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Biomedical subjects

G Huang

Publications and source records attributed to G Huang.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

[The differentiation-inducing effect of tanshinone and retinoic acid on human cervical carcinoma cell line in vitro].

The differentiation-inducing activity of tanshinone (TAN) and all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) was studied in vitro on a human cervical carcinoma cell line, ME180. The tumor cells were treated with TAN or RA in DMSO (final concentration 0.02%, V/V) on 4 successive days. Cells treated with the same concentration of DMSO alone served as control. Morphologic studies with light and transmission electron microscopy showed that the cells treated with both TAN and RA became well-differentiated. The cell growth, (as revealed by cell counting and 3H-TdR incorporation) was inhibited and the tumorigenicity in nude mice was reduced. No significant difference was observed between the cells treated with TAN and RA.

Abietanes↗

[Interspecific protoplast fusion between Bacillus thuringensis Bt-3701 and Bacillus megaterium Bm-107].

The results of the interspecific protoplast fusion between B. thuringensis sub. kurstaki Bt-3701 which has pesticide ability, and B. megaterium var. phosphaticum Bm-107 which has decomposing phosphate activity, were reported. High frequency of protoplast formation and regeneration was obtained with 4h activated Bm-107 treated by 100 micrograms/ml lysozyme, and with 2h activated Bt-3701 treated by 3% glycin and mild temperature. Using 40% PEG and 5% nascent Ca2+ to treat the parential protoplast mixture for 3 min at 37 degrees C, 4 stable fusants were obtained. Biological tests show that they have both pesticide ability and decomposing phosphate activity, but which are weaker than that of parential strains.

Bacillus megaterium↗

Motility voltage sensor of the outer hair cell resides within the lateral plasma membrane.

The outer hair cell (OHC) from the organ of Corti is believed to be responsible for the mammal's exquisite sense of hearing. A membrane-based motile response of this cell underlies the initial processing of acoustic energy. The voltage-dependent capacitance of the OHC, possibly reflecting charge movement of the motility voltage sensor, was measured in cells during intracellular dialysis of trypsin under whole cell voltage clamp. Within 10 min after dialysis, light and electron microscopic examination revealed that the subplasmalemmal structures, including the cytoskeletal framework and subsurface cisternae, were disrupted and/or detached from adjacent plasma membrane. Dialysis of heat-inactivated trypsin produced no changes in cell structure. Simultaneous measures of linear and nonlinear membrane capacitance revealed minimal changes, indicating that contributions by subsurface structures to the generation of the nonlinear capacitance are unlikely. This study strongly suggests that voltage-dependent charge movement in the OHC reflects properties of the force generator's voltage sensor and that the sensor/motor resides solely within the lateral plasma membrane.

Animals↗

Chiral detection in high-performance liquid chromatography by vibrational circular dichroism.

A novel chiral detector for high-performance liquid chromatography has been developed. This detector is based on the measurement of circular dichroism of chiral effluents in the infrared region, i.e., vibrational circular dichroism (VCD). In this instrument, a solid-state spectral tunable (from 2.4 to 3.5 microns) F-center laser was used as the light source. The linearly polarized laser beam was converted into left circularly polarized light (LCPL) and right circularly polarized light (RCPL) at 42 kHz by means of a photoelastic modulator. The intensity of the LCPL and RCPL transmitted through the sample was measured by a liquid nitrogen cooled indium antimonide detector. Double modulation was employed to reduce the noise associated with the laser beam. Specifically, the linearly polarized laser beam, prior to being converted to CPL, was modulated at 85 Hz by a mechanical chopper. Demodulation and amplification were accomplished with the use of two lock-in amplifiers. In its present configuration, the instrument can be used to measure the VCD of O-H groups. Its sensitivity is so high that it was able, for the first time, to detect chirally (with limits of detection of micrograms) (R)- and (S)-2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(9- anthryl)ethanol and (R)- and (S)-benzoin when these compounds were chromatographically separated from the corresponding racemic mixtures by a Chiralcel-OD column. The main advantage of this chiral detector is, however, its universality; i.e., it can be used to virtually detect any chiral compounds which has O-H group (e.g, aliphatic alcohols such as 2-octanol).

