Proteome analysis of human colorectal cancer tissue using 2-D DIGE and tandem mass spectrometry for identification of disease-related proteins

Laser capture microdissection and two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis were used to establish the proteomic profiles for tumor and matched adjacent tissues from 12 patients. Differential protein spots were identified by mass spectrometric analysis. The cDNA of the differential protein was transfected into colorectal cancer cells, and the biological behavior of these cells was observed. The proteomic profile in colorectal cancer tissues was significantly different from that in normal adjacent tissues. There was a 1.5-fold difference and 60 differential protein spots between cancer and adjacent tissues. Ten differential protein spots were analyzed. Among them, two protein spots were down-regulated and eight protein spots were up-regulated in the primary tumor tissues. After identification by mass spectrometry, the two down-regulated proteins were carbonic anhydrase II and protein disulfide isomerase, and these eight up-regulated proteins included APC-stimulated guanine nucleotide exchange factor, phosphoglycerate kinase 1, fumarate hydratase, aldolase A, activator protein 2B, glutathione S-transferase A3, Arginase and zinc finger protein 64 homolog. After been transfected with carbonic anhydrase II, the invasive ability, mobility and drug resistance of colon cancer lovo cells were significantly reduced. The proteomic profile was significantly different between colorectal cancer tissues and normal adjacent tissues. The down-regulation of carbonic anhydrase II and protein disulfide isomerase and up-regulation of APC-stimulated guanine nucleotide exchange facto, aldolase A, glutathione S-transferase A3 and arginase were correlated with the onset of colorectal cancer.Key words: Colorectal cancer, proteomics

Analysis of safety and effect of reconstructing anterior and middle columns by single posterior approach in treating lumbar burst fractures

ObjectiveTo explore the safety and effect of the technique of reconstructing anterior and middle columns by posterior approach in treating lumbar burst fractures.MethodsFrom July 2005 to January 2007, 22 cases (18 males and 4 females, aged 28-57 years, 42.7 years on average) of lumbar burst fractures were treated with surgical procedures in our hospital. Based on the routine posterior approach, one of the transverse processes of the injured vertebra was incised to get access to the lateral side of the injured vetebral body. After all the displaced fracture fragments were cleared away and the spinal canal was decompressed, the titanium mesh packed with autografts was implanted from the lateral side to reconstruct the anterior and middle columns. The adjacent above and below segments of the vetebral body were fixed with transpedicular screws. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, vertebral height, degree of kyphotic deformity and comprised spinal canal were documented.ResultsThe average operation time was 3.5 hours (ranging 2.8-5.8 hours) and the average blood loss was 820 ml (ranging 650-2 100 ml). All the cases were followed up for 17.2 months on average (ranging 12-28 months). The height of the injured vetebral body was restored from 24 % (12%45%) preoperatively to 96% (95%-99%) postoperatively (P<0.05). The natural spinal curvatures and spinal canal were restored. Three cases were involved in transient iatrogenic nerve root injury and 1 case was involved in the loosening of the connected rod of the pedicle screw system 3 months postoperatively.ConclusionsThe technique of implanting the titanium mesh by posterior approach is effective and safe enough to reconstruct the anterior and middle columns in treating lumbar burst fractures

Electrochemically primed functional redox mediator generator from the decomposition of solid state electrolyte.

Recent works into sulfide-type solid electrolyte materials have attracted much attention among the battery community. Specifically, the oxidative decomposition of phosphorus and sulfur based solid state electrolyte has been considered one of the main hurdles towards practical application. Here we demonstrate that this phenomenon can be leveraged when lithium thiophosphate is applied as an electrochemically "switched-on" functional redox mediator-generator for the activation of commercial bulk lithium sulfide at up to 70 wt.% lithium sulfide electrode content. X-ray adsorption near-edge spectroscopy coupled with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Raman indicate a catalytic effect of generated redox mediators on the first charge of lithium sulfide. In contrast to pre-solvated redox mediator species, this design decouples the lithium sulfide activation process from the constraints of low electrolyte content cell operation stemming from pre-solvated redox mediators. Reasonable performance is demonstrated at strict testing conditions

Productions of X(1835) as baryonium with sizable gluon content

The X(1835) has been treated as a baryonium with sizable gluon content, and to be almost flavor singlet. This picture allows us to rationally understand X(1835) production in $J/\psi$ radiative decays, and its large couplings with $p\bar{p}$, $\eta^{\prime}\pi\pi$. The processes $\Upsilon(1S)\to \gamma X(1835)$ and $J/\psi\to \omega X(1835)$ have been examined. It has been found that $Br(\Upsilon(1S)\to\gamma X(1835))Br(X(1835)\to p\bar{p})<6.45\times10^{-7}$, which is compatible with CLEO's recently experimental result (Phys.Rev.$\mathbf{D73}$ (2006) 032001;hep-ex/0510015). The branching fractions of $Br(J/\psi\to\omega X(1835))$, $Br(J/\psi\to\rho X(1835))$ with $X(1835)\to p\bar{p}$ and $X(1835)\to\eta^{\prime}\pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ have been estimated by the quark-pair creation model. We show that they are heavily suppressed, so the signal of X(1835) is very difficult, if not impossible, to be observed in these processes. The experimental checks for these estimations are expected. The existence of the baryonium nonet is conjectured, and a model independent derivation of their production branching fractions is presented.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figure

