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Sample records for higher vasp expression

  1. Vimentin expression influences flow dependent VASP phosphorylation and regulates cell migration and proliferation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lund, Natalie; Henrion, Daniel; Tiede, Petra; Ziche, Marina; Schunkert, Heribert; Ito, Wulf D.

    2010-01-01

    The cytoskeleton plays a central role for the integration of biochemical and biomechanical signals across the cell required for complex cellular functions. Recent studies indicate that the intermediate filament vimentin is necessary for endothelial cell morphogenesis e.g. in the context of leukocyte transmigration. Here, we present evidence, that the scaffold provided by vimentin is essential for VASP localization and PKG mediated VASP phosphorylation and thus controls endothelial cell migration and proliferation. Vimentin suppression using siRNA technique significantly decreased migration velocity by 50% (videomicroscopy), diminished transmigration activity by 42.5% (Boyden chamber) and reduced proliferation by 43% (BrdU-incorporation). In confocal microscopy Vimentin colocalized with VASP and PKG in endothelial cells. Vimentin suppression was accompanied with a translocation of VASP from focal contacts to the perinuclear region. VASP/Vimentin and PKG/Vimentin colocalization appeared to be essential for proper PKG mediated VASP phosphorylation because we detected a diminished expression of PKG and p Ser239 -VASP in vimentin-suppressed cells, Furthermore, the induction of VASP phosphorylation in perfused arteries was markedly decreased in vimentin knockout mice compared to wildtypes. A link is proposed between vimentin, VASP phosphorylation and actin dynamics that delivers an explanation for the important role of vimentin in controlling endothelial cell morphogenesis.

  2. Matrine inhibits the adhesion and migration of BCG823 gastric cancer cells by affecting the structure and function of the vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jing-wei; Su, Ke; Shi, Wen-tao; Wang, Ying; Hu, Peng-chao; Wang, Yang; Wei, Lei; Xiang, Jin; Yang, Fang

    2013-08-01

    Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) expression is upregulated in human cancers and correlates with more invasive advanced tumor stages. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms by which matrine, an alkaloid derived from Sophora species plants, acted on the VASP protein in human gastric cancer cells in vitro. VASP was expressed and purified. Intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy was used to study the binding of matrine to VASP. CD spectroscopy was used to examine the changes in the VASP protein secondary structure. Human gastric carcinoma cell line BGC823 was tested. Scratch wound and cell adhesion assays were used to detect the cell migration and adhesion, respectively. Real-time PCR and Western blotting assays were used to measure mRNA and protein expression of VASP. In the fluorescence assay, the dissociation constant for binding of matrine to VASP protein was 0.86 mmol/L, thus the direct binding between the two molecules was weak. However, matrine (50 μg/mL) caused obvious change in the secondary structure of VASP protein shown in CD spectrum. Treatments of BGC823 cells with matrine (50 μg/mL) significantly inhibited the cell migration and adhesion. The alkaloid changed the subcellular distribution of VASP and formation of actin stress fibers in BGC823 cells. The alkaloid caused small but statistically significant decreases in VASP protein expression and phosphorylation, but had no significant effect on VASP mRNA expression. Matrine modulates the structure, subcellular distribution, expression and phosphorylation of VASP in human gastric cancer cells, thus inhibiting the cancer cell adhesion and migration.

  3. Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein (VASP) depletion from breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells inhibits tumor spheroid invasion through downregulation of Migfilin, β-catenin and urokinase-plasminogen activator (uPA)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gkretsi, Vasiliki; Stylianou, Andreas; Stylianopoulos, Triantafyllos, E-mail: tstylian@ucy.ac.cy

    2017-03-15

    A hallmark of cancer cells is their ability to invade surrounding tissues and form metastases. Cell-extracellular matrix (ECM)-adhesion proteins are crucial in metastasis, connecting tumor ECM with actin cytoskeleton thus enabling cells to respond to mechanical cues. Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) is an actin-polymerization regulator which interacts with cell-ECM adhesion protein Migfilin, and regulates cell migration. We compared VASP expression in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer (BC) cells and found that more invasive MDA-MB-231 cells overexpress VASP. We then utilized a 3-dimensional (3D) approach to study metastasis in MDA-MB-231 cells using a system that considers mechanical forces exerted by the ECM. We prepared 3D collagen I gels of increasing concentration, imaged them by atomic force microscopy, and used them to either embed cells or tumor spheroids, in the presence or absence of VASP. We show, for the first time, that VASP silencing downregulated Migfilin, β-catenin and urokinase plasminogen activator both in 2D and 3D, suggesting a matrix-independent mechanism. Tumor spheroids lacking VASP demonstrated impaired invasion, indicating VASP’s involvement in metastasis, which was corroborated by Kaplan-Meier plotter showing high VASP expression to be associated with poor remission-free survival in lymph node-positive BC patients. Hence, VASP may be a novel BC metastasis biomarker. - Highlights: • More invasive MDA-MB-231 overexpress VASP compared to MCF-7 breast cancer cells. • We prepared 3D collagen I gels of increasing concentration and characterized them. • VASP silencing downregulated Migfilin, β-catenin and uPA both in 2D and 3D culture. • Tumor spheroids lacking VASP demonstrated impaired invasion. • Kaplan-Meier plotter shows association of high VASP expression with poor survival.

  4. ENA/VASP downregulation triggers cell death by impairing axonal maintenance in hippocampal neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco, D Lorena; Rezával, Carolina; Cáceres, Alfredo; Schinder, Alejandro F; Ceriani, M Fernanda

    2010-06-01

    Neurodegenerative diseases encompass a broad variety of motor and cognitive disorders that are accompanied by death of specific neuronal populations or brain regions. Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these complex disorders remain largely unknown. In a previous work we searched for novel Drosophila genes relevant for neurodegeneration and singled out enabled (ena), which encodes a protein involved in cytoskeleton remodeling. To extend our understanding on the mechanisms of ENA-triggered degeneration we now investigated the effect of silencing ena ortholog genes in mouse hippocampal neurons. We found that ENA/VASP downregulation led to neurite retraction and concomitant neuronal cell death through an apoptotic pathway. Remarkably, this retraction initially affected the axonal structure, showing no effect on dendrites. Reduction in ENA/VASP levels blocked the neuritogenic effect of a specific RhoA kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, thus suggesting that these proteins could participate in the Rho-signaling pathway. Altogether these observations demonstrate that ENA/VASP proteins are implicated in the establishment and maintenance of the axonal structure and that a change on their expression levels triggers neuronal degeneration. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Accelerating VASP electronic structure calculations using graphic processing units

    KAUST Repository

    Hacene, Mohamed

    2012-08-20

    We present a way to improve the performance of the electronic structure Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package (VASP) program. We show that high-performance computers equipped with graphics processing units (GPUs) as accelerators may reduce drastically the computation time when offloading these sections to the graphic chips. The procedure consists of (i) profiling the performance of the code to isolate the time-consuming parts, (ii) rewriting these so that the algorithms become better-suited for the chosen graphic accelerator, and (iii) optimizing memory traffic between the host computer and the GPU accelerator. We chose to accelerate VASP with NVIDIA GPU using CUDA. We compare the GPU and original versions of VASP by evaluating the Davidson and RMM-DIIS algorithms on chemical systems of up to 1100 atoms. In these tests, the total time is reduced by a factor between 3 and 8 when running on n (CPU core + GPU) compared to n CPU cores only, without any accuracy loss. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Accelerating VASP electronic structure calculations using graphic processing units

    KAUST Repository

    Hacene, Mohamed; Anciaux-Sedrakian, Ani; Rozanska, Xavier; Klahr, Diego; Guignon, Thomas; Fleurat-Lessard, Paul

    2012-01-01

    We present a way to improve the performance of the electronic structure Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package (VASP) program. We show that high-performance computers equipped with graphics processing units (GPUs) as accelerators may reduce drastically the computation time when offloading these sections to the graphic chips. The procedure consists of (i) profiling the performance of the code to isolate the time-consuming parts, (ii) rewriting these so that the algorithms become better-suited for the chosen graphic accelerator, and (iii) optimizing memory traffic between the host computer and the GPU accelerator. We chose to accelerate VASP with NVIDIA GPU using CUDA. We compare the GPU and original versions of VASP by evaluating the Davidson and RMM-DIIS algorithms on chemical systems of up to 1100 atoms. In these tests, the total time is reduced by a factor between 3 and 8 when running on n (CPU core + GPU) compared to n CPU cores only, without any accuracy loss. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Triiodothyronine Potentiates Vasorelaxation via PKG/VASP Signaling in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

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    Sherin Samuel

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Vascular relaxation caused by Triiodothyronine (T3 involves direct activation of endothelial cells (EC and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC. Activation of protein kinase G (PKG has risen as a novel contributor to the vasorelaxation mechanism triggered by numerous stimuli. We hypothesize that T3-induced vasorelaxation involves PKG/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP signaling pathway in VSMC. Methods: Human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC and VSMC were treated with T3 for short (2 to 60 minutes and long term (24 hours. Nitric oxide (NO production was measured using DAF-FM. Expression of protein targets was determined using western blot. For functional studies, rat aortas were isolated and treated with T3 for 20 minutes and mounted in a wire myograph. Relaxation was measured by a concentration-dependent response to acetylcholine (ACh and sodium nitroprusside (SNP. Results: Aortas stimulated with T3 exhibited augmented sensitivity to ACh and SNP-induced relaxation, endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent responses, respectively. T3 directly increased vasorelaxation, which was abolished in the presence of a PKG inhibitor. T3 markedly induced phosphorylation of Akt, eNOS and consequently increased NO production in EC. Likewise, T3 induced phosphorylation of VASP at serine 239 via the PKG pathway in VSMC. Conclusion: Our findings have uncovered a PKG/VASP signaling pathway in VSMC as a key molecular mechanism underlying T3-induced vascular relaxation.

  8. Triiodothyronine Potentiates Vasorelaxation via PKG/VASP Signaling in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samuel, Sherin; Zhang, Kuo; Tang, Yi-Da; Gerdes, A Martin; Carrillo-Sepulveda, Maria Alicia

    2017-01-01

    Vascular relaxation caused by Triiodothyronine (T3) involves direct activation of endothelial cells (EC) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Activation of protein kinase G (PKG) has risen as a novel contributor to the vasorelaxation mechanism triggered by numerous stimuli. We hypothesize that T3-induced vasorelaxation involves PKG/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) signaling pathway in VSMC. Human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) and VSMC were treated with T3 for short (2 to 60 minutes) and long term (24 hours). Nitric oxide (NO) production was measured using DAF-FM. Expression of protein targets was determined using western blot. For functional studies, rat aortas were isolated and treated with T3 for 20 minutes and mounted in a wire myograph. Relaxation was measured by a concentration-dependent response to acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Aortas stimulated with T3 exhibited augmented sensitivity to ACh and SNP-induced relaxation, endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent responses, respectively. T3 directly increased vasorelaxation, which was abolished in the presence of a PKG inhibitor. T3 markedly induced phosphorylation of Akt, eNOS and consequently increased NO production in EC. Likewise, T3 induced phosphorylation of VASP at serine 239 via the PKG pathway in VSMC. Our findings have uncovered a PKG/VASP signaling pathway in VSMC as a key molecular mechanism underlying T3-induced vascular relaxation. © 2017 The Author(s)Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

  9. Alterations in vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) phosphorylation: associations with asthmatic phenotype, airway inflammation and β2-agonist use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hastie, Annette T; Wu, Min; Foster, Gayle C; Hawkins, Gregory A; Batra, Vikas; Rybinski, Katherine A; Cirelli, Rosemary; Zangrilli, James G; Peters, Stephen P

    2006-01-01

    Background Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) mediates focal adhesion, actin filament binding and polymerization in a variety of cells, thereby inhibiting cell movement. Phosphorylation of VASP via cAMP and cGMP dependent protein kinases releases this "brake" on cell motility. Thus, phosphorylation of VASP may be necessary for epithelial cell repair of damage from allergen-induced inflammation. Two hypotheses were examined: (1) injury from segmental allergen challenge increases VASP phosphorylation in airway epithelium in asthmatic but not nonasthmatic normal subjects, (2) regular in vivo β2-agonist use increases VASP phosphorylation in asthmatic epithelium, altering cell adhesion. Methods Bronchial epithelium was obtained from asthmatic and non-asthmatic normal subjects before and after segmental allergen challenge, and after regularly inhaled albuterol, in three separate protocols. VASP phosphorylation was examined in Western blots of epithelial samples. DNA was obtained for β2-adrenergic receptor haplotype determination. Results Although VASP phosphorylation increased, it was not significantly greater after allergen challenge in asthmatics or normals. However, VASP phosphorylation in epithelium of nonasthmatic normal subjects was double that observed in asthmatic subjects, both at baseline and after challenge. Regularly inhaled albuterol significantly increased VASP phosphorylation in asthmatic subjects in both unchallenged and antigen challenged lung segment epithelium. There was also a significant increase in epithelial cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage of the unchallenged lung segment after regular inhalation of albuterol but not of placebo. The haplotypes of the β2-adrenergic receptor did not appear to associate with increased or decreased phosphorylation of VASP. Conclusion Decreased VASP phosphorylation was observed in epithelial cells of asthmatics compared to nonasthmatic normals, despite response to β-agonist. The decreased

  10. Alterations in vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP phosphorylation: associations with asthmatic phenotype, airway inflammation and β2-agonist use

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cirelli Rosemary

    2006-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP mediates focal adhesion, actin filament binding and polymerization in a variety of cells, thereby inhibiting cell movement. Phosphorylation of VASP via cAMP and cGMP dependent protein kinases releases this "brake" on cell motility. Thus, phosphorylation of VASP may be necessary for epithelial cell repair of damage from allergen-induced inflammation. Two hypotheses were examined: (1 injury from segmental allergen challenge increases VASP phosphorylation in airway epithelium in asthmatic but not nonasthmatic normal subjects, (2 regular in vivo β2-agonist use increases VASP phosphorylation in asthmatic epithelium, altering cell adhesion. Methods Bronchial epithelium was obtained from asthmatic and non-asthmatic normal subjects before and after segmental allergen challenge, and after regularly inhaled albuterol, in three separate protocols. VASP phosphorylation was examined in Western blots of epithelial samples. DNA was obtained for β2-adrenergic receptor haplotype determination. Results Although VASP phosphorylation increased, it was not significantly greater after allergen challenge in asthmatics or normals. However, VASP phosphorylation in epithelium of nonasthmatic normal subjects was double that observed in asthmatic subjects, both at baseline and after challenge. Regularly inhaled albuterol significantly increased VASP phosphorylation in asthmatic subjects in both unchallenged and antigen challenged lung segment epithelium. There was also a significant increase in epithelial cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage of the unchallenged lung segment after regular inhalation of albuterol but not of placebo. The haplotypes of the β2-adrenergic receptor did not appear to associate with increased or decreased phosphorylation of VASP. Conclusion Decreased VASP phosphorylation was observed in epithelial cells of asthmatics compared to nonasthmatic normals, despite response to

  11. Tributyltin induces disruption of microfilament in HL7702 cells via MAPK-mediated hyperphosphorylation of VASP.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tu, Wei-Wei; Ji, Lin-Dan; Qian, Hai-Xia; Zhou, Mi; Zhao, Jin-Shun; Xu, Jin

    2016-11-01

    Tributyltin (TBT) has been widely used for various industrial purposes, and it has toxic effects on multiple organs and tissues. Previous studies have found that TBT could induce cytoskeletal disruption, especially of the actin filaments. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to determine whether TBT could induce microfilament disruption using HL7702 cells and then to assess for the total levels of various microfilament-associated proteins; finally, the involvement of the MAPK pathway was investigated. The results showed that after TBT treatment, F-actin began to depolymerize and lost its characteristic filamentous structure. The protein levels of Ezrin and Cofilin remained unchanged, the actin-related protein (ARP) 2/3 levels decreased slightly, and the vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) decreased dramatically. However, the phosphorylation levels of VASP increased 2.5-fold, and the ratio of phosphorylated-VASP/unphosphorylated-VASP increased 31-fold. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) ERK and JNK were discovered to be activated. Inhibition of ERK and JNK not only largely diminished the TBT-induced hyperphosphorylation of VASP but also recovered the cellular morphology and rescued the cells from death. In summary, this study demonstrates that TBT-induced disruption of actin filaments is caused by the hyperphosphorylation of VASP through MAPK pathways. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1530-1538, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Zyxin und Fyb/SLAP : Charakterisierung bekannter und neuer Bindungspartner der EVH1-Domäne der Ena/VASP Proteinfamilie

    OpenAIRE

    Krause, Matthias

    1999-01-01

    Die Ena/VASP Proteinfamilie (VASP, Mena und Evl) ist an der Regulation der aktinvermittelten Bewegung tierischer Zellen beteiligt. Deren N-terminale Ena/VASP Homologie Domäne 1 (EVH1-Domäne) bindet an ein spezifisches prolinreiches Motiv in den Zytoskelettproteinen Zyxin, Vinculin und dem Listerienprotein ActA. In der vorgelegten Dissertation wurden bekannte und neue Bindungspartner der EVH1-Domäne der Ena/VASP Familie charakterisiert. Gegen das humane Zyxin, wurden monoklonale Antikörper her...

  13. Deficiency of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP increases blood-brain-barrier damage and edema formation after ischemic stroke in mice.

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    Peter Kraft

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Stroke-induced brain edema formation is a frequent cause of secondary infarct growth and deterioration of neurological function. The molecular mechanisms underlying edema formation after stroke are largely unknown. Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP is an important regulator of actin dynamics and stabilizes endothelial barriers through interaction with cell-cell contacts and focal adhesion sites. Hypoxia has been shown to foster vascular leakage by downregulation of VASP in vitro but the significance of VASP for regulating vascular permeability in the hypoxic brain in vivo awaits clarification.Focal cerebral ischemia was induced in Vasp(-/- mice and wild-type (WT littermates by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO. Evan's Blue tracer was applied to visualize the extent of blood-brain-barrier (BBB damage. Brain edema formation and infarct volumes were calculated from 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC-stained brain slices. Both mouse groups were carefully controlled for anatomical and physiological parameters relevant for edema formation and stroke outcome. BBB damage (p0.05 towards worse neurological outcomes.Our study identifies VASP as critical regulator of BBB maintenance during acute ischemic stroke. Therapeutic modulation of VASP or VASP-dependent signalling pathways could become a novel strategy to combat excessive edema formation in ischemic brain damage.

  14. Mena/VASP and αII-Spectrin complexes regulate cytoplasmic actin networks in cardiomyocytes and protect from conduction abnormalities and dilated cardiomyopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benz, Peter M; Merkel, Carla J; Offner, Kristin; Abeßer, Marco; Ullrich, Melanie; Fischer, Tobias; Bayer, Barbara; Wagner, Helga; Gambaryan, Stepan; Ursitti, Jeanine A; Adham, Ibrahim M; Linke, Wolfgang A; Feller, Stephan M; Fleming, Ingrid; Renné, Thomas; Frantz, Stefan; Unger, Andreas; Schuh, Kai

    2013-08-12

    In the heart, cytoplasmic actin networks are thought to have important roles in mechanical support, myofibrillogenesis, and ion channel function. However, subcellular localization of cytoplasmic actin isoforms and proteins involved in the modulation of the cytoplasmic actin networks are elusive. Mena and VASP are important regulators of actin dynamics. Due to the lethal phenotype of mice with combined deficiency in Mena and VASP, however, distinct cardiac roles of the proteins remain speculative. In the present study, we analyzed the physiological functions of Mena and VASP in the heart and also investigated the role of the proteins in the organization of cytoplasmic actin networks. We generated a mouse model, which simultaneously lacks Mena and VASP in the heart. Mena/VASP double-deficiency induced dilated cardiomyopathy and conduction abnormalities. In wild-type mice, Mena and VASP specifically interacted with a distinct αII-Spectrin splice variant (SH3i), which is in cardiomyocytes exclusively localized at Z- and intercalated discs. At Z- and intercalated discs, Mena and β-actin localized to the edges of the sarcomeres, where the thin filaments are anchored. In Mena/VASP double-deficient mice, β-actin networks were disrupted and the integrity of Z- and intercalated discs was markedly impaired. Together, our data suggest that Mena, VASP, and αII-Spectrin assemble cardiac multi-protein complexes, which regulate cytoplasmic actin networks. Conversely, Mena/VASP deficiency results in disrupted β-actin assembly, Z- and intercalated disc malformation, and induces dilated cardiomyopathy and conduction abnormalities.

  15. Assessment of a flow cytometry technique for studying signaling pathways in platelets: Monitoring of VASP phosphorylation in clinical samples

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    N. Mallouk

    2018-07-01

    Full Text Available A recently released kit (PerFix EXPOSE was reported to improve the measurement of the degree of phosphorylation of proteins in leukocytes by flow cytometry. We tested its adaptation for platelets to monitor vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP phosphorylation, which is the basis of a currently used test for the assessment of the pharmacological response to P2Y12 antagonists (PLT VASP/P2Y12. The PerFix EXPOSE kit was compared to the PLT VASP/P2Y12 kit by using blood samples drawn at 24 h post clopidogrel dose from 19 patients hospitalized for a non-cardio-embolic ischemic stroke and treated with clopidogrel monotherapy for at least five days in an observational study. The platelet PerFix method was based on adaptation of the volume of the sample, the centrifugation speed and the incubation temperature. Poor agreement between prevention by adenosine diphosphate (ADP of PGE1-induced cAMP-mediated VASP phosphorylation and ADP induced aggregation assessed by Light Transmittance Aggregometry was found. We found a significant correlation between the PLT VASP/P2Y12 kit and the PerFix EXPOSE kit. The PerFix EXPOSE kit may also be helpful to monitor adverse effects of second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors on platelets. Keywords: Platelet signaling, VASP, Flow cytometry, Clopidogrel

  16. An ecological vegetation-activated sludge process (V-ASP) for decentralized wastewater treatment: system development, treatment performance, and mathematical modeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Jiajia; Dong, Wenyi; Sun, Feiyun; Li, Pu; Zhao, Ke

    2016-05-01

    An environment-friendly decentralized wastewater treatment process that is comprised of activated sludge process (ASP) and wetland vegetation, named as vegetation-activated sludge process (V-ASP), was developed for decentralized wastewater treatment. The long-term experimental results evidenced that the vegetation sequencing batch reactor (V-SBR) process had consistently stable higher removal efficiencies of organic substances and nutrients from domestic wastewater compared with traditional sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The vegetation allocated into V-SBR system could not only remove nutrients through its vegetation transpiration ratio but also provide great surface area for microorganism activity enhancement. This high vegetation transpiration ratio enhanced nutrients removal effectiveness from wastewater mainly by flux enhancement, oxygen and substrate transportation acceleration, and vegetation respiration stimulation. A mathematical model based on ASM2d was successfully established by involving the specific function of vegetation to simulate system performance. The simulation results on the influence of operational parameters on V-ASP treatment effectiveness demonstrated that V-SBR had a high resistance to seasonal temperature fluctuations and influent loading shocking.

  17. Intelligent supervision control for the VASPS separator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Melo, A.V.; Mendes, J.R.P. [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil)], E-mail: jricardo@dep.fem.unicamp.br; Serapiao, A.B.S [Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP (Brazil)

    2007-10-15

    The Vertical Annular Separation and Pumping System, VASPS, has been applied to low-pressure subsea wells with high gas production potential. In this system, the separation is carried out on the sea bed, thus allowing the monophase transmission through different pipelines. In the present work, an analysis has been established between two conceptually distinct models for the control system, which is under development and uses the Fuzzy Control technique for the Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) speed selection. The contrast is held on the objective of each controller, placing the operational performance against the stability of the control signal, which leads to the exploration of many specific aspects of the system, its behavior and requirements. (author)

  18. Assessing the standard Molybdenum projector augmented wave VASP potentials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mattsson, Ann E. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Multi-Scale Science

    2014-07-01

    Density Functional Theory (DFT) based Equation of State (EOS) construction is a prominent part of Sandia’s capabilities to support engineering sciences. This capability is based on augmenting experimental data with information gained from computational investigations, especially in those parts of the phase space where experimental data is hard, dangerous, or expensive to obtain. A key part of the success of the Sandia approach is the fundamental science work supporting the computational capability. Not only does this work enhance the capability to perform highly accurate calculations but it also provides crucial insight into the limitations of the computational tools, providing high confidence in the results even where results cannot be, or have not yet been, validated by experimental data. This report concerns the key ingredient of projector augmented-wave (PAW) potentials for use in pseudo-potential computational codes. Using the tools discussed in SAND2012-7389 we assess the standard Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP) PAWs for Molybdenum.

  19. A fuzzy controller for the VASPS (Vertical Annular Separation and Pumping System) subsea separation and pumping system; Um controlador fuzzy para o sistema de separacao e bombeamento submarino - VASP (Vertical Annular Separation and Pumping System)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Teixeira, Alex F.; Mendes, Jose Ricardo P.; Morooka, Celso K. [Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica. Dept. de Engenharia de Petroleo; Estevam, Valdir [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Guilherme, Ivan R. [UNESP, Rio Claro, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Geociencias e Ciencias Exatas. Dept. de Estatistica, Matematica Aplicada e Computacao; Rigo, Jose Eduardo [Centro Federal de Educacao Tecnologica no Espirito Santo (CEFETES), Vitoria, ES (Brazil)

    2004-07-01

    In this paper the designs of a fuzzy controller for the VASPS (Vertical Annular Separation and Pumping System) liquid level and separation pressure control are presented, as well as a simulation of its work to evaluate the performance of the controller designed. The VASPS is a two-phase subsea separation and pumping system, which is made up of a separation vessel, where the mixture (liquid and gas) enters and suffers the separation process through three levels, the expansion chamber, the helix and the pool. The liquid inside the pool is taken to the platform using a pump that with a choke control the pool liquid level. The pool liquid level control is necessary because if the level exceeds the maximum value allowed, the liquid can invade the space occupied by the helix and hinder the separation process. An the other hand if the level is below the minimum allowed the pump can be damaged. The separation pressure control is important for operational security and efficiency issues, because when we keep the separation pressure near an optimum value we are maximizing its efficiency. With the controller and the simulator, many simulations of the work of system were made to get results that could be used to evaluate if the designed controller solved the problem and if its performance were satisfactory. After, a PID control system was designed to be used as comparison with the results obtained with the fuzzy controller, since the PID is widely used in the industrial environment. (author)

  20. Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein Activity Is Required for Coxiella burnetii Growth in Human Macrophages.

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    Punsiri M Colonne

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Coxiella burnetii is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes human Q fever, an acute flu-like illness that can progress to chronic endocarditis and liver and bone infections. Humans are typically infected by aerosol-mediated transmission, and C. burnetii initially targets alveolar macrophages wherein the pathogen replicates in a phagolysosome-like niche known as the parasitophorous vacuole (PV. C. burnetii manipulates host cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA signaling to promote PV formation, cell survival, and bacterial replication. In this study, we identified the actin regulatory protein vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP as a PKA substrate that is increasingly phosphorylated at S157 and S239 during C. burnetii infection. Avirulent and virulent C. burnetii triggered increased levels of phosphorylated VASP in macrophage-like THP-1 cells and primary human alveolar macrophages, and this event required the Cα subunit of PKA. VASP phosphorylation also required bacterial protein synthesis and secretion of effector proteins via a type IV secretion system, indicating the pathogen actively triggers prolonged VASP phosphorylation. Optimal PV formation and intracellular bacterial replication required VASP activity, as siRNA-mediated depletion of VASP reduced PV size and bacterial growth. Interestingly, ectopic expression of a phospho-mimetic VASP (S239E mutant protein prevented optimal PV formation, whereas VASP (S157E mutant expression had no effect. VASP (S239E expression also prevented trafficking of bead-containing phagosomes to the PV, indicating proper VASP activity is critical for heterotypic fusion events that control PV expansion in macrophages. Finally, expression of dominant negative VASP (S157A in C. burnetii-infected cells impaired PV formation, confirming importance of the protein for proper infection. This study provides the first evidence of VASP manipulation by an intravacuolar bacterial pathogen via activation of PKA

  1. The possible role of Mena protein and its splicing-derived variants in embryogenesis, carcinogenesis, and tumor invasion: a systematic review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurzu, Simona; Ciortea, Diana; Ember, Istvan; Jung, Ioan

    2013-01-01

    The Ena/VASP (enabled/vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein) family includes the binding actin proteins such as mammalian Ena (Mena), VASP, and Ena-VASP-like. It is known that the perturbation of actin cycle could determine alteration in the mobility of cells and in consequence of organogenesis. Few recent studies have revealed that Mena protein could play a role in breast or pancreatic carcinogenesis. Based on our researches, we observed that the intensity of Mena expression increased from premalignant to malignant lesions in some organs such as large bowel, stomach, cervix, and salivary glands. These findings prove that Mena could be a marker of premalignant epithelial lesions. In premalignant lesions, it could be helpful to define more accurately the risk for malignant transformation. In malignant tumors, correlation of expression of its splice variants could indicate metastatic behavior. In conclusion, we consider that it is necessary to analyze the expression of Mena splice variants in a higher number of cases, in different epithelial lesions, and also in experimental studies to define its exact role in carcinogenesis and also its possible prognostic and predictive values.

  2. The Possible Role of Mena Protein and Its Splicing-Derived Variants in Embryogenesis, Carcinogenesis, and Tumor Invasion: A Systematic Review of the Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simona Gurzu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The Ena/VASP (enabled/vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein family includes the binding actin proteins such as mammalian Ena (Mena, VASP, and Ena-VASP-like. It is known that the perturbation of actin cycle could determine alteration in the mobility of cells and in consequence of organogenesis. Few recent studies have revealed that Mena protein could play a role in breast or pancreatic carcinogenesis. Based on our researches, we observed that the intensity of Mena expression increased from premalignant to malignant lesions in some organs such as large bowel, stomach, cervix, and salivary glands. These findings prove that Mena could be a marker of premalignant epithelial lesions. In premalignant lesions, it could be helpful to define more accurately the risk for malignant transformation. In malignant tumors, correlation of expression of its splice variants could indicate metastatic behavior. In conclusion, we consider that it is necessary to analyze the expression of Mena splice variants in a higher number of cases, in different epithelial lesions, and also in experimental studies to define its exact role in carcinogenesis and also its possible prognostic and predictive values.

  3. The expression of cytoskeleton regulatory protein Mena in colorectal lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurzu, Simona; Jung, I; Prantner, I; Ember, I; Pávai, Z; Mezei, T

    2008-01-01

    The actin regulatory proteins Ena/VASP (Enabled/Vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein) family is involved in the control of cell motility and adhesion. They are important in the actin-dependent processes where dynamic actin reorganization it is necessary. The deregulation of actin cycle could have an important role in the cells' malignant transformation, tumor invasion or metastasis. Recently studies revealed that the human orthologue of murine Mena is modulated during the breast carcinogenesis. In our study, we tried to observe the immunohistochemical expression of mammalian Ena (Mena) in the colorectal polyps and carcinomas. We analyzed 10 adenomatous polyps (five with dysplasia) and 36 adenocarcinomas. We used the indirect immunoperoxidase staining. BD Biosciences have provided the Mena antibody. We observed that Mena was not expressed in the normal colorectal mucosa neither in polyps without dysplasia, but its expression was very high in polyps with high dysplasia. In colorectal carcinomas, Mena marked the tumoral cells in 80% of cases. In 25% of positive cases, the intensity was 3+, in 60% 2+ and in the other 15% 1+. The Mena intensity was higher in the microsatellite stable tumors (MSS) and was correlated with vascular invasion, with intensity of angiogenesis marked with CD31 and CD105 and with c-erbB-2 and p53 expression. This is the first study in the literature about Mena expression in colorectal lesions.

  4. On the expressiveness and decidability of higher-order process calculi

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lanese, Ivan; Perez, Jorge A.; Sangiorgi, Davide; Schmitt, Alan

    In higher-order process calculi, the values exchanged in communications may contain processes. A core calculus of higher-order concurrency is studied; it has only the operators necessary to express higher-order communications: input prefix, process output, and parallel composition. By exhibiting a

  5. Alterative Expression and Localization of Profilin 1/VASPpS157 and Cofilin 1/VASPpS239 Regulates Metastatic Growth and is Modified by DHA Supplementation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Mehboob; Heyob, Kathryn; Jacob, Naduparambil K.; Rogers, Lynette K.

    2016-01-01

    Profilin 1, cofilin 1, and vasodialator stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) are actin binding proteins (ABP) which regulate actin remodelling and facilitate cancer cell metastases. MiR~17–92 is highly expressed in metastatic tumors and profilin1 and cofilin1 are predicted targets. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) inhibits cancer cell proliferation and adhesion. These studies tested the hypothesis that the metastatic phenotype is driven by changes in ABPs including alternative phosphorylation and/or changes in subcellular localization. Additionally, we tested the efficacy of DHA supplementation to attenuate or inhibit these changes. Human lung cancer tissue sections were analyzed for F-actin content and expression and cellular localization of profilin1, cofilin1 and VASP (S157 or S239 phosphorylation). The metastatic phenotype was investigated in A549 and MLE12 cells lines using 8 Br-cAMP as a metastasis inducer and DHA as a therapeutic agent. Migration was assessed by wound assay and expression measured by western blot and confocal analysis. MiR~17–92 expression was measured by qRT-PCR. Results indicated increased expression and altered cellular distribution of profilin1/VASPpS157 but no changes in cofilin1/VASPpS239 in the human malignant tissues compared to normal tissues. In A549 and MLE12 cells, the expression patterns of profilin1/VASPpS157 or cofilin1/VASPpS239 suggested an interaction in regulation of actin dynamics. Furthermore, DHA inhibited cancer cell migration and viability, ABP expression and cellular localization, and modulated expression of miR~17–92 in A549 cells with minimal effects in MLE12 cells. Further investigations are warranted to understand ABP interactions, changes in cellular localization, regulation by miR~17–92, and DHA as a novel therapeutic. PMID:27496138

  6. Higher resting heart rate variability predicts skill in expressing some emotions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuck, Natalie L; Grant, Rosemary C I; Sollers, John J; Booth, Roger J; Consedine, Nathan S

    2016-12-01

    Vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) is a measure of cardiac vagal tone, and is widely viewed as a physiological index of the capacity to regulate emotions. However, studies have not directly tested whether vmHRV is associated with the ability to facially express emotions. In extending prior work, the current report tested links between resting vmHRV and the objectively assessed ability to facially express emotions, hypothesizing that higher vmHRV would predict greater expressive skill. Eighty healthy women completed self-reported measures, before attending a laboratory session in which vmHRV and the ability to express six emotions in the face were assessed. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a marginal main effect for vmHRV on skill overall; individuals with higher resting vmHRV were only better able to deliberately facially express anger and interest. Findings suggest that differences in resting vmHRV are associated with the objectively assessed ability to facially express some, but not all, emotions, with potential implications for health and well-being. © 2016 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

  7. Assessment of response to beta-blockers by expression of βArr2 and RhoA/ROCK2 in antrum mucosa in cirrhotic patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trebicka, Jonel; von Heydebrand, Matthias; Lehmann, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND & AIMS: Non-selective beta-blockers (NSBB) are first choice for prevention of variceal bleeding. But possible deleterious effects in refractory ascites and frequent non-response are clinical drawbacks. Since levels of vasoactive proteins in antrum mucosa reflect vascular dysfunction...... and protein expression of Ras homolog family member A (RhoA), Rho-kinase (ROCK)2, beta-arrestin2 (βArr2), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and the phosphorylation of downstream effectors VASP and moesin were analyzed using PCR and Western blot. Further 21 patients on NSBB were evaluated...

  8. Platelets Express Activated P2Y12 Receptor in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Liang; Chang, Lin; Zhang, Yan; Zhai, Lili; Zhang, Shenghui; Qi, Zhiyong; Yan, Hongmei; Yan, Yan; Luo, Xinping; Zhang, Si; Wang, Yiping; Kunapuli, Satya P; Ye, Hongying; Ding, Zhongren

    2017-08-29

    Platelets from patients with diabetes mellitus are hyperactive. Hyperactivated platelets may contribute to cardiovascular complications and inadequate responses to antiplatelet agents in the setting of diabetes mellitus. However, the underlying mechanism of hyperactivated platelets is not completely understood. We measured P2Y 12 expression on platelets from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and on platelets from rats with diabetes mellitus. We also assayed platelet P2Y 12 activation by measuring cAMP and VASP phosphorylation. The antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects of AR-C78511 and cangrelor were compared in rats. Finally, we explored the role of the nuclear factor-κB pathway in regulating P2Y 12 receptor expression in megakaryocytes. Platelet P2Y 12 levels are 4-fold higher in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus compared with healthy subjects. P2Y 12 expression correlates with ADP-induced platelet aggregation (r=0.89, P diabetes mellitus is constitutively activated. Although both AR-C78511, a potent P2Y 12 inverse agonist, and cangrelor have similar antiplatelet efficacy on platelets from healthy subjects, AR-C78511 exhibits more powerful antiplatelet effects on diabetic platelets than cangrelor (aggregation ratio 36±3% versus 49±5%, respectively, P diabetes mellitus than cangrelor (thrombus weight 4.9±0.3 mg versus 8.3±0.4 mg, respectively, P diabetes mellitus. Platelet P2Y 12 receptor expression is significantly increased and the receptor is constitutively activated in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, which contributes to platelet hyperactivity and limits antiplatelet drug efficacy in type 2 diabetes mellitus. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

  9. The niche-derived glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF induces migration of mouse spermatogonial stem/progenitor cells.

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    Lisa Dovere

    Full Text Available In mammals, the biological activity of the stem/progenitor compartment sustains production of mature gametes through spermatogenesis. Spermatogonial stem cells and their progeny belong to the class of undifferentiated spermatogonia, a germ cell population found on the basal membrane of the seminiferous tubules. A large body of evidence has demonstrated that glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF, a Sertoli-derived factor, is essential for in vivo and in vitro stem cell self-renewal. However, the mechanisms underlying this activity are not completely understood. In this study, we show that GDNF induces dose-dependent directional migration of freshly selected undifferentiated spermatogonia, as well as germline stem cells in culture, using a Boyden chamber assay. GDNF-induced migration is dependent on the expression of the GDNF co-receptor GFRA1, as shown by migration assays performed on parental and GFRA1-transduced GC-1 spermatogonial cell lines. We found that the actin regulatory protein vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP is specifically expressed in undifferentiated spermatogonia. VASP belongs to the ENA/VASP family of proteins implicated in actin-dependent processes, such as fibroblast migration, axon guidance, and cell adhesion. In intact seminiferous tubules and germline stem cell cultures, GDNF treatment up-regulates VASP in a dose-dependent fashion. These data identify a novel role for the niche-derived factor GDNF, and they suggest that GDNF may impinge on the stem/progenitor compartment, affecting the actin cytoskeleton and cell migration.

  10. Amniotic Fluid Cells Show Higher Pluripotency-Related Gene Expression Than Allantoic Fluid Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kehl, Debora; Generali, Melanie; Görtz, Sabrina; Geering, Diego; Slamecka, Jaroslav; Hoerstrup, Simon P; Bleul, Ulrich; Weber, Benedikt

    2017-10-01

    Amniotic fluid represents an abundant source of multipotent stem cells, referred as broadly multipotent given their differentiation potential and expression of pluripotency-related genes. However, the origin of this broadly multipotent cellular fraction is not fully understood. Several sources have been proposed so far, including embryonic and extraembryonic tissues. In this regard, the ovine developmental model uniquely allows for direct comparison of fetal fluid-derived cells from two separate fetal fluid cavities, the allantois and the amnion, over the entire duration of gestation. As allantoic fluid mainly collects fetal urine, cells originating from the efferent urinary tract can directly be compared with cells deriving from the extraembryonic amniotic tissues and the fetus. This study shows isolation of cells from the amniotic [ovine amniotic fluid cells (oAFCs)] and allantoic fluid [ovine allantoic fluid cells (oALCs)] in a strictly paired fashion with oAFCs and oALCs derived from the same fetus. Both cell types showed cellular phenotypes comparable to standard mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), with trilineage differentiation potential, and expression of common ovine MSC markers. However, the expression of MSC markers per single cell was higher in oAFCs as measured by flow cytometry. oAFCs exhibited higher proliferative capacities and showed significantly higher expression of pluripotency-related genes OCT4, STAT3, NANOG, and REX1 by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction compared with paired oALCs. No significant decrease of pluripotency-related gene expression was noted over gestation, implying that cells with high differentiation potential may be isolated at the end of pregnancy. In conclusion, this study suggests that cells with highest stem cell characteristics may originate from the fetus itself or the amniotic fetal adnexa rather than from the efferent urinary tract or the allantoic fetal adnexa.

  11. Recurrent glioblastomas exhibit higher expression of biomarkers with stem-like properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B N Nandeesh

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Despite advances in the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM, the prognosis of patients continues to remain dismal. This unfavorable prognosis is mainly attributed to the tumor's propensity for progression and recurrence, which in turn is due to the highly aggressive nature of the persisting GBM cells that actively egress from the main tumor mass into the surrounding normal brain tissue. Such a recurrent tumor described to have a more malignant potential is highly invasive and resistant to current therapies, probably due to increased stemness and preferential selection of therapy-resistant clones of tumor cells. However, there is a paucity of literature on the expression of biomarkers in the recurrent GBM tumors that could have a role in conferring this aggressiveness. Aim: To identify the differences in the expression pattern of selected biomarkers in paired tissue samples of GBM. Material and Methods: A retrospective study on 30 paired samples of GBM (newly diagnosed/primary and recurrent archived in the Department of Neuropathology, NIMHANS (2006–2009, was carried out. After obtaining clinical and demographic details, tumors were characterized histomorphologically and immunohistochemically on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues with reference to expression of biomarkers such as p53, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3, sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2, and topoisomerase 2 A (Top2A. The results were statistically analyzed. Results: It was observed that while p53 and IGFBP-3 expression remained unaltered in paired samples, a significant increase in the expression of EGFR (P < 0.01 was noted in the recurrent tumors. Among the other biomarkers, SOX2 expression was higher in the recurrent tumors when compared to the primary tumors (P < 0.01. Conversely, the expression of Top2A was reduced in recurrent tumors (P = 0.05. Mild elevation in the expression of IGFBP-3 was

  12. Molecular responses during cadmium-induced stress in Daphnia magna: Integration of differential gene expression with higher-level effects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soetaert, Anneleen [Department of Biology, Laboratory for Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium)]. E-mail: anneleen.soetaert@ua.ac.be; Vandenbrouck, Tine [Department of Biology, Laboratory for Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Ven, Karlijn van der [Department of Biology, Laboratory for Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Maras, Marleen [Department of Biology, Laboratory for Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Remortel, Piet van [Department of Mathematics and Informatics, Intelligent Systems Laboratory, University of Antwerp, Middelheimlaan 1, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Blust, Ronny [Department of Biology, Laboratory for Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Coen, Wim M. de [Department of Biology, Laboratory for Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium)

    2007-07-20

    DNA microarrays offer great potential in revealing insight into mechanistic toxicity of contaminants. The aim of the present study was (i) to gain insight in concentration- and time-dependent cadmium-induced molecular responses by using a customized Daphnia magna microarray, and (ii) to compare the gene expression profiles with effects at higher levels of biological organization (e.g. total energy budget and growth). Daphnids were exposed to three cadmium concentrations (nominal value of 10, 50, 100 {mu}g/l) for two time intervals (48 and 96 h). In general, dynamic expression patterns were obtained with a clear increase of gene expression changes at higher concentrations and longer exposure duration. Microarray analysis revealed cadmium affected molecular pathways associated with processes such as digestion, oxygen transport, cuticula metabolism and embryo development. These effects were compared with higher-level effects (energy budgets and growth). For instance, next to reduced energy budgets due to a decline in lipid, carbohydrate and protein content, we found an up-regulated expression of genes related to digestive processes (e.g. {alpha}-esterase, cellulase, {alpha}-amylase). Furthermore, cadmium affected the expression of genes coding for proteins involved in molecular pathways associated with immune response, stress response, cell adhesion, visual perception and signal transduction in the present study.

  13. Microarray Analysis Reveals Higher Gestational Folic Acid Alters Expression of Genes in the Cerebellum of Mice Offspring—A Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Subit Barua

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Folate is a water-soluble vitamin that is critical for nucleotide synthesis and can modulate methylation of DNA by altering one-carbon metabolism. Previous studies have shown that folate status during pregnancy is associated with various congenital defects including the risk of aberrant neural tube closure. Maternal exposure to a methyl supplemented diet also can alter DNA methylation and gene expression, which may influence the phenotype of offspring. We investigated if higher gestational folic acid (FA in the diet dysregulates the expression of genes in the cerebellum of offspring in C57BL/6 J mice. One week before gestation and throughout the pregnancy, groups of dams were supplemented with FA either at 2 mg/kg or 20 mg/kg of diet. Microarray analysis was used to investigate the genome wide gene expression profile in the cerebellum from day old pups. Our results revealed that exposure to the higher dose FA diet during gestation dysregulated expression of several genes in the cerebellum of both male and female pups. Several transcription factors, imprinted genes, neuro-developmental genes and genes associated with autism spectrum disorder exhibited altered expression levels. These findings suggest that higher gestational FA potentially dysregulates gene expression in the offspring brain and such changes may adversely alter fetal programming and overall brain development.

  14. Expression of JMJD2A in infiltrating duct carcinoma was markedly higher than fibroadenoma, and associated with expression of ARHI, p53 and ER in infiltrating duct carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bei-Xu; Li, Jia; Luo, Cheng-Liang; Zhang, Ming-Chang; Li, Hui; Li, Li-Liang; Xu, Hong-Fei; Shen, Yi-Wen; Xue, Ai-Min; Zhao, Zi-Qin

    2013-03-01

    Jumonji Domain Containing 2A (JMJD2A) may be a cancer-associated gene involved in human breast cancer. With a view to investigating expression of JMJD2A in human breast cancer and benign lesion tissues as well as relationship between JMJD2A and tumor related proteins, histological and immunohistochemical analysis, Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR in infiltrating duct carcinoma and fibroadenoma for JMJD2A and immunohistochemical analysis and quantitative real-time PCR in infiltrating duct carcinoma for tumor related proteins (ARHI, p53, ER, PR and CerbB-2) were performed. Histological examination validated the clinical diagnosis. The JMJD2A positive rate of infiltrating duct carcinoma was significantly higher than fibroadenoma by immunohistochemical analysis. The mean optical density of JMJD2A in infiltrating duct carcinoma was higher than fibroadenoma by western blot. JMJD2A mRNA level in infiltrating duct carcinoma was higher than fibroadenoma by quantitative real-time PCR. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the expression of JMJD2A was associated with ARHI, p53 and ER from immunohistochemical results respectively. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the expression of JMJD2A was associated with ARHI, p53 and ER from quantitative real-time PCR results respectively. Expression of JMJD2A in infiltrating duct carcinoma was higher, and associated with ARHI, p53 and ER. The results may take JMJD2A as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target in human breast cancer.

  15. A hybrid method using the widely-used WIEN2k and VASP codes to calculate the complete set of XAS/EELS edges in a hundred-atoms system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donval, Gaël; Moreau, Philippe; Danet, Julien; Larbi, Séverine Jouanneau-Si; Bayle-Guillemaud, Pascale; Boucher, Florent

    2017-01-04

    Most of the recent developments in EELS modelling has been focused on getting a better agreement with measurements. Less work however has been dedicated to bringing EELS calculations to larger structures that can more realistically describe actual systems. The purpose of this paper is to present a hybrid approach well adapted to calculating the whole set of localised EELS core-loss edges (at the XAS level of theory) on larger systems using only standard tools, namely the WIEN2k and VASP codes. We illustrate the usefulness of this method by applying it to a set of amorphous silicon structures in order to explain the flattening of the silicon L 2,3 EELS edge peak at the onset. We show that the peak flattening is actually caused by the collective contribution of each of the atoms to the average spectrum, as opposed to a flattening occurring on each individual spectrum. This method allowed us to reduce the execution time by a factor of 3 compared to a usual-carefully optimised-WIEN2k calculation. It provided even greater speed-ups on more complex systems (interfaces, ∼300 atoms) that will be presented in a future paper. This method is suited to calculate all the localized edges of all the atoms of a structure in a single calculation for light atoms as long as the core-hole effects can be neglected.

  16. Emotional Expression in Simple Line Drawings of a Robot's Face Leads to Higher Offers in the Ultimatum Game.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terada, Kazunori; Takeuchi, Chikara

    2017-01-01

    In the present study, we investigated whether expressing emotional states using a simple line drawing to represent a robot's face can serve to elicit altruistic behavior from humans. An experimental investigation was conducted in which human participants interacted with a humanoid robot whose facial expression was shown on an LCD monitor that was mounted as its head (Study 1). Participants were asked to play the ultimatum game, which is usually used to measure human altruistic behavior. All participants were assigned to be the proposer and were instructed to decide their offer within 1 min by controlling a slider bar. The corners of the robot's mouth, as indicated by the line drawing, simply moved upward, or downward depending on the position of the slider bar. The results suggest that the change in the facial expression depicted by a simple line drawing of a face significantly affected the participant's final offer in the ultimatum game. The offers were increased by 13% when subjects were shown contingent changes of facial expression. The results were compared with an experiment in a teleoperation setting in which participants interacted with another person through a computer display showing the same line drawings used in Study 1 (Study 2). The results showed that offers were 15% higher if participants were shown a contingent facial expression change. Together, Studies 1 and 2 indicate that emotional expression in simple line drawings of a robot's face elicits the same higher offer from humans as a human telepresence does.

  17. Emotional Expression in Simple Line Drawings of a Robot's Face Leads to Higher Offers in the Ultimatum Game

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazunori Terada

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available In the present study, we investigated whether expressing emotional states using a simple line drawing to represent a robot's face can serve to elicit altruistic behavior from humans. An experimental investigation was conducted in which human participants interacted with a humanoid robot whose facial expression was shown on an LCD monitor that was mounted as its head (Study 1. Participants were asked to play the ultimatum game, which is usually used to measure human altruistic behavior. All participants were assigned to be the proposer and were instructed to decide their offer within 1 min by controlling a slider bar. The corners of the robot's mouth, as indicated by the line drawing, simply moved upward, or downward depending on the position of the slider bar. The results suggest that the change in the facial expression depicted by a simple line drawing of a face significantly affected the participant's final offer in the ultimatum game. The offers were increased by 13% when subjects were shown contingent changes of facial expression. The results were compared with an experiment in a teleoperation setting in which participants interacted with another person through a computer display showing the same line drawings used in Study 1 (Study 2. The results showed that offers were 15% higher if participants were shown a contingent facial expression change. Together, Studies 1 and 2 indicate that emotional expression in simple line drawings of a robot's face elicits the same higher offer from humans as a human telepresence does.

  18. Lower expression of CADM1 and higher expression of MAL in Merkel cell carcinomas are associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus infection and better prognosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwasaki, Takeshi; Matsushita, Michiko; Nonaka, Daisuke; Nagata, Keiko; Kato, Masako; Kuwamoto, Satoshi; Murakami, Ichiro; Hayashi, Kazuhiko

    2016-02-01

    Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a clinically aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer; 80% of the cases are associated with the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). We previously reported that MCPyV-negative MCCs have more irregular nuclei with abundant cytoplasm and significantly unfavorable outcomes than do MCPyV-positive MCCs. These results suggest that some cell adhesion or structural stabilization molecules are differently expressed depending on MCPyV infection status. Thus, we investigated the association of prognosis or MCPyV infection status in MCCs with cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1)/differentially expressed in adenocarcinoma of the lung protein 1 (DAL-1)/membrane protein, palmitoylated 3 (MPP3) tripartite complex and mal T-cell differentiation protein (MAL) expression, which play important roles in cell adhesion and oncogenesis and are related to cancer outcomes in various malignancies, to elucidate the role of these molecules. We analyzed the pathological and molecular characteristics of 26 MCPyV-positive and 15 MCPyV-negative MCCs. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that advanced age (hazard ratio [HR], 8.249; P = .007) and high CADM1 expression (HR, 5.214; P = .012) were significantly unfavorable overall survival parameters, whereas MCPyV infection (HR, 0.043, P Merkel cells expressed DAL-1 and MAL but not CADM1. This study revealed that MCPyV-negative MCCs significantly expressed higher CADM1 and lower MAL than MCPyV-positive MCCs; these expression levels were markedly related to unfavorable outcomes. These data will give us important insights to develop novel molecular target therapies for MCCs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Higher expression of galectin-3 and galectin-9 in periapical granulomas than in radicular cysts and an increased toll-like receptor-2 and toll-like receptor-4 expression are associated with reactivation of periapical inflammation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Oliveira, Rita de Cássia Medeiros; Beghini, Marcela; Borges, Cláudia Renata Bibiano; Alves, Polyanna Miranda; de Araújo, Marcelo Sivieri; Pereira, Sanívia Aparecida de Lima; Rodrigues, Virmondes; Rodrigues, Denise Bertulucci Rocha

    2014-02-01

    Cysts and periapical granulomas are inflammatory reactions that develop in response to periapical infection by microbial species in dental root canal. It is known that toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pathogen recognition molecules and that galectins are lectins that can be associated with the inflammatory process, stimulating or inhibiting the immune system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in situ expression of TLRs and galectins in radicular cysts and periapical granulomas. We analyzed 62 cases (30 radicular cysts, 27 periapical granulomas, and 5 control cases). Indirect immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression of TLRs (TRL-2 and TLR-4) and galectins (Gal-3 and Gal-9). The expression of Gal-3 and Gal-9 was significantly higher in periapical granulomas and radicular cysts than in the control group. Similarly, both Gal-3 and Gal-9 were expressed significantly more in periapical granulomas than in radicular cysts. The expression of TLR-2 was significantly higher in periapical granulomas and radicular cysts than in the control group, and it was also significantly higher in radicular cysts with sinus tract than in the cases without sinus tract. Furthermore, the expression of TLR-4 was significantly higher in the cases of periapical granulomas with sinus tract than in the cases without sinus tract. Gal-3/Gal-9 and TLR-2/TLR-4 expression in the periapical granulomas and radicular cysts is associated with reactive periapical inflammation. Pathobiology of periapical disease is a very complex interplay of many bioactive molecules involved in immunoinflammatory responses. Up-regulation of these bioactive molecules might be an important modulator of inflammatory periapical lesions. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Soybean seeds expressing feedback-insensitive cystathionine γ-synthase exhibit a higher content of methionine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Shikui; Hou, Wensheng; Godo, Itamar; Wu, Cunxiang; Yu, Yang; Matityahu, Ifat; Hacham, Yael; Sun, Shi; Han, Tianfu; Amir, Rachel

    2013-04-01

    Soybean seeds provide an excellent source of protein for human and livestock nutrition. However, their nutritional quality is hampered by a low concentration of the essential sulfur amino acid, methionine (Met). In order to study factors that regulate Met synthesis in soybean seeds, this study used the Met-insensitive form of Arabidopsis cystathionine γ-synthase (AtD-CGS), which is the first committed enzyme of Met biosynthesis. This gene was expressed under the control of a seed-specific promoter, legumin B4, and used to transform the soybean cultivar Zigongdongdou (ZD). In three transgenic lines that exhibited the highest expression level of AtD-CGS, the level of soluble Met increased significantly in developing green seeds (3.8-7-fold). These seeds also showed high levels of other amino acids. This phenomenon was more prominent in two transgenic lines, ZD24 and ZD91. The total Met content, which including Met incorporated into proteins, significantly increased in the mature dry seeds of these two transgenic lines by 1.8- and 2.3-fold, respectively. This elevation was accompanied by a higher content of other protein-incorporated amino acids, which led to significantly higher total protein content in the seeds of these two lines. However, in a third transgenic line, ZD01, the level of total Met and the level of other amino acids did not increase significantly in the mature dry seeds. This line also showed no significant change in protein levels. This suggests a positive connection between high Met content and the synthesis of other amino acids that enable the synthesis of more seed proteins.

  1. The prelimbic cortex uses higher-order cues to modulate both the acquisition and expression of conditioned fear.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa Judith Sharpe

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The prelimbic (PL cortex allows rodents to adapt their responding under changing experimental circumstances. In line with this, the PL cortex has been implicated in strategy set shifting, attentional set shifting, the resolution of response conflict, and the modulation of attention towards predictive stimuli. One interpretation of this research is that the PL cortex is involved in using information garnered from higher-order cues in the environment to modulate how an animal responds to environmental stimuli. However, data supporting this view of PL function in the aversive domain are lacking. In the following experiments, we attempted to answer two questions. Firstly, we wanted to investigate whether the role of the PL cortex in using higher-order cues to influence responding generalizes across appetitive and aversive domains. Secondly, as much of the research has focused on a role for the PL cortex in performance, we wanted to assess whether this region is also involved in the acquisition of hierarchal associations which facilitate an ability to use higher-order cues to modulate responding. In order to answer these questions, we assessed the impact of PL inactivation during both the acquisition and expression of a contextual bi-conditional discrimination. A contextual bi-conditional discrimination involves presenting two stimuli. In one context, one stimulus is paired with shock while the other is presented without shock. In another context, these contingencies are reversed. Thus, animals have to use the present contextual cues to disambiguate the significance of the stimulus and respond appropriately. We found that PL inactivation disrupted both the encoding and expression of these context-dependent associations. This supports a role for the PL cortex in allowing higher-order cues to modulate both learning about, and responding towards, different cues. We discuss these findings in the broader context of functioning in the medial prefrontal

  2. Olfactory Impact of Higher Alcohols on Red Wine Fruity Ester Aroma Expression in Model Solution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cameleyre, Margaux; Lytra, Georgia; Tempere, Sophie; Barbe, Jean-Christophe

    2015-11-11

    This study focused on the impact of five higher alcohols on the perception of fruity aroma in red wines. Various aromatic reconstitutions were prepared, consisting of 13 ethyl esters and acetates and 5 higher alcohols, all at the average concentrations found in red wine. These aromatic reconstitutions were prepared in several matrices. Sensory analysis revealed the interesting behavior of certain compounds among the five higher alcohols following their individual addition or omission. The "olfactory threshold" of the fruity pool was evaluated in several matrices: dilute alcohol solution, dilute alcohol solution containing 3-methylbutan-1-ol or butan-1-ol individually, and dilute alcohol solution containing the mixture of five higher alcohols, blended together at various concentrations. The presence of 3-methylbutan-1-ol or butan-1-ol alone led to a significant decrease in the "olfactory threshold" of the fruity reconstitution, whereas the mixture of alcohols raised the olfactory threshold. Sensory profiles highlighted changes in the perception of fruity nuances in the presence of the mixture of higher alcohols, with specific perceptive interactions, including a relevant masking effect on fresh- and jammy-fruit notes of the fruity mixture in both dilute alcohol solution and dearomatized red wine matrices. When either 3-methylbutan-1-ol or butan-1-ol was added to the fruity reconstitution in dilute alcohol solution, an enhancement of butyric notes was reported with 3-methylbutan-1-ol and fresh- and jammy-fruit with butan-1-ol. This study, the first to focus on the impact of higher alcohols on fruity aromatic expression, revealed that these compounds participate, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in masking fruity aroma perception in a model fruity wine mixture.

  3. MDS shows a higher expression of hTERT and alternative splice variants in unactivated T-cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Wen; Wu, Lei; Sun, Houfang; Ren, Xiubao; Epling-Burnette, Pearlie K; Yang, Lili

    2016-11-01

    Telomere instability and telomerase reactivation are believed to play an important role in the development of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Abnormal enzymatic activity of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), and its alternative splice variants have been reported to account for deregulated telomerase function in many cancers. In this study, we aim to compare the differences in expression of hTERT and hTERT splice variants, as well as telomere length and telomerase activity in unstimulated T-cells between MDS subgroups and healthy controls. Telomere length in MDS cases was significantly shorter than controls (n = 20, pMDS using World Health Organization classification (WHO subgroups versus control: RARS, p= 0.009; RCMD, p=0.0002; RAEB1/2, p=0.004, respectively) and the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS subgroups: Low+Int-1, pMDS patients (n=20) had significantly higher telomerase activity (p=0.002), higher total hTERT mRNA levels (p=0.001) and hTERT α+β- splice variant expression (pMDS (r=0.58, p=0.007). This data is in sharp contrast to data published previously by our group showing a reduction in telomerase and hTERT mRNA in MDS T-cells after activation. In conclusion, this study provides additional insight into hTERT transcript patterns and activity in peripheral T-cells of MDS patients. Additional studies are necessary to better understand the role of this pathway in MDS development and progression.

  4. Dry Eye Disease Patients with Xerostomia Report Higher Symptom Load and Have Poorer Meibum Expressibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fostad, Ida G; Eidet, Jon R; Utheim, Tor P; Ræder, Sten; Lagali, Neil S; Messelt, Edvard B; Dartt, Darlene A

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate if xerostomia (dry mouth) is associated with symptoms and signs of dry eye disease (DED). At the Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic, patients with symptomatic DED with different etiologies were consecutively included in the study. The patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmological work-up and completed self-questionnaires on symptoms of ocular dryness (Ocular Surface Disease Index [OSDI] and McMonnies Dry Eye Questionnaire) and the Sjögren's syndrome (SS) questionnaire (SSQ). Three hundred and eighteen patients (52% women and 48% men) with DED were included. Patient demographics were: 0 to 19 years (1%), 20 to 39 (25%), 40 to 59 (34%), 60 to 79 (35%) and 80 to 99 (5%). Xerostomia, defined as "daily symptoms of dry mouth the last three months" (as presented in SSQ) was reported by 23% of the patients. Female sex was more common among patients with xerostomia (81%) than among non-xerostomia patients (44%; Pxerostomia (60 ± 15 years) were older than those without xerostomia (51 ± 17; Pxerostomia patients (65%) than among non-xerostomia patients (35%; Pxerostomia had a higher OSDI score (19.0 ± 10.0) than those without xerostomia (12.9 ± 8.0; Pxerostomia patients had more pathological meibum expressibility (0.9 ± 0.7) than those without xerostomia (0.7 ± 0.8; P = 0.046). Comparisons of OSDI and ocular signs were performed after controlling for the effects of sex, age and the number of systemic prescription drugs used. In conclusion, xerostomia patients demonstrated a higher DED symptom load and had poorer meibum expressibility than non-xerostomia patients.

  5. Expression of DIAPH1 is up-regulated in colorectal cancer and its down-regulation strongly reduces the metastatic capacity of colon carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yuan-Na; Izbicki, Jakob R; König, Alexandra; Habermann, Jens K; Blechner, Christine; Lange, Tobias; Schumacher, Udo; Windhorst, Sabine

    2014-04-01

    In most cases, metastatic colorectal cancer is not curable, thus new approaches are necessary to identify novel targets for colorectal cancer therapy. Actin-binding-proteins (ABPs) directly regulate motility of metastasising tumor cells, and for cortactin an association with colon cancer metastasis has been already shown. However, as its depletion only incompletely inhibits metastasis, additional, more suitable cellular targets have to be identified. Here we analyzed expression of the ABPs, DIAPH1, VASP, N-WASP, and fascin in comparison with cortactin and found that, besides cortactin, DIAPH1 was expressed with the highest frequency (63%) in colorectal cancer. As well as cortactin, DIAPH1 was not detectable in normal colon tissue and expression of both proteins was positively correlated with metastasis of colorectal cancer. To analyse the mechanistic role of DIAPH1 for metastasis of colon carcinoma cells in comparison with cortactin, expression of the proteins was stably down-regulated in the human colon carcinoma cell lines HT-29, HROC-24 and HCT-116. Analysis of metastasis of colon carcinoma cells in SCID mice revealed that depletion of DIAPH1 reduced metastasis 60-fold and depletion of cortactin 16-fold as compared with control cells. Most likely the stronger effect of DIAPH1 depletion on colon cancer metastasis is due to the fact that in vitro knock down of DIAPH1 impaired all steps of metastasis; adhesion, invasion and migration while down-regulation of cortactin only reduced adhesion and invasion. This very strong reducing effect of DIAPH1 depletion on colon carcinoma cell metastasis makes the protein a promising therapeutic target for individualized colorectal cancer therapy. © 2013 UICC.

  6. Extracellular superoxide dismutase is necessary to maintain renal blood flow during sepsis development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Constantino, Larissa; Galant, Letícia Selinger; Vuolo, Francieli; Guarido, Karla Lorena; Kist, Luiza Wilges; de Oliveira, Giovanna Medeiros Tavares; Pasquali, Matheus Augusto de Bittencourt; de Souza, Cláudio Teodoro; da Silva-Santos, José Eduardo; Bogo, Maurício Reis; Moreira, José Cláudio Fonseca; Ritter, Cristiane; Dal-Pizzol, Felipe

    2017-12-01

    Extracellular superoxide dismutase (ECSOD) protects nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability by decreasing superoxide levels and preventing peroxynitrite generation, which is important in maintaining renal blood flow and in preventing acute kidney injury. However, the profile of ECSOD expression after sepsis is not fully understood. Therefore, we intended to evaluate the content and gene expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoforms in the renal artery and their relation to renal blood flow. Sepsis was induced in Wistar rats by caecal ligation and perforation. Several times after sepsis induction, renal blood flow (12, 24 and 48 h); the renal arterial content of SOD isoforms, nitrotyrosine, endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthase (e-NOS and i-NOS), and phosphorylated vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (pVASP); and SOD activity (3, 6 and 12 h) were measured. The influence of a SOD inhibitor was also evaluated. An increase in ECSOD content was associated with decreased 3-nitrotyrosine levels. These events were associated with an increase in pVASP content and maintenance of renal blood flow. Moreover, previous treatment with a SOD inhibitor increased nitrotyrosine content and reduced renal blood flow. ECSOD appears to have a major role in decreasing peroxynitrite formation in the renal artery during the early stages of sepsis development, and its application can be important in renal blood flow control and maintenance during septic insult.

  7. Quality of life and functional capacity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis - Cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosa-Gonçalves, Diana; Bernardes, Miguel; Costa, Lúcia

    2017-04-08

    To analyze the Health related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and physical function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and compare it with the general population. We also intended to analyze about disease activity influence in HRQoL and functional capacity, as well as determine potential determinants for these outcomes. A cross-sectional study was conducted in RA patients from a university hospital of Portugal. We obtained Short Form 36, EuroQoL 5D, health assessment questionnaire, visual analog scale for pain and patient's assessment of disease activity. Comparisons between SF-36 and EQ-5D values with our population reference values were conducted using the Mann-Whitney test. Data were compared in different levels of disease activity, using Kruskal Wallis test and Fisher's exact test. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify the potential determinants of outcomes. RA sample showed significantly lower values than the portuguese general population on physical summary measure of SF-36 (median=32 vs. 50, p<0.001) and EQ-5D (median=0.620 vs. 0.758 respectively; p<0.001). Lower disease activity levels had better PROs and this was true even when compared patients achieving remission with those in low disease activity. The HAQ (r 2 =67%), VAS-P (r 2 =62%) and VAS-DA (r 2 =58%) were the variables that strongly related to SF-36. Considering HAQ, the strongest relation was found with VAS-P, VAS-DA and age (r 2 =60%, 61% and 33%, respectively). Multiple regression analysis identified HAQ, VAS-P and educational status as determinants of the HRQoL; age, female gender, employment, VAS-P and VAS-DA as determinants of physical function. Impairment of HRQoL in RA patients is enormous. We found significant differences between different levels of disease activity, showing higher HRQoL and functional capacity at lower disease activity levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights

  8. Digestive beta-glucosidases from the wood-feeding higher termite, Nasutitermes takasagoensis: intestinal distribution, molecular characterization, and alteration in sites of expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokuda, Gaku; Miyagi, Mio; Makiya, Hiromi; Watanabe, Hirofumi; Arakawa, Gaku

    2009-12-01

    beta-Glucosidase [EC 3.2.1.21] hydrolyzes cellobiose or cello-oligosaccharides into glucose during cellulose digestion in termites. SDS-PAGE and zymogram analyses of the digestive system in the higher termite Nasutitermes takasagoensis revealed that beta-glucosidase activity is localized in the salivary glands and midgut as dimeric glycoproteins. Degenerate PCR using primers based on the N-terminal amino acid sequences of the salivary beta-glucosidase resulted in cDNA fragments of 1.7 kb, encoding 489 amino acids with a sequence similar to glycosyl hydrolase family 1. Moreover, these primers amplified cDNA fragments from the midgut, and the deduced amino acid sequences are 87-91% identical to those of the salivary beta-glucosidases. Successful expression of the cDNAs in Escherichia coli implies that these sequences also encode functional beta-glucosidases. These results indicate that beta-glucosidases that primarily contribute to the digestive process of N. takasagoensis are produced in the midgut. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis indicated the site-specific expression of beta-glucosidase mRNAs in the salivary glands and midgut. These results suggest that termites have developed the ability to produce beta-glucosidases in the midgut, as is the case for endo-beta-1,4-glucanase, in which the site of expression has shifted from the salivary glands of lower termites to the midgut of higher termites. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Respiratory syncytial virus infection induces higher Toll-like receptor-3 expression and TNF-α production than human metapneumovirus infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying Dou

    Full Text Available Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV and human metapneumovirus (hMPV are common causes of respiratory infections in children. Diseases caused by hMPV are generally considered to be less severe than those caused by RSV; the underlying mechanisms, however, remain unknown. In the present study, the expressions of TLRs in airway epithelial cells and lungs of BALB/c mice infected by hMPV or RSV were measured in an attempt to explore the differences in the airway inflammation caused by the two viruses. Our results demonstrate that both hMPV and RSV infection upregulated the expressions of TLRs and inflammatory cytokines. Specifically, the TLR3 expression was revealed to be elevated in vitro and in mouse lungs. IFN-α produced by A549 cells after RSV or hMPV infection remained undistinguishable, whereas production of TNF-α was significantly higher after RSV infection than hMPV infection either in the presence or absence of Poly I:C. This study provides a clue that more severe clinical syndrome of RSV infection may be due to the greater magnitude of induction of airway inflammation by RSV involving TLR3 activation and production of TNF-α.

  10. Charges in nonlinear higher-spin theory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Didenko, V.E. [I.E. Tamm Department of Theoretical Physics, Lebedev Physical Institute,Leninsky prospect 53, 119991, Moscow (Russian Federation); Misuna, N.G. [I.E. Tamm Department of Theoretical Physics, Lebedev Physical Institute,Leninsky prospect 53, 119991, Moscow (Russian Federation); Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology,Institutsky lane 9, 141700, Dolgoprudny, Moscow region (Russian Federation); Vasiliev, M.A. [I.E. Tamm Department of Theoretical Physics, Lebedev Physical Institute,Leninsky prospect 53, 119991, Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2017-03-30

    Nonlinear higher-spin equations in four dimensions admit a closed two-form that defines a gauge-invariant global charge as an integral over a two-dimensional cycle. In this paper we argue that this charge gives rise to partitions depending on various lower- and higher-spin chemical potentials identified with modules of topological fields in the theory. The vacuum contribution to the partition is calculated to the first nontrivial order for a solution to higher-spin equations that generalizes AdS{sub 4} Kerr black hole of General Relativity. The resulting partition is non-zero being in parametric agreement with the ADM-like behavior of a rotating source. The linear response of chemical potentials to the partition function is also extracted. The explicit unfolded form of 4d GR black holes is given. An explicit formula relating asymptotic higher-spin charges expressed in terms of the generalized higher-spin Weyl tensor with those expressed in terms of Fronsdal fields is obtained.

  11. Charges in nonlinear higher-spin theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Didenko, V.E.; Misuna, N.G.; Vasiliev, M.A.

    2017-01-01

    Nonlinear higher-spin equations in four dimensions admit a closed two-form that defines a gauge-invariant global charge as an integral over a two-dimensional cycle. In this paper we argue that this charge gives rise to partitions depending on various lower- and higher-spin chemical potentials identified with modules of topological fields in the theory. The vacuum contribution to the partition is calculated to the first nontrivial order for a solution to higher-spin equations that generalizes AdS 4 Kerr black hole of General Relativity. The resulting partition is non-zero being in parametric agreement with the ADM-like behavior of a rotating source. The linear response of chemical potentials to the partition function is also extracted. The explicit unfolded form of 4d GR black holes is given. An explicit formula relating asymptotic higher-spin charges expressed in terms of the generalized higher-spin Weyl tensor with those expressed in terms of Fronsdal fields is obtained.

  12. Time-dependent inhibitory effects of cGMP-analogues on thrombin-induced platelet-derived microparticles formation, platelet aggregation, and P-selectin expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nygaard, Gyrid; Herfindal, Lars; Kopperud, Reidun; Aragay, Anna M.; Holmsen, Holm; Døskeland, Stein Ove; Kleppe, Rune; Selheim, Frode

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • We investigated the impact of cyclic nucleotide analogues on platelet activation. • Different time dependence were found for inhibition of platelet activation. • Additive effect was found using PKA- and PKG-activating analogues. • Our results may explain some of the discrepancies reported for cNMP signalling. - Abstract: In platelets, nitric oxide (NO) activates cGMP/PKG signalling, whereas prostaglandins and adenosine signal through cAMP/PKA. Cyclic nucleotide signalling has been considered to play an inhibitory role in platelets. However, an early stimulatory effect of NO and cGMP-PKG signalling in low dose agonist-induced platelet activation have recently been suggested. Here, we investigated whether different experimental conditions could explain some of the discrepancy reported for platelet cGMP-PKG-signalling. We treated gel-filtered human platelets with cGMP and cAMP analogues, and used flow cytometric assays to detect low dose thrombin-induced formation of small platelet aggregates, single platelet disappearance (SPD), platelet-derived microparticles (PMP) and thrombin receptor agonist peptide (TRAP)-induced P-selectin expression. All four agonist-induced platelet activation phases were blocked when platelets were costimulated with the PKG activators 8-Br-PET-cGMP or 8-pCPT-cGMP and low-doses of thrombin or TRAP. However, extended incubation with 8-Br-PET-cGMP decreased its inhibition of TRAP-induced P-selectin expression in a time-dependent manner. This effect did not involve desensitisation of PKG or PKA activity, measured as site-specific VASP phosphorylation. Moreover, PKG activators in combination with the PKA activator Sp-5,6-DCL-cBIMPS revealed additive inhibitory effect on TRAP-induced P-selectin expression. Taken together, we found no evidence for a stimulatory role of cGMP/PKG in platelets activation and conclude rather that cGMP/PKG signalling has an important inhibitory function in human platelet activation

  13. Theobromine up-regulates cerebral brain-derived neurotrophic factor and facilitates motor learning in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoneda, Mitsugu; Sugimoto, Naotoshi; Katakura, Masanori; Matsuzaki, Kentaro; Tanigami, Hayate; Yachie, Akihiro; Ohno-Shosaku, Takako; Shido, Osamu

    2017-01-01

    Theobromine, which is a caffeine derivative, is the primary methylxanthine produced by Theobroma cacao. Theobromine works as a phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor to increase intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). cAMP activates the cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB), which is involved in a large variety of brain processes, including the induction of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF supports cell survival and neuronal functions, including learning and memory. Thus, cAMP/CREB/BDNF pathways play an important role in learning and memory. Here, we investigated whether orally administered theobromine could act as a PDE inhibitor centrally and affect cAMP/CREB/BDNF pathways and learning behavior in mice. The mice were divided into two groups. The control group (CN) was fed a normal diet, whereas the theobromine group (TB) was fed a diet supplemented with 0.05% theobromine for 30 days. We measured the levels of theobromine, phosphorylated vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (p-VASP), phosphorylated CREB (p-CREB), and BDNF in the brain. p-VASP was used as an index of cAMP increases. Moreover, we analyzed the performance of the mice on a three-lever motor learning task. Theobromine was detectable in the brains of TB mice. The brain levels of p-VASP, p-CREB, and BDNF were higher in the TB mice compared with those in the CN mice. In addition, the TB mice performed better on the three-lever task than the CN mice did. These results strongly suggested that orally administered theobromine acted as a PDE inhibitor in the brain, and it augmented the cAMP/CREB/BDNF pathways and motor learning in mice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Prospective observational study of the effect of dual antiplatelet therapy with tranexamic acid treatment on platelet function and bleeding after cardiac surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amour, J; Garnier, M; Szymezak, J; Le Manach, Y; Helley, D; Bertil, S; Ouattara, A; Riou, B; Gaussem, P

    2016-12-01

    The bleeding impact of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), aspirin and clopidogrel, maintained until coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), is still a matter of debate. The lack of preoperative antiplatelet activity measurement and heterogeneity of antifibrinolytic protocols in prior studies make the conclusions questionable. The aim of this prospective study was to determine, after preoperative antiplatelet activity measurement, if the maintenance of DAPT until CABG increases bleeding in patients treated with tranexamic acid (TA). This observational study included 150 consecutive patients, 89 treated with aspirin and 61 treated with DAPT, undergoing a first-time planned on-pump CABG with TA treatment. Antiplatelet activity was measured with platelet aggregation tests and quantification of VASP phosphorylation. Postoperative bleeding at 24 h was recorded and propensity score analysis was performed. Based on VASP assay, 54% of patients showed high on-clopidogrel platelet activity inhibition. Postoperative bleeding at 24 h increased by 22% in the DAPT group, compared with the aspirin group (680 [95% CI: 360-1670] vs 558 [95%CI: 267-1270] ml, P < 0.01), consistent with increased blood transfusion (21% vs 7%, P = 0.01); a higher incidence of mediastinitis did not reach statistical significance (15% vs 4%, P = 0.05). Bleeding correlated with the extent of clopidogrel antiplatelet effect, with the best correlation for the VASP assay. Maintenance of DAPT until the day of CABG in patients treated with TA, increased postoperative bleeding at 24 h in parallel with preoperative antiplatelet activity induced by clopidogrel. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Solid state perovskite solar modules by vacuum-vapor assisted sequential deposition on Nd:YVO_4 laser patterned rutile TiO_2 nanorods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fakharuddin, Azhar; Wali, Qamar; Rauf, Muhammad; Jose, Rajan; Palma, Alessandro L; Giacomo, Francesco Di; Casaluci, Simone; Matteocci, Fabio; Carlo, Aldo Di; Brown, Thomas M

    2015-01-01

    The past few years have witnessed remarkable progress in solution-processed methylammonium lead halide (CH_3NH_3PbX_3, X = halide) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with reported photoconversion efficiency (η) exceeding 20% in laboratory-scale devices and reaching up to 13% in their large area perovskite solar modules (PSMs). These devices mostly employ mesoporous TiO_2 nanoparticles (NPs) as an electron transport layer (ETL) which provides a scaffold on which the perovskite semiconductor can grow. However, limitations exist which are due to trap-limited electron transport and non-complete pore filling. Herein, we have employed TiO_2 nanorods (NRs), a material offering a two-fold higher electronic mobility and higher pore-filing compared to their particle analogues, as an ETL. A crucial issue in NRs’ patterning over substrates is resolved by using precise Nd:YVO_4 laser ablation, and a champion device with η ∼ 8.1% is reported via a simple and low cost vacuum-vapor assisted sequential processing (V-VASP) of a CH_3NH_3PbI_3 film. Our experiments showed a successful demonstration of NRs-based PSMs via the V-VASP technique which can be applied to fabricate large area modules with a pin-hole free, smooth and dense perovskite layer which is required to build high efficiency devices. (paper)

  16. Multi-tissue analysis of co-expression networks by higher-order generalized singular value decomposition identifies functionally coherent transcriptional modules.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaolin Xiao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Recent high-throughput efforts such as ENCODE have generated a large body of genome-scale transcriptional data in multiple conditions (e.g., cell-types and disease states. Leveraging these data is especially important for network-based approaches to human disease, for instance to identify coherent transcriptional modules (subnetworks that can inform functional disease mechanisms and pathological pathways. Yet, genome-scale network analysis across conditions is significantly hampered by the paucity of robust and computationally-efficient methods. Building on the Higher-Order Generalized Singular Value Decomposition, we introduce a new algorithmic approach for efficient, parameter-free and reproducible identification of network-modules simultaneously across multiple conditions. Our method can accommodate weighted (and unweighted networks of any size and can similarly use co-expression or raw gene expression input data, without hinging upon the definition and stability of the correlation used to assess gene co-expression. In simulation studies, we demonstrated distinctive advantages of our method over existing methods, which was able to recover accurately both common and condition-specific network-modules without entailing ad-hoc input parameters as required by other approaches. We applied our method to genome-scale and multi-tissue transcriptomic datasets from rats (microarray-based and humans (mRNA-sequencing-based and identified several common and tissue-specific subnetworks with functional significance, which were not detected by other methods. In humans we recapitulated the crosstalk between cell-cycle progression and cell-extracellular matrix interactions processes in ventricular zones during neocortex expansion and further, we uncovered pathways related to development of later cognitive functions in the cortical plate of the developing brain which were previously unappreciated. Analyses of seven rat tissues identified a multi

  17. Multi-tissue analysis of co-expression networks by higher-order generalized singular value decomposition identifies functionally coherent transcriptional modules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Xiaolin; Moreno-Moral, Aida; Rotival, Maxime; Bottolo, Leonardo; Petretto, Enrico

    2014-01-01

    Recent high-throughput efforts such as ENCODE have generated a large body of genome-scale transcriptional data in multiple conditions (e.g., cell-types and disease states). Leveraging these data is especially important for network-based approaches to human disease, for instance to identify coherent transcriptional modules (subnetworks) that can inform functional disease mechanisms and pathological pathways. Yet, genome-scale network analysis across conditions is significantly hampered by the paucity of robust and computationally-efficient methods. Building on the Higher-Order Generalized Singular Value Decomposition, we introduce a new algorithmic approach for efficient, parameter-free and reproducible identification of network-modules simultaneously across multiple conditions. Our method can accommodate weighted (and unweighted) networks of any size and can similarly use co-expression or raw gene expression input data, without hinging upon the definition and stability of the correlation used to assess gene co-expression. In simulation studies, we demonstrated distinctive advantages of our method over existing methods, which was able to recover accurately both common and condition-specific network-modules without entailing ad-hoc input parameters as required by other approaches. We applied our method to genome-scale and multi-tissue transcriptomic datasets from rats (microarray-based) and humans (mRNA-sequencing-based) and identified several common and tissue-specific subnetworks with functional significance, which were not detected by other methods. In humans we recapitulated the crosstalk between cell-cycle progression and cell-extracellular matrix interactions processes in ventricular zones during neocortex expansion and further, we uncovered pathways related to development of later cognitive functions in the cortical plate of the developing brain which were previously unappreciated. Analyses of seven rat tissues identified a multi-tissue subnetwork of co-expressed

  18. Inflammation, oxidative stress, and higher expression levels of Nrf2 and NQO1 proteins in the airways of women chronically exposed to biomass fuel smoke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mondal, Nandan Kumar; Saha, Hirak; Mukherjee, Bidisha; Tyagi, Neetu; Ray, Manas Ranjan

    2018-01-24

    The study was carried out to examine whether chronic exposure to smoke during daily household cooking with biomass fuel (BMF) elicits changes in airway cytology and expressions of Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2 [NF-E2]-related factor 2 [Nrf2]), Keap1 (Kelch-like erythroid-cell-derived protein with CNC homology [ECH]-associated protein 1), and NQO1 (NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1) proteins in the airways. For this, 282 BMF-using women (median age 34 year) and 236 age-matched women who cooked with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were enrolled. Particulate matter with diameters of LPG. Compared with LPG users, BMF users had 32% more leukocytes in circulation and their sputa were 1.4-times more cellular with significant increase in absolute number of neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, and alveolar macrophages, suggesting airway inflammation. ROS generation was 1.5-times higher in blood neutrophils and 34% higher in sputum cells of BMF users while erythrocyte SOD was 31% lower and plasma catalase was relatively unchanged, suggesting oxidative stress. In BMF users, Keap1 expression was reduced, the percentage of AEC with nuclear expression of Nrf2 was two- to three-times more, and NQO1 level in sputum cell lysate was two-times higher than that of LPG users. In conclusion, cooking with BMF was associated with Nrf2 activation and elevated NQO1 protein level in the airways. The changes may be adaptive cellular response to counteract biomass smoke-elicited oxidative stress and inflammation-related tissue injury in the airways.