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Risk factors for oesophageal cancer in northeast China.

A hospital-based case-control study of oesophageal cancer was carried out in the Heilongjiang Province, a low-risk area for oesophageal cancer in China. From May 1985 to May 1989, 196 histologically confirmed cases and 392 controls with other (non-neoplastic) diseases were personally interviewed in the wards of 5 major hospitals. Information was obtained about usual consumption in the early 1980s of 32 major contributors to the diet in the province, socio-demographic status, smoking and alcohol consumption. Odds ratios (OR) were obtained from logistic regression models, and confounding was controlled by means of multivariate models. Smoking and alcohol consumption were major risk factors for oesophageal cancer in this population. Smokers of handmade cigarettes exhibited a particularly high risk. A near multiplicative synergism was found between smoking and alcohol consumption. There was a significant inverse dose-risk trend for combined consumption of vegetables and fruits; a 300-g increase per day lowered risk by 35%. Vitamin C intake was negatively associated with risk; a 100-mg increase per day lowered risk by 39%. Our data suggest a modifying effect of vitamin C and beta-carotene on risk associated with smoking, but the power of analyses was low. Salt, salt-preserved foods and pickled vegetables were not associated with increased risk. High temperature of meals and drinks was a strong risk indicator in this population. The strength of tea and overall tea consumption were independent determinants of the risk.

Adult↗

Disruption of neuronal migration in the neocortex of the dreher mutant mouse.

To analyze developmental abnormalities related to neuronal migration in the dreher mutant mouse, the neocortical cytoarchitecture of dreher and control mice were examined in Nissl-stained serial sections by light microscopy. In general, the dreher neocortex has six layers which are similar in size and thickness to those observed in normal mouse neocortex. However, in dreher neocortex, three types of abnormalities were found: (1) an increase in the number of diffusely distributed neurons in layer I, (2) small, ectopic collections of neurons in layer I, and (3) isolated disturbances of local cytoarchitecture characterized by neuron-free space distributed in areas between layer II to IV. The occurrence of small, punctate deficits in the dreher neocortex may be secondary to disruptions of the radial glial fiber system and neuronal migration. The fact that cytoarchitectonic abnormalities of several types were found in the dreher neocortex may be useful in analyzing the relationship between radial glial fibers and migrating young neurons, the synaptic connections which are formed by ectopically situated neurons, and the mechanism of formation of sporadically distributed neocortical abnormalities.

Animals↗

Relation between myocardial 18F-FDG uptake in the fasting state and coronary angiography in patients with coronary artery disease.

The relationship between severity of coronary artery stenosis (CAS) and myocardial 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) uptake in the fasting state, assessed with positron emission tomography (PET), was examined in a series of 48 patients with CAS undergoing both studies for diagnostic purposes. The data analysis was based on the subdivision of the left ventricular myocardium into four segments defined in relation to ventricular vascularization: the anterior and septal segments, perfused by the left anterior descending artery; the lateral segment, perfused by the left circumflex; and the inferior segment, perfused by the right coronary artery. The 192 segments were grouped according to degree of CAS: I 0-50%, II 51-75%; III 76-90%; IV 91-99%; V and VI occluded coronary artery with good or poor collaterals, respectively. An 18F-FDG index was determined as the tissue/blood pool radioactivity ratio in each segment. The statistical analysis was performed by one-way ANOVA, multiple comparison tests and the chi-squared test. The proportion of segments with 18F-FDG uptake was also analysed for a linear trend across the ordered levels of CAS. The 18F-FDG index in groups I to V was significantly higher than in controls, but it was not different among the groups with CAS, except for group V versus I. However, the proportion of segments with enhanced 18F-FDG uptake was correlated to the degree of CAS. In cases of complete occlusion of a major afferent coronary artery, the proportion of segments with 18F-FDG uptake varied in relation to the presence of collaterals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Collateral Circulation↗

[Determination of plasminogen activator of the head and neck tumor tissue].