Historical Review about Research on “Bonghan System” in China

The meridian-collateral theory is the theoretical basis of acupuncture-moxibustion therapy. Professor Bonghan Kim, a professor of the Pyongyang Medical University of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, claimed that he found the anatomical structure of meridian-collaterals, named Bonghan corpuscles (BHCs) and Bonghan ducts (BHDs) system or primo vascular system (PVS), in 1962. From 1963 to 1965, researchers from our institute conducted a series of comparative anatomical experiments, trying to reproduce the so-called BHC- and BHD-like structures in different strains of animals. In the present paper, the authors introduced their research findings about BHC- and BHD-like structures in the young rabbit’s umbilicus including its external appearance, ectoplasm and endoplasm, and about strip-like and node-like objects in the blood vessels and lymph vessels near the larger abdominal and cervical blood vessels and chromaffin tissue in the back wall of the rabbit’s abdominal cavity and between the bilateral kidneys. In spite of existence of the BHC- and BHD-like structures in the rabbit, there has been no proved evidence for their association with the meridian-collateral system described in acupuncture medicine. In the present historical review, the authors also make a discussion about the significance of those findings

Use of a novel valve stent for transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement: An animal study

ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to evaluate valvular functionality after transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement in sheep using a novel pulmonary valve stent.MethodsFresh porcine pericardium cross-linked with 0.6% glutaraldehyde was treated with L-glutamine to eliminate glutaraldehyde toxicity and sutured onto a valve ring before mounting on a nitinol stent to construct the pulmonary valve stent. Percutaneous femoral vein transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement was performed with the newly constructed valve stent. Pulmonary valve stents were implanted in 10 healthy sheep (6 males and 4 females) weighing an average of 25.7 ± 4.1 kg. Color Doppler echocardiography, 64-row computed tomography, and direct catheter examination were used to assess valvular function.ResultsImplantation was successful in 8 sheep. Shortly after surgery, all artificial valve stents exhibited normal open and close functionality and no stenosis or insufficiency. Heart rate was slightly elevated at this time, while all other hemodynamic parameters were normal. Six-month follow-up revealed no evidence of valve stent dislocation and normal valvular and cardiac functionality. There was no evidence of stent fracture. Repeated valve stent implantation was well tolerated as indicated by good valvular functionality 2 months postdelivery.ConclusionThe novel pulmonary valve stent described herein can be delivered via percutaneous femoral vein transcatheter implantation and is highly efficacious at 6 months postdelivery. Furthermore, repeated valve stent replacement was successful

The inhibitory effect against collagen-induced arthritis by Schistosoma japonicum infection is infection stage-dependent

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A long-term existing schistosome infection can aid in maintaining immuno-homeostasis, thus providing protection against various types of autoimmune diseases to the infected host. Such benefits have often been associated with acute or egg stage infection and with the egg-induced Th2 response. However, since schistosome infection undergoes different stages, each associated with a specific induction of Th responses, the requirements for the ability of the different stages of schistosome infection to protect against autoimmune disease has not been elucidated. The present study was designed to study whether different stages of schistosome infection offer unique protection in collagen-induced arthritis and its mechanisms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Arthritis susceptible strain DBA/1 male mice were infected with <it>Schistosoma japonicum </it>for either 2 weeks resulting in early stage infection or for 7 weeks resulting in acute or egg stage infection. Following <it>Schistosoma japonicum </it>infection, collagen II was administered to induce collagen-induced arthritis, an animal model for human rheumatoid arthritis. Infection by <it>Schistosoma japonicum </it>significantly reduced the severity and the incidence of experimental autoimmune collagen-induced arthritis. However, this beneficial effect can only be provided by a pre-established acute stage of infection but not by a pre-established early stage of the infection. The protection against collagen-induced arthritis correlated with reduced levels of anti-collagen II IgG, especially the subclass of IgG2a. Moreover, in protected mice increased levels of IL-4 were present at the time of collagen II injection together with sustained higher IL-4 levels during the course of arthritis development. In contrast, in unprotected mice minimal levels of IL-4 were present at the initial stage of collagen II challenge together with lack of IL-4 induction following <it>Schistosoma japonicum </it>infection.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The protective effect against collagen-induced arthritis provided by <it>Schistosoma japonicum </it>infection is infection stage-dependent. Furthermore, the ability of schistosomiasis to negatively regulate the onset of collagen-induced arthritis is associated with a dominant as well as long-lasting Th2 response at the initiation and development of autoimmune joint and systemic inflammation.</p

Identification of harmonic load acting on an elastically supported thin plate linked with attachments

Plate-like structures in real mechanical system is always simplified and modeled as an elastically restrained thin plate loaded with stiffness or mass. The dynamic model of the plate distinguished with previous classic model is complex vibrational characteristics and merely proposed by numerical method. Accordingly, identification of harmonic load acting on this plate becomes difficult for hardly obtaining inverse equations or matrix from its response functions directly. To solve this problem, dynamic model of the plate is established by numeric method and combined with particle swarm optimization (PSO) method to reconstruct harmonic load by minimizing total error between vibration responses in identification and test. Then, it is used to deal with acceleration responses tested in an elastically supported plate derived by a harmonic load. Parameters of the harmonic load are identified and found to agree with those of real source by their comparison. Thus, it is concluded that harmonic load driving on the plate linked with elastic boundary and attachment can be identified accurately by proposed numeric model of this paper. Furthermore, acceleration distribution of the plate at modal frequencies and responses at different test point, which are acquired from identification and test, are demonstrated and discussed. It is revealed that the numeric model proposed in this paper identifies parameters of harmonic load mainly through tendency of vibration distribution on the plate, and the accuracies of its reconstruction results at some locations are limited