  19. Influence of de qi on the immediate analgesic effect of SP6 acupuncture in patients with primary dysmenorrhoea and cold and dampness stagnation: a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Min-Yi; Zhang, Peng; Li, Jing; Wang, Lin-Peng; Zhou, Wei; Wang, Yan-Xia; She, Yan-Fen; Ma, Liang-Xiao; Wang, Pei; Hu, Ni-Juan; Lin, Chi; Hu, Shang-Qin; Wu, Gui-Wen; Wang, Ya-Feng; Sun, Jun-Jun; Jiang, Si-Zhu; Zhu, Jiang

    2017-10-01

    The aim of this multicentre randomised controlled trial was to investigate the contribution of de qi to the immediate analgesic effect of acupuncture in patients with primary dysmenorrhoea and the specific traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis cold and dampness stagnation . Eighty-eight patients with primary dysmenorrhoea and cold and dampness stagnation were randomly assigned to de qi (n=43) or no de qi (n=45) groups and underwent 30 min of SP6 acupuncture. The de qi group received deep needling at SP6 with manipulation using thick needles; the no de qi group received shallow needling with no manipulation using thin needles. In both groups the pain scores and actual de qi sensation were evaluated using a visual analogue scale for pain (VAS-P) and the acupuncture de qi clinical assessment scale (ADCAS), respectively. Both groups showed reductions in VAS-P, with no signficant differences between groups. ADCAS scores showed 43/43 and 25/45 patients in de qi and no de qi groups, respectively, actually experienced de qi sensation. Independent of original group allocation, VAS-P reductions associated with actual de qi (n=68) were greater than those without (28.4±18.19 mm vs 14.6±12.28 mm, p=0.008). This study showed no significant difference in VAS-P scores in patients with primary dysmenorrhoea and cold and dampness stagnation immediately after SP6 acupuncture designed to induce or avoid de qi sensation. Both treatments significantly reduced VAS-P relative to baseline. Irrespective of group allocation, patients experiencing actual de qi sensation demonstrated larger reductions in pain score relative to those without, suggesting greater analgesic effects. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-TRC-13003086); Results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  20. Safety and Palliative Efficacy of Single-Dose 8-Gy Reirradiation for Painful Local Failure in Patients With Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Previously Treated With Radical Chemoradiation Therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Topkan, Erkan, E-mail: docdretopkan@gmail.com [Baskent Department of Radiation Oncology, University Adana Medical Faculty, Adana (Turkey); Yildirim, Berna Akkus; Guler, Ozan Cem; Parlak, Cem [Baskent Department of Radiation Oncology, University Adana Medical Faculty, Adana (Turkey); Pehlivan, Berrin [Koc University, School of Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Istanbul, and American Hospital, University of Texas MD Anderson Radiation Treatment Center, Istanbul (Turkey); Selek, Ugur [Medstar Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology, Antalya (Turkey)

    2015-03-15

    Purpose: To investigate the safety and efficacy of single-dose 8-Gy palliative chest reirradiation (CRI) in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (M-NSCLC) patients with painful thoracic failures (TF) within the previous radiation portal. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 78 M-NSCLC patients who received single-dose 8-Gy CRI for painful TF after concurrent chemoradiation therapy to a total radiation dose of 52 to 66 Gy between 2007 and 2012. Primary endpoints included significant pain relief (SPR) defined as a ≥2 point decrement in the Visual Analogue Scale for Pain inventory (VAS-P), time to pain relief, and duration of pain control. Secondary objectives were survival and prognostic factors. Results: Treatment was well tolerated, with only 5.1% grade 3 pneumonitis and 1.3% grade 2 esophagitis. Pre-CRI median and post-CRI minimum VAS-P were 7 and 3 (P<.001), respectively. SPR was noted in 67 (85.9%) patients, and only 3 (3.9%) scored progressive pain. Median time to lowest VAS-P and duration of pain control were 27 days and 6.1 months, respectively. Median overall survival (OS) was 7.7 months, and the 1-year OS rate was 26.5%. On multivariate analyses, lower Eastern Cooperative Oncology group score (1-2; P<.001), absence of anemia (P=.001), and fewer metastatic sites (1-2; P<.001) were found to be associated with longer OS. Conclusions: Single-dose 8-Gy CRI provides safe, effective, and durable pain palliation for TF in radically irradiated M-NSCLC patients. Because of its convenience, lower cost, and higher comfort, the present protocol can be considered an appropriate option for patients with limited life spans.

  1. Execution spaces for simple higher dimensional automata

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Raussen, Martin

    2012-01-01

    Higher dimensional automata (HDA) are highly expressive models for concurrency in Computer Science, cf van Glabbeek (Theor Comput Sci 368(1–2): 168–194, 2006). For a topologist, they are attractive since they can be modeled as cubical complexes—with an inbuilt restriction for directions of allowa......Higher dimensional automata (HDA) are highly expressive models for concurrency in Computer Science, cf van Glabbeek (Theor Comput Sci 368(1–2): 168–194, 2006). For a topologist, they are attractive since they can be modeled as cubical complexes—with an inbuilt restriction for directions...

  2. Higher transcription levels in ascorbic acid biosynthetic and recycling genes were associated with higher ascorbic acid accumulation in blueberry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Fenghong; Wang, Lei; Gu, Liang; Zhao, Wei; Su, Hongyan; Cheng, Xianhao

    2015-12-01

    In our preliminary study, the ripe fruits of two highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars, cv 'Berkeley' and cv 'Bluecrop', were found to contain different levels of ascorbic acid. However, factors responsible for these differences are still unknown. In the present study, ascorbic acid content in fruits was compared with expression profiles of ascorbic acid biosynthetic and recycling genes between 'Bluecrop' and 'Berkeley' cultivars. The results indicated that the l-galactose pathway was the predominant route of ascorbic acid biosynthesis in blueberry fruits. Moreover, higher expression levels of the ascorbic acid biosynthetic genes GME, GGP, and GLDH, as well as the recycling genes MDHAR and DHAR, were associated with higher ascorbic acid content in 'Bluecrop' compared with 'Berkeley', which indicated that a higher efficiency ascorbic acid biosynthesis and regeneration was likely to be responsible for the higher ascorbic acid accumulation in 'Bluecrop'. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. The Australopithecus Afarensis (Lucy) of Higher Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamble, John King

    1999-01-01

    Uses a fictitious character and story to express doubts about the use of business and marketing principles in American higher education. Asserts that higher education is profoundly different from other institutions, and that colleges and universities should be shielded from the vagaries of the market. (CAK)

  4. HIGHER ORDER THINKING IN TEACHING GRAMMAR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Citra Dewi

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper discussed about how to enhance students’ higher order thinking that should be done by teacher in teaching grammar. Usually teaching grammar was boring and has the same way to learn like change the pattern of sentence into positive, negative and introgative while the students’ need more various way to develop their thinking. The outcome of students’ competence in grammar sometimes not sufficient enough when the students’ occured some test international standart like Test of English Foreign Language, International English Language Testing. Whereas in TOEFL test it needed higher order thinking answer, so teacher should develop students’ higher order thingking in daily teaching grammar in order to make the students’ enhance their thinking are higher. The method was used in this paper by using field study based on the experience of teaching grammar. It can be shown by students’ toefl score was less in stucture and written expression. The result of this paper was after teacher gave some treatments to enhance students’ higher order thinking in teaching grammar, the students’ toefl scores are sufficient enough as a part of stucture and written expression. It can concluded that it needed some strategies to enhancce students higher order thinking by teaching grammar it can make students’ higher toefl score. Teachers should be creative and inovative to teach the students’ started from giving the students’ question or test in teaching grammar.

  5. A higher-order generalized singular value decomposition for comparison of global mRNA expression from multiple organisms.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sri Priya Ponnapalli

    Full Text Available The number of high-dimensional datasets recording multiple aspects of a single phenomenon is increasing in many areas of science, accompanied by a need for mathematical frameworks that can compare multiple large-scale matrices with different row dimensions. The only such framework to date, the generalized singular value decomposition (GSVD, is limited to two matrices. We mathematically define a higher-order GSVD (HO GSVD for N≥2 matrices D(i∈R(m(i × n, each with full column rank. Each matrix is exactly factored as D(i=U(iΣ(iV(T, where V, identical in all factorizations, is obtained from the eigensystem SV=VΛ of the arithmetic mean S of all pairwise quotients A(iA(j(-1 of the matrices A(i=D(i(TD(i, i≠j. We prove that this decomposition extends to higher orders almost all of the mathematical properties of the GSVD. The matrix S is nondefective with V and Λ real. Its eigenvalues satisfy λ(k≥1. Equality holds if and only if the corresponding eigenvector v(k is a right basis vector of equal significance in all matrices D(i and D(j, that is σ(i,k/σ(j,k=1 for all i and j, and the corresponding left basis vector u(i,k is orthogonal to all other vectors in U(i for all i. The eigenvalues λ(k=1, therefore, define the "common HO GSVD subspace." We illustrate the HO GSVD with a comparison of genome-scale cell-cycle mRNA expression from S. pombe, S. cerevisiae and human. Unlike existing algorithms, a mapping among the genes of these disparate organisms is not required. We find that the approximately common HO GSVD subspace represents the cell-cycle mRNA expression oscillations, which are similar among the datasets. Simultaneous reconstruction in the common subspace, therefore, removes the experimental artifacts, which are dissimilar, from the datasets. In the simultaneous sequence-independent classification of the genes of the three organisms in this common subspace, genes of highly conserved sequences but significantly different cell

  6. The Impact of Type 2 Diabetes on the Efficacy of ADP Receptor Blockers in Patients with Acute ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Pilot Prospective Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matej Samoš

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The aim of this study was to validate the impact of type 2 diabetes (T2D on the platelet reactivity in patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI treated with adenosine diphosphate (ADP receptor blockers. Methods. A pilot prospective study was performed. Totally 67 patients were enrolled. 21 patients had T2D. Among all study population, 33 patients received clopidogrel and 34 patients received prasugrel. The efficacy of ADP receptor blocker therapy had been tested in two time intervals using light transmission aggregometry with specific inducer and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein phosphorylation (VASP-P flow cytometry assay. Results. There were no significant differences in platelet aggregability among T2D and nondiabetic (ND group. The platelet reactivity index of VASP-P did not differ significantly between T2D and ND group (59.4±30.9% versus 60.0±25.2% and 33.9±25.3% versus 38.6±29.3% in second testing. The number of ADP receptor blocker nonresponders did not differ significantly between T2D and ND patients. The time interval from ADP receptor blocker loading dosing to the blood sampling was similar in T2D and ND patients in both examinations. Conclusion. This prospective study did not confirm the higher platelet reactivity and higher prevalence of ADP receptor blocker nonresponders in T2D acute STEMI patients.

  7. Higher spins and Yangian symmetries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gaberdiel, Matthias R. [Institut für Theoretische Physik, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland); Gopakumar, Rajesh [International Centre for Theoretical Sciences-TIFR, Survey No. 151, Shivakote, Hesaraghatta Hobli, Bengaluru North 560 089 (India); Li, Wei [CAS Key Laboratory of Theoretical Physics,Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,100190 Beijing (China); Peng, Cheng [Department of Physics, Brown University, 182 Hope Street, Providence, RI 02912 (United States)

    2017-04-26

    The relation between the bosonic higher spin W{sub ∞}[λ] algebra, the affine Yangian of gl{sub 1}, and the SH{sup c} algebra is established in detail. For generic λ we find explicit expressions for the low-lying W{sub ∞}[λ] modes in terms of the affine Yangian generators, and deduce from this the precise identification between λ and the parameters of the affine Yangian. Furthermore, for the free field cases corresponding to λ=0 and λ=1 we give closed-form expressions for the affine Yangian generators in terms of the free fields. Interestingly, the relation between the W{sub ∞} modes and those of the affine Yangian is a non-local one, in general. We also establish the explicit dictionary between the affine Yangian and the SH{sup c} generators. Given that Yangian algebras are the hallmark of integrability, these identifications should pave the way towards uncovering the relation between the integrable and the higher spin symmetries.

  8. The Wnt Signaling Pathway Is Differentially Expressed during the Bovine Herpesvirus 1 Latency-Reactivation Cycle: Evidence That Two Protein Kinases Associated with Neuronal Survival, Akt3 and BMPR2, Are Expressed at Higher Levels during Latency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Workman, Aspen; Zhu, Liqian; Keel, Brittney N; Smith, Timothy P L; Jones, Clinton

    2018-04-01

    Sensory neurons in trigeminal ganglia (TG) of calves latently infected with bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) abundantly express latency-related (LR) gene products, including a protein (ORF2) and two micro-RNAs. Recent studies in mouse neuroblastoma cells (Neuro-2A) demonstrated ORF2 interacts with β-catenin and a β-catenin coactivator, high-mobility group AT-hook 1 (HMGA1) protein, which correlates with increased β-catenin-dependent transcription and cell survival. β-Catenin and HMGA1 are readily detected in a subset of latently infected TG neurons but not TG neurons from uninfected calves or reactivation from latency. Consequently, we hypothesized that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is differentially expressed during the latency and reactivation cycle and an active Wnt pathway promotes latency. RNA-sequencing studies revealed that 102 genes associated with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were differentially expressed in TG during the latency-reactivation cycle in calves. Wnt agonists were generally expressed at higher levels during latency, but these levels decreased during dexamethasone-induced reactivation. The Wnt agonist bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 (BMPR2) was intriguing because it encodes a serine/threonine receptor kinase that promotes neuronal differentiation and inhibits cell death. Another differentially expressed gene encodes a protein kinase (Akt3), which is significant because Akt activity enhances cell survival and is linked to herpes simplex virus 1 latency and neuronal survival. Additional studies demonstrated ORF2 increased Akt3 steady-state protein levels and interacted with Akt3 in transfected Neuro-2A cells, which correlated with Akt3 activation. Conversely, expression of Wnt antagonists increased during reactivation from latency. Collectively, these studies suggest Wnt signaling cooperates with LR gene products, in particular ORF2, to promote latency. IMPORTANCE Lifelong BoHV-1 latency primarily occurs in sensory neurons

  9. Anger expression among Danish cyclists and drivers: A comparison based on mode specific anger expression inventories

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Mette; Haustein, Sonja

    2017-01-01

    , gender, self-reported aggressive behaviours and traffic fines: Women scored for instance lower in physical expression, while older people scored higher in constructive expression. The effect of age and gender on anger expression among drivers and cyclists remained significant when controlling......Based on the short form of the driving anger expression inventory (DAX-short, 15-item), the present study developed an adapted version of the DAX for cyclists (CAX, 14 items). The data basis was an online survey of 2000 inhabitants of Denmark. A principle component analysis on the translated DAX...... for exposure and other factors in linear regression analyses. These analyses also showed a relationship between a positive attitude towards driving and higher levels of anger expression among drivers, while this was not the case for cyclists....

  10. Implementation of density functional embedding theory within the projector-augmented-wave method and applications to semiconductor defect states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Kuang; Libisch, Florian; Carter, Emily A.

    2015-01-01

    We report a new implementation of the density functional embedding theory (DFET) in the VASP code, using the projector-augmented-wave (PAW) formalism. Newly developed algorithms allow us to efficiently perform optimized effective potential optimizations within PAW. The new algorithm generates robust and physically correct embedding potentials, as we verified using several test systems including a covalently bound molecule, a metal surface, and bulk semiconductors. We show that with the resulting embedding potential, embedded cluster models can reproduce the electronic structure of point defects in bulk semiconductors, thereby demonstrating the validity of DFET in semiconductors for the first time. Compared to our previous version, the new implementation of DFET within VASP affords use of all features of VASP (e.g., a systematic PAW library, a wide selection of functionals, a more flexible choice of U correction formalisms, and faster computational speed) with DFET. Furthermore, our results are fairly robust with respect to both plane-wave and Gaussian type orbital basis sets in the embedded cluster calculations. This suggests that the density functional embedding method is potentially an accurate and efficient way to study properties of isolated defects in semiconductors

  11. Overcoming Short-Circuit in Lead-Free CH3NH3SnI3 Perovskite Solar Cells via Kinetically Controlled Gas-Solid Reaction Film Fabrication Process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokoyama, Takamichi; Cao, Duyen H; Stoumpos, Constantinos C; Song, Tze-Bin; Sato, Yoshiharu; Aramaki, Shinji; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G

    2016-03-03

    The development of Sn-based perovskite solar cells has been challenging because devices often show short-circuit behavior due to poor morphologies and undesired electrical properties of the thin films. A low-temperature vapor-assisted solution process (LT-VASP) has been employed as a novel kinetically controlled gas-solid reaction film fabrication method to prepare lead-free CH3NH3SnI3 thin films. We show that the solid SnI2 substrate temperature is the key parameter in achieving perovskite films with high surface coverage and excellent uniformity. The resulting high-quality CH3NH3SnI3 films allow the successful fabrication of solar cells with drastically improved reproducibility, reaching an efficiency of 1.86%. Furthermore, our Kelvin probe studies show the VASP films have a doping level lower than that of films prepared from the conventional one-step method, effectively lowering the film conductivity. Above all, with (LT)-VASP, the short-circuit behavior often obtained from the conventional one-step-fabricated Sn-based perovskite devices has been overcome. This study facilitates the path to more successful Sn-perovskite photovoltaic research.

  12. Angiotensin II increases phosphodiesterase 5A expression in vascular smooth muscle cells: A mechanism by which angiotensin II antagonizes cGMP signaling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dongsoo; Aizawa, Toru; Wei, Heng; Pi, Xinchun; Rybalkin, Sergei D.; Berk, Bradford C.; Yan, Chen

    2014-01-01

    Angiotensin II (Ang II) and nitric oxide (NO)/natriuretic peptide (NP) signaling pathways mutually regulate each other. Imbalance of Ang II and NO/NP has been implicated in the pathophysiology of many vascular diseases. cGMP functions as a key mediator in the interaction between Ang II and NO/NP. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A) is important in modulating cGMP signaling by hydrolyzing cGMP in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Therefore, we examined whether Ang II negatively modulates intracellular cGMP signaling in VSMC by regulating PDE5A. Ang II rapidly and transiently increased PDE5A mRNA levels in rat aortic VSMC. Upregulation of PDE5A mRNA was associated with a time-dependent increase of both PDE5 protein expression and activity. Increased PDE5A mRNA level was transcription-dependent and mediated by the Ang II type 1 receptor. Ang II-mediated activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) was essential for Ang II-induced PDE5A upregulation. Pretreatment of VSMC with Ang II inhibited C-type NP (CNP) stimulated cGMP signaling, such as cGMP dependent protein kinase (PKG)-mediated phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated-phosphoprotein (VASP). Ang II-mediated inhibition of PKG was blocked when PDE5 activity was decreased by selective PDE5 inhibitors, suggesting that upregulation of PDE5A expression is an important mechanism for Ang II to attenuate cGMP signaling. PDE5A may also play a critical role in the growth promoting effects of Ang II because inhibition of PDE5A activity significantly decreased Ang II-stimulated VSMC growth. These observations establish a new mechanism by which Ang II antagonizes cGMP signaling and stimulates VSMC growth. PMID:15623434

  13. Extension as expression of social responsibility for higher education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Antonio de Marco

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The National System of Higher Education Assessment 2004 in Axis 2, Institutional Development and its dimensions 1 and 3: Mission and Institutional Development Plan (IDP and the Social Responsibility of the institution highlights the need for universities to incorporate in their activities teaching, research and extension practices that demonstrate their positive involvement in social development. In this sense, this article aims to evaluate the practice of university extension contributes to the consolidation of University Social Responsibility. was used as a method descriptive research and documentary analysis found that the institutional documents of the University of the West of Santa Catarina: mission, vision and values; Institutional Development Plan and the extension project of the University of Chapecó Best Age (UMIC; and the National System of Higher Education Evaluation. From this inference, it was revealed that UNOESC in its constitutive principles and official documents value-oriented civic education for social inclusion. It was found that the consolidation of MSW necessarily involves watchful eye of management to the principles of indivisibility of teaching, research and extension, components and ended the universities, which when not properly executed, counter and violate the legal provision; that inter- and transdisciplinary nature of extension projects, such as UMIC, have strong contribution to the consolidation of MSW; parallel, left clear that isolation Extension projects like UMIC not reach the fullness of the social commitment of universities, suggesting that inseparability is present with the incorporation of actions that promote social development.

  14. Tensor products of higher almost split sequences

    OpenAIRE

    Pasquali, Andrea

    2015-01-01

    We investigate how the higher almost split sequences over a tensor product of algebras are related to those over each factor. Herschend and Iyama gave a precise criterion for when the tensor product of an $n$-representation finite algebra and an $m$-representation finite algebra is $(n+m)$-representation finite. In this case we give a complete description of the higher almost split sequences over the tensor product by expressing every higher almost split sequence as the mapping cone of a suit...

  15. Comparing two iteration algorithms of Broyden electron density mixing through an atomic electronic structure computation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Man-Hong

    2016-01-01

    By performing the electronic structure computation of a Si atom, we compare two iteration algorithms of Broyden electron density mixing in the literature. One was proposed by Johnson and implemented in the well-known VASP code. The other was given by Eyert. We solve the Kohn-Sham equation by using a conventional outward/inward integration of the differential equation and then connect two parts of solutions at the classical turning points, which is different from the method of the matrix eigenvalue solution as used in the VASP code. Compared to Johnson’s algorithm, the one proposed by Eyert needs fewer total iteration numbers. (paper)

  16. Higher Levels of c-Met Expression and Phosphorylation Identify Cell Lines With Increased Sensitivity to AMG-458, a Novel Selective c-Met Inhibitor With Radiosensitizing Effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Bo; Torossian, Artour; Sun, Yunguang; Du, Ruihong; Dicker, Adam P.; Lu Bo

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: c-Met is overexpressed in some non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and tissues. Cell lines with higher levels of c-Met expression and phosphorylation depend on this receptor for survival. We studied the effects of AMG-458 on 2 NSCLC cell lines. Methods and Materials: 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl) -2H-tetrazolium assays assessed the sensitivities of the cells to AMG-458. Clonogenic survival assays illustrated the radiosensitizing effects of AMG-458. Western blot for cleaved caspase 3 measured apoptosis. Immunoblotting for c-Met, phospho-Met (p-Met), Akt/p-Akt, and Erk/p-Erk was performed to observe downstream signaling. Results: AMG-458 enhanced radiosensitivity in H441 but not in A549. H441 showed constitutive phosphorylation of c-Met. A549 expressed low levels of c-Met, which were phosphorylated only in the presence of exogenous hepatocyte growth factor. The combination of radiation therapy and AMG-458 treatment was found to synergistically increase apoptosis in the H441 cell line but not in A549. Radiation therapy, AMG-458, and combination treatment were found to reduce p-Akt and p-Erk levels in H441 but not in A549. H441 became less sensitive to AMG-458 after small interfering RNA knockdown of c-Met; there was no change in A549. After overexpression of c-Met, A549 became more sensitive, while H441 became less sensitive to AMG-458. Conclusions: AMG-458 was more effective in cells that expressed higher levels of c-Met/p-Met, suggesting that higher levels of c-Met and p-Met in NSCLC tissue may classify a subset of tumors that are more sensitive to molecular therapies against this receptor.

  17. A Paraconsistent Higher Order Logic

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Villadsen, Jørgen

    2004-01-01

    of paraconsistent logics in knowledge-based systems, logical semantics of natural language, etc. Higher order logics have the advantages of being expressive and with several automated theorem provers available. Also the type system can be helpful. We present a concise description of a paraconsistent higher order...... of the logic is examined by a case study in the domain of medicine. Thus we try to build a bridge between the HOL and MVL communities. A sequent calculus is proposed based on recent work by Muskens. Many non-classical logics are, at the propositional level, funny toys which work quite good, but when one wants...

  18. Overexpression of pucC improves the heterologous protein expression level in a Rhodobacter sphaeroides expression system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, L; Chen, G; Ding, G; Zhao, Z; Dong, T; Hu, Z

    2015-04-27

    The Rhodobacter sphaeroides system has been used to express membrane proteins. However, its low yield has substantially limited its application. In order to promote the protein expression capability of this system, the pucC gene, which plays a crucial role in assembling the R. sphaeroides light-harvesting 2 complex (LH2), was overexpressed. To build a pucC overexpression strain, a pucC overexpression vector was constructed and transformed into R. sphaeroides CQU68. The overexpression efficiency was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. A well-used reporter β-glucuronidase (GUS) was fusion-expressed with LH2 to evaluate the heterologous protein expression level. As a result, the cell culture and protein in the pucC overexpression strain showed much higher typical spectral absorption peaks at 800 and 850 nm compared with the non-overexpression strain, suggesting a higher expression level of LH2-GUS fusion protein in the pucC overexpression strain. This result was further confirmed by Western blot, which also showed a much higher level of heterologous protein expression in the pucC overexpression strain. We further compared GUS activity in pucC overexpression and non-overexpression strains, the results of which showed that GUS activity in the pucC overexpression strain was approximately ten-fold that in the non-overexpression strain. These results demonstrate that overexpressed pucC can promote heterologous protein expression levels in R. sphaeroides.

  19. β1-Adrenoceptor autoantibodies from DCM patients enhance the proliferation of T lymphocytes through the β1-AR/cAMP/PKA and p38 MAPK pathways.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunhui Du

    Full Text Available Autoantibodies against the second extracellular loop of the β(1-adrenergic receptor (β(1-AA not only contribute to increased susceptibility to heart failure, but also play a causative role in myocardial remodeling through their sympathomimetic-like effects that are induced upon binding to the β(1-adrenergic receptor. However, their role in the function of T lymphocytes has never been previously investigated. Our present study was designed to determine whether β(1-AA isolated from the sera of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM patients caused the proliferation of T cells and the secretion of cytokines.Blood samples were collected from 95 DCM patients as well as 95 healthy subjects, and β(1-AA was detected using ELISA. The CD3(+T lymphocytes were selected separately through flow cytometry and the effect of β(1-AA on T lymphocyte proliferation was examined by CCK-8 kits and CFSE assay. Western blotting was used to analyze the expressions of phospho-VASP and phospho-p38 MAPK.β(1-AA enhanced the proliferation of T lymphocytes. This effect could be blocked by the selective β(1-adrenergic receptor antagonist metoprolol, PKA inhibitor H89, and p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580. Furthermore, the expression of the phosphorylated forms of phospho-VASP and phospho-p38 MAPK were markedly increased in the presence of β(1-AA. β(1-AA also inhibited the secretion of interferon-γ (IFN-γ while promoting an increase in interleukin-4 (IL-4 levels.These results demonstrate that β(1-AA isolated from DCM patients binds to β(1-AR on the surface of T cells, causing changes in T-cell proliferation and secretion through the β(1-AR/cAMP/PKA and p38 MAPK pathways.

  20. Homer2 protein regulates plasma membrane Ca²⁺-ATPase-mediated Ca²⁺ signaling in mouse parotid gland acinar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yu-Mi; Lee, Jiae; Jo, Hae; Park, Soonhong; Chang, Inik; Muallem, Shmuel; Shin, Dong Min

    2014-09-05

    Homer proteins are scaffold molecules with a domain structure consisting of an N-terminal Ena/VASP homology 1 protein-binding domain and a C-terminal leucine zipper/coiled-coil domain. The Ena/VASP homology 1 domain recognizes proline-rich motifs and binds multiple Ca(2+)-signaling proteins, including G protein-coupled receptors, inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptors, ryanodine receptors, and transient receptor potential channels. However, their role in Ca(2+) signaling in nonexcitable cells is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the role of Homer2 on Ca(2+) signaling in parotid gland acinar cells using Homer2-deficient (Homer2(-/-)) mice. Homer2 is localized at the apical pole in acinar cells. Deletion of Homer2 did not affect inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor localization or channel activity and did not affect the expression and activity of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase pumps. In contrast, Homer2 deletion markedly increased expression of plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase (PMCA) pumps, in particular PMCA4, at the apical pole. Accordingly, Homer2 deficiency increased Ca(2+) extrusion by acinar cells. These findings were supported by co-immunoprecipitation of Homer2 and PMCA in wild-type parotid cells and transfected human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells. We identified a Homer-binding PPXXF-like motif in the N terminus of PMCA that is required for interaction with Homer2. Mutation of the PPXXF-like motif did not affect the interaction of PMCA with Homer1 but inhibited its interaction with Homer2 and increased Ca(2+) clearance by PMCA. These findings reveal an important regulation of PMCA by Homer2 that has a central role on PMCA-mediated Ca(2+) signaling in parotid acinar cells. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  1. Influence of cytochrome 2C19 allelic variants on on-treatment platelet reactivity evaluated by five different platelet function tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gremmel, Thomas; Kopp, Christoph W; Moertl, Deddo; Seidinger, Daniela; Koppensteiner, Renate; Panzer, Simon; Mannhalter, Christine; Steiner, Sabine

    2012-05-01

    The antiplatelet effect of clopidogrel has been linked to cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) carrier status. The presence of loss of function and gain of function variants were found to have a gene-dose effect on clopidogrel metabolism. However, genotyping is only one aspect of predicting response to clopidogrel and several platelet function tests are available to measure platelet response. Patients and methods We studied the influence of CYP2C19 allelic variants on on-treatment platelet reactivity as assessed by light transmission aggregometry (LTA), the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay, the VASP assay, multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA), and the Impact-R in 288 patients after stenting for cardiovascular disease. Allelic variants of CYP2C19 were determined with the Infiniti® CYP450 2C19+ assay and categorized into four metabolizer states (ultrarapid, extensive, intermediate, poor). Platelet reactivity increased linearly from ultrarapid to poor metabolizers using the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay (P = 0.04), the VASP assay (P = 0.02) and the Impact-R (P = 0.04). The proportion of patients with high on-treatment residual platelet reactivity (HRPR) identified by LTA, the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay and the VASP assay increased when the metabolizer status decreased, while no such relationship could be identified for results of MEA and Impact-R. The presence of loss of function variants (*2/*2, *2-8*/wt, *2/*17) was an independent predictor of HRPR in LTA and the VASP assay while it did not reach statistical significance in the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay, MEA, and the Impact-R. Depending on the type of platelet function test differences in the association of on-treatment platelet reactivity with CYP2C19 carrier status are observed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Higher charges in dynamical spin chains for SYM theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agarwal, Abhishek; Ferretti, Gabriele

    2005-01-01

    We construct, to the first two non-trivial orders, the next conserved charge in the su(2|3) sector of N = 4 Super Yang-Mills theory. This represents a test of integrability in a sector where the interactions change the number of sites of the chain. The expression for the charge is completely determined by the algebra and can be written in a diagrammatic form in terms of the interactions already present in the hamiltonian. It appears likely that this diagrammatic expression remains valid in the full theory and can be generalized to higher loops and higher charges thus helping in establishing complete integrability for these dynamical chains

  3. Differential expression and interaction of host factors augment HIV-1 gene expression in neonatal mononuclear cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sundaravaradan, Vasudha; Mehta, Roshni; Harris, David T.; Zack, Jerome A.; Ahmad, Nafees

    2010-01-01

    We have previously shown a higher level of HIV-1 replication and gene expression in neonatal (cord) blood mononuclear cells (CBMC) compared with adult blood cells (PBMC), which could be due to differential expression of host factors. We performed the gene expression profile of CBMC and PBMC and found that 8013 genes were expressed at higher levels in CBMC than PBMC and 8028 genes in PBMC than CBMC, including 1181 and 1414 genes upregulated after HIV-1 infection in CBMC and PBMC, respectively. Several transcription factors (NF-κB, E2F, HAT-1, TFIIE, Cdk9, Cyclin T1), signal transducers (STAT3, STAT5A) and cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10) were upregulated in CBMC than PBMC, which are known to influence HIV-1 replication. In addition, a repressor of HIV-1 transcription, YY1, was down regulated in CBMC than PBMC and several matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-7, -12, -14) were significantly upregulated in HIV-1 infected CBMC than PBMC. Furthermore, we show that CBMC nuclear extracts interacted with a higher extent to HIV-1 LTR cis-acting sequences, including NF-κB, NFAT, AP1 and NF-IL6 compared with PBMC nuclear extracts and retroviral based short hairpin RNA (shRNA) for STAT3 and IL-6 down regulated their own and HIV-1 gene expression, signifying that these factors influenced differential HIV-1 gene expression in CBMC than PBMC.

  4. Transgenic labeling of higher order neuronal circuits linked to phospholipase C-β2-expressing taste bud cells in medaka fish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ieki, Takashi; Okada, Shinji; Aihara, Yoshiko; Ohmoto, Makoto; Abe, Keiko; Yasuoka, Akihito; Misaka, Takumi

    2013-06-01

    The sense of taste plays a pivotal role in the food-selecting behaviors of vertebrates. We have shown that the fish ortholog of the phospholipase C gene (plc-β2) is expressed in a subpopulation of taste bud cells that transmit taste stimuli to the central nervous system to evoke favorable and aversive behaviors. We generated transgenic medaka expressing wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) under the control of a regulatory region of the medaka plc-β2 gene to analyze the neuronal circuit connected to these sensory cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of the transgenic fish 12 days post fertilization revealed that the WGA protein was transferred to cranial sensory ganglia and several nuclei in the hindbrain. WGA signals were also detected in the secondary gustatory nucleus in the hindbrain of 3-month-old transgenic fish. WGA signals were observed in several diencephalic and telencephalic regions in 9-month-old transgenic fish. The age-dependent increase in the labeled brain regions strongly suggests that labeling occurred at taste bud cells and progressively extended to cranial nerves and neurons in the central nervous system. These data are the first to demonstrate the tracing of higher order gustatory neuronal circuitry that is associated with a specific subpopulation of taste bud cells. These results provide insight into the basic neuronal architecture of gustatory information processing that is common among vertebrates. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Electron-positron annihilation into hadrons at the higher-loop levels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nesterenko, A.V. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Bogoliubov Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, Dubna (Russian Federation)

    2017-12-15

    The strong corrections to the R-ratio of electron-positron annihilation into hadrons are studied at the higher-loop levels. Specifically, the derivation of a general form of the commonly employed approximate expression for the R-ratio (which constitutes its truncated re-expansion at high energies) is delineated, the appearance of the pertinent π{sup 2}-terms is expounded, and their basic features are examined. It is demonstrated that the validity range of such approximation is strictly limited to √(s)/Λ > exp(π/2) ≅ 4.81 and that it converges rather slowly when the energy scale approaches this value. The spectral function required for the proper calculation of the R-ratio is explicitly derived and its properties at the higher-loop levels are studied. The developed method of calculation of the spectral function enables one to obtain the explicit expression for the latter at an arbitrary loop level. By making use of the derived spectral function the proper expression for the R-ratio is calculated up to the five-loop level and its properties are examined. It is shown that the loop convergence of the proper expression for the R-ratio is better than that of its commonly employed approximation. The impact of the omitted higher-order π{sup 2}-terms on the latter is also discussed. (orig.)

  6. Differential expression of c-Met between primary and metastatic sites in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma and its association with PD-L1 expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lalani, Aly-Khan A; Gray, Kathryn P; Albiges, Laurence; Callea, Marcella; Pignon, Jean-Christophe; Pal, Soumitro; Gupta, Mamta; Bhatt, Rupal S; McDermott, David F; Atkins, Michael B; Woude, G F Vande; Harshman, Lauren C; Choueiri, Toni K; Signoretti, Sabina

    2017-11-28

    In preclinical models, c-Met promotes survival of renal cancer cells through the regulation of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). However, this relationship in human clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is not well characterized. We evaluated c-Met expression in ccRCC patients using paired primary and metastatic samples and assessed the association with PD-L1 expression and other clinical features. Areas with predominant and highest Fuhrman nuclear grade (FNG) were selected. c-Met expression was evaluated by IHC using an anti-Met monoclonal antibody (MET4 Ab) and calculated by a combined score (CS, 0-300): intensity of c-Met staining (0-3) x % of positive cells (0-100). PD-L1 expression in tumor cells was previously assessed by IHC and PD-L1+ was defined as PD-L1 > 0% positive cells. Our cohort consisted of 45 pairs of primary and metastatic ccRCC samples. Overall, c-Met expression was higher in metastatic sites compared to primary sites (average c-Met CS: 55 vs. 28, p = 0.0003). Higher c-Met expression was associated with higher FNG (4 vs. 3) in primary tumors (average c-Met CS: 52 vs. 20, p = 0.04). c-Met expression was numerically greater in PD-L1+ vs. PD-L1- tumors. Higher c-Met expression in metastatic sites compared to primary tumors suggests that testing for biomarkers of response to c-Met inhibitors should be conducted in metastases. While higher c-Met expression in PD-L1+ tumors requires further investigation, it supports exploring these targets in combination clinical trials.

  7. Conceptualizing Gender Performance in Higher Education: Exploring Regulation of Identity Expression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fellabaum, Jennifer

    2011-01-01

    While many higher education scholars have considered gender (e.g., Dawson-Threat & Huba, 1996; DeLucia-Waack, Gerrity, Taub, & Baldo, 2001; Jacobs, 1995; Knox, Zusman, & Mcneely, 2004; Lackland & De Lisi, 2001; Massey & Christensen, 1990), most of the literature uses modernistic theories to examine gender roles or gendered differences among…

  8. Exploring Higher Education Business Models ("If Such a Thing Exists")

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harney, John O.

    2013-01-01

    The global economic recession has caused students, parents, and policymakers to reevaluate personal and societal investments in higher education--and has prompted the realization that traditional higher ed "business models" may be unsustainable. Predicting a shakeout, most presidents expressed confidence for their own school's ability to…

  9. "Second Chance" Routes into Higher Education: Sweden, Norway and Germany Compared

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orr, Dominic; Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth

    2014-01-01

    Widening access to higher education is clearly part of the European policy agenda. Higher education ministers in the Bologna countries, as well as the European Commission, have all expressed a wish to make higher education more representative of national populations. This policy objective has been echoed at national level. One approach to widening…

  10. Execution spaces for simple higher dimensional automata

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Raussen, Martin

    Higher Dimensional Automata (HDA) are highly expressive models for concurrency in Computer Science, cf van Glabbeek [26]. For a topologist, they are attractive since they can be modeled as cubical complexes - with an inbuilt restriction for directions´of allowable (d-)paths. In Raussen [25], we...

  11. Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) expression correlates positively with active angiogenesis and negatively with basic fibroblast growth factor expression in epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szubert, Sebastian; Szpurek, Dariusz; Moszynski, Rafal; Nowicki, Michal; Frankowski, Andrzej; Sajdak, Stefan; Michalak, Slawomir

    2014-03-01

    The primary aim of this paper was to evaluate the expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) and its relationship with proangiogenic factors and microvessel density (MVD) in ovarian cancer. The study group included 58 epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs), 35 benign ovarian tumors, and 21 normal ovaries. The expression of EMMPRIN, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was assessed by ELISA of tissue homogenates. Antibodies against CD105, CD31, and CD34 were used to immunohistochemically assess MVD. We have found significantly higher EMMPRIN expression in EOC than in benign ovarian tumors and normal ovaries. Similarly, the VEGF expression was higher in EOC than in benign ovarian tumors and normal ovaries. By contrast, bFGF expression was lower in EOC than in benign ovarian tumors and ovary samples. EMMPRIN expression in EOC was directly correlated with VEGF expression and CD105-MVD, but inversely correlated with bFGF expression. Grade 2/3 ovarian cancers had increased expression of EMMPRIN and VEGF, increased CD105-MVD, and lowered expression of bFGF compared to grade 1 ovarian cancers. Moreover, EMMPRIN expression was higher in advanced (FIGO III and IV) ovarian cancer. The upregulation of EMMPRIN and VEGF expression is correlated with increased CD105-MVD and silenced bFGF, which suggests early and/or reactivated angiogenesis in ovarian cancer. Aggressive EOC is characterized by the following: high expression of EMMPRIN and VEGF, high CD105-MVD, and low expression of bFGF.

  12. Testis-expressed profilins 3 and 4 show distinct functional characteristics and localize in the acroplaxome-manchette complex in spermatids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rothkegel Martin

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Multiple profilin isoforms exist in mammals; at least four are expressed in the mammalian testis. The testis-specific isoforms profilin-3 (PFN3 and profilin-4 (PFN4 may have specialized roles in spermatogenic cells which are distinct from known functions fulfilled by the "somatic" profilins, profilin-1 (PFN1 and profilin-2 (PFN2. Results Ligand interactions and spatial distributions of PFN3 and PFN4 were compared by biochemical, molecular and immunological methods; PFN1 and PFN2 were employed as controls. β-actin, phosphoinositides, poly-L-proline and mDia3, but not VASP, were confirmed as in vitro interaction partners of PFN3. In parallel experiments, PFN4 bound to selected phosphoinositides but not to poly-L-proline, proline-rich proteins, or actin. Immunofluorescence microscopy of PFN3 and PFN4 revealed distinct subcellular locations in differentiating spermatids. Both were associated first with the acroplaxome and later with the transient manchette. Predicted 3D structures indicated that PFN3 has the actin-binding site conserved, but retains only approximately half of the common poly-L-proline binding site. PFN4, in comparison, has lost both, polyproline and actin binding sites completely, which is well in line with the experimental data. Conclusion The testis-specific isoform PFN3 showed major hallmarks of the well characterized "somatic" profilin isoforms, albeit with distinct binding affinities. PFN4, on the other hand, did not interact with actin or polyproline in vitro. Rather, it seemed to be specialized for phospholipid binding, possibly providing cellular functions which are distinct from actin dynamics regulation.

  13. Expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer in odontogenic cysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Mohammad Abdulhadi Abbas

    2008-08-01

    Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) is known to induce matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) production. The expression of EMMPRIN in odontogenic cysts has not been previously studied. This study was done to determine the presence and the variability of EMMPRIN expression in various types of odontogenic cysts. An immunohistochemical study using a polyclonal anti-EMMPRIN antibody was done using 48 odontogenic cyst cases: 13 odontogenic keratocysts (OKCs), 18 dentigerous cysts (DCs), and 17 periapical cysts (PAs). Twelve cases of normal dental follicles (DFs) were also included in this study for comparison. EMMPRIN immunoreactivity was detected in all of the cysts and DFs studied. In odontogenic cysts, EMMPRIN immunoreactivity was generally higher in basal cells than in suprabasal cells. The overall EMMPRIN expression in the epithelial lining of the 3 different types of odontogenic cyst was significantly higher than in the DFs. Overall EMMPRIN expression was also found to be significantly higher in the epithelial lining of OKCs than in the other types of cysts. This study confirmed that EMMPRIN is present in odontogenic cysts and DFs. The higher EMMPRIN expression in OKCs suggests that it may be involved in the aggressive behavior of this type of cyst.

  14. Analysis of education conditions in higher educational institutions of Ukraine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Олександр Петрович Бурмістенков

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with some issues related to higher technical education conditions in Ukraine, namely, training and certification of graduates of schools, training of students in higher educational institutions and motivation of students to study and teachers to improve teaching methods and deep research within the walls of institution. The causes of education level reduction are expressed. The propositions are made for improving the higher education quality

  15. Higher fractions theory of fractional hall effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kostadinov, I.Z.; Popov, V.N.

    1985-07-01

    A theory of fractional quantum Hall effect is generalized to higher fractions. N-particle model interaction is used and the gap is expressed through n-particles wave function. The excitation spectrum in general and the mean field critical behaviour are determined. The Hall conductivity is calculated from first principles. (author)

  16. Higher order capacity statistics of multi-hop transmission systems over Rayleigh fading channels

    KAUST Repository

    Yilmaz, Ferkan

    2012-03-01

    In this paper, we present an exact analytical expression to evaluate the higher order statistics of the channel capacity for amplify and forward (AF) multihop transmission systems operating over Rayleigh fading channels. Furthermore, we present simple and efficient closed-form expression to the higher order moments of the channel capacity of dual hop transmission system with Rayleigh fading channels. In order to analyze the behavior of the higher order capacity statistics and investigate the usefulness of the mathematical analysis, some selected numerical and simulation results are presented. Our results are found to be in perfect agreement. © 2012 IEEE.

  17. Expression of Podoplanin in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Dysplasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Badawia Bayoumy; Salem, Mostafa Mohamed; Khairy, Rasha Ahmed; Al Gunaid, Reema Abdul Rahman

    2017-05-01

    In human cancers, podoplanin expression and its correlation with tumour invasive potential raise its possible role as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for cancer. To investigate the immunohistochemical expression of podoplanin in laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) and dysplasia. This study included a total of 60 archived, formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue blocks of 40 cases of laryngeal SCC and 20 cases of dysplastic lesions. The samples were immunohistochemically analysed for podoplanin expression. Podoplanin expression was significantly higher in laryngeal SCC (90%) than laryngeal dysplastic lesions (55%) (p-value=0.002). The expression of podoplanin was significantly increased with the higher grades of dysplasia (p-value=0.016). A significant positive correlation was detected between podoplanin expression in laryngeal SCC and depth of tumour invasion (p-value=0.035), and stage (p-value=0.026). The high expression of podoplanin in laryngeal SCC and its significant correlation with poor prognostic parameters recommends podoplanin as a prognostic marker in laryngeal SCC. In addition, increased podoplanin expression with higher grades of dysplasia, supports its role in malignant transformation and allows us to recommend its evaluation in premalignant lesions.

  18. [Expression of c-MPL in leukemic stem cells from acute myeloid leukemia patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Pei; Qiu, Shao-Wei; Rao, Qing; Lin, Dong; Xing, Hai-Yan; Tang, Ke-Jing; Tian, Zheng; Wang, Min; Wang, Jian-Xiang

    2012-10-01

    This study was aimed to investigate the expression of c-MPL in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the correlation of the c-MPL expression with CD34 and CD38, so as to define the expression of c-MPL in leukemic stem cells. The expression levels of CD34, CD38 and c-MPL were detected by flow cytometry in bone marrow cells from 29 newly diagnosed AML patients. The relationship of c-MPL positive cell ratio with clinical parameters and correlation of c-MPL with CD34 and CD38 expression in AML patients were analyzed. The results showed that expression level of c-MPL in AML patients was significantly higher than that of normal controls (P MPL did not correlate with age, sex, white blood cell count, AML1-ETO fusion gene and remission after chemotherapy, but the expression of c-MPL in M2 and M5 patients was higher than that of normal control (P MPL in CD34 positive AML patients was obviously higher than that in CD34 negative AML patients (P MPL was significantly higher expressed in CD34(+) cells than that in CD34(-) cells (P MPL expression was not significantly different between CD34(+)CD38(-) and CD34(+)CD38(-) cell groups. Positive correlation between c-MPL and CD34 expression was observed (r = 0.380, P = 0.042). It is concluded that expression of c-MPL is higher in AML patients, and positively correlates with the expression level of CD34. The c-MPL expresses in leukemic stem cells.

  19. The hepatic Raldh1 expression is elevated in Zucker fatty rats and its over-expression introduced the retinal-induced Srebp-1c expression in INS-1 cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Li

    Full Text Available The roles of vitamin A (VA in the development of metabolic diseases remain unanswered. We have reported that retinoids synergized with insulin to induce the expression of sterol-regulatory element-binding protein 1c gene (Srebp-1c expression in primary rat hepatocytes. Additionally, the hepatic Srebp-1c expression is elevated in Zucker fatty (ZF rats, and reduced in those fed a VA deficient diet. VA is metabolized to retinoic acid (RA for regulating gene expression. We hypothesized that the expression of RA production enzymes contributes to the regulation of the hepatic Srebp-1c expression. Therefore, we analyzed their expression levels in Zucker lean (ZL and ZF rats. The mRNA levels of retinaldehyde dehydrogenase family 1 gene (Raldh1 were found to be higher in the isolated and cultured primary hepatocytes from ZF rats than that from ZL rats. The RALDH1 protein level was elevated in the liver of ZF rats. Retinol and retinal dose- and time-dependently induced the expression of RA responsive Cyp26a1 gene in hepatocytes and hepatoma cells. INS-1 cells were identified as an ideal tool to study the effects of RA production on the regulation of gene expression because only RA, but not retinal, induced Srebp-1c mRNA expression in them. Recombinant adenovirus containing rat Raldh1 cDNA was made and used to infect INS-1 cells. The over-expression of RALDH1 introduced the retinal-mediated induction of Srebp-1c expression in INS-1 cells. We conclude that the expression levels of the enzymes for RA production may contribute to the regulation of RA responsive genes, and determine the responses of the cells to retinoid treatments. The elevated hepatic expression of Raldh1 in ZF rats may cause the excessive RA production from retinol, and in turn, result in higher Srebp-1c expression. This excessive RA production may be one of the factors contributing to the elevated lipogenesis in the liver of ZF rats.

  20. Osteopontin expression in salivary gland carcinomas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjørndal, Kristine; Larsen, Stine R; Godballe, Christian

    2011-01-01

    J Oral Pathol Med (2010) Background:  In several cancer types, osteopontin (OPN) expression has been correlated with tumor progression and prognosis. Two earlier studies have examined OPN expression in salivary gland carcinomas with contradictory results. Methods:  One hundred and seventy......:  Osteopontin was expressed in all salivary gland carcinomas. Adenoid cystic carcinomas had the highest mean sum score (7.3) and a significantly higher proportion of carcinomas with high OPN sum score than both mucoepidermoid carcinoma and acinic cell carcinoma. Correlation of OPN expression with known...... prognostic factors in salivary gland carcinomas was insignificant. Conclusions:  Salivary gland carcinomas express OPN. The expression does not correlate with known prognostic factors....

  1. Changes in expression of proteasome in rats at different stages of atherosclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismawati; Oenzil, Fadil; Yanwirasti; Yerizel, Eti

    2016-06-01

    It has been suggested that proteasome system has a role in initiation, progression, and complication stages of atherosclerosis. Although there is still controversy, there has been no research that compares the expression of proteasome in tissue and serum at each of these stages. This study aimed to investigated the expression of proteasome at different stages of atherosclerosis using rat model. We measured the expression of aortic proteasome by immunohistochemical analyses and were then analyzed using ImageJ software for percentage of area and integrated density. We used Photoshop version 3.0 to analyze aortic proteasome expression as a comparison. We measured serum proteasome expression by enzyme linked immunosorbents assays. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare mean value of percentage of area and serum proteasome. Analysis of variance test was used to compare mean value of integrated density. Correlation test between vascular proteasome expression and serum proteasome expression was made using Spearman test. A P-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Compared with normal, percentage of area was higher in initiation, progression, and complication. Compared with normal, integrated density was higher in initiation and further higher in progression and complication. Data from Image J is similar with data from Photoshop. Serum proteasome expression was higher in initiation compared with normal, and further higher in progression and complication. It was concluded that there were different vascular proteasome expression and serum proteasome expression at the stages of atherosclerosis. These results may be used in research into new marker and therapeutic target in atherosclerosis.

  2. Simultaneous Breast Expression in Breastfeeding Women Is More Efficacious Than Sequential Breast Expression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garbin, Catherine P.; Hartmann, Peter E.; Kent, Jacqueline C.

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Introduction Simultaneous (SIM) breast expression saves mothers time compared with sequential (SEQ) expression, but it remains unclear whether the two methods differ in milk output efficiency and efficacy. Subjects and Methods The Showmilk device (Medela AG, Baar, Switzerland) was used to measure milk output and milk ejection during breast expression (electric pump) in 31 Australian breastfeeding mothers of term infants (median age, 19 weeks [interquartile range, 10–33 weeks]). The order of expression type (SIM/SEQ) and breast (left/right) was randomized. Results SIM expression yielded more milk ejections (p≤0.001) and greater amounts of milk at 2, 5, and 10 minutes (p≤0.01) and removed a greater total amount of milk (p≤0.01) and percentage of available milk (p<0.05) than SEQ expression. After SIM expression the cream content of both the overall (8.3% [p≤0.05]) and postexpression (12.6% [p≤0.001]) milk were greater. During SEQ expression, the breast expressed first had a shorter time to 50% and 80% of the total amount of milk than the breast expressed second (p≤0.05), but, overall, a similar percentage of available milk was removed from both breasts. Conclusions SIM expression stimulated more milk ejections and was a more efficient and efficacious method of expression, yielding milk with a higher energy content. PMID:23039397

  3. Expression and significance of TRAIL and NF-kB in osteosarcoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du Xiumin; You Murong; Qi Falian; Hu Chengjin

    2005-01-01

    To investigate the relationship between expressions of TRAIL, NF-kB and cell proliferation in human osteosarcomas, the expressions of TRAIL and NF-kB in 16 cases of osteosarcoma, 5 cases of giant cell tumor of bone and 6 cases of chondrosarcoma were studied by flow cytometry. The expressions of TRAIL and NF-kB in osteosarcomas of different differentiation states were higher than those in other two kinds of tumors significantly in our study(P 0.05). The expressions of TRAIL and NF-kB in chondrosarcoma and giant cell tumor of bone were not different significantly(P>0.05). The higher expression of TRAIL in osteosarcoma with different differentiation states could not induce apoptosis because of the higher expression of NF-kB. NF-kB may restrain the apoptosis of tumor cells by regulating the NF-kB- induced apoptosis path way in osteosarcoma. (authors)

  4. hebp3, a novel member of the heme-binding protein gene family, is expressed in the medaka meninges with higher abundance in females due to a direct stimulating action of ovarian estrogens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakasone, Kiyoshi; Nagahama, Yoshitaka; Okubo, Kataaki

    2013-02-01

    The brains of teleost fish exhibit remarkable sexual plasticity throughout their life span. To dissect the molecular basis for the development and reversal of sex differences in the teleost brain, we screened for genes differentially expressed between sexes in the brain of medaka (Oryzias latipes). One of the genes identified in the screen as being preferentially expressed in females was found to be a new member of the heme-binding protein gene family that includes hebp1 and hebp2 and was designated here as hebp3. The medaka hebp3 is expressed in the meninges with higher abundance in females, whereas there is no expression within the brain parenchyma. This female-biased expression of hebp3 is not attributable to the direct action of sex chromosome genes but results from the transient and reversible action of estrogens derived from the ovary. Moreover, estrogens directly activate the transcription of hebp3 via a palindromic estrogen-responsive element in the hebp3 promoter. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that hebp3 is a novel transcriptional target of estrogens, with female-biased expression in the meninges. The definite but reversible sexual dimorphism of the meningeal hebp3 expression may contribute to the development and reversal of sex differences in the teleost brain.

  5. Materiality for Musical Expressions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindell, Rikard; Tahiroğlu, Koray; Riis, Morten S.

    2016-01-01

    Nordic universities. Electronic music instrument makers participated in providing the course. In eleven days the students designed and built interfaces for musical expressions , composed a piece, and performed at the Norberg electronic music festival. The students explored the relationship between......We organised an elven day intense course in materiality for musical expressions to explore underlying principles of New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME) in higher education. We grounded the course in different aspects of ma-teriality and gathered interdisciplinary student teams from three...... technology and possible musical expression with a strong connection to culture and place. The emphasis on performance provided closure and motivated teams to move forward in their design and artistic processes. On the basis of the course we discuss an interdisciplinary NIME course syllabus, and we infer...

  6. A novel aromatic alcohol dehydrogenase in higher plants: molecular cloning and expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goffner, D; Van Doorsselaere, J; Yahiaoui, N; Samaj, J; Grima-Pettenati, J; Boudet, A M

    1998-03-01

    Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD; EC 1.1.195) catalyses the conversion of p-hydroxy-cinnamaldehydes to the corresponding alcohols and is considered a key enzyme in lignin biosynthesis. In a previous study, an atypical form of CAD (CAD 1) was identified in Eucalyptus gunnii [12]. We report here the molecular cloning and characterization of the corresponding cDNA, CAD 1-5, which encodes this novel aromatic alcohol dehydrogenase. The identity of CAD 1-5 was unambiguously confirmed by sequence comparison of the cDNA with peptide sequences derived from purified CAD 1 protein and by functional expression of CAD 1 recombinant protein in Escherichia coli. Both native and recombinant CAD 1 exhibit high affinity towards lignin precursors including 4-coumaraldehyde and coniferaldehyde, but they do not accept sinapaldehyde. Moreover, recombinant CAD 1 can also utilize a wide range of aromatic substrates including unsubstituted and substituted benzaldehydes. The open reading frame of CAD 1-5 encodes a protein with a calculated molecular mass of 35,790 Da and an isoelectric point of 8.1. Although sequence comparisons with proteins in databases revealed significant similarities with dihydroflavonol-4-reductases (DFR; EC 1.1.1.219) from a wide range of plant species, the most striking similarity was found with cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR; EC 1.2.1.44), the enzyme which directly precedes CAD in the lignin biosynthetic pathway. RNA blot analysis and immunolocalization experiments indicated that CAD 1 is expressed in both lignified and unlignified tissues/cells. Based on the catalytic activity of CAD 1 in vitro and its localization in planta, CAD 1 may function as an 'alternative' enzyme in the lignin biosynthetic pathway. However, additional roles in phenolic metabolism are not excluded.

  7. First-Principle based Computational Doping of SrTiO3 Using ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    71

    Many experimental studies have been conducted to search for ideal ... practice is to exhaustively calculate all the possible dopant element ... This is especially true for .... exhaustively calculating all these many VASP calculations is simply ...

  8. Higher-spin flat space cosmologies with soft hair

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ammon, Martin [Theoretisch-Physikalisches Institut, Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, D-07743 Jena (Germany); Grumiller, Daniel [Institute for Theoretical Physics, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstrasse 8-10/136, A-1040 Vienna (Austria); CMCC-Universidade Federal do ABC,Santo André, S.P. (Brazil); Prohazka, Stefan [Institute for Theoretical Physics, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstrasse 8-10/136, A-1040 Vienna (Austria); Riegler, Max [Université libre de Bruxelles, Boulevard du Triomphe, Campus de la Plaine,1050 Bruxelles (Belgium); Wutte, Raphaela [Institute for Theoretical Physics, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstrasse 8-10/136, A-1040 Vienna (Austria)

    2017-05-08

    We present and discuss near horizon boundary conditions for flat space higher-spin gravity in three dimensions. As in related work our boundary conditions ensure regularity of the solutions independently of the charges. The asymptotic symmetry algebra is given by a set of û(1) current algebras. The associated charges generate higher-spin soft hair. We derive the entropy for solutions that are continuously connected to flat space cosmologies and find the same result as in the spin-2 case: the entropy is linear in the spin-2 zero-mode charges and independent from the spin-3 charges. Using twisted Sugawara-like constructions of higher-spin currents we show that our simple result for entropy of higher-spin flat space cosmologies coincides precisely with the complicated earlier results expressed in terms of higher-spin zero mode charges.

  9. Macrophages From Irradiated Tumors Express Higher Levels of iNOS, Arginase-I and COX-2, and Promote Tumor Growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsai, C.-S.; Chen, F.-H.; Wang, C.-C.; Huang, H.-L.; Jung, Shih-Ming; Wu, C.-J.; Lee, C.-C.; McBride, William H.; Chiang, C.-S.; Hong, J.-H.

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: To investigate the effects of single and fractionated doses of radiation on tumors and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and to elucidate the potential of TAMs to influence tumor growth. Methods and Materials: A murine prostate cell line, TRAMP-C1, was grown in C57Bl/6J mice to 4-mm tumor diameter and irradiated with either 25 Gy in a single dose, or 60 Gy in 15 fractions. The tumors were removed at the indicated times and assessed for a variety of markers related to TAM content, activation status, and function. Results: In tumors receiving a single radiation dose, arginase (Arg-I), and cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA expression increased as a small transient wave within 24 h and a larger persistent wave starting after 3 days. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA was elevated only after 3 days and continued to increase up to 3 weeks. After fractionated irradiation, Arg-1 and COX-2 mRNA levels increased within 5 days, whereas iNOS was increased only after 10 fractions of irradiation had been given. Increased levels of Arg-I, COX-2, and, to a lesser extent, iNOS protein were found to associate with TAMs 1-2 weeks after tumor irradiation. Function of TAMs were compared by mixing them with TRAMP-C1 cells and injecting them into mice; TRAMP-C1 cells mixed with TAMs from irradiated tumors appeared earlier and grew significantly faster than those mixed with TAMs from unirradiated tumors or TRAMP-C1 alone. Conclusions: Tumor-associated macrophages in the postirradiated tumor microenvironment express higher levels of Arg-1, COX-2, and iNOS, and promote early tumor growth in vivo

  10. Initial value formulation of higher derivative gravity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noakes, D.R.

    1983-01-01

    The initial value problem is considered for the conformally coupled scalar field and higher derivative gravity, by expressing the equations of each theory in harmonic coordinates. For each theory it is shown that the (vacuum) equations can take the form of a diagonal hyperbolic system with constraints on the initial data. Consequently these theories possess well-posed initial value formulations

  11. VEGF expression in hepatectomized tumor-bearing mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrini, L; Blanco, A Fernandez; Inda, A; García, M; Garcia, A; Errecalde, A

    2011-01-01

    The experiments were designed in order to study the VEGF expression in intact (group I), hepatectomized (group II), and hepatectomized-tumor bearing mice (group III) throughout one complete circadian time span. Adult male mice were used for the VEGF expression study. The statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed statistical differences in the VEGF expression between groups I and II, but the most significant differences were found between groups I and III. In conclusion, these expressions have a circadian rhythm in all groups; moreover, in group III, this expression was higher and appeared before than in the others.

  12. Correlation Between Expression of Twist and Podoplanin in Ductal Breast Carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grzegrzolka, Jedrzej; Wojtyra, Patrycja; Biala, Martyna; Piotrowska, Aleksandra; Gomulkiewicz, Agnieszka; Rys, Janusz; Podhorska-Okolow, Marzenna; Dziegiel, Piotr

    2017-10-01

    As a result of activation of transcription factors engaged in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), such as Twist, inhibition of epithelial markers and an increased expression of mesenchymal markers are observed. One of the specific markers of cancer-associated fibroblasts is podoplanin (PDPN) - a mucin-type membrane glycoprotein. The aim of this work was to study the localisation and intensity of expression of Twist and PDPN on the mRNA and protein level in cases of invasive ductal breast carcinoma (IDC), and its association with patients' clinico-pathological data. The study included archival material in a form of 80 paraffin IDC blocks and 11 IDC fragments frozen in liquid nitrogen. Immunohistochemical expression of Twist and PDPN was evaluated using light microscope and semiquantitative scale for evaluation of nuclear expression or immunoreactive scale (IRS) for evaluation of cytoplasmic expression. Material was isolated from frozen IDC fragments using laser micro-dissection (from cancer and stromal cells, separately) and was used to perform real-time PCR. Twist expression was higher in stromal cells in comparison to cancer cells. Analysis of patients' survival rate showed, that higher expression of Twist in cancer cells was associated with shorter overall survival time and shorter event-free survival time. The expression of PDPN was also higher in stromal cells in comparison with cancer cells. In addition, positive correlation was observed between expression of Twist and PDPN in stromal cells of IDC (r=0.267; p<0.05). The relationship between the higher expression of Twist in both cancer and stromal cells and shorter patients' survival indicates Twist as a potential useful prognostic marker in IDC. Positive correlation of Twist and PDPN expression may indicate the role of PDPN in EMT in IDC. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  13. Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of perakine reductase, a new member of the aldo-keto reductase enzyme superfamily from higher plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosenthal, Cindy [Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, D-55099 Mainz (Germany); Mueller, Uwe [Berliner Elektronenspeicherring-Gesellschaft für Synchrotronstrahlung mbH, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 15, D-12489 Berlin (Germany); Panjikar, Santosh [European Molecular Biology Laboratory Hamburg, Outstation Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Notkestrasse 85, D-22603 Hamburg (Germany); Sun, Lianli [Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, D-55099 Mainz (Germany); Department of TCM and Natural Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 513 Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou (China); Ruppert, Martin [Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, D-55099 Mainz (Germany); Zhao, Yu [Department of TCM and Natural Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 513 Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou (China); Stöckigt, Joachim [Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, D-55099 Mainz (Germany); Department of TCM and Natural Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 513 Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou (China)

    2006-12-01

    Perakine reductase, a novel member of the aldo-keto reductase enzyme superfamily of higher plants, is involved in the biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids in the Indian medicinal plant Rauvolfia serpentina. The enzyme has been crystallized in C-centered orthorhombic space group and diffracts to 2.0 Å resolution. Perakine reductase (PR) is a novel member of the aldo-keto reductase enzyme superfamily from higher plants. PR from the plant Rauvolfia serpentina is involved in the biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids by performing NADPH-dependent reduction of perakine, yielding raucaffrinoline. However, PR can also reduce cinnamic aldehyde and some of its derivatives. After heterologous expression of a triple mutant of PR in Escherichia coli, crystals of the purified and methylated enzyme were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique at 293 K with 100 mM sodium citrate pH 5.6 and 27% PEG 4000 as precipitant. Crystals belong to space group C222{sub 1} and diffract to 2.0 Å, with unit-cell parameters a = 58.9, b = 93.0, c = 143.4 Å.

  14. Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of perakine reductase, a new member of the aldo-keto reductase enzyme superfamily from higher plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosenthal, Cindy; Mueller, Uwe; Panjikar, Santosh; Sun, Lianli; Ruppert, Martin; Zhao, Yu; Stöckigt, Joachim

    2006-01-01

    Perakine reductase, a novel member of the aldo-keto reductase enzyme superfamily of higher plants, is involved in the biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids in the Indian medicinal plant Rauvolfia serpentina. The enzyme has been crystallized in C-centered orthorhombic space group and diffracts to 2.0 Å resolution. Perakine reductase (PR) is a novel member of the aldo-keto reductase enzyme superfamily from higher plants. PR from the plant Rauvolfia serpentina is involved in the biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids by performing NADPH-dependent reduction of perakine, yielding raucaffrinoline. However, PR can also reduce cinnamic aldehyde and some of its derivatives. After heterologous expression of a triple mutant of PR in Escherichia coli, crystals of the purified and methylated enzyme were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique at 293 K with 100 mM sodium citrate pH 5.6 and 27% PEG 4000 as precipitant. Crystals belong to space group C222 1 and diffract to 2.0 Å, with unit-cell parameters a = 58.9, b = 93.0, c = 143.4 Å

  15. Correlation of Slug gene expression with lymph node metastasis and invasion molecule expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shan-Ming Lu

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the correlation of Slug gene expression with lymph node metastasis and invasion molecule expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue. Methods: Oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue surgical removed in Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between March 2015 and April 2017 was selected and divided into the oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue with neck lymph node metastasis and the oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues without lymph node metastasis according to the condition of lymph node metastasis. The expression of Slug, epithelial-mesenchymal transition molecules and invasion molecules in the oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue were detected. Results: Slug, N-cadherin, Vimentin, CD147, OPN, GRP78, SDF-1 and CXCR4 protein expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue with neck lymph node metastasis were significantly higher than those in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue without lymph node metastasis while E-cadherin, P120ctn and ZO-1 protein expression were significantly lower than those in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue without lymph node metastasis; N-cadherin, Vimentin, CD147, OPN, GRP78, SDF-1 and CXCR4 protein expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue with high Slug expression were significantly higher than those in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue with low Slug expression while E-cadherin, P120ctn and ZO-1 protein expression were significantly lower than those in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue with low Slug expression. Conclusion: The highly expressed Slug in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue can promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasion of the cells to participate in the lymph node metastasis of tumor cells.

  16. Academic Faith Integration: Introduction to a New Section within "Christian Higher Education"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaak, Paul

    2016-01-01

    The following article lays out the rationale and vision for a new section of "Christian Higher Education" focused on academic faith integration. The section editor provides a brief history of this central aspect of Christian higher education, including some of the opportunities, challenges, and critiques expressed within the scholarly…

  17. Emotional facial expressions differentially influence predictions and performance for face recognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nomi, Jason S; Rhodes, Matthew G; Cleary, Anne M

    2013-01-01

    This study examined how participants' predictions of future memory performance are influenced by emotional facial expressions. Participants made judgements of learning (JOLs) predicting the likelihood that they would correctly identify a face displaying a happy, angry, or neutral emotional expression in a future two-alternative forced-choice recognition test of identity (i.e., recognition that a person's face was seen before). JOLs were higher for studied faces with happy and angry emotional expressions than for neutral faces. However, neutral test faces with studied neutral expressions had significantly higher identity recognition rates than neutral test faces studied with happy or angry expressions. Thus, these data are the first to demonstrate that people believe happy and angry emotional expressions will lead to better identity recognition in the future relative to neutral expressions. This occurred despite the fact that neutral expressions elicited better identity recognition than happy and angry expressions. These findings contribute to the growing literature examining the interaction of cognition and emotion.

  18. Acoustic environments that support equally accessible oral higher education as a human right

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Den Heuij, Kirsten M.L.; Neijenhuis, Karin; Coene, Martine

    Purpose: People have the right to freedom of opinion and expression, as defined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Higher education plays a major role in helping students to develop and express their own opinions and, therefore, should be equally accessible to all. This

  19. Teachers' Conceptions of Student Creativity in Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jahnke, Isa; Haertel, Tobias; Wildt, Johannes

    2017-01-01

    Creativity is one of the important skills of the twenty-first century and central to higher education (HE). When we look closer into research on creativity in HE, however, it is not clear how university teachers conceptualise student creativity. How do teachers grasp, observe and express student creativity? Different methods such as interviews and…

  20. The experience and expression of anger in posttraumatic stress disorder: the relationship with metacognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonhardt, Bethany L; Lysaker, Paul H; Vohs, Jenifer L; James, Alison V; Davis, Louanne W

    2018-04-26

    Anger experience and expression are a common issue in those experiencing PTSD. However, it remains unclear what variables affect anger and its expression in PTSD. To explore the relationships of synthetic forms of metacognition and metacognitive beliefs with anger experience and expression in PTSD, independent of the effects hyperarousal and depression symptoms. Participants were 51 veterans with diagnosed with PTSD. Metacognition was assessed using the Metacognition Assessment Scale-Abbreviated (MAS-A) and the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ). Depression, PTSD symptom severity, and seven domains of anger expression were also assessed. Correlations showed after controlling for overall levels of hyperarousal, higher MAS-A total scores were related to lower levels of State Anger, Feeling Angry, Expressing Anger Physically, and Anger Expression in. Lower MCQ scores were related to lower State anger, Expressing anger verbally, and Expressing anger physically. Higher levels of depression were related to higher levels of Trait anger, Expressing anger physically, Anger expression out, and Anger expression in. Multiple regressions suggested that the MAS-A and MCQ predicted unique portions of the variance in anger experience and expression. Metacognitive deficits may affect anger experience and expression in those with PTSD and may be an important treatment target.

  1. The Uses of Institutional Culture: Strengthening Identification and Building Brand Equity in Higher Education. ASHE Higher Education Report, Volume 31, Number 2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toma, J. Douglas, Ed.; Dubrow, Greg, Ed.; Hartley, Matthew, Ed.

    2005-01-01

    Institutional culture matters in higher education, and universities and colleges commonly express the need to strengthen their culture. A strong culture is perceived, correctly so, to engender a needed sense of connectedness between and among the varied constituents associated with a campus. Linking organizational culture and social cohesion is…

  2. Higher Expression of Toll-like Receptors 3, 7, 8, and 9 in Pityriasis Rosea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mostafa Abou El-Ela

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Background Pityriasis rosea (PR is a common papulosquamous skin disease in which an infective agent may be implicated. Toll-like receptors (TLRs play an important role in immune responses and in the pathophysiology of inflammatory skin diseases. Our aim was to determine the possible roles of TLRs 3, 7, 8, and 9 in the pathogenesis of PR. Methods Twenty-four PR patients and 24 healthy individuals (as controls were included in this case control study. All recruits were subjected to routine laboratory investigations. Biopsies were obtained from one active PR lesion and from healthy skin of controls for the detection of TLR 3, 7, 8, and 9 gene expression using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results This study included 24 patients (8 females and 16 males with active PR lesions, with a mean age of 28.62 years. Twenty four healthy age- and sex-matched individuals were included as controls (8 females and 16 males, with a mean age of 30.83 years. The results of the routine laboratory tests revealed no significant differences between both groups. Significantly elevated expression of all studied TLRs were detected in PR patients relative to healthy controls (p < .001. Conclusions TLRs 3, 7, 8, and 9 might be involved in the pathogenesis of PR.

  3. Stochastic gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Araújo, Ilka Schultheiß; Pietsch, Jessica Magdalena; Keizer, Emma Mathilde; Greese, Bettina; Balkunde, Rachappa; Fleck, Christian; Hülskamp, Martin

    2017-12-14

    Although plant development is highly reproducible, some stochasticity exists. This developmental stochasticity may be caused by noisy gene expression. Here we analyze the fluctuation of protein expression in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using the photoconvertible KikGR marker, we show that the protein expressions of individual cells fluctuate over time. A dual reporter system was used to study extrinsic and intrinsic noise of marker gene expression. We report that extrinsic noise is higher than intrinsic noise and that extrinsic noise in stomata is clearly lower in comparison to several other tissues/cell types. Finally, we show that cells are coupled with respect to stochastic protein expression in young leaves, hypocotyls and roots but not in mature leaves. Our data indicate that stochasticity of gene expression can vary between tissues/cell types and that it can be coupled in a non-cell-autonomous manner.

  4. Dicty_cDB: FC-AL12 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available e E Sequences producing significant alignments: (bits) Value AY007501_1( AY007501 |pid:none) Hirudo medici...nalis enabled-like pr... 40 0.10 X98534_1( X98534 |pid:none) H.sapiens VASP gene, e

  5. Assertion Training with Korean College Students: Effects on Self-Expression and Anxiety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Kyung-Ja; Cooker, Philip G.

    1984-01-01

    Examined the effects of assertiveness training on the self-expression skills of 65 Korean college students. Results showed the treatment group scored significantly higher on the College Self Expression Scale than placebo or control groups, and males scored significantly higher than females. (JAC)

  6. Does Accelerating Access to Higher Education Lower Its Quality? The Australian Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pitman, Tim; Koshy, Paul; Phillimore, John

    2015-01-01

    In the pursuit of mass higher education, fears are often expressed that the quality of higher education suffers as access is increased. This quantitative study considers three proxies of educational quality: (1) prior academic achievement of the student, (2) attrition and retention rates and (3) progression rates, to establish whether educational…

  7. Expression of Bmi-1 is a prognostic marker in bladder cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xu Li-Hua

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The molecular mechanisms of the development and progression of bladder cancer are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to analyze the expression of Bmi-1 protein and its clinical significance in human bladder cancer. Methods We examined the expression of Bmi-1 mRNA and Bmi-1 protein by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively in 14 paired bladder cancers and the adjacent normal tissues. The expression of Bmi-1 protein in 137 specimens of bladder cancer and 30 specimens of adjacent normal bladder tissue was determined by immunohistochemistry. Statistical analyses were applied to test the relationship between expression of Bmi-1, and clinicopathologic features and prognosis. Results Expression of Bmi-1 mRNA and protein was higher in bladder cancers than in the adjacent normal tissues in 14 paired samples (P P P P P > 0.5. In superficial bladder cancers, the expression of Bmi-1 protein in recurrent cases was higher than in recurrence-free cases (62.5% versus 13.7%, P P P > 0.05. Five-year survival in the group with higher Bmi-1 expression was 50.8%, while it was 78.5% in the group with lower Bmi-1 expression (P P Conclusion Expression of Bmi-1 was greater in bladder cancers than in the adjacent normal tissues. The examination of Bmi-1 protein expression is potentially valuable in prognostic evaluation of bladder cancer.

  8. Sparse coding for flexible, robust 3D facial-expression synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yuxu; Song, Mingli; Quynh, Dao Thi Phuong; He, Ying; Chen, Chun

    2012-01-01

    Computer animation researchers have been extensively investigating 3D facial-expression synthesis for decades. However, flexible, robust production of realistic 3D facial expressions is still technically challenging. A proposed modeling framework applies sparse coding to synthesize 3D expressive faces, using specified coefficients or expression examples. It also robustly recovers facial expressions from noisy and incomplete data. This approach can synthesize higher-quality expressions in less time than the state-of-the-art techniques.

