Biomedical subjects

D Liu

Publications and source records attributed to D Liu.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2005

Redox control of K+ channel remodeling in rat ventricle.

Electrical remodeling of the diseased heart contributes to contractile dysfunction and arrhythmias, and is characterized by down-regulation of K(+) channels that control action potential morphology. We have recently shown that remodeling of K(+) channels underlying the transient outward current (I(to)) involves a shift in cell redox balance that is reflected by a depletion of the endogenous redox buffer, glutathione (GSH). This study used a pharmacological model to further examine the role of redox-mediated mechanisms in regulating cardiac K(+) currents. Inhibition of major redox pathways was elicited in normal rats by daily injections of 1,3-bis-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU), an inhibitor of thioredoxin and glutathione reductases, and buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), a blocker of GSH synthesis. Fluorescence microscopy studies showed that [GSH] in isolated ventricular myocytes was decreased ~50% from control after 3 days of BCNU/BSO treatment (P<0.05), consistent with a shift in cell redox state. In voltage-clamp experiments, maximum I(to) density was decreased 33% from control in left ventricular myocytes from BCNU/BSO-treated rats (P<0.05), while the inward rectifier and steady state outward currents were not significantly altered. Decreased I(to) density correlated with significant decreases in Kv4.2 mRNA and proteins levels of Kv4.2 and Kv1.4. Down-regulation of I(to) in myocytes from BCNU/BSO rats was reversed in vitro by exogenous GSH or N-acetylcysteine, a GSH precursor and antioxidant. I(to) density and [GSH] were also up-regulated by receptor tyrosine kinase activation with insulin or a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor. The effect of these activators on I(to) was blocked by inhibitors of PI 3-kinase, MEK and p38 MAP kinases. These data suggest that expression of cardiac I(to) channels is regulated by endogenous oxidoreductase systems and that receptor tyrosine kinase signaling functionally impacts K(+) channel remodeling through its control of cell redox state.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Free-electron attachment to coronene and corannulene in the gas phase.

Electron attachment to the polyaromatic hydrocarbons coronene and corannulene is studied in the electron energy range of about 0-14 eV using a high-resolution crossed electron-neutral beam setup. The major anions observed are the parent anions peaking at about 0 eV with cross sections of 3.8 x 10(-20) and 1 x 10(-19) m(2), respectively. The only fragment anions formed in coronene and corannulene are the dehydrogenated coronene and corannulene anions. Other anions observed in the negative mass spectra at about 0 eV can be ascribed to impurities of the sample. High-level quantum-mechanical studies are carried out for the determination of electron affinities, hydrogen binding energies, and structures of both molecules. The behavior of coronene and corannulene upon electron attachment is compared with that of other polyaromatic hydrocarbons studied previously.

Anions↗

PubMed2005

Decreased expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma in endotoxin-induced acute lung injury.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR- gamma), a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors, possesses anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the profile of PPAR-gamma expression in the lung and to explore its functional significance in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to one of the following five groups: saline control group and different LPS groups (2 h, 4 h, 6 h and 8 h after LPS 6 mg/kg i.v.). At predefined time points, blood samples were collected to measure plasma level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and lungs were removed to assay histopathological changes, wet-to-dry weight (W/D) ratio, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and TNF-alpha level. Expression of PPAR-gamma and activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kapaB p65 in lung tissues were also examined in each group. LPS injection resulted in marked lung damage and elevated levels of W/D ratio and MPO activity in the lung. Increased levels of TNF-alpha were also observed in the plasma and lung. These inflammatory events were associated with reduced expression of PPAR-gamma protein and with activation of NF-kapaB in the lung. Our data suggest that decreased expression of PPAR-gamma protein in lungs may contribute to the ongoing pulmonary inflammation and tissue injury in endotoxemia.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Clinical application of biological markers for treatments of resectable non-small-cell lung cancers.

