Measurement of the branching fractions of B-->D**(l) nu(l) decays in events tagged by a fully reconstructed B meson

We report a measurement of the branching fractions of B-->D**(l) nu(l), decays based on 417 fb(-1) of data collected at the Y(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e+e- storage rings. Events are selected by full reconstructing one of the B mesons in a hadronic decay mode. A fit to the invariant mass differences m(D(*) pi)- m(D(*)) is performed to extract the signal yields of the different D** states. We observe the B-->D**l(-1)nu(l) decay modes corresponding to the four D states predicted by heavy quark symmetry with a significance greater than 5 standard deviations including systematic uncertainties.

Self-assembling peptide nanofiber as potential substrates in islet transplantation

Hypoxia and reoxygenation (H/R)-induced damage often happens soon after islets are transplantation. The process of islet isolation and purification causes the rapid onset of hypoxia. We sought to develop a functional scaffold to sustain the structure and function of islets as well as to recover some of the surface molecules damaged during isolation, seeking to improve islet transplantation outcomes. Self-assembling peptide nanofiber (SAPNF), a new type of substrate has been shown to be an excellent biological material for neuronal cell culture and tissue engineering in animals. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of SAPNF on damage to rat islets. Freshly prepared rat islets from male Sprague-Dawley rats were seeded in plates coated with (SAPNF-treated group) or without (control group) SAPNF. The islets were then divided into two groups culture under normoxia for 7 days versus exposure to hypoxia (< 1% O2) for 6 hours followed by reoxygenation for 24 hours. The results showed that SAPNF exhibited improving effects on viability and function of cultured islets, protecting the one from H/R-induced damage. In both groups, the stimulation index of SAPNF-treated groups were about two times the controls. SAPNF treatment decreased apoptotic rates of islet cells. These results suggested the usefulness of SAPNF to maintain the viability and function of rat pancreatic islets. SAPNF may be a potential scaffold for clinical islet transplantation.

Cloning, sequencing, and analysis of the full-length CDNA of rhesus monkey factor IX

OBJECTIVE

Coagulation factor IX (FIX) is a vitamin K-dependent serine protease, which plays a key role in the coagulation cascade. The rhesus monkey may be an indispensable substitute for humans in research of pig-to-human xenotransplantation, due to its close relationship. But the coagulation function concordance between rhesus monkey and human is unknown. In this study, we cloned the full-length cDNA of rhesus monkey FIX (rFIX) to investigate the genomic backgrounds of the coagulation systems.

METHOD

We cloned the full-length cDNA from the cDNA library of rhesus monkey liver tissue. Polymerase chain reaction was used to screen the positive clones. Based on a partial sequence obtained by cDNA library screening and a homologous sequence from the database, we designed a second pair of primers to obtain the full sequence. For further analysis of rFIX, we used several online ExPASy Proteomic tools.

RESULT

We obtained the full-length cDNA of rFIX, which has 2668 nucleotides, predicting an open reading frame of 1383 nucleotides corresponding to 461 amino acids. The deduced protein sequence indicated functional domains of signal peptide, Gla, two epidermal growth factor, and trypsin-like serine protease, which were consisted with those of human FIX (hFIX). Sequence alignments showed that rFIX is highly homologous to hFIX with nucleotide identity of 96% and amino acid identity of 97%.

CONCLUSION

We have report herein the full-length cDNA of rFIX. The high homology between rhesus monkey and human coagulation factor ensure the reliability and feasibility of rhesus monkey as a recipient in studies on coagulation disorders in xenotransplantation.

Expression of 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 and type 5 in breast cancer and adjacent non-malignant tissue: a correlation to clinicopathological parameters

Estrogens play an important role in the development and progression of breast cancer. 17beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD) type 2 and type 5 are involved in sex steroid metabolism. 17beta-HSD type 2 converts estradiol to estrone while 17beta-HSD type 5 converts androstenedione to testosterone. Using immunocytochemistry, we have studied the expression of 17beta-HSD type 2 and type 5 in 50 specimens of breast carcinoma and adjacent non-malignant tissues. The results were correlated with the estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and beta (ERbeta), progesterone receptor A (PRA) and B (PRB), androgen receptor and CDC47 and with the tumor stage, tumor size, nodal status and menopausal status. 17beta-HSD type 2 was expressed in 20% and 17beta-HSD type 5 in 56% of breast cancer specimens. In adjacent normal tissues, both enzymes were highly expressed in almost all the patients. No significant association could be found between the expression of 17beta-HSD type 2 and 17beta-HSD type 5 and between the expression of each enzyme and the clinicopathological parameters studied. The decrease in 17beta-HSD type 2 and 17beta-HSD type 5 expressions in breast cancer may play a predominant role in the development and/or progression of the cancer by modifying the intratumoral levels of estrogens and androgens.