  9. Large clusters of co-expressed genes in the Drosophila genome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boutanaev, Alexander M; Kalmykova, Alla I; Shevelyov, Yuri Y; Nurminsky, Dmitry I

    2002-12-12

    Clustering of co-expressed, non-homologous genes on chromosomes implies their co-regulation. In lower eukaryotes, co-expressed genes are often found in pairs. Clustering of genes that share aspects of transcriptional regulation has also been reported in higher eukaryotes. To advance our understanding of the mode of coordinated gene regulation in multicellular organisms, we performed a genome-wide analysis of the chromosomal distribution of co-expressed genes in Drosophila. We identified a total of 1,661 testes-specific genes, one-third of which are clustered on chromosomes. The number of clusters of three or more genes is much higher than expected by chance. We observed a similar trend for genes upregulated in the embryo and in the adult head, although the expression pattern of individual genes cannot be predicted on the basis of chromosomal position alone. Our data suggest that the prevalent mechanism of transcriptional co-regulation in higher eukaryotes operates with extensive chromatin domains that comprise multiple genes.

  10. The relationship of positive and negative expressiveness to the processing of emotion information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knyazev, Gennady G; Barchard, Kimberly A; Razumnikova, Olga M; Mitrofanova, Larisa G

    2012-06-01

    The tendency to express emotions non-verbally is positively related to perception of emotions in oneself. This study examined its relationship to perception of emotions in others. In 40 healthy adults, EEG theta synchronization was used to indicate emotion processing following presentation of happy, angry, and neutral faces. Both positive and negative expressiveness were associated with higher emotional sensitivity, as shown by cortical responses to facial expressions during the early, unconscious processing stage. At the late, conscious processing stage, positive expressiveness was associated with higher sensitivity to happy faces but lower sensitivity to angry faces. Thus, positive expressiveness predisposes people to allocate fewer attentional resources for conscious perception of angry faces. In contrast, negative expressiveness was consistently associated with higher sensitivity. The effects of positive expressiveness occurred in cortical areas that deal with emotions, but the effects of negative expressiveness occurred in areas engaged in self-referential processes in the context of social relationships. © 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2012 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

  11. Gender Differences in Emotional Response: Inconsistency between Experience and Expressivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Yaling; Chang, Lei; Yang, Meng; Huo, Meng

    2016-01-01

    The present study investigated gender differences in both emotional experience and expressivity. Heart rate (HR) was recorded as an indicator of emotional experience while the participants watched 16 video clips that induced eight types of emotion (sadness, anger, horror, disgust, neutrality, amusement, surprise, and pleasure). We also asked the participants to report valence, arousal, and motivation as indicators of emotional expressivity. Overall, the results revealed gender differences in emotional experience and emotional expressivity. When watching videos that induced anger, amusement, and pleasure, men showed larger decreases in HR, whereas women reported higher levels of arousal. There was no gender difference in HR when the participants watched videos that induced horror and disgust, but women reported lower valence, higher arousal, and stronger avoidance motivation than did men. Finally, no gender difference was observed in sadness or surprise, although there was one exception—women reported higher arousal when watching videos that induced sadness. The findings suggest that, when watching videos that induce an emotional response, men often have more intense emotional experiences, whereas women have higher emotional expressivity, particularly for negative emotions. In addition, gender differences depend on the specific emotion type but not the valence. PMID:27362361

  12. Gender Differences in Emotional Response: Inconsistency between Experience and Expressivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Yaling; Chang, Lei; Yang, Meng; Huo, Meng; Zhou, Renlai

    2016-01-01

    The present study investigated gender differences in both emotional experience and expressivity. Heart rate (HR) was recorded as an indicator of emotional experience while the participants watched 16 video clips that induced eight types of emotion (sadness, anger, horror, disgust, neutrality, amusement, surprise, and pleasure). We also asked the participants to report valence, arousal, and motivation as indicators of emotional expressivity. Overall, the results revealed gender differences in emotional experience and emotional expressivity. When watching videos that induced anger, amusement, and pleasure, men showed larger decreases in HR, whereas women reported higher levels of arousal. There was no gender difference in HR when the participants watched videos that induced horror and disgust, but women reported lower valence, higher arousal, and stronger avoidance motivation than did men. Finally, no gender difference was observed in sadness or surprise, although there was one exception-women reported higher arousal when watching videos that induced sadness. The findings suggest that, when watching videos that induce an emotional response, men often have more intense emotional experiences, whereas women have higher emotional expressivity, particularly for negative emotions. In addition, gender differences depend on the specific emotion type but not the valence.

  13. Gender Differences in Emotional Response: Inconsistency between Experience and Expressivity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yaling Deng

    Full Text Available The present study investigated gender differences in both emotional experience and expressivity. Heart rate (HR was recorded as an indicator of emotional experience while the participants watched 16 video clips that induced eight types of emotion (sadness, anger, horror, disgust, neutrality, amusement, surprise, and pleasure. We also asked the participants to report valence, arousal, and motivation as indicators of emotional expressivity. Overall, the results revealed gender differences in emotional experience and emotional expressivity. When watching videos that induced anger, amusement, and pleasure, men showed larger decreases in HR, whereas women reported higher levels of arousal. There was no gender difference in HR when the participants watched videos that induced horror and disgust, but women reported lower valence, higher arousal, and stronger avoidance motivation than did men. Finally, no gender difference was observed in sadness or surprise, although there was one exception-women reported higher arousal when watching videos that induced sadness. The findings suggest that, when watching videos that induce an emotional response, men often have more intense emotional experiences, whereas women have higher emotional expressivity, particularly for negative emotions. In addition, gender differences depend on the specific emotion type but not the valence.

  14. Using Aptitude Testing to Diversify Higher Education Intake--An Australian Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Daniel; Coates, Hamish; Friedman, Tim

    2013-01-01

    Australian higher education is currently entering a new phase of growth. Within the remit of this expansion is an express commitment to widen participation in higher education among under-represented groups--in particular those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. This paper argues that one key mechanism for achieving this goal should be the…

  15. Expression of Bmi-1 is a prognostic marker in bladder cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qin, Zi-Ke; Zeng, Mu-Sheng; Yang, Jian-An; Ye, Yun-lin; Zhang, Xing; Xu, Li-Hua; Zhou, Fang-Jian; Han, Hui; Liu, Zuo-Wei; Song, Li-Bing

    2009-01-01

    The molecular mechanisms of the development and progression of bladder cancer are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to analyze the expression of Bmi-1 protein and its clinical significance in human bladder cancer. We examined the expression of Bmi-1 mRNA and Bmi-1 protein by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively in 14 paired bladder cancers and the adjacent normal tissues. The expression of Bmi-1 protein in 137 specimens of bladder cancer and 30 specimens of adjacent normal bladder tissue was determined by immunohistochemistry. Statistical analyses were applied to test the relationship between expression of Bmi-1, and clinicopathologic features and prognosis. Expression of Bmi-1 mRNA and protein was higher in bladder cancers than in the adjacent normal tissues in 14 paired samples (P < 0.01). By immunohistochemical examination, five of 30 adjacent normal bladder specimens (16.7%) versus 75 of 137 bladder cancers (54.3%) showed Bmi-1 protein expression (P < 0.05). Bmi-1 protein expression was intense in 20.6%, 54.3%, and 78.8% of tumors of histopathological stages G1, G2, and G3, respectively (P < 0.05). Expression of Bmi-1 protein was greater in invasive bladder cancers than in superficial bladder cancers (81.5% versus 32.5%, P < 0.05). In invasive bladder cancers, the expression of Bmi-1 protein in progression-free cancers was similar to that of cancers that have progressed (80.0% versus 82.4%, P > 0.5). In superficial bladder cancers, the expression of Bmi-1 protein in recurrent cases was higher than in recurrence-free cases (62.5% versus 13.7%, P < 0.05). Bmi-1 expression was positively correlated with tumor classification and TNM stage (P < 0.05), but not with tumor number (P > 0.05). Five-year survival in the group with higher Bmi-1 expression was 50.8%, while it was 78.5% in the group with lower Bmi-1 expression (P < 0.05). Patients with higher Bmi-1 expression had shorter survival time, whereas patients with lower Bmi-1 expression had longer

  16. Diet-induced changes in Ucp1 expression in bovine adipose tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asano, Hiroki; Yamada, Tomoya; Hashimoto, Osamu; Umemoto, Takenao; Sato, Ryo; Ohwatari, Shiori; Kanamori, Yohei; Terachi, Tomohiro; Funaba, Masayuki; Matsui, Tohru

    2013-04-01

    Brown adipocytes, which regulate non-shivering thermogenesis, have been believed to exist in a limited number of mammalian species, and only under limited physiological conditions. Recent discoveries indicate that adult humans possess a significant number of functional brown adipocytes. This study explores the regulatory emergence of brown adipocytes in white adipose tissue (WAT) depots of fattening cattle. RT-PCR analyses indicated significant expression of Ucp1, a brown adipocyte-specific gene, in the WAT of 31-month-old Japanese Black steers. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that Ucp1-positive small adipocytes were dispersed in the subcutaneous WAT. Next, we examined expression level of Ucp1 and other brown adipocyte-selective genes such as Pgc1α, Cidea, Dio2, Cox1, Cox7a1 and Cox8b in WAT of 30-month-old steers fed either diet with low protein/energy content (roughage diet) or that with high protein/energy content (concentrate diet) for 20months. Ucp1 expression in the subcutaneous WAT was significantly higher in the concentrate diet group than in the roughage diet group. Furthermore, the higher Ucp1 expression levels were limited to the subcutaneous WAT, and no differences between groups were detected in the mesenteric, perirenal, intermuscular or intramuscular WAT. Expression of Dio2, Cox1 and Cox8b was higher in the subcutaneous WAT but not in the mesenteric WAT of the concentrate diet group. Furthermore, expression of Prdm16, a positive regulator of differentiation toward brown adipocyte-lineage cells, and expression of leptin, a molecule that enhances activity of brown adipocytes, were significantly higher in the subcutaneous WAT of the concentrate diet group. This study demonstrates the presence of brown adipocytes in WAT depots of fattening cattle, and suggests the diet-related modulation of expression of genes predominantly expressed in brown adipocytes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Progranulin expression in breast cancer with different intrinsic subtypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Li Qin; Min, Li Shan; Jiang, Qun; Ping, Jin Liang; Li, Jing; Dai, Li Cheng

    2012-04-15

    Progranulin is a newly discovered 88-kDa glycoprotein originally purified from the highly tumorigenic mouse teratoma-derived cell line PC. We found that high progranulin expression was associated with higher breast carcinoma angiogenesis, reflected by increased vascular endothelial growth factor expression and higher microvessel density. However, no immunohistochemical evidence currently exists to correlate progranulin expression with clinicopathological features in different intrinsic subtypes of breast carcinoma biopsies. The aim of this study was to investigate the progranulin expression profiles in the intrinsic subtypes of breast carcinomas and their relevance to histopathological and clinicopathological features. Tissue blocks containing 264 cases of breast carcinomas from 2006 to 2009 were classified as different intrinsic subtypes. Tissues of four intrinsic subtypes were immunostained for progranulin, vascular endothelial growth factor and CD105. Their relevance to histopathological and clinicopathological features was also analyzed. Twenty tissue samples from breast fibroadenomas were included in this study. Progranulin expression showed no significant differences in different intrinsic subtypes, although an increasing tendency could be found in the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subgroup (χ(2)=5.00, df=3, p=0.17). However, differences were significant when pathologically node metastasis-positive (pN(+)) TNBC were excluded (χ(2)=17.84, df=3, pprogranulin in pathologically node metastasis-negative (pN(-)) TNBC. It was noted that the EGFR expression level of the pN(-) TNBC subtype was significantly higher in cases with strong progranulin expression than in cases with weak progranulin expression (χ(2)=11.26, df=1, pprogranulin in pN(-) TNBC suggests that progranulin is a promising new target for pN(-) TNBC treatment. Strong expression of progranulin correlates with positive EGFR expression in the pN(-) TNBC subtype. The close relationship between

  18. Correlation of Claudins6 (CLDN6 gene expression in meningioma tissue with the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs/ tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMPs and epithelialmesenchymal transition (EMT genes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    An-Qiang Yang

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the correlation of Claudins6 (CLDN6 gene expression in meningioma tissue with the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs/tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMPs and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT genes. Methods: Meningioma tissue samples that were surgically removed in Yibin First People’s Hospital between April 2014 and May 2017 were selected, normal arachnoid tissue samples that were collected from decompressive craniectomy in Yibin First People’s Hospital during the same period were selected, and the expression of CLDN6, MMPs/TIMPs and EMT genes in tissues were determined. Results: CLDN6 protein expression in meningioma tissue was significantly lower than that in normal arachnoid tissue; EMMPRIN, MMP2, MMP9, Vimentin and N-cadherin protein expression in meningioma tissue were significantly higher than those in normal arachnoid tissue while TIMP1, TIMP2, E-cadherin and α-catenin protein expression were significantly lower than those in normal arachnoid tissue; EMMPRIN, MMP2, MMP9, Vimentin and N-cadherin protein expression in meningioma tissue with higher CLDN6 expression were significantly lower than those in meningioma tissue with lower CLDN6 expression while TIMP1, TIMP2, E-cadherin and α-catenin protein expression were significantly higher than those in meningioma tissue with lower CLDN6 expression. Conclusion: Lowly expressed CLDN6 gene in meningioma tissue can increase the hydrolysis activity of MMPs, induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition and thus promote the invasive growth of meningioma.

  19. Podoplanin Expression Correlates with Disease Progression in Mycosis Fungoides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jankowska-Konsur, Alina; Kobierzycki, Christopher; Grzegrzółka, Jędrzej; Piotrowska, Aleksandra; Gomulkiewicz, Agnieszka; Glatzel-Plucinska, Natalia; Reich, Adam; Podhorska-Okołów, Marzenna; Dzięgiel, Piotr; Szepietowski, Jacek C

    2017-02-08

    The aim of this study was to investigate the role of lymphangiogenesis in the clinical progression and outcome of mycosis fungoides. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot techniques were used to assess the expression of podoplanin and vascular endothelial growth factor C in mycosis fungoides. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C measured by immunohistochemistry was significantly higher in mycosis fungoides samples in comparison with control cases (chronic benign dermatoses) (p = 0.0012). Increased expression of podoplanin was found in advanced vs. early mycosis fungoides (p < 0.0001), and was positively correlated with cutaneous and nodal involvement (p < 0.001, p < 0.0001; respectively). Higher podoplanin expression was also significantly associated with shorter survival (p < 0.001). Strong positive correlation was observed between expression of podoplanin analysed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot (r = 0.75, p < 0.0001). A similar association was shown regarding expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (r = 0.68, p = 0.0007). In conclusion, these results suggest that increased expression of podoplanin is associated with poor clinical course, as well as shorter survival, of patients with mycosis fungoides.

  20. Immunohistochemical Assessment of HER3 Expression in Odontogenic Cysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Honarmand, Marieh; Saravani, Shirin; Kamyab, Nazanin; Jahantigh, Mehdi; Torabi Parizi, Molouk

    2015-11-01

    It has been demonstrated that HER3 plays an important role in some human cancers and the HER3 expression is associated with worse survival in solid tumors. This study was conducted to compare HER3 expression in epithelial lining of radicular cysts (RCs), dentigerous cysts (DCs) and odontogenic keratocysts (OKCs). This was a descriptive-analytical study, which assessed all 57 paraffin blocks of RCs, DCs and OKCs (21 RCs, 16 DCs, 20 OKC) from pathological archive of Dentistry College of Zahedan, Iran. The HER3 expression in cytoplasm and membrane was examined by immunohistochemical method. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS16 by ANOVA and Chi-square. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The HER3 expression had positive results in 52.4% of OKC, 50% of DC and only 20% of RC samples. There was a significant difference between HER3 expression in OKCs and RCs. The HER3 expression in developmental odontogenic cysts was higher than that in inflammatory odontogenic cysts. The higher rate of HER3 expression in OKC may justify inherent growth potential, stimulation-independent proliferation capability, invasive growth and high recurrence rate of the cyst accepted today as a tumor.

  1. CD133-expressing thyroid cancer cells are undifferentiated, radioresistant and survive radioiodide therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ke, Chien-Chih; Liu, Ren-Shyan; Yang, An-Hang; Liu, Ching-Sheng; Chi, Chin-Wen; Tseng, Ling-Ming; Tsai, Yi-Fan; Ho, Jennifer H.; Lee, Chen-Hsen; Lee, Oscar K.

    2013-01-01

    131 I therapy is regularly used following surgery as a part of thyroid cancer management. Despite an overall relatively good prognosis, recurrent or metastatic thyroid cancer is not rare. CD133-expressing cells have been shown to mark thyroid cancer stem cells that possess the characteristics of stem cells and have the ability to initiate tumours. However, no studies have addressed the influence of CD133-expressing cells on radioiodide therapy of the thyroid cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate whether CD133 + cells contribute to the radioresistance of thyroid cancer and thus potentiate future recurrence and metastasis. Thyroid cancer cell lines were analysed for CD133 expression, radiosensitivity and gene expression. The anaplastic thyroid cancer cell line ARO showed a higher percentage of CD133 + cells and higher radioresistance. After γ-irradiation of the cells, the CD133 + population was enriched due to the higher apoptotic rate of CD133 - cells. In vivo 131 I treatment of ARO tumour resulted in an elevated expression of CD133, Oct4, Nanog, Lin28 and Glut1 genes. After isolation, CD133 + cells exhibited higher radioresistance and higher expression of Oct4, Nanog, Sox2, Lin28 and Glut1 in the cell line or primarily cultured papillary thyroid cancer cells, and lower expression of various thyroid-specific genes, namely NIS, Tg, TPO, TSHR, TTF1 and Pax8. This study demonstrates the existence of CD133-expressing thyroid cancer cells which show a higher radioresistance and are in an undifferentiated status. These cells possess a greater potential to survive radiotherapy and may contribute to the recurrence of thyroid cancer. A future therapeutic approach for radioresistant thyroid cancer may focus on the selective eradication of CD133 + cells. (orig.)

  2. Differential expression of pancreatitis-associated protein and thrombospondins in arterial versus venous tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szasz, Theodora; Eddy, Susan; Paulauskis, Joseph; Burnett, Robert; Ellekilde, Merete; Iovanna, Juan L; Watts, Stephanie W

    2009-01-01

    Arteries and veins modulate cardiovascular homeostasis and contribute to hypertension pathogenesis. Functional differences between arteries and veins are based upon differences in gene expression. To better characterize these expression patterns, and to identify candidate genes that could be manipulated selectively in the venous system, we performed whole genome expression profiling of arteries and veins. We used the CodeLink platform and the major artery (thoracic aorta) and vein (caudal vena cava) of the rat. The most prominent difference was pancreatitis-associated protein (PAP1), expressed 64-fold higher in vena cava versus aorta. Expression of mRNA for thrombospondins (TSP-1, TSP-4) was greater than 5-fold higher in veins versus arteries. Higher mRNA expression of TSP-1, TSP-2, TSP-4 and PAP1 in vena cava versus aorta was confirmed by PCR. Immunohistochemical analysis of tissue sections qualitatively confirmed a higher expression of these proteins in vena cava versus aorta. This is the first gene array study of adult rat arterial and venous tissues, and also the first study to report differences in inflammatory genes between arteries and veins. Data from these studies may provide novel insights into the genetic basis for functional differences between arteries and veins in health and disease. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  3. Differential expression of pancreatitis associated protein and thrombospondins in arterial vs venous tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szasz, Theodora; Eddy, Susan; Paulauskis, Joseph; Burnett, Robert; Ellekilde, Merete; Iovanna, Juan L.; Watts, Stephanie W.

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND/AIMS Arteries and veins modulate cardiovascular homeostasis and contribute to hypertension pathogenesis. Functional differences between arteries and veins are based upon differences in gene expression. To better characterize these expression patterns, and to identify candidate genes that could be manipulated selectively in the venous system, we performed whole genome expression profiling of arteries and veins. METHODS We used the CodeLink platform and the major artery (thoracic aorta) and vein (caudal vena cava) of the rat. RESULTS The most prominent difference was pancreatitis associated protein (PAP1), expressed 64-fold higher in vena cava vs aorta. Expression of mRNA for thrombospondins (TSP-1, TSP-4) was greater than 5-fold higher in veins vs arteries. Higher mRNA expression of thrombospondins (TSP-1, 2, 4) and PAP1 in vena cava vs aorta was confirmed by PCR. Immunohistochemical analysis of tissue sections qualitatively confirmed a higher expression of these proteins in vena cava vs aorta. CONCLUSION This is the first gene array study of adult rat arterial and venous tissues, and also the first study to report differences in inflammatory genes between arteries and veins. Data from these studies may provide novel insights into the genetic basis for functional differences between arteries and veins in health and disease. PMID:19571575

  4. Higher spin black holes with soft hair

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grumiller, Daniel [Institute for Theoretical Physics, TU Wien,Wiedner Hauptstrasse 8-10/136, Vienna, A-1040 (Austria); Pérez, Alfredo [Centro de Estudios Científicos (CECs),Av. Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia (Chile); Prohazka, Stefan [Institute for Theoretical Physics, TU Wien,Wiedner Hauptstrasse 8-10/136, Vienna, A-1040 (Austria); Tempo, David; Troncoso, Ricardo [Centro de Estudios Científicos (CECs),Av. Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia (Chile)

    2016-10-21

    We construct a new set of boundary conditions for higher spin gravity, inspired by a recent “soft Heisenberg hair”-proposal for General Relativity on three-dimensional Anti-de Sitter space. The asymptotic symmetry algebra consists of a set of affine û(1) current algebras. Its associated canonical charges generate higher spin soft hair. We focus first on the spin-3 case and then extend some of our main results to spin-N, many of which resemble the spin-2 results: the generators of the asymptotic W{sub 3} algebra naturally emerge from composite operators of the û(1) charges through a twisted Sugawara construction; our boundary conditions ensure regularity of the Euclidean solutions space independently of the values of the charges; solutions, which we call “higher spin black flowers”, are stationary but not necessarily spherically symmetric. Finally, we derive the entropy of higher spin black flowers, and find that for the branch that is continuously connected to the BTZ black hole, it depends only on the affine purely gravitational zero modes. Using our map to W-algebra currents we recover well-known expressions for higher spin entropy. We also address higher spin black flowers in the metric formalism and achieve full consistency with previous results.

  5. On the conformal higher spin unfolded equation for a three-dimensional self-interacting scalar field

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nilsson, Bengt E.W. [Fundamental Physics, Chalmers University of Technology,SE-412 96 Göteborg (Sweden)

    2016-08-24

    We propose field equations for the conformal higher spin system in three dimensions coupled to a conformal scalar field with a sixth order potential. Both the higher spin equation and the unfolded equation for the scalar field have source terms and are based on a conformal higher spin algebra which we treat as an expansion in multi-commutators. Explicit expressions for the source terms are suggested and subjected to some simple tests. We also discuss a cascading relation between the Chern-Simons action for the higher spin gauge theory and an action containing a term for each spin that generalizes the spin 2 Chern-Simons action in terms of the spin connection expressed in terms of the frame field. This cascading property is demonstrated in the free theory for spin 3 but should work also in the complete higher spin theory.

  6. Higher-order blackhole solutions in N=2 supergravity and Calabi-Yau string backgrounds

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Behrndt, K.; Cardoso, G.L.; de Wit, B.Q.P.J.; Lüst, D.; Mohaupt, T.; Sabra, W.A.

    1998-01-01

    Based on special geometry, we consider corrections to N=2 extremal black-hole solutions and their entropies originating from higher-order derivative terms in N=2 supergravity. These corrections are described by a holomorphic function, and the higher-order black-hole solutions can be expressed in

  7. Enzymes from Higher Eukaryotes for Industrial Biocatalysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhibin Liu

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available The industrial production of fine chemicals, feed and food ingredients, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and their respective intermediates relies on an increasing application of biocatalysis, i.e. on enzyme or whole-cell catalyzed conversions of molecules. Simple procedures for discovery, cloning and over-expression as well as fast growth favour fungi, yeasts and especially bacteria as sources of biocatalysts. Higher eukaryotes also harbour an almost unlimited number of potential biocatalysts, although to date the limited supply of enzymes, the high heterogeneity of enzyme preparations and the hazard of infectious contaminants keep some interesting candidates out of reach for industrial bioprocesses. In the past only a few animal and plant enzymes from agricultural waste materials were employed in food processing. The use of bacterial expression strains or non-conventional yeasts for the heterologous production of efficient eukaryotic enzymes can overcome the bottleneck in enzyme supply and provide sufficient amounts of homogenous enzyme preparations for reliable and economically feasible applications at large scale. Ideal enzymatic processes represent an environmentally friendly, »near-to-completion« conversion of (mostly non-natural substrates to pure products. Recent developments demonstrate the commercial feasibility of large-scale biocatalytic processes employing enzymes from higher eukaryotes (e.g. plants, animals and also their usefulness in some small-scale industrial applications.

  8. Thermodynamics of higher spin black holes in AdS3

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Boer, Jan; Jottar, Juan I.

    2014-01-01

    We discuss the thermodynamics of recently constructed three-dimensional higher spin black holes in SL( N, ) × SL( N, ) Chern-Simons theory with generalized asymptotically-anti-de Sitter boundary conditions. From a holographic perspective, these bulk theories are dual to two-dimensional CFTs with WN symmetry algebras, and the black hole solutions are dual to thermal states with higher spin chemical potentials and charges turned on. Because the notion of horizon area is not gauge-invariant in the higher spin theory, the traditional approaches to the computation of black hole entropy must be reconsidered. One possibility, explored in the recent literature, involves demanding the existence of a partition function in the CFT, and consistency with the first law of thermodynamics. This approach is not free from ambiguities, however, and in particular different definitions of energy result in different expressions for the entropy. In the present work we show that there are natural definitions of the thermodynamically conjugate variables that follow from careful examination of the variational principle, and moreover agree with those obtained via canonical methods. Building on this intuition, we derive general expressions for the higher spin black hole entropy and free energy which are written entirely in terms of the Chern-Simons connections, and are valid for both static and rotating solutions. We compare our results to other proposals in the literature, and provide a new and efficient way to determine the generalization of the Cardy formula to a situation with higher spin charges.

  9. Higher-order Zeeman and spin terms in the electron paramagnetic resonance spin Hamiltonian; their description in irreducible form using Cartesian, tesseral spherical tensor and Stevens' operator expressions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McGavin, Dennis G; Tennant, W Craighead

    2009-01-01

    In setting up a spin Hamiltonian (SH) to study high-spin Zeeman and high-spin nuclear and/or electronic interactions in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments, it is argued that a maximally reduced SH (MRSH) framed in tesseral combinations of spherical tensor operators is necessary. Then, the SH contains only those terms that are necessary and sufficient to describe the particular spin system. The paper proceeds then to obtain interrelationships between the parameters of the MRSH and those of alternative SHs expressed in Cartesian tensor and Stevens operator-equivalent forms. The examples taken, initially, are those of Cartesian and Stevens' expressions for high-spin Zeeman terms of dimension BS 3 and BS 5 . Starting from the well-known decomposition of the general Cartesian tensor of second rank to three irreducible tensors of ranks 0, 1 and 2, the decomposition of Cartesian tensors of ranks 4 and 6 are treated similarly. Next, following a generalization of the tesseral spherical tensor equations, the interrelationships amongst the parameters of the three kinds of expressions, as derived from equivalent SHs, are determined and detailed tables, including all redundancy equations, set out. In each of these cases the lowest symmetry, 1-bar Laue class, is assumed and then examples of relationships for specific higher symmetries derived therefrom. The validity of a spin Hamiltonian containing mixtures of terms from the three expressions is considered in some detail for several specific symmetries, including again the lowest symmetry. Finally, we address the application of some of the relationships derived here to seldom-observed low-symmetry effects in EPR spectra, when high-spin electronic and nuclear interactions are present.

  10. Genome polymorphism markers and stress genes expression for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SAM

    2014-06-11

    Jun 11, 2014 ... RNA extraction and purification for SOD and PAL gene expression. Fresh leaf tissues (100 mg), from ... Data analysis. Gelquant program for quantification of protein, DNA and RNA gel. (version 1.8.2) was used for .... by reprogramming the expression of endogenous genes. Higher level of these antioxidant ...

  11. Human thymic epithelial cells express functional HLA-DP molecules

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, A; Röpke, C; Nielsen, M

    1996-01-01

    T lymphocytes, we examined whether human thymic epithelial cells (TEC) expressed HLA-DP molecules. We present evidence that TEC obtained from short time culture express low but significant levels of HLA-DP molecules. The expression of HLA-DP molecules was comparable to or higher than the expression...... of HLA-DP allospecific primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) CD4 T cell lines. IFN-gamma treatment strongly upregulated the HLA-DP allospecific PLT responses whereas other PLT responses remained largely unchanged. In conclusion, these data indicate that human thymus epithelial cells express significant levels...

  12. Expression of p63 and Cyclooxygenase-2 and Their Correlation in Skin Tumors

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    WU Yan; LIU Houjun; LI Jiawen

    2007-01-01

    To study the expression of p63 and cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2) in skin tumors and evaluate the correlation between p63 and cox-2, the expressions of cox-2 and p63 were measured by streptavidin-peroxidase complex immunohistochemical technique in 17 cases of skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 19 cases of Bowen's disease(Bowen), 11 cases of actinic keratosis(AK), 12 cases of seborreic keratosis(SK) and 13 specimens of normal skin. Our results showed that the expression of p63 in skin squamous cell carcinoma, Bowen's disease and actinic keratosis were significantly higher than that in seborreic keratosis, while the expression of p63 in seborreic keratosis was significantly higher than that in normal skin. The expression of cox-2 in skin squamous cell carcinoma,Bowen's disease and actinic keratosis were significantly higher than that in seborreic keratosis, while no statistical difference was noted in the expression of cox-2 between seborreic keratosis and normal skin. Cox-2 expression was positively correlated with the high p63 expression in malignant skin tumors. The increased expression of cox-2 and p63 may play an important role in the development of skin tumors and work synergetically in malignant skin tumors.

  13. Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG expression in ovarian carcinomas and its clinicopathological associations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruixia Huang

    Full Text Available Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG is known as a carrier protein. It is classically thought to be mainly synthesized in the liver and then secreted into the circulating system, where it binds to sex steroids with a high affinity and modulates the bio-availability of the hormones. Other organs known to produce SHBG include brain, uterus, testis, prostate, breast and ovary, and the local expressed SHBG may play an important role in tumor development. However, SHBG expression status and its clinicopathological significance in ovarian cancer cells are not reported yet. In our present study, we examined and found the variable SHBG expression in four ovarian cancer cell lines (OV-90, OVCAR-3, SKOV-3 and ES-2 by immunocytochemistry and Western blotting. We then extended our study to 248 ovarian carcinoma samples, which were collected at The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital with complete clinical information, and discovered that SHBG was variably expressed in these ovarian carcinomas. Higher level of SHBG expression was significantly associated with more aggressive histological subtype (p = 0.022, higher FIGO stage (p = 0.018 and higher histological grade (grade of differentiation, p = 0.020, although association between SHBG expression and OS/PFS was not observed. Our results demonstrate that ovarian cancer cells produce SHBG and higher SHBG expression in ovarian carcinoma is associated with unfavorable clinicopathological features.

  14. Family emotional expressiveness and family structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Čotar-Konrad Sonja

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The present paper scrutinizes the relationship between family emotional expressiveness (i.e., the tendency to express dominant and/or submissive positive and negative emotions and components of family structure as proposed in Olson’s Circumplex model (i.e., cohesion and flexibility, family communication, and satisfaction in families with adolescents. The study was conducted on a sample of 514 Slovenian adolescents, who filled out two questionnaires: the Slovenian version of Family Emotional Expressiveness - FEQ and FACES IV. The results revealed that all four basic dimensions of family functioning were significantly associated with higher/more frequent expressions of positive submissive emotions, as well as with lower/less frequent expressions of negative dominant emotions. Moreover, expressions of negative submissive emotions explained a small, but significant amount of variance in three out of four family functioning variables (satisfaction, flexibility, and communication. The importance of particular aspects of emotional expressiveness for family cohesion, flexibility, communication, and satisfaction is discussed, and the relevance of present findings for family counselling is outlined.

  15. Regulation of MYCN expression in human neuroblastoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacobs, Joannes FM; Bokhoven, Hans van; Leeuwen, Frank N van; Hulsbergen-van de Kaa, Christina A; Vries, I Jolanda M de; Adema, Gosse J; Hoogerbrugge, Peter M; Brouwer, Arjan PM de

    2009-01-01

    Amplification of the MYCN gene in neuroblastoma (NB) is associated with a poor prognosis. However, MYCN-amplification does not automatically result in higher expression of MYCN in children with NB. We hypothesized that the discrepancy between MYCN gene expression and prognosis in these children might be explained by the expression of either MYCN-opposite strand (MYCNOS) or the shortened MYCN-isoform (ΔMYCN) that was recently identified in fetal tissues. Both MYCNOS and ΔMYCN are potential inhibitors of MYCN either at the mRNA or at the protein level. Expression of MYCN, MYCNOS and ΔMYCN was measured in human NB tissues of different stages. Transcript levels were quantified using a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay (QPCR). In addition, relative expression of these three transcripts was compared to the number of MYCN copies, which was determined by genomic real-time PCR (gQPCR). Both ΔMYCN and MYCNOS are expressed in all NBs examined. In NBs with MYCN-amplification, these transcripts are significantly higher expressed. The ratio of MYCN:ΔMYCN expression was identical in all tested NBs. This indicates that ΔMYCN and MYCN are co-regulated, which suggests that ΔMYCN is not a regulator of MYCN in NB. However, the ratio of MYCNOS:MYCN expression is directly correlated with NB disease stage (p = 0.007). In the more advanced NB stages and NBs with MYCN-amplification, relatively more MYCNOS is present as compared to MYCN. Expression of the antisense gene MYCNOS might be relevant to the progression of NB, potentially by directly inhibiting MYCN transcription by transcriptional interference at the DNA level. The MYCNOS:MYCN-ratio in NBs is significantly correlated with both MYCN-amplification and NB-stage. Our data indicate that in NB, MYCN expression levels might be influenced by MYCNOS but not by ΔMYCN

  16. Torsion and curvature in higher dimensional supergravity theories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, A.W.; Pontificia Univ. Catolica do Rio de Janeiro

    1983-01-01

    This work is an extension of Dragon's theorems to higher dimensional space-time. It is shown that the first set of Bianchi identities allow us to express the curvature components in terms of torsion components and its covariant derivatives. It is also shown that the second set of Bianchi identities does not give any new information which is not already contained in the first one. (Author) [pt

  17. Expression of KLK2 gene in prostate cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sajad Shafai

    2018-01-01

    Conclusion: The expression of KLK2 gene in people with prostate cancer is the higher than the healthy person; finally, according to the results, it could be mentioned that the KLK2 gene considered as a useful factor in prostate cancer, whose expression is associated with progression and development of the prostate cancer.

  18. Angiopoietin-2 regulates gene expression in TIE2-expressing monocytes and augments their inherent proangiogenic functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coffelt, Seth B; Tal, Andrea O; Scholz, Alexander; De Palma, Michele; Patel, Sunil; Urbich, Carmen; Biswas, Subhra K; Murdoch, Craig; Plate, Karl H; Reiss, Yvonne; Lewis, Claire E

    2010-07-01

    TIE2-expressing monocytes/macrophages (TEM) are a highly proangiogenic subset of myeloid cells in tumors. Here, we show that circulating human TEMs are already preprogrammed in the circulation to be more angiogenic and express higher levels of such proangiogenic genes as matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), VEGFA, COX-2, and WNT5A than TIE2(-) monocytes. Additionally, angiopoietin-2 (ANG-2) markedly enhanced the proangiogenic activity of TEMs and increased their expression of two proangiogenic enzymes: thymidine phosphorylase (TP) and cathepsin B (CTSB). Three "alternatively activated" (or M2-like) macrophage markers were also upregulated by ANG-2 in TEMs: interleukin-10, mannose receptor (MRC1), and CCL17. To investigate the effects of ANG-2 on the phenotype and function of TEMs in tumors, we used a double-transgenic (DT) mouse model in which ANG-2 was specifically overexpressed by endothelial cells. Syngeneic tumors grown in these ANG-2 DT mice were more vascularized and contained greater numbers of TEMs than those in wild-type (WT) mice. In both tumor types, expression of MMP-9 and MRC1 was mainly restricted to tumor TEMs rather than TIE2(-) macrophages. Furthermore, tumor TEMs expressed higher levels of MRC1, TP, and CTSB in ANG-2 DT tumors than WT tumors. Taken together, our data show that although circulating TEMs are innately proangiogenic, exposure to tumor-derived ANG-2 stimulates these cells to exhibit a broader, tumor-promoting phenotype. As such, the ANG-2-TEM axis may represent a new target for antiangiogenic cancer therapies. Copyright 2010 AACR.

  19. Analysis of musical expression in audio signals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dixon, Simon

    2003-01-01

    In western art music, composers communicate their work to performers via a standard notation which specificies the musical pitches and relative timings of notes. This notation may also include some higher level information such as variations in the dynamics, tempo and timing. Famous performers are characterised by their expressive interpretation, the ability to convey structural and emotive information within the given framework. The majority of work on audio content analysis focusses on retrieving score-level information; this paper reports on the extraction of parameters describing the performance, a task which requires a much higher degree of accuracy. Two systems are presented: BeatRoot, an off-line beat tracking system which finds the times of musical beats and tracks changes in tempo throughout a performance, and the Performance Worm, a system which provides a real-time visualisation of the two most important expressive dimensions, tempo and dynamics. Both of these systems are being used to process data for a large-scale study of musical expression in classical and romantic piano performance, which uses artificial intelligence (machine learning) techniques to discover fundamental patterns or principles governing expressive performance.

  20. Craniopharyngioma: Survivin expression and ultrastructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    ZHU, JIANG; YOU, CHAO

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the significance of survivin protein expression levels in craniopharyngioma. Tumor samples and clinical data were obtained from 50 patients with craniopharyngioma who were admitted to the West China Hospital of Sichuan University (Chengdu, China). The morphology of the craniopharyngioma samples was observed using optical and electron microscopes, and survivin expression was investigated in the samples by immunohistochemical analysis. The immunohistochemical results revealed survivin expression in all of the craniopharyngioma samples, but not in the healthy brain tissue samples. It was identified that survivin was expressed at a higher level in cases of the adamantinomatous type compared with those of the squamous-papillary type, in male patients compared with female patients, in children compared with adults and in recurrent cases compared with non-recurrent cases. Furthermore, no significant difference was detected in survivin expression levels among the tumors of different subtypes and different disease stages. The results of the present study indicate that survivin is significant in the development of craniopharyngioma, and that survivin protein expression levels are a meaningful indicator for assessing craniopharyngioma recurrence. PMID:25435936

  1. Expression profile of HSP genes during different seasons in goats (Capra hircus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dangi, Satyaveer Singh; Gupta, Mahesh; Maurya, Divakar; Yadav, Vijay Prakash; Panda, Rudra Prasanna; Singh, Gyanendra; Mohan, Nitai Haridas; Bhure, Sanjeev Kumar; Das, Bikash Chandra; Bag, Sadhan; Mahapatra, Ramkrishna; Taru Sharma, Guttalu; Sarkar, Mihir

    2012-12-01

    The present study has demonstrated the expression of HSP60, HSP70, HSP90, and UBQ in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) during different seasons in three different age groups (Groups I, II, and III with age of 0-2, 2-5, and >5 years, respectively) of goats of tropical and temperate regions. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was applied to investigate mRNA expression of examined factors. Specificity of the desired products was documented using analysis of the melting temperature and high-resolution gel electrophoresis to verify that the transcripts are of the exact molecular size predicted. The mRNA expression of HSP60, HSP90, and UBQ was significantly higher (P tropical and temperate region goats. HSP70 mRNA expression was significantly higher (P tropical region goats. However, in the temperate region, in goats from all the three age groups studied, a non-significant difference of HSP70 expression between summer and winter seasons was noticed. In conclusion, results demonstrate that (1) HSP genes are expressed in caprine PBMCs and (2) higher expression of HSPs during thermal stress suggest possible involvement of them to ameliorate deleterious effect of thermal stress so as to maintain cellular integrity and homeostasis in goats.

  2. Sex-related differences in gene expression in human skeletal muscle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen Welle

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available There is sexual dimorphism of skeletal muscle, the most obvious feature being the larger muscle mass of men. The molecular basis for this difference has not been clearly defined. To identify genes that might contribute to the relatively greater muscularity of men, we compared skeletal muscle gene expression profiles of 15 normal men and 15 normal women by using comprehensive oligonucleotide microarrays. Although there were sex-related differences in expression of several hundred genes, very few of the differentially expressed genes have functions that are obvious candidates for explaining the larger muscle mass of men. The men tended to have higher expression of genes encoding mitochondrial proteins, ribosomal proteins, and a few translation initiation factors. The women had >2-fold greater expression than the men (P<0.0001 of two genes that encode proteins in growth factor pathways known to be important in regulating muscle mass: growth factor receptor-bound 10 (GRB10 and activin A receptor IIB (ACVR2B. GRB10 encodes a protein that inhibits insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1 signaling. ACVR2B encodes a myostatin receptor. Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed higher expression of GRB10 and ACVR2B genes in these women. In an independent microarray study of 10 men and 9 women with facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, women had higher expression of GRB10 (2.7-fold, P<0.001 and ACVR2B (1.7-fold, P<0.03. If these sex-related differences in mRNA expression lead to reduced IGF-1 activity and increased myostatin activity, they could contribute to the sex difference in muscle size.

  3. Disease duration and age influence CARD15 expression in Crohn’s disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elżbieta Poniewierka

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available One of the susceptibility genes in Crohn’s disease (CD is CARD15. Our study examined the relationship between peripheral CARD15 expression and phenotype and duration of CD, treatment methods and inflammatory indices. Sixty patients with CD and 30 healthy volunteers as controls were enrolled in the study. Total RNA was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs with E.Z.N.A. Total RNA Kit (Omega Bio-tek then quantitative real-time PCR was performed on the ABI Prism 7900 HT Real-Time PCR System. CARD15 gene expression in PBMCs in CD was significantly higher than in the control group. The highest level of gene expression was found in CD patients in the fourth decade of life. The mRNA level of the CARD15 gene was higher in patients with disease duration between 12 and 60 months. A positive correlation was found between erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR and gene expression level. Gene expression increased with increasing level of C-reactive protein and ESR, but it was not statistically significant. CARD15 expression significantly decreased in CD patients treated with anti-TNFα agents compared to azathioprine or steroid treatment groups. Expression of the CARD15 gene in Crohn›s disease is higher than in healthy individuals. Disease duration and age of patients seem to be the most important factors influencing CARD15 expression.

  4. Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of perakine reductase, a new member of the aldo-keto reductase enzyme superfamily from higher plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenthal, Cindy; Mueller, Uwe; Panjikar, Santosh; Sun, Lianli; Ruppert, Martin; Zhao, Yu; Stöckigt, Joachim

    2006-01-01

    Perakine reductase (PR) is a novel member of the aldo-keto reductase enzyme superfamily from higher plants. PR from the plant Rauvolfia serpentina is involved in the biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids by performing NADPH-dependent reduction of perakine, yielding raucaffrinoline. However, PR can also reduce cinnamic aldehyde and some of its derivatives. After heterologous expression of a triple mutant of PR in Escherichia coli, crystals of the purified and methylated enzyme were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique at 293 K with 100 mM sodium citrate pH 5.6 and 27% PEG 4000 as precipitant. Crystals belong to space group C2221 and diffract to 2.0 Å, with unit-cell parameters a = 58.9, b = 93.0, c = 143.4 Å. PMID:17142919

  5. Dicty_cDB: FC-AZ18 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 07501 |pid:none) Hirudo medicinalis enabled-like pr... 42 0.012 X98534_1( X98534 |pid:none) H.sapiens VASP g...3. 7.12 Homology vs Protein Score E Sequences producing significant alignments: (bits) Value AY007501_1( AY0

  6. Conformal higher spin scattering amplitudes from twistor space

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adamo, Tim [Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Hähnel, Philipp; McLoughlin, Tristan [School of Mathematics, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2 (Ireland)

    2017-04-04

    We use the formulation of conformal higher spin (CHS) theories in twistor space to study their tree-level scattering amplitudes, finding expressions for all three-point (MHV)-bar amplitudes and all MHV amplitudes involving positive helicity conformal gravity particles and two negative helicity higher spins. This provides the on-shell analogue for the covariant coupling of CHS fields to a conformal gravity background. We discuss the restriction of the theory to a ghost-free unitary subsector, analogous to restricting conformal gravity to general relativity with a cosmological constant. We study the flat-space limit and show that the restricted amplitudes vanish, supporting the conjecture that in the unitary sector the S-matrix of CHS theories is trivial. However, by appropriately rescaling the amplitudes we find non-vanishing results which we compare with chiral flat-space higher spin theories.

  7. Conformal higher spin scattering amplitudes from twistor space

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adamo, Tim; Hähnel, Philipp; McLoughlin, Tristan

    2017-01-01

    We use the formulation of conformal higher spin (CHS) theories in twistor space to study their tree-level scattering amplitudes, finding expressions for all three-point (MHV)-bar amplitudes and all MHV amplitudes involving positive helicity conformal gravity particles and two negative helicity higher spins. This provides the on-shell analogue for the covariant coupling of CHS fields to a conformal gravity background. We discuss the restriction of the theory to a ghost-free unitary subsector, analogous to restricting conformal gravity to general relativity with a cosmological constant. We study the flat-space limit and show that the restricted amplitudes vanish, supporting the conjecture that in the unitary sector the S-matrix of CHS theories is trivial. However, by appropriately rescaling the amplitudes we find non-vanishing results which we compare with chiral flat-space higher spin theories.

  8. Foundational (co)datatypes and (co)recursion for higher-order logic

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Biendarra, Julian; Blanchette, Jasmin Christian; Bouzy, Aymeric; Desharnais, Martin; Fleury, Mathias; Hölzl, Johannes; Kunčar, Ondřej; Lochbihler, Andreas; Meier, Fabian; Panny, Lorenz; Popescu, Andrei; Sternagel, Christian; Thiemann, René; Traytel, Dmitriy; Dixon, C.; Finger, M.

    2017-01-01

    We describe a line of work that started in 2011 towards enriching Isabelle/HOL’s language with coinductive datatypes, which allow infinite values, and with a more expressive notion of inductive datatype than previously supported by any system based on higher-order logic. These (co)datatypes are

  9. Thermodynamics of higher spin black holes in AdS3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boer, Jan de; Jottar, Juan I.

    2014-01-01

    We discuss the thermodynamics of recently constructed three-dimensional higher spin black holes in SL(N,ℝ)×SL(N,ℝ) Chern-Simons theory with generalized asymptotically-anti-de Sitter boundary conditions. From a holographic perspective, these bulk theories are dual to two-dimensional CFTs with W N symmetry algebras, and the black hole solutions are dual to thermal states with higher spin chemical potentials and charges turned on. Because the notion of horizon area is not gauge-invariant in the higher spin theory, the traditional approaches to the computation of black hole entropy must be reconsidered. One possibility, explored in the recent literature, involves demanding the existence of a partition function in the CFT, and consistency with the first law of thermodynamics. This approach is not free from ambiguities, however, and in particular different definitions of energy result in different expressions for the entropy. In the present work we show that there are natural definitions of the thermodynamically conjugate variables that follow from careful examination of the variational principle, and moreover agree with those obtained via canonical methods. Building on this intuition, we derive general expressions for the higher spin black hole entropy and free energy which are written entirely in terms of the Chern-Simons connections, and are valid for both static and rotating solutions. We compare our results to other proposals in the literature, and provide a new and efficient way to determine the generalization of the Cardy formula to a situation with higher spin charges

  10. Dual Temporal Scale Convolutional Neural Network for Micro-Expression Recognition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min Peng

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Facial micro-expression is a brief involuntary facial movement and can reveal the genuine emotion that people try to conceal. Traditional methods of spontaneous micro-expression recognition rely excessively on sophisticated hand-crafted feature design and the recognition rate is not high enough for its practical application. In this paper, we proposed a Dual Temporal Scale Convolutional Neural Network (DTSCNN for spontaneous micro-expressions recognition. The DTSCNN is a two-stream network. Different of stream of DTSCNN is used to adapt to different frame rate of micro-expression video clips. Each stream of DSTCNN consists of independent shallow network for avoiding the overfitting problem. Meanwhile, we fed the networks with optical-flow sequences to ensure that the shallow networks can further acquire higher-level features. Experimental results on spontaneous micro-expression databases (CASME I/II showed that our method can achieve a recognition rate almost 10% higher than what some state-of-the-art method can achieve.

  11. Dual Temporal Scale Convolutional Neural Network for Micro-Expression Recognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Min; Wang, Chongyang; Chen, Tong; Liu, Guangyuan; Fu, Xiaolan

    2017-01-01

    Facial micro-expression is a brief involuntary facial movement and can reveal the genuine emotion that people try to conceal. Traditional methods of spontaneous micro-expression recognition rely excessively on sophisticated hand-crafted feature design and the recognition rate is not high enough for its practical application. In this paper, we proposed a Dual Temporal Scale Convolutional Neural Network (DTSCNN) for spontaneous micro-expressions recognition. The DTSCNN is a two-stream network. Different of stream of DTSCNN is used to adapt to different frame rate of micro-expression video clips. Each stream of DSTCNN consists of independent shallow network for avoiding the overfitting problem. Meanwhile, we fed the networks with optical-flow sequences to ensure that the shallow networks can further acquire higher-level features. Experimental results on spontaneous micro-expression databases (CASME I/II) showed that our method can achieve a recognition rate almost 10% higher than what some state-of-the-art method can achieve.

  12. Dual Temporal Scale Convolutional Neural Network for Micro-Expression Recognition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Min; Wang, Chongyang; Chen, Tong; Liu, Guangyuan; Fu, Xiaolan

    2017-01-01

    Facial micro-expression is a brief involuntary facial movement and can reveal the genuine emotion that people try to conceal. Traditional methods of spontaneous micro-expression recognition rely excessively on sophisticated hand-crafted feature design and the recognition rate is not high enough for its practical application. In this paper, we proposed a Dual Temporal Scale Convolutional Neural Network (DTSCNN) for spontaneous micro-expressions recognition. The DTSCNN is a two-stream network. Different of stream of DTSCNN is used to adapt to different frame rate of micro-expression video clips. Each stream of DSTCNN consists of independent shallow network for avoiding the overfitting problem. Meanwhile, we fed the networks with optical-flow sequences to ensure that the shallow networks can further acquire higher-level features. Experimental results on spontaneous micro-expression databases (CASME I/II) showed that our method can achieve a recognition rate almost 10% higher than what some state-of-the-art method can achieve. PMID:29081753

  13. Altered Osteocyte-Specific Protein Expression in Bone after Childhood Solid Organ Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Renata C; Valta, Helena; Tumber, Navdeep; Salusky, Isidro B; Jalanko, Hannu; Mäkitie, Outi; Wesseling Perry, Katherine

    2015-01-01

    Bone fragility is common post solid organ transplantation but little is known about bone pathology on a tissue level. Abnormal osteocytic protein expression has been linked to compromised bone health in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and immunosuppressant medications may impact osteocyte function. Transiliac bone biopsies were obtained from 22 pediatric solid organ allograft recipients (average age 15.6 years) an average of 6.3 ± 1.2 years after transplantation and from 12 pediatric pre-dialysis CKD patients (average age 13.2 years). Histomorphometry and immunohistochemistry for FGF23, DMP1, sclerostin, and osteopontin were performed on all biopsies. FGF23 and sclerostin were increased in transplant recipients relative to non-transplant CKD, regardless of the type of allograft received and despite, in the case of liver and heart recipients, a higher GFR. Bone DMP1 expression was higher in liver or heart than in kidney recipients, concomitant with higher serum phosphate values. Osteopontin expression was higher in CKD than in transplant recipients (pBone FGF23 and sclerostin correlated directly (r = 0.38, pbone FGF23 expression and osteoid thickness correlated inversely (r = - 0.46, ptransplantation is associated with increased FGF23 and sclerostin expression. The contribution of these findings to compromised bone health post transplantation warrants further evaluation.

  14. Gene Expression Signature in Adipose Tissue of Acromegaly Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hochberg, Irit; Tran, Quynh T.; Barkan, Ariel L.; Saltiel, Alan R.; Chandler, William F.; Bridges, Dave

    2015-01-01

    To study the effect of chronic excess growth hormone on adipose tissue, we performed RNA sequencing in adipose tissue biopsies from patients with acromegaly (n = 7) or non-functioning pituitary adenomas (n = 11). The patients underwent clinical and metabolic profiling including assessment of HOMA-IR. Explants of adipose tissue were assayed ex vivo for lipolysis and ceramide levels. Patients with acromegaly had higher glucose, higher insulin levels and higher HOMA-IR score. We observed several previously reported transcriptional changes (IGF1, IGFBP3, CISH, SOCS2) that are known to be induced by GH/IGF-1 in liver but are also induced in adipose tissue. We also identified several novel transcriptional changes, some of which may be important for GH/IGF responses (PTPN3 and PTPN4) and the effects of acromegaly on growth and proliferation. Several differentially expressed transcripts may be important in GH/IGF-1-induced metabolic changes. Specifically, induction of LPL, ABHD5, and NRIP1 can contribute to enhanced lipolysis and may explain the elevated adipose tissue lipolysis in acromegalic patients. Higher expression of TCF7L2 and the fatty acid desaturases FADS1, FADS2 and SCD could contribute to insulin resistance. Ceramides were not different between the two groups. In summary, we have identified the acromegaly gene expression signature in human adipose tissue. The significance of altered expression of specific transcripts will enhance our understanding of the metabolic and proliferative changes associated with acromegaly. PMID:26087292

  15. Expression analysis of fusarium wilt resistance gene in melon by real-time quantitative pcr

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, X.; Xu, B.; Zhao, L.; Gao, P.; Luan, F.

    2014-01-01

    Melon Actin gene was used as a reference gene, to explore the gene expression profiles of the Fom-2 gene in roots, stems, and leaves of melon MR-1 under induction by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis. Monitoring using real-time quantitative PCR showed similar accumulation patterns of Fom-2 in roots, stems, and leaves over the observation period of 1 to 11 days; the expression level in stems was the highest. The expression of the Fom-2 gene was strengthened by the prolongation of induction time. In stems, the expression of Fom-2 was 5.737 times higher than in the control at three days; in roots, expression of Fom-2 was 5.617 times higher than in the control at five days. Similarly, the expression of Fom-2 in leaves obviously increased. It was 4.441 times higher than in the control at 5 days. The expression of Fom-2 was non-tissue specific, up-regulated under induction by Fusarium, and related to early resistance to Fusarium wilt. (author)

  16. The Role of Persuasive Arguments in Changing Affirmative Action Attitudes and Expressed Behavior in Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Fiona A.; Charles, Margaret A.; Nelson, Jacqueline K.

    2008-01-01

    The research reported in this article examined the conditions under which persuasive arguments are most effective in changing university students' attitudes and expressed behavior with respect to affirmative action (AA). The conceptual framework was a model that integrated the theory of reasoned action and the elaboration likelihood model of…

  17. Expression of OATP family members in hormone-related cancers: potential markers of progression.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heather Pressler

    Full Text Available The organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP family of transporters has been implicated in prostate cancer disease progression probably by transporting hormones or drugs. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the expression, frequency, and relevance of OATPs as a biomarker in hormone-dependent cancers. We completed a study examining SLCO1B3, SLCO1B1 and SLCO2B1 mRNA expression in 381 primary, independent patient samples representing 21 cancers and normal tissues. From a separate cohort, protein expression of OATP1B3 was examined in prostate, colon, and bladder tissue. Based on expression frequency, SLCO2B1 was lower in liver cancer (P = 0.04 which also trended lower with decreasing differentiation (P = 0.004 and lower magnitude in pancreatic cancer (P = 0.05. SLCO2B1 also had a higher frequency in thyroid cancer (67% than normal (0% and expression increased with stage (P = 0.04. SLCO1B3 was expressed in 52% of cancerous prostate samples and increased SLCO1B3 expression trended with higher Gleason score (P = 0.03. SLCO1B3 expression was also higher in testicular cancer (P = 0.02. SLCO1B1 expression was lower in liver cancer (P = 0.04 which trended lower with liver cancer grade (P = 0.0004 and higher with colon cancer grade (P = 0.05. Protein expression of OATP1B3 was examined in normal and cancerous prostate, colon, and bladder tissue samples from an independent cohort. The results were similar to the transcription data, but showed distinct localization. OATPs correlate to differentiation in certain hormone-dependent cancers, thus may be useful as biomarkers for assessing clinical treatment and stage of disease.

  18. Kiss-1/GPR54 protein expression in breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papaoiconomou, Eleni; Lymperi, Maria; Petraki, Constantina; Philippou, Anastassios; Msaouel, Pavlos; Michalopoulou, Fani; Kafiri, Georgia; Vassilakos, George; Zografos, Georgios; Koutsilieris, Michael

    2014-03-01

    Numerous studies have shown that the Kiss-1 gene countervails the metastatic aptitude of several cancer cell lines and solid-tumor neoplasias. However, there still remains ambiguity regarding its role in breast cancer and literature has arisen asserting that Kiss-1 expression may be linked to an aggressive phenotype and malignant progression. Herein, we investigated the protein expression of Kiss-1 and its receptor GPR54 in breast cancer tissues compared to non-cancerous mammary tissues. Paraffin-fixed cancer tissues from 43 women with resected breast adenocarcinomas and 11 specimens derived from women suffering from fibrocystic disease, serving as controls, were immunostained with Kiss-1 and GPR54 antibodies. Kiss-1 and GPR54 protein expression levels were significantly higher in breast cancer compared to fibrocystic tissues (pbreast cancer and fibrocystic disease specimens. Kiss-1/GPR54 expression was found to be significantly higher in breast cancer compared to non-malignant mammary tissues.

  19. Bisimulation for Higher-Dimensional Automata. A Geometric Interpretation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fahrenberg, Ulrich

    We show how parallel compostition of higher-dimensional automata (HDA) can be expressed categorically in the spirit of Winskel & Nielsen. Employing the notion of computation path introduced by van Glabbeek, we define a new notion of bisimulation of HDA using open maps. We derive a connection...... between computation paths and carrier sequences of dipaths and show that bisimilarity of HDA can be decided by the use of geometric techniques....

  20. Tocopherol levels in different mango varieties correlate with MiHPPD expression and its over-expression elevates tocopherols in transgenic Arabidopsis and tomato.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Rajesh K; Chaurasia, Akhilesh K; Bari, Rupesh; Sane, Vidhu A

    2017-10-01

    Mango fruit tocopherol levels vary in different varieties during ripening. This study shows that tocopherol accumulation is highly correlated with its p-hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase ( MiHPPD ) gene expression during ripening. MiHPPD transcript is ethylene induced and differentially expressed in four mango varieties used in this study. Higher/lower accumulation of tocopherol (mainly α-tocopherol) was achieved by heterologous expression of MiHPPD in Arabidopsis and tomato. The results suggest that tocopherol accumulation in mango fruit is correlated to MiHPPD gene expression. Over-expression of MiHPPD gene channelizes the flux towards tocophreol biosynthesis and could be used as a potential tool for metabolic engineering.

  1. Higher cytoplasmic and nuclear poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase expression in familial than in sporadic breast cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klauke, M.L.; Hoogerbrugge-van der Linden, N.; Budczies, J.; Bult, P.; Prinzler, J.; Radke, C.; van Krieken, J.H.; Dietel, M.; Denkert, C.; Muller, B.M.

    2012-01-01

    Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP) is a key element of the single-base excision pathway for repair of DNA single-strand breaks. To compare the cytoplasmic and nuclear poly(ADP-ribose) expression between familial (BRCA1, BRCA2, or non BRCA1/2) and sporadic breast cancer, we investigated 39 sporadic

  2. Comparison of Modified Impedance Whole Blood Platelet Aggregation Method Detecting Platelet Function in ACS Patients with Different CYP2C19 Genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Chanjuan; Qiao, Rui; Zhang, Jie

    2016-01-01

    A reliable laboratory test to monitor onclopidogrel platelet reactivity (PR) is very necessary. In addition, genetic factors also play an important part in onclopidogrel PR. This study aimed to modify the original impedance whole blood platelet aggregation assay associated with the release assay to monitor onclopidogrel PR and assess their relationship with genotype. We adjusted the concentration of calcium in the in vitro reaction system of platelet aggregation to modify the original impedance whole blood platelet aggregation assay. Meanwhile, chronolume, which quantified the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) released from platelet dense granules, is added to this reaction system to reflect the platelet release function. In the modified assay, platelet magnified activation time (MAT) and the maximal platelet ATP release value (RV) were used to reflect platelet function parameters. In the original assay, the electrical resistance (omega) and RV were used to reflect platelet function parameters. Onclopidogrel PR was detected by the original impedance whole blood platelet aggregation assay, modified assay, and flow cytometric vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) assay in 168 patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). CYP2C19*2 and CYP2C19*3 polymorphisms were also detected in all of these patients. This modified method showed that when 12.5 microL CaCl2 (0.2 mmol/L) was added to the reaction system, MAT was appropriate (93 +/- 23 seconds). The CVs for the modified impedance assay and release assay were 9.31% and 6.13%, respectively. The mean VASP-PRI in the patient group treated with clopidogrel was significantly lower than that in the control group without antiplatelet therapy (54.88 +/- 16.81% vs. 79.86 +/- 10.24%, p 50% group were shorter than that in the PRI 50% group were higher than that in the PRI omega) and RV of the original method showed no differences between the two groups [0 (0-2) vs. 0 (0-1.25), 0.05 (0-0.25) vs. 0.08 (0-0.24); p > 0.05, p > 0

  3. Lower Bmi-1 Expression May Predict Longer Survival of Colon Cancer Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaodong Li

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: This study aimed to investigate the Bmi-1 expression and the clinical significance in colon cancer (CC. Patients and Methods: Bmi-1 expression in tumor tissue and the corresponding normal tissue was detected using immunohistological staining. The correlations between Bmi-1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics and the overall survival (OS time were analyzed. Results: The median H-scores of Bmi-1 in CC tissues and the corresponding tissues were 80.0 (0-270 and 5.0 (0-90, with no statistically significant difference (Z=-13.7, PP = 0.123. The survival rates of patients with low Bmi-1 expression were higher than those of patients with high Bmi-1 expression but the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Bmi-1 expression in CC tissue is significantly higher than that in corresponding normal tissue. While there may be a trend towards improved survival, this is not statistically significant.

  4. A Mena invasion isoform potentiates EGF-induced carcinoma cell invasion and metastasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Philippar, Ulrike; Roussos, Evanthia T; Oser, Matthew; Yamaguchi, Hideki; Kim, Hyung-Do; Giampieri, Silvia; Wang, Yarong; Goswami, Sumanta; Wyckoff, Jeffrey B; Lauffenburger, Douglas A; Sahai, Erik; Condeelis, John S; Gertler, Frank B

    2008-12-01

    The spread of cancer during metastatic disease requires that tumor cells subvert normal regulatory networks governing cell motility to invade surrounding tissues and migrate toward blood and lymphatic vessels. Enabled (Ena)/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) proteins regulate cell motility by controlling the geometry of assembling actin networks. Mena, an Ena/VASP protein, is upregulated in the invasive subpopulation of breast cancer cells. In addition, Mena is alternately spliced to produce an invasion isoform, Mena(INV). Here we show that Mena and Mena(INV) promote carcinoma cell motility and invasiveness in vivo and in vitro, and increase lung metastasis. Mena and Mena(INV) potentiate epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced membrane protrusion and increase the matrix degradation activity of tumor cells. Interestingly, Mena(INV) is significantly more effective than Mena in driving metastases and sensitizing cells to EGF-dependent invasion and protrusion. Upregulation of Mena(INV) could therefore enable tumor cells to invade in response to otherwise benign EGF stimulus levels.

  5. Decorin expression in quiescent myogenic cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishimura, Takanori; Nozu, Kenjiro; Kishioka, Yasuhiro; Wakamatsu, Jun-ichi; Hattori, Akihito

    2008-01-01

    Satellite cells are quiescent muscle stem cells that promote postnatal muscle growth and repair. When satellite cells are activated by myotrauma, they proliferate, migrate, differentiate, and ultimately fuse to existing myofibers. The remainder of these cells do not differentiate, but instead return to quiescence and remain in a quiescent state until activation begins the process again. This ability to maintain their own population is important for skeletal muscle to maintain the capability to repair during postnatal life. However, the mechanisms by which satellite cells return to quiescence and maintain the quiescent state are still unclear. Here, we demonstrated that decorin mRNA expression was high in cell cultures containing a higher ratio of quiescent satellite cells when satellite cells were stimulated with various concentrations of hepatocyte growth factor. This result suggests that quiescent satellite cells express decorin at a high level compared to activated satellite cells. Furthermore, we examined the expression of decorin in reserve cells, which were undifferentiated myoblasts remaining after induction of differentiation by serum-deprivation. Decorin mRNA levels in reserve cells were higher than those in differentiated myotubes and growing myoblasts. These results suggest that decorin participates in the quiescence of myogenic cells

  6. Gene expression of manganese superoxide dismutase in human glioma cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Novi S. Hardiany

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Aim This study analyze the MnSOD gene expression as endogenous antioxidant in human glioma cells compared with leucocyte cells as control.Methods MnSOD gene expression of 20 glioma patients was analyzed by measuring the relative expression of mRNA and enzyme activity of MnSOD in brain and leucocyte cells. The relative expression of mRNA MnSOD was determined by using quantitative Real Time RT-PCR and the enzyme activity of MnSOD using biochemical kit assay (xantine oxidase inhibition. Statistic analysis for mRNA and enzyme activity of MnSOD was performed using Kruskal Wallis test.Results mRNA of MnSOD in glioma cells of 70% sample was 0.015–0.627 lower, 10% was 1.002-1.059 and 20% was 1.409-6.915 higher than in leucocyte cells. Also the specific activity of MnSOD enzyme in glioma cells of 80% sample showed 0,064-0,506 lower and 20% sample was 1.249-2.718 higher than in leucocyte cells.Conclusion MnSOD gene expression in human glioma cells are significantly lower than its expression in leucocytes cells. (Med J Indones 2010; 19:21-5Keywords : MnSOD, glioma, gene expression

  7. Over-expression of VvWRKY1 in grapevines induces expression of jasmonic acid pathway-related genes and confers higher tolerance to the downy mildew.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chloé Marchive

    Full Text Available Most WRKY transcription factors activate expression of defence genes in a salicylic acid- and/or jasmonic acid-dependent signalling pathway. We previously identified a WRKY gene, VvWRKY1, which is able to enhance tolerance to fungal pathogens when it is overexpressed in tobacco. The present work analyzes the effects of VvWRKY1 overexpression in grapevine. Microarray analysis showed that genes encoding defence-related proteins were up-regulated in the leaves of transgenic 35S::VvWRKY1 grapevines. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis confirmed that three genes putatively involved in jasmonic acid signalling pathway were overexpressed in the transgenic grapes. The ability of VvWRKY1 to trans-activate the promoters of these genes was demonstrated by transient expression in grape protoplasts. The resistance to the causal agent of downy mildew, Plasmopara viticola, was enhanced in the transgenic plants. These results show that VvWRKY1 can increase resistance of grapevine against the downy mildew through transcriptional reprogramming leading to activation of the jasmonic acid signalling pathway.

  8. Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin Modulates the Expression of Genes Related to the Structure and Function of the Bovine Corpus Luteum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sousa, Liza Margareth Medeiros de Carvalho; Mendes, Gabriela Pacheco; Campos, Danila Barreiro; Baruselli, Pietro Sampaio; Papa, Paula de Carvalho

    2016-01-01

    We hypothesized that stimulatory and superovulatory treatments, using equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), modulate the expression of genes related to insulin, cellular modelling and angiogenesis signaling pathways in the bovine corpus luteum (CL). Therefore, we investigated: 1-the effect of these treatments on circulating insulin and somatomedin C concentrations and on gene and protein expression of INSR, IGF1 and IGFR1, as well as other insulin signaling molecules; 2-the effects of eCG on gene and protein expression of INSR, IGF1, GLUT4 and NFKB1A in bovine luteal cells; and 3-the effect of stimulatory and superovulatory treatments on gene and protein expression of ANG, ANGPT1, NOS2, ADM, PRSS2, MMP9 and PLAU. Serum insulin did not differ among groups (P = 0.96). However, serum somatomedin C levels were higher in both stimulated and superovulated groups compared to the control (P = 0.01). In stimulated cows, lower expression of INSR mRNA and higher expression of NFKB1A mRNA and IGF1 protein were observed. In superovulated cows, lower INSR mRNA expression, but higher INSR protein expression and higher IGF1, IGFR1 and NFKB1A gene and protein expression were observed. Expression of angiogenesis and cellular modelling pathway-related factors were as follows: ANGPT1 and PLAU protein expression were higher and MMP9 gene and protein expression were lower in stimulated animals. In superovulated cows, ANGPT1 mRNA expression was higher and ANG mRNA expression was lower. PRSS2 gene and protein expression were lower in both stimulated and superovulated animals related to the control. In vitro, eCG stimulated luteal cells P4 production as well as INSR and GLUT4 protein expression. In summary, our results suggest that superovulatory treatment induced ovarian proliferative changes accompanied by increased expression of genes providing the CL more energy substrate, whereas stimulatory treatment increased lipogenic activity, angiogenesis and plasticity of the extracellular matrix

  9. Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin Modulates the Expression of Genes Related to the Structure and Function of the Bovine Corpus Luteum.

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    Liza Margareth Medeiros de Carvalho Sousa

    Full Text Available We hypothesized that stimulatory and superovulatory treatments, using equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG, modulate the expression of genes related to insulin, cellular modelling and angiogenesis signaling pathways in the bovine corpus luteum (CL. Therefore, we investigated: 1-the effect of these treatments on circulating insulin and somatomedin C concentrations and on gene and protein expression of INSR, IGF1 and IGFR1, as well as other insulin signaling molecules; 2-the effects of eCG on gene and protein expression of INSR, IGF1, GLUT4 and NFKB1A in bovine luteal cells; and 3-the effect of stimulatory and superovulatory treatments on gene and protein expression of ANG, ANGPT1, NOS2, ADM, PRSS2, MMP9 and PLAU. Serum insulin did not differ among groups (P = 0.96. However, serum somatomedin C levels were higher in both stimulated and superovulated groups compared to the control (P = 0.01. In stimulated cows, lower expression of INSR mRNA and higher expression of NFKB1A mRNA and IGF1 protein were observed. In superovulated cows, lower INSR mRNA expression, but higher INSR protein expression and higher IGF1, IGFR1 and NFKB1A gene and protein expression were observed. Expression of angiogenesis and cellular modelling pathway-related factors were as follows: ANGPT1 and PLAU protein expression were higher and MMP9 gene and protein expression were lower in stimulated animals. In superovulated cows, ANGPT1 mRNA expression was higher and ANG mRNA expression was lower. PRSS2 gene and protein expression were lower in both stimulated and superovulated animals related to the control. In vitro, eCG stimulated luteal cells P4 production as well as INSR and GLUT4 protein expression. In summary, our results suggest that superovulatory treatment induced ovarian proliferative changes accompanied by increased expression of genes providing the CL more energy substrate, whereas stimulatory treatment increased lipogenic activity, angiogenesis and plasticity of the

  10. Metallothionein gene expression in renal cell carcinoma

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    Deeksha Pal

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Metallothioneins (MTs are a group of low-molecular weight, cysteine-rich proteins. In general, MT is known to modulate three fundamental processes: (1 the release of gaseous mediators such as hydroxyl radical or nitric oxide, (2 apoptosis and (3 the binding and exchange of heavy metals such as zinc, cadmium or copper. Previous studies have shown a positive correlation between the expression of MT with invasion, metastasis and poor prognosis in various cancers. Most of the previous studies primarily used immunohistochemistry to analyze localization of MT in renal cell carcinoma (RCC. No information is available on the gene expression of MT2A isoform in different types and grades of RCC. Materials and Methods: In the present study, total RNA was isolated from 38 histopathologically confirmed cases of RCC of different types and grades. Corresponding adjacent normal renal parenchyma was taken as control. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR analysis was done for the MT2A gene expression using b-actin as an internal control. All statistical calculations were performed using SPSS software. Results: The MT2A gene expression was found to be significantly increased (P < 0.01 in clear cell RCC in comparison with the adjacent normal renal parenchyma. The expression of MT2A was two to three-fold higher in sarcomatoid RCC, whereas there was no change in papillary and collecting duct RCC. MT2A gene expression was significantly higher in lower grade (grades I and II, P < 0.05, while no change was observed in high-grade tumor (grade III and IV in comparison to adjacent normal renal tissue. Conclusion: The first report of the expression of MT2A in different types and grades of RCC and also these data further support the role of MT2A in tumorigenesis.

  11. Cyclic nucleotides and mitogen-activated protein kinases: regulation of simvastatin in platelet activation

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    Hou Ssu-Yu

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background 3-Hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins have been widely used to reduce cardiovascular risk. These statins (i.e., simvastatin may exert other effects besides from their cholesterol-lowering actions, including inhibition of platelet activation. Platelet activation is relevant to a variety of coronary heart diseases. Although the inhibitory effect of simvastatin in platelet activation has been studied; the detailed signal transductions by which simvastatin inhibit platelet activation has not yet been completely resolved. Methods The aim of this study was to systematically examine the detailed mechanisms of simvastatin in preventing platelet activation. Platelet aggregation, flow cytometric analysis, immunoblotting, and electron spin resonance studies were used to assess the antiplatelet activity of simvastatin. Results Simvastatin (20-50 μM exhibited more-potent activity of inhibiting platelet aggregation stimulated by collagen than other agonists (i.e., thrombin. Simvastatin inhibited collagen-stimulated platelet activation accompanied by [Ca2+]i mobilization, thromboxane A2 (TxA2 formation, and phospholipase C (PLCγ2, protein kinase C (PKC, and mitogen-activated protein kinases (i.e., p38 MAPK, JNKs phosphorylation in washed platelets. Simvastatin obviously increased both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP levels. Simvastatin markedly increased NO release, vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP phosphorylation, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS expression. SQ22536, an inhibitor of adenylate cyclase, markedly reversed the simvastatin-mediated inhibitory effects on platelet aggregation, PLCγ2 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation, and simvastatin-mediated stimulatory effects on VASP and eNOS phosphorylation. Conclusion The most important findings of this study demonstrate for the first time that inhibitory effect of simvastatin in platelet activation may involve activation of the cyclic AMP

  12. Myofibroblast Expression in Skin Wounds Is Enhanced by Collagen III Suppression

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    Mohammed M. Al-Qattan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Generally speaking, the excessive expression of myofibroblasts is associated with excessive collagen production. One exception is seen in patients and animal models of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV in which the COL3A1 gene mutation results in reduced collagen III but with concurrent increased myofibroblast expression. This paradox has not been examined with the use of external drugs/modalities to prevent hypertrophic scars. In this paper, we injected the rabbit ear wound model of hypertrophic scarring with two doses of a protein called nAG, which is known to reduce collagen expression and to suppress hypertrophic scarring in that animal model. The higher nAG dose was associated with significantly less collagen III expression and concurrent higher degree of myofibroblast expression. We concluded that collagen III content of the extracellular matrix may have a direct or an indirect effect on myofibroblast differentiation. However, further research is required to investigate the pathogenesis of this paradoxical phenomenon.

  13. IGF-1R mRNA expression is increased in obese children.

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    Ricco, Rafaela Cristina; Ricco, Rubens Garcia; Queluz, Mariangela Carletti; de Paula, Mariana Teresa Sarti; Atique, Patricia Volpon; Custódio, Rodrigo José; Tourinho Filho, Hugo; Del Roio Liberatori, Raphael; Martinelli, Carlos Eduardo

    2018-04-01

    Obese children are often taller than age-matched subjects. Reports on GH and IGF-I levels in obese individuals are controversial, with normal and reduced GH-IGF-I levels having been reported in this group of patients. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyse insulin-like growth factor type 1 receptor (IGF-IR) mRNA expression in obese children. Forty-seven pre-pubertal children were included in this study: 29 were obese and taller than their target height, and 18 were normal eutrophic controls. Fasting blood samples were collected for IGF-IR mRNA expression in isolated lymphocytes and serum IGF-I, ALS, IGFBP-3, and IGFBP-1 concentration analysis. Relative IGF-IR gene expression (2 -ΔΔCT ) was significantly (P=0.025) higher in obese children (median 1.87) than in controls (1.15). Fourteen of the 29 obese subjects showed 2 -ΔΔCT values greater than or equal to 2, while only 2 individuals in the control group showed values above 2 (P=0.01). Obese children showed significantly (P=0.01) higher IGF-I concentrations than the control group (237ng/ml and 144ng/ml, respectively). Among obese patients, 65.5% had IGF-I values above the 75 percentile of the control group (P=0.02). ALS concentration was significantly (P=0.04) higher in the obese group, while IGFBP-3 levels were similar in obese and control children. IGFBP-1 concentration was lower in obese children, while insulin levels and HOMA-IR index were higher than in controls. The higher IGF-IR mRNA expression observed in obese children, associated with the higher IGF-I and ALS and the lower IGFBP-1 levels, suggest that the higher stature observed in these children may be due to increased IGF-I bioactivity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Interactions in higher-spin gravity: a holographic perspective

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    Sleight, Charlotte

    2017-09-01

    This review is an elaboration of recent results on the holographic re-construction of metric-like interactions in higher-spin gauge theories on anti-de Sitter space (AdS), employing their conjectured duality with free conformal field theories (CFTs). After reviewing the general approach and establishing the necessary intermediate results, we extract explicit expressions for the complete cubic action on AdSd+1 and the quartic self-interaction of the scalar on AdS4 for the type A minimal bosonic higher-spin theory from the three- and four- point correlation functions of single-trace operators in the free scalar O(N) vector model. For this purpose tools were developed to evaluate tree-level three-point Witten diagrams involving totally symmetric fields of arbitrary integer spin and mass, and the conformal partial wave expansions of their tree-level four-point Witten diagrams. We also discuss the implications of the holographic duality on the locality properties of interactions in higher-spin gauge theories.

  15. Validation of the Amsterdam Dynamic Facial Expression Set--Bath Intensity Variations (ADFES-BIV: A Set of Videos Expressing Low, Intermediate, and High Intensity Emotions.

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    Tanja S H Wingenbach

    Full Text Available Most of the existing sets of facial expressions of emotion contain static photographs. While increasing demand for stimuli with enhanced ecological validity in facial emotion recognition research has led to the development of video stimuli, these typically involve full-blown (apex expressions. However, variations of intensity in emotional facial expressions occur in real life social interactions, with low intensity expressions of emotions frequently occurring. The current study therefore developed and validated a set of video stimuli portraying three levels of intensity of emotional expressions, from low to high intensity. The videos were adapted from the Amsterdam Dynamic Facial Expression Set (ADFES and termed the Bath Intensity Variations (ADFES-BIV. A healthy sample of 92 people recruited from the University of Bath community (41 male, 51 female completed a facial emotion recognition task including expressions of 6 basic emotions (anger, happiness, disgust, fear, surprise, sadness and 3 complex emotions (contempt, embarrassment, pride that were expressed at three different intensities of expression and neutral. Accuracy scores (raw and unbiased (Hu hit rates were calculated, as well as response times. Accuracy rates above chance level of responding were found for all emotion categories, producing an overall raw hit rate of 69% for the ADFES-BIV. The three intensity levels were validated as distinct categories, with higher accuracies and faster responses to high intensity expressions than intermediate intensity expressions, which had higher accuracies and faster responses than low intensity expressions. To further validate the intensities, a second study with standardised display times was conducted replicating this pattern. The ADFES-BIV has greater ecological validity than many other emotion stimulus sets and allows for versatile applications in emotion research. It can be retrieved free of charge for research purposes from the

  16. Validation of the Amsterdam Dynamic Facial Expression Set--Bath Intensity Variations (ADFES-BIV): A Set of Videos Expressing Low, Intermediate, and High Intensity Emotions.