We performed a clinical study to identify biological markers useful for the treatment of resectable non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). In all, 173 patients were studied. By immunohistochemistry, we evaluated the Ki-67 proliferation index, tumour vascularity, thymidylate synthase (TS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, VEGF-C, and E (epithelial)-cadherin. Concerning the survival of NSCLC patients, tumour vascularity (P<0.01), VEGF-A status (P=0.03), VEGF-C status (P=0.03), and E-cadherin status (P=0.03) were significant prognostic factors in patients with stage I NSCLCs. The Ki-67 proliferation index (P=0.02) and TS status (P<0.01) were significant prognostic factors in patients with stage II-III NSCLCs. In patients with stage II-III NSCLCs, furthermore, the survival of UFT (a combination of tegafur and uracil)-treated patients with TS-negative tumours was significantly better than those of any other patients. Biological markers associated with tumour angiogenesis or metastasis are useful for the detection of aggressive tumours among early-stage NSCLCs. Postoperative chemotherapy might be necessary in such tumours even in stage I. In contrast, tumour proliferation rate and TS status are useful markers for identifying less aggressive tumours in locally advanced NSCLCs. Thymidylate synthase expression is also a useful marker to evaluate responsiveness of UFT-based chemotherapy for these tumours.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Rosiglitazone, an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, reduces pulmonary inflammatory response in a rat model of endotoxemia.

OBJECTIVE: The effect of rosiglitazone, a potent peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma) agonist, on pulmonary inflammation in endotoxemia was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats were given either lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 6 mg/kg i.v.) or saline, pretreated with rosiglitazone (0.3 mg/kg i.v.) or its vehicle (dimethyl sulphoxide) 30 min before LPS. The selective PPAR-gamma antagonist GW9662 (0.3 mg/kg i.v.) was given 20 min before rosiglitazone. Wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as TNF-alpha and CINC-1 concentrations were measured in lung tissues 4 h after LPS injection. Expression of ICAM-1, NF-kappaB p65 and PPAR-gamma were also determined by immunohistochemistry or Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Rosiglitazone pretreatment significantly attenuated the increases in W/D ratio, MPO activity and MDA levels, and reduced pulmonary overproduction of TNF-alpha and CINC-1 as well as expression of ICAM-1 following endotoxemia. Rosiglitazone also inhibited the nuclear localization of NF-kappaB and up-regulated the expression of PPAR-gamma protein. The specific PPAR-gamma antagonist GW9662 abolished the effect of rosiglitazone. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that PPAR-gamma agonists might be used as therapeutic agents in the therapy of inflammatory lung injury related to endotoxemia.

Anilides↗

PubMed2005

The expression of apoptosis related genes in the first trimester human placenta using a short term in vitro model.

Using in vitro model for studying the induction and inhibition of spontaneous apoptosis in human first trimester placental villi, mediated by the free radical scavenger SOD, we have examined the expression of bcl-xL, bax, Caspase-3 and PARP (Poly ADP-ribosyl). An increase in apoptosis was associated with activation of PARP and an increase and activation of Caspase-3. There was no significant change in bcl-x or bax. Therefore bcl-x and bax do not appear to have a significant role in apoptosis in the first trimester in vitro. Cleavage of Caspase-3 rather than transcriptional regulation appears to be the main determinant of Caspase-3 activity in first trimester placental villi.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2005

Are anemic patients more sensitive to calcineurin inhibitors?

A calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) is characterized by high affinity binding to red blood cells. There is a possibility that hematocrit levels might affect the immunosuppressive effects of cyclosporine (CsA). The purpose of this study was to examine whether the treatment with CNI was more effective in preventing acute rejection in anemic compared with nonanemic patients and to find a suitable method to monitoring immunosuppression. Ninety-five living donor renal transplant recipients who were treated with CsA were divided into five groups depending on their Ht levels. The incidences of biopsy-proven acute rejection were 1/8 (12.5%), 8/31 (25.8%), 6/28 (21.4%), 10/22 (45.5%), and 2/6 (33.3%) for Ht < or = 25%, 25% < Ht < or = 30%, 30% < Ht < or = 35%, 35% < Ht < or = 40%, and 40% < Ht, respectively. In vitro IL-2 mRNA inhibition tests were performed to evaluate lymphocyte function after stimulation of whole-blood with phorbol myristate acetate and Ca-ionophore in the presence of various concentrations of CsA. Whole blood CsA levels causing 50% inhibition of IL-2 mRNA (IC50) were 256, 310, 175, and 55 ng/mL for Ht 50%, 40%, 30%, and 20%, respectively. It is speculated that plasma concentrations of CsA may increase at low Ht levels, because lower incidences of acute rejection and lower IC50 values of CsA were observed in the anemic state. When the dosage of CsA was adjusted to its whole-blood concentration, the anemic state is likely to enhance the immunosuppressive effect of CsA. A pharmacodynamic study, such as the IL-2 mRNA inhibition test, is preferable for CsA monitoring.