End-of-life care: nurses' experiences in caring for dying patients with profound learning disabilities--a descriptive case study

This qualitative study identifies areas of expertise and deficits in the specific knowledge and practical skills of nurses in the care of dying patients with profound learning disabilities in one NHS Primary Care Trust in the UK. In response to these findings, we have developed a simple observational checklist applicable to profound learning disability nursing to identify disease-related personality and physiological changes. The method consists of a descriptive case study of five nurses qualified in learning disabilities nursing, using semi-structured interviews. The disease trajectory was used as a framework of reference to guide the data analysis. Themes showed were 'certainty of knowing' about disease-related changes in patients' habits and behaviour and 'uncertainty and ambiguity' in the patho-physiology of advanced diseases and disease progression. This study interprets a lack of patho-physiological knowledge in both malignant and non-malignant diseases leading to delayed diagnosis and timely intervention. Timeliness of observation and intervention are emphasised.

Renoprotective effect of rosiglitazone through the suppression of renal intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effect of rosiglitazone on serum intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (SICAM-1) level, urinary excretion of ICAM-1, and renal expression of ICAM-1, and investigate its possible renoprotective mechanisms in diabetic rats.

METHOD

Twenty-four Wistar Rats were divided into 3 groups: non-diabetic control rats (group A, no.=8), streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (group B, no.=8), and diabetic rats treated with rosiglitazone (group C, no.=8). Rats in group C were treated with rosiglitazone (5 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) 1 week after the establishment of diabetic model, group A and B were treated with corresponding sodium chloride. Peripheral blood glucose was tested weekly. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and SICAM-1 as well as urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), urinary retinol binding-protein (URBP) excretion rate, and urinary ICAM-1 (UICAM- 1) excretion rate were tested at the 8th week, and the renal tissues of all rats were obtained for evaluating kidney/body weight ratio, observing pathologic change via electron microscope, and for examining the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA by reverse transcriptase-PCR.

RESULTS

At the 8th week, the blood glucose, HbA1c levels, UAER, URBP excretion rate, kidney/body weight ratio and serum, urinary ICAM-1 levels all increased significantly in group B and group C in comparison with group A; however, the above-mentioned parameters in group C (except the blood glucose and HbA1c levels) were much lower than those in group B. In addition, both SICAM-1 and UICAM-1 were highly correlated with the UAER, URBP level, and kidney/body weight ratio in all rats; renal pathological lesions observed by electron microscope in group C were much lighter than those of group B; compared with group A, the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA was markedly up-regulated in group B and group C, and rosiglitazone was able to decrease the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in the renal tissue.

CONCLUSION

Rosiglitazone could definitely protect against the renal injury of diabetic rats, which may be partly associated with decreasing the expression of ICAM-1 in the renal tissue, reducing ICAM-1 productions in both serum and urine.

Transrepression and transactivation potencies of inhaled glucocorticoids

The anti-inflammatory activity of inhaled glucocorticoids is primarily mediated through transrepression of pro-inflammatory transcription factors such as AP-1 and NF-kappaB, while systemic side effects are largely attributed to transactivation via glucocorticoid response elements (GRE) in the promoter region of responsive genes. The objective of this study is to investigate whether inhaled corticosteroids exhibit differences in their transactivation and transrepression potencies. A549 human alveolar epithelial type II like cells, stably transfected with a reporter plasmid containing an AP-1, NF-kappaB or GRE induced secreted alkaline phosphatase reporter gene (SEAP), were exposed to a panel of concentrations of the six inhaled and three systemic glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoid-induced changes in SEAP expression were quantified by chemiluminescence. For eight glucocorticoids (budesonide, desisobutyryl-cicle-sonide, dexamethasone, flunisolide, fluocortolone, fluticasone propionate, mometasone furoate, prednisolone) the EC50 for NF-kappaB mediated transrepression was significantly larger than that for both transactivation and transrepression via AP-1. For the remaining glucocorticoid (triamcinolone acetonide), it was greater than that for transactivation. It is concluded that, within the studied cell system, inhaled corticosteroids did not exhibit preferential transrepression, but had higher potencies for transactivation than for transrepression via NF-kappaB and had differential potencies for the two transrepression pathways.