Fibrin plate was used to determine plasminogen activator (PA) of the head and neck tumor tissue. The results revealed: 1. The specific activity of PA of primary malignant tumor and neck lymphatic metastatic nodes were higher than that of normal tissue near cancer and benign tumor tissue; 2. The specific activity of PA was enhanced as advance of tumors in clinical stage. This study implicated that PA released from cancer cells can catalyze and convert plasminogen to plasmin, which results in tissue degradation, invasion and metastasis of tumor.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

[Influence of the working posture on the flow-volume curve: an advanced identification of the "wave speed theory"].

The flow-volume (F-V) curves and routine ventilatory functions were performed with "point-measured method" on 473 healthy workers. 224 engaged in heavy work; 248 engaged in moderately heavy work and were compared with normal sedentary subjects. In workers who had heavy load, the flows at high lung volumes were reduced after 40 years of age, and the flows at low lung volumes were increased after 30 years both in males and females. There was a tendency of increase with age. In workers who had moderately heavy load, only the increase of flow at low lung volumes in individual age group was noticed. The same ventilatory functions were repeatedly measured on 7 healthy sedentary subjects who mimicked the working posture by bending forward. The same results were obtained with reduced flows at high lung volumes and increased flows at low lung volumes, and were also consistent with those of farmers measured previously. This fact suggested that the wave speed theory can also be applicable to the ventilatory behavior of the workers with forward bending of neck and trunk during heavily loaded working.

Adult↗

[Observation on parasite density in the early stage of vivax malaria].

Thirty-eight cases were artificially infected with local Plasmodium vivax sporozoites and experienced onsets of acute attacks after a short incubation period. The parasite densities upon the patent of malaria parasites in the peripheral blood and the primary clinical onset were 0.2-1.6 and 0.6-4 040/microliters, respectively. Such significant difference in parasitaemia level seems to be closely related to the interval between the initial parasitaemia and the first onset, as indicated by the fact that for the majority of cases, the earlier the appearance of clinical attack after sporozoite inoculation, the lower the parasite density at the beginning of the patent period, while primary onsets of later occurrence, in those with higher initial parasitemia. The biological and epidemiological significance of the evidence was discussed.

Animals↗

[Amplification of C-myc oncogene in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx].

C-myc amplification in 22 squamous cell carcinomas and 10 normal tissues (control) from the larynx was assessed by dot hybridization technique. Significant amplification of C-myc oncogene was found in malignant tumours as compared with the normal tissues. The extent of amplification also correlated with advanced tumour stages. There was a significant increase in C-myc amplification in TNM stages III and IV when compared with the stages I and II. These data suggested that C-myc oncogene might be activated by gene amplification and it might have a key role in determining the aggressiveness of laryngeal carcinoma.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

Correlation between the number of mitotic figures and the percentage of Ki67-positive cells in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

Proliferative activity in 106 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was estimated using the monoclonal antibody Ki67 and by counting the number of mitotic figures. The percentage of Ki67-positive cells was compared with the median number of mitotic figures per square millimeter. Both Ki67 positivity and the number of mitotic figures were found to be greater in high grade than in low grade lymphomas, although there was an overlap between the two grades of malignancy. A close correlation was found between the number of mitotic figures and the percentage of Ki67-positive cells not only in all lymphoma types taken together (rs = 0.834, P < 0.001), but also in B-cell lymphoma (rs = 0.818, P < 0.001) and T-cell lymphoma (rs = 0.764, P < 0.001) taken separately. Thus, both methods are useful for the estimation of proliferative activity, but each method has its advantages and disadvantages.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Abnormal distribution of acetylcholinesterase activity in the hippocampal formation of the dreher mutant mouse.