Anemia↗

PubMed2005

Identification of early tolerance regulator genes induced by allochimeric therapy using microarray-based genomewide scan.

We have demonstrated that peri- or postoperative delivery of allochimeric [a1h(u)]-RT1.A(a) class I major histocompatibility complex molecules with donor-type (RT1A(u)) immunogenic epitopes presented in recipient-type (RT1A(a)) sequences induced donor-specific tolerance in ACI (RT1a) recipients of WF (RT1u) heart allografts. A genomic scan during the early posttransplant period was performed to elucidate the underlying operative mechanisms. A rat genome study after transplantation was carefully designed using Affymetrix Rat Genome 230 2.0 Array. The allochimeric treatment group is 3-day cyclosporine (CsA)-treated ACI recipients that accepted Wistar Furth RT1u cardiac allografts with postoperative dosage of allochimeric molecules, while the control is 3-day CsA-treated ACI recipients of WF cardiac allografts. All the samples were harvested 5 days after heart transplant as the early stage of tolerance detection. Following array data normalization and modeling, we compared the above two treatment groups and identified a total of 250 tolerance regulator genes induced by allochimeric molecules only.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Low-dose methotrexate for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Methotrexate (MTX) is commonly used in the prophylaxis of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). In order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-dose MTX treatment in patients with GVHD after allo-HSCT, 38 patients with acute GVHD (aGVHD), chronic GVHD (cGVHD) or GVHD post-donor lymphocyte infusion (post-DLI GVHD) after allo-HSCT received intravenous MTX at a dose of 5 or 10 mg every 5-- days until a complete or partial response was seen, or there was treatment failure or intolerable side effects. The overall response rate was 94.7% (18/19 patients) in patients with aGVHD, 76.2% (16/21 patients) in patients with cGVHD and 2/2 in patients with post-DLI GVHD. The response rate for GVHD involving various organs was 100% in skin, 75% in gut, 55.6% in liver, 75% in mouth and 100% in the eye, among all enrolled patients. Side effects were minor. Short-term, low-dose MTX is a tolerable and an effective regimen for patients with aGVHD, cGVHD or post-DLI GVHD after allo-HSCT.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2005

Long-term survival of patients with resistant lymphoma treated with tandem stem cell transplant.

Dose-intensive chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support is commonly used in resistant/refractory cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of tandem transplantation in these patients. We used non cross-resistant conditioning regimens with thiotepa, mitoxantrone and carboplatin (TMJ) followed by ifosphamide, carboplatin and etoposide (ICE) with autologous stem cell rescue in an attempt to maximize dose intensity and achieve long-term remission. Seventy-six patients were included in this study. Twenty-nine patients with HD and 47 with NHL underwent autologous stem cell transplant using TMJ as the conditioning regimen for the first transplant. Of these, 49 patients proceeded to the second transplant using ICE as the conditioning regimen. In 57 patients, only peripheral blood cells were used and in 11 patients both bone marrow and peripheral stem cells were used. Twelve patients died due to treatment-related toxicity. On an intent to treat basis, 32.14% of patients with HD refractory to initial or subsequent therapy survived long term as opposed to 12.76% of patients with NHL. With a median follow-up of 83 months (range 25 - 110 months), the median disease-free survival of patients with HD was 7 months, as opposed to 2 months for patients with NHL. Multivariate analysis identified that patients with HD had a superior outcome if they were less than 35 years of age and did not have B symptoms. Dose-intensive chemotherapy with tandem transplantation is an option in patients with resistant/refractory lymphoma who have very limited treatment options and poor prognosis.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

LARALink: a web application for cytogenetic linkage analysis.