Searches for B meson decays to phiphi, phirho, phif_{0}(980), and f_{0}(980)f_{0}(980) final states

We present the results of searches for B decays to charmless final states involving varphi, f_{0}(980), and charged or neutral rho mesons. The data sample corresponds to 384x10;{6} BB[over ] pairs collected with the BABAR detector operating at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e;{+}e;{-} collider at SLAC. We find no significant signals and determine the following 90% confidence level upper limits on the branching fractions, including systematic uncertainties: B(B;{0}-->varphivarphi)<2.0x10;{-7}, B(B;{+}-->varphirho;{+})<30x10;{-7}, B(B;{0}-->varphirho;{0})<3.3x10;{-7}, B[B;{0}-->varphif_{0}(980)]xB[f_{0}(980)-->pi;{+}pi;{-}]<3.8x10;{-7}, and B[B;{0}-->f_{0}(980)f_{0}(980)]xB[f_{0}(980)-->pi;{+}pi;{-}]xB[f_{0}(980)-->K;{+}K;{-}]<2.3x10;{-7}.

Effects of tetrandrine on ischemia/reperfusion injury in mouse liver

OBJECTIVE

Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) may cause acute inflammatory damage, producing significant organ dysfunction, an important problem for liver transplantation. Previous studies have demonstrated that Tetrandrine (Tet), a component of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, shows protective effects to scavenge active oxygen radicals and inhibit lipid peroxidation. In this study, we examined whether Tet has a protective effect on mouse hepatic IRI.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into sham, ischemic, and Tet-treated groups; 90 minutes of warm ischemia was performed on the left liver lobe. Tet (20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally at 1 hour before ischemia with a second intravenous dose was injected just before reperfusion. Blood and liver samples were collected at 6 hours after reperfusion. We analyzed the hepatocellular injury, oxidative stress, neutrophil recruitment, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) generation associated with hepatic IRI.

RESULTS

Undergoing 90 minutes of ischemia and 6 hours reperfusion caused dramatic injuries in mouse livers. Administration of Tet (20 mg/kg) reduced serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH); decreased liver edema, TNF-alpha, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents; and ameliorated the down-regulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity.

CONCLUSION

Tet showed protective effects on mouse hepatic IRI.

A systematic review of school-based intervention studies for the prevention or reduction of excess weight among Chinese children and adolescents

The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic review of intervention studies in China aimed at the prevention or control of excess weight gain among children and adolescents. Two Chinese databases (The China Full Text Database and Wanfang Database) and two English databases (Medline and Meditext) were searched with keywords for intervention studies published between 1990 and 2006. Data were extracted on aspects of study quality, methodology and effectiveness of interventions. Quality assessment was conducted using a previously established assessment tool. Twenty-two studies were included, of which 17 were conducted among overweight and/or obese children and/or adolescents. Interventions strategies varied across studies but the majority focused on improving the level of knowledge, physical activity levels and/or diet of overweight children and adolescents. Most studies reported a beneficial effect of the intervention with one or more of the study outcomes, but all of the studies had serious, or moderate, methodological weaknesses. None of the trials identified by this systematic review demonstrated convincing evidence of the efficacy of any single intervention for the prevention of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents from Mainland China. Future intervention trials should address the methodological weaknesses identified in this review.

Magnetic resonance imaging of primary cerebral gliosarcoma: a report of 15 cases

BACKGROUND

Gliosarcomas are rare tumors with mixed glial and mesenchymal components. Many of their radiologic features resemble those of other primary brain malignancies.