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    Wingenbach, Tanja S H; Ashwin, Chris; Brosnan, Mark

    2016-01-01

    Most of the existing sets of facial expressions of emotion contain static photographs. While increasing demand for stimuli with enhanced ecological validity in facial emotion recognition research has led to the development of video stimuli, these typically involve full-blown (apex) expressions. However, variations of intensity in emotional facial expressions occur in real life social interactions, with low intensity expressions of emotions frequently occurring. The current study therefore developed and validated a set of video stimuli portraying three levels of intensity of emotional expressions, from low to high intensity. The videos were adapted from the Amsterdam Dynamic Facial Expression Set (ADFES) and termed the Bath Intensity Variations (ADFES-BIV). A healthy sample of 92 people recruited from the University of Bath community (41 male, 51 female) completed a facial emotion recognition task including expressions of 6 basic emotions (anger, happiness, disgust, fear, surprise, sadness) and 3 complex emotions (contempt, embarrassment, pride) that were expressed at three different intensities of expression and neutral. Accuracy scores (raw and unbiased (Hu) hit rates) were calculated, as well as response times. Accuracy rates above chance level of responding were found for all emotion categories, producing an overall raw hit rate of 69% for the ADFES-BIV. The three intensity levels were validated as distinct categories, with higher accuracies and faster responses to high intensity expressions than intermediate intensity expressions, which had higher accuracies and faster responses than low intensity expressions. To further validate the intensities, a second study with standardised display times was conducted replicating this pattern. The ADFES-BIV has greater ecological validity than many other emotion stimulus sets and allows for versatile applications in emotion research. It can be retrieved free of charge for research purposes from the corresponding author.

  17. Distribution and mRNA Expression of BAMBI in Non-small-cell Lung Cancer

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    Shen MIAO

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Background and objective BAMBI structure is similar with that of the receptor Ⅰof TGF-β, it broadly participates in the control of TGF-β signaling. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression and its significance of BAMBI in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC and explore the relation between BAMBI and clinical and pathological factors of NSCLC. Methods Sixty-three cases with NSCLC and adjacent normal tissue specimens were used for immunohistochemical assay. Thirty-one fresh lung cancer tissue specimens and surrounding normal lung tissue specimens was preserved for RT-PCR in -70 ℃ after quick-frozen in liquid nitrogen immediately. Results The level of BAMBI mRNA in cancer tissues was higher than that in the corresponding adjacent tissues (0.358±0.135 vs 0.249±0.129, with the difference being statistically significant (P =0.003. BAMBI protein expressed mainly in the membrane and the cytoplasm close to the membrane, its expression in the cancer tissue was higher than that in the adjacent tissues, the difference was significant (P <0.01. Expression of BAMBI in the cancer tissue was higher than that in the adjacent tissues, and the expression of BAMBI in adenocarcinoma of lung is higher than that in squamous carcinoma. Conclusion The expressions of BAMBI significantly increase in NSCLC. It might be a common affair in carcinogenesis of NSCLC.

  18. Minichromosome Maintenance Expression Defines Slow-Growing Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

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    Simon Schimmack

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Small intestinal neuroendocrine neoplasm (SI-NEN proliferation is quantified by Ki67 measurements which capture G1-G2M phases of the cell cycle. G0 and early G1 phases, typical of slow-growing cells, can be detected by minichromosome maintenance protein (MCM expression. We hypothesized that these replication licensing markers may provide clinically relevant information to augment Ki67 in low-grade neuroendocrine neoplasia. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining (IHC, Western blot analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and copy number variations of MCM2, MCM3, and Ki67 were undertaken in SI-NENs (n = 22. MCM and Ki67 expression was compared by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis (tissue microarray, independent set [n = 55]. Forty-three pancreatic NENs and 14 normal tissues were included as controls. RESULTS: In SI-NENs, MCM2 (mean: 21.2%: range: 16%-25% and MCM3 (28.7%: 22%-34% were detected in significantly more cells than Ki67 (2.3%: 0%-7%, P < .01. MCM2 mRNA correlated with Ki67 IHC (P < .05. MCM3 protein expression was higher in metastases (38-fold than in normal small intestine (P = .06 and was largely absent in normal neuroendocrine cells. There was considerable variation at the MCM copy number level (0-4 copies. MCM3 expression in proliferating cells significantly predicted overall survival (P < .002. Combinations of Ki67 and MCM2/3 in algorithms differentiated low and higher proliferative lesions (overall survival: 12 vs 6.1 years, P = .06. MCM expression was not informative in pancreatic NENs. CONCLUSION: MCMs are expressed in a higher proportion of NEN cells than Ki67 in slow-growing small intestinal lesions and correlate with survival. Assessment can be used to augment Ki67 to improve prognostic classification in these low-grade tumors.

  19. Higher order Bose-Einstein correlations in identical particle production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biyajima, M.

    1990-01-01

    A diagram technique to calculate the higher order Bose-Einstein correlations is formulated. This technique is applied to derive explicit expressions for the n-pion correlation functions for n = 2, 3, 4, and 5, and numerical predictions are given. In a comparison with the AFS and NA23 data on two-pion and three-pion Bose-Einstein correlations good agreement is obtained. 21 refs., 5 figs. (Authors)

  20. Quantitative Expression of C-Type Lectin Receptors in Humans and Mice

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    Lech, Maciej; Susanti, Heni Eka; Römmele, Christoph; Gröbmayr, Regina; Günthner, Roman; Anders, Hans-Joachim

    2012-01-01

    C-type lectin receptors and their adaptor molecules are involved in the recognition of glycosylated self-antigens and pathogens. However, little is known about the species- and organ-specific expression profiles of these molecules. We therefore determined the mRNA expression levels of Dectin-1, MR1, MR2, DC-SIGN, Syk, Card-9, Bcl-10, Malt-1, Src, Dec-205, Galectin-1, Tim-3, Trem-1, and DAP-12 in 11 solid organs of human and mice. Mouse organs revealed lower mRNA levels of most molecules compared to spleen. However, Dec-205 and Galectin-1 in thymus, Src in brain, MR2, Card-9, Bcl-10, Src, and Dec-205 in small intestine, MR2, Bcl-10, Src, Galectin-1 in kidney, and Src and Galectin-1 in muscle were at least 2-fold higher expressed compared to spleen. Human lung, liver and heart expressed higher mRNA levels of most genes compared to spleen. Dectin-1, MR1, Syk and Trem-1 mRNA were strongly up-regulated upon ischemia-reperfusion injury in murine kidney. Tim3, DAP-12, Card-9, DC-SIGN and MR2 were further up-regulated during renal fibrosis. Murine kidney showed higher DAP-12, Syk, Card-9 and Dectin-1 mRNA expression during the progression of lupus nephritis. Thus, the organ-, and species-specific expression of C-type lectin receptors is different between mice and humans which must be considered in the interpretation of related studies. PMID:22949850

  1. Delayed hippocampal neuronal death in young gerbil following transient global cerebral ischemia is related to higher and longer-term expression of p63 in the ischemic hippocampus

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    Eun Joo Bae

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The tumor suppressor p63 is one of p53 family members and plays a vital role as a regulator of neuronal apoptosis in the development of the nervous system. However, the role of p63 in mature neuronal death has not been addressed yet. In this study, we first compared ischemia-induced effects on p63 expression in the hippocampal regions (CA1- 3 between the young and adult gerbils subjected to 5 minutes of transient global cerebral ischemia. Neuronal death in the hippocampal CA1 region of young gerbils was significantly slow compared with that in the adult gerbils after transient global cerebral ischemia. p63 immunoreactivity in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons in the sham-operated young group was significantly low compared with that in the sham-operated adult group. p63 immunoreactivity was apparently changed in ischemic hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons in both ischemia-operated young and adult groups. In the ischemia-operated adult groups, p63 immunoreactivity in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons was significantly decreased at 4 days post-ischemia; however, p63 immunoreactivity in the ischemia-operated young group was significantly higher than that in the ischemia-operated adult group. At 7 days post-ischemia, p63 immunoreactivity was decreased in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons in both ischemia-operated young and adult groups. Change patterns of p63 level in the hippocampal CA1 region of adult and young gerbils after ischemic damage were similar to those observed in the immunohistochemical results. These findings indicate that higher and longer-term expression of p63 in the hippocampal CA1 region of the young gerbils after ischemia/reperfusion may be related to more delayed neuronal death compared to that in the adults.

  2. Correlation of STATs family expression in oral lichen planus tissue with peripheral blood PD-1 and PD-L1 expression as well as immune function

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    Hong Zhang

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the correlation of STATs family expression in oral lichen planus tissue with peripheral blood PD-1 and PD-L1 expression as well as immune function. Methods: A total of 47 patients diagnosed with oral lichen planus in our hospital between May 2015 and March 2016 were selected as the oral lichen planus group (OLP group of the study, and healthy volunteers receiving physical examination during the same period were selected as the control group of the study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected to detect the expression of PD-1, PD-L1 and immune cell surface marker molecules, serum was collected to detect the content of Th1 and Th2 cytokines as well as immunoglobulin, and oral lichen planus lesion tissue and adjacent normal tissue were collected to determine STATs family expression. Results: p-STAT1, p-STAT3 and p-STAT5a expression in lesion tissue were significantly higher than those in normal tissue while p-STAT2, p-STAT4 and p-STAT5b expression were not significantly different from those in normal tissue; PD-1 and PD-L1 mRNA expression as well as the mean fluorescence intensity of CD19+ in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of OLP group were significantly higher than those of control group and positively correlated with p-STAT1, p-STAT3 and p-STAT5a expression while the mean fluorescence intensity of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD16+CD56+ were significantly lower than those of control group and negatively correlated with p-STAT1, p-STAT3 and p-STAT5a expression; serum IFN-γ and IL-2 content of OLP group were significantly lower than those of control group and negatively correlated with p-STAT1, p-STAT3 and p-STAT5a expression while IL-4, IL-10, IgG, IgM and IgA content were significantly higher than those of control group and positively correlated with p-STAT1, p-STAT3 and p-STAT5a expression. Conclusion: p-STAT1, p-STAT3 and p-STAT5a expression abnormally increase in oral lichen planus tissues, and the Th1/Th2 cellular

  3. Differential gene expression in tomato fruit and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides during colonization of the RNAi-SlPH tomato line with reduced fruit acidity and higher pH.

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    Barad, Shiri; Sela, Noa; Dubey, Amit K; Kumar, Dilip; Luria, Neta; Ment, Dana; Cohen, Shahar; Schaffer, Arthur A; Prusky, Dov

    2017-08-04

    The destructive phytopathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causes anthracnose disease in fruit. During host colonization, it secretes ammonia, which modulates environmental pH and regulates gene expression, contributing to pathogenicity. However, the effect of host pH environment on pathogen colonization has never been evaluated. Development of an isogenic tomato line with reduced expression of the gene for acidity, SlPH (Solyc10g074790.1.1), enabled this analysis. Total RNA from C. gloeosporioides colonizing wild-type (WT) and RNAi-SlPH tomato lines was sequenced and gene-expression patterns were compared. C. gloeosporioides inoculation of the RNAi-SlPH line with pH 5.96 compared to the WT line with pH 4.2 showed 30% higher colonization and reduced ammonia accumulation. Large-scale comparative transcriptome analysis of the colonized RNAi-SlPH and WT lines revealed their different mechanisms of colonization-pattern activation: whereas the WT tomato upregulated 13-LOX (lipoxygenase), jasmonic acid and glutamate biosynthesis pathways, it downregulated processes related to chlorogenic acid biosynthesis II, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and hydroxycinnamic acid tyramine amide biosynthesis; the RNAi-SlPH line upregulated UDP-D-galacturonate biosynthesis I and free phenylpropanoid acid biosynthesis, but mainly downregulated pathways related to sugar metabolism, such as the glyoxylate cycle and L-arabinose degradation II. Comparison of C. gloeosporioides gene expression during colonization of the WT and RNAi-SlPH lines showed that the fungus upregulates ammonia and nitrogen transport and the gamma-aminobutyric acid metabolic process during colonization of the WT, while on the RNAi-SlPH tomato, it mainly upregulates the nitrate metabolic process. Modulation of tomato acidity and pH had significant phenotypic effects on C. gloeosporioides development. The fungus showed increased colonization on the neutral RNAi-SlPH fruit, and limited colonization on the WT acidic fruit

  4. Developing Higher-Order Materials Knowledge Systems

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    Fast, Anthony Nathan

    2011-12-01

    Advances in computational materials science and novel characterization techniques have allowed scientists to probe deeply into a diverse range of materials phenomena. These activities are producing enormous amounts of information regarding the roles of various hierarchical material features in the overall performance characteristics displayed by the material. Connecting the hierarchical information over disparate domains is at the crux of multiscale modeling. The inherent challenge of performing multiscale simulations is developing scale bridging relationships to couple material information between well separated length scales. Much progress has been made in the development of homogenization relationships which replace heterogeneous material features with effective homogenous descriptions. These relationships facilitate the flow of information from lower length scales to higher length scales. Meanwhile, most localization relationships that link the information from a from a higher length scale to a lower length scale are plagued by computationally intensive techniques which are not readily integrated into multiscale simulations. The challenge of executing fully coupled multiscale simulations is augmented by the need to incorporate the evolution of the material structure that may occur under conditions such as material processing. To address these challenges with multiscale simulation, a novel framework called the Materials Knowledge System (MKS) has been developed. This methodology efficiently extracts, stores, and recalls microstructure-property-processing localization relationships. This approach is built on the statistical continuum theories developed by Kroner that express the localization of the response field at the microscale using a series of highly complex convolution integrals, which have historically been evaluated analytically. The MKS approach dramatically improves the accuracy of these expressions by calibrating the convolution kernels in these

  5. Study on the correlation of MLCK and FAP expression with uterine fibroid cell proliferation and invasion

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    Wei Lin1

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the correlation of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK and fibroblast activation protein (FAP expression with uterine fibroid cell proliferation and invasion. Methods: Uterine fibroids samples and normal uterine muscle samples next to fibroids that were surgically removed in Wuhan Red Cross Hospital between May 2014 and January 2017 were chosen, fluorescence quantitative PCR kits were used to deterct MLCK and FAP mRNA expression, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were used to determine proliferation and invasion gene protein expression. Results: MLCK and FAP mRNA expression in uterine fibroids samples were significantly higher than those in normal uterine muscle samples, and Survivin, Livin, Bcl-2, Snail, N-cadherin and MMP2 protein expression were significantly higher than those in normal uterine muscle samples; Survivin, Livin, Bcl-2, Snail, N-cadherin and MMP2 protein expression in uterine fibroids samples with high MLCK and FAP expression were significantly higher than those in uterine fibroids samples with low MLCK and FAP expression. Conclusion: Highly expressed MLCK and FAP in uterine fibroids can promote the proliferation and invasion of uterine fibroids.

  6. Ward identities of higher order Virasoro algebra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zha Chaozeng; Dolate, S.

    1994-11-01

    The general formulations of primary fields versus quasi-primary ones in the context of high order Virasoro algebra (HOVA) and the corresponding Ward identity are explored. The primary fields of conformal spins up to 8 are given in terms of quasi-primary fields, and the general features of the higher order expressions are also discussed. It is observed that the local fields, either primary of quasi-primary, carry the same numbers of central charges, and not all the primary fields contribute to the anomalies in the Ward identities. (author). 6 refs

  7. Expression of RECK and matrix metalloproteinase-2 in ameloblastoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Bin; Zhang, Jin; Xu, Zhi-Ying; Xie, Hong-Liang

    2009-01-01

    Ameloblastoma is a frequent odontogenic benign tumor characterized by local invasiveness, high risk of recurrence and occasional metastasis and malignant transformation. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) promotes tumor invasion and progression by destroying the extracellular matrix (ECM) and basement membrane. For this proteolytic activity, the endogenous inhibitor is reversion-inducing cysteine rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK). The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between RECK and MMP-2 expression and the clinical manifestation of ameloblastoma. Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were employed to detect the protein and mRNA expression of RECK and MMP-2 in keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT), ameloblastoma and ameloblastic carcinoma. RECK protein expression was significantly reduced in KCOT (87.5%), ameloblastoma (56.5%) and ameloblastic carcinoma (0%) (P < 0.01), and was significantly lower in recurrent ameloblastoma compared with primary ameloblastoma (P < 0.01), but did not differ by histological type of ameloblastoma. MMP-2 protein expression was significantly higher in ameloblastoma and ameloblastic carcinoma compared with KCOT (P < 0.01). RECK mRNA expression was significantly lower in ameloblastoma than in KCOT (P < 0.01), lower in recurrent ameloblastoma than in primary ameloblastoma, and was negative in ameloblastic carcinoma. MMP-2 mRNA expression was significantly higher in ameloblastoma compared with KCOT (P < 0.01), but was no different in recurrent ameloblastoma versus primary ameloblastoma. RECK protein expression was negatively associated with MMP-2 protein expression in ameloblastoma (r = -0.431, P < 0.01). Low or no RECK expression and increased MMP-2 expression may be associated with negative clinical findings in ameloblastoma. RECK may participate in the invasion, recurrence and malignant transformation of ameloblastoma by regulating MMP-2 at the post

  8. Plasticity-Related Gene Expression During Eszopiclone-Induced Sleep.

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    Gerashchenko, Dmitry; Pasumarthi, Ravi K; Kilduff, Thomas S

    2017-07-01

    Experimental evidence suggests that restorative processes depend on synaptic plasticity changes in the brain during sleep. We used the expression of plasticity-related genes to assess synaptic plasticity changes during drug-induced sleep. We first characterized sleep induced by eszopiclone in mice during baseline conditions and during the recovery from sleep deprivation. We then compared the expression of 18 genes and two miRNAs critically involved in synaptic plasticity in these mice. Gene expression was assessed in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus by the TaqMan reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and correlated with sleep parameters. Eszopiclone reduced the latency to nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and increased NREM sleep amounts. Eszopiclone had no effect on slow wave activity (SWA) during baseline conditions but reduced the SWA increase during recovery sleep (RS) after sleep deprivation. Gene expression analyses revealed three distinct patterns: (1) four genes had higher expression either in the cortex or hippocampus in the group of mice with increased amounts of wakefulness; (2) a large proportion of plasticity-related genes (7 out of 18 genes) had higher expression during RS in the cortex but not in the hippocampus; and (3) six genes and the two miRNAs showed no significant changes across conditions. Even at a relatively high dose (20 mg/kg), eszopiclone did not reduce the expression of plasticity-related genes during RS period in the cortex. These results indicate that gene expression associated with synaptic plasticity occurs in the cortex in the presence of a hypnotic medication. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. [Expression and significance of P-gp/mdr1 mRNA, MRP and LRP in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Le; Su, Li-ping; Ma, Li; Zhao, Jin; Zhu, Lei; Zhou, Yong-an

    2009-03-01

    To explore the expression and clinical significance of P-glycoprotein (P-gp)/mdr1mRNA, multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) and lung resistance protein (LRP) in newly diagnosed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. mdr1 mRNA of in 41 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was assayed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The expressions of P-gp, MRP and LRP proteins in lymph node viable blasts were identified by flow cytometry. The results were compared with those obtained from control cases, and the correlation of the changes with clinical outcomes was analyzed. (1) Among the 41 cases, the positive expression of P-gp protein was detected in 8 cases, MRP in 7 cases, LRP in 15 cases, and mdr 1 mRNA in 11 cases. (2) The P-gp and LRP levels in NHL were significantly higher than those in control group, but MRP wasn't. The P-gp over-expression was significantly associated with mdr1mRNA (r = 0.396, P = 0.01). No correlation was showed among the expressions of P-gp, MRP and LRP. (3) Patients with P-gp expression had a poorer outcome of chemotherapy than those with P-gp-negative (P = 0.005). P-gp expression was significantly associated with higher clinical stage (P = 0.046) and elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase level (P = 0.032), but not associated with malignant degree (P = 0.298). MRP had no impact on the outcome of chemotherapy (P = 0.212), and wasn't significantly associated with higher clinical stage (P = 0.369), elevated LDH (P = 0.762) and higher malignant degree (P = 0.451). Patients with LRP expression had a poorer outcome of chemotherapy than those LRP-negative (P = 0.012). LRP expression was significantly associated with higher clinical stage (P = 0.0019), elevated LDH (P = 0.02) and higher malignant degree (P = 0.01). The data of this study indicate that P-gp and LRP expressions but not MRP expression are important in the mechanism of drug resistance associated with a poor clinical outcome in previously untreated NHL.

  10. Park7 expression influences myotube size and myosin expression in muscle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui Yu

    Full Text Available Callipyge sheep exhibit postnatal muscle hypertrophy due to the up-regulation of DLK1 and/or RTL1. The up-regulation of PARK7 was identified in hypertrophied muscles by microarray analysis and further validated by quantitative PCR. The expression of PARK7 in hypertrophied muscle of callipyge lambs was confirmed to be up-regulated at the protein level. PARK7 was previously identified to positively regulate PI3K/AKT pathway by suppressing the phosphatase activity of PTEN in mouse fibroblasts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of PARK7 in muscle growth and protein accretion in response to IGF1. Primary myoblasts isolated from Park7 (+/+ and Park7 (-/- mice were used to examine the effect of differential expression of Park7. The Park7 (+/+ myotubes had significantly larger diameters and more total sarcomeric myosin expression than Park7 (-/- myotubes. IGF1 treatment increased the mRNA abundance of Myh4, Myh7 and Myh8 between 20-40% in Park7 (+/+ myotubes relative to Park7 (-/-. The level of AKT phosphorylation was increased in Park7 (+/+ myotubes at all levels of IGF1 supplementation. After removal of IGF1, the Park7 (+/+ myotubes maintained higher AKT phosphorylation through 3 hours. PARK7 positively regulates the PI3K/AKT pathway by inhibition of PTEN phosphatase activity in skeletal muscle. The increased PARK7 expression can increase protein synthesis and result in myotube hypertrophy. These results support the hypothesis that elevated expression of PARK7 in callipyge muscle would increase levels of AKT activity to cause hypertrophy in response to the normal IGF1 signaling in rapidly growing lambs. Increasing expression of PARK7 could be a novel mechanism to increase protein accretion and muscle growth in livestock or help improve muscle mass with disease or aging.

  11. Systematics of higher-spin gauge fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    de Wit, B.; Freedman, D.Z.

    1980-01-01

    Free-field theories for symmetric tensor and tensor-spinor gauge fields have recently been obtained which describe massless particles of arbitrary integer or half-integer spin. An independent discussion of these field theories is given here, based on a hierarchy of generalized Christoffel symbols with simple gauge transformation properties. The necessity of certain constraints on gauge fields and parameters is easily seen. Wave equations and Lagrangians are expressed in terms of the Christoffel symbols, and the independent modes of the system are counted in covariant gauges. Minimal-coupling inconsistency and a combined system of higher-spin boson gauge fields interacting with relativistic particles is discussed

  12. Serum midkine expression in breast cancer patients and its clinical significance

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Min Zhang

    2016-01-01

    Objective:To study serum midkine expression in breast cancer patients and its clinical significance.Methods: A total of 45 cases of patients with breast cancer and 45 cases of patients with benign breast tumor were selected for study, breast tumor specimens were collected to detect mRNA content of MK and serum was collected to detect protein content of MK; breast cancer MCF-7 cell lines were cultured and transfected with varying concentrations of MK expression plasmid, and then cell proliferation and apoptosis, VEGF expression in media as well as MMPs and TIMPs expression in cells was detected.Results:MK expression in breast tissue and serum MK content of breast cancer patients were higher than those of benign breast tumor patients, and MK expression in breast tissue and serum MK content of breast cancer patients with TNMⅢ/Ⅳ stage, low/un-differentiation and lymph node metastasis were higher than those of breast cancer patients with TNMⅠ/Ⅱ stage, medium/high differentiation and without lymph node metastasis; MK expression plasmid could dose-dependently increase mRNA content and protein content of MK in breast cancer cell lines, increase cell viability and decrease apoptosis percentage; VEGFA, VEGFB and VEGFC contents in media as well as MMP2 and MMP9 contents in cells of 100.0 μg/mL plasmid group were significantly higher than those of 0 μg/mL plasmid group, and contents of TIMP1 and TIMP2 in cells were significantly lower than those of 0 μg/mL plasmid group.Conclusion:Serum midkine content in breast cancer patients abnormally rises, and high expression of MK can induce breast cancer cell proliferation, inhibit breast cancer cell apoptosis and promote angiogenesis and cell invasion.

  13. FTO is expressed in neurones throughout the brain and its expression is unaltered by fasting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McTaggart, James S; Lee, Sheena; Iberl, Michaela; Church, Chris; Cox, Roger D; Ashcroft, Frances M

    2011-01-01

    Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the first intron of the ubiquitously expressed FTO gene are associated with obesity. Although the physiological functions of FTO remain unclear, food intake is often altered when Fto expression levels are manipulated. Furthermore, deletion of FTO from neurones alone has a similar effect on food intake to deletion of FTO in all tissues. These results indicate that FTO expression in the brain is particularly important. Considerable focus has been placed on the dynamic regulation of Fto mRNA expression in the hypothalamus after short-term (16-48 hour) fasting, but results have been controversial. There are no studies that quantify FTO protein levels across the brain, and assess its alteration following short-term fasting. Using immunohistochemistry, we found that FTO protein is widely expressed in mouse brain, and present in the majority of neurones. Using quantitative Western blotting and RT-qPCR we show that FTO protein and mRNA levels in the hypothalamus, cerebellum and rostral brain are relatively uniform, and levels in the brain are higher than in skeletal muscles of the lower limbs. Fasting for 18 hours does not alter the expression pattern, or levels, of FTO protein and mRNA. We further show that the majority of POMC neurones, which are critically involved in food intake regulation, also express FTO, but that the percentage of FTO-positive POMC neurones is not altered by fasting. In summary, we find no evidence that Fto/FTO expression is regulated by short-term (18-hour) fasting. Thus, it is unlikely that the hunger and increased post-fasting food intake caused by such food deprivation is driven by alterations in Fto/FTO expression. The widespread expression of FTO in neurones also suggests that physiological studies of this protein should not be limited to the hypothalamus.

  14. FTO is expressed in neurones throughout the brain and its expression is unaltered by fasting.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James S McTaggart

    Full Text Available Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the first intron of the ubiquitously expressed FTO gene are associated with obesity. Although the physiological functions of FTO remain unclear, food intake is often altered when Fto expression levels are manipulated. Furthermore, deletion of FTO from neurones alone has a similar effect on food intake to deletion of FTO in all tissues. These results indicate that FTO expression in the brain is particularly important. Considerable focus has been placed on the dynamic regulation of Fto mRNA expression in the hypothalamus after short-term (16-48 hour fasting, but results have been controversial. There are no studies that quantify FTO protein levels across the brain, and assess its alteration following short-term fasting. Using immunohistochemistry, we found that FTO protein is widely expressed in mouse brain, and present in the majority of neurones. Using quantitative Western blotting and RT-qPCR we show that FTO protein and mRNA levels in the hypothalamus, cerebellum and rostral brain are relatively uniform, and levels in the brain are higher than in skeletal muscles of the lower limbs. Fasting for 18 hours does not alter the expression pattern, or levels, of FTO protein and mRNA. We further show that the majority of POMC neurones, which are critically involved in food intake regulation, also express FTO, but that the percentage of FTO-positive POMC neurones is not altered by fasting. In summary, we find no evidence that Fto/FTO expression is regulated by short-term (18-hour fasting. Thus, it is unlikely that the hunger and increased post-fasting food intake caused by such food deprivation is driven by alterations in Fto/FTO expression. The widespread expression of FTO in neurones also suggests that physiological studies of this protein should not be limited to the hypothalamus.

  15. Higher order capacity statistics of multi-hop transmission systems over Rayleigh fading channels

    KAUST Repository

    Yilmaz, Ferkan; Tabassum, Hina; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, we present an exact analytical expression to evaluate the higher order statistics of the channel capacity for amplify and forward (AF) multihop transmission systems operating over Rayleigh fading channels. Furthermore, we present

  16. Expression of Notch1 Correlates with Breast Cancer Progression and Prognosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xun Yuan

    Full Text Available Various studies have evaluated the significance of Notch1 expression in breast cancer, but the results have ever been disputed. By using 21 studies involving 3867 patients, this meta-analysis revealed that the expression of Notch1 was significantly higher in breast cancer than in normal tissues (OR=7.21; 95%CI, 4.7-11.07 and that higher Notch1 expression was associated with transition from ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS to invasive cancer (OR=3.75; 95% CI, 1.8-7.78. Higher Notch1 activity was observed in the basal subtype of breast cancer (OR=2.53; 95% CI, 1.18-5.43. Moreover, patients with Notch1 overexpression exhibited significantly worse overall and recurrence-free survival. Our meta-analysis suggests that Notch inhibitors may be useful in blocking the early progression of DCIS and that the outcomes of clinical trials for Notch1-targeting therapeutics could be improved by the molecular stratification of breast cancer patients.

  17. Validation of the Amsterdam Dynamic Facial Expression Set – Bath Intensity Variations (ADFES-BIV): A Set of Videos Expressing Low, Intermediate, and High Intensity Emotions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wingenbach, Tanja S. H.

    2016-01-01

    Most of the existing sets of facial expressions of emotion contain static photographs. While increasing demand for stimuli with enhanced ecological validity in facial emotion recognition research has led to the development of video stimuli, these typically involve full-blown (apex) expressions. However, variations of intensity in emotional facial expressions occur in real life social interactions, with low intensity expressions of emotions frequently occurring. The current study therefore developed and validated a set of video stimuli portraying three levels of intensity of emotional expressions, from low to high intensity. The videos were adapted from the Amsterdam Dynamic Facial Expression Set (ADFES) and termed the Bath Intensity Variations (ADFES-BIV). A healthy sample of 92 people recruited from the University of Bath community (41 male, 51 female) completed a facial emotion recognition task including expressions of 6 basic emotions (anger, happiness, disgust, fear, surprise, sadness) and 3 complex emotions (contempt, embarrassment, pride) that were expressed at three different intensities of expression and neutral. Accuracy scores (raw and unbiased (Hu) hit rates) were calculated, as well as response times. Accuracy rates above chance level of responding were found for all emotion categories, producing an overall raw hit rate of 69% for the ADFES-BIV. The three intensity levels were validated as distinct categories, with higher accuracies and faster responses to high intensity expressions than intermediate intensity expressions, which had higher accuracies and faster responses than low intensity expressions. To further validate the intensities, a second study with standardised display times was conducted replicating this pattern. The ADFES-BIV has greater ecological validity than many other emotion stimulus sets and allows for versatile applications in emotion research. It can be retrieved free of charge for research purposes from the corresponding author

  18. Phenomenological effets of tantalum incorporation into diamond films: Experimental and first principle studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ullah, Mahtab, E-mail: mahtabullah@bzu.edu.pk [Department of Physics, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan (Pakistan); Rana, Anwar Manzoor; Ahmad, E. [Department of Physics, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan (Pakistan); Raza, Rizwan [Department of Physics, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore-54000 (Pakistan); Hussain, Fayyaz [Department of Physics, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan (Pakistan); Hussain, Akhtar; Iqbal, Muhammad [Theoretical Physics Division, PINSTECH, P.O. Nilore, Islamabad (Pakistan)

    2016-09-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Fabrication of tantalum incorporated diamonds films using HFCVD technique. • Decrease in resistivity by increasing tantalum content in diamond thin films. • Electronic structure calculations of tantalum incorporated diamonds films through VASP code. • A rise of bond length and bond angles by addition of tantalum in the diamond lattice. • Confirmation of decrease of resistivity by adding tantalum due to creation of impurity states in the bandgap. - Abstract: Tantalum (Ta) incorporated diamond films are synthesized on silicon substrate by chemical vapor deposition under gas mixture of CH{sub 4} + H{sub 2}. Characterizations of the resulting films indicate that morphology and resistivity of as-grown diamond films are significantly influenced by the process parameters and the amount of tantalum incorporated in the diamond films. XRD plots reveal that diamond films are composed of TaC along with diamond for higher concentration of tantalum and Ta{sub 2}C phases for lower concentration of tantalum. EDS spectra confirms the existence of tantalum in the diamond films. Resistivity measurements illustrate a sudden fall of about two orders of magnitude by the addition of tantalum in the diamond films. Band structure of Ta-incorporated diamond has been investigated based on density functional theory (DFT) using VASP code. Band structure calculations lead to the semiconducting behavior of Ta-incorporated diamond films because of the creation of defects states inside the band gap extending towards conduction band minimum. Present DFT results support experimental trend of resistivity that with the incorporation of tantalum into diamond lattice causes a decrease in the resistivity of diamond films so that tantalum-incorporated diamond films behave like a good semiconductor.

  19. Mena associates with Rac1 and modulates connexin 43 remodeling in cardiomyocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ram, Rashmi; Wescott, Andrew P; Varandas, Katherine; Dirksen, Robert T; Blaxall, Burns C

    2014-01-01

    Mena, a member of the Ena/VASP family of actin regulatory proteins, modulates microfilaments and interacts with cytoskeletal proteins associated with heart failure. Mena is localized at the intercalated disc (ICD) of adult cardiac myocytes, colocalizing with numerous cytoskeletal proteins. Mena's role in the maintainence of mechanical myocardial stability at the cardiomyocyte ICD remains unknown. We hypothesized that Mena may modulate signals from the sarcolemma to the actin cytoskeleton at the ICD to regulate the expression and localization of connexin 43 (Cx43). The small GTPase Rac1 plays a pivotal role in the regulation of actin cytoskeletal reorganization and mediating morphological and transcriptional changes in cardiomyocytes. We found that Mena is associated with active Rac1 in cardiomyocytes and that RNAi knockdown of Mena increased Rac1 activity significantly. Furthermore, Mena knockdown increased Cx43 expression and altered Cx43 localization and trafficking at the ICD, concomitant with faster intercellular communication, as assessed by dye transfer between cardiomyocyte pairs. In mice overexpressing constitutively active Rac1, left ventricular Mena expression was increased significantly, concomitant with lateral redistribution of Cx43. These results suggest that Mena is a critical regulator of the ICD and is required for normal localization of Cx43 in part via regulation of Rac1.

  20. Resistin expression correlates with steatohepatitis in morbidly obese patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Claire R; Hindle, A Katharine; Latham, Patricia S; Fu, Sidney W; Brody, Fred J

    2013-04-01

    Morbidly obese patients are at risk for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) even in the absence of risk factors for liver disease. Unfortunately, NASH is usually not clinically evident, and a definitive, noninvasive test for NASH does not exist. Resistin, a cytokine originating from adipose tissue, is involved in insulin resistance and also initiates proinflammatory signaling from hepatic stellate cells. This study explores the relationship between resistin expression and liver pathology in bariatric surgery patients. Blood samples from 30 patients undergoing bariatric surgery were collected. Total RNA was extracted and cDNA was synthesized. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to quantify relative gene expression using 18s rRNA gene as an internal control. Wedge liver biopsies from these patients were sectioned and stained. Based on a previously published scoring method, biopsies were assigned an overall NASH severity score and subscores for steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Results were analyzed by using Student's t test. Resistin mRNA levels ranged from 0.5 to 9.7. A group of five patients with very high resistin expression (>4) was identified. These patients had a significantly higher average NASH score compared with the rest of the group (7.9 vs. 4.48, p = 0.019). Steatosis and inflammation scores were significantly higher in the high-resistin group (p < 0.05 for both comparisons). There also was a trend toward higher fibrosis score in this group, which approached statistical significance (p = 0.051). In morbidly obese patients, high resistin expression in serum is associated with hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. The development of elevated resistin expression may represent a link between obesity and the onset of steatohepatitis.

  1. Podoplanin expression in the development and progression of laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Background Podoplanin expression is attracting interest as a marker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. We therefore investigated the expression pattern and clinical significance of podoplanin during the development and progression of laryngeal carcinomas. Results Podoplanin expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from 84 patients with laryngeal premalignancies and 53 patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas. We found podoplanin expression extending from the basal to the suprabasal layer of the epithelium in 37 (44%) of 84 dysplastic lesions, whereas normal epithelium showed negligible expression. Patients carrying podoplanin-positive lesions had a higher laryngeal cancer incidence than those with negative expression reaching borderline statistical significance (51% versus 30%, P = 0.071). Podoplanin expression in laryngeal carcinomas exhibited two distinct patterns. 20 (38%) cases showed diffuse expression in most tumour cells and 33 (62%) focal expression at the proliferating periphery of tumour nests. High podoplanin expression was inversely correlated with T classification (P = 0.033), disease stage (P = 0.006), and pathological grade (P = 0.04). There was a trend, although not significant, towards reduced disease-specific survival for patients with low podoplanin levels (P = 0.31) and diffuse expression pattern (P = 0.08). Conclusions Podoplanin expression increases in the early stages of laryngeal tumourigenesis and it seems to be associated with a higher laryngeal cancer risk. Podoplanin expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas, however, diminishes during tumour progression. Taken together, these data support a role for podoplanin expression in the initiation but not in the progression of laryngeal cancers. PMID:20196862

  2. Podoplanin expression in the development and progression of laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fresno Manuel F

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Podoplanin expression is attracting interest as a marker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. We therefore investigated the expression pattern and clinical significance of podoplanin during the development and progression of laryngeal carcinomas. Results Podoplanin expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from 84 patients with laryngeal premalignancies and 53 patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas. We found podoplanin expression extending from the basal to the suprabasal layer of the epithelium in 37 (44% of 84 dysplastic lesions, whereas normal epithelium showed negligible expression. Patients carrying podoplanin-positive lesions had a higher laryngeal cancer incidence than those with negative expression reaching borderline statistical significance (51% versus 30%, P = 0.071. Podoplanin expression in laryngeal carcinomas exhibited two distinct patterns. 20 (38% cases showed diffuse expression in most tumour cells and 33 (62% focal expression at the proliferating periphery of tumour nests. High podoplanin expression was inversely correlated with T classification (P = 0.033, disease stage (P = 0.006, and pathological grade (P = 0.04. There was a trend, although not significant, towards reduced disease-specific survival for patients with low podoplanin levels (P = 0.31 and diffuse expression pattern (P = 0.08. Conclusions Podoplanin expression increases in the early stages of laryngeal tumourigenesis and it seems to be associated with a higher laryngeal cancer risk. Podoplanin expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas, however, diminishes during tumour progression. Taken together, these data support a role for podoplanin expression in the initiation but not in the progression of laryngeal cancers.

  3. Gender Differences in Emotion Expression in Low-Income Adolescents Under Stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panjwani, Naaila; Chaplin, Tara M; Sinha, Rajita; Mayes, Linda C

    2016-06-01

    Gender roles in mainstream U.S. culture suggest that girls express more happiness, sadness, anxiety, and shame/embarrassment than boys, while boys express more anger and externalizing emotions, such as contempt. However, gender roles and emotion expression may be different in low-income and ethnically diverse families, as children and parents are often faced with greater environmental stressors and may have different gender expectations. This study examined gender differences in emotion expression in low-income adolescents, an understudied population. One hundred and seventy nine adolescents (aged 14-17) participated in the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Trained coders rated adolescents' expressions of happiness, sadness, anxiety, shame/embarrassment, anger, and contempt during the TSST using a micro-analytic coding system. Analyses showed that, consistent with gender roles, girls expressed higher levels of happiness and shame than boys; however, contrary to traditional gender roles, girls showed higher levels of contempt than boys. Also, in contrast to cultural stereotypes, there were no differences in anger between boys and girls. Findings suggest gender-role inconsistent displays of externalizing emotions in low-income adolescents under acute stress, and may reflect different emotion socialization experiences in this group.

  4. Altered JS-2 expression in colorectal cancers and its clinical pathological relevance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Alfred King-Yin; Gopalan, Vinod; Nassiri, Mohammad Reza; Kasim, Kais; Dissanayake, Jayampathy; Tang, Johnny Chuek-On; Smith, Robert Anthony

    2011-10-01

    JS-2 is a novel gene located at 5p15.2 and originally detected in primary oesophageal cancer. There is no study on the role of JS-2 in colorectal cancer. The aim of this study is to determine the gene copy number and expression of JS-2 in a large cohort of patients with colorectal tumours and correlate these to the clinicopathological features of the cancer patients. We evaluated the DNA copy number and mRNA expression of JS-2 in 176 colorectal tissues (116 adenocarcinomas, 30 adenomas and 30 non-neoplastic tissues) using real-time polymerase chain reaction. JS-2 expression was also evaluated in two colorectal cancer cell lines and a benign colorectal cell line. JS-2 amplification was noted in 35% of the colorectal adenocarcinomas. Significant differences in relative expression levels for JS-2 mRNA between different colorectal tissues were noted (p = 0.05). Distal colorectal adenocarcinoma had significantly higher copy number than proximal adenocarcinoma (p = 0.005). The relative expression level of JS-2 was different between colonic and rectal adenocarcinoma (p = 0.007). Mucinous adenocarcinoma showed higher JS-2 expression than non-mucinous adenocarcinoma (p = 0.02). Early T-stage cancers appear to have higher JS-2 copy number and lower expression of JS-2 mRNA than later stage cancers (p = 0.001 and 0.03 respectively). Colorectal cancer cell lines showed lower expression of JS-2 than the benign colorectal cell line. JS-2 copy number change and expression were shown for the first time to be altered in the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer. In addition, genetic alteration of JS-2 was found to be related to location, pathological subtypes and staging of colorectal cancer. Copyright © 2011 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. MicroRNA-10b expression in breast cancer and its clinical association.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianhui Zhang

    Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are short non-coding RNA molecules that play a significant role in many types of cancers including breast cancer. In the current study, we evaluated the expression levels of microR-10b (miR-10b in 115 breast cancer patients from Sichuan Cancer Center. Real time reverse transcription-PCR was used to assess miR-10b expression. Clinical data including disease stage, survival status, age, ER/PR/HER2 status, molecular subtypes, tumor size, lymph node status and Ki-67 expression levels were correlated with miR-10b expression levels. Our data showed that the miR-10b expression is correlated with disease stage, living status and tumor sizes. We also found that miR-10b expression levels are higher in the lymph node positive group and the Ki-67 higher scoring group (score > 20. No statistically significant differences were observed based on age or molecular sub-type grouping. In conclusion, miR-10b may be a biomarker for breast cancer and is a potential treatment target.

  6. Epidermal growth factor increases LRF/Pokemon expression in human prostate cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aggarwal, Himanshu; Aggarwal, Anshu; Agrawal, Devendra K

    2011-10-01

    Leukemia/lymphoma related factor/POK erythroid myeloid ontogenic factor (LRF/Pokemon) is a member of the POK family of proteins that promotes oncogenesis in several forms of cancer. Recently, we found higher LRF expression in human breast and prostate carcinomas compared to the corresponding normal tissues. The aim of this study was to examine the regulation of LRF expression in human prostate cells. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptors mediate several tumorigenic cascades that regulate cell differentiation, proliferation, migration and survival of prostate cancer cells. There was significantly higher level of LRF expression in the nucleus of LNCaP and PC-3 cells than RWPE-1 cells. A significant increase in LRF expression was observed with increasing doses of EGF in more aggressive and androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells suggesting that EGF signaling pathway is critical in upregulating the expression of LRF/Pokemon to promote oncogenesis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. CMV induces HERV-K and HERV-W expression in kidney transplant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergallo, Massimiliano; Galliano, Ilaria; Montanari, Paola; Gambarino, Stefano; Mareschi, Katia; Ferro, Francesca; Fagioli, Franca; Tovo, Pier-Angelo; Ravanini, Paolo

    2015-07-01

    Human endogenous retrovirus (HERVs) constitute approximately 8% of the human genome. Induction of HERV transcription is possible under certain circumstances, and may have a possible role in some pathological conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate HERV-K and -W pol gene expression in kidney transplant recipients and to investigate the possible relationship between HERVs gene expression and CMV infection in these patients. Thirty-three samples of kidney transplant patients and twenty healthy blood donors were used to analyze, HERV-K and -W pol gene RNA expression by relative quantitative relative Real-Time PCR. We demonstrated that HERVs pol gene expression levels were higher in kidney transplant recipients than in healthy subjects. Moreover, HERV-K and -W pol gene expression was significantly higher in the group of kidney transplant recipients with high CMV viral load than in the groups with no or moderate CMV viral load. Our data suggest that CMV may facilitate in vivo HERV activation. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  8. Widespread ectopic expression of olfactory receptor genes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanai Itai

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Olfactory receptors (ORs are the largest gene family in the human genome. Although they are expected to be expressed specifically in olfactory tissues, some ectopic expression has been reported, with special emphasis on sperm and testis. The present study systematically explores the expression patterns of OR genes in a large number of tissues and assesses the potential functional implication of such ectopic expression. Results We analyzed the expression of hundreds of human and mouse OR transcripts, via EST and microarray data, in several dozens of human and mouse tissues. Different tissues had specific, relatively small OR gene subsets which had particularly high expression levels. In testis, average expression was not particularly high, and very few highly expressed genes were found, none corresponding to ORs previously implicated in sperm chemotaxis. Higher expression levels were more common for genes with a non-OR genomic neighbor. Importantly, no correlation in expression levels was detected for human-mouse orthologous pairs. Also, no significant difference in expression levels was seen between intact and pseudogenized ORs, except for the pseudogenes of subfamily 7E which has undergone a human-specific expansion. Conclusion The OR superfamily as a whole, show widespread, locus-dependent and heterogeneous expression, in agreement with a neutral or near neutral evolutionary model for transcription control. These results cannot reject the possibility that small OR subsets might play functional roles in different tissues, however considerable care should be exerted when offering a functional interpretation for ectopic OR expression based only on transcription information.

  9. Correlation of contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameters with oncogene expression and cell proliferation activity in breast cancer

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Ce Zhang

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To study the correlation of contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameters with oncogene expression and cell proliferation activity in breast cancer. Methods: Breast cancer lesions and benign breast lesions surgically removed in Zigong Third People's Hospital between May 2014 and February 2017 were selected, contrast-enhanced ultrasound was done before operation to draw the time-intensity curve and calculate the area under the curve (AUC), and the expression of proliferation molecules and tumor suppressor genes were detected after operation. Results:The contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameter AUC of the breast cancer lesion was greatly higher than that of the benign breast lesion; ECT2, ZKSCAN3, USP39 and EphA2 mRNA expression in breast cancer lesions were obviously higher than those in benign breast lesions whereas HPK1, TCEAL17, CCN5, ATG2B and ATG4D mRNA expression were greatly lower than those in benign breast lesions; ECT2, ZKSCAN3, USP39 and EphA2 mRNA expression in breast cancer lesions with high AUC were greatly higher than those in breast cancer lesions with low AUC whereas HPK1, TCEAL17, CCN5, ATG2B and ATG4D mRNA expression were greatly lower than those in breast cancer lesions with low AUC. Conclusion: The contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameter AUC of breast cancer lesion significantly increases and is closely related to the higher expression of pro-proliferation molecules and the lower expression of tumor suppressor genes.

  10. Whole transcriptome expression of trigeminal ganglia compared to dorsal root ganglia in Rattus Norvegicus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kogelman, Lisette Johanna Antonia; Christensen, Rikke Elgaard; Pedersen, Sara Hougaard

    2017-01-01

    The trigeminal ganglia (TG) subserving the head and the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) subserving the rest of the body are homologous handling sensory neurons. Differences exist, as a number of signaling substances cause headache but no pain in the rest of the body. To date, very few genes involved...... in this difference have been identified. We aim to reveal basal gene expression levels in TG and DRG and detect genes that are differentially expressed (DE) between TG and DRG. RNA-Sequencing from six naïve rats describes the whole transcriptome expression profiles of TG and DRG. Differential expression analysis...... was followed by pathway analysis to identify DE processes between TG and DRG. In total, 64 genes had higher and 55 genes had lower expressed levels in TG than DRG. Higher expressed genes, including S1pr5 and Gjc2, have been related to phospholipase activity. The lower expressed genes, including several Hox...

  11. Influence of HLA-C Expression Level on HIV Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apps, Richard; Qi, Ying; Carlson, Jonathan M.; Chen, Haoyan; Gao, Xiaojiang; Thomas, Rasmi; Yuki, Yuko; Del Prete, Greg Q.; Goulder, Philip; Brumme, Zabrina L.; Brumme, Chanson J.; John, Mina; Mallal, Simon; Nelson, George; Bosch, Ronald; Heckerman, David; Stein, Judy L.; Soderberg, Kelly A.; Moody, M. Anthony; Denny, Thomas N.; Zeng, Xue; Fang, Jingyuan; Moffett, Ashley; Lifson, Jeffrey D.; Goedert, James J.; Buchbinder, Susan; Kirk, Gregory D.; Fellay, Jacques; McLaren, Paul; Deeks, Steven G.; Pereyra, Florencia; Walker, Bruce; Michael, Nelson L.; Weintrob, Amy; Wolinsky, Steven; Liao, Wilson; Carrington, Mary

    2013-01-01

    A variant upstream of human leukocyte antigen C (HLA-C) shows the most significant genome-wide effect on HIV control in European Americans and is also associated with the level of HLA-C expression. We characterized the differential cell surface expression levels of all common HLA-C allotypes and tested directly for effects of HLA-C expression on outcomes of HIV infection in 5243 individuals. Increasing HLA-C expression was associated with protection against multiple outcomes independently of individual HLA allelic effects in both African and European Americans, regardless of their distinct HLA-C frequencies and linkage relationships with HLA-B and HLA-A. Higher HLA-C expression was correlated with increased likelihood of cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses and frequency of viral escape mutation. In contrast, high HLA-C expression had a deleterious effect in Crohn’s disease, suggesting a broader influence of HLA expression levels in human disease. PMID:23559252

  12. The Use of Interactive Learning Technology in Institutions of Higher Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abykanova, Bakytgul; Nugumanova, Samal; Yelezhanova, Shynar; Kabylkhamit, Zhanargul; Sabirova, Zhanylsyn

    2016-01-01

    This paper is linked to a study aiming to provide a theoretical rationale for the methodological foundations of the use of interactive learning technology in institutions of higher learning and undertakes to describe the process of practical implementation of this approach and analyze the outcomes. The authors examine the views expressed by…

  13. Mean expression of the X chromosome is associated with neuronal density

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James Thomas Swingland

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Neurodegenerative diseases are characterised by neuronal loss. Neuronal loss causes a varying density of neurons across samples which confounds results from gene expression studies. Chromosome X is known to be specifically important in brain. We hypothesised the existence of a chromosomal signature of gene expression associated with the X-chromosome for neurological conditions not normally associated with that chromosome. The hypothesis was investigated using microarray datasets from studies on Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease. Data were analysed using Chromowave, an analytical tool for detecting spatially extended expression changes across chromosomes. To examine associations with neuronal density, expressions from a set of neuron specific genes were extracted. The association between these genes and the expression patterns extracted by Chromowave was then analyzed. We observed an extended pattern of low expression of ChrX consistent in all the neurodegenerative disease brain datasets. There was a strong correlation between mean ChrX expression and the pattern extracted from the autosomal neuronal specific genes, but no correlation with mean autosomal expression. No chromosomal patterns associated with the neuron specific genes were found on other chromosomes. The chromosomal expression pattern was not present in datasets from blood cells. The ChrX:Autosome expression ratio was also higher in neuronal cells than in tissues with a mix of cell types.The results suggest that a loss of neurons manifests in gene expression experiments primarily as a reduction in mean expression of genes along ChrX. The most likely explanation for this finding relates to the documented general up-regulation of ChrX in brain tissue which, this work suggests, occurs primarily in neurons. The purpose and mechanisms behind this cell specific higher expression warrant further research, which may also help elucidate connectio

  14. Skeletal muscle morphology, protein synthesis and gene expression in Ehlers Danlos Syndrome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nygaard, Rie H; Jensen, Jacob K; Voermans, Nicol C

    2017-01-01

    skeletal muscle biopsies in patients with classic EDS (cEDS, n=5 (Denmark)+ 8 (The Netherlands)) and vascular EDS (vEDS, n=3) and analyzed muscle fiber morphology and content (Western blotting and muscle fiber type/area distributions) and muscle mRNA expression and protein synthesis rate (RT-PCR and stable...... isotope technique). RESULTS: The cEDS patients did not differ from healthy controls (n = 7-11) with regard to muscle fiber type/area, myosin/α-actin ratio, muscle protein synthesis rate or mRNA expression. In contrast, the vEDS patients demonstrated higher expression of matrix proteins compared to c......EDS patients (fibronectin and MMP-2). DISCUSSION: The cEDS patients had surprisingly normal muscle morphology and protein synthesis, whereas vEDS patients demonstrated higher mRNA expression for extracellular matrix remodeling in skeletal musculature compared to cEDS patients....

  15. CD146 Expression Influences Periapical Cyst Mesenchymal Stem Cell Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paduano, Francesco; Marrelli, Massimo; Palmieri, Francesca; Tatullo, Marco

    2016-10-01

    Recent studies have identified a new human dental derived progenitor cell population with multi-lineage differentiation potential referred to as human periapical cyst mesenchymal stem cells (hPCy-MSCs). In the present study, we compared two subpopulations of hPCy-MSCs characterised by the low or high expression of CD146 to establish whether this expression can regulate their stem cell properties. Using flow cytometry, we evaluated the stem cell marker profile of hPCy-MSCs during passaging. Furthermore, CD146 Low and CD146 High cells were sorted by magnetic beads and subsequently both cell populations were evaluated for differences in their proliferation, self-renewal, stem cell surface markers, stemness genes expression and osteogenic differentiation potential.We found that hPCy-MSCs possessed a stable expression of several mesenchymal stem cell surface markers, whereas CD146 expression declined during passaging.In addition, sorted CD146 Low cells proliferated significantly faster, displayed higher colony-forming unit-fibroblast capacity and showed higher expression of Klf4 when compared to the CD146 High subset. Significantly, the osteogenic potential of hPCy-MSCs was greater in the CD146 Low than in CD146 High population. These results demonstrate that CD146 is spontaneously downregulated with passaging at both mRNA and protein levels and that the high expression of CD146 reduces the proliferative, self-renewal and osteogenic differentiation potential of hPCy-MSCs. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that changes in the expression of CD146 can influence the stem cell properties of hPCy-MSCs.

  16. Expression of intracisternal A-particles in radiation-induced murine osteosarcomas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seidel, E.

    1989-01-01

    The expression of intracisternal A-type particles (IAPs) and the distribution of the corresponding type I and type II genes was investigated in radiation induced osteosarcomas of Balb/c, NMRI and CBA mice. The results can be summarized as follows: 1. Slot blot analysis showed that 9 out of 23 (i.e. 39%) of the examined tumours had enhanced IAP expression as compared to normal tissues. None of the CBA tumours were enhanced in IAP expression - only tumours of the strains Balb/c and NMRI expressed higher levels of IAP RNA. 2. Northern blot analysis of RNA from osteosarcomas revealed that the two IAP transcrips (7.2 kb and 5.4 kb) had the same mobility in these tissues as in normal tissue. Some tumours showed a higher level of expression of the 7.2 kb transcript as compared to normal tissues. This 7.2 kb transcript encodes the major structural protein p 73 of IAPs. 3. Hybridization of Southern blots of mouse DNA using the IAP type I specific probe revealed a unique fragment in three of the investigated Balb/c osteosarcomas. 4. Although it could not directly be shown that IAPs were involved in the genesis of osteosarcomas, the changes in IAP expression and the unique fragments suggest a possible correlation with tumour progression. In this light the level of IAP expression may serve as a marker for the degree of the malignancy of the tumour. (orig.) [de

  17. Expression of Lymphocyte-derived Growth Hormone (GH) and GH-releasing Hormone Receptors in Aging Rats

    OpenAIRE

    Weigent, Douglas A.

    2013-01-01

    In the present study, we show that higher levels of lymphocyte GH are expressed in spleen cells from aging animals compared to young animals. Further, leukocytes from primary and secondary immune tissues and splenic T and B cells from aging rats all express higher levels of GHRH receptors compared to younger animals. Bone marrow and splenic T cells express the highest levels of GHRH receptor in aging animals. Spleen cells from aging animals showed no significant change in proliferation or GH ...

  18. Euclidean scalar Green function in a higher dimensional global monopole space-time

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bezerra de Mello, E.R.

    2002-01-01

    We construct the explicit Euclidean scalar Green function associated with a massless field in a higher dimensional global monopole space-time, i.e., a (1+d)-space-time with d≥3 which presents a solid angle deficit. Our result is expressed in terms of an infinite sum of products of Legendre functions with Gegenbauer polynomials. Although this Green function cannot be expressed in a closed form, for the specific case where the solid angle deficit is very small, it is possible to develop the sum and obtain the Green function in a more workable expression. Having this expression it is possible to calculate the vacuum expectation value of some relevant operators. As an application of this formalism, we calculate the renormalized vacuum expectation value of the square of the scalar field, 2 (x)> Ren , and the energy-momentum tensor, μν (x)> Ren , for the global monopole space-time with spatial dimensions d=4 and d=5

  19. Elevated TEAD1 Expression is not an Independent Prognosis Factor of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Xiao; He, Bin; Zhou, Lin; Zheng, Shusen

    2018-05-01

    To explore the expression pattern and clinical significance of TEAD1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The prognostic significance of TEAD-1 expression is also evaluated. TEAD1 expression was detected by the immunohistochemistry (IHC) method and western blot. The association between TEAD1 expression of HCC tissues and clinical variables was evaluated by Chi-squared test. Survival analysis was used to determine the prognosis effect of TEAD1. Expression of TEAD1 is significantly increased in HCC tissues compared with adjacent normal liver tissues by IHC (p = 0.002) and western blot (p = 0.020). The difference for the ratio of low, medium, and high staining between HCC and normal tissues is significant (p < 0.001). Higher TEAD1 expression is related to worse histological grade (p = 0.013), bigger tumor size (p = 0.033), and higher serum a-fetoprotein (AFP) level of HCC patients (p = 0.026). No association is found between TEAD1 expression and other clinical features. No statistical difference is found for the overall survival among the low, medium, and high TEAD1 expression groups (p = 0.122). TEAD1 expression is highly expressed in HCC. TEAD1 overexpression is involved in the growth and differentiation of HCC. TEAD1 expression is unable to act as an independent prognosis factor for HCC patients.

  20. Spatiotemporal neural network dynamics for the processing of dynamic facial expressions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Wataru; Kochiyama, Takanori; Uono, Shota

    2015-01-01

    The dynamic facial expressions of emotion automatically elicit multifaceted psychological activities; however, the temporal profiles and dynamic interaction patterns of brain activities remain unknown. We investigated these issues using magnetoencephalography. Participants passively observed dynamic facial expressions of fear and happiness, or dynamic mosaics. Source-reconstruction analyses utilizing functional magnetic-resonance imaging data revealed higher activation in broad regions of the bilateral occipital and temporal cortices in response to dynamic facial expressions than in response to dynamic mosaics at 150–200 ms and some later time points. The right inferior frontal gyrus exhibited higher activity for dynamic faces versus mosaics at 300–350 ms. Dynamic causal-modeling analyses revealed that dynamic faces activated the dual visual routes and visual–motor route. Superior influences of feedforward and feedback connections were identified before and after 200 ms, respectively. These results indicate that hierarchical, bidirectional neural network dynamics within a few hundred milliseconds implement the processing of dynamic facial expressions. PMID:26206708

  1. Spatiotemporal neural network dynamics for the processing of dynamic facial expressions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Wataru; Kochiyama, Takanori; Uono, Shota

    2015-07-24

    The dynamic facial expressions of emotion automatically elicit multifaceted psychological activities; however, the temporal profiles and dynamic interaction patterns of brain activities remain unknown. We investigated these issues using magnetoencephalography. Participants passively observed dynamic facial expressions of fear and happiness, or dynamic mosaics. Source-reconstruction analyses utilizing functional magnetic-resonance imaging data revealed higher activation in broad regions of the bilateral occipital and temporal cortices in response to dynamic facial expressions than in response to dynamic mosaics at 150-200 ms and some later time points. The right inferior frontal gyrus exhibited higher activity for dynamic faces versus mosaics at 300-350 ms. Dynamic causal-modeling analyses revealed that dynamic faces activated the dual visual routes and visual-motor route. Superior influences of feedforward and feedback connections were identified before and after 200 ms, respectively. These results indicate that hierarchical, bidirectional neural network dynamics within a few hundred milliseconds implement the processing of dynamic facial expressions.

  2. Conservation of transcription factor binding events predicts gene expression across species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemberg, Martin; Kreiman, Gabriel

    2011-01-01

    Recent technological advances have made it possible to determine the genome-wide binding sites of transcription factors (TFs). Comparisons across species have suggested a relatively low degree of evolutionary conservation of experimentally defined TF binding events (TFBEs). Using binding data for six different TFs in hepatocytes and embryonic stem cells from human and mouse, we demonstrate that evolutionary conservation of TFBEs within orthologous proximal promoters is closely linked to function, defined as expression of the target genes. We show that (i) there is a significantly higher degree of conservation of TFBEs when the target gene is expressed in both species; (ii) there is increased conservation of binding events for groups of TFs compared to individual TFs; and (iii) conserved TFBEs have a greater impact on the expression of their target genes than non-conserved ones. These results link conservation of structural elements (TFBEs) to conservation of function (gene expression) and suggest a higher degree of functional conservation than implied by previous studies. PMID:21622661

  3. Expression of Rab25 in non-small cell lung cancer and its clinical significance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pu ZHOU

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective To assess the expression of Rab25 protein in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, and explore the correlation of its expression with tumor proliferation and metastasis. Methods Sixty-one cases of NSCLC specimens (31 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 26 cases of adenocarcinoma, and 4 cases of adenosquamous carcinoma undergone surgical treatment, and 40 specimens of adjacent normal lung tissues were obtained from Jan. 2009 to Jun. 2010 at Xingqiao Hospital of Third Military Medical University. Immunochemistry method of MaxVision was used to detect the expression of Rab25 in the specimens, and then the correlation of the expression with the clinicopathological parameters (patients' sex, age, smoking history, tumor type, differentiation, volume, TNM stage, lymph metastasis, etc. was analyzed using statistical software SPSS 21.0. Results  Rab25 protein was mainly expressed in cytoplasm and cell membrane. The positive rate of Rab25 in NSCLC was 93.4%, which was significantly higher than that in adjacent normal tissues (27.5%, P<0.01. The expression of Rab25 protein was significantly associated with the TNM stage and tumor size (P<0.05. Conclusions The expression of Rab25 is obviously higher in NSCLC than in the adjacent normal tissues, and the expression is associated with TNM stage and tumor size. Moreover, the later of the NSCLC stage, the larger of tumor size, and the higher of Rab25 expression will be in the NSCLC tissue. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2014.02.16

  4. Heritability of hsp70 expression in the beetle Tenebrio molitor: Ontogenetic and environmental effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lardies, Marco A; Arias, María Belén; Poupin, María Josefina; Bacigalupe, Leonardo D

    2014-08-01

    Ectotherms constitute the vast majority of terrestrial biodiversity and are especially likely to be vulnerable to climate warming because their basic physiological functions such as locomotion, growth, and reproduction are strongly influenced by environmental temperature. An integrated view about the effects of global warming will be reached not just establishing how the increase in mean temperature impacts the natural populations but also establishing the effects of the increase in temperature variance. One of the molecular responses that are activated in a cell under a temperature stress is the heat shock protein response (HSP). Some studies that have detected consistent differences among thermal treatments and ontogenetic stages in HSP70 expression have assumed that these differences had a genetic basis and consequently expression would be heritable. We tested for changes in quantitative genetic parameters of HSP70 expression in a half-sib design where individuals of the beetle Tenebrio molitor were maintained in constant and varying thermal environments. We estimated heritability of HSP70 expression using a linear mixed modelling approach in different ontogenetic stages. Expression levels of HSP70 were consistently higher in the variable environment and heritability estimates were low to moderate. The results imply that within each ontogenetic stage additive genetic variance was higher in the variable environment and in adults compared with constant environment and larvae stage, respectively. We found that almost all the genetic correlations across ontogenetic stages and environment were positive. These suggest that directional selection for higher levels of expression in one environment will result in higher expression levels of HSP70 on the other environment for the same ontogenetic stage. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Differential neutrophil gene expression in early bovine pregnancy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kizaki Keiichiro

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In food production animals, especially cattle, the diagnosis of gestation is important because the timing of gestation directly affects the running of farms. Various methods have been used to detect gestation, but none of them are ideal because of problems with the timing of detection or the accuracy, simplicity, or cost of the method. A new method for detecting gestation, which involves assessing interferon-tau (IFNT-stimulated gene expression in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL, was recently proposed. PBL fractionation methods were used to examine whether the expression profiles of various PBL populations could be used as reliable diagnostic markers of bovine gestation. Methods PBL were collected on days 0 (just before artificial insemination, 7, 14, 17, 21, and 28 of gestation. The gene expression levels of the PBL were assessed with microarray analysis and/or quantitative real-time reverse transcription (q PCR. PBL fractions were collected by flow cytometry or density gradient cell separation using Histopaque 1083 or Ficoll-Conray solutions. The expression levels of four IFNT-stimulated genes, interferon-stimulated protein 15 kDa (ISG15, myxovirus-resistance (MX 1 and 2, and 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS1, were then analyzed in each fraction through day 28 of gestation using qPCR. Results Microarray analysis detected 72 and 28 genes in whole PBL that were significantly higher on days 14 and 21 of gestation, respectively, than on day 0. The upregulated genes included IFNT-stimulated genes. The expression levels of these genes increased with the progression of gestation until day 21. In flow cytometry experiments, on day 14 the expression levels of all of the genes were significantly higher in the granulocyte fraction than in the other fractions. Their expression gradually decreased through day 28 of gestation. Strong correlations were observed between the expression levels of the four genes in the granulocyte

  6. Retinoid Expression in Onchocercal Skin Disease: Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mawson, Anthony R; Makunde, Williams H; Penman, Alan D; Hernandez Morales, Veronica de Los Angeles; Kalinga, Akili K; Francis, Filbert; Rubinchik, Semyon; Kibweja, Addow

    2017-01-01

    Based on the observation that the parasite Onchocerca volvulus selectively absorbs vitamin A from the host, and the known toxicity of vitamin A in higher concentration, it was hypothesized that dying microfilariae (mf) release their stores of vitamin A (retinoids) into the host circulation in toxic concentrations, inducing the signs and symptoms of onchocerciasis. We conducted a pilot study to test the hypothesis in Songea communities in Southern Tanzania, where mass drug administration with ivermectin had not been implemented by the time of the survey. The specific aim was to evaluate the correlation between the diagnosis of onchocerciasis and increased levels of retinoic acid at infection sites. The analysis was performed by determining copy numbers of a genome of O volvulus present in skin snip samples of persons with onchocerciacis, and correlating these numbers with expression levels of retinoic acid receptor-α (RAR-α), which is inducible by retinoic acid. Total DNA and RNA were extracted from each of 25 mf-positive and 25 mf-negative skin samples and evaluated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction with appropriate negative controls. Analysis of the samples, adjusted with glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene levels, revealed that most samples with detectable RAR-α transcripts had higher levels of RAR-α expression than the assay control. However, the quality and number of samples were insufficient for statistical analysis. Fold data on the expression levels of both O volvulus DNA and RAR RNA suggested a possible trend toward higher relative RAR-α expression in samples with higher levels of O volvulus DNA ( r 2  = 0.25, P  = .079). Evidence of a contribution of vitamin A to the pathology of onchocerciasis thus remains elusive. Future studies on the role of retinoids in onchocerciasis will require larger groups of participants as well as careful monitoring of the cold chain and tissue storage procedures in view of the sensitivity of

  7. Androgen Receptor Expression in Thai Breast Cancer Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suthat Chottanapund

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate prevalence and related factors of androgen receptor (AR expression in Thai breast cancer patients. A descriptive study was done in 95 patients, who were admitted to Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital, Bangkok (2011–2013. Statistical relationships were examined between AR protein expression, tumor status, and patient characteristics. Compared with those from Western countries, ethnic Thai patients were younger at age of diagnosis and had a higher proliferative index (high Ki-67 expression, which indicates unfavorable prognosis. In addition, 91% of the Thai breast tumors that were positive for any of the following receptors, estrogen receptor (ER, progesterone receptor (PR, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2 also expressed the AR protein, while in triple negative breast tumors only 33% were AR positive. ER and PR expression was positively related with AR expression, while AR expression was inversely correlated to Ki-67 expression. AR status was strongly correlated with ER and PR status in Thai patients. There is an inverse relationship between Ki-67 and AR, which suggests that AR may be a prognostic factor for breast cancer.

  8. CCAAT/enhancer binding protein a gene expression in Egyptian patients with acute myeloid leukemia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kassem, N.; Fahmy, A.; Desoky, M.; Zawam, H.M.; Medhat, N.; Medhat, N.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Transcription factors play a crucial role in myeloid differentiation and lineage determination. Tumor suppressor protein C/EBPa is a key regulator of granulocytic differentiation whose functional inactivation has become a pathophysiological signature of myeloid leukemia. Given the role that CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBP α) plays in myelopoiesis, we anticipated that their expression might be disrupted in myeloid neoplasms. Purpose: To estimate the expression of C/EBP α mRNA in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and correlate its expression with the pathogenesis of the disease. Patients and methods: Forty AML patients and 20 age and sex matched healthy controls were included in the study. Blood samples of patients and controls were analyzed for CEBP α mRNA expression by quantitative RT-real time PCR using TaqMan technology and δδct method for calculation of gene expression. Results: Twenty-nine (72.5%) patients out of the 40 showed low expression levels of CEBP α mRNA below the cutoff value with median of 0.19 (range:0-0.87). While eleven (27.5%) patients out of the 40 showed higher expression levels of CEBP α above the cutoff value with median of 1.52 (range: 1.07-2). Seven patients out of the 11 showed higher expression levels of CEBP α mRNA belong to the M3 subtype of AML harboring the t(15;17) PML-RARa translocation. Conclusion: We conclude that the majority of the AML patients analyzed, express low levels of C/EBPa mRN. However, a subset of patients represented by the M3 subtype, express higher levels of C/EBPa

  9. Positive expression of LSD1 and negative expression of E-cadherin correlate with metastasis and poor prognosis of colon cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jie, Ding; Zhongmin, Zhang; Guoqing, Liao; Sheng, Liu; Yi, Zhang; Jing, Wen; Liang, Zeng

    2013-06-01

    The first identified lysine-specific demethylase, LSD1, plays an important role in the metastatic progression of several types of cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate LSD1, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin expression in colon cancer specimens and their clinical significance. The expression of LSD1, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin in colon cancer specimens was determined by immunohistochemistry, and the relationship between the expression of the respective molecules and clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. The positive expression rates of LSD1, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin in colon cancer specimens were 66.7 % (72/108), 85.2 % (92/108), and 41.7 % (45/108), respectively. LSD1 was significantly more highly expressed in colon cancer specimens classified as high TNM stage lesions and with distant metastasis (P colon cancer specimens classified as high TNM stage lesions and with distant metastasis (P clinical and pathological characteristics (P > 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that LSD1 expression was negatively correlated with E-cadherin expression (r s = -0.318, P = 0.001), but not evidently correlated with N-cadherin expression (r s = 0.182, P = 0.06). Colon cancer specimens with positive LSD1 expression and negative E-cadherin expression were correlated with significantly lower overall survival. LSD1 showed a significantly higher expression, in contrast to the significantly lower expression of E-cadherin, in colon cancer specimens classified as high TNM stage lesions and with distant metastasis. Positive expression of LSD1 and negative expression of E-cadherin may be predictors of a worse colon cancer prognosis.

  10. The Effect of Laminin-1-Doped Nanoroughened Implant Surfaces: Gene Expression and Morphological Evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Humberto Osvaldo Schwartz-Filho

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. This study aimed to observe the morphological and molecular effect of laminin-1 doping to nanostructured implant surfaces in a rabbit model. Materials and Methods. Nanostructured implants were coated with laminin-1 (test; dilution, 100 μg/mL and inserted into the rabbit tibiae. Noncoated implants were used as controls. After 2 weeks of healing, the implants were removed and subjected to morphological analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM and gene expression analysis using the real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR. Results. SEM revealed bony tissue attachment for both control and test implants. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of osteoblast markers RUNX-2, osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, and collagen I was higher (1.62-fold, 1.53-fold, 1.97-fold, and 1.04-fold, resp. for the implants modified by laminin-1 relative to the control. All osteoclast markers investigated in the study presented higher expression on the test implants than controls as follows: tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (1.67-fold, calcitonin receptor (1.35-fold, and ATPase (1.25-fold. The test implants demonstrated higher expression of inflammatory markers interleukin-10 (1.53-fold and tumour necrosis factor-α (1.61-fold relative to controls. Conclusion. The protein-doped surface showed higher gene expression of typical genes involved in the osseointegration cascade than the control surface.

  11. Higher education for refugees: Lessons from a 4-year pilot project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crea, Thomas M.; McFarland, Mary

    2015-04-01

    Refugees experience limited access to adequate education at all levels, but opportunities for higher education are especially lacking. Yet, evidence suggests that education plays an important protective role in helping refugee individuals and communities cope with their daily existence during protracted waiting periods, and the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) recently recognised tertiary education as a basic human right. The purpose of this paper is to present findings from the evaluation of a pilot programme, Jesuit Commons: Higher Education at the Margins (JC:HEM), which initially provided higher education to refugees in Kakuma Camp, Kenya and Dzaleka Camp, Malawi; and to urban refugees in Amman, Jordan. The authors of this note review the progress made towards the pilot objectives, as well as student feedback on the benefits and challenges of higher education for refugees and others living at the margins. The refugees interviewed in this study expressed feelings of empowerment, related to their expanded worldview as well as to a specific set of skills obtained through their participation in the programme. Interviewees also noted a number of limitations specific to the context of their living conditions. Particularly in refugee camps, students expressed concerns about what would happen after their having completed their course. The general outcome of the pilot phase, which ended in 2014, was that the programme addresses a critical need and that it should be continued, albeit with key modifications in its design and delivery. Key areas for future growth of the programme include curriculum transformation, integrated service delivery and university engagement.

  12. Elevated HLA-A expression impairs HIV control through inhibition of NKG2A-expressing cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramsuran, Veron; Naranbhai, Vivek; Horowitz, Amir; Qi, Ying; Martin, Maureen P; Yuki, Yuko; Gao, Xiaojiang; Walker-Sperling, Victoria; Del Prete, Gregory Q; Schneider, Douglas K; Lifson, Jeffrey D; Fellay, Jacques; Deeks, Steven G; Martin, Jeffrey N; Goedert, James J; Wolinsky, Steven M; Michael, Nelson L; Kirk, Gregory D; Buchbinder, Susan; Haas, David; Ndung'u, Thumbi; Goulder, Philip; Parham, Peter; Walker, Bruce D; Carlson, Jonathan M; Carrington, Mary

    2018-01-05

    The highly polymorphic human leukocyte antigen ( HLA ) locus encodes cell surface proteins that are critical for immunity. HLA-A expression levels vary in an allele-dependent manner, diversifying allele-specific effects beyond peptide-binding preference. Analysis of 9763 HIV-infected individuals from 21 cohorts shows that higher HLA-A levels confer poorer control of HIV. Elevated HLA-A expression provides enhanced levels of an HLA-A-derived signal peptide that specifically binds and determines expression levels of HLA-E, the ligand for the inhibitory NKG2A natural killer (NK) cell receptor. HLA-B haplotypes that favor NKG2A-mediated NK cell licensing (i.e., education) exacerbate the deleterious effect of high HLA-A on HIV control, consistent with NKG2A-mediated inhibition impairing NK cell clearance of HIV-infected targets. Therapeutic blockade of HLA-E:NKG2A interaction may yield benefit in HIV disease. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  13. Conserved structure and expression of hsp70 paralogs in teleost fishes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Metzger, David C.H.; Hansen, Jakob Hemmer; Schulte, Patricia M.

    2016-01-01

    present in the F. heteroclitus genome. Comparison of expression patterns in F. heteroclitus and Gasterosteus aculeatus demonstrates that hsp70-2 has a higher fold increase than hsp70-1 following heat shock in gill but not in muscle tissue, revealing a conserved difference in expression patterns between...

  14. Twist and YB-1 gene expression in cervical cancer and precancerous tissue and their correlation with cell invasion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qin Tian

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the correlation of Twist and YB-1 gene expression in cervical cancer and precancerous tissue with cell invasion. Methods: Cervical cancer tissue, precancerous tissue and normal cervical tissue surgically removed in our hospital between May 2013 and April 2015 were collected; immunohistochemical staining kits were used to detect the positive protein expression rate of Twist and YB-1 gene; fluorescence quantitative PCR kits were used to detect Twist, YB-1 and invasion gene mRNA expression. Results: Twist and YB-1 mRNA expression and positive protein expression rate as well as USP22, Rab11, Rac1 and ANXA5 mRNA expression in cervical cancer tissue and precancerous tissue were significantly higher than those in normal cervical tissue, Twist and YB-1 mRNA expression and positive protein expression rate as well as USP22, Rab11, Rac1 and ANXA5 mRNA expression in cervical cancer tissue were significantly higher than those in precancerous tissue; USP22, Rab11, Rac1 and ANXA5 mRNA expression in cervical cancer tissue and precancerous tissue with positive Twist and YB-1 expression were significantly higher than those in cervical cancer tissue and precancerous tissue with negative Twist and YB-1 expression. Conclusion: Highly expressed Twist and YB-1 in cervical cancer and precancerous tissue can promote cell invasion.

  15. HSP70 expression in the copper butterfly Lycaena tityrus across altitudes and temperatures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karl, I.; Sørensen, Jesper Givskov; Loeschcke, Volker

    2009-01-01

    temperatures show differences in HSP70 expression. HSP70 expression increased substantially at the higher rearing temperature in low-altitude butterflies, which might represent an adaptation to occasionally occurring heat spells. On the other hand, high-altitude butterflies showed much less plasticity...... in response to rearing temperatures, and overall seem to rely more on genetically fixed thermal stress resistance. Whether the latter indicates a higher vulnerability of high-altitude populations to global warming needs further investigation. HSP70 expression increased with both colder and warmer induction......The ability to express heat-shock proteins (HSP) under thermal stress is an essential mechanism for ectotherms to cope with unfavourable conditions. In this study, we investigate if Copper butterflies originating from different altitudes and/or being exposed to different rearing and induction...

  16. Engineering Potato Starch with a Higher Phosphate Content.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuan Xu

    Full Text Available Phosphate esters are responsible for valuable and unique functionalities of starch for industrial applications. Also in the cell phosphate esters play a role in starch metabolism, which so far has not been well characterized in storage starch. Laforin, a human enzyme composed of a carbohydrate-binding module and a dual-specificity phosphatase domain, is involved in the dephosphorylation of glycogen. To modify phosphate content and better understand starch (dephosphorylation in storage starch, laforin was engineered and introduced into potato (cultivar Kardal. Interestingly, expression of an (engineered laforin in potato resulted in significantly higher phosphate content of starch, and this result was confirmed in amylose-free potato genetic background (amf. Modified starches exhibited altered granule morphology and size compared to the control. About 20-30% of the transgenic lines of each series showed red-staining granules upon incubation with iodine, and contained higher phosphate content than the blue-stained starch granules. Moreover, low amylose content and altered gelatinization properties were observed in these red-stained starches. Principle component and correlation analysis disclosed a complex correlation between starch composition and starch physico-chemical properties. Ultimately, the expression level of endogenous genes involved in starch metabolism was analysed, revealing a compensatory response to the decrease of phosphate content in potato starch. This study provides a new perspective for engineering starch phosphate content in planta by making use of the compensatory mechanism in the plant itself.

  17. Computational modelling of Ti50Pt50-xMx shape memory alloys (M: Ni, Ir or Pd and x = 6.25-43.75 at.%)

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Modiba, Rosinah M

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The ab initio density functional theory approach was employed to study the effect of Ni, Ir or Pd addition to the TiPt shape memory alloy. The supercell approach in VASP was used to substitute Pt with 6.25, 18.75, 25.00, 31.25 and 43.75 at.% Ni, Ir...