Genomic and expression data have increased dramatically over the last several years. This is primarily due to the completion of the human genome project as well as an upsurge in the use of various high-throughput technologies. Recent attempts to correlate genomic and expression data have stimulated the scientific community to determine how this data can be used within a clinical setting (P Khatri et al., Genomics 2002: 79: 266; LJ van't Veer et al., Nature 2002: 415: 530). LARALink (Loci Analysis for Rearrangements Link) is a database-driven web application that utilizes several public datasets to analyze clinical cytogenetic data to identify candidate genes. LARALink allows UniGene clusters or single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to be queried for multiple patients by cytoband, chromosome marker, or base pair. The results can be further refined with the use of an anatomical site, developmental stage, pathology, or cell-type expression filter. Once a set of UniGene clusters (expressed genes) has been identified either for a single patient or for a shared region among multiple patients, the expression-distribution profile, expressed sequence tags (ESTs), or online mendelian inheritance in man (OMIM) entries are displayed. The utility of this tool is shown by its application to both research and clinical medicine. LARALink is a public resource available at: http://www.laralink.bioinformatics.wayne.edu:8080/unigene.

Alzheimer Disease↗

PubMed2005

Evaluation of PCR primers from putative transcriptional regulator genes for identification of Staphylococcus aureus.

AIMS: To examine if PCR primers derived from putative transcriptional regulator genes can be useful for Staphylococcus aureus identification. METHODS AND RESULTS: Staphylococcus aureus gene sequences that encode transcriptional regulators were retrieved from GenBank and compared with other DNA sequences via BLAST searches. Two uniquely present, putative transcriptional regulator genes (i.e. Sa0836 and Sa0856) were selected as a consequence and PCR primers (Sa0836F/R and Sa0856F/R) were then designed from these genes for evaluation. A total of 84 bacterial strains/isolates including 23 Staph. aureus, 18 nonaureus Staphylococcus and 43 other common bacterial isolates were examined. The results indicated that PCR primers from Sa0836 and Sa0856 recognized genomic DNA from Staph. aureus only, but not from other non-aureus Staphylococcus or common bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: PCR detection of the putative transcriptional regulator genes Sa0836 and Sa0856 represents a useful means of identifying Staph. aureus from other bacteria. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The existence of species-species transcriptional regulator genes may be a common phenomenon in bacteria. Besides their value as novel diagnostic markers, further investigation on the putative transcriptional regulator genes Sa0836 and Sa0856 and their related products may shed light on the molecular mechanisms of Staph. aureus adaptation and virulence.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

PubMed2005

Chronology and regulation of gene expression of RANKL in the rat dental follicle.

Tooth eruption in the rat requires bone resorption resulting from a major burst of osteoclastogenesis on postnatal day 3 and a minor burst of osteoclastogenesis on postnatal day 10 in the alveolar bone of the first mandibular molar. The dental follicle regulates the major burst on postnatal day 3 by down-regulating its osteoprotegerin (OPG) gene expression to enable osteoclastogenesis to occur. To determine the role of receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL) in tooth eruption, its gene expression was measured on postnatal days 1-11 in the dental follicle. The results show that RANKL expression was significantly elevated on postnatal days 9-11 in comparison to low expression levels at earlier time-points. As OPG expression is high at this latter time-point, this increase in RANKL expression would be needed for stimulating the minor burst of osteoclastogenesis. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha enhances RANKL gene expression in vitro and it may be responsible for up-regulating RANKL in vivo. Transforming growth factor-beta1 and interleukin-1alpha also enhance RANKL gene expression in vitro but probably have no effect in vivo because they are maximally expressed early. Bone morphogenetic protein-2 acts to down-regulate RANKL expression in vitro and, in vivo, may promote alveolar bone growth in the basal region of the tooth.

