activity in the adrenal. The 5'-fragment of CYP11A1 has appreciable promoter activities in mouse adrenal Y1 cells but not in non-steroidogenic COS-1 cells, showing cell-type specificity. Transcription factor SF-1 activates the 2.3 kb promoter, which can be potentiated by cotransfection with c-Jun in steroidogenic JEG3 cells but not in COS-1 cells. We conclude that the 2.3 kb region of CYP11A1 contains elements controlling hormonal-dependent, cell-type-specific expression. In addition, c-Jun and SF-1 could act synergistically to activate CYP11A1 gene expression.
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