  18. Relationship between vaspin gene expression and abdominal fat distribution of Korean women

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jin-A; Park, Hye-Soon; Song, Young-Sook; Jang, Yeon-Jin; Kim, Jong-Hyeok; Lee, Yeon-Ji; Heo, Yoon-Suk

    2011-01-01

    Visceral adipose tissue-derived serpin (vaspin) is a novel adipokine that is thought to have insulin-sensitizing effects. We investigated vaspin mRNA expression in abdominal adipose tissue and examined how gene expression related to abdominal fat distribution and metabolic parameters in Korean women. We measured anthropometric variables, metabolic parameters, serum vaspin concentration, and vaspin mRNA expression in abdominal adipose tissue obtained from women who underwent abdominal gynecological surgery and were aged 18-67 years (n=85). Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) area were measured in 40 subjects using computed tomography (CT). Vaspin expression was analyzed by real-time quantitative radiotherapy-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) according to abdominal fat distribution. Vaspin mRNA expression was greater in adipocytes than in stroma/vascular cells. In the total subjects, vaspin expression was significantly higher in SAT than in VAT. Vaspin expression in SAT in subcutaneous fat type (VSR ≤0.3) was significantly higher than in visceral fat type (VSR >0.3), although vaspin expression in VAT was similar between subcutaneous and visceral fat type. There was a significant negative correlation between vaspin expression in SAT and VAT area (r=-0.55, p=0.001). Serum vaspin concentration was significantly correlated with fasting insulin (r=0.30, p=0.02), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (r=0.29, p=0.02), and the ratio of vaspin expression in VAT to vaspin expression in SAT (r=0.41, p=0.04). Vaspin expression in abdominal adipose tissue was adipocyte-specific and vaspin expression in SAT decreased as VAT area increased. (author)

  19. [Elevated expression of CLOCK is associated with poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bo; Yang, Xiliang; Li, Jiaqi; Yang, Yi; Yan, Zhaoyong; Zhang, Hongxin; Mu, Jiao

    2018-02-01

    Objective To evaluate the expression of circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK) and its effects on cell growth in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods The expression of CLOCK in 158 pairs of human HCC tissues and matched noncancerous samples was detected by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. The expression of CLOCK in HCC patients was also verified using the data from GEO and TCGA (a total of 356 cases). The relationship between CLOCK expression and clinicopathological features of HCC patients was analyzed by single factor statistical analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival curves of HCC patients were drawn to study the relationship between the expression level of CLOCK and the survival state. The effect of CLOCK on the growth of HepG2 cells was detected by MTS assay. Results The expression of CLOCK in HCC tissues was significantly higher than that in the adjacent tissues, and the up-regulation of CLOCK expression in HCC tissue was also confirmed in the public data of HCC (356 cases). HCC patients were divided into low CLOCK expression group and high CLOCK expression group. Univariate analysis showed that the expression of CLOCK was related to tumor size, TNM stage, and portal vein invasion in HCC patients. HCC patients with low CLOCK expression had longer overall survival time and relapse-free survival time than those with high CLOCK expression. The proliferation of cells significantly decreased after the expression of CLOCK was knocked down in HepG2 cells. Conclusion The expression of CLOCK in HCC tissues was much higher than that in normal liver tissues, and the high expression of CLOCK indicated the poor prognosis. The knockdown of CLOCK in HCC cells could inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 cells.

  20. Construction of Egr1-mediated human truncated apoptosis inducing factor expression vector and its expression regularity induced by radiation in breast cancer MCF-7 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jianfeng; Gong Shouliang; Wang Zhicheng; Fang Fang; Liu Yang; Wu Jiahui

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To clone human truncated apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) cDNA sequence, and to construct early growth response 1 (Egr1)-mediated recombinant expression vector pcDNA 3.1-Egr1-AIF Δ1-480 (pEgr1-AIFΔ 1-480 ), and to observe its regularity induced by radiation in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Methods: The total mRNA extracted from human leukemia Jurkat cells used as template, and the human AIFΔ 1-480 was acquired by RT-PCR, and it was linked to pMD18T vector for sequencing. Egr1 fragment was digested from pMD19T-Egr1 by restrictive enzyme, and the Egr1-mediated expression plasmid pEgr1-AIFΔ 1-480 was constructed by gene recombination. There were control group, pcDNA3.1 group, pAIFΔ 1-480 group and pEgr1-AIFΔ 1-480 group in the experiment. After the plasmids in various groups were transfected into human breast cancer MCF-7 cells, the AIF and AIFΔ 1-480 protein expression time-effect (0, 2, 4, 12, 24 and 48 h after 2.0 Gy irradiation) and dose-effect (24 h after 0, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 5.0 Gy irradiation) regularity were measured by Western blotting method. Results: The sequencing results showed that the AIFΔ 1-480 acquired by RT-PCR was consistent with the sequence expected, the pEgr-AIFΔ 1-480 was confirmed by PCR and restrictive enzyme digestion. After 0-48 h the MCF-7 cells were irradiated by 2.0 Gy, and the AIF protein expressed in the cells in each group, and it increased significantly from 4 h and the AIF expressions in 4, 12, 24 and 48 h groups were higher than that in 0 h group (P<0.05), and it reached to maximum value at 48 h. But the AIFΔ 1-480 protein expressed in the cells in pAIFΔ 1-480 and pEgr1-AIFΔ 1-480 groups from 2 h (P<0.05), and it reached to peak value at 24 h. The AIFΔ 1-480 expressions in pEgr1-AIFΔ 1-480 group were higher than those in pAIFΔ 1-480 group at and 48 h (P<0.05). After the MCF-7 cells were irradiated by 0-5 Gy for 24 h, the AIF protein expressed in the cells in each group, but the AIFΔ 1-480 protein

  1. Reply to ``Comment on `Band structure engineering of graphene by strain: First-principles calculations' ''

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gui, Gui; Li, Jin; Zhong, Jianxin

    2009-10-01

    We reply to the Comment by Farjam and Rafii-Tabar [Phys. Rev. B 80, 167401 (2009)] on our paper [Phys. Rev. B 78, 075435 (2008)]. We show that the gap opening found in our paper is due to the use of a small number of k points in the calculation which prevents revealing the sharp contact of the two bands near K or R . Once a large number of k points is used, the density-functional theory (DFT) VASP codes give the same conclusion as obtained by Farjam and Rafii-Tabar by using the QUANTUM-ESPRESSO codes, namely, there is no gap opening in the band structure of graphene under small planar strain. We also point out that all other results in our paper remain correct, except for the conclusion of the gap opening. The results demonstrate the importance of using a large number of k points for determining the gap width of the band structure of graphene under strain as well as the validity of the DFT VASP codes for the system.

  2. Ternary alloy material prediction using genetic algorithm and cluster expansion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Chong [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    2015-12-01

    This thesis summarizes our study on the crystal structures prediction of Fe-V-Si system using genetic algorithm and cluster expansion. Our goal is to explore and look for new stable compounds. We started from the current ten known experimental phases, and calculated formation energies of those compounds using density functional theory (DFT) package, namely, VASP. The convex hull was generated based on the DFT calculations of the experimental known phases. Then we did random search on some metal rich (Fe and V) compositions and found that the lowest energy structures were body centered cube (bcc) underlying lattice, under which we did our computational systematic searches using genetic algorithm and cluster expansion. Among hundreds of the searched compositions, thirteen were selected and DFT formation energies were obtained by VASP. The stability checking of those thirteen compounds was done in reference to the experimental convex hull. We found that the composition, 24-8-16, i.e., Fe3VSi2 is a new stable phase and it can be very inspiring to the future experiments.

  3. 5′-Inositol phosphatase SHIP2 recruits Mena to stabilize invadopodia for cancer cell invasion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaoui, Kossay; Huang, Bruce H.; Sangwan, Veena; Gertler, Frank B.

    2016-01-01

    Invadopodia are specialized membrane protrusions that support degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) by cancer cells, allowing invasion and metastatic spread. Although early stages of invadopodia assembly have been elucidated, little is known about maturation of invadopodia into structures competent for ECM proteolysis. The localized conversion of phosphatidylinositol(3,4,5)-triphosphate and accumulation of phosphatidylinositol(3,4)-bisphosphate at invadopodia is a key determinant for invadopodia maturation. Here we investigate the role of the 5′-inositol phosphatase, SHIP2, and reveal an unexpected scaffold function of SHIP2 as a prerequisite for invadopodia-mediated ECM degradation. Through biochemical and structure-function analyses, we identify specific interactions between SHIP2 and Mena, an Ena/VASP-family actin regulatory protein. We demonstrate that SHIP2 recruits Mena, but not VASP, to invadopodia and that disruption of SHIP2–Mena interaction in cancer cells leads to attenuated capacity for ECM degradation and invasion in vitro, as well as reduced metastasis in vivo. Together, these findings identify SHIP2 as a key modulator of carcinoma invasiveness and a target for metastatic disease. PMID:27597754

  4. 5'-Inositol phosphatase SHIP2 recruits Mena to stabilize invadopodia for cancer cell invasion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajadurai, Charles V; Havrylov, Serhiy; Coelho, Paula P; Ratcliffe, Colin D H; Zaoui, Kossay; Huang, Bruce H; Monast, Anie; Chughtai, Naila; Sangwan, Veena; Gertler, Frank B; Siegel, Peter M; Park, Morag

    2016-09-12

    Invadopodia are specialized membrane protrusions that support degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) by cancer cells, allowing invasion and metastatic spread. Although early stages of invadopodia assembly have been elucidated, little is known about maturation of invadopodia into structures competent for ECM proteolysis. The localized conversion of phosphatidylinositol(3,4,5)-triphosphate and accumulation of phosphatidylinositol(3,4)-bisphosphate at invadopodia is a key determinant for invadopodia maturation. Here we investigate the role of the 5'-inositol phosphatase, SHIP2, and reveal an unexpected scaffold function of SHIP2 as a prerequisite for invadopodia-mediated ECM degradation. Through biochemical and structure-function analyses, we identify specific interactions between SHIP2 and Mena, an Ena/VASP-family actin regulatory protein. We demonstrate that SHIP2 recruits Mena, but not VASP, to invadopodia and that disruption of SHIP2-Mena interaction in cancer cells leads to attenuated capacity for ECM degradation and invasion in vitro, as well as reduced metastasis in vivo. Together, these findings identify SHIP2 as a key modulator of carcinoma invasiveness and a target for metastatic disease. © 2016 Rajadurai et al.

  5. Expression of miR-146a-5p in patients with intracranial aneurysms and its association with prognosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, H-L; Li, L; Cheng, C-J; Sun, X-C

    2018-02-01

    The study aims to detect the association of miR-146a-5p with intracranial aneurysms (IAs). The expression of miR-146a-5p was compared from plasma samples between 72 patients with intracranial aneurysms (IAs) and 40 healthy volunteers by quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Statistical analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between miR-146a-5p expression and clinical data and overall survival (OS) time of IAs patients. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards have also been performed. Notably, higher miR-146a-5p expression was found in plasma samples from 72 patients with intracranial aneurysms (IAs) compared with 40 healthy controls. Higher miR-146a-5p expression was significantly associated with rupture and Hunt-Hess level in IAs patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis verified that higher miR-146a-5p expression predicted a shorter overall survival (OS) compared with lower miR-146a-5p expression in IAs patients. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards demonstrated that higher miR-146a-5p expression, rupture, and Hunt-Hess were independent risk factors of OS in patients with intracranial aneurysms (IAs). MiR-146a-5p expression may serve as a biomarker for predicting prognosis in patients with IAs.

  6. Localization and Developmental Expression Patterns of CSPG in the RCS Rat Retina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li-Feng Chen

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Investigate changes in chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG distribution in Royal College of Surgeons (RCS rat retinae. Could CSPGs distribution act as a physical barrier to transplanted cell migration in degenerating retinae? Methods: CSPG expression was examined in RCS and Long-Evans rat retinae from birth to postnatal day 150 (PND150 using immunofluorescence and western-blots. Results: Both groups showed a rapid rise in CSPG expression on PND14, which peaked on PND21 before declining to lower levels by PND35. CSPG expression had risen again by PND90 and remained elevated for the duration of the study (PND150. However, from PND21, CSPG expression was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05, n = 5 in Long-Evans rat retinae. CSPG-positive cells were localized in the ganglion cell layer (GCL and the photoreceptor outer segment debris zone (DZ; CSPG expression in the DZ was the main contributor to the higher expression in older animals for both groups. Conclusions: Increased expression of CSPGs in the DZ may act as a physical barrier following retinal cellular transplantation. CSPGs in the GCL is probably related to dendritic changes. CSPG accumulation in the older retinae suggests that aging influences the microenvironment in the retina, which may affect the efficacy of cell transplantation.

  7. Profile of the genes expressed in the human peripheral retina, macula, and retinal pigment epithelium determined through serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharon, Dror; Blackshaw, Seth; Cepko, Constance L.; Dryja, Thaddeus P.

    2002-01-01

    We used the serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) technique to catalogue and measure the relative levels of expression of the genes expressed in the human peripheral retina, macula, and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) from one or both of two humans, aged 88 and 44 years. The cone photoreceptor contribution to all transcription in the retina was found to be similar in the macula versus the retinal periphery, whereas the rod contribution was greater in the periphery versus the macula. Genes encoding structural proteins for axons were found to be expressed at higher levels in the macula versus the retinal periphery, probably reflecting the large proportion of ganglion cells in the central retina. In comparison with the younger eye, the peripheral retina of the older eye had a substantially higher proportion of mRNAs from genes encoding proteins involved in iron metabolism or protection against oxidative damage and a substantially lower proportion of mRNAs from genes encoding proteins involved in rod phototransduction. These differences may reflect the difference in age between the two donors or merely interindividual variation. The RPE library had numerous previously unencountered tags, suggesting that this cell type has a large, idiosyncratic repertoire of expressed genes. Comparison of these libraries with 100 reported nonocular SAGE libraries revealed 89 retina-specific or enriched genes expressed at substantial levels, of which 14 are known to cause a retinal disease and 53 are RPE-specific genes. We expect that these libraries will serve as a resource for understanding the relative expression levels of genes in the retina and the RPE and for identifying additional disease genes. PMID:11756676

  8. CELLULAR LOCALIZATION AND EXPRESSION OF pygo DURING DROSOPHILA DEVELOPMENT

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    LINXin-da; LINXin-hua; CHENGJia-an

    2003-01-01

    Wg/Wnt signaling is a key signaling pathway in Drosophila. Many genes involved in Wingless(wg) signal transduction pathway downstream of Wg, or it'' s vertebrate Wg homologue Wnt, have been identified.Transduction of the Wg signal downstream of Wg is mediated by nuclear TCF/LEF-1, through association with Ar-madillo (Arm)/β-catenin. Pygopus (pygo) is a new identified component in this pathway . Cellular localization experiment showed that pygo was expressed specifically in the nucleus. The expression profile of pygo in embryos was examined using in situ hybridization. Although pygo expressed ubiquitously in the embryos, it expressed at relatively high level in pre-blastoderm embryos which indicate a high degree of maternally provided message, fol-lowed by a low level of ubiquitous zygotic expression. This continues into larval tissues (including wing disc, eye disc and leg disc), where pygo appears to be expressed at low level. Comparison of pygo expression levels, in the wing disc, eye disc and leg disc, showed pygo expression level in the wing disc pouch and leg disc were rela-tive higher.

  9. Temporal expression pattern of genes during the period of sex differentiation in human embryonic gonads

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mamsen, Linn S; Ernst, Emil H; Borup, Rehannah

    2017-01-01

    The precise timing and sequence of changes in expression of key genes and proteins during human sex-differentiation and onset of steroidogenesis was evaluated by whole-genome expression in 67 first trimester human embryonic and fetal ovaries and testis and confirmed by qPCR and immunohistochemistry...... (IHC). SRY/SOX9 expression initiated in testis around day 40 pc, followed by initiation of AMH and steroidogenic genes required for androgen production at day 53 pc. In ovaries, gene expression of RSPO1, LIN28, FOXL2, WNT2B, and ETV5, were significantly higher than in testis, whereas GLI1...... was significantly higher in testis than ovaries. Gene expression was confirmed by IHC for GAGE, SOX9, AMH, CYP17A1, LIN28, WNT2B, ETV5 and GLI1. Gene expression was not associated with the maternal smoking habits. Collectively, a precise temporal determination of changes in expression of key genes involved in human...

  10. HLA-G expression and role in advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Caocci

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Non-classical human leucocyte antigen (HLA-G class I molecules have an important role in tumor immune escape mechanisms. We investigated HLA-G expression in lymphonode biopsies taken from 8 controls and 20 patients with advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL, in relationship to clinical outcomes and the HLA-G 14-basepair (14-bp deletion-insertion (del-ins polymorphism. Lymphnode tissue sections were stained using a specific murine monoclonal HLA-G antibody. HLA-G protein expression was higher in cHL patients than controls. In the group of PET-2 positive (positron emission tomography carried out after 2 cycles of standard chemotherapy patients with a 2-year progression-free survival rate (PFS of 40%, we observed high HLA-G protein expression within the tumor microenvironment with low expression on Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS cells. Conversely, PET-2 negative patients with a PFS of 86% had higher HLA-G protein expression levels on HRS cells compared to the microenvironment. Lower expression on HRS cells was significantly associated with the HLA-G 14-bp ins/ins genotype. These preliminary data suggest that the immunohistochemical pattern of HLA-G protein expression may represent a useful tool for a tailored therapy in patients with cHL, based on the modulation of HLA-G expression in relation to achievement of negative PET-2.These preliminary data suggest that the immunohistochemical pattern of HLA-G protein expression may represent a useful tool for a tailored therapy in patients with cHL, based on the modulation of HLA-G expression in relation to achievement of negative PET-2.

  11. Micro-Expression Recognition Using Color Spaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Su-Jing; Yan, Wen-Jing; Li, Xiaobai; Zhao, Guoying; Zhou, Chun-Guang; Fu, Xiaolan; Yang, Minghao; Tao, Jianhua

    2015-12-01

    Micro-expressions are brief involuntary facial expressions that reveal genuine emotions and, thus, help detect lies. Because of their many promising applications, they have attracted the attention of researchers from various fields. Recent research reveals that two perceptual color spaces (CIELab and CIELuv) provide useful information for expression recognition. This paper is an extended version of our International Conference on Pattern Recognition paper, in which we propose a novel color space model, tensor independent color space (TICS), to help recognize micro-expressions. In this paper, we further show that CIELab and CIELuv are also helpful in recognizing micro-expressions, and we indicate why these three color spaces achieve better performance. A micro-expression color video clip is treated as a fourth-order tensor, i.e., a four-dimension array. The first two dimensions are the spatial information, the third is the temporal information, and the fourth is the color information. We transform the fourth dimension from RGB into TICS, in which the color components are as independent as possible. The combination of dynamic texture and independent color components achieves a higher accuracy than does that of RGB. In addition, we define a set of regions of interests (ROIs) based on the facial action coding system and calculated the dynamic texture histograms for each ROI. Experiments are conducted on two micro-expression databases, CASME and CASME 2, and the results show that the performances for TICS, CIELab, and CIELuv are better than those for RGB or gray.

  12. Expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and receptor I(P55in pterygium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bing Wu

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available AIM:To observe the expression of tumor necrosis factor- alpha(TNF-αand its receptor I(P55in different pterygium and discuss the role of TNF-α and receptor I(P55in pterygium.METHODS: Immunohistochemistical staining method(PVwas adopted to detect the expression of TNF-α and receptor I in pterygium(72 eyesand para-pterygium conjunctival tissue(30 eyes. The relationship between the expression and clinical-pathological parameters was also analyzed. RESULTS: The positive rates of TNF-α were 65.3%(47/72, 26.7%(8/30in pterygium and para-pterygium conjunctival tissue. The positive expression of TNF-α had statistic difference between the two groups(χ2=12.706, Pχ2=13.875, Pχ2=6.547, P=0.011. There had no statistically significance of the expression intensity between the two groups(F=1.288, P=0.393; the positive rate in advanced pterygium group was higher than quiescent pterygium group(χ2=4.082, P=0.043. The expression intensity had no statistically significance between the two groups(F=0.489, P=0.708. The positive rate of P55 in recurrent pterygium group was higher than primary pterygium group(χ2=9.907, P=0.002. There had no statistically significance of the two group's expression intensity(F=1.175, P=0.424; the positive rate in advanced pterygium group was higher than in quiescent pterygium group(χ2=11.140, P=0.001. The expression intensity had no statistically significance between the two groups(F=0.665, P=0.621. CONCLUSION:The expression of TNF-α and P55 are changing according to the development of clinical staging and onset. The expression of TNF-α and P55 may be related to clinical classification, staging and patient's working conditions of pterygium. There has no significant difference expression intensity of TNF-α and P55 in clinical staging and onset of pterygium.

  13. Profiling Gene Expression in Germinating Brassica Roots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Myoung Ryoul; Wang, Yi-Hong; Hasenstein, Karl H

    2014-01-01

    Based on previously developed solid-phase gene extraction (SPGE) we examined the mRNA profile in primary roots of Brassica rapa seedlings for highly expressed genes like ACT7 (actin7), TUB (tubulin1), UBQ (ubiquitin), and low expressed GLK (glucokinase) during the first day post-germination. The assessment was based on the mRNA load of the SPGE probe of about 2.1 ng. The number of copies of the investigated genes changed spatially along the length of primary roots. The expression level of all genes differed significantly at each sample position. Among the examined genes ACT7 expression was most even along the root. UBQ was highest at the tip and root-shoot junction (RS). TUB and GLK showed a basipetal gradient. The temporal expression of UBQ was highest in the MZ 9 h after primary root emergence and higher than at any other sample position. Expressions of GLK in EZ and RS increased gradually over time. SPGE extraction is the result of oligo-dT and oligo-dA hybridization and the results illustrate that SPGE can be used for gene expression profiling at high spatial and temporal resolution. SPGE needles can be used within two weeks when stored at 4 °C. Our data indicate that gene expression studies that are based on the entire root miss important differences in gene expression that SPGE is able to resolve for example growth adjustments during gravitropism.

  14. Gender expression, sexual orientation and pain sensitivity in women

    OpenAIRE

    Vigil, Jacob M; Rowell, Lauren N; Lutz, Charlotte

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Despite a growing body of literature investigating sex differences with regard to pain, surprisingly little research has been conducted on the influence of various aspects of self-identity, including gender expression and sexual orientation, on pain sensitivity within each sex, particularly among women. In men, dispositional femininity is linked to greater clinical pain and trait masculinity is associated with higher pain thresholds.OBJECTIVES: To examine whether gender expression...

  15. Higher intramuscular triacylglycerol in women does not impair insulin sensitivity and proximal insulin signaling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høeg, Louise; Roepstorff, Carsten; Thiele, Maja

    2009-01-01

    that despite 47% higher IMTG levels in women in the follicular phase whole body as well as leg insulin sensitivity are higher than in matched men. This was not explained by sex differences in proximal insulin signalling in women. In women it seems that a high capillary density and type 1 muscle fiber...... expression may be important for insulin action. Key words: Muscle Triglycerides, gender, insulin action, sex paradox....

  16. Fibrin-Enhanced Canonical Wnt Signaling Directs Plasminogen Expression in Cementoblasts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeed Ur Rahman

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Cementum is a mineralized layer on the tooth’s root surface and facilitates the biomechanical anchoring of fibrous connective tissues as a part of tooth-supportive complexes. Previously, we observed that OCCM30 cementoblasts cultured on fibrin matrices underwent apoptosis due to fibrin degradation through the expression of proteases. Here, we demonstrated that OCCM30 on fibrin matrices (OCCM30-fibrin enhanced canonical Wnt signaling, which directed to plasminogen expression. The OCCM30-fibrin showed higher levels of Wnt3a expression, nuclear translocation of β-catenin, and T-cell factor (TCF optimal motif (TOP reporter activity than the cells on tissue culture dishes (OCCM30-TCD, indicating that the OCCM30-fibrin enhanced canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Also, OCCM30-fibrin expressed biomineralization-associated markers at higher levels than OCCM30-TCD, of which levels were further increased with LiCl, a Wnt signaling activator. The OCCM30 cementoblasts simultaneously showed that high levels of plasminogen, a critical component of fibrinolysis, were expressed in the OCCM30-fibrin. Activation of canonical Wnt signaling with LiCl treatment or with forced lymphoid enhancer factor 1 (LEF1-expression increased the expression of plasminogen. On the contrary, the inhibition of canonical Wnt signaling with siRNAs against Wnt3a or β-catenin abrogated fibrin-enhanced plasminogen expression. Furthermore, there are three conserved putative response elements for the LEF1/β-catenin complex in the plasminogen proximal promoter regions (−900 to +54. Site-directed mutations and chromatin immunoprecipitation indicated that canonical Wnt signaling directed plasminogen expression. Taken together, this study suggests that fibrin-based materials can modulate functional periodontal formations in controlling cementoblast differentiation and fibrin degradation.

  17. Clinicopathologic Significance of CXCL12 and CXCR4 Expressions in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naomi Yoshuantari

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Colorectal cancer (CRC is both a global and national burden, being the third most common malignancy in men and the second in women, worldwide. The prognosis of CRC is affected by various factors like the histological grade, angiolymphatic invasion, and distant metastases. Metastasis is an intricate process; one of the possible mechanisms is through the interaction of the chemokines CXCL12 and CXCR4. This study aims to reveal the expression patterns of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in CRC. Methods. The quantitative expressions of CXCL12 and CXCR4 messenger RNA (mRNA were evaluated in 32 patients with adenocarcinoma-type CRC. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR was performed on formalin-fixed tissues. CXCL12 and CXCR4’s expressions, clinicopathologic features, and the treatment response to the CRC were analysed. Results. All tumour tissues showed higher levels of both chemokines compared to normal colonic tissue. The expression of CXCL12 mRNA was higher in rectal location (p=0.04 with a tendency to be higher in later stages (p=0.15, while the expression of CXCR4 was lower in tumours with a lymphatic invasion (p=0.02, compared to their counterparts. There was no difference in the expression of CXCL12 and CXCR4 according to the patients’ ages, gender, tumour differentiation, or response to chemotherapy. Conclusion. Our study demonstrated that the mRNA expression of CXCL12 was significantly correlated with rectal location. CXCR4 mRNA expression was inversely correlated in tumours with a lymphatic invasion.

  18. Immunohistochemical Analysis of Oral Dysplasia: Diagnostic Assessment by Fascin and Podoplanin Expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimamura, Yumiko; Abe, Takahiro; Nakahira, Mitsuhiko; Yoda, Tetsuya; Murata, Shin-ichi; Sugasawa, Masashi

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate fascin and podoplanin expression in oral dysplasia and carcinoma in situ (CIS) immunohistochemically, and to evaluate their relationship to histopathological diagnosis based on architectural and cytological features. Fascin and podoplanin expression patterns were analyzed immunohistologically in 26 specimens of oral lesions, including benign disease (hyperplasia, papilloma, and others), intraepithelial neoplasia/borderline disease (dysplasia), and malignant disease (CIS, invasive squamous cell carcinoma). Fascin expression was scored into four original categories, and podoplanin expression was scored into five previously established categories. The relationship between the immunohistochemically determined scores of fascin and podoplanin expression and the architectural and cytological features in the hematoxylin-eosin-stained slides was analyzed statistically. The immunostaining scores for fascin and podoplanin were significantly higher in dysplasia and CIS than in benign disease (p=0.0011, p=0.00036), and they were significantly higher in dysplasia than in benign disease (p=0.0087, p=0.0032). In all cases of invasive SCC, fascin was expressed mainly in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells and fascin expression extended from the destruction of the basal layer of the epithelium to the upper layer of the epithelium and podoplanin was expressed in the cytoplasm and membrane of the tumor cells. This was the first report of up-regulation of fascin in oral dysplasia. Our results suggest that it would be helpful for improving the diagnostic accuracy of oral dysplasia and CIS to assess the expression of fascin and podoplanin immunohistochemically

  19. Expression of melatonin receptor MT1 in cells of human invasive ductal breast carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jablonska, Karolina; Pula, Bartosz; Zemla, Agata; Owczarek, Tomasz; Wojnar, Andrzej; Rys, Janusz; Ambicka, Aleksandra; Podhorska-Okolow, Marzena; Ugorski, Maciej; Dziegiel, Piotr

    2013-04-01

    In humans, two main types of membrane melatonin receptors have been identified, MT1 and MT2. Expression of MT1 in neoplastic cells seems to increase the efficacy of melatonin's oncostatic activity. The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution and the intensity of MT1 expression in breast cancer cells and to correlate it with clinicopathological factors. Immunohistochemical studies (IHC) were conducted on 190 cases of invasive ductal breast carcinomas (IDC) and molecular studies were performed on 29 cases of frozen tumor fragments and selected breast cancer cell lines. Most of the studied tumors manifested a membranous/cytoplasmic IHC expression of MT1. In IDC, the MT1 expression was higher than in fibrocystic breast disease. MT1 expression was higher in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) and HER2 positive (HER2+) tumors. Triple negative tumors (TN) manifested the lowest MT1 expression level. The lowest MT1 protein expression level was noted in the TN breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 compared with ER+ cell lines MCF-7 and SK-BR-3. MT1 mRNA expression was negatively correlated with the malignancy grade of the studied IDC cases. Moreover, higher MT1 expression was associated with patients' longer overall survival (OS) in the group of ER+ breast cancers and treated with tamoxifen. Multivariate analysis indicated that MT1 was an independent prognostic factor in the ER+ tumors for OS and event-free survival in the ER+ tumors. The results of this study may point to a potential prognostic and therapeutic significance of MT1 in IDC. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  20. Social Regulation of Gene Expression in Threespine Sticklebacks.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna K Greenwood

    Full Text Available Identifying genes that are differentially expressed in response to social interactions is informative for understanding the molecular basis of social behavior. To address this question, we described changes in gene expression as a result of differences in the extent of social interactions. We housed threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus females in either group conditions or individually for one week, then measured levels of gene expression in three brain regions using RNA-sequencing. We found that numerous genes in the hindbrain/cerebellum had altered expression in response to group or individual housing. However, relatively few genes were differentially expressed in either the diencephalon or telencephalon. The list of genes upregulated in fish from social groups included many genes related to neural development and cell adhesion as well as genes with functions in sensory signaling, stress, and social and reproductive behavior. The list of genes expressed at higher levels in individually-housed fish included several genes previously identified as regulated by social interactions in other animals. The identified genes are interesting targets for future research on the molecular mechanisms of normal social interactions.

  1. The mRNA expression of XRCC repair genes in mice after γ-ray radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Qin; Yue Jingyin; Li Jin; Mu Chuanjie; Fan Feiyue

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the role of XRCC repair genes in radioresistance of IRM-2 inbred mice. Methods: Northern hybridization was used to measure mRNA expression of XRCC1 and XRCC5 genes in IRM-2 inbred mice. ICR/JCL and 615 after exposure to different doses of γ-ray radiation at different postirradiation time. Results: The levels of XRCC1 and XRCC5 mRNA expression in control IRM-2 mice were higher significantly than those in their control parental mice (P<0.01 and P<0.05). The mRNA expression of XRCC genes in ICR/JCL and 615 mice all increased to some extent after exposure 1, 2 and 4 Gy radiation. But the levels were significantly higher at 2h postirradiation (P<0.05) . The levels of XRCC mRNA expression in IRM-2 mice did not increase significnatly compared with the control mice after exposure 1 and 2 Gy radiation. But the levels of XRCC1 and XRCC5 mRNA expression increased markedly at 4Gy 1h postirradiation (P<0.05 and P<0.01). Conclusion: The basal levels of XRCC1 and XRCC5 mRNA expression in IRM-2 mice were high. The high level of XRCC5 mRNA expression was involved in the repair of DNA double strand breaks induced by higher dose radiation, which perhaps was one of radioresistance causes of IRM-2 mice. (authors)

  2. Enhanced expression of G-protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPER/GPR30) in lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jala, Venkatakrishna Rao; Radde, Brandie N; Haribabu, Bodduluri; Klinge, Carolyn M

    2012-01-01

    G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER/GPR30) was reported to bind 17β-estradiol (E 2 ), tamoxifen, and ICI 182,780 (fulvestrant) and promotes activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mediated signaling in breast, endometrial and thyroid cancer cells. Although lung adenocarcinomas express estrogen receptors α and β (ERα and ERβ), the expression of GPER in lung cancer has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to examine the expression of GPER in lung cancer. The expression patterns of GPER in various lung cancer lines and lung tumors were investigated using standard quantitative real time PCR (at mRNA levels), Western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC) methods (at protein levels). The expression of GPER was scored and the pairwise comparisons (cancer vs adjacent tissues as well as cancer vs normal lung tissues) were performed. Analysis by real-time PCR and Western blotting revealed a significantly higher expression of GPER at both mRNA and protein levels in human non small cell lung cancer cell (NSCLC) lines relative to immortalized normal lung bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs). The virally immortalized human small airway epithelial cell line HPL1D showed higher expression than HBECs and similar expression to NSCLC cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of tissue sections of murine lung adenomas as well as human lung adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas and non-small cell lung carcinomas showed consistently higher expression of GPER in the tumor relative to the surrounding non-tumor tissue. The results from this study demonstrate increased GPER expression in lung cancer cells and tumors compared to normal lung. Further evaluation of the function and regulation of GPER will be necessary to determine if GPER is a marker of lung cancer progression

  3. PREDICTION OF THE COURSE OF OSTEOARTHROSIS FROM mTOR (MAMMALIAN TARGET OF RAPAMYCIN GENE EXPRESSION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E V Chetina

    2012-01-01

    Results. Analysis of gene expression in the outpatients with OA identified two subgroups: in one subgroup (n = 13 mTOR expression was considerably much less than that in the control group; the expression of ATG1 and p21 did not differ greatly from the control and that of caspase 3 and TNF-α was significantly higher. The other outpatients (n = 20 and all the examined patients needing endoprosthetic replacement were ascertained to have a higher gene expression of mTOR, ATG1, p21, caspase 3, and TNF-α than in the control group. Before endoprosthetic replacement, severe joint destruction in patients with OA was associated with enhanced gene expression of mTOR, ATG1, p21, and caspase 3. Conclusion. In early-stage disease, increased mTOR gene expression may serve as a prognostic marker of the severity of the disease and articular cartilage destruction.

  4. Differential cytokine gene expression according to outcome in a hamster model of leptospirosis.

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    Frédérique Vernel-Pauillac

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Parameters predicting the evolution of leptospirosis would be useful for clinicians, as well as to better understand severe leptospirosis, but are scarce and rarely validated. Because severe leptospirosis includes septic shock, similarities with predictors evidenced for sepsis and septic shock were studied in a hamster model. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using an LD50 model of leptospirosis in hamsters, we first determined that 3 days post-infection was a time-point that allowed studying the regulation of immune gene expression and represented the onset of the clinical signs of the disease. In the absence of tools to assess serum concentrations of immune effectors in hamsters, we determined mRNA levels of various immune genes, especially cytokines, together with leptospiraemia at this particular time-point. We found differential expression of both pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, with significantly higher expression levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1alpha, cyclo-oxygenase 2 and interleukin 10 genes in nonsurvivors compared to survivors. Higher leptospiraemia was also observed in nonsurvivors. Lastly, we demonstrated the relevance of these results by comparing their respective expression levels using a LD100 model or an isogenic high-passage nonvirulent variant. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Up-regulated gene expression of both pro- and anti-inflammatory immune effectors in hamsters with fatal outcome in an LD50 model of leptospirosis, together with a higher Leptospira burden, suggest that these gene expression levels could be predictors of adverse outcome in leptospirosis.

  5. Higher order modes of coupled optical fibres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alexeyev, C N; Yavorsky, M A; Boklag, N A

    2010-01-01

    The structure of hybrid higher order modes of two coupled weakly guiding identical optical fibres is studied. On the basis of perturbation theory with degeneracy for the vector wave equation expressions for modes with azimuthal angular number l ≥ 1 are obtained that allow for the spin–orbit interaction. The spectra of polarization corrections to the scalar propagation constants are calculated in a wide range of distances between the fibres. The limiting cases of widely and closely spaced fibres are studied. The obtained results can be used for studying the tunnelling of optical vortices in directional couplers and in matters concerned with information security

  6. Analysis of meniscal degeneration and meniscal gene expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norton James H

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Menisci play a vital role in load transmission, shock absorption and joint stability. There is increasing evidence suggesting that OA menisci may not merely be bystanders in the disease process of OA. This study sought: 1 to determine the prevalence of meniscal degeneration in OA patients, and 2 to examine gene expression in OA meniscal cells compared to normal meniscal cells. Methods Studies were approved by our human subjects Institutional Review Board. Menisci and articular cartilage were collected during joint replacement surgery for OA patients and lower limb amputation surgery for osteosarcoma patients (normal control specimens, and graded. Meniscal cells were prepared from these meniscal tissues and expanded in monolayer culture. Differential gene expression in OA meniscal cells and normal meniscal cells was examined using Affymetrix microarray and real time RT-PCR. Results The grades of meniscal degeneration correlated with the grades of articular cartilage degeneration (r = 0.672; P HLA-DPA1, integrin, beta 2 (ITGB2, ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1, ankylosis, progressive homolog (ANKH and fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF7, were expressed at significantly higher levels in OA meniscal cells compared to normal meniscal cells. Importantly, many of the genes that have been shown to be differentially expressed in other OA cell types/tissues, including ADAM metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type 1 motif 5 (ADAMTS5 and prostaglandin E synthase (PTGES, were found to be expressed at significantly higher levels in OA meniscal cells. This consistency suggests that many of the genes detected in our study are disease-specific. Conclusion Our findings suggest that OA is a whole joint disease. Meniscal cells may play an active role in the development of OA. Investigation of the gene expression profiles of OA meniscal cells may reveal new therapeutic targets for OA therapy and also may uncover novel

  7. Regulation of Gene Expression in Protozoa Parasites

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    Consuelo Gomez

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Infections with protozoa parasites are associated with high burdens of morbidity and mortality across the developing world. Despite extensive efforts to control the transmission of these parasites, the spread of populations resistant to drugs and the lack of effective vaccines against them contribute to their persistence as major public health problems. Parasites should perform a strict control on the expression of genes involved in their pathogenicity, differentiation, immune evasion, or drug resistance, and the comprehension of the mechanisms implicated in that control could help to develop novel therapeutic strategies. However, until now these mechanisms are poorly understood in protozoa. Recent investigations into gene expression in protozoa parasites suggest that they possess many of the canonical machineries employed by higher eukaryotes for the control of gene expression at transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and epigenetic levels, but they also contain exclusive mechanisms. Here, we review the current understanding about the regulation of gene expression in Plasmodium sp., Trypanosomatids, Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis.

  8. Regulation of gene expression in protozoa parasites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomez, Consuelo; Esther Ramirez, M; Calixto-Galvez, Mercedes; Medel, Olivia; Rodríguez, Mario A

    2010-01-01

    Infections with protozoa parasites are associated with high burdens of morbidity and mortality across the developing world. Despite extensive efforts to control the transmission of these parasites, the spread of populations resistant to drugs and the lack of effective vaccines against them contribute to their persistence as major public health problems. Parasites should perform a strict control on the expression of genes involved in their pathogenicity, differentiation, immune evasion, or drug resistance, and the comprehension of the mechanisms implicated in that control could help to develop novel therapeutic strategies. However, until now these mechanisms are poorly understood in protozoa. Recent investigations into gene expression in protozoa parasites suggest that they possess many of the canonical machineries employed by higher eukaryotes for the control of gene expression at transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and epigenetic levels, but they also contain exclusive mechanisms. Here, we review the current understanding about the regulation of gene expression in Plasmodium sp., Trypanosomatids, Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis.

  9. Higher dimensional discrete Cheeger inequalities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Gundert

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available For graphs there exists a strong connection between spectral and combinatorial expansion properties. This is expressed, e.g., by the discrete Cheeger inequality, the lower bound of which states that $\\lambda(G \\leq h(G$, where $\\lambda(G$ is the second smallest eigenvalue of the Laplacian of a graph $G$ and $h(G$ is the Cheeger constant measuring the edge expansion of $G$. We are interested in generalizations of expansion properties to finite simplicial complexes of higher dimension (or uniform hypergraphs. Whereas higher dimensional Laplacians were introduced already in 1945 by Eckmann, the generalization of edge expansion to simplicial complexes is not straightforward. Recently, a topologically motivated notion analogous to edge expansion that is based on $\\mathbb{Z}_2$-cohomology was introduced by Gromov and independently by Linial, Meshulam and Wallach. It is known that for this generalization there is no direct higher dimensional analogue of the lower bound of the Cheeger inequality. A different, combinatorially motivated generalization of the Cheeger constant, denoted by $h(X$, was studied by Parzanchevski, Rosenthal and Tessler. They showed that indeed $\\lambda(X \\leq h(X$, where $\\lambda(X$ is the smallest non-trivial eigenvalue of the ($(k-1$-dimensional upper Laplacian, for the case of $k$-dimensional simplicial complexes $X$ with complete $(k-1$-skeleton. Whether this inequality also holds for $k$-dimensional complexes with non-com\\-plete$(k-1$-skeleton has been an open question.We give two proofs of the inequality for arbitrary complexes. The proofs differ strongly in the methods and structures employed,and each allows for a different kind of additional strengthening of the original result.

  10. Expression of the human blood coagulation protein factor XIIIa in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: dependence of the expression levels from host-vector systems and medium conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bröker, M; Bäuml, O; Göttig, A; Ochs, J; Bodenbenner, M; Amann, E

    1991-03-01

    The human blood coagulation protein Factor XIIIa (FXIIIa) was expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae employing Escherichia coli-yeast shuttle vectors based on a 2-mu plasmid. Several factors affecting high production yield of recombinant FXIIIa were analysed. The use of the regulatable GAL-CYC1 hybrid promoter resulted in higher FXIIIa expression when compared with the constitutive ADCI promoter. Screening for suitable yeast strains for expression of FXIIIa under the transcriptional control of the GAL-CYC1 hybrid promoter revealed a broad spectrum of productivity. No obvious correlation between the expression rate and the genetic markers of the strains could be identified. The medium composition markedly influenced the FXIIIa expression rates. The expression of FXIIIa was strictly regulated by the carbon source. Glucose as the only sugar and energy source repressed the synthesis of FXIIIa, whereas addition of galactose induced FXIIIa expression. Special feeding schemes resulted in a productivity of up to 100 mg FXIIIa/l in shake flasks.

  11. Heterologous Expression of AtBBX21 Enhances the Rate of Photosynthesis and Alleviates Photoinhibition in Solanumtuberosum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crocco, Carlos D; Ocampo, Gabriel Gomez; Ploschuk, Edmundo L; Mantese, Anita; Botto, Javier F

    2018-05-01

    B-box (BBX) proteins are zinc-finger transcription factors containing one or two B-box motifs. BBX proteins act as key factors in the networks regulating growth and development. The relevance of BBX21 to light and abscisic acid signaling in seedling development is well established; however, its importance in adult plant development and agronomic species is poorly understood. Therefore, we studied the effect of heterologous expression of Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) BBX21 in potato ( Solanum tuberosum ) var Spunta. Three independent AtBBX21- expressing lines and the wild-type control were cultivated under sunlight and at controlled temperatures in a greenhouse. By anatomical, physiological, biochemical, and gene expression analysis, we demonstrated that AtBBX21 -expressing plants were more robust and produced more tubers than wild-type plants. Interestingly, AtBBX21- expressing plants had higher rates of photosynthesis, with a significant increase in photosynthetic gene expression, and higher stomatal conductance, with increased size of the stomatal opening, without any associated decline in water use efficiency. Furthermore, AtBBX21 -expressing potato plants had reduced photoinhibition associated with higher production of anthocyanins and phenolic compounds, and higher expression of genes in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway. To gain insights into the mechanism of BBX21, we evaluated the molecular, morphological, metabolic, and photosynthetic behavior in adult BBX21- overexpressing Arabidopsis. We conclude that BBX21 overexpression improved morphological and physiological attributes, and photosynthetic rates in nonoptimal, high-irradiance conditions, without associated impairment of water use efficiency. These characteristics of BBX21 may be useful for increasing production of potatoes, and potentially of other crops. © 2018 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  12. Prognostic value of matrix metalloproteinase 9 expression in patients with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: tissue microarray analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Xicai; Guo, Limin; Wang, Jingjing; Wang, Huan; Liu, Zhuofu; Liu, Juan; Yu, Huapeng; Hu, Li; Li, Han; Wang, Dehui

    2014-08-01

    Although JNA is a benign neoplasm histopathologically, it has a propensity for locally destructive growth and remains a higher postoperative recurrence rate. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression and localization of MMP-9 in JNA using tissue microarray to elucidate its correlation with clinicopathological features and recurrence. The expression of MMP-9 was assessed by immunohistochemistry in a tissue microarray from 70 patients with JNA and 10 control subjects. Correlation between the levels of MMP-9 expression and clinicopathologic variables, as well as tumor recurrence, were analyzed. MMP-9 was detected in perivascular and extravascular less differentiated cells and stromal cells of patients with JNA but not in the matured vascular endothelial cells of these patients. The presence of MMP-9 expression in JNA was correlated with patient's age (p=0.001). Spearman correlation analysis suggested that high expression of MMP-9 in JNA had negative correlation with patient's age (r=-0.412, p<0.001). The recurrence rate in JNA patients with high MMP-9 expression was significantly higher than those with low MMP-9 expression (p=0.002). In multivariate and ROC curve analysis, MMP-9 was a good prognostic factor for tumor recurrence of JNA. Higher MMP-9 expression is a poor prognostic factor for patients with JNA who have been surgically treated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Geometrical optics in general relativity: A study of the higher order corrections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anile, A.M.

    1976-01-01

    The higher order corrections to geometrical optics are studied in general relativity for an electromagnetic test wave. An explicit expression is found for the average energy--momentum tensor which takes into account the first-order corrections. Finally the first-order corrections to the well-known area-intensity law of geometrical optics are derived

  14. Higher-order geodesic deviations applied to the Kerr metric

    CERN Document Server

    Colistete, R J; Kerner, R

    2002-01-01

    Starting with an exact and simple geodesic, we generate approximate geodesics by summing up higher-order geodesic deviations within a general relativistic setting, without using Newtonian and post-Newtonian approximations. We apply this method to the problem of closed orbital motion of test particles in the Kerr metric spacetime. With a simple circular orbit in the equatorial plane taken as the initial geodesic, we obtain finite eccentricity orbits in the form of Taylor series with the eccentricity playing the role of a small parameter. The explicit expressions of these higher-order geodesic deviations are derived using successive systems of linear equations with constant coefficients, whose solutions are of harmonic oscillator type. This scheme gives best results when applied to orbits with low eccentricities, but with arbitrary possible values of (GM/Rc sup 2).

  15. Expression of CD133 in acute leukemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tolba, Fetnat M; Foda, Mona E; Kamal, Howyda M; Elshabrawy, Deena A

    2013-06-01

    There have been conflicting results regarding a correlation between CD133 expression and disease outcome. To assess CD133 expression in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and to evaluate its correlation with the different clinical and laboratory data as well as its relation to disease outcome, the present study included 60 newly diagnosed acute leukemic patients; 30 ALL patients with a male to female ratio of 1.5:1 and their ages ranged from 9 months to 48 years, and 30 AML patients with a male to female ratio of 1:1 and their ages ranged from 17 to 66 years. Flow cytometric assessment of CD133 expression was performed on blast cells. In ALL, no correlations were elicited between CD133 expression and some monoclonal antibodies, but in AML group, there was a significant positive correlation between CD133 and HLA-DR, CD3, CD7 and TDT, CD13 and CD34. In ALL group, patients with negative CD133 expression achieved complete remission more than patients with positive CD133 expression. In AML group, there was no statistically significant association found between positive CD133 expression and treatment outcome. The Kaplan-Meier curve illustrated a high significant negative correlation between CD133 expression and the overall survival of the AML patients. CD133 expression is an independent prognostic factor in acute leukemia, especially ALL patients and its expression could characterize a group of acute leukemic patients with higher resistance to standard chemotherapy and relapse. CD133 expression was highly associated with poor prognosis in acute leukemic patients.

  16. Higher-twist effects in the B → π transition form factor from QCD light-cone sum rules

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khodjamirian, Alexander; Rusov, Aleksey [Universitaet Siegen (Germany). Fakultaet IV, Department Physik, Theoretische Physik 1 Walter-Flex-Strasse 3 57068 Siegen

    2016-07-01

    I report on the progress in calculating new higher-twist corrections to the QCD light-cone sum rule for the B → π transition form factor. First, the expansion of the massive heavy-quark propagator in the external gluonic field near the light-cone was extended to include new terms containing the gluon-field strength derivatives. The resulting analytical expressions for the twist-5 and twist-6 contributions to the correlation function were obtained in a factorized approximation, expressed via the product of the quark-condensate density and the lower-twist pion distribution amplitudes. The numerical analysis of new higher-twist effects is in progress.

  17. Transglutaminase 2 expression in acute myeloid leukemia: Association with adhesion molecule expression and leukemic blast motility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Stefan; Ravandi-Kashani, Farhad; Borthakur, Gautam; Coombes, Kevin R.; Zhang, Nianxiang; Kornblau, Steven

    2016-01-01

    Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogenous disease with differential oncogene association, outcome and treatment regimens. Treatment strategies for AML have improved outcome but despite increased molecular biological information AML is still associated with poor prognosis. Proteomic analysis on the effects of a range of leukemogenic oncogenes showed that the protein transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is expressed at greater levels as a consequence of oncogenic transformation. Further analysis of this observation was performed with 511 AML samples using reverse phase proteomic arrays, demonstrating that TG2 expression was higher at relapse than diagnosis in many cases. In addition elevated TG2 expression correlated with increased expression of numerous adhesion proteins and many apoptosis regulating proteins, two processes related to leukemogenesis. TG2 has previously been linked to drug resistance in cancer and given the negative correlation between TG2 levels and peripheral blasts observed increased TG2 levels may lead to the protection of the leukemic stem cell due to increased adhesion/reduced motility. TG2 may therefore form part of a network of proteins that define poor outcome in AML patients and potentially offer a target to sensitize AML stem cells to drug treatment. PMID:23576428

  18. Expression of kallikrein-related peptidase 7 is decreased in prostate cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chong-Yu Zhang

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Recent evidence suggests that the human kallikrein 7 (KLK7 is differentially regulated in a variety of tumors. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of kallikrein-related peptidase 7 and KLK7 in our large collection of prostate samples. Between August 2000 and December 2012, 116 patients with histologically confirmed prostate cancer (PCa and 92 with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH were recruited into the study. Using immunohistochemistry, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR and western blot, kallikrein-related peptidase 7 expression in BPH and PCa tissues was determined at the mRNA and protein levels. The relationships between kallikrein-related peptidase 7 mRNA expression and clinicopathological features were analyzed. A total of 64 of 92 (69.57% benign cases showed positive staining for KLK7 and 23 of 116 (19.83% malignant cases showed positive, the difference of KLK7 expression between PCa and BPH was statistically significant (P < 0.001. The expression level of kallikrein-related peptidase 7 mRNA was significantly decreased in PCa tissues compared with that in BPH tissues and normal prostate tissue. Kallikrein-related peptidase 7 mRNA exhibited different expression patterns in terms of localization depending on pathological category of PCa. Similarly, our western immunoblot analyses demonstrated that the protein expression levels of KLK7 was lower in PCa than in BPH tissues and normal prostate tissue. Kallikrein-related peptidase 7 and KLK7 expression are down-regulated in PCa and lower expression of kallikrein-related peptidase 7 closely correlates with higher Gleason score and higher prostate-specific antigen level.

  19. Selective modes determine evolutionary rates, gene compactness and expression patterns in Brassica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Yue; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Jiefu; Liu, Shengyi; Du, Jianchang

    2017-07-01

    It has been well documented that most nuclear protein-coding genes in organisms can be classified into two categories: positively selected genes (PSGs) and negatively selected genes (NSGs). The characteristics and evolutionary fates of different types of genes, however, have been poorly understood. In this study, the rates of nonsynonymous substitution (K a ) and the rates of synonymous substitution (K s ) were investigated by comparing the orthologs between the two sequenced Brassica species, Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea, and the evolutionary rates, gene structures, expression patterns, and codon bias were compared between PSGs and NSGs. The resulting data show that PSGs have higher protein evolutionary rates, lower synonymous substitution rates, shorter gene length, fewer exons, higher functional specificity, lower expression level, higher tissue-specific expression and stronger codon bias than NSGs. Although the quantities and values are different, the relative features of PSGs and NSGs have been largely verified in the model species Arabidopsis. These data suggest that PSGs and NSGs differ not only under selective pressure (K a /K s ), but also in their evolutionary, structural and functional properties, indicating that selective modes may serve as a determinant factor for measuring evolutionary rates, gene compactness and expression patterns in Brassica. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Dimensional Information-Theoretic Measurement of Facial Emotion Expressions in Schizophrenia

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    Jihun Hamm

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Altered facial expressions of emotions are characteristic impairments in schizophrenia. Ratings of affect have traditionally been limited to clinical rating scales and facial muscle movement analysis, which require extensive training and have limitations based on methodology and ecological validity. To improve reliable assessment of dynamic facial expression changes, we have developed automated measurements of facial emotion expressions based on information-theoretic measures of expressivity of ambiguity and distinctiveness of facial expressions. These measures were examined in matched groups of persons with schizophrenia (n=28 and healthy controls (n=26 who underwent video acquisition to assess expressivity of basic emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust in evoked conditions. Persons with schizophrenia scored higher on ambiguity, the measure of conditional entropy within the expression of a single emotion, and they scored lower on distinctiveness, the measure of mutual information across expressions of different emotions. The automated measures compared favorably with observer-based ratings. This method can be applied for delineating dynamic emotional expressivity in healthy and clinical populations.

  1. Fungal Invertase Expression in Solid-State Fermentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cuitlahuac Aranda

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available In this study invertase activity expression in Aspergillus niger Aa-20 was evaluated under different concentrations of two substrates using solid-state fermentation (SSF on polyurethane foam. Glucose was used as repressor and sucrose was the inducer. Invertase production increased when glucose was present in the medium (up to 100 g/L; however, higher concentration than this reduced the enzyme production. Induction-repression ratio obtained using any glucose concentration was at least 2.5 times higher than that under basal conditions (without inducer.

  2. Cytoplasniic differentiation during microsporogenesis in higher plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Dichinnson

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Conspicuous cytoplasmic dedifferentiation in the pollen mother cells takes place early in the meiotic prophase of many plants. This event involves the removal of much of the cytoplasmic RNA. and the differentiation of both plastids and mitochondria to approaching the sole expression of their genomes. Much of the RNA removed from the cytoplasm passes to the nucleoplasm where it is utilised in the construction of a new `generation' of ribusomes. These new ribosomes are incorporated into cytoplasmic `nuclewhich disintegrate in the post-meiotic cytoplasm, restoring its ribosomes to pre-prophase levels. These changes are interpreted as evidence of a process by which the cytoplasm is cleansed of sporophytic control elements, both for the expression of the new gametophytic genome, and in the female cells of higher plants, for transmission to the new generation. The absence of control elements (presumably long-term messenger RNA from the cytoplasm would result in the dedifferentiation observed in the organelles, and the low levels of reserves in these cells presumably results in characteristically lengthy and unusual redifferentiation of both plastids and mitochondria, once information-carrying molecules again enter the cytosol.

  3. Mannose receptor is highly expressed by peritoneal dendritic cells in endometriosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izumi, Gentaro; Koga, Kaori; Takamura, Masashi; Makabe, Tomoko; Nagai, Miwako; Urata, Yoko; Harada, Miyuki; Hirata, Tetsuya; Hirota, Yasushi; Fujii, Tomoyuki; Osuga, Yutaka

    2017-01-01

    To characterize peritoneal dendritic cells (DCs) in endometriosis and to clarify their role in its etiology. Experimental. University hospital. Sixty-three women (35 patients with endometriosis and 28 control women) who had undergone laparoscopic surgery. Peritoneal DCs from endometriosis and control samples were analyzed for the expression of cell surface markers. Monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DCs) were cultured with dead endometrial stromal cells (dESCs) to investigate changes in phagocytic activity and cytokine expression. Cell surface markers and cytokine expression and identification with the use of flow cytometry or reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Changes in cytokine expression and phagocytic activity of Mo-DCs cultured with dESCs and d-mannan were measured with the use of flow cytometry and RT-PCR. The proportion of mannose receptor (MR)-positive myeloid DC type 1 was higher in endometriosis samples than in control samples. The blocking of MR reduced phagocytosis of dESCs by Mo-DCs. Mo-DCs cultured with dESCs expressed higher levels of interleukin (IL) 1β and IL-6 than control samples. Peritoneal DCs in endometriosis tissue express high levels of MR, which promotes phagocytosis of dead endometrial cells and thereby contributes to the etiology of endometriosis. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. StAR protein and steroidogenic enzyme expressions in the rat Harderian gland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falvo, Sara; Chieffi Baccaria, Gabriella; Spaziano, Giuseppe; Rosati, Luigi; Venditti, Massimo; Di Fiore, Maria Maddalena; Santillo, Alessandra

    2018-03-01

    The Harderian gland (HG) of the rat (Rattus norvegicus) secretes copious amounts of lipids, such as cholesterol. Here we report a study of the expressions of the StAR protein and key steroidogenic enzymes in the HG of male and female rats. The objective of the present investigation was to ascertain (a) whether the rat HG is involved in steroid production starting with cholesterol, and (b) whether the pattern of gene and protein expressions together with the enzymatic activities display sexual dimorphism. The results demonstrate, for the first time, the expression of StAR gene and protein, and Cyp11a1, Hsd3b1, Hsd17b3, Srd5a1, Srd5a2 and Cyp19a1 genes in the rat HG. StAR mRNA and protein expressions were much greater in males than in females. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated a non-homogeneous StAR distribution among glandular cells. Hsd17b3 and Cyp19a1 mRNA levels were higher in males than in females, whereas Srd5a1 mRNA levels were higher in females than in males. No significant differences were observed in mRNA levels of Cyp11a1, Hsd3b1 and Srd5a2 between sexes. Furthermore, the in vitro experiments demonstrated a higher 5α-reductase activity in the female as compared to the male HG vice versa a higher P450 aro activity in males as compared to females. These results suggest that the Harderian gland can be classified as a steroidogenic tissue because it synthesizes cholesterol, expresses StAR and steroidogenic enzymes involved in both androgen and estrogen synthesis. The dimorphic expression and activity of the steroidogenic enzymes may suggest sex-specific hormonal effects into the HG physiology. Copyright © 2018 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  5. HLA-G is expressed in intestinal samples of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease patients and HLA-G5 expression is differentially correlated with TNF and IL-10 cytokine expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, Renan Garcia; Brito, Carlos Alexandre Antunes de; Martinelli, Valéria Ferreira; Santos, Rossana Nascimento Dos; Gomes, Fabiana Oliveira Dos Santos; Peixoto, Christina Alves; Crispim, Janaína Oliveira; Diniz, George Tadeu Nunes; Donadi, Eduardo Antônio; Lucena-Silva, Norma

    2018-06-01

    HLA-G is an immunomodulatory molecule that can be produced by epithelial cells. Considering that TNF and IL-10 participate in bowel inflammatory disorders and that both cytokines modulate HLA-G, we evaluated HLA-G, TNF and IL-10 mRNA expression by qPCR and HLA-G protein levels by immunohistochemistry in two intestinal samples exhibiting different degree of inflammation within a patient suffering from Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC). Tissue HLA-G5 (P < 0.0001), TNF (P = 0.0004) and IL-10 (P = 0.0169) mRNA expression levels were higher in intestinal areas exhibiting intense inflammation compared to areas of low inflammation, and HLA-G protein levels were not associated with degree of mucosal inflammation. In CD, the expression of TNF was correlated with IL-10 in low inflamed areas, exhibiting a TNF:IL-10 ratio = 3, but in inflamed areas the ratio increased to 9-folds. In UC, the expression of TNF was correlated to IL-10, irrespective of the inflammation grade, with little variation of the TNF:IL-10 ratio in the various inflamed areas. TNF and IL-10 expression was correlated with HLA-G5 expression in mild inflamed areas. Both CD and UC samples exhibited gene and protein expression of HLA-G; and the HLA-G5 expression is differentially correlated with TNF and IL-10 levels depending on the type of the underlying inflammatory bowel disorder. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Expression of apoptotic genes in immature and in vitro matured equine oocytes and cumulus cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leon, P M M; Campos, V F; Kaefer, C; Begnini, K R; McBride, A J A; Dellagostin, O A; Seixas, F K; Deschamps, J C; Collares, T

    2013-08-01

    The gene expression of Bax, Bcl-2, survivin and p53, following in vitro maturation of equine oocytes, was compared in morphologically distinct oocytes and cumulus cells. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC) were harvested and divided into two groups: G1 - morphologically healthy cells; and G2 - less viable cells or cells with some degree of atresia. Total RNA was isolated from both immature and in vitro matured COC and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to quantify gene expression. Our results showed there was significantly higher expression of survivin (P < 0.05) and lower expression of p53 (P < 0.01) in oocytes compared with cumulus cells in G1. No significant difference in gene expression was observed following in vitro maturation or in COC derived from G1 and G2. However, expression of the Bax gene was significantly higher in cumulus cells from G1 (P < 0.02).

  7. The Impact of Tumor Expression of Erythropoietin Receptors and Erythropoietin on Clinical Outcome of Esophageal Cancer Patients Treated With Chemoradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rades, Dirk; Golke, Helmut; Schild, Steven E.; Kilic, Ergin

    2008-01-01

    Background: To investigate the impact of tumor erythropoietin receptors (Epo-R) and erythropoietin (Epo) expression in 64 patients with Stage III esophageal cancer receiving or not receiving erythropoietin during chemoradiation. Materials and Methods: The impact of tumor Epo-R expression, Epo expression, and 10 additional factors (age, Karnofsky-Performance-Score [KPS], tumor length, T and N stage, histology and grading, hemoglobin during radiotherapy, erythropoietin administration, surgery) on overall survival (OS) and locoregional control (LC) was evaluated. Results: Improved OS was associated with low (≤20%) Epo expression (p = 0.049), KPS >80 (p 0.008), T3 stage (p = 0.010), hemoglobin ≥12 g/dL (p < 0.001), and surgery (p = 0.010). Erythropoietin receptor expression showed a trend (p = 0.09). Locoregional control was associated with T stage (p = 0.005) and hemoglobin (p < 0.001), almost with erythropoietin administration (p = 0.06). On multivariate analyses, OS was associated with KPS (p = 0.045) and hemoglobin (p = 0.032), LC with hemoglobin (p < 0.001). Patients having low expression of both Epo-R and Epo had better OS (p = 0.003) and LC (p = 0.043) than others. Two-year OS was nonsignificantly better (p = 0.25) in patients with low Epo-R expression receiving erythropoietin (50%) than in those with higher Epo-R expression receiving erythropoietin (21%), low Epo-R expression/no erythropoietin administration (29%), or higher Epo-R expression/no erythropoietin administration (18%). Two-year LC rates were, respectively, 65%, 31%, 26%, and 29% (p = 0.20). Results for Epo expression were similar. Conclusions: Higher Epo-R expression or Epo expression seemed to be associated with poorer outcomes. Patients with low expression levels receiving erythropoietin seemed to do better than patients with higher expression levels or not receiving erythropoietin. The data need to be confirmed in a larger series of patients

  8. Transgene Expression and Host Cell Responses to Replication-Defective, Single-Cycle, and Replication-Competent Adenovirus Vectors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Catherine M. Crosby

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Most adenovirus (Ad vectors are E1 gene deleted replication defective (RD-Ad vectors that deliver one transgene to the cell and all expression is based on that one gene. In contrast, E1-intact replication-competent Ad (RC-Ad vectors replicate their DNA and their transgenes up to 10,000-fold, amplifying transgene expression markedly higher than RD-Ad vectors. While RC-Ad are more potent, they run the real risk of causing adenovirus infections in vector recipients and those that administer them. To gain the benefits of transgene amplification, but avoid the risk of Ad infections, we developed “single cycle” Ad (SC-Ad vectors. SC-Ads amplify transgene expression and generated markedly stronger and more persistent immune responses than RD-Ad as expected. However, they also unexpectedly generated stronger immune responses than RC-Ad vectors. To explore the basis of this potency here, we compared gene expression and the cellular responses to infection to these vectors in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, in primary human lung epithelial cells, SC- and RC-Ad amplified their genomes more than 400-fold relative to RD-Ad with higher replication by SC-Ad. This replication translated into higher green fluorescent protein (GFP expression for 48 h by SC- and RC-Ad than by RD-Ad. In vitro, in the absence of an immune system, RD-Ad expression became higher by 72 h coincident with cell death mediated by SC- and RC-Ad and release of transgene product from the dying cells. When the vectors were compared in human THP-1 Lucia- interferon-stimulated gene (ISG cells, which are a human monocyte cell line that have been modified to quantify ISG activity, RC-Ad6 provoked significantly stronger ISG responses than RD- or SC-Ad. In mice, intravenous or intranasal injection produced up to 100-fold genome replication. Under these in vivo conditions in the presence of the immune system, luciferase expression by RC and SC-Ad was markedly higher than that by RD-Ad. In

  9. Divergent and nonuniform gene expression patterns in mouse brain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, John A.; Royall, Joshua J.; Bertagnolli, Darren; Boe, Andrew F.; Burnell, Josh J.; Byrnes, Emi J.; Copeland, Cathy; Desta, Tsega; Fischer, Shanna R.; Goldy, Jeff; Glattfelder, Katie J.; Kidney, Jolene M.; Lemon, Tracy; Orta, Geralyn J.; Parry, Sheana E.; Pathak, Sayan D.; Pearson, Owen C.; Reding, Melissa; Shapouri, Sheila; Smith, Kimberly A.; Soden, Chad; Solan, Beth M.; Weller, John; Takahashi, Joseph S.; Overly, Caroline C.; Lein, Ed S.; Hawrylycz, Michael J.; Hohmann, John G.; Jones, Allan R.

    2010-01-01

    Considerable progress has been made in understanding variations in gene sequence and expression level associated with phenotype, yet how genetic diversity translates into complex phenotypic differences remains poorly understood. Here, we examine the relationship between genetic background and spatial patterns of gene expression across seven strains of mice, providing the most extensive cellular-resolution comparative analysis of gene expression in the mammalian brain to date. Using comprehensive brainwide anatomic coverage (more than 200 brain regions), we applied in situ hybridization to analyze the spatial expression patterns of 49 genes encoding well-known pharmaceutical drug targets. Remarkably, over 50% of the genes examined showed interstrain expression variation. In addition, the variability was nonuniformly distributed across strain and neuroanatomic region, suggesting certain organizing principles. First, the degree of expression variance among strains mirrors genealogic relationships. Second, expression pattern differences were concentrated in higher-order brain regions such as the cortex and hippocampus. Divergence in gene expression patterns across the brain could contribute significantly to variations in behavior and responses to neuroactive drugs in laboratory mouse strains and may help to explain individual differences in human responsiveness to neuroactive drugs. PMID:20956311

  10. Sleep interruption associated with house staff work schedules alters circadian gene expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Ming Zhu; Ohman-Strickland, Pamela; Kelly-McNeil, Kathie; Kipen, Howard; Crabtree, Benjamin F; Lew, Jenny Pan; Zarbl, Helmut

    2015-11-01

    Epidemiological studies indicate that disruption of circadian rhythm by shift work increases the risk of breast and prostate cancer. Our studies demonstrated that carcinogens disrupt the circadian expression of circadian genes (CGs) and circadian-controlled genes (CCGs) during the early stages of rat mammary carcinogenesis. A chemopreventive regimen of methylselenocysteine (MSC) restored the circadian expression of CGs and CCGs, including PERIOD 2 (PER2) and estrogen receptor β (ERS2), to normal. The present study evaluated whether changes in CG and CCG expression in whole blood can serve as indicators of circadian disruption in shift workers. Fifteen shift workers were recruited to a crossover study. Blood samples were drawn before (6 PM) and after (8 AM) completing a night shift after at least seven days on floating night-shift rotation, and before (8 AM), during (1 PM), and after (6 PM) completing seven days on day shift. The plasma melatonin level and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of PER2, nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group d, member 1 (NR1D1), and ERS2 were measured, and the changes in levels of melatonin and gene expression were evaluated with statistical analyses. The mRNA expression of PER2 was affected by shift (p = 0.0079); the levels were higher in the evening for the night shift, but higher in the morning for the day shift. Increased PER2 expression (p = 0.034) was observed in the evening on the night versus day shifts. The melatonin level was higher in the morning for both day shifts (p = 0.013) and night shifts (p <0.0001). Changes in the level of PER2 gene expression can serve as a biomarker of disrupted circadian rhythm in blood cells. Therefore, they can be a useful intermediate indicator of efficacy in future MSC-mediated chemoprevention studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. The intellectuals of capital and the mercantilized expansion of brazilian higher education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alisson Slider do Nascimento de Paula

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The study seeks to understand the interests of the capital intellectuals’ movement for Brazilian higher education. We chose a bibliographical study and document, besides using the method of Marxist dialectical analysis to understand reality as a complex totality, an articulated whole. It was verified that intellectuals play a decisive role in taking action on the direction of Brazilian higher education policy, operating directly in the culture of the state university as well as orchestrating a political-juridical framework for the expansion of private higher education institutions. At the limit, intellectuals are not only manifested as individual subjects; however, as organized collective subjects, for example, international financial capital organizations with their orientations towards peripheral countries express intellectuals of capital in their parasitic phase.

  12. ELR+ CXC chemokine expression in benign and malignant colorectal conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rubie, Claudia; Frick, Vilma Oliveira; Wagner, Mathias; Schuld, Jochen; Gräber, Stefan; Brittner, Brigitte; Bohle, Rainer M; Schilling, Martin K

    2008-01-01

    CXCR2 chemokine ligands CXCL1, CXCL5 and CXCL6 were shown to be involved in chemoattraction, inflammatory responses, tumor growth and angiogenesis. Here, we comparatively analyzed their expression profile in resection specimens from patients with colorectal adenoma (CRA) (n = 30) as well as colorectal carcinoma (CRC) (n = 48) and corresponding colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) (n = 16). Chemokine expression was assessed by microdissection, quantitative real-time PCR (Q-RT-PCR), the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). In contrast to CXCL6, we demonstrated CXCL1 and CXCL5 mRNA and protein expression to be significantly up-regulated in CRC and CRLM tissue specimens in relation to their matched tumor neighbor tissues. Moreover, both chemokine ligands were demonstrated to be significantly higher expressed in CRC tissues than in CRA tissues thus indicating a progressive increase in the transition from the premalignant condition to the development of the malignant status. Although a comparative analysis of the CXCL1/CXCL5 protein expression profiles in CRC patients revealed that the absolute expression level of CXCL1 was significantly higher in comparison to CXCL5, mRNA- and protein overexpression of CXCL5 in CRC and CRLM tissues was much more pronounced (80- and 60- fold in CRC tissues, respectively) in comparison to CXCL1 (5- and 3.5- fold in CRC tissues, respectively). Our results demonstrate a significant association between CXCL1 and CXCL5 expression with CRC and CRLM suggesting for both chemokine ligands a potential role in the progression from CRA to CRC and thus, in the initiation of CRC

  13. Tissue-specific mRNA expression profiling in grape berry tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimplet, Jerome; Deluc, Laurent G; Tillett, Richard L; Wheatley, Matthew D; Schlauch, Karen A; Cramer, Grant R; Cushman, John C

    2007-01-01

    Background Berries of grape (Vitis vinifera) contain three major tissue types (skin, pulp and seed) all of which contribute to the aroma, color, and flavor characters of wine. The pericarp, which is composed of the exocarp (skin) and mesocarp (pulp), not only functions to protect and feed the developing seed, but also to assist in the dispersal of the mature seed by avian and mammalian vectors. The skin provides volatile and nonvolatile aroma and color compounds, the pulp contributes organic acids and sugars, and the seeds provide condensed tannins, all of which are important to the formation of organoleptic characteristics of wine. In order to understand the transcriptional network responsible for controlling tissue-specific mRNA expression patterns, mRNA expression profiling was conducted on each tissue of mature berries of V. vinifera Cabernet Sauvignon using the Affymetrix GeneChip® Vitis oligonucleotide microarray ver. 1.0. In order to monitor the influence of water-deficit stress on tissue-specific expression patterns, mRNA expression profiles were also compared from mature berries harvested from vines subjected to well-watered or water-deficit conditions. Results Overall, berry tissues were found to express approximately 76% of genes represented on the Vitis microarray. Approximately 60% of these genes exhibited significant differential expression in one or more of the three major tissue types with more than 28% of genes showing pronounced (2-fold or greater) differences in mRNA expression. The largest difference in tissue-specific expression was observed between the seed and pulp/skin. Exocarp tissue, which is involved in pathogen defense and pigment production, showed higher mRNA abundance relative to other berry tissues for genes involved with flavonoid biosynthesis, pathogen resistance, and cell wall modification. Mesocarp tissue, which is considered a nutritive tissue, exhibited a higher mRNA abundance of genes involved in cell wall function and

  14. Tissue-specific mRNA expression profiling in grape berry tissues

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cramer Grant R

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Berries of grape (Vitis vinifera contain three major tissue types (skin, pulp and seed all of which contribute to the aroma, color, and flavor characters of wine. The pericarp, which is composed of the exocarp (skin and mesocarp (pulp, not only functions to protect and feed the developing seed, but also to assist in the dispersal of the mature seed by avian and mammalian vectors. The skin provides volatile and nonvolatile aroma and color compounds, the pulp contributes organic acids and sugars, and the seeds provide condensed tannins, all of which are important to the formation of organoleptic characteristics of wine. In order to understand the transcriptional network responsible for controlling tissue-specific mRNA expression patterns, mRNA expression profiling was conducted on each tissue of mature berries of V. vinifera Cabernet Sauvignon using the Affymetrix GeneChip® Vitis oligonucleotide microarray ver. 1.0. In order to monitor the influence of water-deficit stress on tissue-specific expression patterns, mRNA expression profiles were also compared from mature berries harvested from vines subjected to well-watered or water-deficit conditions. Results Overall, berry tissues were found to express approximately 76% of genes represented on the Vitis microarray. Approximately 60% of these genes exhibited significant differential expression in one or more of the three major tissue types with more than 28% of genes showing pronounced (2-fold or greater differences in mRNA expression. The largest difference in tissue-specific expression was observed between the seed and pulp/skin. Exocarp tissue, which is involved in pathogen defense and pigment production, showed higher mRNA abundance relative to other berry tissues for genes involved with flavonoid biosynthesis, pathogen resistance, and cell wall modification. Mesocarp tissue, which is considered a nutritive tissue, exhibited a higher mRNA abundance of genes involved in cell

  15. Diminished facial emotion expression and associated clinical characteristics in Anorexia Nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lang, Katie; Larsson, Emma E C; Mavromara, Liza; Simic, Mima; Treasure, Janet; Tchanturia, Kate

    2016-02-28

    This study aimed to investigate emotion expression in a large group of children, adolescents and adults with Anorexia Nervosa (AN), and investigate the associated clinical correlates. One hundred and forty-one participants (AN=66, HC= 75) were recruited and positive and negative film clips were used to elicit emotion expressions. The Facial Activation Coding system (FACES) was used to code emotion expression. Subjective ratings of emotion were collected. Individuals with AN displayed less positive emotions during the positive film clip compared to healthy controls (HC). There was no significant difference between the groups on the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). The AN group displayed emotional incongruence (reporting a different emotion to what would be expected given the stimuli, with limited facial affect to signal the emotion experienced), whereby they reported feeling significantly higher rates of negative emotion during the positive clip. There were no differences in emotion expression between the groups during the negative film clip. Despite this individuals with AN reported feeling significantly higher levels of negative emotions during the negative clip. Diminished positive emotion expression was associated with more severe clinical symptoms, which could suggest that these individuals represent a group with serious social difficulties, which may require specific attention in treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Enhanced Chemokine Receptor Expression on Leukocytes of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Goldeck

    Full Text Available Although primarily a neurological complaint, systemic inflammation is present in Alzheimer's Disease, with higher than normal levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the periphery as well as the brain. A gradient of these factors may enhance recruitment of activated immune cells into the brain via chemotaxis. Here, we investigated the phenotypes of circulating immune cells in AD patients with multi-colour flow cytometry to determine whether their expression of chemokine receptors is consistent with this hypothesis. In this study, we confirmed our previously reported data on the shift of early- to late-differentiated CD4+ T-cells in AD patients. The percentage of cells expressing CD25, a marker of acute T-cell activation, was higher in patients than in age-matched controls, and percentages of CCR6+ cells were elevated. This chemokine receptor is primarily expressed on pro-inflammatory memory cells and Th17 cells. The proportion of cells expressing CCR4 (expressed on Th2 cells and CCR5 (Th1 cells and dendritic cells was also greater in patients, and was more pronounced on CD4+ than CD8+ T-cells. These findings allow a more detailed insight into the systemic immune status of patients with Alzheimer's disease and suggest possible novel targets for immune therapy.

  17. Human Empathy, Personality and Experience Affect the Emotion Ratings of Dog and Human Facial Expressions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kujala, Miiamaaria V.; Somppi, Sanni; Jokela, Markus; Vainio, Outi; Parkkonen, Lauri

    2017-01-01

    Facial expressions are important for humans in communicating emotions to the conspecifics and enhancing interpersonal understanding. Many muscles producing facial expressions in humans are also found in domestic dogs, but little is known about how humans perceive dog facial expressions, and which psychological factors influence people’s perceptions. Here, we asked 34 observers to rate the valence, arousal, and the six basic emotions (happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, and anger/aggressiveness) from images of human and dog faces with Pleasant, Neutral and Threatening expressions. We investigated how the subjects’ personality (the Big Five Inventory), empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index) and experience of dog behavior affect the ratings of dog and human faces. Ratings of both species followed similar general patterns: human subjects classified dog facial expressions from pleasant to threatening very similarly to human facial expressions. Subjects with higher emotional empathy evaluated Threatening faces of both species as more negative in valence and higher in anger/aggressiveness. More empathetic subjects also rated the happiness of Pleasant humans but not dogs higher, and they were quicker in their valence judgments of Pleasant human, Threatening human and Threatening dog faces. Experience with dogs correlated positively with ratings of Pleasant and Neutral dog faces. Personality also had a minor effect on the ratings of Pleasant and Neutral faces in both species. The results imply that humans perceive human and dog facial expression in a similar manner, and the perception of both species is influenced by psychological factors of the evaluators. Especially empathy affects both the speed and intensity of rating dogs’ emotional facial expressions. PMID:28114335

  18. Human Empathy, Personality and Experience Affect the Emotion Ratings of Dog and Human Facial Expressions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miiamaaria V Kujala

    Full Text Available Facial expressions are important for humans in communicating emotions to the conspecifics and enhancing interpersonal understanding. Many muscles producing facial expressions in humans are also found in domestic dogs, but little is known about how humans perceive dog facial expressions, and which psychological factors influence people's perceptions. Here, we asked 34 observers to rate the valence, arousal, and the six basic emotions (happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, and anger/aggressiveness from images of human and dog faces with Pleasant, Neutral and Threatening expressions. We investigated how the subjects' personality (the Big Five Inventory, empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index and experience of dog behavior affect the ratings of dog and human faces. Ratings of both species followed similar general patterns: human subjects classified dog facial expressions from pleasant to threatening very similarly to human facial expressions. Subjects with higher emotional empathy evaluated Threatening faces of both species as more negative in valence and higher in anger/aggressiveness. More empathetic subjects also rated the happiness of Pleasant humans but not dogs higher, and they were quicker in their valence judgments of Pleasant human, Threatening human and Threatening dog faces. Experience with dogs correlated positively with ratings of Pleasant and Neutral dog faces. Personality also had a minor effect on the ratings of Pleasant and Neutral faces in both species. The results imply that humans perceive human and dog facial expression in a similar manner, and the perception of both species is influenced by psychological factors of the evaluators. Especially empathy affects both the speed and intensity of rating dogs' emotional facial expressions.