Alveolar Process↗

PubMed2005

Estrogen-related receptor-gamma and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1alpha regulate estrogen-related receptor-alpha gene expression via a conserved multi-hormone response element.

The expression of estrogen-related receptor-alpha (ERRalpha) is stimulated by estrogen in selective tissues. Recently, a correlation between ERRalpha expression and the induction of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) in the liver of fasting animals and in cold-stressed brown-fat tissues and skeletal muscle was shown. To explore the molecular mechanisms of ERRalpha regulation by diverse signals, the promoter of the human ERRalpha gene was cloned and characterized. Mutation and deletion analyses revealed that a 53 bp region containing repeated core element AGGTCA motifs of the ERRalpha gene serves as a multi-hormone response element (MHRE) for several nuclear receptors in transient co-transfection studies of human endometrial carcinoma (HEC-1B) cells. Among the nuclear receptors tested, ERRgamma bound to and robustly stimulated the transcription of reporters containing at least two AGGTCA motifs. Ectopic expression of PGC-1alpha in HEC-1B cells strongly activated the reporter containing the MHRE, presumably via the endogenous nuclear receptor binding to the element. Reducing the endogenous level of ERRgamma by small interfering RNA, and increasing the ERRgamma level by ectopic expression, substantially decreased and increased respectively the transactivation capability of PGC-1alpha. The activation function 2 domain of the ERRgamma and the L2 and L3 motifs of PGC-1alpha were essential to transactivate the MHRE. Additionally, PGC-1alpha increases the amount of endogenous ERRgamma bound to the MHRE region as determined by a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. The present study demonstrates that the MHRE of the ERRalpha gene is a target for ERRgamma transactivation, which is enhanced by PGC-1alpha.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

The tumour-stromal interaction between intratumoral c-Met and stromal hepatocyte growth factor associated with tumour growth and prognosis in non-small-cell lung cancer patients.

Immunohistochemical analyses of the effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and c-Met expression on tumour growth and angiogenesis were performed on 88 patients with non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). In all, 22 carcinomas (25.0%) were intratumoral HGF-positive, 14 carcinomas (15.9%) were stromal HGF-positive, and 36 carcinomas (40.9%) were intratumoral c-Met-positive. None of the carcinomas were stromal c-Met-positive. Examination of tumour growth revealed that the frequency of tumours with a high Ki-67 index was significantly greater for stromal HGF-positive tumours than for stromal HGF-negative tumours (P=0.0197). The frequency of tumours with a high Ki-67 index was also significantly greater for intratumoral c-Met-positive tumours than for intratumoral c-Met-negative tumours (P=0.0301). However, there was no significant difference in tumour vascularity with relation to intratumoral HGF status, stromal HGF status, and intratumoral c-Met status. The survival rate of patients with intratumoral c-Met-positive tumours was significantly lower than for patients with c-Met-negative tumours (P=0.0095). Furthermore, the survival rate of patients with both intratumoral c-Met-positive and stromal HGF-positive tumours was significantly lower than for patients with either positive tumours, and that of patients with both negative tumours (P=0.0183 and P=0.0011, respectively). A univariate analysis revealed that intratumoral c-Met expression was a significant prognostic factor of NSCLC patients (relative risk=2.642, P=0.0029). The present study demonstrates that tumour-stromal interaction between tumour cell-derived c-Met and stromal cell-derived HGF affects tumour growth and the prognosis of NSCLC patients.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung↗

PubMed2004

Hydroxyl radicals generated in the rat spinal cord at the level produced by impact injury induce cell death by necrosis and apoptosis: protection by a metalloporphyrin.