The distribution of acetylcholinesterase(AChE) in the hippocampal formation of the dreher mutant mouse was studied by comparing homozygous mutant (drsst-J/drsst-J) with littermate control (+/? or +/+). In the control mice, AChE activity was most intense in the inner one-third of the stratum oriens and lacnosum of the hippocampus, and in the inner one-fifth of the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. In contrast, in homozygous dreher mice, AChE activity in area CA3c of the hippocampus was not restricted to the stratum oriens, and extended upward into the infrapyramidal and suprapyramidal mossy fiber layers, the lower part of the stratum radiatum, the pyramidal cell layer, and downward toward the alveus. In addition, the distribution of AChE activity was modified by accompanying with ectopic pyramidal cells or with disruption of the pyramidal cell layer. AChE activity in the dentate gyrus of the dreher mouse was not confined to the inner one-fifth of the molecular layer. These findings indicated that the cholinergic input to the hippocampal formation is not normal in the dreher mutant mouse. Since the areas of AChE activity correspond to the presence of ectopic pyramidal cells in the dreher mouse, incoming cholinergic fibers may form synapses with these ectopic cells and with the dendrites of normal pyramidal cells that extend into the expanded area of AChE activity.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Cyclosporin A-induced autoimmune disease in mice.

The immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A (CsA) disrupts the process of thymic ontogeny and repertoire selection in the alpha beta T cell population. Although treatment with this agent does not cause overt abnormalities in adult animals by itself, in lethally irradiated rats reconstituted with syngeneic bone marrow cells, CsA treatment results in an autoimmune syndrome. In this report, a modified protocol is described to obtain a similar, but distinctive, pathologic syndrome in mice. The key elements of this protocol are stringent elimination of mature T cells from the bone marrow cells used to reconstitute the irradiated recipients and the use of high doses of CsA over a long course (6 wk) after irradiation. CsA treatment inhibits both the positive and negative selection of alpha beta thymocytes in normal young mice as well as in irradiated, T cell-deficient bone marrow-transplanted mice. An increased frequency of "forbidden" V beta 11 T cells is detected in these animals, but it is not clear that these cells are the actual initiators of the inflammatory lesions. In mice of several inbred strains treated by this protocol, striking inflammatory lesions develop in the colon, with less intense, but significant lesions in liver, stomach, and pancreas. Unlike allogeneic graft-vs-host disease, no lesions are found in the small intestine. Examination of these lesions by immunohistochemistry demonstrates that the lesions are composed primarily of T cells and macrophages, with focal aggregates of small B cells present. The same pattern of inflammatory lesions can be adoptively transferred with lymphoid cells from the CsA-treated animals at the peak of lesion development to irradiated syngeneic recipients. The transfer of active lesions is blocked by the co-transfer of normal syngeneic T cells to these recipients. Although similar to the previously described system in rats, these findings emphasize several novel features. In mice, we find an absolute requirement for the elimination of mature T cells from the bone marrow source to develop active inflammatory lesions. The particular tissues affected are also distinctive, especially the unusual feature of severe inflammation in the colon, but no involvement of the small intestine. The mechanism by which the presence of normal T cells suppresses the development of active autoimmunity in this model may have implications for the etiology of localized inflammatory lesions in general.

Animals↗

Mapping the distribution of the outer hair cell motility voltage sensor by electrical amputation.

The outer hair cell (OHC) possesses a nonlinear charge movement whose characteristics indicate that it represents the voltage sensor responsible for OHC mechanical activity. OHC mechanical activity is known to exist along a restricted extent of the cell's length. We have used a simultaneous partitioning microchamber and whole cell voltage clamp technique to electrically isolate sections of the OHC membrane and find that the nonlinear charge movement is also restricted along the cell's length. Apical and basal portions of the OHC are devoid of voltage sensors, corresponding to regions of the cell where the subsurface cisternae and/or the mechanical responses are absent. We conclude that the physical domain of the motility voltage sensor corresponds to that of the mechanical effector and speculate that sensor and effector reside within one intra membranous molecular species, perhaps an evolved nonconducting or poorly conducting voltage-dependent ion channel.

Animals↗