  19. Growth factor expression pattern of homologous feeder layer for culturing buffalo embryonic stem cell-like cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Ruchi; George, Aman; Kamble, Nitin M; Chauhan, Manmohan S; Singla, Suresh; Manik, Radhey S; Palta, Prabhat

    2012-01-01

    The present study examined the expression profile of buffalo fetal fibroblasts (BFF) used as a feeder layer for embryonic stem (ES) cell-like cells. The expression of important growth factors was detected in cells at different passages. Mitomycin-C inactivation increased relative expression levels of ACTIVIN-A, TGF-β1, BMP-4 and GREMLIN but not of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). The expression level of ACTIVIN-A, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4) and FGF-2 was similar in buffalo fetal fibroblast (BFF) cultured in stem cell medium (SCM), SCM+1000IU mL(-1) leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), SCM+5 ngmL(-1) FGF-2 or SCM+LIF+FGF-2 for 24 h whereas GREMLIN expression was higher in FGF-2-supplemented groups. In spent medium, the concentration of ACTIVIN-A was higher in FGF-2-supplemented groups whereas that of TGF-β1 was similar in SCM and LIF+FGF-2, which was higher than when either LIF or FGF-2 was used alone. Following culture of ES cell-like cells on a feeder layer for 24 h, the TGF-β1 concentration was higher with LIF+FGF-2 than with LIF or FGF-2 alone which, in turn, was higher than that in SCM. In the LIF+FGF-2 group, the concentration of TGF-β1 was lower and that of ACTIVIN-A was higher in spent medium at 24 h than at 48 h of culture. These results suggest that BFF produce signalling molecules that may help in self-renewal of buffalo ES cell-like cells.

  20. Higher derivative super Yang-Mills theories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergshoeff, E.; Rakowski, M.; Sezgin, E.

    1986-11-01

    The most general higher derivative Yang-Mills actions of the type (F 2 +α2F 4 ) which are globally supersymmetric up to order α 2 in six and ten dimensional spacetimes are given. The F 4 -terms turn out to occur in the combination α 2 (tr F 4 - 1/4(tr F 2 ) 2 ), where the trace is over the Lorentz indices. This result agrees with the low energy limit of the open superstring in ten dimensions, where α is the string tension. Surprisingly, the transformation rules of the Yang-Mills multiplet receive order α 2 corrections even in the off-shell formulation. For the case of Abelian Yang-Mills group, the action is expressed in Born-Infeld form with a metric generically given by (1+α 2 F 2 +...). (author)

  1. Molecular characterization of DnaJ 5 homologs in silkworm Bombyx mori and its expression during egg diapause.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sirigineedi, Sasibhushan; Vijayagowri, Esvaran; Murthy, Geetha N; Rao, Guruprasada; Ponnuvel, Kangayam M

    2014-12-01

    A comparison of the cDNA sequences (1 056 bp) of Bombyx mori DnaJ 5 homolog with B. mori genome revealed that unlike in other Hsps, it has an intron of 234 bp. The DnaJ 5 homolog contains 351 amino acids, of which 70 contain the conserved DnaJ domain at the N-terminal end. This homolog of B. mori has all desirable functional domains similar to other insects, and the 13 different DnaJ homologs identified in B. mori genome were distributed on different chromosomes. The expressed sequence tag database analysis of Hsp40 gene expression revealed higher expression in wing disc followed by diapause-induced eggs. Microarray analysis revealed higher expression of DnaJ 5 homolog at 18th h after oviposition in diapause-induced eggs. Further validation of DnaJ 5 expression through qPCR in diapause-induced and nondiapause eggs at different time intervals revealed higher expression in diapause eggs at 18 and 24 h after oviposition, which coincided with the expression of Hsp70 as the Hsp 40 is its co-chaperone. This study thus provides an outline of the genome organization of Hsp40 gene, and its role in egg diapause induction in B. mori. © 2013 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

  2. Serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphism affects detection of facial expressions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ai Koizumi

    Full Text Available Previous studies have demonstrated that the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR affects the recognition of facial expressions and attention to them. However, the relationship between 5-HTTLPR and the perceptual detection of others' facial expressions, the process which takes place prior to emotional labeling (i.e., recognition, is not clear. To examine whether the perceptual detection of emotional facial expressions is influenced by the allelic variation (short/long of 5-HTTLPR, happy and sad facial expressions were presented at weak and mid intensities (25% and 50%. Ninety-eight participants, genotyped for 5-HTTLPR, judged whether emotion in images of faces was present. Participants with short alleles showed higher sensitivity (d' to happy than to sad expressions, while participants with long allele(s showed no such positivity advantage. This effect of 5-HTTLPR was found at different facial expression intensities among males and females. The results suggest that at the perceptual stage, a short allele enhances the processing of positive facial expressions rather than that of negative facial expressions.

  3. Differential Expression of Cysteine Dioxygenase 1 in Complex Karyotype Liposarcomas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Shaker

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Altered cysteine dioxygenase 1 (CDO1 gene expression has been observed in several cancers but has not yet been investigated in liposarcomas. The aim of this study was to evaluate CDO1 expression in a cohort of liposarcomas and to determine its association with clinicopathological features. Existing microarray data indicated variable CDO1 expression in liposarcoma subtypes. CDO1 mRNA from a larger cohort of liposarcomas was quantified by real time-PCR, and CDO1 protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC in more than 300 tumor specimens. Well-differentiated liposarcomas (WDLSs had significantly higher CDO1 gene expression and protein levels than dedifferentiated liposarcomas (DDLSs ( P < 0.001. Location of the tumor was not predictive of the expression level of CDO1 mRNA in any histological subtype of liposarcoma. Recurrent tumors did not show any difference in CDO1 expression when compared to primary tumors. CDO1 expression was upregulated as human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs undergo differentiation into mature adipocytes. Our results suggest that CDO1 is a marker of liposarcoma progression and adipogenic differentiation.

  4. Chinese American immigrant parents' emotional expression in the family: Relations with parents' cultural orientations and children's emotion-related regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Stephen H; Zhou, Qing; Main, Alexandra; Lee, Erica H

    2015-10-01

    The present study examined 2 measures of Chinese American immigrant parents' emotional expression in the family context: self-reported emotional expressivity and observed emotional expression during a parent-child interaction task. Path analyses were conducted to examine the concurrent associations between measures of emotional expression and (a) parents' American and Chinese cultural orientations in language proficiency, media use, and social affiliation domains, and (b) parents' and teachers' ratings of children's emotion-related regulation. Results suggested that cultural orientations were primarily associated with parents' self-reported expressivity (rather than observed emotional expression), such that higher American orientations were generally associated with higher expressivity. Although parents' self-reported expressivity was only related to their own reports of children's regulation, parents' observed emotional expression was related to both parents' and teachers' reports of children's regulation. These results suggest that self-reported expressivity and observed emotional expression reflect different constructs and have differential relations to parents' cultural orientations and children's regulation. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  5. Differential expression of centrosomal proteins at different stages of human glioma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loh, Joon-Khim; Lieu, Ann-Shung; Chou, Chia-Hua; Lin, Fang-Yi; Wu, Chia-Hung; Howng, Sheng-Long; Chio, Chung-Ching; Hong, Yi-Ren

    2010-01-01

    High-grade gliomas have poor prognosis, requiring aggressive treatment. The aim of this study is to explore mitotic and centrosomal dysregulation in gliomas, which may provide novel targets for treatment. A case-control study was performed using 34 resected gliomas, which were separated into low- and high-grade groups. Normal human brain tissue was used as a control. Using immunohistochemical analysis, immunofluorescent microscopy, and RT-PCR, detection of centrins 1 and 2, γ-tubulin, hNinein, Aurora A, and Aurora B, expression was performed. Analysis of the GBM8401 glioma cell line was also undertaken to complement the in vivo studies. In high-grade gliomas, the cells had greater than two very brightly staining centrioles within large, atypical nuclei, and moderate-to-strong Aurora A staining. Comparing with normal human brain tissue, most of the mRNAs expression in gliomas for centrosomal structural proteins, including centrin 3, γ-tubulin, and hNinein isoforms 1, 2, 5 and 6, Aurora A and Aurora B were elevated. The significant different expression was observed between high- and low-grade glioma in both γ-tubulin and Aurora A mRNA s. In the high-grade glioma group, 78.6% of the samples had higher than normal expression of γ-tubulin mRNA, which was significantly higher than in the low-grade glioma group (18.2%, p < 0.05). Markers for mitotic dysregulation, such as supernumerary centrosomes and altered expression of centrosome-related mRNA and proteins were more frequently detected in higher grade gliomas. Therefore, these results are clinically useful for glioma staging as well as the development of novel treatments strategies

  6. Differential expression of centrosomal proteins at different stages of human glioma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Fang-Yi

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background High-grade gliomas have poor prognosis, requiring aggressive treatment. The aim of this study is to explore mitotic and centrosomal dysregulation in gliomas, which may provide novel targets for treatment. Methods A case-control study was performed using 34 resected gliomas, which were separated into low- and high-grade groups. Normal human brain tissue was used as a control. Using immunohistochemical analysis, immunofluorescent microscopy, and RT-PCR, detection of centrins 1 and 2, γ-tubulin, hNinein, Aurora A, and Aurora B, expression was performed. Analysis of the GBM8401 glioma cell line was also undertaken to complement the in vivo studies. Results In high-grade gliomas, the cells had greater than two very brightly staining centrioles within large, atypical nuclei, and moderate-to-strong Aurora A staining. Comparing with normal human brain tissue, most of the mRNAs expression in gliomas for centrosomal structural proteins, including centrin 3, γ-tubulin, and hNinein isoforms 1, 2, 5 and 6, Aurora A and Aurora B were elevated. The significant different expression was observed between high- and low-grade glioma in both γ-tubulin and Aurora A mRNA s. In the high-grade glioma group, 78.6% of the samples had higher than normal expression of γ-tubulin mRNA, which was significantly higher than in the low-grade glioma group (18.2%, p Conclusions Markers for mitotic dysregulation, such as supernumerary centrosomes and altered expression of centrosome-related mRNA and proteins were more frequently detected in higher grade gliomas. Therefore, these results are clinically useful for glioma staging as well as the development of novel treatments strategies.

  7. A higher risk of acute rejection of human kidney allografts can be predicted from the level of CD45RC expressed by the recipients' CD8 T cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laurence Ordonez

    Full Text Available Although transplantation is the common treatment for end-stage renal failure, allograft rejection and marked morbidity from the use of immunosuppressive drugs remain important limitations. A major challenge in the field is to identify easy, reliable and noninvasive biomarkers allowing the prediction of deleterious alloreactive immune responses and the tailoring of immunosuppressive therapy in individuals according to the rejection risk. In this study, we first established that the expression of the RC isoform of the CD45 molecule (CD45RC on CD4 and CD8 T cells from healthy individuals identifies functionally distinct alloreactive T cell subsets that behave differently in terms of proliferation and cytokine secretion. We then investigated whether the frequency of the recipients CD45RC T cell subsets before transplantation would predict acute graft rejection in a cohort of 89 patients who had undergone their first kidney transplantation. We showed that patients exhibiting more than 54.7% of CD8 CD45RC(high T cells before transplantation had a 6 fold increased risk of acute kidney graft rejection. In contrast, the proportions of CD4 CD45RC T cells were not predictive. Thus, a higher risk of acute rejection of human kidney allografts can be predicted from the level of CD45RC expressed by the recipients' CD8 T cells.

  8. Of mice and men: divergence of gene expression patterns in kidney.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lydie Cheval

    Full Text Available Since the development of methods for homologous gene recombination, mouse models have played a central role in research in renal pathophysiology. However, many published and unpublished results show that mice with genetic changes mimicking human pathogenic mutations do not display the human phenotype. These functional differences may stem from differences in gene expression between mouse and human kidneys. However, large scale comparison of gene expression networks revealed conservation of gene expression among a large panel of human and mouse tissues including kidneys. Because renal functions result from the spatial integration of elementary processes originating in the glomerulus and the successive segments constituting the nephron, we hypothesized that differences in gene expression profiles along the human and mouse nephron might account for different behaviors. Analysis of SAGE libraries generated from the glomerulus and seven anatomically defined nephron segments from human and mouse kidneys allowed us to identify 4644 pairs of gene orthologs expressed in either one or both species. Quantitative analysis shows that many transcripts are present at different levels in the two species. It also shows poor conservation of gene expression profiles, with less than 10% of the 4644 gene orthologs displaying a higher conservation of expression profiles than the neutral expectation (p<0.05. Accordingly, hierarchical clustering reveals a higher degree of conservation of gene expression patterns between functionally unrelated kidney structures within a given species than between cognate structures from the two species. Similar findings were obtained for sub-groups of genes with either kidney-specific or housekeeping functions. Conservation of gene expression at the scale of the whole organ and divergence at the level of its constituting sub-structures likely account for the fact that although kidneys assume the same global function in the two species

  9. Higher order mode analysis of the SNS superconducting linac

    CERN Document Server

    Sang Ho Kim; Dong Jeon; Sundelin, R

    2001-01-01

    Higher order modes (HOM's) of monopoles, dipoles, quadrupoles and sextupoles in beta =0.61 and beta =0.81 6-cell superconducting (SC) cavities for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) project, have been found up to about 3 GHz and their properties such as R/Q, trapping possibility, etc have been figured out concerning manufacturing imperfection. The main issues of HOM's are beam instabilities (published separately) and HOM induced power especially from TM monopoles. The time structure of SNS beam has three different time scales of pulses, which are micro-pulse, midi-pulse and macropulse. Each time structure will generate resonances. When a mode is near these resonance frequencies, the induced voltage could be large and accordingly the resulting HOM power. In order to understand the effects from such a complex beam time structure on the mode excitation and resulting HOM power, analytic expressions are developed. With these analytic expressions, the induced HOM voltage and HOM power were calculated by assuming e...

  10. Expression of selected genes in preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuć, Paweł; Laudański, Piotr; Kowalczuk, Oksana; Chyczewski, Lech; Laudański, Tadeusz

    2012-08-01

    To analyse the expression of 15 genes encoding receptors and enzymes associated with the molecular mechanism of the tocolytic drugs atosiban (oxytocin receptor antagonist), nifedipine (calcium channel blocker) and celecoxib (selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitor) in preterm labor patients with premature rupture of fetal membranes in relation to symptoms of intrauterine infection and preterm labor risk factors. Experimental molecular study. Tertiary obstetric care center. Myometrial samples were obtained during cesarean sections from 35 patients who delivered preterm with unverified symptoms of intrauterine infection, 35 patients who delivered preterm without symptoms of intrauterine infection and 90 women who delivered at term. The Micro Fluidic Profiling Card analytic system was used to evaluate mRNA expression of the genes of interest. The relative quantification values for mRNA expression. The median oxytocin receptor and cyclo-oxygenase-2 mRNA expression in preterm patients with clinical symptoms of intrauterine infection was significantly higher than in preterm patients without symptoms. The median mRNA expression of β(1) , β(3) and β(4) subunits of the L-type calcium channel and prostaglandin E(2) receptor was significantly higher in preterm patients compared with term patients. The mRNA expression of hormones, enzymes and their receptors associated with tocolytic actions can differ in various clinical conditions. The expression of these genes is regulated at different levels and can be modified by inflammatory factors, which affect their functions. © 2012 The Authors Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica© 2012 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  11. Gene expression variability in human hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lun Yang

    Full Text Available Interindividual variability in the expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters (DMETs in human liver may contribute to interindividual differences in drug efficacy and adverse reactions. Published studies that analyzed variability in the expression of DMET genes were limited by sample sizes and the number of genes profiled. We systematically analyzed the expression of 374 DMETs from a microarray data set consisting of gene expression profiles derived from 427 human liver samples. The standard deviation of interindividual expression for DMET genes was much higher than that for non-DMET genes. The 20 DMET genes with the largest variability in the expression provided examples of the interindividual variation. Gene expression data were also analyzed using network analysis methods, which delineates the similarities of biological functionalities and regulation mechanisms for these highly variable DMET genes. Expression variability of human hepatic DMET genes may affect drug-gene interactions and disease susceptibility, with concomitant clinical implications.

  12. Flight-induced changes in gene expression in the Glanville fritillary butterfly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kvist, Jouni; Mattila, Anniina L K; Somervuo, Panu; Ahola, Virpi; Koskinen, Patrik; Paulin, Lars; Salmela, Leena; Fountain, Toby; Rastas, Pasi; Ruokolainen, Annukka; Taipale, Minna; Holm, Liisa; Auvinen, Petri; Lehtonen, Rainer; Frilander, Mikko J; Hanski, Ilkka

    2015-10-01

    Insect flight is one of the most energetically demanding activities in the animal kingdom, yet for many insects flight is necessary for reproduction and foraging. Moreover, dispersal by flight is essential for the viability of species living in fragmented landscapes. Here, working on the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia), we use transcriptome sequencing to investigate gene expression changes caused by 15 min of flight in two contrasting populations and the two sexes. Male butterflies and individuals from a large metapopulation had significantly higher peak flight metabolic rate (FMR) than female butterflies and those from a small inbred population. In the pooled data, FMR was significantly positively correlated with genome-wide heterozygosity, a surrogate of individual inbreeding. The flight experiment changed the expression level of 1513 genes, including genes related to major energy metabolism pathways, ribosome biogenesis and RNA processing, and stress and immune responses. Males and butterflies from the population with high FMR had higher basal expression of genes related to energy metabolism, whereas females and butterflies from the small population with low FMR had higher expression of genes related to ribosome/RNA processing and immune response. Following the flight treatment, genes related to energy metabolism were generally down-regulated, while genes related to ribosome/RNA processing and immune response were up-regulated. These results suggest that common molecular mechanisms respond to flight and can influence differences in flight metabolic capacity between populations and sexes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Higher Expression of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Is Associated with Extracellular Matrix Metalloprotease Inducer in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Tissue Microarray Analysis of Immunostaining Score with Clinicopathological Parameters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jong-Shiaw Jin

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: Extracellular matrix metalloprotease inducer (EMMPRIN expression was demonstrated in several cancers, but its expression profile in colorectal cancers remains unclear. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR was reported to regulate EMMPRIN expression in human epithelial cancers. Our purpose was to determine EMMPRIN expression and its relationship with EGFR in colorectal cancers.

  14. Th1/Th2 cytokine expression in diabetic retinopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Y L; Zhang, F Q; Hao, F Q

    2016-07-15

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR), an important complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), is not well understood. T helper cell balance (Th1/Th2) is involved in various autoimmune diseases; however, its role in DR is not understood. This study explores changes in Th1 and Th2 cytokine expression during DR. Blood samples were collected from 25 healthy volunteers (normal control group), 35 patients with type 2 DM (T2DM group) without DR, and 30 cases of T2DM patients with DR (DR group). Real-time PCR was used to measure mRNA expression of IL-2 and TNF-α, secreted from Th1 cells, and of IL-4 and IL-10, secreted from Th2 cells. We used ELISA to detect cytokine expression in serum to analyze the correlation between Th1 and Th2 cytokines. IL-2 and TNF-αmRNA and protein expression levels in the T2DM and DR groups were significantly higher than in the normal control group (P 0.05). IL-2 and TNF-αwere negatively correlated with IL-4 and IL-10 in the DR group, respectively. We found that Th1 cytokine secretion was higher and Th2 cytokines secretion was lower during DR, leading to a Th1/ Th2 imbalance, suggesting that Th1/Th2 imbalance is a side effect for DR occurrence and development.

  15. Expression of the NRF2 Target Gene NQO1 Is Enhanced in Mononuclear Cells in Human Chronic Kidney Disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shen, Jianlin; Rasmussen, Marianne; Dong, Qi-Rong

    2017-01-01

    increase in NQO1 gene expression in CKD 1-5 (n = 29; 3.5 for NQO1/ribosomal protein L41; p disease prevalence was higher in CKD 1-5 patients with higher compared to those with lower NQO1 gene expression (p = 0...

  16. Changes in Intestinal Gene Expression of Zebrafish (Danio rerio Related to Sterol Uptake and Excretion upon β-Sitosterol Administration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mai Takase

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Replacement of fishmeal with plant ingredients will introduce not only plant oil and protein but also phytosterol to the fish diet. Mammals strictly restrict the uptake of phytosterol at intestinal epithelial cells by regulating the gene expressions of sterol uptake and excretion proteins; however, phytosterol is found in the fish muscle and other organs. In order to assess the ability of phytosterol uptake by the intestinal epithelial cells of fish, no-sterol diet, cholesterol-, and β-sitosterol-containing diet was separately administered to zebrafish, and the relative mRNA expressions related to sterol uptake and excretion were evaluated. Gene expression of Niemann-Pick C1-like protein 1 in the sitosterol-fed group was significantly higher than that of the cholesterol-fed group (p < 0.05. The expression of apolipoprotein A-I gene was also higher in the sitosterol-fed group than that in the no-sterol and cholesterol-fed groups. The expressions of ATP-binding cassette, sub-family G, member 5 and 8, were significantly higher in the sitosterol-fed group, compared to the no-sterol group. Regarding the gene expression of ATP-binding cassette sub-family A, member 1, the sitosterol-fed group showed higher expression level compared to the other groups (p < 0.01. These results suggest that fish should be tolerant to phytosterols in contrast to mammals.

  17. Expression of anger as a function of assertiveness and sex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doyle, M A; Biaggio, M K

    1981-01-01

    Examined differences between asserters and nonasserters and between the sexes on anger expression. Thirty-seven male and 53 female college students were administered the College Self-Expression Scale, the Buss Durkee Hostility Inventory, and the Anger Self-Report. As hypothesized, asserters and males expressed more anger and aggression, and nonasserters experienced more covert anger. The clinical/treatment implications of these findings were discussed. A finding discrepant with previous research and the present researchers' expectations, that men scored higher than women on guilt and condemnation of anger, was thought to reflect this study's sample rather than an actual population difference.

  18. Myostatin, follistatin and activin type II receptors are highly expressed in adenomyosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrarelli, Patrizia; Yen, Chih-Fen; Arcuri, Felice; Funghi, Lucia; Tosti, Claudia; Wang, Tzu-Hao; Huang, Joseph S; Petraglia, Felice

    2015-09-01

    To evaluate the expression pattern of activins and related growth factor messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in adenomyotic nodules and in their endometrium. Prospective study. University hospital. Symptomatic premenopausal women scheduled to undergo hysterectomy for adenomyosis. Samples from adenomyotic nodules and homologous endometria were collected. Endometrial tissue was also obtained from a control group. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis and immunohistochemical localization of activin-related growth factors (activin A, activin B, and myostatin), binding protein (follistatin), antagonists (inhibin-α, cripto), and receptors (ActRIIa, ActRIIb) were performed. Myostatin mRNA levels in adenomyotic nodule were higher than in eutopic endometrium and myostatin, activin A, and follistatin concentrations were higher than in control endometrium. No difference was observed for inhibin-α, activin B, and cripto mRNA levels. Increased mRNA levels of ActRIIa and ActRIIb were observed in adenomyotic nodules compared with eutopic endometrium and control endometrium. Immunofluorescent staining for myostatin and follistatin confirmed higher protein expression in both glands and stroma of patients with adenomyosis than in controls. The present study showed for the first time that adenomyotic tissues express high levels of myostatin, follistatin, and activin A (growth factors involved in proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis). Increased expression of their receptors supports the hypothesis of a possible local effect of these growth factors in adenomyosis. The augmented expression of ActRIIa, ActRIIb, and follistatin in the endometrium of these patients may play a role in adenomyosis-related infertility. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. ERG oncoprotein expression in prostate carcinoma patients of different ethnicities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Gregory M; Kong, Yink Heay; Dobi, Albert; Srivastava, Shiv; Sesterhenn, Isabell A; Pathmanathan, Rajadurai; Tan, Hui Meng; Tan, Shyh-Han; Cheong, Sok Ching

    2015-01-01

    Overexpression of the erythroblast transformation-specific-related gene (ERG) oncoprotein due to transmembrane protease, serine 2 ( TMPRSS2 ) -ERG fusion, the most prevalent genomic alteration in prostate cancer (CaP), is more frequently observed among Caucasian patients compared to patients of African or Asian descent. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the prevalence of ERG alterations in a multiethnic cohort of CaP patients. A total of 191 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections of transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy specimens, collected from 120 patients treated at the Sime Darby Medical Centre, Subang Jaya, Malaysia, were analyzed for ERG protein expression by immunohistochemistry using the anti-ERG monoclonal antibody 9FY as a surrogate for the detection of ERG fusion events. The overall frequency of ERG protein expression in the population evaluated in this study was 39.2%. Although seemingly similar to rates reported in other Asian communities, the expression of ERG was distinct amongst different ethnic groups (P=0.004). Malaysian Indian (MI) patients exhibited exceedingly high expression of ERG in their tumors, almost doubling that of Malaysian Chinese (MC) patients, whereas ERG expression was very low amongst Malay patients (12.5%). When collectively analyzing data, we observed a significant correlation between younger patients and higher ERG expression (P=0.04). The prevalence of ERG expression was significantly different amongst CaP patients of different ethnicities. The higher number of ERG-expressing tumors among MI patients suggested that the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion may be particularly important in the pathogenesis of CaP amongst this group of patients. Furthermore, the more frequent expression of ERG among the younger patients analyzed suggested an involvement of ERG in the early onset of CaP. The results of this study underline the value of using ERG status to better understand the differences in the

  20. Mycorrhizal fungi influence on silver uptake and membrane protein gene expression following silver nanoparticle exposure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Noori, Azam [State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry (United States); White, Jason C. [Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (United States); Newman, Lee A., E-mail: lanewman@esf.edu [State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry (United States)

    2017-02-15

    The rapid growth of nanotechnology and the high demand for nanomaterial use have greatly increased the risk of particle release into the environment. Understanding nanomaterial interactions with crop species and their associated microorganisms is critical to food safety and security. In the current study, tomato was inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and subsequently exposed to 12, 24, or 36 mg/kg of 2- or 15-nm silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs). Mycorrhizal (M) and non-mycorrhizal (NM) tomatoes exposed to 36 mg/kg of 2-nm Ag-NPs accumulated 1300 and 1600 μg/g silver in their tissues, respectively. Mycorrhizal plants accumulated 14% less silver compared to non-mycorrhizal plants. To begin to understand the mechanisms by which plants accumulate NPs, the expression of two aquaporin channel genes, the plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) and the tonoplast membrane intrinsic protein (TIP), and one potassium channel (KC) gene were studied. In non-mycorrhizal plants, the expression of KC, PIP, and TIP was eight, five, and nine times higher than the control, respectively. These expressions for mycorrhizal plants were 5.8, 3.5, and 2 times higher than controls, respectively. The expression of KC and PIP, which are located on the plasma membrane, was 3.5 and 2.5, respectively, times higher than TIP, which is located on the tonoplast. PIP expression was significantly higher in NM tomatoes exposed to 12 mg/kg of 2-nm Ag-NPs compared to M plants. These results show that mycorrhizal colonization decreases Ag accumulation in NP-exposed plants and also moderates changes in expression level of membrane transport proteins.

  1. Mycorrhizal fungi influence on silver uptake and membrane protein gene expression following silver nanoparticle exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noori, Azam; White, Jason C.; Newman, Lee A.

    2017-01-01

    The rapid growth of nanotechnology and the high demand for nanomaterial use have greatly increased the risk of particle release into the environment. Understanding nanomaterial interactions with crop species and their associated microorganisms is critical to food safety and security. In the current study, tomato was inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and subsequently exposed to 12, 24, or 36 mg/kg of 2- or 15-nm silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs). Mycorrhizal (M) and non-mycorrhizal (NM) tomatoes exposed to 36 mg/kg of 2-nm Ag-NPs accumulated 1300 and 1600 μg/g silver in their tissues, respectively. Mycorrhizal plants accumulated 14% less silver compared to non-mycorrhizal plants. To begin to understand the mechanisms by which plants accumulate NPs, the expression of two aquaporin channel genes, the plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) and the tonoplast membrane intrinsic protein (TIP), and one potassium channel (KC) gene were studied. In non-mycorrhizal plants, the expression of KC, PIP, and TIP was eight, five, and nine times higher than the control, respectively. These expressions for mycorrhizal plants were 5.8, 3.5, and 2 times higher than controls, respectively. The expression of KC and PIP, which are located on the plasma membrane, was 3.5 and 2.5, respectively, times higher than TIP, which is located on the tonoplast. PIP expression was significantly higher in NM tomatoes exposed to 12 mg/kg of 2-nm Ag-NPs compared to M plants. These results show that mycorrhizal colonization decreases Ag accumulation in NP-exposed plants and also moderates changes in expression level of membrane transport proteins.

  2. Intraepithelial lymphocytes express junctional molecules in murine small intestine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inagaki-Ohara, Kyoko; Sawaguchi, Akira; Suganuma, Tatsuo; Matsuzaki, Goro; Nawa, Yukifumi

    2005-01-01

    Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) that reside at basolateral site regulate the proliferation and differentiation of epithelial cells (EC) for providing a first line of host defense in intestine. However, it remains unknown how IEL interact and communicate with EC. Here, we show that IEL express junctional molecules like EC. We identified mRNA expression of the junctional molecules in IEL such as zonula occludens (ZO)-1, occludin and junctional adhesion molecule (JAM) (tight junction), β-catenin and E-cadherin (adherens junction), and connexin26 (gap junction). IEL constitutively expressed occludin and E-cadherin at protein level, while other T cells in the thymus, spleen, liver, mesenteric lymph node, and Peyer's patches did not. γδ IEL showed higher level of these expressions than αβ IEL. The expression of occludin was augmented by anti-CD3 Ab stimulation. These results suggest the possibility of a novel role of IEL concerning epithelial barrier and communication between IEL and EC

  3. Cellular MYCro economics: Balancing MYC function with MYC expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levens, David

    2013-11-01

    The expression levels of the MYC oncoprotein have long been recognized to be associated with the outputs of major cellular processes including proliferation, cell growth, apoptosis, differentiation, and metabolism. Therefore, to understand how MYC operates, it is important to define quantitatively the relationship between MYC input and expression output for its targets as well as the higher-order relationships between the expression levels of subnetwork components and the flow of information and materials through those networks. Two different views of MYC are considered, first as a molecular microeconomic manager orchestrating specific positive and negative responses at individual promoters in collaboration with other transcription and chromatin components, and second, as a macroeconomic czar imposing an overarching rule onto all active genes. In either case, c-myc promoter output requires multiple inputs and exploits diverse mechanisms to tune expression to the appropriate levels relative to the thresholds of expression that separate health and disease.

  4. Expression of calcium binding protein S100 A7 (psoriasin) in laryngeal carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiveron, Rogério Costa; de Freitas, Luiz Carlos Conti; Figueiredo, David L; Serafini, Luciano N; Mamede, Rui Celso Martins; Zago, Marco A

    2012-01-01

    Many studies have reported increased expression of S100 A7 (psoriasin) in neoplastic lesions. Among them are studies on breast carcinoma, bladder squamous cell carcinoma, skin tumors and oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. The expression of S100 A7 has not been described for laryngeal cancer. This study aims to identify the expression of the calcium-binding protein S100 A7 and its correlation with squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx. Specimens from 63 patients were submitted to immunohistochemistry testing with antibody S100 A7. Results were classified and compared. The group with highly differentiated tumors had the highest treatment failure scores. Moderately differentiated tumors had higher treatment failure scores than poorly differentiated tumors. Higher scores were predominantly seen on stages I and II in moderately differentiated tumors, whereas score distribution was more homogeneous in advanced stage disease (III and IV). Regarding failure in treatment, the group scoring zero (3/4 complications: 75%) differed significantly from the remaining groups (13/59: 22%). S100 A7 marker was expressed in 93.7% of laryngeal cancer cases, with higher positive correlation rates in more differentiated tumors and significantly lower rates of treatment failure. Scores had no impact on survival rates.

  5. Differential gene expression of wheat progeny with contrasting levels of transpiration efficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Gang-Ping; McIntyre, C Lynne; Chapman, Scott; Bower, Neil I; Way, Heather; Reverter, Antonio; Clarke, Bryan; Shorter, Ray

    2006-08-01

    High water use efficiency or transpiration efficiency (TE) in wheat is a desirable physiological trait for increasing grain yield under water-limited environments. The identification of genes associated with this trait would facilitate the selection for genotypes with higher TE using molecular markers. We performed an expression profiling (microarray) analysis of approximately 16,000 unique wheat ESTs to identify genes that were differentially expressed between wheat progeny lines with contrasting TE levels from a cross between Quarrion (high TE) and Genaro 81 (low TE). We also conducted a second microarray analysis to identify genes responsive to drought stress in wheat leaves. Ninety-three genes that were differentially expressed between high and low TE progeny lines were identified. One fifth of these genes were markedly responsive to drought stress. Several potential growth-related regulatory genes, which were down-regulated by drought, were expressed at a higher level in the high TE lines than the low TE lines and are potentially associated with a biomass production component of the Quarrion-derived high TE trait. Eighteen of the TE differentially expressed genes were further analysed using quantitative RT-PCR on a separate set of plant samples from those used for microarray analysis. The expression levels of 11 of the 18 genes were positively correlated with the high TE trait, measured as carbon isotope discrimination (Delta(13)C). These data indicate that some of these TE differentially expressed genes are candidates for investigating processes that underlie the high TE trait or for use as expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) for TE.

  6. Tenascin in meningioma: expression is correlated with anaplasia, vascular endothelial growth factor expression, and peritumoral edema but not with tumor border shape.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiliç, Türker; Bayri, Yaşar; Ozduman, Koray; Acar, Melih; Diren, Semin; Kurtkaya, Ozlem; Ekinci, Gazanfer; Buğra, Kuyaş; Sav, Aydin; Ozek, M Memet; Pamir, M Necmettin

    2002-07-01

    Tenascin is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein that is expressed during embryogenesis, inflammation, angiogenesis, and carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate how tenascin expression relates to histological grade, angiogenesis, and radiological findings in meningiomas. Twenty typical, 20 atypical, and 5 malignant meningiomas were studied retrospectively. Tenascin expression and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in the tumor tissue were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Tenascin messenger ribonucleic acid expression was also studied by comparative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Magnetic resonance images from each case were assessed for peritumoral edema and tumor border shape. The atypical and malignant meningiomas showed higher levels of tenascin expression than the typical meningiomas. The more sensitive messenger ribonucleic acid-based methods confirmed this finding. Tenascin expression was correlated with peritumoral edema and VEGF expression but not with tumor border shape. In the 13 tumors with marked tenascin expression, peritumoral edema was Grade 0 in one, Grade 1 in three, and Grade 2 in nine specimens. In the same 13 tumors, VEGF expression was Grade 1 in five and Grade 2 in eight specimens, and the findings for tumor border shape were Grade 0 in seven, Grade 1 in four, and Grade 2 in two specimens. In meningiomas, tenascin expression is correlated with anaplasia, tumor-associated edema, and VEGF expression but not with tumor border shape. This protein may play a role in the neoplastic and/or angiogenic processes in atypical and malignant meningiomas and may thus be a potential target for meningioma therapy.

  7. A comparative study of P450 gene expression in field and laboratory Musca domestica L. strains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Højland, Dorte Heidi; Vagn Jensen, Karl-Martin; Kristensen, Michael

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND The housefly is a global pest that has developed resistance to most insecticides applied for its control. Resistance has been associated with cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s). The authors compare the expression of six genes possibly associated with insecticide resistance in three...... unselected strains: a multiresistant strain (791a), a neonicotinoid-resistant strain (766b) and a new field strain (845b). RESULTS CYP4G2 was highly expressed throughout the range of strains and proved to be the one of the most interesting expression profiles of all P450s analysed. CYP6G4 was expressed up...... to 11-fold higher in 766b than in WHO-SRS. Significant differences between expression of P450 genes between F1 flies from 845b and established laboratory strains were shown. In general, P450 gene expression in 845b was 2–14-fold higher than in the reference strain (P

  8. Neoliberalism, Human Capital and the Skills Agenda in Higher Education--The Irish Case

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holborow, Marnie

    2012-01-01

    The making of human capital is increasingly seen as a principal function of higher education. A keyword in neoliberal ideology, human capital represents a subtle masking of social conflict and expresses metaphorically the commodification of human abilities and an alienating notion of human potential, both of which sit ill with the goals of…

  9. Expression Profiling of Glucosinolate Biosynthetic Genes in Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata Inbred Lines Reveals Their Association with Glucosinolate Content

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arif Hasan Khan Robin

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Glucosinolates are the biochemical compounds that provide defense to plants against pathogens and herbivores. In this study, the relative expression level of 48 glucosinolate biosynthesis genes was explored in four morphologically-different cabbage inbred lines by qPCR analysis. The content of aliphatic and indolic glucosinolate molecules present in those cabbage lines was also estimated by HPLC analysis. The possible association between glucosinolate accumulation and related gene expression level was explored by principal component analysis (PCA. The genotype-dependent variation in the relative expression level of different aliphatic and indolic glucosinolate biosynthesis genes is the novel result of this study. A total of eight different types of glucosinolates, including five aliphatic and three indolic glucosinolates, was detected in four cabbage lines. Three inbred lines BN3383, BN4059 and BN4072 had no glucoraphanin, sinigrin and gluconapin detected, but the inbred line BN3273 had these three aliphatic glucosinolate compounds. PCA revealed that a higher expression level of ST5b genes and lower expression of GSL-OH was associated with the accumulation of these three aliphatic glucosinolate compounds. PCA further revealed that comparatively higher accumulation of neoglucobrassicin in the inbred line, BN4072, was associated with a high level of expression of MYB34 (Bol017062 and CYP81F1 genes. The Dof1 and IQD1 genes probably trans-activated the genes related to biosynthesis of glucoerucin and methoxyglucobrassicin for their comparatively higher accumulation in the BN4059 and BN4072 lines compared to the other two lines, BN3273 and BN3383. A comparatively higher progoitrin level in BN3273 was probably associated with the higher expression level of the GSL-OH gene. The cabbage inbred line BN3383 accounted for the significantly higher relative expression level for the 12 genes out of 48, but this line had comparatively lower total

  10. Differential Expression of , , and Genes in Various Adipose Tissues and Muscle from Yanbian Yellow Cattle and Yan Yellow Cattle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuang Ji

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between cattle breeds and deposit of adipose tissues in different positions and the gene expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ, fatty acid synthase (FASN, and Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (ACADM, which are associated with lipid metabolism and are valuable for understanding the physiology in fat depot and meat quality. Yanbian yellow cattle and Yan yellow cattle reared under the same conditions display different fat proportions in the carcass. To understand this difference, the expression of PPARγ, FASN, and ACADM in different adipose tissues and longissimus dorsi muscle (LD in these two breeds were analyzed using the Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction method (qRT-PCR. The result showed that PPARγ gene expression was significantly higher in adipose tissue than in LD in both breeds. PPARγ expression was also higher in abdominal fat, in perirenal fat than in the subcutaneous fat (p<0.05 in Yanbian yellow cattle, and was significantly higher in subcutaneous fat in Yan yellow cattle than that in Yanbian yellow cattle. On the other hand, FASN mRNA expression levels in subcutaneous fat and abdominal fat in Yan yellow cattle were significantly higher than that in Yanbian yellow cattle. Interestingly, ACADM gene shows greater fold changes in LD than in adipose tissues in Yan yellow cattle. Furthermore, the expressions of these three genes in lung, colon, kidney, liver and heart of Yanbian yellow cattle and Yan yellow cattle were also investigated. The results showed that the highest expression levels of PPARγ and FASN genes were detected in the lung in both breeds. The expression of ACADM gene in kidney and liver were higher than that in other organs in Yanbian yellow cattle, the comparison was not statistically significant in Yan yellow cattle.

  11. Measuring ability to enhance and suppress emotional expression: The Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression (FREE) Scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burton, Charles L; Bonanno, George A

    2016-08-01

    Flexibility in self-regulatory behaviors has proved to be an important quality for adjusting to stressful life events and requires individuals to have a diverse repertoire of emotion regulation abilities. However, the most commonly used emotion regulation questionnaires assess frequency of behavior rather than ability, with little evidence linking these measures to observable capacity to enact a behavior. The aim of the current investigation was to develop and validate a Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression (FREE) Scale that measures a person's ability to enhance and suppress displayed emotion across an array of hypothetical contexts. In Studies 1 and 2, a series of confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the FREE Scale consists of 4 first-order factors divided by regulation and emotional valence type that can contribute to 2 higher order factors: expressive enhancement ability and suppression ability. In Study 1, we also compared the FREE Scale to other commonly used emotion regulation measures, which revealed that suppression ability is conceptually distinct from suppression frequency. In Study 3, we compared the FREE Scale with a composite of traditional frequency-based indices of expressive regulation to predict performance in a previously validated emotional modulation paradigm. Participants' enhancement and suppression ability scores on the FREE Scale predicted their corresponding performance on the laboratory task, even when controlling for baseline expressiveness. These studies suggest that the FREE Scale is a valid and flexible measure of expressive regulation ability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  12. Differential expression of estrogen receptor α and β isoforms in multiple and solitary leiomyomas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shao, Ruyue; Fang, Liaoqiong; Xing, Ruoxi; Xiong, Yu; Fang, Liaoqiong; Wang, Zhibiao

    2015-01-01

    Uterine leiomyomas are benign myometrial neoplasms that function as one of the common indications for hysterectomy. Clinical and biological evidences indicate that uterine leiomyomas are estrogen-dependent. Estrogen stimulates cell proliferation through binding to the estrogen receptor (ER), of which both subtypes α and β are present in leiomyomas. Clinically, leiomyomas may be singular or multiple, where the first one is rarely recurring if removed and the latter associated to a relatively young age or genetic predisposition. These markedly different clinical phenotypes indicate that there may different mechanism causing a similar smooth muscle response. To investigate the relative expression of ERα and ERβ in multiple and solitary uterine leiomyomas, we collected samples from 35 Chinese women (multiple leiomyomas n = 20, solitary leiomyoma n = 15) undergoing surgery to remove uterine leiomyomas. ELISA assay was performed to detect estrogen(E_2) concentration. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis was performed to detect ERα and ERβ mRNA expression. Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis were performed to detect ERα and ERβ protein expression. We found that ERα mRNA and protein levels of in multiple leiomyomas were significantly lower than those of solitary leiomyomas, whereas ERβ mRNA and protein levels in multiple leiomyomas were significantly higher than those in solitary leiomyomas, irrespectively of the menstrual cycle stage. In both multiple and solitary leiomyomas, ERα expression was higher than that of ERβ. E_2 concentration in multiple and solitary leiomyomas correlated with that of ERα expression. ERα was present in nuclus and cytoplasma while estrogen receptor β localized only in nuclei in both multiple and solitary leiomyomas. Our findings suggest that the difference of ERα and ERβ expression between multiple and solitary leiomyomas may be responsible for the course of the disease subtypes. - Highlights: • In both multiple

  13. Differential expression of estrogen receptor α and β isoforms in multiple and solitary leiomyomas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shao, Ruyue; Fang, Liaoqiong [State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound Engineering in Medicine Co-Founded by Chongqing and The Ministry of Science and Technology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China); Xing, Ruoxi [Institute of Life Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China); Xiong, Yu [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chongqing Hifu Hospital, Chongqing 401121 (China); Fang, Liaoqiong, E-mail: lqfang06@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound Engineering in Medicine Co-Founded by Chongqing and The Ministry of Science and Technology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China); Wang, Zhibiao, E-mail: wangzb@cqmu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound Engineering in Medicine Co-Founded by Chongqing and The Ministry of Science and Technology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016 (China)

    2015-12-04

    Uterine leiomyomas are benign myometrial neoplasms that function as one of the common indications for hysterectomy. Clinical and biological evidences indicate that uterine leiomyomas are estrogen-dependent. Estrogen stimulates cell proliferation through binding to the estrogen receptor (ER), of which both subtypes α and β are present in leiomyomas. Clinically, leiomyomas may be singular or multiple, where the first one is rarely recurring if removed and the latter associated to a relatively young age or genetic predisposition. These markedly different clinical phenotypes indicate that there may different mechanism causing a similar smooth muscle response. To investigate the relative expression of ERα and ERβ in multiple and solitary uterine leiomyomas, we collected samples from 35 Chinese women (multiple leiomyomas n = 20, solitary leiomyoma n = 15) undergoing surgery to remove uterine leiomyomas. ELISA assay was performed to detect estrogen(E{sub 2}) concentration. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis was performed to detect ERα and ERβ mRNA expression. Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis were performed to detect ERα and ERβ protein expression. We found that ERα mRNA and protein levels of in multiple leiomyomas were significantly lower than those of solitary leiomyomas, whereas ERβ mRNA and protein levels in multiple leiomyomas were significantly higher than those in solitary leiomyomas, irrespectively of the menstrual cycle stage. In both multiple and solitary leiomyomas, ERα expression was higher than that of ERβ. E{sub 2} concentration in multiple and solitary leiomyomas correlated with that of ERα expression. ERα was present in nuclus and cytoplasma while estrogen receptor β localized only in nuclei in both multiple and solitary leiomyomas. Our findings suggest that the difference of ERα and ERβ expression between multiple and solitary leiomyomas may be responsible for the course of the disease subtypes. - Highlights: • In both

  14. E-cadherin and CD10 expression in atypical hyperplastic and malignant endometrial lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, A.R.H.; Muhammad, E.M.S.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Loss of E-cadherin is a critical step for development and progression of malignant tumors. CD10; a marker of non-neoplastic and neoplastic endometrial stroma, is associated with aggressiveness of many epithelial malignancies. Aims: To evaluate expression and correlation of E-cadherin and CD10 in endometrial lesions and their possible role in differentiating atypical endometrial hyperplasia from endometrial carcinoma. The association of E-cadherin and CD10 expression with clinico-pathological parameters of endometrial carcinoma was also investigated. Materials and methods: Fifty four cases including 28 endometrial carcinomas; 19 endometrial hyperplasia and 7 cases of normal endometrial changes were enrolled for this study. The expression of E-cadherin and CD10 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry using the streptavidin–biotin technique. Results: There was a strong association between malignant change of endometrial glands and membrano- cytoplasmic localization of E-cadherin (p< 0.001). Expression of E-cadherin but not CD10 was significantly higher in endometrial carcinomas compared to atypical endometrial hyperplasia (p < 0.01). Expression of E-cadherin was not associated with CD10 expression in different endometrial lesions. High grade tumors expressed low levels of both E-cadherin (p<0.01) and CD10 (p < 0.05) and serous endometrial carcinoma had low E-cadherin and CD10 expression compared to endometrioid carcinoma (p< 0.01 and <0.05, respectively). Expression of both molecules showed no association with depth of tumor invasion or FIGO stage. Tumors with lower E-cadherin or CD10 expression had higher rates of vascular tumor emboli (p< 0.01 and <0.07, respectively). Conclusions: Although expression of E-cadherin and CD10 in endometrial lesions was not correlated, reduced expression of both molecules could be critical for progression of endometrial carcinoma.

  15. False recognition of facial expressions of emotion: causes and implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández-Dols, José-Miguel; Carrera, Pilar; Barchard, Kimberly A; Gacitua, Marta

    2008-08-01

    This article examines the importance of semantic processes in the recognition of emotional expressions, through a series of three studies on false recognition. The first study found a high frequency of false recognition of prototypical expressions of emotion when participants viewed slides and video clips of nonprototypical fearful and happy expressions. The second study tested whether semantic processes caused false recognition. The authors found that participants made significantly higher error rates when asked to detect expressions that corresponded to semantic labels than when asked to detect visual stimuli. Finally, given that previous research reported that false memories are less prevalent in younger children, the third study tested whether false recognition of prototypical expressions increased with age. The authors found that 67% of eight- to nine-year-old children reported nonpresent prototypical expressions of fear in a fearful context, but only 40% of 6- to 7-year-old children did so. Taken together, these three studies demonstrate the importance of semantic processes in the detection and categorization of prototypical emotional expressions.

  16. Expression of cholecystokinin receptors in colon cancer and the clinical correlation in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Bee-Piao; Lin, Chun-Hsiang; Chen, Yi-Ching; Kao, Shao-Hsuan

    2016-04-01

    Cholecystokinin and gastrin receptors are upregulated in many human digestive malignancies; however, the correlation of their expressions with severity of colon carcinoma remains sketchy. Here, we determined the expression of cholecystokinin-1 and cholecystokinin-2 receptor, CCK1R and CCK2R, in colon carcinomas and investigated their correlations with clinicopathological characteristics and 1-year survival rate. Expression of CCK1R and CCK2R was determined by immunohistochemical assay in tissue samples obtained from 97 surgical specimens. Clinicopathological character analysis revealed that higher expression of cytoplasmic CCK1R and CCK2R was significantly associated with several variables including the depth of tumor invasion (P = 0.001), venous invasion (P = 0.023), and progression stage (P = 0.013). In addition, immunohistochemical staining revealed statistically significant associations of nuclear CCK1R expression with higher lymphatic invasion (P = 0.042), progression stage (P = 0.025), and unfavorable survival (P = 0.025). Interestingly, we found no link between nuclear CCK2R expression and all the clinicopathological characteristics examined. Taken these, our findings indicate that nuclear CCK1R represents a potential biomarker for poor prognosis, and CCK1R may play a role differing from CCK2R in colon carcinogenesis.

  17. Expression of Cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Jie; Durcan, Laura; Karr, Reynold M; Briggs, Tracy A; Rice, Gillian I; Teal, Thomas H; Woodward, Joshua J; Elkon, Keith B

    2017-04-01

    Type I interferon (IFN) is implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and interferonopathies such as Aicardi-Goutières syndrome. A recently discovered DNA-activated type I IFN pathway, cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), has been linked to Aicardi-Goutières syndrome and mouse models of lupus. The aim of this study was to determine whether the cGAS pathway contributes to type I IFN production in patients with SLE. SLE disease activity was measured by the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment version of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index. Expression of messenger RNA for cGAS and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. Cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) levels were examined by multiple reaction monitoring with ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Expression of cGAS in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was significantly higher in SLE patients than in normal controls (n = 51 and n = 20 respectively; P < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between cGAS expression and the IFN score (P < 0.001). The expression of cGAS in PBMCs showed a dose response to type I IFN stimulation in vitro, consistent with it being an ISG. Targeted measurement of cGAMP by tandem mass spectrometry detected cGAMP in 15% of the SLE patients (7 of 48) but none of the normal (0 of 19) or rheumatoid arthritis (0 of 22) controls. Disease activity was higher in SLE patients with cGAMP versus those without cGAMP. Increased cGAS expression and cGAMP in a proportion of SLE patients indicates that the cGAS pathway should be considered as a contributor to type I IFN production. Whereas higher cGAS expression may be a consequence of exposure to type I IFN, detection of cGAMP in patients with increased disease activity indicates potential involvement of this pathway in disease expression. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

  18. Effects of Facial Expressions on Recognizing Emotions in Dance Movements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nao Shikanai

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Effects of facial expressions on recognizing emotions expressed in dance movements were investigated. Dancers expressed three emotions: joy, sadness, and anger through dance movements. We used digital video cameras and a 3D motion capturing system to record and capture the movements. We then created full-video displays with an expressive face, full-video displays with an unexpressive face, stick figure displays (no face, or point-light displays (no face from these data using 3D animation software. To make point-light displays, 13 markers were attached to the body of each dancer. We examined how accurately observers were able to identify the expression that the dancers intended to create through their dance movements. Dance experienced and inexperienced observers participated in the experiment. They watched the movements and rated the compatibility of each emotion with each movement on a 5-point Likert scale. The results indicated that both experienced and inexperienced observers could identify all the emotions that dancers intended to express. Identification scores for dance movements with an expressive face were higher than for other expressions. This finding indicates that facial expressions affect the identification of emotions in dance movements, whereas only bodily expressions provide sufficient information to recognize emotions.

  19. The power of non-determinism in higher-order implicit complexity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kop, Cynthia Louisa Martina; Simonsen, Jakob Grue

    2017-01-01

    We investigate the power of non-determinism in purely functional programming languages with higher-order types. Specifically, we consider cons-free programs of varying data orders, equipped with explicit non-deterministic choice. Cons-freeness roughly means that data constructors cannot occur...... in function bodies and all manipulation of storage space thus has to happen indirectly using the call stack. While cons-free programs have previously been used by several authors to characterise complexity classes, the work on non-deterministic programs has almost exclusively considered programs of data order...... 0. Previous work has shown that adding explicit non-determinism to consfree programs taking data of order 0 does not increase expressivity; we prove that this—dramatically—is not the case for higher data orders: adding non-determinism to programs with data order at least 1 allows...

  20. Oncologists' negative attitudes towards expressing emotion over patient death and burnout.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granek, Leeat; Ben-David, Merav; Nakash, Ora; Cohen, Michal; Barbera, Lisa; Ariad, Samuel; Krzyzanowska, Monika K

    2017-05-01

    The aims of this study were to examine the relationship between negative attitudes towards expressing emotion following patient death and burnout in oncologists and to explore oncologists' preferences for institutional interventions to deal with patient death. The participants included a convenience sample of 177 oncologists from Israel and Canada. Oncologists completed a questionnaire package that included a sociodemographic survey, a burnout measure, a survey assessing negative attitudes towards expressing emotion, and a survey assessing desired interventions to cope with patient death. To examine the association between burnout and negative attitudes while controlling for the effect of sociodemographic variables, a hierarchical linear regression was computed. Higher burnout scores were related to higher negative attitudes towards perceived expressed emotion (partial r = .25, p training) helpful in coping with patient death. Our findings suggest that high burnout scores are associated with negative attitudes towards expressing emotion and that there is a wide variation in oncologist preferences in coping with patient death. Institutions should promote interventions that are varied and that focus on the needs of oncologists in order to reduce burnout. Interventions that legitimize expression of emotion about patient death may be useful. Another way to reduce stigma would be to require oncologists to "opt out" rather than "opt in" to accessing a selection of social and/or individual interventions.

  1. Higher Education as Object for Corporate and Nation Branding: Between Equality and Flagships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sataøen, Hogne Lerøy

    2015-01-01

    Branding has become an important issue within higher education. The use of core value statements and visions are expressions of this. To be a successful brand, organisations must also make sure they are different from others. However, in both the scholarly discourse and in political rhetoric, the Nordic model highlights equal access to education…

  2. Resveratrol Protects and Restores Endothelium-Dependent Relaxation in Hypercholesterolemic Rabbit Corpus Cavernosum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murat, Nergiz; Korhan, Peyda; Kizer, Onur; Evcim, Sinem; Kefi, Aykut; Demir, Ömer; Gidener, Sedef; Atabey, Neşe; Esen, Ahmet Adil

    2016-01-01

    Oxidative stress dependent-decrease in nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability plays an integral role in hypercholesterolemia-induced erectile dysfunction (ED). Resveratrol has been demonstrated to exert beneficial effects against oxidative stress and improve NO bioavailability. The protective and restorative potentials of resveratrol on endothelium-dependent relaxations were evaluated in hypercholesterolemic rabbit corpus cavernosum (CC). Hypercholesterolemia was induced by administering 2% cholesterol diet (CD) (w/w) to the rabbits for 6 weeks. Two different protocols were applied to test the effects of resveratrol on hypercholesterolemia-induced ED. In Protocol-1 (P1), resveratrol was administrated to the rabbits simultaneously with CD in order to evaluate the protective effect, and for Protocol-2 (P2), resveratrol was administrated for 6 weeks after termination of CD in order to evaluate the restorative effect. Endothelium-dependent relaxations of CC were evaluated by using organ bath studies. In order to elucidate the possible molecular mechanisms, we measured endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and phosphovasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) expressions and activations, NADPH oxidase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in cavernosal tissues obtained at the end of the study. Resveratrol showed an improvement in the endothelium-dependent relaxation responses in vitro. We demonstrated significantly increased activatory-phosphorylation (p[S1177]-eNOS) and activated phosphovasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (phospho-VASP) levels, but reduced phosphorylation (p[T495]-eNOS) of eNOS and NADPH oxidase activity in the resveratrol-administered HC animals compared with hypercholesterolemic control rabbits in the P1. In the P2, resveratrol exhibited an improvement in endothelium-dependent relaxation responses and more pronounced effects on eNOS activation. Resveratrol administration, either simultaneously with HC diet

  3. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 and transglutaminase 2 expression at the ocular surface in patients with different forms of dry eye disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aragona, Pasquale; Aguennouz, M'Hammed; Rania, Laura; Postorino, Elisa; Sommario, Margherita Serena; Roszkowska, Anna Maria; De Pasquale, Maria Grazia; Pisani, Antonina; Puzzolo, Domenico

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and transglutaminase 2 (TG2) in different forms of dry eye. Case control study. Seventy-five female subjects divided into 3 groups: group 1, 15 healthy controls; group 2, 30 subjects with Sjögren syndrome (SS); and group 3, 30 subjects with Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). A clinical assessment was carried out and impression cytologic specimens were processed for immunoperoxidase staining for MMP9 and TG2 and real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses were carried out for MMP9, TG2, interleukin-6, interferon-γ, B-cell lymphoma 2, and caspase 3. To study MMP9 and TG2 expression after anti-inflammatory treatment, patients were divided into 2 subgroups, one treated with saline and the other treated with saline plus topical corticosteroid eye drops (0.5% loteprednol etabonate) 4 times daily for 15 days. For statistical analysis, Student t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used as appropriate. Conjunctival expression of MMP9 and TG2. MMP9 and TG2 expression were higher in both patient groups than in controls (P < 0.0001). Group 2 patients showed higher expression than group 3 (P < 0.0001). The Spearman's correlation coefficient showed in group 2 a positive correlation between MMP9 and TG2 expression (ρ = 0.437; P = 0.01), but no correlation in group 3 (ρ = 0.143; P = 0.45). Corticosteroid treatment significantly reduced MMP9 and TG2 expression in both groups, ameliorating symptoms and signs. A much higher percentage reduction was observed in SS. The pathogenic mechanisms of the 2 forms of dry eye give an account for the different MMP9 and TG2 expressions in the 2 groups of patients. The higher expression in SS is determined by the direct autoimmune insult to the ocular surface epithelia, whereas in MGD patients, with an epithelial damage due to an unbalanced tear secretion, the molecules expression is significantly lower, although higher than in controls. The

  4. Cloning and Expression of Yak Active Chymosin in

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fan Luo

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Rennet, a complex of enzymes found in the stomachs of ruminants, is an important component for cheese production. In our study, we described that yak chymosin gene recombinant Pichia pastoris strain could serve as a novel source for rennet production. Yaks total RNA was extracted from the abomasum of an unweaned yak. The yak preprochymosin, prochymosin, and chymosin genes from total RNA were isolated using gene specific primers based on cattle chymosin gene sequence respectively and analyzed their expression pattern byreal time-polymerase chain reaction. The result showed that the chymosin gene expression level of the sucking yaks was 11.45 times higher than one of adult yaks and yak chymosin belongs to Bovidae family in phylogenetic analysis. To express each, the preprochymosin, prochymosin, and chymosin genes were ligated into the expression vector pPICZαA, respectively, and were expressed in Pichia pastoris X33. The results showed that all the recombinant clones of P. pastoris containing the preprochymosin, prochymosin or chymosin genes could produce the active form of recombinant chymosin into the culture supernatant. Heterologous expressed prochymosin (14.55 Soxhlet unit/mL had the highest enzyme activity of the three expressed chymosin enzymes. Therefore, we suggest that the yak chymosin gene recombinant Pichia pastoris strain could provide an alternative source of rennet production.

  5. Ion channel gene expressions in infertile men: A case-control study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serkan Carkci

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Infertility is described as not receiving pregnancy despite unprotected and regular sexual intercourse in a 1 yr period. It is detected by 15% of the couples. Male and female factor in the etiology may be detected in similar rates. Objective: The present study aims to investigate ion channel gene expression in semen samples of infertile male compared with fertile men. Materials and Methods: A total of 150 men who applied to the urology clinic due to infertility were divided into five equal groups: asthenozoospermia, oligozoospermia, oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, teratozoospermia, and normozoospermia (control. All paticipants were evaluated with Cation Channel Spermia (CatSper 1, 2, 3, 4, Proton Voltage Gated Ion Channel1 (Hv1, Potassium Channel Subfamily U1 (KCNU1, and transmembrane protein (TMEM16A gene expression in semen samples. Results: “CatSper1, 4, HV1, KCNU1, and TMEM16A gene expression were detected higher in the oligozoospermia group compared to the controls. CatSper1, 2, 3, 4, KCNU1, and TMEM16A gene expression in the asthenozoospermia group and CatSper1, 2, 3, 4, KCNU1, and TMEM16A gene expression in the teratozoospermia group were detected lower compared to the controls. CatSper1, 4, HV1, and TMEM16A gen expression were higher in the oligoasthenoteratozoospermia men than the controls while CatSper3 gen expression was detected as lower.” Conclusion: It was detected that these ion channels have an effect on sperm progressive motility and morphology. It may be considered that mutations in these ion channels may result in infertility

  6. Immunohistochemical expression of glucose transporter 1 in keratin-producing odontogenic cysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vera-Sirera, Beatriz; Forner-Navarro, Leopoldo; Vera-Sempere, Francisco

    2016-03-10

    Keratin-producing odontogenic cysts (KPOCs) are a group of cystic lesions that are often aggressive, with high rates of recurrence and multifocality. KPOCs included orthokeratinised odontogenic cyst (OOC) and parakeratotic odontogenic cysts, which are now considered true tumours denominated keratocystic odontogenic tumours (KCOTs). GLUT1 is a protein transporter that is involved in the active uptake of glucose across cell membranes and that is overexpressed in tumours in close correlation with the proliferation rate and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging results. A series of 58 keratin-producing odontogenic cysts was evaluated histologically and immunohistochemically in terms of GLUT1 expression. Different data were correlated using the beta regression model in relation to histological type and immunohistochemical expression of GLUT1, which was quantified using two different morphological methods. KPOC cases comprised 12 OOCs and 46 KCOTs, the latter corresponding to 6 syndromic and 40 sporadic KCOTs. GLUT1 expression was very low in OOC cases compared with KCOT cases, with statistical significant differences when quantification was considered. Different GLUT1 localisation patterns were revealed by immunostaining, with the parabasal cells showing higher reactivity in KCOTs. However, among KCOTs cases, GLUT1 expression was unable to establish differences between syndromic and sporadic cases. GLUT1 expression differentiated between OOC and KCOT cases, with significantly higher expression in KCOTs, but did not differentiate between syndromic and sporadic KCOT cases. However, given the structural characteristics of KCOTs, we hypothesised that PET imaging methodology is probably not a useful diagnostic tool for KCOTs. Further studies of GLUT1 expression and PET examination in KCOT series are needed to confirm this last hypothesis.

  7. Active RNA replication of hepatitis C virus downregulates CD81 expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ke, Po-Yuan; Chen, Steve S-L

    2013-01-01

    So far how hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication modulates subsequent virus growth and propagation still remains largely unknown. Here we determine the impact of HCV replication status on the consequential virus growth by comparing normal and high levels of HCV RNA expression. We first engineered a full-length, HCV genotype 2a JFH1 genome containing a blasticidin-resistant cassette inserted at amino acid residue of 420 in nonstructural (NS) protein 5A, which allowed selection of human hepatoma Huh7 cells stably-expressing HCV. Short-term establishment of HCV stable cells attained a highly-replicating status, judged by higher expressions of viral RNA and protein as well as higher titer of viral infectivity as opposed to cells harboring the same genome without selection. Interestingly, maintenance of highly-replicating HCV stable cells led to decreased susceptibility to HCV pseudotyped particle (HCVpp) infection and downregulated cell surface level of CD81, a critical HCV entry (co)receptor. The decreased CD81 cell surface expression occurred through reduced total expression and cytoplasmic retention of CD81 within an endoplasmic reticulum -associated compartment. Moreover, productive viral RNA replication in cells harboring a JFH1 subgenomic replicon containing a similar blasticidin resistance gene cassette in NS5A and in cells robustly replicating full-length infectious genome also reduced permissiveness to HCVpp infection through decreasing the surface expression of CD81. The downregulation of CD81 surface level in HCV RNA highly-replicating cells thus interfered with reinfection and led to attenuated viral amplification. These findings together indicate that the HCV RNA replication status plays a crucial determinant in HCV growth by modulating the expression and intracellular localization of CD81.

  8. Active RNA replication of hepatitis C virus downregulates CD81 expression.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Po-Yuan Ke

    Full Text Available So far how hepatitis C virus (HCV replication modulates subsequent virus growth and propagation still remains largely unknown. Here we determine the impact of HCV replication status on the consequential virus growth by comparing normal and high levels of HCV RNA expression. We first engineered a full-length, HCV genotype 2a JFH1 genome containing a blasticidin-resistant cassette inserted at amino acid residue of 420 in nonstructural (NS protein 5A, which allowed selection of human hepatoma Huh7 cells stably-expressing HCV. Short-term establishment of HCV stable cells attained a highly-replicating status, judged by higher expressions of viral RNA and protein as well as higher titer of viral infectivity as opposed to cells harboring the same genome without selection. Interestingly, maintenance of highly-replicating HCV stable cells led to decreased susceptibility to HCV pseudotyped particle (HCVpp infection and downregulated cell surface level of CD81, a critical HCV entry (coreceptor. The decreased CD81 cell surface expression occurred through reduced total expression and cytoplasmic retention of CD81 within an endoplasmic reticulum -associated compartment. Moreover, productive viral RNA replication in cells harboring a JFH1 subgenomic replicon containing a similar blasticidin resistance gene cassette in NS5A and in cells robustly replicating full-length infectious genome also reduced permissiveness to HCVpp infection through decreasing the surface expression of CD81. The downregulation of CD81 surface level in HCV RNA highly-replicating cells thus interfered with reinfection and led to attenuated viral amplification. These findings together indicate that the HCV RNA replication status plays a crucial determinant in HCV growth by modulating the expression and intracellular localization of CD81.

  9. Expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase is an independent prognostic marker in gastric cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Xu-Ren; Sun, Zhe; Zhu, Zhi; Guan, Hai-Xia; Li, Chen-Yan; Zhang, Jun-Yan; Zhang, Yi-Ning; Zhou, Huan; Zhang, Hui-Jing; Xu, Hui-Mian; Sun, Ming-Jun

    2015-01-01

    AIM: To investigate the expression and prognostic role of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) in gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: This study included 265 patients (194 male, 71 female, mean age 59 years (range, 29-81 years) with GC who underwent curative surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from January 2006 to May 2007. All patients were followed up for more than 5 years. Patient-derived paraffin embedded GC specimens were collected for tissue microarrays (TMAs). We examined PDH expression by immunohistochemistry in TMAs containing tumor tissue and matched non-neoplastic mucosa. Immunoreactivity was evaluated independently by two researchers. Overall survival (OS) rates were determined using the Kaplan-Meier estimator. Correlations with other clinicopathologic factors were evaluated by two-tailed χ2 tests or a two-tailed t-test. The Cox proportional-hazard model was used in univariate analysis and multivariate analysis to identify factors significantly correlated with prognosis. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry showed that 35.47% of total cancer tissue specimens had cytoplasmic PDH staining. PDH expression was much higher in normal mucosa specimens (75.09%; P = 0.001). PDH expression was correlated with Lauren grade (70.77% in intestinal type vs 40.0% in diffuse type; P = 0.001), lymph node metastasis (65.43% with no metastasis vs 51.09% with metastasis; P = 0.033), lymphatic invasion (61.62% with no invasion vs 38.81% with invasion; P = 0.002), histologic subtypes (70.77% in intestinal type vs 40.0% in diffuse type; P = 0.001) and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (39% in poorly differentiated vs 65.91% in well differentiated and 67.11% in moderately differentiated; P = 0.001) in GC. PDH expression in cancer tissue was significantly associated with higher OS (P < 0.001). The multivariate analysis adjusted for age, Lauren classification, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, histological type, tumor size, depth of invasion and lymphatic invasion

  10. Expression of novel Alzheimer's disease risk genes in control and Alzheimer's disease brains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Celeste M Karch

    Full Text Available Late onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD etiology is influenced by complex interactions between genetic and environmental risk factors. Large-scale genome wide association studies (GWAS for LOAD have identified 10 novel risk genes: ABCA7, BIN1, CD2AP, CD33, CLU, CR1, EPHA1, MS4A6A, MS4A6E, and PICALM. We sought to measure the influence of GWAS single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and gene expression levels on clinical and pathological measures of AD in brain tissue from the parietal lobe of AD cases and age-matched, cognitively normal controls. We found that ABCA7, CD33, and CR1 expression levels were associated with clinical dementia rating (CDR, with higher expression being associated with more advanced cognitive decline. BIN1 expression levels were associated with disease progression, where higher expression was associated with a delayed age at onset. CD33, CLU, and CR1 expression levels were associated with disease status, where elevated expression levels were associated with AD. Additionally, MS4A6A expression levels were associated with Braak tangle and Braak plaque scores, with elevated expression levels being associated with more advanced brain pathology. We failed to detect an association between GWAS SNPs and gene expression levels in our brain series. The minor allele of rs3764650 in ABCA7 is associated with age at onset and disease duration, and the minor allele of rs670139 in MS4A6E was associated with Braak tangle and Braak plaque score. These findings suggest that expression of some GWAS genes, namely ABCA7, BIN1, CD33, CLU, CR1 and the MS4A family, are altered in AD brains.

  11. Expression of Androgen Receptor Is Negatively Regulated By p53

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatouma Alimirah

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Increased expression of androgen receptor (AR in prostate cancer (PC is associated with transition to androgen independence. Because the progression of PC to advanced stages is often associated with the loss of p53 function, we tested whether the p53 could regulate the expression of AR gene. Here we report that p53 negatively regulates the expression of AR in prostate epithelial cells (PrECs. We found that in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells that express the wild-type p53 and AR and in human normal PrECs, the activation of p53 by genotoxic stress or by inhibition of p53 nuclear export downregulated the expression of AR. Furthermore, forced expression of p53 in LNCaP cells decreased the expression of AR. Conversely, knockdown of p53 expression in LNCaP cells increased the AR expression. Consistent with the negative regulation of AR expression by p53, the p53-null HCT116 cells expressed higher levels of AR compared with the isogenic HCT116 cells that express the wildtype p53. Moreover, we noted that in etoposide treated LNCaP cells p53 bound to the promoter region of the AR gene, which contains a potential p53 DNA-binding consensus sequence, in chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Together, our observations provide support for the idea that the loss of p53 function in prostate cancer cells contributes to increased expression of AR.

  12. Co-Expression of Neighboring Genes in the Zebrafish (Danio rerio Genome

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    Daryi Wang

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Neighboring genes in the eukaryotic genome have a tendency to express concurrently, and the proximity of two adjacent genes is often considered a possible explanation for their co-expression behavior. However, the actual contribution of the physical distance between two genes to their co-expression behavior has yet to be defined. To further investigate this issue, we studied the co-expression of neighboring genes in zebrafish, which has a compact genome and has experienced a whole genome duplication event. Our analysis shows that the proportion of highly co-expressed neighboring pairs (Pearson’s correlation coefficient R>0.7 is low (0.24% ~ 0.67%; however, it is still significantly higher than that of random pairs. In particular, the statistical result implies that the co-expression tendency of neighboring pairs is negatively correlated with their physical distance. Our findings therefore suggest that physical distance may play an important role in the co-expression of neighboring genes. Possible mechanisms related to the neighboring genes’ co-expression are also discussed.

  13. Effects of over-expression of allene oxide cyclase on camptothecin ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    emily

    2012-03-22

    Mar 22, 2012 ... biosynthetic pathway genes and higher yields of nicotine. (Jiang et al., 2009). ... EXPERIMENTALS. Construction of CaAOC expression vector ... and rinsed thoroughly five times in sterile distilled water. Then, the wounded ...

  14. Somatostatin receptor subtype expression in human thyroid tumours.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klagge, A; Krause, K; Schierle, K; Steinert, F; Dralle, H; Fuhrer, D

    2010-04-01

    Somatostatin receptors (SSTR) are expressed in various endocrine tumours. The expression of SSTR at the tumour cell surface confers the possibility for diagnostic imaging and therapy of tumours using radiolabeled somatostatin analogues. The majority of currently available somatostatin analogues show a higher binding affinity for the SSTR2 subtype. To date, the precise expression pattern of the SSTR subtypes 1-5 in thyroid epithelial tumours remains to be determined. We investigated the mRNA expression of SSTR1-5 in benign and malignant epithelial thyroid tumours [20 cold thyroid nodules (CTNs), 20 toxic thyroid nodules (TTNs), 20 papillary, 20 follicular, and 5 anaplastic carcinomas (PTCs, FTCs, ATCs, respectively)] and compared them to normal surrounding thyroid tissues. Four out of five SSTR subtypes were detected in malignant thyroid tumours, benign neoplasia, and normal surrounding tissue with a predominant expression of SSTR2 and SSTR5, and a weak expression of SSTR1 and SSTR3. Weak SSTR4 mRNA expression was detected in some PTCs. Compared to normal thyroid tissue, SSTR2 was significantly upregulated in PTC and ATC. In addition significant upregulation of SSTR3 was found in PTC. SSTR5 mRNA expression was increased in PTC and FTC and significantly decreased in CTN and TTN compared to normal thyroid tissue. SSTR2 is the predominant subtype in thyroid epithelial tumours with a high expression pattern, in particular, in PTC . Perspectively, the expression of distinct SSTR in thyroid epithelial tumours might represent a promising avenue for diagnostics and therapy of advanced thyroid cancer with somatostatin analogues. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart New York.

  15. Expression of GARP selectively identifies activated human FOXP3+ regulatory T cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Rui; Kozhaya, Lina; Mercer, Frances; Khaitan, Alka; Fujii, Hodaka; Unutmaz, Derya

    2009-08-11

    The molecules that define human regulatory T cells (Tregs) phenotypically and functionally remain to be fully characterized. We recently showed that activated human Tregs express mRNA for a transmembrane protein called glycoprotein A repetitions predominant (GARP, or LRRC32). Here, using a GARP-specific mAb, we demonstrate that expression of GARP on activated Tregs correlates with their suppressive capacity. However, GARP was not induced on T cells activated in the presence of TGFbeta, which expressed high levels of FOXP3 and lacked suppressive function. Ectopic expression of FOXP3 in conventional T cells was also insufficient for induction of GARP expression in most donors. Functionally, silencing GARP in Tregs only moderately attenuated their suppressive activity. CD25+ T cells sorted for high GARP expression displayed more potent suppressive activity compared with CD25+GARP- cells. Remarkably, CD25+GARP- T cells expanded in culture contained 3-5 fold higher IL-17-secreting cells compared with either CD25+GARP+ or CD25-GARP- cells, suggesting that high GARP expression can potentially discriminate Tregs from those that have switched to Th17 lineage. We also determined whether GARP expression correlates with FOXP3-expressing T cells in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) -infected subjects. A subset of HIV+ individuals with high percentages of FOXP3+ T cells did not show proportionate increase in GARP+ T cells. This finding suggests that higher FOXP3 levels observed in these HIV+ individuals is possibly due to immune activation rather than to an increase in Tregs. Our findings highlight the significance of GARP both in dissecting duality of Treg/Th17 cell differentiation and as a marker to identify bona fide Tregs during diseases with chronic immune activation.

  16. Interleukin-17A Gene Expression in Morbidly Obese Women

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    Fernando Zapata-Gonzalez

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Data from recent studies conducted in rodent models and humans suggest that interleukin-17A (IL-17A plays a role in the induction of inflammation in adipose tissue during obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the gene expression of IL-17A in adipose tissue of morbidly obese patients. We used RT-PCR to evaluate the expression of IL-17A and several adipo/cytokines in the visceral adipose tissue (VAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT of 10 normal-weight control women (BMI < 25 kg/m2 and 30 morbidly obese women (MO, BMI > 40 kg/m2. We measured serum levels of IL-17A and adipo/cytokines in MO and normal weight women. IL-17A expression was significantly higher in VAT than in SAT in MO patients (p = 0.0127. It was very low in normal-weight controls in both VAT and SAT tissues. We found positive correlations between IL-17A and IL-6, lipocalin-2 and resistin in VAT of MO patients. The circulating level of IL-17A was higher in the normal-weight group than the MO patients (p = 0.032, and it was significantly related to adiponectin and TNFRII levels. In conclusion, IL-17A expression in VAT is increased in morbidly obese women, which suggests a link between obesity and innate immunity in low-grade chronic inflammation in morbidly obese women.

  17. Transient Co-Expression of Post-Transcriptional Gene Silencing Suppressors for Increased in Planta Expression of a Recombinant Anthrax Receptor Fusion Protein

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kittipong Rattanaporn

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Potential epidemics of infectious diseases and the constant threat of bioterrorism demand rapid, scalable, and cost-efficient manufacturing of therapeutic proteins. Molecular farming of tobacco plants provides an alternative for the recombinant production of therapeutics. We have developed a transient production platform that uses Agrobacterium infiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana plants to express a novel anthrax receptor decoy protein (immunoadhesin, CMG2-Fc. This chimeric fusion protein, designed to protect against the deadly anthrax toxins, is composed of the von Willebrand factor A (VWA domain of human capillary morphogenesis 2 (CMG2, an effective anthrax toxin receptor, and the Fc region of human immunoglobulin G (IgG. We evaluated, in N. benthamiana intact plants and detached leaves, the expression of CMG2-Fc under the control of the constitutive CaMV 35S promoter, and the co-expression of CMG2-Fc with nine different viral suppressors of post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS: p1, p10, p19, p21, p24, p25, p38, 2b, and HCPro. Overall, transient CMG2-Fc expression was higher on intact plants than detached leaves. Maximum expression was observed with p1 co-expression at 3.5 days post-infiltration (DPI, with a level of 0.56 g CMG2-Fc per kg of leaf fresh weight and 1.5% of the total soluble protein, a ten-fold increase in expression when compared to absence of suppression. Co-expression with the p25 PTGS suppressor also significantly increased the CMG2-Fc expression level after just 3.5 DPI.

  18. Transient co-expression of post-transcriptional gene silencing suppressors for increased in planta expression of a recombinant anthrax receptor fusion protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arzola, Lucas; Chen, Junxing; Rattanaporn, Kittipong; Maclean, James M; McDonald, Karen A

    2011-01-01

    Potential epidemics of infectious diseases and the constant threat of bioterrorism demand rapid, scalable, and cost-efficient manufacturing of therapeutic proteins. Molecular farming of tobacco plants provides an alternative for the recombinant production of therapeutics. We have developed a transient production platform that uses Agrobacterium infiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana plants to express a novel anthrax receptor decoy protein (immunoadhesin), CMG2-Fc. This chimeric fusion protein, designed to protect against the deadly anthrax toxins, is composed of the von Willebrand factor A (VWA) domain of human capillary morphogenesis 2 (CMG2), an effective anthrax toxin receptor, and the Fc region of human immunoglobulin G (IgG). We evaluated, in N. benthamiana intact plants and detached leaves, the expression of CMG2-Fc under the control of the constitutive CaMV 35S promoter, and the co-expression of CMG2-Fc with nine different viral suppressors of post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS): p1, p10, p19, p21, p24, p25, p38, 2b, and HCPro. Overall, transient CMG2-Fc expression was higher on intact plants than detached leaves. Maximum expression was observed with p1 co-expression at 3.5 days post-infiltration (DPI), with a level of 0.56 g CMG2-Fc per kg of leaf fresh weight and 1.5% of the total soluble protein, a ten-fold increase in expression when compared to absence of suppression. Co-expression with the p25 PTGS suppressor also significantly increased the CMG2-Fc expression level after just 3.5 DPI.