We previously measured the time courses of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radical (*OH), and catalytic iron increases following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). This study determines whether the SCI-elevated level of *OH causes cell death. OH was generated by administering H2O2 and Fe2+ at the concentrations attained following SCI, each through a separate microdialysis fiber inserted laterally into the gray matter of the cord. The duration of *OH generation mimics the duration of its elevation after SCI. The death of neurons and astrocytes was characterized at 24 h post-*OH exposure and quantitated by counting surviving cells along the fiber track in sections stained with Cresyl Violet, or immunohistochemically stained with anti-neuron-specific enolase (anti-NSE) and anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (anti-GFAP). DNA fragmentation in neurons was characterized by double staining with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) and anti-NSE. Using a one way ANOVA followed by the Tukey test, we demonstrated that *OH generated in the cord induced significant losses of neurons in both Cresyl Violet (P<0.001) and anti-NSE-stained sections (P<0.001), and of astrocytes in GFAP-stained sections (P=0.001). *OH generated in the cord increased numbers of TUNEL-positive neurons compared with Ringer's solution administered as a control (P=0.001). Mn (III) tetrakis (4-benzoic acid) porphyrin (MnTBAP), a superoxide dismutase mimetic and a broad spectrum reactive species scavenger, significantly reduced *OH-induced death of neurons (P<0.001 in anti-NSE stained sections and P=0.002 in the Cresyl Violet-stained sections) and astrocytes (P=0.03). It also reduced the numbers of TUNEL-positive neurons (P=0.01). Electron microscopy confirmed that generated *OH induced neuronal and glial death with characteristic features of both necrosis and apoptosis. We conclude that 1) SCI-elevated *OH is sufficient to induce both necrosis and apoptosis, criteria for identifying an endogenous secondary damaging agent; 2) MnTBAP reduces *OH-induced cell death, perhaps by removing H2O2 administered in the tissue, thereby blocking formation of *OH, and also by scavenging downstream reactive species.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Validity and reproducibility of the food frequency questionnaire used in the Shanghai Women's Health Study.

To evaluate the validity and reliability of the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) used in the Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS), 200 SWHS participants were recruited for a dietary calibration study. Study participants completed an FFQ at baseline and 24-h dietary recalls (24-HDR) twice per month consecutively for 12 months. At the end of the study, a second FFQ was administered. Of the 200 study participants, 196 completed 24 or more days of 24-h dietary recalls, 191 completed two FFQs from whom the results of this report were based. The FFQ included the foods that accounted for 86% of the foods recorded in the 24-HDR surveys. Validity of the FFQ was evaluated by comparing intake levels of major nutrients and foods obtained from the second FFQ with those derived from the multiple 24-HDR. The median intake for major nutrients, rice, poultry and meat derived from the second FFQ and the 24-HDR was similar, with the differences ranging from 1.3 to 12.1%. The FFQ tended to overestimate the intake level of total vegetables and total fruits, and the differences were explained mainly by over-reporting seasonal vegetables and fruits consumption in the FFQ. Nutrient and food intake assessed by the FFQ and the multiple 24-HDR correlated very well, with the correlation coefficients being 0.59-0.66 for macronutrients, 0.41-0.59 for micronutrients, and 0.41-0.66 for major food groups. The reliability of the FFQ was assessed by comparing the correlation and median intake of nutrients and food groups obtained from the two FFQs that were administered approximately 2 y apart. The median intake levels for selected nutrients and food groups derived from the two FFQs were similar with differences below 10%. At the individual level, the intake levels of these dietary variables obtained from two FFQs also correlated well. When nutrient and food group intakes were categorized into quartiles, FFQ and 24-HDR produced exact agreement rates between 33 and 50%. Misclassification to adjacent quartile was common, ranging from 34-48%, while misclassification to an extreme quartile was rare (1-6%). These data indicate that the SWHS FFQ can reliably and accurately measure usual intake of major nutrients and food groups among women in Shanghai.

Calibration↗

PubMed2004

Hydroporation as the mechanism of hydrodynamic delivery.

We have reported that a rapid tail vein injection of a large volume of plasmid DNA solution into a mouse results in high level of transgene expression in the liver. Gene transfer efficiency of this hydrodynamics-based procedure is determined by the combined effect of a large volume and high injection speed. Here, we show that the hydrodynamic injection induces a transient irregularity of heart function, a sharp increase in venous pressure, an enlargement of liver fenestrae, and enhancement of membrane permeability of the hepatocytes. At the cellular level, our results suggest that hepatic delivery by the hydrodynamic injection is accomplished by the generation of membrane pores in the hepatocytes.

Animals↗