PURPOSE

To investigate the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features of gliosarcomas.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the MR images, pathology reports, and clinical information of 11 male and four female patients aged 15-71 years to evaluate the location, morphology, enhancement, and other features of their pathologically confirmed gliosarcomas.

RESULTS

Apart from one tumor in the right cerebellar hemisphere, all were supratentorial. Two tumors were intraventricular, and four involved the corpus callosum. The tumors were well demarcated, with an inhomogeneous or cystic appearance and moderate-to-extensive surrounding edema. Thick walls with strong rim and ring-like enhancement were observed in 13 (87%). Seven (47%) showed intratumoral paliform enhancement.

CONCLUSION

Gliosarcoma demonstrates certain characteristic MR features, such as supratentorial and peripheral location, well-demarcated, abutting a dural surface, uneven and thick-walled rim-like or ring enhancement, as well as intratumoral strip enhancement. These findings, combined with patient age, can aid the differential diagnosis of gliosarcomas from more common primary brain tumors.

Impact of postures on blood pressure in healthy subjects

BACKGROUND

Controversies exist on the nature of influence of body position on the level of blood pressure. This study was designed to investigate the impact of postures on blood pressures in healthy subjects.

METHODS

Blood pressure was measured in 6,485 healthy subjects in both supine and sitting positions, using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer.

RESULTS

The average systolic and diastolic blood pressure in all age groups in the supine position was higher than in the sitting position (P < 0.001). There was a reduced systolic pressure increment but enhanced diastolic pressure increment with aging (P < 0.05). The levels of sitting blood pressure were inversely correlated to the pressure increments in supine positions (P < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that age is an independent factor for the systolic pressure increment in the supine position (P < 0.001), whereas sex, age, body height and body mass index are independent predictors for the increment in diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In healthy subjects, blood pressure in the supine position is higher than in the sitting position and age plays an important part in this posture-related pressure increment.

A novel member of the Rhomboid family, RHBDD1, regulates BIK-mediated apoptosis

Rhomboid family members are widely conserved and found in all three kingdoms of life. They are serine proteases and serve important regulatory functions. In the present study, a novel gene highly expressed in the testis, RHBDD1, is shown to be a new member of the Rhomboid family, participating in the cleavage of BIK, a proapoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family. The RHBDD1-involved proteolytic modification is upstream of the BIK protein degradation pathway. Mutagenesis studies show that the amino acid residues glycine142 and serine144 of RHBDD1 are crucial for its activity in cleaving BIK at a site located in the transmembrane region. Overexpression or knock-down of RHBDD1 in HEK 293T cells can reduce or enhance BIK-mediated apoptosis, respectively. The present findings suggest that, by acting as a serine protease, RHBDD1 modulates BIK-mediated apoptotic activity.

The adenovirus E4orf4 protein induces growth arrest and mitotic catastrophe in H1299 human lung carcinoma cells

The human adenovirus E4orf4 protein, when expressed alone, induces p53-independent death in a wide range of cancer cells. Earlier studies by our groups suggested that although in some cases cell death can be associated with some hallmarks of apoptosis, it is not always affected by caspase inhibitors. Thus it is unlikely that E4orf4-induced cell death occurs uniquely through apoptosis. In the present studies using H1299 human lung carcinoma cells as a model system we found that death is induced in the absence of activation of any of the caspases tested, accumulation of reactive oxygen species, or release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. E4orf4 caused a substantial change in cell morphology, including vigorous membrane blebbing, multiple nuclei in many cells and increased cell volume. Most of these characteristics are not typical of apoptosis, but they are of necrosis. FACS analysis and western blotting for cell cycle markers showed that E4orf4-expressing cells became arrested in G(2)/M and also accumulated high levels of cyclin E. The presence of significant numbers of tetraploid and polyploid cells and some cells with micronuclei suggested that E4orf4 appears to induce death in these cells through a process resulting from mitotic catastrophe.

Measurement of the CP asymmetry in b-->sgamma using a sum of exclusive final states

We perform a measurement of the CP asymmetry in b-->sgamma decays using a sample of 383 x 10(6) B[over] B events collected by the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric B factory. We reconstruct 16 flavor-specific B decay modes containing a high-energy photon and a hadronic system X_(s) containing an s quark. We measure the CP asymmetry to be -0.011+/-0.030(stat)+/-0.014(syst) for a hadronic system mass between 0.6 and 2.8 GeV/c(2).