  19. Fibroid explants reveal a higher sensitivity against MDM2-inhibitor nutlin-3 than matching myometrium

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    Markowski Dominique N

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Spontaneous cessation of growth is a frequent finding in uterine fibroids. Increasing evidence suggests an important role of cellular senescence in this growth control. Deciphering the underlying mechanisms of growth control that can be expected not only to shed light on the biology of the tumors but also to identify novel therapeutic targets. Methods We have analyzed uterine leiomyomas and matching normal tissue for the expression of p14Arf and used explants to see if reducing the MDM2 activity using the small-molecule inhibitor nutlin-3 can induce p53 and activate genes involved in senescence and/or apoptosis. For these studies quantitative real-time RT-PCR, Western blots, and immunohistochemistry were used. Statistical analyses were performed using the student's t test. Results An in depth analysis of 52 fibroids along with matching myometrium from 31 patients revealed in almost all cases a higher expression of p14Arf in the tumors than in the matching normal tissue. In tissue explants, treatment with the MDM2 inhibitor nutlin-3 induced apoptosis as well as senescence as revealed by a dose-dependent increase of the expression of BAX as well as of p21, respectively. Simultaneously, the expression of the proliferation marker Ki-67 drastically decreased. Western-blot analysis identified an increase of the p53 level as the most likely reason for the increased activity of its downstream markers BAX and p21. Because as a rule fibroids express much higher levels of p14Arf, a major negative regulator of MDM2, than matching myometrium it was then analyzed if fibroids are more sensitive against nutlin-3 treatment than matching myometrium. We were able to show that in most fibroids analyzed a higher sensibility than that of matching myometrium was noted with a corresponding increase of the p53 immunopositivity of the fibroid samples compared to those from myometrium. Conclusions The results show that uterine fibroids represent a cell

  20. Expression and clinical significance of Pax6 gene in retinoblastoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hai-Dong Huang

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To discuss the expression and clinical significance of Pax6 gene in retinoblastoma(Rb. METHODS: Totally 15 cases of fresh Rb organizations were selected as observation group and 15 normal retinal organizations as control group. Western-Blot and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCRmethods were used to detect Pax6 protein and Pax6 mRNA expressions of the normal retina organizations and Rb organizations. At the same time, Western Blot method was used to detect the Pax6 gene downstream MATH5 and BRN3b differentiation gene protein level expression. After the comparison between two groups, the expression and clinical significance of Pax6 gene in Rb were discussed. RESULTS: In the observation group, average value of mRNA expression of Pax6 gene was 0.99±0.03; average value of Pax6 gene protein expression was 2.07±0.15; average value of BRN3b protein expression was 0.195±0.016; average value of MATH5 protein expression was 0.190±0.031. They were significantly higher than the control group, and the differences were statistically significant(PCONCLUSION: Abnormal expression of Pax6 gene is likely to accelerate the occurrence of Rb.

  1. Understanding gene expression in coronary artery disease through ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    through global profiling, network analysis and independent validation of key candidate ... and IL8 showed >8-fold higher expression in cases relative to the controls implying their important role in CAD. ..... ducted on mice model, which was a cross hybridiza- .... Apostolakis S., Vogiatzi K., Amanatidou V. and Spandidos D. A..

  2. Exogenous Methyl Jasmonate and Salicylic Acid Induce Subspecies-Specific Patterns of Glucosinolate Accumulation and Gene Expression in Brassica oleracea L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Go-Eun; Robin, Arif Hasan Khan; Yang, Kiwoung; Park, Jong-In; Hwang, Byung Ho; Nou, Ill-Sup

    2016-10-24

    Glucosinolates have anti-carcinogenic properties. In the recent decades, the genetics of glucosinolate biosynthesis has been widely studied, however, the expression of specific genes involved in glucosinolate biosynthesis under exogenous phytohormone treatment has not been explored at the subspecies level in Brassica oleracea . Such data are vital for strategies aimed at selective exploitation of glucosinolate profiles. This study quantified the expression of 38 glucosinolate biosynthesis-related genes in three B. oleracea subspecies, namely cabbage, broccoli and kale, and catalogued associations between gene expression and increased contents of individual glucosinolates under methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and salicylic acid (SA) treatments. Glucosinolate accumulation and gene expression in response to phytohormone elicitation was subspecies specific. For instance, cabbage leaves showed enhanced accumulation of the aliphatic glucoiberin, progoitrin, sinigrin and indolic neoglucobrassicin under both MeJA and SA treatment. MeJA treatment induced strikingly higher accumulation of glucobrassicin (GBS) in cabbage and kale and of neoglucobrassicin (NGBS) in broccoli compared to controls. Notably higher expression of ST5a (Bol026200), CYP81F1 (Bol028913, Bol028914) and CYP81F4 genes was associated with significantly higher GBS accumulation under MeJA treatment compared to controls in all three subspecies. CYP81F4 genes, trans-activated by MYB34 genes, were expressed at remarkably high levels in all three subspecies under MeJA treatment, which also induced in higher indolic NGBS accumulation in all three subspecies. Remarkably higher expression of MYB28 (Bol036286), ST5b , ST5c , AOP2 , FMOGS-OX5 (Bol031350) and GSL-OH (Bol033373) was associated with much higher contents of aliphatic glucosinolates in kale leaves compared to the other two subspecies. The genes expressed highly could be utilized in strategies to selectively increase glucosinolate compounds in B. oleracea

  3. Periostin Expression and Its Prognostic Value for Colorectal Cancer

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    Zewu Li

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Integrin is important for cell growth, invasion and metastasis, which are frequently observed in malignant tumors. The periostin (POSTN gene encodes the ligand for integrin, one of the key focal adhesion proteins contributing to the formation of a structural link between the extracellular matrix and integrins. High expression levels of the POSTN gene are correlated with numerous human malignancies. We examined POSTN protein in colorectal cancer specimens from 115 patients by strictly following up using immunohistochemistry. Cytoplasm immunohistochemical staining showed POSTN protein expression in colorectal cancers. The positive expression rate of POSTN protein (59.13%, 68/115 in colorectal cancers was significantly higher than that in adjacent normal colon mucosa (0.47%, 11/109. POSTN over-expression in colorectal cancers was positively correlated with tumor size, differentiation, lymph node metastasis, serosal invasion, clinical stage and five-year survival rates. Further analysis showed that patients with advanced stage colorectal cancer and high POSTN expression levels had lower survival rates than those with early stage colorectal cancer and low POSTN expression levels. Overall, our results showed that POSTN played an important role in the progression of colorectal cancers.

  4. Mucosal Progranulin expression is induced by H. pylori, but independent of Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor (SLPI expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Treiber Gerhard

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Mucosal levels of Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor (SLPI are specifically reduced in relation to H. pylori-induced gastritis. Progranulin is an epithelial growth factor that is proteolytically degraded into fragments by elastase (the main target of SLPI. Considering the role of SLPI for regulating the activity of elastase, we studied whether the H. pylori-induced reduction of SLPI and the resulting increase of elastase-derived activity would reduce the Progranulin protein levels both ex vivo and in vitro. Methods The expression of Progranulin was studied in biopsies of H. pylori-positive, -negative and -eradicated subjects as well as in the gastric tumor cell line AGS by ELISA, immunohistochemistry and real-time RT-PCR. Results H. pylori-infected subjects had about 2-fold increased antral Progranulin expression compared to H. pylori-negative and -eradicated subjects (P H. pylori infection; both epithelial and infiltrating immune cells contributed to the higher Progranulin expression levels. The H. pylori-induced upregulation of Progranulin was verified in AGS cells infected by H. pylori. The down-regulation of endogenous SLPI expression in AGS cells by siRNA methodology did not affect the Progranulin expression independent of the infection by H. pylori. Conclusions Taken together, Progranulin was identified as novel molecule that is upregulated in context to H. pylori infection. In contrast to other diseases, SLPI seems not to have a regulatory role for Progranulin in H. pylori-mediated gastritis.

  5. Mucosal Progranulin expression is induced by H. pylori, but independent of Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor (SLPI) expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wex, Thomas; Kuester, Doerthe; Schönberg, Cornelius; Schindele, Daniel; Treiber, Gerhard; Malfertheiner, Peter

    2011-05-26

    Mucosal levels of Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor (SLPI) are specifically reduced in relation to H. pylori-induced gastritis. Progranulin is an epithelial growth factor that is proteolytically degraded into fragments by elastase (the main target of SLPI). Considering the role of SLPI for regulating the activity of elastase, we studied whether the H. pylori-induced reduction of SLPI and the resulting increase of elastase-derived activity would reduce the Progranulin protein levels both ex vivo and in vitro. The expression of Progranulin was studied in biopsies of H. pylori-positive, -negative and -eradicated subjects as well as in the gastric tumor cell line AGS by ELISA, immunohistochemistry and real-time RT-PCR. H. pylori-infected subjects had about 2-fold increased antral Progranulin expression compared to H. pylori-negative and -eradicated subjects (P Progranulin and SLPI levels were identified. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the upregulation of Progranulin in relation to H. pylori infection; both epithelial and infiltrating immune cells contributed to the higher Progranulin expression levels. The H. pylori-induced upregulation of Progranulin was verified in AGS cells infected by H. pylori. The down-regulation of endogenous SLPI expression in AGS cells by siRNA methodology did not affect the Progranulin expression independent of the infection by H. pylori. Taken together, Progranulin was identified as novel molecule that is upregulated in context to H. pylori infection. In contrast to other diseases, SLPI seems not to have a regulatory role for Progranulin in H. pylori-mediated gastritis.

  6. Evaluating Haskell expressions in a tutoring environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tim Olmer

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available A number of introductory textbooks for Haskell use calculations right from the start to give the reader insight into the evaluation of expressions and the behavior of functional programs. Many programming concepts that are important in the functional programming paradigm, such as recursion, higher-order functions, pattern-matching, and lazy evaluation, can be partially explained by showing a stepwise computation. A student gets a better understanding of these concepts if she performs these evaluation steps herself. Tool support for experimenting with the evaluation of Haskell expressions is currently lacking. In this paper we present a prototype implementation of a stepwise evaluator for Haskell expressions that supports multiple evaluation strategies, specifically targeted at education. Besides performing evaluation steps the tool also diagnoses steps that are submitted by a student, and provides feedback. Instructors can add or change function definitions without knowledge of the tool's internal implementation. We discuss some preliminary results of a small survey about the tool.

  7. Expression variation: its relevance to emergence of chronic disease and to therapy.

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    Anatoly L Mayburd

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Stochastic fluctuations in the protein turnover underlie the random emergence of neural precursor cells from initially homogenous cell population. If stochastic alteration of the levels in signal transduction networks is sufficient to spontaneously alter a phenotype, can it cause a sporadic chronic disease as well -- including cancer? METHODS: Expression in >80 disease-free tissue environments was measured using Affymetrix microarray platform comprising 54675 probe-sets. Steps were taken to suppress the technical noise inherent to microarray experiment. Next, the integrated expression and expression variability data were aligned with the mechanistic data covering major human chronic diseases. RESULTS: Measured as class average, variability of expression of disease associated genes measured in health was higher than variability of random genes for all chronic pathologies. Anti-cancer FDA approved targets were displaying much higher variability as a class compared to random genes. Same held for magnitude of gene expression. The genes known to participate in multiple chronic disorders demonstrated the highest variability. Disease-related gene categories displayed on average more intricate regulation of biological function vs random reference, were enriched in adaptive and transient functions as well as positive feedback relationships. CONCLUSIONS: A possible causative link can be suggested between normal (healthy state gene expression variation and inception of major human pathologies, including cancer. Study of variability profiles may lead to novel diagnostic methods, therapies and better drug target prioritization. The results of the study suggest the need to advance personalized therapy development.

  8. A comparative study of P450 gene expression in field and laboratory Musca domestica L. strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Højland, Dorte H; Vagn Jensen, Karl-Martin; Kristensen, Michael

    2014-08-01

    The housefly is a global pest that has developed resistance to most insecticides applied for its control. Resistance has been associated with cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s). The authors compare the expression of six genes possibly associated with insecticide resistance in three unselected strains: a multiresistant strain (791a), a neonicotinoid-resistant strain (766b) and a new field strain (845b). CYP4G2 was highly expressed throughout the range of strains and proved to be the one of the most interesting expression profiles of all P450s analysed. CYP6G4 was expressed up to 11-fold higher in 766b than in WHO-SRS. Significant differences between expression of P450 genes between F1 flies from 845b and established laboratory strains were shown. In general, P450 gene expression in 845b was 2-14-fold higher than in the reference strain (P resistance. There is a strong indication that CYP6G4 is a major insecticide resistance gene involved in neonicotinoid resistance. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  9. 131 The Ambiguity of Musical Expression Marks and the Challenges ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    'tender' art in Nigerian higher institutions where most learners start at a relatively ... expression/performance marks as 'symbols and words or phrases and their .... involves the study of the teaching of the motor, intellectual, problem solving, ...

  10. Expression analysis of OsbZIP transcription factors in resistance ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    zino

    2013-08-21

    Aug 21, 2013 ... Plant basic leucine zipper (bZIP) proteins play an essential role in the genes expression and regulation in higher plants. They have been shown to regulate diverse plant specific phenomena, including germination, floral induction and development, seed maturation, photomorphogenesis, biotic and.

  11. Melanoma transition is frequently accompanied by a loss of cytoglobin expression in melanocytes: a novel expression site of cytoglobin.

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    Yoshihiko Fujita

    Full Text Available The tissue distribution and function of hemoglobin or myoglobin are well known; however, a newly found cytoglobin (CYGB, which also belongs to the globin family, remains to be characterized. To assess its expression in human malignancies, we sought to screen a number of cell lines originated from many tissues using northern blotting and real time PCR techniques. Unexpectedly, we found that several, but not all, melanoma cell lines expressed CYGB mRNA and protein at much higher levels than cells of other origins. Melanocytes, the primary origin of melanoma, also expressed CYGB at a high level. To verify these observations, immunostaining and immunoblotting using anti-CYGB antibody were also performed. Bisulfite-modified genomic sequencing revealed that several melanoma cell lines that abrogated CYGB expression were found to be epigenetically regulated by hypermethylation in the promoter region of CYGB gene. The RNA interference-mediated knockdown of the CYGB transcript in CYGB expression-positive melanoma cell lines resulted in increased proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Flow cytometric analysis using 2'-, 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA, an indicator of reactive oxygen species (ROS, revealed that the cellular ROS level may be involved in the proliferative effect of CYGB. Thus, CYGB appears to play a tumor suppressive role as a ROS regulator, and its epigenetic silencing, as observed in CYGB expression-negative melanoma cell lines, might function as an alternative pathway in the melanocyte-to-melanoma transition.

  12. Th1-, Th2-, and Th17-associated cytokine expression in hypopharyngeal carcinoma and clinical significance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xuemei; Wang, Junfu; Wang, Rui; Su, Qinghong; Luan, Junwen; Huang, Haiyan; Zhou, Peng; Liu, Jinsheng; Xu, Xiaoqun

    2016-02-01

    Th0 cells differentiate into Th1 or Th2 depending on multiple transcription factors acting on specific time points to regulate gene expression. Th17 cells, a subset of IL-17-producing T cells distinct from Th1 or Th2 cells, have been described as key players in inflammation and autoimmune diseases as well as cancer development. In the present study, 53 patients with hypopharyngeal cancer were included. The expression levels of Th1-, Th2- and Th17-associated cytokines in hypopharyngeal cancer tissues and pericarcinoma tissues were detected. The relationship between Th1, Th2, or Th17 infiltration and metastasis was studied. Our results showed that the mRNA and protein expressions of Th1 cytokines were lower, while the expressions of Th2 and Th17 cytokines were higher in tumor tissues, and the intensity of expression was strengthened with clinical stage increasing. Cancer tissues had higher level expressions of Th2 and Th17 cytokines than that of pericarcinoma tissues. From the above data, we speculated that high expressions of Th2- and Th17-associated cytokines in hypopharyngeal carcinoma may contribute to cancer development and metastasis.

  13. Effect of enhanced expression of connexin 43 on sunitinib-induced cytotoxicity in mesothelioma cells

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    Miaki Uzu

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Connexin (Cx makes up a type of intercellular channel called gap junction (GJ. GJ plays a regulatory role in cellular physiology. The Cx expression level is often decreased in cancer cells compared to that in healthy ones, and the restoration of its expression has been shown to exert antiproliferative effects. This work aims to evaluate the effect of the restoration of connexin 43 (Cx43 (the most ubiquitous Cx subtype expression on sunitinib (SU-induced cytotoxicity in malignant mesothelioma (MM cells. Increased Cx43 expression in an MM cell line (H28 improved the ability of SU to inhibit receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK signaling. Moreover, higher Cx43 expression promoted SU-induced apoptosis. The cell viability test revealed that Cx43 enhanced the cytotoxic effect of SU in a GJ-independent manner. The effect of Cx43 on a proapoptotic factor, Bax, was then investigated. The interaction between Cx43 and Bax was confirmed by immunoprecipitation. Furthermore, higher Cx43 expression increased the production of a cleaved (active form of Bax during SU-induced apoptosis with no alteration in total Bax expression. These findings indicate that Cx43 most likely increases sensitivity to SU in H28 through direct interaction with Bax. In conclusion, we found that Cx43 overcame the chemoresistance of MM cells.

  14. Faculty Expressions of (No) Confidence in Institutional Leadership

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frantz, Alan C.; Lawson, Jonathan N.

    2017-01-01

    Although institutions of higher education rarely crumble and fall in the wake of votes of no confidence in their leadership--in presidents, senior administrators, or even governing boards--those expressions of discontent do have meaning. They suggest something awry at the institution, and even the potential to precipitate change. They also present…

  15. Age and lesion-induced increases of GDNF transgene expression in brain following intracerebral injections of DNA nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yurek, D M; Hasselrot, U; Cass, W A; Sesenoglu-Laird, O; Padegimas, L; Cooper, M J

    2015-01-22

    In previous studies that used compacted DNA nanoparticles (DNP) to transfect cells in the brain, we observed higher transgene expression in the denervated striatum when compared to transgene expression in the intact striatum. We also observed that long-term transgene expression occurred in astrocytes as well as neurons. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that the higher transgene expression observed in the denervated striatum may be a function of increased gliosis. Several aging studies have also reported an increase of gliosis as a function of normal aging. In this study we used DNPs that encoded for human glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (hGDNF) and either a non-specific human polyubiquitin C (UbC) or an astrocyte-specific human glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter. The DNPs were injected intracerebrally into the denervated or intact striatum of young, middle-aged or aged rats, and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) transgene expression was subsequently quantified in brain tissue samples. The results of our studies confirmed our earlier finding that transgene expression was higher in the denervated striatum when compared to intact striatum for DNPs incorporating either promoter. In addition, we observed significantly higher transgene expression in the denervated striatum of old rats when compared to young rats following injections of both types of DNPs. Stereological analysis of GFAP+ cells in the striatum confirmed an increase of GFAP+ cells in the denervated striatum when compared to the intact striatum and also an age-related increase; importantly, increases in GFAP+ cells closely matched the increases in GDNF transgene levels. Thus neurodegeneration and aging may lay a foundation that is actually beneficial for this particular type of gene therapy while other gene therapy techniques that target neurons are actually targeting cells that are decreasing as the disease progresses. Copyright © 2014 IBRO. Published by

  16. Expression pattern of salt tolerance-related genes in Aegilops cylindrica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arabbeigi, Mahbube; Arzani, Ahmad; Majidi, Mohammad Mahdi; Sayed-Tabatabaei, Badraldin Ebrahim; Saha, Prasenjit

    2018-02-01

    Aegilops cylindrica , a salt-tolerant gene pool of wheat, is a useful plant model for understanding mechanism of salt tolerance. A salt-tolerant USL26 and a salt-sensitive K44 genotypes of A. cylindrica , originating from Uremia Salt Lake shores in Northwest Iran and a non-saline Kurdestan province in West Iran, respectively, were identified based on screening evaluation and used for this work. The objective of the current study was to investigate the expression patterns of four genes related to ion homeostasis in this species. Under treatment of 400 mM NaCl, USL26 showed significantly higher root and shoot dry matter levels and K + concentrations, together with lower Na + concentrations than K44 genotype. A. cylindrica HKT1;5 ( AecHKT1;5 ), SOS1 ( AecSOS1 ), NHX1 ( AecNHX1 ) and VP1 ( AecVP1 ) were partially sequenced to design each gene specific primer. Quantitative real-time PCR showed a differential expression pattern of these genes between the two genotypes and between the root and shoot tissues. Expressions of AecHKT1;5 and AecSOS1 was greater in the roots than in the shoots of USL26 while AecNHX1 and AecVP1 were equally expressed in both tissues of USL26 and K44. The higher transcripts of AecHKT1;5 in the roots versus the shoots could explain both the lower Na + in the shoots and the much lower Na + and higher K + concentrations in the roots/shoots of USL26 compared to K44. Therefore, the involvement of AecHKT1;5 in shoot-to-root handover of Na + in possible combination with the exclusion of excessive Na + from the root in the salt-tolerant genotype are suggested.

  17. Differential adipokine receptor expression on circulating leukocyte subsets in lean and obese children.

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    Genoveva Keustermans

    Full Text Available Childhood obesity prevalence has increased worldwide and is an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2D and cardiovascular disease (CVD. The production of inflammatory adipokines by obese adipose tissue contributes to the development of T2D and CVD. While levels of circulating adipokines such as adiponectin and leptin have been established in obese children and adults, the expression of adiponectin and leptin receptors on circulating immune cells can modulate adipokine signalling, but has not been studied so far. Here, we aim to establish the expression of adiponectin and leptin receptors on circulating immune cells in obese children pre and post-lifestyle intervention compared to normal weight control children.13 obese children before and after a 1-year lifestyle intervention were compared with an age and sex-matched normal weight control group of 15 children. Next to routine clinical and biochemical parameters, circulating adipokines were measured, and flow cytometric analysis of adiponectin receptor 1 and 2 (AdipoR1, AdipoR2 and leptin receptor expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cell subsets was performed.Obese children exhibited typical clinical and biochemical characteristics compared to controls, including a higher BMI-SD, blood pressure and circulating leptin levels, combined with a lower insulin sensitivity index (QUICKI. The 1-year lifestyle intervention resulted in stabilization of their BMI-SD. Overall, circulating leukocyte subsets showed distinct adipokine receptor expression profiles. While monocytes expressed high levels of all adipokine receptors, NK and iNKT cells predominantly expressed AdipoR2, and B-lymphocytes and CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte subsets expressed AdipoR2 as well as leptin receptor. Strikingly though, leukocyte subset numbers and adipokine receptor expression profiles were largely similar in obese children and controls. Obese children showed higher naïve B-cell numbers, and pre-intervention also

  18. CYP1B1 expression, a potential risk factor for breast cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goth-Goldstein, Regine; Erdmann, Christine A.; Russell, Marion

    2001-05-31

    CYP1B1 expression in non-tumor breast tissue from breast cancer patients and cancer-free individuals was determined to test the hypothesis that high CYP1B1 expression is a risk factor for breast cancer. Large interindividual variations in CYP1B1 expression were found with CYP1B1 levels notably higher in breast cancer patients than cancer-free individuals. The results indicate that CYP1B1 might play a role in breast cancer either through increased PAH activation or through metabolism of endogenous estrogen to a carcinogenic derivative.

  19. Expression of various sarcomeric tropomyosin isoforms in equine striated muscles

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    Syamalima Dube

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In order to better understand the training and athletic activity of horses, we must have complete understanding of the isoform diversity of various myofibrillar protein genes like tropomyosin. Tropomyosin (TPM, a coiled-coil dimeric protein, is a component of thin filament in striated muscles. In mammals, four TPM genes (TPM1, TPM2, TPM3, and TPM4 generate a multitude of TPM isoforms via alternate splicing and/or using different promoters. Unfortunately, our knowledge of TPM isoform diversity in the horse is very limited. Hence, we undertook a comprehensive exploratory study of various TPM isoforms from horse heart and skeletal muscle. We have cloned and sequenced two sarcomeric isoforms of the TPM1 gene called TPM1α and TPM1κ, one sarcomeric isoform of the TPM2 and one of the TPM3 gene, TPM2α and TPM3α respectively. By qRT-PCR using both relative expression and copy number, we have shown that TPM1α expression compared to TPM1κ is very high in heart. On the other hand, the expression of TPM1α is higher in skeletal muscle compared to heart. Further, the expression of TPM2α and TPM3α are higher in skeletal muscle compared to heart. Using western blot analyses with CH1 monoclonal antibody we have shown the high expression levels of sarcomeric TPM proteins in cardiac and skeletal muscle. Due to the paucity of isoform specific antibodies we cannot specifically detect the expression of TPM1κ in horse striated muscle. To the best of our knowledge this is the very first report on the characterization of sarcmeric TPMs in horse striated muscle.

  20. Thymosin beta 4 and thymosin beta 10 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma

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    W. Theunissen

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4 and thymosin beta 10 (Tβ10 are two members of the beta-thymosin family involved in many cellular processes such as cellular motility, angiogenesis, inflammation, cell survival and wound healing. Recently, a role for beta-thymosins has been proposed in the process of carcinogenesis as both peptides were detected in several types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression pattern of Tβ4 and Tβ10 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC. To this end, the expression pattern of both peptides was analyzed in liver samples obtained from 23 subjects diagnosed with HCC. Routinely formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded liver samples were immunostained by indirect immunohistochemistry with polyclonal antibodies to Tβ4 and Tβ10. Immunoreactivity for Tβ4 and Tβ10 was detected in the liver parenchyma of the surrounding tumor area. Both peptides showed an increase in granular reactivity from the periportal to the periterminal hepatocytes. Regarding HCC, Tβ4 reactivity was detected in 7/23 cases (30% and Tβ10 reactivity in 22/23 (97% cases analyzed, adding HCC to human cancers that express these beta-thymosins. Intriguing finding was seen looking at the reactivity of both peptides in tumor cells infiltrating the surrounding liver. Where Tβ10 showed a strong homogeneous expression, was Tβ4 completely absent in cells undergoing stromal invasion. The current study shows expression of both beta-thymosins in HCC with marked differences in their degree of expression and frequency of immunoreactivity. The higher incidence of Tβ10 expression and its higher reactivity in tumor cells involved in stromal invasion indicate a possible major role for Tβ10 in HCC progression.

  1. Children’s Empathy and Their Perception and Evaluation of Facial Pain Expression: An Eye Tracking Study

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    Zhiqiang Yan

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The function of empathic concern to process pain is a product of evolutionary adaptation. Focusing on 5- to 6-year old children, the current study employed eye-tracking in an odd-one-out task (searching for the emotional facial expression among neutral expressions, N = 47 and a pain evaluation task (evaluating the pain intensity of a facial expression, N = 42 to investigate the relationship between children’s empathy and their behavioral and perceptual response to facial pain expression. We found children detected painful expression faster than others (angry, sad, and happy, children high in empathy performed better on searching facial expression of pain, and gave higher evaluation of pain intensity; and rating for pain in painful expressions was best predicted by a self-reported empathy score. As for eye-tracking in pain detection, children fixated on pain more quickly, less frequently and for shorter times. Of facial clues, children fixated on eyes and mouth more quickly, more frequently and for longer times. These results implied that painful facial expression was different from others in a cognitive sense, and children’s empathy might facilitate their search and make them perceive the intensity of observed pain on the higher side.

  2. Cytokine expression in three chicken host systems infected with H9N2 influenza viruses with different pathogenicities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jianlin; Cao, Zhiwei; Guo, Xuejin; Zhang, Yi; Wang, Dongdong; Xu, Shouzheng; Yin, Yanbo

    2016-12-01

    SD/818 and SD/196 are H9N2 influenza virus strains isolated from chickens from the same farm at different times that exhibited similar genetic evolution. However, strain SD/818 exhibited higher pathogenicity in chickens than strain SD/196 and other H9N2 influenza virus epidemic strains from China. The expression of cytokines is an important host defence mechanism following viral infection and their intensity is a major determinant of viral pathogenicity. To elucidate the mechanism underlying the increased pathogenicity of strain SD/818 from the host's perspective, viral replication and cytokine expression were dynamically studied using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR in chickens infected with strain SD/818 compared with chickens infected with strain SD/196 in this study. The results showed that the replication of strain SD/818 and the expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-α and IFN-β induced by strain SD/818 were higher than those induced by strain SD/196 in the chicken host system. Expression of these cytokines in chickens coincided with or followed virus replication. These results suggested that high-level viral replication and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression (but not decreased type I IFN expression) were associated with the higher pathogenicity of strain SD/818 in chickens.

  3. TECHNOLOGIES AND PEDAGOGICAL MEDIATION IN DISTANCE HIGHER EDUCATION

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    Vilma Geni Slomsk

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated of the limits and possibilities of the pedagogical use of technologies in distance higher education according to the perceptions of professors working um a regular accounting course. Qualitative-descriptive research was done, with data collected by means of an online questionnaire with open-questions and then analyzed by means of content analysis. The following benefits of Distance Higher Education, according to the professors, were found: “the access to higher education”, “flexibility of time and physical space”, “student´s self-discipline and self-learning”. As critical points, they mentioned “lack of an online educational background of professors and students” and the “difficulty promoting professor/student interaction”. As a challenge, the professors mentioned “dealing with the absence of a direct relationship professor/student”, that is, the “face-toface situation", which is common in a classroom; the use of strategies and resources that promote the exchange of experiences and interaction”, the “student´s profile”, “lack of student´s maturity”, “self-discipline”. Therefore, it is concluded that digital media are also regarded by professors as mere instructional tools, which a fact that makes a more critical understanding of technologies and the use of their full potential, especially as a way of cultural expression and production.

  4. Analysis of Mel-18 expression in prostate cancer tissues and correlation with clinicopathologic features.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei; Lin, Tianxin; Huang, Jian; Hu, Weilie; Xu, Kewei; Liu, Jun

    2011-01-01

    Mel-18 is a member of the polycomb group (PcG) of proteins, which are chromatin regulatory factors that play an important role in development and oncogenesis. This study was designed to investigate the clinical and prognostic significance of Mel-18 in the patients with prostate cancer. Immunostaining with Mel-18 specific antibodies was performed on paraffin sections from 202 patients. Correlations between Mel-18 and the Gleason grading system, clinical stage, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and age were evaluated. PSA recurrence in 76 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy and survival in 59 patients with metastases at diagnosis were analyzed to evaluate the influence of Mel-18 expression in cancer progression using Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Staining was seen in all prostatic tissues. Mel-18 expression was significantly reduced in the prostate cancer patients with PSA levels over 100 ng/ml (P=0.009), advanced clinical stage (>T4, N1, or M1 disease, P=0.029), higher Gleason grade or with a higher Gleason score (P=0.018) than in those with other clinicopathologic features. Negative expression of Mel-18 was associated with significantly higher rates of PSA recurrence after radical prostatectomy than with positive expression of Mel-18 (P = 0.029), and was an independent predictor of PSA recurrence (P=0.034, HR=2.143) in multivariate analysis. Similarly, metastatic prostate cancer patients with negative expression of Mel-18 showed significantly worse survival compared with the positive expression of Mel-18 (P=0.025). In multivariate analysis, negative expression of Mel-18 was an independent predictor of cancer-specific survival (P=0.024, HR=2.365). Our study provides important evidence for the recognition of Mel-18 as a tumor suppressor. The expression of Mel-18 showed potential as a prognostic marker for human prostate cancer. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Complement inhibitory proteins expression in placentas of thrombophilic women Complement inhibitory proteins expression in placentas of thrombophilic women

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    Przemysław Krzysztof Wirstlein

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Factors controlling complement activation appear to exert a protective effect on pregnancy. This is
    particularly important in women with thrombophilia. The aim of this study was to determine the transcript and
    protein levels of complement decay-accelerating factor (DAF and membrane cofactor protein (MCP in the
    placentas of women with acquired and inherited thrombophilia. Also, we assessed immunohistochemistry staining
    of inhibitors of the complement cascade, DAF and MCP proteins, in the placentas of thrombophilic women.
    Placentas were collected from eight women with inherited thrombophilia and ten with acquired thrombophilia.
    The levels of DAF and MCP transcripts were evaluated by qPCR, the protein level was evaluated by Western
    blot. We observed a higher transcript (p < 0.05 and protein (p < 0.001 levels of DAF and MCP in the placentas
    of thrombophilic women than in the control group. DAF and MCP were localized on villous syncytiotrophoblast
    membranes, but the assessment of staining in all groups did not differ. The observed higher expression level of
    proteins that control activation of complement control proteins is only seemingly contradictory to the changes
    observed for example in the antiphospholipid syndrome. However, given the hitherto known biochemical changes
    associated with thrombophilia, a mechanism in which increased expression of DAF and MCP in the placentas is
    an effect of proinflammatory cytokines, which accompanies thrombophilia, is probable.Factors controlling complement activation appear to exert a protective effect on pregnancy. This is
    particularly important in women with thrombophilia. The aim of this study was to determine the transcript and
    protein levels of complement decay-accelerating factor (DAF and membrane cofactor protein (MCP in the
    placentas of women with acquired and inherited thrombophilia. Also, we assessed immunohistochemistry

  6. Performance deficits in a voluntary saccade task in Chinese "express saccade makers".

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    Paul C Knox

    Full Text Available Differences in behaviour and cognition have been observed in different human populations. It has been reported that in various types of complex visual task, eye movement patterns differ systematically between Chinese and non-Chinese participants, an observation that has been related to differences in culture between groups. However, we confirm here that, in healthy, naïve adult Chinese participants, a far higher proportion (22% than expected (1-5% exhibit a pattern of reflexive eye movement behaviour (high numbers of low latency express saccades in circumstances designed to inhibit such responses (prosaccade overlap tasks. These participants are defined as "express saccade makers" (ESMs. We then show using the antisaccade paradigm, which requires the inhibition of reflexive responses and the programming and execution of voluntary saccades, that the performance of ESMs is compromised; they have higher antisaccade directional error rates, and the latency distributions of their error saccades again exhibit a higher proportion of low latency express saccade errors consistent with a reduced ability to inhibit reflexive responses. These results are difficult to reconcile with a cultural explanation as they relate to important and specific performance differences within a particular population. They suggest a potential unexpected confound relevant to those studies of Chinese versus other groups which have investigated group differences using oculomotor measures, and explained them in terms of culture. The confirmation of higher numbers of ESMs among Chinese participants provides new opportunities for examining oculomotor control.

  7. Fibroblasts maintained in 3 dimensions show a better differentiation state and higher sensitivity to estrogens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Montani, Claudia [Laboratory of Biotechnology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Civic Hospital of Brescia (Italy); Steimberg, Nathalie; Boniotti, Jennifer [Laboratory of Tissue Engineering, Anatomy and Physiopathology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Brescia (Italy); Biasiotto, Giorgio; Zanella, Isabella [Laboratory of Biotechnology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Civic Hospital of Brescia (Italy); Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia (Italy); Diafera, Giuseppe [Integrated Systems Engineering (ISE), Milan (Italy); Biunno, Ida [IRGB-CNR, Milan (Italy); IRCCS-Multimedica, Milan (Italy); Caimi, Luigi [Laboratory of Biotechnology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Civic Hospital of Brescia (Italy); Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia (Italy); Mazzoleni, Giovanna [Laboratory of Tissue Engineering, Anatomy and Physiopathology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Brescia (Italy); Di Lorenzo, Diego, E-mail: diego.dilorenzo@yahoo.it [Laboratory of Biotechnology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Civic Hospital of Brescia (Italy)

    2014-11-01

    Cell differentiation and response to hormonal signals were studied in a 3D environment on an in-house generated mouse fibroblast cell line expressing a reporter gene under the control of estrogen responsive sequences (EREs). 3D cell culture conditions were obtained in a Rotary Cell Culture System; (RCCS™), a microgravity based bioreactor that promotes the aggregation of cells into multicellular spheroids (MCS). In this bioreactor the cells maintained a better differentiated phenotype and more closely resembled in vivo tissue. The RCCS™ cultured fibroblasts showed higher expression of genes regulating cell assembly, differentiation and hormonal functions. Microarray analysis showed that genes related to cell cycle, proliferation, cytoskeleton, migration, adhesion and motility were all down-regulated in 3D as compared to 2D conditions, as well as oncogene expression and inflammatory cytokines. Controlled remodeling of ECM, which is an essential aspect of cell organization, homeostasis and tissue was affected by the culture method as assessed by immunolocalization of β-tubulin. Markers of cell organization, homeostasis and tissue repair, metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and its physiological inhibitor (TIMP4) changed expression in association with the relative formation of cell aggregates. The fibroblasts cultured in the RCCS™ maintain a better responsiveness to estrogens, measured as expression of ERα and regulation of an ERE-dependent reporter and of the endogenous target genes CBP, Rarb, MMP1 and Dbp. Our data highlight the interest of this 3D culture model for its potential application in the field of cell response to hormonal signals and the pharmaco-toxicological analyses of chemicals and natural molecules endowed of estrogenic potential. - Highlights: • We here characterized the first cell line derived from an estrogen reporter mouse. • In the RCCS cells express an immortalized behavior but not a transformed phenotype. • The RCCS provides a system for

  8. Expression of xenobiotic metabolizing cytochrome P450 genes in a spinosad-resistant Musca domestica L. strain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorte H Højland

    Full Text Available Spinosad is important in pest management strategies of multiple insect pests. However, spinosad resistance is emerging in various pest species. Resistance has in some species been associated with alterations of the target-site receptor, but in others P450s seems to be involved. We test the possible importance of nine cytochrome P450 genes in the spinosad-resistant housefly strain 791spin and investigate the influence of spinosad on P450 expression in four other housefly strains.Significant differences in P450 expression of the nine P450 genes in the four strains after spinosad treatment were identified in 40% of cases, most of these as induction. The highly expressed CYP4G2 was induced 6.6-fold in the insecticide susceptible WHO-SRS females, but decreased 2-fold in resistant 791spin males. CYP6G4 was constitutively higher expressed in the resistant strain compared to the susceptible strain. Furthermore, CYP6G4 gene expression was increased in susceptible WHO-SRS flies by spinosad while the expression level did not alter significantly in resistant fly strains. Expression of CYP6A1 and male CYP6D3 was constitutively higher in the resistant strain compared to the susceptible. However, in both cases male expression was higher than female expression.CYP4G2, CYP6A1, CYP6D3 and CYP6G4 have expressions patterns approaching the expectations of a hypothesized sex specific spinosad resistance gene. CYP4G2 fit requirements of a spinosad resistance gene best, making it the most likely candidate. The overall high expression level of CYP4G2 throughout the strains also indicates importance of this gene. However, the data on 791spin are not conclusive concerning spinosad resistance and small contributions from multiple P450s with different enzymatic capabilities could be speculated to do the job in 791spin. Differential expression of P450s between sexes is more a rule than an exception. Noteworthy differences between spinosad influenced expression of P450 genes

  9. Resistance to cycloxaprid in Laodelphax striatellus is associated with altered expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yueliang; Han, Yangchun; Yang, Qiong; Wang, Lihua; He, Peng; Liu, Zewen; Li, Zhong; Guo, Huifang; Fang, Jichao

    2018-04-01

    Cycloxaprid is a new oxabridged cis-configuration neonicotinoid insecticide, the resistance development potential and underlying resistance mechanism of which were investigated in the small brown planthopper, Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén), an important agricultural pest of rice. A cycloxaprid-resistant strain (YN-CPD) only achieved 10-fold higher resistance, in contrast to 106-fold higher resistance to buprofezin and 332-fold higher resistance to chlorpyrifos achieved after exposure to similar selection pressure, and the cycloxaprid selected line showed no cross-resistance to the buprofezin and chlorpyrifos-selected resistance strains. Moreover, we identified 10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits from the transcriptome of L. striatellus, and six segments had open reading frames (ORFs). While we did not find mutations in the nAChR genes of L. striatellus, subunits Lsα1 and Lsβ1 exhibited, respectively, 9.60-fold and 3.36-fold higher expression in the resistant strain, while Lsα8 exhibited 0.44-fold lower expression. Suppression of Lsα1 through ingestion of dsLsα1 led to an increase in susceptibility to cycloxaprid. The findings indicate that resistance to cycloxaprid develops slowly compared with resistance to other chemicals and without cross-resistance to chlorpyrifos or buprofezin; over-expressed Lsα1 is associated with low cycloxaprid resistance levels, but the importance of over-expressed Lsβ1 and reduced expression of Lsα8 could not be excluded. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  10. Galectin-3 and cyclin D1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer

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    Gołecki Marcin

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Lung cancer is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Galectin-3 is multifunctional protein, which is involved in regulation of cell growth, cell adhesion, cell proliferation, angiogenesis and apoptosis. Cyclin D1 together with other cyclin plays an important role in cell cycle control. Cyclin D1 regulates the G1-to-S phase transition. The aim of this study was the evaluation of correlations between clinicopathological findings and cyclin D1 and galectin-3 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC. We wanted also to analyze the prognostic value of cyclin D1 and galectin-3 expression. Moreover we tried to evaluate the correlations between galectin-3 and cyclin D1 expression in tumor tissue. Materials and methods We used the immunochemistry method to investigate the expression of galectin-3 and cyclin D1 in the paraffin-embedded tumor tissue of 47 patients (32 men and 15 women; mean age 59.34 ± 8.90. years. We used monoclonal antibodies to cyclin D1 (NCL-L-cyclin D1-GM clone P2D11F11 NOVO CASTRA and to galectin-3 (mouse monoclonal antibody NCL-GAL3 NOVO CASTRA. Results Galectin-3 expression was positive in 18 cases (38.29% and cyclin D1 in 39 (82.97%. We showed only weak trend, that galectin-3 expression was lower in patients without lymph node involvement (p = 0.07 and cyclin D1 expression was higher in this group (p = 0.080. We didn't reveal differences in cyclin D1 and galectin-3 expression in SCC and adenocarcinoma patients. We didn't demonstrated also differences in galectin-3 and cyclin D1 expression depending on disease stage. Moreover we analyzed the prognostic value of cyclin D1 expression and galectin-3 in all examinated patients and separately in SCC and in adenocarcinoma and in all stages, but we didn't find any statistical differences. We demonstrated that in galectin-3 positive tumors cyclin D1 expression was higher (96.55% vs 61.11%, Chi2 Yatesa 7.53, p = 0.0061 and we revealed negative

  11. Prokineticin 1 protein expression is a useful new prognostic factor for human sporadic colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakazawa, Toshiyuki; Goi, Takanori; Hirono, Yasuo; Yamaguchi, Akio

    2015-05-01

    Hematogenous metastasis, regarded as closely related to angiogenic growth factors, is associated with colorectal cancer prognosis. The angiogenic growth factor prokineticin 1 (PROK1) has been cloned from endocrine cells. However, its protein expression in human malignant tumors has not been studied. The current study established the anti-PROK1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and examined the relationship between the expression of PROK1 protein and human colorectal cancer. The expression of PROK1 protein was assessed in 620 resected sporadic colorectal cancer tissue samples by immunohistochemical staining with in-house-developed human PROK1 mAb to investigate the relationship of PROK1 expression to clinicopathologic factors, recurrence, and survival rate and to evaluate its prognostic significance. The expression of PROK1 protein was detected in 36 % (223/620) of human primary colorectal cancer lesions but no in the healthy mucosa adjacent to the colorectal cancer lesions. According to the clinicopathologic examinations, the frequency of positive PROK1 expression was significantly higher in cases with serosal invasion, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, lymph node metastasis, liver metastasis, hematogenous metastasis, and higher stage disease. The recurrence rate and prognosis for patients with PROK1 expression-positive lesions were significantly worse. In the Cox proportional hazard model, PROK1 expression was an independent prognostic factor. The expression of PROK1 protein was identified for the first time as a new prognostic factor in colorectal cancer.

  12. Benchmarking in Czech Higher Education

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    Plaček Michal

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The first part of this article surveys the current experience with the use of benchmarking at Czech universities specializing in economics and management. The results indicate that collaborative benchmarking is not used on this level today, but most actors show some interest in its introduction. The expression of the need for it and the importance of benchmarking as a very suitable performance-management tool in less developed countries are the impetus for the second part of our article. Based on an analysis of the current situation and existing needs in the Czech Republic, as well as on a comparison with international experience, recommendations for public policy are made, which lie in the design of a model of a collaborative benchmarking for Czech economics and management in higher-education programs. Because the fully complex model cannot be implemented immediately – which is also confirmed by structured interviews with academics who have practical experience with benchmarking –, the final model is designed as a multi-stage model. This approach helps eliminate major barriers to the implementation of benchmarking.

  13. Elevated Serum IL-17 Expression at Cessation Associated with Graves’ Disease Relapse

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    Jianhui Li

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Antithyroid drug (ATD treatment occupies the cornerstone therapeutic modality of Graves’ disease (GD with a high relapse rate after discontinuation. This study aimed to assess potential risk factors for GD relapse especially serum interleukin-17 (IL-17 expression. Methods. Consecutive newly diagnosed GD patients who were scheduled to undergo ATD therapy from May 2011 to May 2014 were prospectively enrolled. Risk factors for GD relapse were analyzed by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses. The association between serum IL-17 expression at cessation and GD relapse was analyzed with relapse-free survival (RFS by the Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and log-rank test. Results. Of the 117 patients, 72 (61.5% maintained a remission for 12 months after ATD withdrawal and 45 (38.5% demonstrated GD relapse. The final multivariate Cox analysis indicated elevated IL-17 expression at cessation to be an independent risk factor for GD relapse within 12 months after ATD withdrawal (HR: 3.04, 95% CI: 1.14–7.67, p=0.021. Patients with higher expressions of IL-17 (≥median value at cessation demonstrated a significantly higher RFS than those with lower levels by the Kaplan–Meier analysis and log-rank test (p=0.028. Conclusions. This present study indicated elevated serum IL-17 expression at cessation to be a predictor for GD relapse within 12 months.

  14. Apoptosis and expression of argyrophilic nucleolus organizer regions in epithelial neoplasms of the larynx

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    Christiana Vargas Ribeiro

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Occurrence of apoptosis and expression of proliferative markers are powerful tools to establish a prognosis in the follow-up of cancer.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the growth fraction in papillomas and laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas with three degrees of differentiation through apoptosis and the expression of nucleolus organizer regions.METHODS: Retrospective study from which paraffin material was submitted to microtomy and hematoxylin-eosin and silver staining. Stained slides were used to quantify the apoptotic index and the number of nucleolus organizer regions by morphometry.RESULTS: Apoptosis was significantly more frequent in well differentiated carcinomas and in papillomas, and a higher growth fraction of expressed nucleolus organizer regions and cells that expressed a greater than average number of nucleolus organizer regions were more frequently noted in undifferentiated carcinomas.CONCLUSIONS: Thus, it was possible to verify that a high apoptotic index was associated with a lower chance of tumor differentiation in carcinomas, while a greater number of total nucleolus organizer regions, cells expressing nucleolus organizer regions above average and a higher growth fraction were associated with greater likelihood of abnormal cell proliferation and increased tumor differentiation.

  15. Gene expression profile of pulpitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galicia, J C; Henson, B R; Parker, J S; Khan, A A

    2016-06-01

    The cost, prevalence and pain associated with endodontic disease necessitate an understanding of the fundamental molecular aspects of its pathogenesis. This study was aimed to identify the genetic contributors to pulpal pain and inflammation. Inflamed pulps were collected from patients diagnosed with irreversible pulpitis (n=20). Normal pulps from teeth extracted for various reasons served as controls (n=20). Pain level was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS). Genome-wide microarray analysis was performed using Affymetrix GeneTitan Multichannel Instrument. The difference in gene expression levels were determined by the significance analysis of microarray program using a false discovery rate (q-value) of 5%. Genes involved in immune response, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and signaling, integrin cell surface interactions, and others were expressed at relatively higher levels in the pulpitis group. Moreover, several genes known to modulate pain and inflammation showed differential expression in asymptomatic and mild pain patients (⩾30 mm on VAS) compared with those with moderate to severe pain. This exploratory study provides a molecular basis for the clinical diagnosis of pulpitis. With an enhanced understanding of pulpal inflammation, future studies on treatment and management of pulpitis and on pain associated with it can have a biological reference to bridge treatment strategies with pulpal biology.

  16. EXPRESSION OF SURVIVIN AND E-CADHERIN IN BREAST CANCER

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    TIAN Xiao-feng; LIU Ji-hong; WANG Li-fen; FENG XIAO-Mei; YAO Ji-hong

    2005-01-01

    Objective: Survivin is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family, and is involved in the regulation of cell division. E-cadherin functionally belongs to transmembrane glycoproteins family, it is responsible for intercellular junction mechanism that is crucial for the mutual association of vertebrate cells. These genes are thought to be associated with cancer aggression. This study was to investigate the relationship between surviving gene, E-cadherin expression and invasion clinicopathological features of breast cancer. Methods: The expression of surviving gene and E-cadherin were detected by SP immunohistochemical technique in tissues of 66 breast cancer, 20 breast fibroadenoma and 20 adjacent breast tissue. Results: The positive rate of surviving gene expression in breast cancer was 42.2%, significantly higher (P=0.025) than those in breast fibroadenoma (35.0%), and adjacent breast tissue (10.0%). The positive rate of E-cadherin in the groups of adjacent breast tissue, breast fibroadenoma and breast cancer were 100%, 100% and 42.4%, there was significant difference between the group of benign and malignant tumor (P=0.005). The positive rate of surviving in breast cancer with local lymph node metastasis was significant higher than that in breast cancer without lymph node metastasis (P=0.01), and E-cadherin in breast cancer with local lymph node metastasis was significant lower than that without lymph node metastasis (P=o.o1). There was no significant difference among the groups of pathological types and TNM stages in the expression of surviving (P=0.966 & P=0.856), but there was significant difference in the expression of E-cadherin among these groups (P=0.01 & P=0.023). Conclusion: The loss or decrease of E-cadherin expression may promote the exfoliation of cancerous cells from original tissues, and surviving gene may promote the viability of the exfoliated cancer cells and the formation of new metastasis focus. These 2 factors cooperate with each other

  17. Hypoxia promotes IL-32 expression in myeloma cells, and high expression is associated with poor survival and bone loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahoor, Muhammad; Westhrin, Marita; Aass, Kristin Roseth; Moen, Siv Helen; Misund, Kristine; Psonka-Antonczyk, Katarzyna Maria; Giliberto, Mariaserena; Buene, Glenn; Sundan, Anders; Waage, Anders; Sponaas, Anne-Marit; Standal, Therese

    2017-12-26

    Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic cancer characterized by expansion of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. Most patients develop an osteolytic bone disease, largely caused by increased osteoclastogenesis. The myeloma bone marrow is hypoxic, and hypoxia may contribute to MM disease progression, including bone loss. Here we identified interleukin-32 (IL-32) as a novel inflammatory cytokine expressed by a subset of primary MM cells and MM cell lines. We found that high IL-32 gene expression in plasma cells correlated with inferior survival in MM and that IL-32 gene expression was higher in patients with bone disease compared with those without. IL-32 was secreted from MM cells in extracellular vesicles (EVs), and those EVs, as well as recombinant human IL-32, promoted osteoclast differentiation both in vitro and in vivo. The osteoclast-promoting activity of the EVs was IL-32 dependent. Hypoxia increased plasma-cell IL-32 messenger RNA and protein levels in a hypoxia-inducible factor 1α-dependent manner, and high expression of IL-32 was associated with a hypoxic signature in patient samples, suggesting that hypoxia may promote expression of IL-32 in MM cells. Taken together, our results indicate that targeting IL-32 might be beneficial in the treatment of MM bone disease in a subset of patients.

  18. Expression of C-type lectin receptor mRNA in chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sang Hoon; Han, Seung-Ho; Byun, Jae Yong; Park, Moon Suh; Kim, Young Il; Yeo, Seung Geun

    2017-06-01

    The levels of expression of various C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) messenger ribo nucleic acids (mRNAs) were significantly higher in cholesteatomas than in normal skin, suggesting that these CLRs may be involved in the pathogenesis of cholesteatoma. Altered expression of pattern recognition receptors may be associated with immune responses in patients with cholesteatoma. This study assessed the levels of expression of CLR mRNAs in normal skin and in cholesteatoma. Cholesteatoma specimens were obtained from 38 patients with acquired cholesteatoma. The levels of expression of various CLR mRNAs were assessed quantitatively using real-time RT-PCR (Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) and correlated with age, sex, the presence of bacteria, hearing level, frequency of surgery, and degree of ossicle destruction. The levels of CD206 (cluster of differentiation 206), DEC-205 (Dendritic and epithelial cell-205), MGL (monoacylglycerol lipase), CLEC5A (C-type lectin domain family 5 member A), Dectin-2 (dendrite cell-associated C-type lectin-2), BDCA2 (Blood dendritic cell antigen 2), Mincle, DCIR (dendritic cell immunoreceptor), Dectin-1, MICL (Myeloid inhibitory C type-like lectin), and CLEC12B (C-type lectin domain family 12, member B) mRNAs were significantly higher in cholesteatoma than in control skin samples (p C-type lectin domain family 5 member) and Dectin-1 mRNAs were significantly higher in cholesteatomas with ≥2 than ≤1 destroyed ossicles (p < 0.05), and the levels of MGL, Mincle, Dectin-1, and CLEC12B mRNAs were significantly higher in recurrent than initial cholesteatoma specimens (p < 0.05). The level of CLEC5A mRNAs was significantly higher in patients with severe than mild-to-moderate hearing loss (p < 0.05).

  19. Forced Expression of ZNF143 Restrains Cancer Cell Growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Izumi, Hiroto; Yasuniwa, Yoshihiro; Akiyama, Masaki; Yamaguchi, Takahiro; Kuma, Akihiro; Kitamura, Noriaki; Kohno, Kimitoshi

    2011-01-01

    We previously reported that the transcription factor Zinc Finger Protein 143 (ZNF143) regulates the expression of genes associated with cell cycle and cell division, and that downregulation of ZNF143 induces cell cycle arrest at G2/M. To assess the function of ZNF143 expression in the cell cycle, we established two cells with forced expression of ZNF143 derived from PC3 prostate cancer cell lines. These cell lines overexpress genes associated with cell cycle and cell division, such as polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), aurora kinase B (AURKB) and some minichromosome maintenance complex components (MCM). However, the doubling time of cells with forced expression of ZNF143 was approximately twice as long as its control counterpart cell line. Analysis following serum starvation and re-seeding showed that PC3 cells were synchronized at G1 in the cell cycle. Also, ZNF143 expression fluctuated, and was at its lowest level in G2/M. However, PC3 cells with forced expression of ZNF143 synchronized at G2/M, and showed lack of cell cycle-dependent fluctuation of nuclear expression of MCM proteins. Furthermore, G2/M population of both cisplatin-resistant PCDP6 cells over-expressing ZNF143 (derived from PC3 cells) and cells with forced expression of ZNF143 was significantly higher than that of each counterpart, and the doubling time of PCDP6 cells is about 2.5 times longer than that of PC3 cells. These data suggested that fluctuations in ZNF143 expression are required both for gene expression associated with cell cycle and for cell division

  20. Forced Expression of ZNF143 Restrains Cancer Cell Growth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Izumi, Hiroto, E-mail: h-izumi@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp; Yasuniwa, Yoshihiro; Akiyama, Masaki; Yamaguchi, Takahiro; Kuma, Akihiro; Kitamura, Noriaki; Kohno, Kimitoshi [Department of Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu 807-8555 (Japan)

    2011-10-19

    We previously reported that the transcription factor Zinc Finger Protein 143 (ZNF143) regulates the expression of genes associated with cell cycle and cell division, and that downregulation of ZNF143 induces cell cycle arrest at G2/M. To assess the function of ZNF143 expression in the cell cycle, we established two cells with forced expression of ZNF143 derived from PC3 prostate cancer cell lines. These cell lines overexpress genes associated with cell cycle and cell division, such as polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), aurora kinase B (AURKB) and some minichromosome maintenance complex components (MCM). However, the doubling time of cells with forced expression of ZNF143 was approximately twice as long as its control counterpart cell line. Analysis following serum starvation and re-seeding showed that PC3 cells were synchronized at G1 in the cell cycle. Also, ZNF143 expression fluctuated, and was at its lowest level in G2/M. However, PC3 cells with forced expression of ZNF143 synchronized at G2/M, and showed lack of cell cycle-dependent fluctuation of nuclear expression of MCM proteins. Furthermore, G2/M population of both cisplatin-resistant PCDP6 cells over-expressing ZNF143 (derived from PC3 cells) and cells with forced expression of ZNF143 was significantly higher than that of each counterpart, and the doubling time of PCDP6 cells is about 2.5 times longer than that of PC3 cells. These data suggested that fluctuations in ZNF143 expression are required both for gene expression associated with cell cycle and for cell division.

  1. Forced Expression of ZNF143 Restrains Cancer Cell Growth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimitoshi Kohno

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available We previously reported that the transcription factor Zinc Finger Protein 143 (ZNF143 regulates the expression of genes associated with cell cycle and cell division, and that downregulation of ZNF143 induces cell cycle arrest at G2/M. To assess the function of ZNF143 expression in the cell cycle, we established two cells with forced expression of ZNF143 derived from PC3 prostate cancer cell lines. These cell lines overexpress genes associated with cell cycle and cell division, such as polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1, aurora kinase B (AURKB and some minichromosome maintenance complex components (MCM. However, the doubling time of cells with forced expression of ZNF143 was approximately twice as long as its control counterpart cell line. Analysis following serum starvation and re-seeding showed that PC3 cells were synchronized at G1 in the cell cycle. Also, ZNF143 expression fluctuated, and was at its lowest level in G2/M. However, PC3 cells with forced expression of ZNF143 synchronized at G2/M, and showed lack of cell cycle-dependent fluctuation of nuclear expression of MCM proteins. Furthermore, G2/M population of both cisplatin-resistant PCDP6 cells over-expressing ZNF143 (derived from PC3 cells and cells with forced expression of ZNF143 was significantly higher than that of each counterpart, and the doubling time of PCDP6 cells is about 2.5 times longer than that of PC3 cells. These data suggested that fluctuations in ZNF143 expression are required both for gene expression associated with cell cycle and for cell division.

  2. The change of expression configuration affects identity-dependent expression aftereffect but not identity-independent expression aftereffect

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    Miao eSong

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The present study examined the influence of expression configuration on cross-identity expression aftereffect. The expression configuration refers to the spatial arrangement of facial features in a face for conveying an emotion, e.g., an open-mouth smile versus a closed-mouth smile. In the first of two experiments, the expression aftereffect is measured using across-identity/cross-expression configuration factorial design. The facial identities of test faces were the same or different from the adaptor, while orthogonally, the expression configurations of those facial identities were also the same or different. The result shows that the change of expression configuration impaired the expression aftereffect when the facial identities of adaptor and tests were the same; however, the impairment effect disappears when facial identities were different, indicating the identity-independent expression representation is more robust to the change of the expression configuration in comparison with the identity-dependent expression representation. In the second experiment, we used schematic line faces as adaptors and real faces as tests to minimize the similarity between the adaptor and tests, which is expected to exclude the contribution from the identity-dependent expression representation to expression aftereffect. The second experiment yields a similar result as the identity-independent expression aftereffect observed in Experiment 1. The findings indicate the different neural sensitivities to expression configuration for identity-dependent and identity-independent expression systems.

  3. Expression profiles and associations of adiponectin and adiponectin receptors with intramuscular fat in Tibetan chicken.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, R; Lin, Y; Zhi, L; Liao, H; Zuo, L; Li, Z; Xu, Y

    2017-04-01

    1. Adiponectin and its receptors (ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2) are novel endocrine systems that act at various levels to modulate glucose and lipid metabolism. This study was designed to investigate the spatial expression of adiponectin, ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 genes in various tissues in Tibetan chicken. The temporal expression of adiponectin and its receptor mRNAs were also studied in adipose tissue, breast muscle and thigh muscle and the correlations of the levels of adiponectin, ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 mRNA with the contents of intramuscular fat in breast muscle and thigh muscle of Tibetan chicken were determined. 2. Quantitative real-time PCR detected chicken adiponectin, ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 mRNA transcripts in heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. 3. Adipose tissue contained the highest amount of adiponectin mRNA followed by the kidney and liver. The expression levels of ADIPOR1 mRNA were significantly higher in adipose tissue, lung and spleen, and adipose tissue exhibited significantly higher levels of ADIPOR2 mRNA followed by the spleen and lung compared with other tissues. 4. Temporal expression profiles of adiponectin, ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 mRNA showed gender differences in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle at certain ages. In adipose tissue, adiponectin mRNA was higher in 154-d-old females and ADIPOR1 mRNA was higher in 154-d-old males: Adiponectin and ADIPOR2 mRNA were higher, and ADIPOR1 mRNA was lower, in thigh muscle in female compared with male chickens. 5. The correlation data showed that, except for adiponectin mRNA, the levels of ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 mRNA in thigh muscle of males were significantly positively correlated with IMF (r = 0.206 for the ADIPOR1 gene and r = 0.676 for the ADIPOR2 gene). 6. Taken together, it was concluded that adiponectin and the ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 genes are ubiquitously expressed in various tissues of Tibetan chicken and the expression of the adiponectin system is gender-dependant at certain ages

  4. The Value Orientation of Higher Vocational Education Evaluation: A Textual Analysis of an Evaluation Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yonglin; Wang, Zhanjun

    2016-01-01

    Education evaluation should be based on human development and revolve around educational institutions integrating two dimensions, the development needs of the nation and society, and the logic and laws of self-development. The value orientation of higher vocational education evaluation in China is actually expressed through enhancing quality…

  5. Physiological quality and amylase enzyme expression in maize seeds Qualidade fisiológica e expressão das enzimas amilases em sementes de milho

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    Gustavo Evangelista Oliveira

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The physiological quality of maize seeds is affected by the genotype. Thus, the study of expression of genes associated with this characteristic is important in the genotype selection process in breeding programs. The aim of this research was to study the expression of amylase enzymes associated with physiological quality of maize seeds with different genotypes and seed sizes. We further sought to assess the expression of these enzymes in dry and soaked seeds The experiment was conducted in the experimental area and the Central Seed Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture of the Universidade Federal de Lavras. Seeds of four maize inbred lines were used, classified in two sizes. The physiological quality of the seeds was evaluated by means of germination, seedling emergence, seedling emergence speed index and accelerated aging test. Expression of the alpha amylase enzyme was evaluated by the electrophoresis technique and expression of the alpha amylase B73, alpha amylase (LOC542522 and beta amylase 5 (amyb5 genes was studied by the qRT-PCR technique in dry and soaked seeds of the inbred lines. There is differentiated expression of amylase enzymes in maize seeds of inbred lines with different levels of physiological quality. higher expression of amylase enzymes is observed in soaked maize seeds. The expression of transcripts is higher in smaller as wellas in soaked maize seeds of inbred lines.A qualidade fisiológica de sementes de milho é influenciada pelo genótipo. Assim, o estudo da expressão de genes associados a essa característica é importante no processo de seleção de genótipos em programas de melhoramento. O objetivo neste trabalho foi estudar a expressão das enzimas amilases associadas à qualidade fisiológica de sementes de milho, de diferentes genótipos e tamanhos de sementes. Objetivou-se ainda avaliar a expressão dessas enzimas em sementes secas e embebidas. O experimento foi conduzido em área experimental e no

  6. Significance of TLR4/MyD88 expression in breast cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiangjin; Zhao, Feng; Zhang, Huihao; Zhu, Youzhi; Wu, Kunlin; Tan, Guozheng

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the expression of TLR4/MyD88 in breast cancer, and explore the relationship between their expression and breast cancer tumor growth and invasion. Methods: We examined the protein expression of TLR4 and MyD88 in 60 cases of histologically confirmed breast cancer. The relationship of their protein expressions with clinical features including age at diagnosis, tumor size and stage, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis were analyzed. Results: The IHC results showed that TLR4 and MyD88 were expressed in 63.3% (38/60) and 58.3% (35/60) of malignant breast tumors respectively. TLR4 expression in breast cancer were significantly higher than in fibroadenoma (n = 4, 20.0%) and adjacent normal tissues (n = 2, 10.0%) (P fibroadenoma (n = 4, 20.0%) and adjacent normal tissue (n = 3, 15.0%) (P fibroadenoma and adjacent normal tissues (P < 0.05). The protein expressions of TLR4 and MyD88 were also significantly associated with poor clinical features (P < 0.05). Conclusion: TLR4 and MyD88 expression might be associated with breast cancer growth and regional and distant metastases. PMID:26261595

  7. Expression patterns of HvCKX genes indicate their role in growth and reproductive development of barley.

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    Wojciech Zalewski

    Full Text Available Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase proteins (CKX are encoded by a multigene family of CKX genes with a varying number of members depending on species. For some of the genes, spectacular effects on grain production in selected cereals have been observed. Despite the fact that partial or full length sequences of most HvCKX genes in barley (Hordeum vulgare have already been published, in most cases their specific biological functions have not been reported. Detailed expression patterns for five HvCKX genes in different organs/tissues of developing barley plants coupled with analysis of RNAi silent for two genes are presented to test the hypothesis that these expression profiles might indicate their function. Elevated expression for four of them - HvCKX1, HvCKX9, HvCKX4, and HvCKX11 - was found in developing kernels of wild-type plants compared to other tissues. HvCKX5 was mainly expressed in leaf tissue. Lower expression was noted for HvCKX1 in seedling roots and for HvCKX9 in leaves. The documented effect of RNAi silencing of HvCKX1 and a trend for HvCKX9 was higher plant productivity, and the trait was inherited through four generations. Higher plant yield was determined by higher numbers of seeds and spikes. Increased productivity was significantly greater in HvCKX1 silenced plants showing higher relative expression of HvCKX1 in developing kernels of wild-type plants compared to the expression of HvCKX9. Both HvCKX1 silenced T1 seedlings of cv. Golden Promise and the newly transformed breeding line STH7308 showed greater root mass, but this trait was not inherited in the next generation. Similarly HvCKX9 silenced T1 seedlings exhibited greater plant height without inheritance in the next generation. It is suggested that these effects were not inherited because of compensation by other genes co-ordinately regulating reproductive development. One line with untypically changed, inherited phenotype, which was selected from several dozen silenced lines

  8. Identification of Human HK Genes and Gene Expression Regulation Study in Cancer from Transcriptomics Data Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhang; Liu, Jingxing; Wu, Jiayan; Yu, Jun

    2013-01-01

    The regulation of gene expression is essential for eukaryotes, as it drives the processes of cellular differentiation and morphogenesis, leading to the creation of different cell types in multicellular organisms. RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) provides researchers with a powerful toolbox for characterization and quantification of transcriptome. Many different human tissue/cell transcriptome datasets coming from RNA-Seq technology are available on public data resource. The fundamental issue here is how to develop an effective analysis method to estimate expression pattern similarities between different tumor tissues and their corresponding normal tissues. We define the gene expression pattern from three directions: 1) expression breadth, which reflects gene expression on/off status, and mainly concerns ubiquitously expressed genes; 2) low/high or constant/variable expression genes, based on gene expression level and variation; and 3) the regulation of gene expression at the gene structure level. The cluster analysis indicates that gene expression pattern is higher related to physiological condition rather than tissue spatial distance. Two sets of human housekeeping (HK) genes are defined according to cell/tissue types, respectively. To characterize the gene expression pattern in gene expression level and variation, we firstly apply improved K-means algorithm and a gene expression variance model. We find that cancer-associated HK genes (a HK gene is specific in cancer group, while not in normal group) are expressed higher and more variable in cancer condition than in normal condition. Cancer-associated HK genes prefer to AT-rich genes, and they are enriched in cell cycle regulation related functions and constitute some cancer signatures. The expression of large genes is also avoided in cancer group. These studies will help us understand which cell type-specific patterns of gene expression differ among different cell types, and particularly for cancer. PMID:23382867

  9. NM23 protein expression in colorectal carcinoma using TMA (tissue microarray: association with metastases and survival

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    Levindo Alves de Oliveira

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available CONTEXT: NM23, a metastasis suppressor gene, may be associated with prognosis in patients with colorectal carcinoma. OBJECTIVE: To analyze NM23 expression and its association with the presence of lymph node and liver metastases and survival in patients operated on for colorectal carcinoma. METHODS: One hundred thirty patients operated on for colorectal carcinoma were investigated. Tissue microarray blocks containing neoplastic tissue and tumor-adjacent non-neoplastic mucosa were obtained and analyzed by immunohistochemical staining using a monoclonal anti-NM23 antibody. Immunohistochemical expression was assessed using a semiquantitative scoring method, counting the percentage of stained cells. The results were compared regarding morphological and histological characteristics of the colorectal carcinoma, presence of lymph node and liver metastases, tumor staging, and patient survival. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney test, the Kruskal-Wallis test and Fisher's exact test. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. RESULTS: NM23 expression was higher in colorectal carcinoma tissue than in adjacent non-neoplastic mucosa (P<0.0001. NM23 protein expression did not correlate with degree of cell differentiation (P = 0.57, vascular invasion (P = 0.85, lymphatic invasion (P = 0.41, perineural infiltration (P = 0.46, staging (P = 0.19, lymph node metastases (P = 0.08, or liver metastases (P = 0.59. Disease-free survival showed significant association (P = 0.01 with the intensity of NM23 protein immunohistochemical expression in colorectal carcinoma tissue, whereas overall survival showed no association with NM23 protein expression (P = 0.13. CONCLUSIONS: NM23 protein expression was higher in neoplastic colorectal carcinoma tissue than in adjacent non-neoplastic mucosa, showing no correlation with morphological aspects, presence of lymph node or liver metastases, colorectal carcinoma

  10. Higher Spin Superfield Interactions with the Chiral Supermultiplet: Conserved Supercurrents and Cubic Vertices

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    Ioseph L. Buchbinder

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available We investigate cubic interactions between a chiral superfield and higher spin superfields corresponding to irreducible representations of the 4 D , N = 1 super-Poincaré algebra. We do this by demanding an invariance under the most general transformation, linear in the chiral superfield. Following Noether’s method we construct an infinite tower of higher spin supercurrent multiplets which are quadratic in the chiral superfield and include higher derivatives. The results are that a single, massless, chiral superfield can couple only to the half-integer spin supermultiplets ( s + 1 , s + 1 / 2 and for every value of spin there is an appropriate improvement term that reduces the supercurrent multiplet to a minimal multiplet which matches that of superconformal higher spins. On the other hand a single, massive, chiral superfield can couple only to higher spin supermultiplets of type ( 2 l + 2 , 2 l + 3 / 2 (only odd values of s, s = 2 l + 1 and there is no minimal multiplet. Furthermore, for the massless case we discuss the component level higher spin currents and provide explicit expressions for the integer and half-integer spin conserved currents together with a R-symmetry current.

  11. Role of extrathyroidal TSHR expression in adipocyte differentiation and its association with obesity

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    Lu Sumei

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Obesity is known to be associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes mellitus. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSHR is the receptor for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH, or thyrotropin, the key regulator of thyroid functions. The expression of TSHR, once considered to be limited to thyrocytes, has been so far detected in many extrathyroidal tissues including liver and fat. Previous studies have shown that TSHR expression is upregulated when preadipocytes differentiate into mature adipocytes, suggestive of a possible role of TSHR in adipogenesis. However, it remains unclear whether TSHR expression in adipocytes is implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity. Methods In the present study, TSHR expression in adipose tissues from both mice and human was analyzed, and its association with obesity was evaluated. Results We here showed that TSHR expression was increased at both mRNA and protein levels when 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were induced to differentiate. Knockdown of TSHR blocked the adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes as evaluated by Oil-red-O staining for lipid accumulation and by RT-PCR analyses of PPAR-γ and ALBP mRNA expression. We generated obesity mice (C57/BL6 by high-fat diet feeding and found that the TSHR protein expression in visceral adipose tissues from obesity mice was significantly higher in comparison with the non-obesity control mice (P Conclusion Taken together, these results suggested that TSHR is an important regulator of adipocyte differentiation. Dysregulated expression of TSHR in adipose tissues is associated with obesity, which may involve a mechanism of excess adipogenesis.

  12. Molecular cloning, characterization, and expression analysis of ghrelin and cholecystokinin in the pigeon (Columba livia).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, P; Wan, X P; Bu, Z; Zou, X T

    2016-11-01

    Ghrelin and cholecystokinin (CCK) are multifunctional peptides. In the current study, complete sequences of ghrelin (800 bp) and CCK (739 bp) were firstly cloned in Columba livia by using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method. The open reading frames of ghrelin (351bp) and CCK (393bp) encoded 116 amino acids and 130 amino acids, respectively. Sequence comparison indicated that pigeon ghrelin and CCK shared high identity with those reported in other avian species. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis found that ghrelin and CCK mRNAs expressed in three intestinal segments of pigeon during development. Both ghrelin and CCK showed generally higher expressions at days posthatch than embryonic periods regardless of intestinal segments. In duodenum and ileum, the expressions of ghrelin and CCK mRNA reached the peak values at 8 d posthatch. Jejunum CCK mRNA level increased linearly after hatching, and reached the highest point at posthatch 28 d. Based on documented effects of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) on pigeon ghrelin and CCK expression were also investigated in vitro. Higher concentrations (50 μM or 250 μM) of linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid or arachidonic acid can significantly increase ghrelin mRNA level in pigeon jejunum. However, for oleic acid, the induction of ghrelin gene expressions needed a lower concentration (5 μM). 5 μM of linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid or arachidonic acid and 250 μM palmitic acid repressed CCK expression significantly. A higher concentration (250 μM) of oleic acid or α-linolenic acid can up-regulate CCK mRNA level significantly. Our results indicated that ghrelin and CCK may act key functions in pigeon intestine development and their expressions could be regulated by LCFAs. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

  13. Matrix stiffness-upregulated LOXL2 promotes fibronectin production, MMP9 and CXCL12 expression and BMDCs recruitment to assist pre-metastatic niche formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Sifan; Zheng, Qiongdan; Xing, Xiaoxia; Dong, Yinying; Wang, Yaohui; You, Yang; Chen, Rongxin; Hu, Chao; Chen, Jie; Gao, Dongmei; Zhao, Yan; Wang, Zhiming; Xue, Tongchun; Ren, Zhenggang; Cui, Jiefeng

    2018-05-04

    Higher matrix stiffness affects biological behavior of tumor cells, regulates tumor-associated gene/miRNA expression and stemness characteristic, and contributes to tumor invasion and metastasis. However, the linkage between higher matrix stiffness and pre-metastatic niche in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still largely unknown. We comparatively analyzed the expressions of LOX family members in HCC cells grown on different stiffness substrates, and speculated that the secreted LOXL2 may mediate the linkage between higher matrix stiffness and pre-metastatic niche. Subsequently, we investigated the underlying molecular mechanism by which matrix stiffness induced LOXL2 expression in HCC cells, and explored the effects of LOXL2 on pre-metastatic niche formation, such as BMCs recruitment, fibronectin production, MMPs and CXCL12 expression, cell adhesion, etc. RESULTS: Higher matrix stiffness significantly upregulated LOXL2 expression in HCC cells, and activated JNK/c-JUN signaling pathway. Knockdown of integrin β1 and α5 suppressed LOXL2 expression and reversed the activation of above signaling pathway. Additionally, JNK inhibitor attenuated the expressions of p-JNK, p-c-JUN, c-JUN and LOXL2, and shRNA-c-JUN also decreased LOXL2 expression. CM-LV-LOXL2-OE and rhLOXL2 upregulated MMP9 expression and fibronectin production obviously in lung fibroblasts. Moreover, activation of Akt pathway contributed to LOXL2-induced fibronectin upregulation. LOXL2 in CM as chemoattractant increased motility and invasion of BMCs, implicating a significant role of LOXL2 in BMCs recruitment. Except that, CM-LV-LOXL2-OE as chemoattractant also increased the number of migrated HCC cells, and improved chemokine CXCL12 expression in lung fibroblasts. The number of HCC cells adhered to surface of lung fibroblasts treated with CM-LV-LOXL2-OE was remarkably higher than that of the control cells. These results indicated that the secreted LOXL2 facilitated the motility of HCC cells and

  14. Del-1 Expression as a Potential Biomarker in Triple-Negative Early Breast Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Soo Jung; Lee, Jeeyeon; Kim, Wan Wook; Jung, Jin Hyang; Park, Ho Yong; Park, Ji-Young; Chae, Yee Soo

    2018-01-01

    A differential diagnostic role for plasma Del-1 was proposed for early breast cancer (EBC) in our previous study. We examined tumoral Del-1 expression and analyzed its prognostic impact among patients with EBC. Del-1 mRNA expression was assessed in breast epithelial and cancer cells. Meanwhile, the tumoral expression of Del-1 was determined based on tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistry results from 440 patients. While a high Del-1 mRNA expression was found in all the breast cancer cell lines, the expression was significantly higher in MDA-MB-231. Tumoral expression of Del-1 was also significantly associated with a negative expression of estrogen receptor or progesterone receptor, and low expression of Ki-67, particularly in the case of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (p breast cancer cell lines exhibited Del-1 expression, the expression rate and intensity were specifically prominent in TNBC. In addition, based on its relationship to an unfavorable histology and worse survival trend, Del-1 could act as a molecular target in TNBC patients. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  15. A New Method to Stabilize c-kit Expression in Reparative Cardiac Mesenchymal Cells

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    Marcin Wysoczynski

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Cell therapy improves cardiac function. Few cells have been investigated more extensively or consistently shown to be more effective than c-kit sorted cells; however, c-kit expression is easily lost during passage. Here, our primary goal was to develop an improved method to isolate c-kitpos cells and maintain c-kit expression after passaging. Cardiac mesenchymal cells (CMCs from wild-type mice were selected by polystyrene adherence properties. CMCs adhering within the first hours are referred to as rapidly adherent (RA; CMCs adhering subsequently are dubbed slowly adherent (SA. Both RA and SA CMCs were c-kit sorted. SA CMCs maintained significantly higher c-kit expression than RA cells; SA CMCs also had higher expression endothelial markers. We subsequently tested the relative efficacy of SA versus RA CMCs in the setting of post-infarct adoptive transfer. Two days after coronary occlusion, vehicle, RA CMCs, or SA CMCs were delivered percutaneously with echocardiographic guidance. SA CMCs, but not RA CMCs, significantly improved cardiac function compared to vehicle treatment. Although the mechanism remains to be elucidated, the more pronounced endothelial phenotype of the SA CMCs coupled with the finding of increased vascular density suggest a potential pro-vasculogenic action. This new method of isolating CMCs better preserves c-kit expression during passage. SA CMCs, but not RA CMCs, were effective in reducing cardiac dysfunction. Although c-kit expression was maintained, it is unclear whether maintenance of c-kit expression per se was responsible for improved function, or whether the differential adherence property itself confers a reparative phenotype independently of c-kit.

  16. Expression of XPG protein in the development, progression and prognosis of gastric cancer.

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    Na Deng

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Xeroderma pigmentosum group G (XPG plays a critical role in preventing cells from oxidative DNA damage. This study aimed to investigate XPG protein expression in different gastric tissues and in patients with diverse prognoses, thus providing insights into its role in the development, progression and prognosis of gastric cancer (GC. METHODS: A total of 176 GC, 131 adjacent non-tumour tissues, 53 atrophic gastritis (AG and 49 superficial gastritis (SG samples were included. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect XPG protein expression. RESULTS: XPG expression was significantly higher in GC tissues compared with adjacent non-tumour tissues. In the progressive disease sequence SG→AG→GC, XPG expression was significantly higher in AG and GC compared with SG. Analysis of clinicopathological parameters and survival in GC patients demonstrated a significant association between XPG expression level and depth of tumour invasion, macroscopic type, Lauren's classification, smoking, Helicobacter pylori infection and family history. Cox multivariate survival analysis indicated that patients with positive XPG expression had significantly longer overall survival (P = 0.020, HR = 0.394, 95%CI 0.179-0.866, especially in aged younger than 60 years (P = 0.027, HR = 0.361, 95%CI 0.147-0.888 and male patients (P = 0.002, HR = 0.209, 95%CI 0.077-0.571. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that XPG protein expression was related to the development, progression and prognosis of GC, and might thus serve as a potential biomarker for its diagnosis and prognosis.

  17. Cardiovascular risk and stress in employees of a higher education institution

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    Eugênio Barbosa de Melo Júnior

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: to analyze the association between high levels of stress and the frequency of cardiovascular risk factors in employees of a higher education institution. Methods: this is a cross-sectional study with 201 employees of a university. A form containing socioeconomic data, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short version, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and the Work Stress Scale were used for data collection. Data analysis was performed using the probability ratio and One-way analysis of variance tests. Results: worrisome frequencies of cardiovascular risk factors were identified, in which sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, and increased abdominal circumference presented the most expressive indexes. Regarding the stressors evaluated, some of the employees had increased stress indexes, distributed between the medium and high levels. Conclusion: sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, and increased abdominal circumference presented expressive high indexes, without statistically significant associations with the level of stress.

  18. Circulating MicroRNA Expression Levels Associated With Internet Gaming Disorder

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    Minho Lee

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundAddictive use of the Internet and online games is a potential psychiatric disorder termed Internet gaming disorder (IGD. Altered microRNA (miRNA expression profiles have been reported in blood and brain tissue of patients with certain psychiatric disorders and suggested as biomarkers. However, there have been no reports on blood miRNA profiles in IGD.MethodsTo discover IGD-associated miRNAs, we analyzed the miRNA expression profiles of 51 samples (25 IGD and 26 controls using the TaqMan Low Density miRNA Array. For validation, we performed quantitative reverse transcription PCR with 36 independent samples (20 IGD and 16 controls.ResultsThrough discovery and independent validation, we identified three miRNAs (hsa-miR-200c-3p, hsa-miR-26b-5p, hsa-miR-652-3p that were significantly downregulated in the IGD group. Individuals with all three miRNA alterations had a much higher risk of IGD than those with no alteration [odds ratio (OR 22, 95% CI 2.29–211.11], and the ORs increased dose dependently with number of altered miRNAs. The predicted target genes of the three miRNAs were associated with neural pathways. We explored the protein expression of the three downstream target genes by western blot and confirmed that expression of GABRB2 and DPYSL2 was significantly higher in the IGD group.ConclusionWe observed that expressions of hsa-miR-200c-3p, hsa-miR-26b-5p, and hsa-miR-652-3p were downregulated in the IGD patients. Our results will be helpful to understand the pathophysiology of IGD.

  19. Children's discrimination of expressions of emotions: relationship with indices of social anxiety and shyness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battaglia, Marco; Ogliari, Anna; Zanoni, Annalisa; Villa, Federica; Citterio, Alessandra; Binaghi, Flora; Fossati, Andrea; Maffei, Cesare

    2004-03-01

    To conduct an exploratory investigation of possible relationships between individual levels of social anxiety and the ability to classify emotional expressions in a group of schoolchildren observing pictures of children of similar age. One hundred forty-nine second- and third-grade schoolchildren underwent a facial expression discrimination trial. Children were characterized on the basis of the number of spontaneous comments they made during a pause in the trial, and on their scores on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, the Stevenson-Hinde and Glover Shyness-to-the-Unfamiliar Scale, and the Cloninger Harm Avoidance scale. The scales were filled in by appropriately trained teachers. The overall rate of correct identification was 72%, without gender-associated differences. Regression analyses showed that higher rates of misidentifications were significantly associated with higher scores on the Liebowitz scale and fewer spontaneous comments. Misidentifications of the "anger" expressions (most often misclassified as "disgust") were associated with higher ratings on the Liebowitz scale when children were exposed to a boy's picture and by fewer spontaneous comments when children were exposed to a girl's picture. Misidentification of a neutral expression of a girl's picture (most often misclassified as "sadness") was significantly associated with fewer spontaneous comments. These pilot results suggest that a child's ability to correctly identify other children's basic emotions is partially associated with his or her level of observed social shyness.

  20. Exotic quantum holonomy and higher-order exceptional points in quantum kicked tops

    OpenAIRE

    Tanaka, Atushi; Kim, Sang Wook; Cheon, Taksu

    2014-01-01

    The correspondence between exotic quantum holonomy that occurs in families of Hermitian cycles, and exceptional points (EPs) for non-Hermitian quantum theory is examined in quantum kicked tops. Under a suitable condition, an explicit expressions of the adiabatic parameter dependencies of quasienergies and stationary states, which exhibit anholonomies, are obtained. It is also shown that the quantum kicked tops with the complexified adiabatic parameter have a higher order EP, which is broken i...

  1. Cathepsin B Expression and the Correlation with Clinical Aspects of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Wei-En; Ho, Chuan-Chen; Yang, Shun-Fa; Lin, Shu-Hui; Yeh, Kun-Tu; Lin, Chiao-Wen; Chen, Mu-Kuan

    2016-01-01

    Cathepsin B (CTSB), a member of the cathepsin family, is a cysteine protease that is widely distributed in the lysosomes of cells in various tissues. It is overexpressed in several human cancers and may be related to tumorigenesis. The main purpose of this study was to analyze CTSB expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its correlation with patient prognosis. Tissue microarrays were used to detect CTSB expression in 280 patients and to examine the association between CTSB expression and clinicopathological parameters. In addition, the metastatic effects of the CTSB knockdown on two oral cancer cell lines were investigated by transwell migration assay. Cytoplasmic CTSB expression was detected in 34.6% (97/280) of patients. CTSB expression was correlated with positive lymph node metastasis (p = 0.007) and higher tumor grade (p = 0.008) but not with tumor size and distant metastasis. In addition, multivariate analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model revealed a higher hazard ratio, demonstrating that CTSB expression was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor in buccal mucosa carcinoma patients. Furthermore, the Kaplan-Meier curve revealed that buccal mucosa OSCC patients with positive CTSB expression had significantly shorter overall survival. Moreover, treatment with the CTSB siRNA exerted an inhibitory effect on migration in OC2 and CAL27 oral cancer cells. We conclude that CTSB expression may be useful for determining OSCC prognosis, particularly for patients with lymph node metastasis, and may function as a biomarker of the survival of OSCC patients in Taiwan.

  2. Facial expressions and pair bonds in hylobatids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Florkiewicz, Brittany; Skollar, Gabriella; Reichard, Ulrich H

    2018-06-06

    , or rates of behavioral synchrony. We found that FES was the strongest measure of hylobatid expressiveness and was significantly positively correlated with higher sociality index scores; however, FES showed no significant correlation with behavioral synchrony. No noticeable differences between pairs were found regarding rates of behavioral or territorial synchrony. Facial repertoire sizes and FES were not significantly correlated with rates of behavioral synchrony or territorial synchrony. Our study confirms an important role of facial expressions in maintaining pair bonds and coordinating activities in hylobatids. Data support the hypothesis that facial expressions and sociality have been linked in hylobatid and primate evolution. It is possible that larger facial repertoires may have contributed to strengthening pair bonds in primates, because richer facial repertoires provide more opportunities for FES which can effectively increase the "understanding" between partners through smoother coordination of interaction patterns. This study supports the social complexity hypothesis as the driving force for the evolution of complex communication signaling. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Effect of lifelong football training on the expression of muscle molecular markers involved in healthy longevity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mancini, A; Vitucci, D; Labruna, G; Imperlini, E; Randers, M B; Schmidt, J F; Hagman, M; Andersen, T R; Russo, R; Orrù, S; Krustrup, P; Salvatore, F; Buono, P

    2017-04-01

    We investigated whether lifelong football training affects the expression of healthy longevity-related muscle molecular markers. Biopsies were collected from the vastus lateralis muscle of 10 lifelong football-trained men (68.2 ± 3.0 years) and of 10 active untrained healthy men (66.7 ± 1.3 years). Gene and protein expression was measured by RTqPCR on RNA and by western blotting on protein extracts from muscle biopsies, respectively. The expression of AMPKα1/α2, NAMPT, TFAM and PGC1α, which are markers of oxidative metabolism, and MyHC β isoform expression was higher in the muscle of football-trained men vs untrained men. Also citrate synthase activity was higher in trained than in untrained men (109.3 ± 9.2 vs 75.1 ± 9.2 mU/mg). These findings were associated with a healthier body composition in trained than in untrained men [body weight: 78.2 ± 6.5 vs 91.2 ± 11.2 kg; body mass index BMI: 24.4 ± 1.6 vs 28.8 ± 4.0 kg m -2 ; fat%: 22.6 ± 8.0 vs 31.4 ± 5.0%)] and with a higher maximal oxygen uptake (VO 2 max: 34.7 ± 3.8 vs 27.3 ± 4.0 ml/min/kg). Also the expression of proteins involved in DNA repair and in senescence suppression (Erk1/2, Akt and FoxM1) was higher in trained than in untrained men. At BMI- and age-adjusted multiple linear regression analysis, fat percentage was independently associated with Akt protein expression, and VO 2 max was independently associated with TFAM mRNA and with Erk1/2 protein expression. Lifelong football training increases the expression of key markers involved in muscle oxidative metabolism, and in the DNA repair and senescence suppression pathways, thus providing the molecular basis for healthy longevity.

  4. Methods of milk expression for lactating women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becker, Genevieve E; Smith, Hazel A; Cooney, Fionnuala

    2016-09-29

    , reported sore nipples in 7% for both groups and engorgement in 4% using a manual pump versus 6% using an electric pump; and in one study no nipple damage was reported in the hand-expression group, and one case of nipple damage in each of the manual pump and the large electric pump groups.One study examined adverse effects on infants, however as the infants did not all receive their mothers' expressed milk, we have not included the results. Secondary outcomesThe quantity of expressed milk obtained was increased, in some studies by a clinically significant amount, in interventions involving relaxation, music, warmth, massage, initiation of pumping, increased frequency of pumping and suitable breast shield size. Support programmes and simultaneous compared to sequential pumping did not show a difference in milk obtained. No pump consistently increased the milk volume obtained significantly.In relation to nutrient quality, hand expression or a large electric pump were found to provide higher protein than a manual pump, and hand expression provided higher sodium and lower potassium compared to a large electric pump or a manual pump. Fat content was higher with breast massage when pumping; no evidence of difference was found for energy content between methods.No consistent effect was found related to prolactin change or effect on oxytocin release with pump type or method. Economic aspects were not reported. The most suitable method for milk expression may depend on the time since birth, purpose of expression and the individual mother and infant. Low-cost interventions including initiation of milk expression sooner after birth when not feeding at the breast, relaxation, massage, warming the breasts, hand expression and lower cost pumps may be as effective, or more effective, than large electric pumps for some outcomes. Variation in nutrient content across methods may be relevant to some infants. Small sample sizes, large standard deviations, and the diversity of the interventions

  5. The role of MAP kinases in the induction of iNOS expression in neutrophils exposed to NDMA: the involvement transcription factors.

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    Ratajczak-Wrona, W; Jablonska, E; Garley, M; Jablonski, J; Radziwon, P; Iwaniuk, A

    2013-01-01

    The role of MAP kinases in the activation of AP-1 (c-Jun, c-Fos) and NF-κB p65 engaged in the regulation of iNOS expression in human neutrophils (PMNs) exposed to N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) was analyzed in the study. The study included a group of 20 healthy individuals. Isolated human PMN were incubated in the presence of NDMA. Selective MAP kinases inhibitors were used. The expression of proteins in the cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions was assessed using Western blot method. The results show that NDMA intensifies iNOS, c-Jun, NF-κB p65 and IκB-α expression in the analyzed PMNs. The blocking of the p38 pathway led to lower iNOS expression, and higher expression of c-Jun and c-Fos in the cytoplasmic fraction, and also lower c-Jun expression in the nuclear fraction of PMNs exposed to NDMA. A decrease in iNOS expression in the cytoplasmic fraction, and also c-Jun in both fractions of the examined cells, was observed as a result of JNK pathway inhibition. The blocking of the ERK5 pathway led to higher iNOS, c-Jun and c-Fos expression in the cytoplasmic fraction, and higher c-Jun expression in the nuclear fraction of PMNs exposed to NDMA. The study also demonstrated that blocking of the p38 and JNK pathways resulted in higher expression of NF-κB p65 and IκB-α in the cytoplasmic fraction and their lower expression in the nuclear fraction of these cells. Our data indicate the role of MAP kinases p38 and JNK in the activation of c-Jun and NF-κB p65 transcription factors engaged in the regulation of iNOS expression in human neutrophils exposed to NDMA. However ERK5 kinase is not involved in the regulation of iNOS and NO production by those cells.

  6. Mast cell heterogeneity and anti-inflammatory annexin A1 expression in leprosy skin lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Maurício B; Mimura, Kallyne K O; Freitas, Aline A; Hungria, Emerith M; Sousa, Ana Lúcia O M; Oliani, Sonia M; Stefani, Mariane M A

    2018-03-29

    Mast cells (MCs) have important immunoregulatory roles in skin inflammation. Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is an endogenous anti-inflammatory protein that can be expressed by mast cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes, epithelial and T cells. This study investigated MCs heterogeneity and ANXA1 expression in human dermatoses with special emphasis in leprosy. Sixty one skin biopsies from 2 groups were investigated: 40 newly diagnosed untreated leprosy patients (18 reaction-free, 11 type 1 reaction/T1R, 11 type 2 reaction/T2R); 21 patients with other dermatoses. Tryptase/try+ and chymase/chy + phenotypic markers and toluidine blue stained intact/degranulated MC counts/mm 2 were evaluated. Try + /chy + MCs and ANXA1 were identified by streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase immunostaining and density was reported. In leprosy, degranulated MCs outnumbered intact ones regardless of the leprosy form (from tuberculoid/TT to lepromatous/LL), leprosy reactions (reactional/reaction-free) and type of reaction (T1R/T2R). Compared to other dermatoses, leprosy skin lesions showed lower numbers of degranulated and intact MCs. Try + MCs outnumbered chy + in leprosy lesions (reaction-free/reactional, particularly in T2R), but not in other dermatoses. Compared to other dermatoses, ANXA1 expression, which is also expressed in mast cells, was higher in the epidermis of leprosy skin lesions, independently of reactional episode. In leprosy, higher MC degranulation and differential expression of try + /chy + subsets independent of leprosy type and reaction suggest that the Mycobacterium leprae infection itself dictates the inflammatory MCs activation in skin lesions. Higher expression of ANXA1 in leprosy suggests its potential anti-inflammatory role to maintain homeostasis preventing tissue and nerve damage. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Expression of the Aspergillus terreus itaconic acid biosynthesis cluster in Aspergillus niger.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Straat, Laura; Vernooij, Marloes; Lammers, Marieke; van den Berg, Willy; Schonewille, Tom; Cordewener, Jan; van der Meer, Ingrid; Koops, Andries; de Graaff, Leo H

    2014-01-17

    Aspergillus terreus is a natural producer of itaconic acid and is currently used to produce itaconic acid on an industrial scale. The metabolic process for itaconic acid biosynthesis is very similar to the production of citric acid in Aspergillus niger. However, a key enzyme in A. niger, cis-aconitate decarboxylase, is missing. The introduction of the A. terreus cadA gene in A. niger exploits the high level of citric acid production (over 200 g per liter) and theoretically can lead to production levels of over 135 g per liter of itaconic acid in A. niger. Given the potential for higher production levels in A. niger, production of itaconic acid in this host was investigated. Expression of Aspergillus terreus cis-aconitate decarboxylase in Aspergillus niger resulted in the production of a low concentration (0.05 g/L) of itaconic acid. Overexpression of codon-optimized genes for cis-aconitate decarboxylase, a mitochondrial transporter and a plasma membrane transporter in an oxaloacetate hydrolase and glucose oxidase deficient A. niger strain led to highly increased yields and itaconic acid production titers. At these higher production titers, the effect of the mitochondrial and plasma membrane transporters was much more pronounced, with levels being 5-8 times higher than previously described. Itaconic acid can be produced in A. niger by the introduction of the A. terreus cis-aconitate decarboxylase encoding cadA gene. This results in a low itaconic acid production level, which can be increased by codon-optimization of the cadA gene for A. niger. A second crucial requirement for efficient production of itaconic acid is the expression of the A. terreus mttA gene, encoding a putative mitochondrial transporter. Expression of this transporter results in a twenty-fold increase in the secretion of itaconic acid. Expression of the A. terreus itaconic acid cluster consisting of the cadA gene, the mttA gene and the mfsA gene results in A. niger strains that produce over

  8. Expression of the cytoskeleton regulatory protein Mena in human gastric carcinoma and its prognostic significance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Lihua; Tan, Huo; Liu, Ruiming; Huang, Qungai; Zhang, Nana; Li, Xi; Wang, Jiani

    2017-11-01

    The cytoskeleton regulatory protein Mena is reportedly overexpressed in breast cancer; however, data regarding its expression level and clinical significance in gastric carcinoma (GC) is limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate Mena expression levels and prognostic significance in GC. Mena mRNA expression level was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 10 paired GC and adjacent normal tissues. The Mena protein expression level was analyzed in paraffin-embedded GC samples and adjacent normal tissues by immunohistochemistry. Statistical analyses were also performed to evaluate the clinicopathological significance of Mena. The results revealed that the mRNA expression level of Mena was significantly higher in G Ct issues compared with in adjacent normal tissues from10 paired samples. In the paraffin-embedded tissue samples, the protein expression level of Mena was higher in G Ct issues compared with in adjacent normal tissues. Compared with adjacent normal tissues, Mena overexpression was observed in 52.83% (56/106) of patients. The overexpression of Mena was significantly associated with the T stage (P=0.033), tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (PMena expression level was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival time. In conclusion, Mena wasoverexpressed in G C tissues and significantly associated with the T stage, TNM stage and overall survival time. Mena may therefore be suitable as a prognostic indicator for patients with GC.

  9. Effect of Twist, Snail and YB-1 gene expression in cervical cancer tissue on cell invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xin-Qin Kang1

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the effect of Twist, Snail and YB-1 gene expression in cervical cancer tissue on cell invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Methods: Cervical cancer tissue samples and tissue samples adjacent to carcinoma were collected from 138 patients with radical operation for cervical cancer, fluorescence quantitative PCR method was used to detect the mRNA expression of Twist, Snail and YB-1 genes, cell invasion-related genes and epithelial-mesenchymal transition marker genes, the Pearson test was used to analyze the correlation of Twist, Snail and YB-1 gene mRNA expression in cervical cancer tissue with cell invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Results: Twist, Snail and YB-1 gene mRNA expression in cervical cancer tissue were higher than those in tissue adjacent to carcinoma, the invasion genes STAT3, YAP1, TUG1, FoxM1 and Rab11 mRNA expression were higher than those in tissue adjacent to carcinoma, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers E-cadherin and β-catenin gene mRNA expression were lower than those in tissue adjacent to carcinoma while vimentin gene mRNA expression was higher than that in tissue adjacent to carcinoma. Pearson test showed that Twist, Snail and YB-1 gene mRNA expression in cervical cancer tissue were directly correlated with cell invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Conclusion: Twist, Snail and YB-1 genes are highly expressed in cervical cancer tissue, and their abnormal expression directly leads to the increased tumor cell invasion activity and the aggravated epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

  10. High expression of markers of apoptosis in Langerhans cell histiocytosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Bodil Laub; Lundegaard, Pia Rengtved; Bank, M I

    2003-01-01

    53 and the number of cells in apoptosis detected with TUNEL. Langerhans cell histiocytosis cells showed strong expression of p53 and in some cases co-expression of Fas and Fas-L. The expression of Fas-L was significantly higher in infiltrates from patients with single-system disease. The actual...... number of pathological Langerhans cells in apoptosis as estimated by TUNEL was low. CONCLUSIONS: The low number of TUNEL-reactive cells can be explained by the rapid turnover of apoptotic cells in the tissue, not leaving the apoptotic cells long enough in the tissue to be detected. The co......-expression of Fas and Fas-L in some Langerhans cells can lead to an autocrine apoptotic shortcut, mediating the death of the double-positive cells. Our findings suggest that apoptosis mediated through the Fas/Fas-L pathway may contribute to the spontaneous regression of lesions in single-system disease. A delicate...

  11. [Expression of IMP3 in osteosarcoma and its clinical significance].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Kang-hua; Huang, Yue-ping; Zhang, Jun; Li, Guo-jun; Li, Si-hong

    2009-05-01

    To analyze the expressional variability of IMP3 between osteosarcoma and osteochondroma and explore its clinical significance. Paraffin sections from 68 patients with osteosarcoma and 20 patients with osteochondroma were examined for the expression of IMP3 by SP immunohistochemistry. The negative, weak positive, moderate positive and strong positive expression rates of IMP3 in 68 patients with osteosarcoma were 4.41% (3/68), 22.06% (15/68), 22.74% (19/68), 45.59% (31/68), respectively, which were significantly higher than those in 20 cases of osteochondroma tissues (P<0.01). The positive expression of IMP3 in osteosarcoma was negative correlation with the 3-year survival rate of osteosarcoma patients after the operation (P<0.01). The results suggest that IMP3 plays important roles in the tumorigenesis, progress and prognosis of osteosarcoma, and the expression of IMP3 may be an important feature of osteosarcoma.

  12. Expression of cysLT1 and cysLT2 Receptor in Chronic Hyperplastic Eosinophilic Sinusitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ouyang, Yuhui; Kamijo, Atsushi; Murata, Shin-ichi; Okamoto, Atsushi; Endo, Shuichiro; Katoh, Ryohei; Masuyama, Keisuke

    2009-01-01

    Elevated production of cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysLTs) from sinus tissues and abundant sinus eosinophils are characteristic features of chronic hyperplastic eosinophilic sinusitis (CHS). CysLTs exert their action through G-protein-coupled receptors named cysLTs receptor type I (cysLT1R) and type II (cysLT2R). These expressions of cysLT receptors in the sinus mucosa have yet to be clarified and the relationship between eosinophilia and the expression of these receptors remains obscure. We compared the expressions of cysLT1R and cysLT2R in the sinus mucosa in patients with CHS, non-eosinophilic chronic sinusitis (NECS), and control sinus tissues; and analyzed the correlation between the expression of CysLTRs and the presence of sinus eosinophils by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. A significantly higher percentage of eosinophils expressing cysLT2R protein was observed in patients with CHS compared with NECS and controls. In addition, cysLT2R mRNA expression in CHS was significantly higher than in NECS and controls. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between cysLT2R mRNA expression and the number of infiltrated eosinophils. In contrast, the cysLT1R mRNA expression did not differ significantly among these groups. The effect of cysLTs on sinus eosinophils may be mediated through the cysLT2R in patients with CHS. These results may suggest the therapeutic benefit of cysLT2R antagonists in CHS

  13. Immunohistochemical Expression of MCAM/CD146 in Canine Melanoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abou Asa, S

    2017-07-01

    MCAM/CD146 (melanoma cell adhesion molecule/CD146) is a transmembrane immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecule involved in transendothelial migration and signal transduction. It is expressed in melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, prostatic, ovarian, cervical and endometrial cancers and promotes tumour growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. Melanoma is the most common malignant oral tumour of dogs and also arises in the skin, nail bed and footpad. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of MCAM/CD146 in 51 canine melanomas, including oral, cutaneous and ocular tumours. Seventeen of the 51 (33.3%) cases were negative, eight (15.7%) were weakly positive, seven (13.7%) were moderately positive and 19 (37.3%) were strongly positive. MCAM/CD146 was expressed by both oral and cutaneous melanomas; however, the intensity and the extent of the immunoreactivity was higher in oral (P = 0.009) than in cutaneous tumours (P = 0.058). Most ocular melanomas did not express MCAM/CD146 (P = 0.256). Expression of MCAM/CD146 by canine melanomas may suggest the molecule as a target for treatment, especially in oral melanomas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Natural LacI from E. coli Yields Faster Response and Higher Level of Expression than the LVA-Tagged LacI

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andreassen, Patrick Rosendahl; Fredberg, Sofie; Horan, Mattias

    2014-01-01

    The lac promoter is one of the most commonly used promoters for expression control of recombinant genes in E. coli. In the absence of galactosides, the lac promoter is repressed by its repressor protein LacI. Since the lac promoter is regulated by a repressor, overexpression of LacI is necessary...

  15. [Expression and clinical significance of Pokemon in non-small cell lung cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Zhihong; Wang, Shengfa; Zhang, Tiewa

    2007-12-20

    Proto-oncogene Pokemon is the special transcription inhibitor of ARF,which can regulate cell growth and differentiation by ARF-P53 path.It may be the important monitoring target of tumor because of being upstream region of many tumor suppressor genes and proto-oncogenes.The aim of this study is to explore the clinical significance of Pokemon gene in non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC). Immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the expression of Pokemon protein in 92 cases of NSCLC and 20 cases of paracancerous lung tissues.Correlation between abnormal expression of Pokemon with pathologic characteristics and prognosis of NSCLC was analyzed. Pokemon was not expressed in paracancerous lung tissues and was found in 66 of 92(71.7%) cases of lung cancer tissues.Expression of Pokemon was closely related to TNM stages(P=0.011).Survival rate of patients with negative Pokemon expression was significantly higher than that of those with positive Pokemon expression(P=0.0015).Pokemon expression was demonstrated as independent prognostic factor of NSCLC. Pokemon is expressed in NSCLC and it may be identified as a new diagnostic marker.High expression of Pokemon may indicate poor prognosis of patients with NSCLC.

  16. Characterization of vitellogenin gene expression in round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowley, Lucas A; Alam, Farhana; Marentette, Julie R; Balshine, Sigal; Wilson, Joanna Y

    2010-12-01

    A growing concern over endocrine disruption in aquatic species has prompted the development of molecular assays to monitor environmental impacts. This study describes the development of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays to characterize the expression of two vitellogenin (Vtg) genes in the invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus). Fragments from the 18SrRNA (housekeeping gene), Vtg II, and Vtg III genes were cloned and sequenced. The qPCR assays were developed to detect hepatic Vtg expression in goby. The assays detected induction of both Vtg genes in nonreproductive males following a two-week laboratory exposure to 17β-estradiol (≥1 mg/kg i.p. injection). The assays were applied to goby from Hamilton Harbour, Lake Ontario (Canada), including those from sites where feminization and intersex of goby has been documented. Both Vtg genes had significantly higher expression in females compared to males. Male reproductive goby adopt either parental or sneaker tactics; Vtg II expression was higher in sneaker than in parental males but parental and nonreproductive males did not differ from each other. The Vtg III expression was significantly higher in sneaker males followed by parental males and nonreproductive males, respectively. The Vtg II and III expression in nonreproductive males was elevated in the contaminated site with documented intersex. This assay provides an important tool for the use of an invasive species in monitoring endocrine disruption in the Great Lakes region. Copyright © 2010 SETAC.

  17. Perception of emotional facial expressions in individuals with high Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ervin Poljac

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Autism is characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, restrictive and repetitive behaviours and specific impairments in emotional processing. The present study employed The Autism Spectrum Quotient (Baron-Cohen et al. 2006 to quantify autistic traits in a group of 260 healthy individuals and to investigate whether this measure is related to the perception of facial emotional expressions. The emotional processing of twelve participants that scored significantly higher than the average on the AQ was compared to twelve participants with significantly lower AQ scores. Perception of emotional expressions was estimated by The Facial Recognition Task (Montagne et al. 2007. There were significant differences between the two groups with regard to accuracy and sensitivity of the perception of emotional facial expressions. Specifically, the group with high AQ score was less accurate and needed higher emotional content to recognize emotions of anger, disgust, happiness and sadness. This result implies a selective impairment that might be helpful in understanding the psychopathology of autism spectrum disorders.

  18. Expressions of interferon-inducible genes IFIT1 and IFIT4 mRNA in PBMCs of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Chunyan; Chen Xingguo; Wang Zizheng

    2009-01-01

    To investigate the expression levels of interferon-inducible genes (IFIT1, IFIT4) in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and the relations between these genes expression levels and disease activity, the expression levels of IFIT1 and IFIT4 mRNA in the 95 patients with SLE and 48 normal controls were detected by Sybr green dye based real-time quantitative PCR method, and these genes expression levels were compared with anti-double strand DNA antibody. The associations between the expression levels of IFIT1, IFIT4 mRNA, anti-double strand DNA antibody and SLEDAI scores in patients with SLE were analyzed. The results showed that the expression levels of IFIT1, IFIT4 mRNA in the SLE patients were significantly higher than those of the normal controls (P<0.01). The expression levels of IFIT1, IFIT4 mRNA in the active SLE patients were higher than those of the inactive SLE patients (P<0.05). The real time expression levels of IFIT1 and IFIT4 mRNA showed positive correlations with each other (P<0.05) in patients with SLE. There was positively correlation between the expression levels of IFIT1, IFIT4 mRNA and the anti-double strand DNA antibody (P<0.05). The expression levels of IFIT1, IFIT4 mRNA in patients with SLE were significantly higher than those of the normal controls, and positively associated with SLEDAI scores, so they were helpful in evaluating SLE disease activity and severity. To inhibit the expressions of IFIT1, IFIT4 mRNA may provide a novel target for SLE treatment. (authors)

  19. Differential Expression Profile of ZFX Variants Discriminates Breast Cancer Subtypes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pourkeramati, Fatemeh; Asadi, Malek Hossein; Shakeri, Shahryar; Farsinejad, Alireza

    2018-05-13

    ZFX is a transcriptional regulator in embryonic stem cells that plays an important role in pluripotency and self-renewal. ZFX is widely expressed in pluripotent stem cells and is down-regulated during differentiation of embryonic stem cells. ZFX has five different variants that encode three different protein isoforms. While several reports have determined the overexpression of ZFX in a variety of somatic cancers, the expression of ZFX-spliced variants in cancer cells is not well-understood. We investigated the expression of ZFX variants in a series of breast cancer tissues and cell lines using quantitative PCR. The expression of ZFX variant 1/3 was higher in tumor tissue compared to marginal tissue. In contrast, the ZFX variant 5 was down-regulated in tumor tissues. While the ZFX variant 1/3 and ZFX variant 5 expression significantly increased in low-grade tumors, ZFX variant 4 was strongly expressed in high-grade tumors and demonstrating lymphatic invasion. In addition, our result revealed a significant association between the HER2 status and the expression of ZFX-spliced variants. Our data suggest that the expression of ZFX-spliced transcripts varies between different types of breast cancer and may contribute to their tumorigenesis process. Hence, ZFX-spliced transcripts could be considered as novel tumor markers with a probable value in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of breast cancer.

  20. Unique expression pattern of the three insulin receptor family members in the rat mammary gland

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hvid, Henning; Klopfleisch, Robert; Vienberg, Sara Gry

    2011-01-01

    mammary gland. Using laser micro-dissection, quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, we examined the expression of IR (insulin receptor), IGF-1R (IGF-1 receptor), IRR (insulin receptor-related receptor), ERα (estrogen receptor alpha), ERβ (estrogen receptor beta) and PR (progesteron receptor......) in young, virgin, female Sprague-Dawley rats and compared to expression in reference organs. The mammary gland displayed the highest expression of IRR and IGF-1R. In contrast, low expression of IR transcripts was observed in the mammary gland tissue with expression of the IR-A isoform being 5-fold higher...... than the expression of the IR-B. By immunohistochemistry, expression of IR and IGF-1R was detected in all mammary gland epithelial cells. Expression of ERα and PR was comparable between mammary gland and ovary, whereas expression of ERβ was lower in mammary gland than in the ovary. Finally, expression...

  1. Epidermal growth factor-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 expression and regulation in uterine leiomyoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marsh, Erica E; Chibber, Shani; Wu, Ju; Siegersma, Kendra; Kim, Julie; Bulun, Serdar

    2016-04-01

    To determine the presence, differential expression, and regulation of epidermal growth factor-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1) in uterine leiomyomas. Laboratory in vivo and in vitro study with the use of human leiomyoma and myometrial tissue and primary cells. Academic medical center. Leiomyoma and myometrial tissue samples and cultured cells. 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) treatment. Fold-change difference between EFEMP1 and fibulin-3 expression in leiomyoma tissue and cells compared with matched myometrial samples, and fold-change difference in EFEMP1 expression with 5-Aza-dC treatment. In vivo, EFEMP1 expression was 3.19-fold higher in myometrial tissue than in leiomyoma tissue. EFEMP1 expression in vitro was 5.03-fold higher in myometrial cells than in leiomyoma cells. Western blot and immunohistochemistry staining of tissue and cells confirmed similar findings in protein expression. Treatment of leiomyoma cells with 5-Aza-dC resulted in increased expression of EFEMP1 in vitro. The EFEMP1 gene and its protein product, fibulin-3, are both significantly down-regulated in leiomyoma compared with myometrium when studied both in vivo and in vitro. The increase in EFEMP1 expression in leiomyoma cells with 5-Aza-dC treatment suggest that differential methylation is responsible, in part, for the differences seen in gene expression. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Myostatin genotype regulates muscle-specific miRNA expression in mouse pectoralis muscle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng Ye

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Loss of functional Myostatin results in a dramatic increase in skeletal muscle mass. It is unknown what role miRNAs play in Myostatin mediated repression of skeletal muscle mass. We hypothesized that Myostatin genotype would be associated with the differential expression of miRNAs in skeletal muscle. Findings Loss of functional Myostatin resulted in a significant increase (p .2 on miR-24 expression level. Myostatin genotype did not affect the expression level of MyoD or Myogenin (P > 0.5. Conclusions Myostatin may regulates the expression of miRNAs such as miR-133a, miR-133b, miR-1, and miR-206 in skeletal muscle as it has been observed that the expression of those miRNAs are significantly higher in myostatin null mice compared to wild type and heterozygous mice. In contrast, expression of myogenic factors such as MyoD or Myogenin has not been affected by myostatin in the muscle tissue.

  3. Direct vs. Expressed Breast Milk Feeding: Relation to Duration of Breastfeeding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pang, Wei Wei; Bernard, Jonathan Y; Thavamani, Geetha; Chan, Yiong Huak; Fok, Doris; Soh, Shu-E; Chua, Mei Chien; Lim, Sok Bee; Shek, Lynette P; Yap, Fabian; Tan, Kok Hian; Gluckman, Peter D; Godfrey, Keith M; van Dam, Rob M; Kramer, Michael S; Chong, Yap-Seng

    2017-05-27

    Studies examining direct vs. expressed breast milk feeding are scarce. We explored the predictors of mode of breastfeeding and its association with breastfeeding duration in a multi-ethnic Asian population. We included 541 breastfeeding mother-infant pairs from the Growing Up in Singapore Toward healthy Outcomes cohort. Mode of breastfeeding (feeding directly at the breast, expressed breast milk (EBM) feeding only, or mixed feeding (a combination of the former 2 modes)) was ascertained at three months postpartum. Ordinal logistic regression analyses identified predictors of breast milk expression. Cox regression models examined the association between mode of breastfeeding and duration of any and of full breastfeeding. Maternal factors independently associated with a greater likelihood of breast milk expression instead of direct breastfeeding were Chinese (vs. Indian) ethnicity, (adjusted odds ratio, 95% CI; 3.41, 1.97-5.91), tertiary education (vs. secondary education or lower) (2.22, 1.22-4.04), primiparity (1.54, 1.04-2.26) and employment during pregnancy (2.53, 1.60-4.02). Relative to those who fed their infants directly at the breast, mothers who fed their infants EBM only had a higher likelihood of early weaning among all mothers who were breastfeeding (adjusted hazard ratio, 95% CI; 2.20, 1.61-3.02), and among those who were fully breastfeeding (2.39, 1.05-5.41). Mothers who practiced mixed feeding, however, were not at higher risk of earlier termination of any or of full breastfeeding. Mothers who fed their infants EBM exclusively, but not those who practiced mixed feeding, were at a higher risk of terminating breastfeeding earlier than those who fed their infants directly at the breast. More education and support are required for women who feed their infants EBM only.

  4. Direct vs. Expressed Breast Milk Feeding: Relation to Duration of Breastfeeding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Wei Pang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Studies examining direct vs. expressed breast milk feeding are scarce. We explored the predictors of mode of breastfeeding and its association with breastfeeding duration in a multi-ethnic Asian population. Methods: We included 541 breastfeeding mother—infant pairs from the Growing Up in Singapore Toward healthy Outcomes cohort. Mode of breastfeeding (feeding directly at the breast, expressed breast milk (EBM feeding only, or mixed feeding (a combination of the former 2 modes was ascertained at three months postpartum. Ordinal logistic regression analyses identified predictors of breast milk expression. Cox regression models examined the association between mode of breastfeeding and duration of any and of full breastfeeding. Results: Maternal factors independently associated with a greater likelihood of breast milk expression instead of direct breastfeeding were Chinese (vs. Indian ethnicity, (adjusted odds ratio, 95% CI; 3.41, 1.97–5.91, tertiary education (vs. secondary education or lower (2.22, 1.22–4.04, primiparity (1.54, 1.04–2.26 and employment during pregnancy (2.53, 1.60–4.02. Relative to those who fed their infants directly at the breast, mothers who fed their infants EBM only had a higher likelihood of early weaning among all mothers who were breastfeeding (adjusted hazard ratio, 95% CI; 2.20, 1.61–3.02, and among those who were fully breastfeeding (2.39, 1.05–5.41. Mothers who practiced mixed feeding, however, were not at higher risk of earlier termination of any or of full breastfeeding. Conclusions: Mothers who fed their infants EBM exclusively, but not those who practiced mixed feeding, were at a higher risk of terminating breastfeeding earlier than those who fed their infants directly at the breast. More education and support are required for women who feed their infants EBM only.

  5. High expression of BAG3 predicts a poor prognosis in human medulloblastoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Dong; Zhou, Ji; Wang, Hao; Wang, Yutao; Yang, Ge; Zhang, Yundong

    2016-10-01

    Bcl2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3), a co-chaperone of the heat shock protein (Hsp) 70, regulates various physiological and pathological processes. However, its role in human medulloblastoma has not been clarified. First of all, the expression of BAG3 was examined in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens by immunohistochemical staining. And then, the prognostic role of BAG3 was analyzed in 51 medulloblastoma samples. Finally, the roles of BAG3 in the proliferation, migration, and invasion of Daoy medulloblastoma cell were investigated using a specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA). The expression of BAG3 in medulloblastoma tissues was higher than nontumorous samples. Furthermore, BAG3 overexpression significantly correlated with poor prognosis of patients with medulloblastoma. The overall survival and tumor-free survival in patients with BAG3 low expression were higher than high expression. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that BAG3 overexpression was an independent prognostic marker for medulloblastoma. After the BAG3 knockdown, the Daoy cells exhibited decreased the ability to proliferate and form neurosphere. The preliminary mechanism study showed that overexpression of BAG3 might facilitate the cell cycle transition from G1 to S phase by modulating the cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and cyclin E expression. Additionally, we found that BAG3 might enhance the medulloblastoma cell migratory and invasive ability. In summary, BAG3 overexpression may regulate the survival and invasive properties of medulloblastoma and may serve as a potential therapy target for medulloblastoma.

  6. Region-specific expression of mitochondrial complex I genes during murine brain development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefanie Wirtz

    Full Text Available Mutations in the nuclear encoded subunits of mitochondrial complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase may cause circumscribed cerebral lesions ranging from degeneration of the striatal and brainstem gray matter (Leigh syndrome to leukodystrophy. We hypothesized that such pattern of regional pathology might be due to local differences in the dependence on complex I function. Using in situ hybridization we investigated the relative expression of 33 nuclear encoded complex I subunits in different brain regions of the mouse at E11.5, E17.5, P1, P11, P28 and adult (12 weeks. With respect to timing and relative intensity of complex I gene expression we found a highly variant pattern in different regions during development. High average expression levels were detected in periods of intense neurogenesis. In cerebellar Purkinje and in hippocampal CA1/CA3 pyramidal neurons we found a second even higher peak during the period of synaptogenesis and maturation. The extraordinary dependence of these structures on complex I gene expression during synaptogenesis is in accord with our recent findings that gamma oscillations--known to be associated with higher cognitive functions of the mammalian brain--strongly depend on the complex I activity. However, with the exception of the mesencephalon, we detected only average complex I expression levels in the striatum and basal ganglia, which does not explain the exquisite vulnerability of these structures in mitochondrial disorders.

  7. mRNA expression of genes regulating lipid metabolism in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) from differently polluted areas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castelli, Martina Galatea; Rusten, Marte; Goksøyr, Anders; Routti, Heli

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: •Genes regulating lipid metabolism were studied in ringed seals. •We compared highly contaminated Baltic seals and less contaminated Svalbard seals. •mRNA expression of hepatic PPARγ was higher in the Baltic seals. •mRNA expression of adipose PPARγ target genes was higher in the Baltic seals. •Contaminant exposure may affect lipid metabolism in the Baltic ringed seals. -- Abstract: There is a growing concern about the ability of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to influence lipid metabolism. Although POPs are found at high concentrations in some populations of marine mammals, for example in the ringed seal (Pusa hispida) from the Baltic Sea, little is known about the effects of POPs on their lipid metabolism. An optimal regulation of lipid metabolism is crucial for ringed seals during the fasting/molting season. This is a physiologically stressful period, during which they rely on the energy stored in their fat reserves. The mRNA expression levels for seven genes involved in lipid metabolism were analyzed in liver and/or blubber tissue from molting ringed seals from the polluted Baltic Sea and a less polluted reference location, Svalbard (Norway). mRNA expression of genes encoding peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) α and γ and their target genes acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1 (ACOX1) and cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) were analyzed in liver. mRNA expression level of genes encoding PPARβ, PPARγ and their target genes encoding fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) and adiponectin (ADIPOQ) were measured in inner and middle blubber layers. In addition, we evaluated the influence of molting status on hepatic mRNA expression of genes encoding PPARs and their target genes in ringed seals from Svalbard. Our results show higher mRNA expression of genes encoding hepatic PPARγ and adipose PPARβ, FABP4, and ADIPOQ in the Baltic seals compared to the Svalbard seals. A positive relationship between mRNA expressions of genes

  8. mRNA expression of genes regulating lipid metabolism in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) from differently polluted areas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Castelli, Martina Galatea [Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø (Norway); University of Bergen, Department of Biology, 5020 Bergen (Norway); Rusten, Marte; Goksøyr, Anders [University of Bergen, Department of Biology, 5020 Bergen (Norway); Routti, Heli, E-mail: heli.routti@npolar.no [Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø (Norway)

    2014-01-15

    Highlights: •Genes regulating lipid metabolism were studied in ringed seals. •We compared highly contaminated Baltic seals and less contaminated Svalbard seals. •mRNA expression of hepatic PPARγ was higher in the Baltic seals. •mRNA expression of adipose PPARγ target genes was higher in the Baltic seals. •Contaminant exposure may affect lipid metabolism in the Baltic ringed seals. -- Abstract: There is a growing concern about the ability of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to influence lipid metabolism. Although POPs are found at high concentrations in some populations of marine mammals, for example in the ringed seal (Pusa hispida) from the Baltic Sea, little is known about the effects of POPs on their lipid metabolism. An optimal regulation of lipid metabolism is crucial for ringed seals during the fasting/molting season. This is a physiologically stressful period, during which they rely on the energy stored in their fat reserves. The mRNA expression levels for seven genes involved in lipid metabolism were analyzed in liver and/or blubber tissue from molting ringed seals from the polluted Baltic Sea and a less polluted reference location, Svalbard (Norway). mRNA expression of genes encoding peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) α and γ and their target genes acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1 (ACOX1) and cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) were analyzed in liver. mRNA expression level of genes encoding PPARβ, PPARγ and their target genes encoding fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) and adiponectin (ADIPOQ) were measured in inner and middle blubber layers. In addition, we evaluated the influence of molting status on hepatic mRNA expression of genes encoding PPARs and their target genes in ringed seals from Svalbard. Our results show higher mRNA expression of genes encoding hepatic PPARγ and adipose PPARβ, FABP4, and ADIPOQ in the Baltic seals compared to the Svalbard seals. A positive relationship between mRNA expressions of genes

  9. Expression of caspase-3 predicts prognosis in advanced noncardia gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amptoulach, Sousana; Lazaris, Andreas C; Giannopoulou, Ioanna; Kavantzas, Nikolaos; Patsouris, Efstratios; Tsavaris, Nikolaos

    2015-01-01

    There is strong evidence that tumor growth is not only a result of uncontrolled cell proliferation but also of decreased apoptosis. Caspase-3 is a member of interleukin-1 beta-converting enzyme which is involved in the induction of apoptosis. Data on the expression of caspase-3 in patients with gastric cancer and its association with patient outcome are somewhat contradictory. We aimed to investigate the potential relation of the expression of caspase-3 protein with response to therapy and overall survival in patients with advanced noncardia gastric cancer. Tumor tissue samples collected from 359 consecutive patients with gastric cancer stage IV were retrospectively analyzed for the expression of caspase-3 in the primary tumor. The DNA apoptotic index assessed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling method. All patients were followed up until death. Caspase-3 was expressed in 43.5 % of tumors. Caspase-3 expression compared to no expression was related with a higher DNA apoptotic index (p gastric cancer is a predictor of poor response to treatment and survival. Further studies are needed to fully elucidate the prognostic value of caspase-3 expression in these patients.

  10. Involvement of position-147 for HLA-E expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsunami, Katsuyoshi; Kusama, Tamiko; Okura, Eiji; Shirakura, Ryota; Fukuzawa, Masahiro; Miyagawa, Shuji

    2006-01-01

    HLA-E functions as an inhibitory signaling molecule of natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytolysis. However, the cell surface expression of HLA-E molecules is quite restricted because of the limited repertoire of binding peptide sequences, such as signal peptides of other HLA molecules, especially on xenogeneic cells. In this study, we successfully determined that position-147 is an important amino acid position for cell surface expression by producing point substitutions. For further studies concerning transplantation therapy, the point substitution, Ser147Cys, that resulted in a single atom change, oxygen to sulfur, designated as HLA-Ev(147), led to a much higher expression on the human and pig cell surface and a greater inhibitory function against human NK cells than wild type HLA-E in an in vitro model system of pig to human xenotransplantation. Consequently, HLA-Ev(147) might be a promising alternative gene tool for future transplantation therapy such as xenotransplantation

  11. Differential expression of ozone-induced gene during exposures to ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Differential expression of ozone-induced gene during exposures to salt stress in Polygonum sibiricum Laxm leaves, stem and underground stem. ... PcOZI-1 mRNA in untreated plants was detected at low levels in underground stem, leaves and at higher levels in stem. PcOZI-1 mRNA accumulation was transiently induced ...

  12. [Expression and clinical significance of BCL6 corepressor-like 1 in non-small cell lung cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Xu; Tuo, Hang; Si, Meili; Wang, Lei; Liang, Ping

    2015-12-01

    To detect the expression of BCL6 corepressor-like 1 (BCORL1) in tumor tissues of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and determine the effect of BCORL1 on cell migration and invasion in A549 cells by knockdown of BCORL1. Sixty-eight pairs of NSCLC and nontumor tissues were collected and the expressions of BCORL1 and E-cadherin in them were detected using immunohistochemical staining. The expression of BCORL1 was knocked down by siRNA in A549 cells. Transwell(TM) assays were performed to test NSCLC cell migration and invasion in vitro. The expression of BCORL1 in NSCLC was significantly higher than that in paired noncancerous tissues, while E-cadherin was down-regulated in NSCLC as compared with nontumor tissues. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis suggested that BCORL1 was negatively correlated with E-cadherin expression in NSCLC tissues. Clinical association analysis suggested that the elevated expression of BCORL1 was evidently associated with the higher incidence of lymph node metastasis and more advanced TNM stage. When the expression of BCORL1 was down-regulated by a specific siRNA, E-cadherin was up-regulated, and BCORL1 knockdown obviously inhibited cell migration and invasion in A549 cells. BCORL1 is overexpressed in NSCLC tissues and it is negatively correlated with E-cadherin expression. Its high expression is correlated with poor prognostic features. BCORL1 knockdown up-regulates E-cadherin expression and subsequently inhibits cell migration and invasion of lung cancer cells.

  13. Molecular Characterization and Expression Profiles of Polygalacturonase Genes in Apolygus lucorum (Hemiptera: Miridae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lili Zhang

    Full Text Available Polygalacturonase (PG is an enzyme in the salivary glands of piercing-sucking mirid bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae that plays a key role in plant feeding and injury. By constructing a full-length cDNA library, we cloned and characterized 14 PG genes from the salivary glands of Apolygus lucorum, a pestiferous mirid bug in cotton, fruit trees and other crops in China. BLAST search analysis showed that the amino acid sequences deduced from transcripts of the PG genes were closely related to PGs from other mirid bugs. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the PGs of mirid bugs had six main branches, PG1-PG6 (Genbank accession numbers: KF881899~KF881912. We investigated the mRNA expression patterns of the A. lucorum PG genes using real-time PCR. All 14 PGs were expressed significantly higher in the salivary glands than in other tissues (head, thorax, abdomen, leg and wing. For eggs and nymphs, the expression levels of these PGs were much higher in the 5th instar stage than in the egg, and 1st and 3rd instar stages. The PG expression levels in 1-day-old adults were very low, and increased in 5, 20 and 30-day-old adults. Additionally, PG expression levels were generally similar between males and females. The possible physiological functions of PGs in A. lucorum were discussed.

  14. Facial Expression Enhances Emotion Perception Compared to Vocal Prosody: Behavioral and fMRI Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Heming; Chen, Xuhai; Chen, Shengdong; Li, Yansong; Chen, Changming; Long, Quanshan; Yuan, Jiajin

    2018-05-09

    Facial and vocal expressions are essential modalities mediating the perception of emotion and social communication. Nonetheless, currently little is known about how emotion perception and its neural substrates differ across facial expression and vocal prosody. To clarify this issue, functional MRI scans were acquired in Study 1, in which participants were asked to discriminate the valence of emotional expression (angry, happy or neutral) from facial, vocal, or bimodal stimuli. In Study 2, we used an affective priming task (unimodal materials as primers and bimodal materials as target) and participants were asked to rate the intensity, valence, and arousal of the targets. Study 1 showed higher accuracy and shorter response latencies in the facial than in the vocal modality for a happy expression. Whole-brain analysis showed enhanced activation during facial compared to vocal emotions in the inferior temporal-occipital regions. Region of interest analysis showed a higher percentage signal change for facial than for vocal anger in the superior temporal sulcus. Study 2 showed that facial relative to vocal priming of anger had a greater influence on perceived emotion for bimodal targets, irrespective of the target valence. These findings suggest that facial expression is associated with enhanced emotion perception compared to equivalent vocal prosodies.

  15. Differences in E-Cadherin and Syndecan-1 Expression in Different Types of Ameloblastomas

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Verdín, Sandra; Pereira-Prado, Vanesa

    2018-01-01

    Ameloblastomas are a group of benign, locally aggressive, recurrent tumors characterized by their slow and infiltrative growth. E-Cadherin and syndecan-1 are cell adhesion molecules related to the behavior of various tumors, including ameloblastomas. Ninety-nine ameloblastoma samples were studied; the expression of E-cadherin and syndecan-1 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. E-Cadherin and epithelial syndecan-1 were more highly expressed in intraluminal/luminal unicystic ameloblastoma than in mural unicystic ameloblastoma and solid/multicystic ameloblastoma, whereas the stromal expression of syndecan-1 was higher in mural unicystic ameloblastoma and solid/multicystic ameloblastoma. Synchronicity was observed between E-cadherin and epithelial syndecan-1; the expression was correlated with intensity in all cases. There was a strong association between expression and tumor size and recurrence. The evaluation of the expression of E-cadherin and syndecan-1 are important for determining the potential aggressiveness of ameloblastoma variants. Future studies are required to understand how the expression of these markers is related to tumor aggressiveness.

  16. Histone H1x is highly expressed in human neuroendocrine cells and tumours

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Warneboldt, Julia; Haller, Florian; Horstmann, Olaf; Danner, Bernhard C; Füzesi, László; Doenecke, Detlef; Happel, Nicole

    2008-01-01

    Histone H1x is a ubiquitously expressed member of the H1 histone family. H1 histones, also called linker histones, stabilize compact, higher order structures of chromatin. In addition to their role as structural proteins, they actively regulate gene expression and participate in chromatin-based processes like DNA replication and repair. The epigenetic contribution of H1 histones to these mechanisms makes it conceivable that they also take part in malignant transformation. Based on results of a Blast data base search which revealed an accumulation of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of H1x in libraries from neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), we evaluated the expression of H1x in NETs from lung and the gastrointestinal tract using immunohistochemisty. Relative protein and mRNA levels of H1x were analysed by Western blot analysis and quantitative real-time RT-PCR, respectively. Since several reports describe a change of the expression level of the replacement subtype H1.0 during tumourigenesis, the analysis of this subtype was included in this study. We found an increased expression of H1x but not of H1.0 in NET tissues in comparison to corresponding normal tissues. Even though the analysed NETs were heterogenous regarding their grade of malignancy, all except one showed a considerably higher protein amount of H1x compared with corresponding non-neoplastic tissue. Furthermore, double-labelling of H1x and chromogranin A in sections of pancreas and small intestine revealed that H1x is highly expressed in neuroendocrine cells of these tissues. We conclude that the high expression of histone H1x in NETs is probably due to the abundance of this protein in the cells from which these tumours originate

  17. Effects of age and insulin-like growth factor-1 on rat neurotrophin receptor expression after nerve injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, T David; Alton, Timothy B; Apel, Peter J; Cai, Jiaozhong; Barnwell, Jonathan C; Sonntag, William E; Smith, Thomas L; Li, Zhongyu

    2016-10-01

    Neurotrophin receptors, such as p75(NTR) , direct neuronal response to injury. Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) mediates the increase in p75(NTR) during aging. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of aging and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) treatment on recovery after peripheral nerve injury. Young and aged rats underwent tibial nerve transection with either local saline or IGF-1 treatment. Neurotrophin receptor mRNA and protein expression were quantified. Aged rats expressed elevated baseline IGF-1R (34% higher, P = 0.01) and p75(NTR) (68% higher, P < 0.01) compared with young rats. Post-injury, aged animals expressed significantly higher p75(NTR) levels (68.5% above baseline at 4 weeks). IGF-1 treatment suppressed p75(NTR) gene expression at 4 weeks (17.2% above baseline, P = 0.002) post-injury. Local IGF-1 treatment reverses age-related declines in recovery after peripheral nerve injuries by suppressing p75(NTR) upregulation and pro-apoptotic complexes. IGF-1 may be considered a viable adjuvant therapy to current treatment modalities. Muscle Nerve 54: 769-775, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Molecular Characterization and Expression of α-Globin and β-Globin Genes in the Euryhaline Flounder (Platichthys flesus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weiqun Lu

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to understand the possible role of globin genes in fish salinity adaptation, we report the molecular characterization and expression of all four subunits of haemoglobin, and their response to salinity challenge in flounder. The entire open reading frames of α1-globin and α2-globin genes were 432 and 435 bp long, respectively, whereas the β1-globin and β2-globin genes were both 447 bp. Although the head kidney (pronephros is the predicted major site of haematopoiesis, real-time PCR revealed that expression of α-globin and β-globin in kidney (mesonephros was 1.5 times higher than in head kidney. Notably, the α1-globin and β1-globin mRNA expression was higher than α2-globin and β2-globin in kidney. Expression levels of all four globin subunits were higher in freshwater- (FW- than in seawater- (SW-adapted fish kidney. If globins do play a role in salinity adaptation, this is likely to be more important in combating the hemodilution faced by fish in FW than the dehydration and salt loading which occur in SW.

  19. Expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang-Xia Wang

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The miR-15/107 family comprises a group of 10 paralogous microRNAs (miRNAs, sharing a 5′ AGCAGC sequence. These miRNAs have overlapping targets. In order to characterize the expression of miR-15/107 family miRNAs, we employed customized TaqMan Low-Density micro-fluid PCR-array to investigate the expression of miR-15/107 family members, and other selected miRNAs, in 11 human tissues obtained at autopsy including the cerebral cortex, frontal cortex, primary visual cortex, thalamus, heart, lung, liver, kidney, spleen, stomach and skeletal muscle. miR-103, miR-195 and miR-497 were expressed at similar levels across various tissues, whereas miR-107 is enriched in brain samples. We also examined the expression patterns of evolutionarily conserved miR-15/107 miRNAs in three distinct primary rat brain cell preparations (enriched for cortical neurons, astrocytes and microglia, respectively. In primary cultures of rat brain cells, several members of the miR-15/107 family are enriched in neurons compared to other cell types in the central nervous system (CNS. In addition to mature miRNAs, we also examined the expression of precursors (pri-miRNAs. Our data suggested a generally poor correlation between the expression of mature miRNAs and their precursors. In summary, we provide a detailed study of the tissue and cell type-specific expression profile of this highly expressed and phylogenetically conserved family of miRNA genes.

  20. Expression characteristics of BMP2, BMPR-IA and Noggin in different stages of hair follicle in yak skin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Liang-Li; Cui, Yan; Yu, Si-Jiu; Liu, Peng-Gang; Liu, Jun; Yang, Xue; He, Jun-Feng; Zhang, Qian

    2018-05-01

    Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), BMP receptor-IA (BMPR-IA), and the BMP2 antagonist Noggin are important proteins involved in regulating the hair follicle (HF) cycle in skin. In order to explore the expression profiles of BMP2, BMPR-IA, and Noggin in the HF cycle of yak skin, we collected adult yak skin in the telogen, proanagen, and midanagen phases of HFs and evaluated gene and protein expression by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. qRT-PCR and western blotting results showed that BMP2 and BMPR-IA expression levels were highest in the telogen of HFs and higher than that of Noggin in the same phase. The expression of Noggin was significantly higher in proanagen and midanagen phases of HFs than in the telogen phase, with the highest expression observed in the proanagen phase. Moreover, the expression of Noggin in the proanagen phase was significantly higher than those of BMP2 and BMPR-IA during the same phase. Immunohistochemistry results showed that BMP2, BMPR-IA, and Noggin were expressed in the skin epidermis, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, HF outer root sheath, and hair matrix. In summary, the characteristic expression profiles of BMP2, BMPR-IA, and Noggin suggested that BMP2 and BMPR-IA had inhibitory effects on the growth of HFs in yaks, whereas Noggin promoted the growth of yak HFs, mainly by affecting skin epithelial cell activity. These results provide a basis for further studies of HF development and cycle transition in yak skin. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  1. The temporal expression pattern of alpha-synuclein modulates olfactory neurogenesis in transgenic mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian R Schreglmann

    Full Text Available Adult neurogenesis mirrors the brain´s endogenous capacity to generate new neurons throughout life. In the subventricular zone/ olfactory bulb system adult neurogenesis is linked to physiological olfactory function and has been shown to be impaired in murine models of neuronal alpha-Synuclein overexpression. We analyzed the degree and temporo-spatial dynamics of adult olfactory bulb neurogenesis in transgenic mice expressing human wild-type alpha-Synuclein (WTS under the murine Thy1 (mThy1 promoter, a model known to have a particularly high tg expression associated with impaired olfaction.Survival of newly generated neurons (NeuN-positive in the olfactory bulb was unchanged in mThy1 transgenic animals. Due to decreased dopaminergic differentiation a reduction in new dopaminergic neurons within the olfactory bulb glomerular layer was present. This is in contrast to our previously published data on transgenic animals that express WTS under the control of the human platelet-derived growth factor β (PDGF promoter, that display a widespread decrease in survival of newly generated neurons in regions of adult neurogenesis, resulting in a much more pronounced neurogenesis deficit. Temporal and quantitative expression analysis using immunofluorescence co-localization analysis and Western blots revealed that in comparison to PDGF transgenic animals, in mThy1 transgenic animals WTS is expressed from later stages of neuronal maturation only but at significantly higher levels both in the olfactory bulb and cortex.The dissociation between higher absolute expression levels of alpha-Synuclein but less severe impact on adult olfactory neurogenesis in mThy1 transgenic mice highlights the importance of temporal expression characteristics of alpha-Synuclein on the maturation of newborn neurons.

  2. Calcium regulates caveolin-1 expression at the transcriptional level

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Xiao-Yan; Huang, Cheng-Cheng; Kan, Qi-Ming; Li, Yan; Liu, Dan; Zhang, Xue-Cheng; Sato, Toshinori; Yamagata, Sadako; Yamagata, Tatsuya

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Caveolin-1 expression is regulated by calcium signaling at the transcriptional level. ► An inhibitor of or siRNA to L-type calcium channel suppressed caveolin-1 expression. ► Cyclosporine A or an NFAT inhibitor markedly reduced caveolin-1 expression. ► Caveolin-1 regulation by calcium signaling is observed in several mouse cell lines. -- Abstract: Caveolin-1, an indispensable component of caveolae serving as a transformation suppressor protein, is highly expressed in poorly metastatic mouse osteosarcoma FBJ-S1 cells while highly metastatic FBJ-LL cells express low levels of caveolin-1. Calcium concentration is higher in FBJ-S1 cells than in FBJ-LL cells; therefore, we investigated the possibility that calcium signaling positively regulates caveolin-1 in mouse FBJ-S1 cells. When cells were treated with the calcium channel blocker nifedipine, cyclosporin A (a calcineurin inhibitor), or INCA-6 (a nuclear factor of activated T-cells [NFAT] inhibitor), caveolin-1 expression at the mRNA and protein levels decreased. RNA silencing of voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel subunit alpha-1C resulted in suppression of caveolin-1 expression. This novel caveolin-1 regulation pathway was also identified in mouse NIH 3T3 cells and Lewis lung carcinoma cells. These results indicate that caveolin-1 is positively regulated at the transcriptional level through a novel calcium signaling pathway mediated by L-type calcium channel/Ca 2+ /calcineurin/NFAT.

  3. MHC class II expression in lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Yayi; Rozeboom, Leslie; Rivard, Christopher J; Ellison, Kim; Dziadziuszko, Rafal; Yu, Hui; Zhou, Caicun; Hirsch, Fred R

    2017-10-01

    Immunotherapy is an exciting development in lung cancer research. In this study we described major histocompatibility complex (MHC) Class II protein expression in lung cancer cell lines and patient tissues. We studied MHC Class II (DP, DQ, DR) (CR3/43, Abcam) protein expression in 55 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines, 42 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines and 278 lung cancer patient tissues by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Seven (12.7%) NSCLC cell lines were positive for MHC Class II. No SCLC cell lines were found to be MHC Class II positive. We assessed 139 lung cancer samples available in the Hirsch Lab for MHC Class II. There was no positive MHC Class II staining on SCLC tumor cells. MHC Class II expression on TILs in SCLC was significantly lower than that on TILs in NSCLC (P<0.001). MHC Class II was also assessed in an additional 139 NSCLC tumor tissues from Medical University of Gdansk, Poland. Patients with positive staining of MHC Class II on TILs had longer regression-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) than those whose TILs were MHC Class II negative (2.980 years, 95% CI 1.628-4.332 vs. 1.050 years, 95% CI 0.556-1.554, P=0.028) (3.230 years, 95% CI 2.617-3.843 vs. 1.390 years, 95% CI 0.629-2.151, P=0.014). MHC Class II was expressed both in NSCLC cell lines and tissues. However, MHC Class II was not detected in SCLC cell lines or tissue tumor cells. MHC Class II expression was lower on SCLC TILs than on NSCLC TILs. Loss of expression of MHC Class II on SCLC tumor cells and reduced expression on SCLC TILs may be a means of escaping anti-cancer immunity. Higher MHC Class II expression on TILs was correlated with better prognosis in patients with NSCLC. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. [Expressions and roles of TGFβ/Smad signal pathway in peritoneum of endometriosis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Cheng-long; Leng, Jin-hua; Li, Meng-hui; Shi, Jing-hua; Jia, Shuang-zheng; Lang, Jing-he

    2011-11-01

    To investigate the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and Smad pathway expressed in adhesion peritoneums in patients with endometriosis (EM). From Dec. 2009 to Mar. 2010, 11 patients with EM [including 3 patients treated by gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) treatment] underwent laparoscopy surgery in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. In the mean time, 9 patients with benign ovarian tumor without EM and peritoneum adhesion were chosen as control. Peritoneum from lateral peritoneal cavity, adjacent from lesion and grossly normal was obtained during surgery. Microstructure of peritoneums was observed by HE staining and Masson staining. The expression of TGF-β1, TGF-β3, Smad 3 and Smad 7 in peritoneums were measured by immunohistochemistry staining and real-time PCR. The effect of GnRH-a on expressions of these markers were also analyzed. (1) Microstructures of peritoneum: enlargement of nucleus of peritoneal mesothelial cells, thickening of connective tissue, distributive disorder of fiber, increasing numbers of fibroblast and inflammatory cells in EM were significantly different from those in control group. (2) The expression of TGF-β1 and 3 in peritoneum were 0.170 ± 0.020 and 0.110 ± 0.010 in EM group, which were significantly higher than 0.070 ± 0.010 and 0.050 ± 0.020 in control group. TGF-β1 was downregulated to 0.130 ± 0.030 and TGF-β3 was upregulated to 0.490 ± 0.090 by GnRH-a. (3) The expression of Smad 3 and 7 were 0.140 ± 0.020 and 0.110 ± 0.020 in peritoneum in EM group, which were significantly higher than 0.024 ± 0.004 and 0.014 ± 0.007 in control group. GnRH-a could upregualted the expression of smad 7 (0.040 ± 0.020), however, but no significant effect was observed on regulating Smad3 expression. The changes of microstructure and the alteration of TGF-β/Smad expression in peritoneum of endometriosis were observed. GnRH-a could regulate the expression of TGF-β and Smad.

  5. CTP limitation increases expression of CTP synthase in Lactococcus lactis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, C.M.; Hammer, Karin; Martinussen, Jan

    2003-01-01

    CTP synthase is encoded by the pyrG gene and catalyzes the conversion of UTP to CTP. A Lactococcus lactis pyrG mutant with a cytidine requirement was constructed, in which beta-galactosidase activity in a pyrG-lacLM transcriptional fusion was used to monitor gene expression of pyrG. A 10-fold...... decrease in the CTP pool induced by cytidine limitation was found to immediately increase expression of the L. lactis pyrG gene. The final level of expression of pyrG is 37-fold higher than the uninduced level. CTP limitation has pronounced effects on central cellular metabolism, and both RNA and protein...... for regulation of the pyrG gene. It is possible to fold the pyrG leader in an alternative structure that would prevent the formation of the terminator. We suggest a model for pyrG regulation in L. lactis, and probably in other gram-positive bacteria as well, in which pyrG expression is directly dependent...

  6. Recombinant expression and purification of L2 domain of human ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    USER

    2010-08-16

    Aug 16, 2010 ... in cell multiplication processes and seem as good targets for interventional therapies. EGFR is a receptor tyrosine kinase that expresses in a significantly higher level in several types of cancer cells and its activation results in cell proliferation, differentiation, cell adhesion, migration and angiogenesis.

  7. Combinatorial Screening for Transgenic Yeasts with High Cellulase Activities in Combination with a Tunable Expression System.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoichiro Ito

    Full Text Available Combinatorial screening used together with a broad library of gene expression cassettes is expected to produce a powerful tool for the optimization of the simultaneous expression of multiple enzymes. Recently, we proposed a highly tunable protein expression system that utilized multiple genome-integrated target genes to fine-tune enzyme expression in yeast cells. This tunable system included a library of expression cassettes each composed of three gene-expression control elements that in different combinations produced a wide range of protein expression levels. In this study, four gene expression cassettes with graded protein expression levels were applied to the expression of three cellulases: cellobiohydrolase 1, cellobiohydrolase 2, and endoglucanase 2. After combinatorial screening for transgenic yeasts simultaneously secreting these three cellulases, we obtained strains with higher cellulase expressions than a strain harboring three cellulase-expression constructs within one high-performance gene expression cassette. These results show that our method will be of broad use throughout the field of metabolic engineering.

  8. Combinatorial Screening for Transgenic Yeasts with High Cellulase Activities in Combination with a Tunable Expression System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Yoichiro; Yamanishi, Mamoru; Ikeuchi, Akinori; Imamura, Chie; Matsuyama, Takashi

    2015-01-01

    Combinatorial screening used together with a broad library of gene expression cassettes is expected to produce a powerful tool for the optimization of the simultaneous expression of multiple enzymes. Recently, we proposed a highly tunable protein expression system that utilized multiple genome-integrated target genes to fine-tune enzyme expression in yeast cells. This tunable system included a library of expression cassettes each composed of three gene-expression control elements that in different combinations produced a wide range of protein expression levels. In this study, four gene expression cassettes with graded protein expression levels were applied to the expression of three cellulases: cellobiohydrolase 1, cellobiohydrolase 2, and endoglucanase 2. After combinatorial screening for transgenic yeasts simultaneously secreting these three cellulases, we obtained strains with higher cellulase expressions than a strain harboring three cellulase-expression constructs within one high-performance gene expression cassette. These results show that our method will be of broad use throughout the field of metabolic engineering. PMID:26692026

  9. Effects of immunosuppressive treatment on protein expression in rat kidney

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kędzierska K

    2014-09-01

    were observed between the group receiving cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, and glucocorticoids (CMG and the control group. In contrast, compared to the control group, animals receiving tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and glucocorticoids (TMG exhibited higher expression of proteins responsible for renal drug metabolism and lower expression levels of cytoplasmic actin and the major urinary protein. In the TMG group, we observed higher expression of proteins responsible for drug metabolism and a decrease in the expression of respiratory chain enzymes (thioredoxin-2 and markers of distal renal tubular damage (heart fatty acid-binding protein compared to expression in the CMG group. The consequences of the reported changes in protein expression require further study. Keywords: Proteomics, drug effects, immunosuppression, rats

  10. HigherEd 2.0: Using social media in engineering education

    OpenAIRE

    Berger, Edward

    2014-01-01

    Social media (blogs, wikis, video, and a digital authoring culture) has emerged in the last decade as a dominant feature of the technology landscape, especially for our current generation of digital-native students. Leveraging these tools for higher education in general, and engineering education in particular, should be of immediate and pressing concern for engineering educators. This discussion summarizes the HigherEd 2.0 project, the creative convergence of higher education and “web 2.0” t...

  11. Segmental isotope labeling of proteins for NMR structural study using a protein S tag for higher expression and solubility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, Hiroshi; Swapna, G. V. T.; Wu, Kuen-Phon; Afinogenova, Yuliya; Conover, Kenith; Mao, Binchen; Montelione, Gaetano T.; Inouye, Masayori

    2012-01-01

    A common obstacle to NMR studies of proteins is sample preparation. In many cases, proteins targeted for NMR studies are poorly expressed and/or expressed in insoluble forms. Here, we describe a novel approach to overcome these problems. In the protein S tag-intein (PSTI) technology, two tandem 92-residue N-terminal domains of protein S (PrS 2 ) from Myxococcus xanthus is fused at the N-terminal end of a protein to enhance its expression and solubility. Using intein technology, the isotope-labeled PrS 2 -tag is replaced with non-isotope labeled PrS 2 -tag, silencing the NMR signals from PrS 2 -tag in isotope-filtered 1 H-detected NMR experiments. This method was applied to the E. coli ribosome binding factor A (RbfA), which aggregates and precipitates in the absence of a solubilization tag unless the C-terminal 25-residue segment is deleted (RbfAΔ25). Using the PrS 2 -tag, full-length well-behaved RbfA samples could be successfully prepared for NMR studies. PrS 2 (non-labeled)-tagged RbfA (isotope-labeled) was produced with the use of the intein approach. The well-resolved TROSY-HSQC spectrum of full-length PrS 2 -tagged RbfA superimposes with the TROSY-HSQC spectrum of RbfAΔ25, indicating that PrS 2 -tag does not affect the structure of the protein to which it is fused. Using a smaller PrS-tag, consisting of a single N-terminal domain of protein S, triple resonance experiments were performed, and most of the backbone 1 H, 15 N and 13 C resonance assignments for full-length E. coli RbfA were determined. Analysis of these chemical shift data with the Chemical Shift Index and heteronuclear 1 H– 15 N NOE measurements reveal the dynamic nature of the C-terminal segment of the full-length RbfA protein, which could not be inferred using the truncated RbfAΔ25 construct. CS-Rosetta calculations also demonstrate that the core structure of full-length RbfA is similar to that of the RbfAΔ25 construct.

  12. The role of EMMPRIN expression in ovarian epithelial carcinomas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yang; Chen, Shuo; Gou, Wen-feng; Niu, Zhe-feng; Zhao, Shuang; Xiao, Li-jun; Takano, Yasuo; Zheng, Hua-chuan

    2013-09-01

    Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) was reported to involve in the invasion and metastasis of malignancies by regulating the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in stromal and cancer cells. The study aimed to clarify the role of EMMPRIN expression in tumorigenesis and progression of ovarian epithelial carcinomas. EMMPRIN siRNA were transfected into ovarian carcinoma cells with the phenotypes and their related molecules examined. EMMPRIN expression was determined in ovarian normal tissue, benign and borderline tumors, and epithelial carcinomas by real-time PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry. EMMPRIN siRNA treatment resulted in a lower growth, G 1 arrest, apoptotic induction, decreased migration, and invasion. The transfectants showed reduced expression of Wnt5a, Akt, p70s6k, Bcl-xL, survivin, VEGF, and MMP-9 than mock and control cells at both mRNA and protein levels. According to real-time PCR and western blot, EMMPRIN mRNA or protein level was higher in ovarian borderline tumor and carcinoma than normal ovary and benign tumors (PEMMPRIN expression was positively correlated with FIGO staging, dedifferentiation, Ki-67 expression, the lower cumulative and relapse-free survival rate (PEMMPRIN protein and mRNA might be involved in the pathogenesis, differentiation, and progression of ovarian carcinomas, possibly by modulating cellular events, such as proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, migration, and invasion.

  13. Effects of fasting, temperature, and photoperiod on preproghrelin mRNA expression in Chinese perch.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Yi; Zhao, Cheng; Liang, Xu-Fang; He, Shan; Tian, Changxu; Cheng, Xiaoyan; Yuan, Xiaochen; Lv, Liyuan; Guo, Wenjie; Xue, Min; Tao, Ya-Xiong

    2017-06-01

    Preproghrelin, a gut/brain peptide, plays an important role in the regulation of food intake and energy homeostasis in teleost and mammals. In the present study, we obtained the full-length preproghrelin cDNA in Chinese perch. The preproghrelin messenger RNA (mRNA) tissue expression showed that level was much higher in stomach and pituitary than in other tissues. The fasting study showed, after gastric emptying (3-6 h), short-term fasting (6-12 h) increased preproghrelin expression in the stomach. While in the pituitary, fasting reduced preproghrelin expression at 1, 3, 12, and 48 h, presenting state fluctuation of self-adjustment. The temperature study showed that the mRNA expression of preproghrelin was the highest in the brain at 26 °C and highest in the stomach at 32 °C, respectively, with different optimum temperature in these two tissues, reflecting spatiotemporal differences of regulation by central nervous system and peripheral organs. The photoperiod study showed that normal light (11 h of lightness and 13 h of darkness) led to highest preproghrelin expression, both in the brain and in the stomach, than continuous light or continuous dark, proving food intake is adapted to natural photoperiod or normal light in this study. These results all indicated that tissue-specific preproghrelin expression of Chinese perch could be significantly affected by environmental factors. Short-term fasting of 6 h after gastric emptying, 26 °C, and normal light led to higher preproghrelin expression, which indicated potential appetite increase in Chinese perch.

  14. Immunohistochemical Expression of Vitamin-D Receptor in Oral and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    positive while 80% of well-differentiated skin SCC was strongly positive for VDR. In a previous study,. Grimm et al [7] demonstrated low VDR expression as an adverse prognostic factor for the survival of patients with OSCC. This may imply a potentially higher response rate of well-differentiated skin SCC to VD therapy than ...

  15. Higher-order radiative corrections for b b ¯→H-W+

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kidonakis, Nikolaos

    2018-02-01

    I present higher-order radiative corrections from collinear and soft-gluon emission for the associated production of a charged Higgs boson with a W boson. The calculation uses expressions from resummation at next-to-leading-logarithm accuracy. From the resummed cross section I derive analytical formulas at approximate next-to-next-to-leading order and next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order. Total cross sections are presented for the process b b ¯→H-W+ at various LHC energies. The transverse momentum and rapidity distributions of the charged Higgs boson are also calculated.

  16. Expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) and its expected roles in the bovine endometrium during gestation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishra, B; Kizaki, K; Koshi, K; Ushizawa, K; Takahashi, T; Hosoe, M; Sato, T; Ito, A; Hashizume, K

    2012-02-01

    Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) and its induced matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a crucial role in tissue remodeling during the peri-implantation period. However, the role of EMMPRIN in the bovine placenta is still unclear. We have postulated that EMMPRIN might play a regulatory role in trophoblastic cell functions during gestation by itself or through the regulation of MMP expression. In this study, EMMPRIN mRNA was detected in the bovine placentome and interplacentome throughout gestation, and its expression was significantly higher in the cotyledon during late gestation. In situ hybridization showed that EMMPRIN mRNA was expressed in the caruncular epithelium and the cotyledonary epithelium, including binucleate cells. Western blot analysis detected a band representing a protein of approximately 65 kDa in the caruncular and cotyledonary tissues, and the intensity of its expression was increased in both of these tissues during late gestation. The expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-14 in the bovine placenta were higher during late gestation, as was observed for EMMPRIN. Therefore, EMMPRIN might regulate trophoblastic cell functions, especially those of binucleate cells, through MMP expression in the bovine placenta. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Difficulties Using Standardized Tests to Identify the Receptive Expressive Gap in Bilingual Children's Vocabularies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson, Todd A; Oller, D Kimbrough; Jarmulowicz, Linda

    2018-03-01

    Receptive standardized vocabulary scores have been found to be much higher than expressive standardized vocabulary scores in children with Spanish as L1, learning L2 (English) in school (Gibson et al., 2012). Here we present evidence suggesting the receptive-expressive gap may be harder to evaluate than previously thought because widely-used standardized tests may not offer comparable normed scores. Furthermore monolingual Spanish-speaking children tested in Mexico and monolingual English-speaking children in the US showed other, yet different statistically significant discrepancies between receptive and expressive scores. Results suggest comparisons across widely used standardized tests in attempts to assess a receptive-expressive gap are precarious.

  18. Oncogene expression in primary lung tumors in dogs that inhaled 239PuO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kelly, G.; Kerkof, P.R.; Haley, P.J.

    1988-01-01

    Ten radiation-induced and three spontaneous lung tumors were analyzed for aberrant expression of known oncogenes. In 12 of 13 tumors tested, sequences hybridizing to the c-myc oncogene were expressed at levels 1.5 times higher than sequences hybridizing to β-actin. This level of oncogene expression was also observed in 9 of 13 tumors for 1 or more members of the ras family of oncogenes. Seven of thirteen tumors examined express sequences that hybridize with clones of v-ros or c-met. The ros and met clones both code for oncogenes whose normal homologues are transmembrane proteins related to the insulin receptor. (author)

  19. Drug-loaded nanoparticles induce gene expression in human pluripotent stem cell derivatives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gajbhiye, Virendra; Escalante, Leah; Chen, Guojun; Laperle, Alex; Zheng, Qifeng; Steyer, Benjamin; Gong, Shaoqin; Saha, Krishanu

    2013-12-01

    Tissue engineering and advanced manufacturing of human stem cells requires a suite of tools to control gene expression spatiotemporally in culture. Inducible gene expression systems offer cell-extrinsic control, typically through addition of small molecules, but small molecule inducers typically contain few functional groups for further chemical modification. Doxycycline (DXC), a potent small molecule inducer of tetracycline (Tet) transgene systems, was conjugated to a hyperbranched dendritic polymer (Boltorn H40) and subsequently reacted with polyethylene glycol (PEG). The resulting PEG-H40-DXC nanoparticle exhibited pH-sensitive drug release behavior and successfully controlled gene expression in stem-cell-derived fibroblasts with a Tet-On system. While free DXC inhibited fibroblast proliferation and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity, PEG-H40-DXC nanoparticles maintained higher fibroblast proliferation levels and MMP activity. The results demonstrate that the PEG-H40-DXC nanoparticle system provides an effective tool to controlling gene expression in human stem cell derivatives.Tissue engineering and advanced manufacturing of human stem cells requires a suite of tools to control gene expression spatiotemporally in culture. Inducible gene expression systems offer cell-extrinsic control, typically through addition of small molecules, but small molecule inducers typically contain few functional groups for further chemical modification. Doxycycline (DXC), a potent small molecule inducer of tetracycline (Tet) transgene systems, was conjugated to a hyperbranched dendritic polymer (Boltorn H40) and subsequently reacted with polyethylene glycol (PEG). The resulting PEG-H40-DXC nanoparticle exhibited pH-sensitive drug release behavior and successfully controlled gene expression in stem-cell-derived fibroblasts with a Tet-On system. While free DXC inhibited fibroblast proliferation and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity, PEG-H40-DXC nanoparticles maintained

  20. A comparative study of Dirac quasinormal modes of charged black holes in higher dimensions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chakrabarti, Sayan K.

    2009-01-01

    In this work we study the Dirac quasinormal modes of higher dimensional charged black holes. Higher dimensional Reissner-Nordstroem type black holes as well as charged black holes in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theories are studied for fermionic perturbations using WKB method. A comparative study of the quasinormal modes in the two different theories of gravity has been performed. The behavior of the frequencies with the variation of black hole parameters as well as with the variation of space-time dimensions is studied. We also study the large multipole number limit of the black hole potential in order to look for an analytic expression for the frequencies. (orig.)