Observation and polarization measurements of B+/- -->phiK1 +/- and B +/- -->phiK2 *+/-

With the full BABAR data sample of 465 x 10(6) B(over)B pairs, we observe the decays B+/- -->phiK_(1)(1270) +/- and B +/- -->phiK*_(2)(1430)+/-. We measure the branching fractions (6.1+/-1.6+/-1.1) x 10(-6) and (8.4+/-1.8+/-1.0) x 10(-6) and the fractions of longitudinal polarization 0.46 (+0.12+0.06) _(-0.13-0.07) and 0.80(+0.09)_(-0.10)+/-0.03, respectively. We also report on the B+/- -->phiK*_(0)(1430)+/- decay branching fraction of (7.0+/-1.3+/-0.9) x 10(-6) and several parameters sensitive to CP violation and interference in the above three decays. Upper limits are placed on the B+/- decay rates to final states with phi and K_1(1400)+/-, K*(1410)+/-, K2(1770)+/-, or K_2(1820)+/-. Understanding the observed polarization pattern requires amplitude contributions from an uncertain source.

Increased ROS generation and SOD activity in heteroplasmic tissues of transmitochondrial mice with A3243G mitochondrial DNA mutation

The mitochondrial A3243G tRNALeu(UUR) mutation associated with a variety of mitochondrial disorders results in a severe respiratory deficiency, an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and activities of anti-oxidative enzyme in vitro. However, the phenotypic implications of this mutation have not been described in vivo. Here, mitochondria carrying A3243G transition from the peripheral blood of diabetes mellitus patients were microinjected into zygotes. Influence of this mutation on mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activities, ROS generation, and anti-oxidative enzyme activities in the heteroplasmic tissues of transmitochondrial mice was evaluated. The chimeric mice exhibited a subtle impaired oxidative phosphorylation, reduced activity of complex I/IV, increased activity of superoxide dismutase, and in turn, enhanced ROS generation. Our results suggest that mitochondrial A3243G mutation may be responsible for the high ROS production in vivo. Increased generation of ROS caused by mtDNA mutation may also play a role in the pathogenesis of the A3243G mutation-associated diseases.

Screening and isolation of an organic solvent-tolerant bacterium for high-yield production of organic solvent-stable protease

Forty-three strains were screened from crude oil-contaminated samples by toluene and cyclohexane enrichment in medium. Ten of these strains demonstrated high protease activity on skim-milk agar. Among them, the PT121 isolate, identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was selected based on its extracellular protease stability in the presence of hydrophilic organic solvents. The crude protease also retained most of its activity up to at least 14 days in the presence of various organic solvents at 50% concentration, and the protease activity in production medium was 10,876U/ml after 72h incubation. This protease showed high activity as a catalyst for aspartame precursor Cbz-Asp-Phe-NH2 synthesis in the presence of 50% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

Intravenous injection of siRNA directed against hypoxia-inducible factors prolongs survival in a Lewis lung carcinoma cancer model

Different routes for the in vivo administration of synthetic siRNA complexes targeting lung tumors were compared, and siRNA complexes were administered for the inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha). Intravenous jugular vein injection of siRNA proved to be the most effective means of targeting lung tumor tissue in the Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC1) model. In comparison, intraperitoneal injection of siRNA was not suitable for targeting of lung tumor and intratracheal administration of siRNA exclusively targeted macrophages. Inhibition of HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha by siRNA injected intravenously was validated by immunohistofluorescent analysis for glucose-transporter-1 (GLUT-1), a well-established HIF target protein. The GLUT-1 signal was strongly attenuated in the lung tumors of mice treated with siRNA-targeting HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha, compared with mice treated with control siRNA. Interestingly, injection of siRNA directed against HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha into LLC1 lung tumor-bearing mice resulted in prolonged survival. Immunohistological analysis of the lung tumors from mice treated with siRNA directed against HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha displayed reduced proliferation, angiogenesis and apoptosis, cellular responses, which are known to be affected by HIF. In conclusion, intravenous jugular vein injection of siRNA strongly targets the lung tumor and is effective in gene inhibition as demonstrated for HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha.