Multiple myeloma presenting with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis: causal or chance link?
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
Biomedical subjects
H L Li
Publications and source records attributed to H L Li.
Constitutive expression of human angiostatin in Pichia pastoris by high-density cell culture.
A high-density cell culture method to produce human angiostatin has been successfully established by constitutive expression of the protein in Pichia pastoris. The fermentation was carried out in a 20 l bioreactor with a 10 l working volume, using a high-density cell culture method by continuously feeding with 50% glycerol-0.8% PTM4 to the growing culture for 60 h at 30 degrees C. Dissolved oxygen level was maintained at 25-30% and pH was controlled at 5 by the addition of 7 M NH4OH. Angiostatin was constitutively expressed during the fermentation by linking its expression to the P. pastoris constitutive GAP promoter (pGAP). But after 36 h of fermentation, the peak biomass growth was 305 as measured by absorption of 600 nm, while the peak angiostatin expression was 176 mg/l. Similar to the product expressed from inducible system [24], angiostatin produced from constitutive system also inhibited the angiogenesis on the CAM and suppressed the growth of B16 melanoma in C57BL/6J mouse. The above results suggest that GAP promoter is more efficient than AOX1 promoter for the expression of angiostatin in P. pastoris by shake flask culture or high-density cell fermentation and is likely to be an alternative to AOX1 promoter in large-scale expression of angiostatin and other heterologous proteins.
Angiogenesis Inhibitors↗
Comparison of the growth-promoting effects of testosterone and 7-alpha-methyl-19-nor-testosterone (MENT) on the prostate and levator ani muscle of LPB-tag transgenic mice.
BACKGROUND: 7-alpha-methyl-19-nortestosterone (MENT) is being considered for androgen replacement in testosterone deficient men and as a male contraceptive. Because androgenic effects on the prostate are a major concern, we have evaluated MENT in a transgenic model of prostate cancer. METHODS: LPB-Tag mice were castrated and infused with testosterone (T; 5 or 30 microg/day) or MENT (5 or 30 microg/day) for 4 weeks. Prostate, seminal vesicle, and levator ani muscle (LAM) weights were compared. RESULTS: At an equivalent dose, MENT maintained or stimulated the mean weights of these organs more than T. However, the dorsolateral prostate/LAM ratio of weights did not favor MENT, but DNA/mg tissue and Ki 67 immunostaining suggested that MENT may increase DNA less than T. CONCLUSIONS: MENT is more potent than T in maintaining or stimulating prostate, seminal vesicle, and LAM. Using doses that resulted in comparable stimulation of the levator ani muscle, MENT had similar effect on prostate weight, but increased DNA/mg prostate less than T in this transgenic mouse model of prostate cancer.
Animals↗
Gene symbol: NOTCH3. Disease: CADASIL.
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Amino Acid Substitution↗
A simulation-based interval two-stage stochastic model for agricultural non-point source pollution control through land retirement.
This study presents a simulation-based interval two-stage stochastic programming (SITSP) model for agricultural non-point source (NPS) pollution control through land retirement under uncertain conditions. The modeling framework was established by the development of an interval two-stage stochastic program, with its random parameters being provided by the statistical analysis of the simulation outcomes of a distributed water quality approach. The developed model can deal with the tradeoff between agricultural revenue and "off-site" water quality concern under random effluent discharge for a land retirement scheme through minimizing the expected value of long-term total economic and environmental cost. In addition, the uncertainties presented as interval numbers in the agriculture-water system can be effectively quantified with the interval programming. By subdividing the whole agricultural watershed into different zones, the most pollution-related sensitive cropland can be identified and an optimal land retirement scheme can be obtained through the modeling approach. The developed method was applied to the Swift Current Creek watershed in Canada for soil erosion control through land retirement. The Hydrological Simulation Program-FORTRAN (HSPF) was used to simulate the sediment information for this case study. Obtained results indicate that the total economic and environmental cost of the entire agriculture-water system can be limited within an interval value for the optimal land retirement schemes. Meanwhile, a best and worst land retirement scheme was obtained for the study watershed under various uncertainties.
Agriculture↗
WITHDRAWN: Isolation and Identification of a Multilineage Potential Mesenchymal Cell from Human Placenta.
This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy.
Journal Article↗
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6.
We report a 39-year-old woman with spinocerebellar ataxia type 6. She presented with ataxia and a 3-year history of progressive ataxia and recurrent falls. There was no relevant family history. Genetic tests revealed an expanded allele of 24 CAG repeats at the spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 locus. This appears to be the first case reported in Hong Kong. As genetic testing becomes more widely available and clinical awareness increases, more such patients are expected to be diagnosed.
Adult↗
A registry of tuberculous meningitis in Hong Kong.
BACKGROUND: A prospective observational study of the presentation, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of tuberculous meningitis (TBM). METHODS: Demographic characteristics, clinical information, treatment and progress of TBM patients were followed. Their outcomes were ascertained every 6 months for 3 years after diagnosis. Prognostic factors associated with death or full recovery were examined using multivariate Cox's and logistic regression models, respectively. RESULTS: Between 1993 and 2000, 166 TBM patients were recruited. Their mean age was 42.9, 153 were Chinese and 81 were males; 92% received HRZS (H = isoniazid; R = rifampicin; Z = pyrazinamide; S = streptomycin), HRZE (E = ethambutol) or HRZES. Steroids were given to 105 patients, with no significant effect on outcome. After 3 years of follow-up, 110 patients had completely recovered, 20 survived with disability and 26 died. Death was significantly associated with older age, lower cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lymphocyte and poorer consciousness levels at the time of presentation, while full recovery was associated with younger age, being female and absence of complications. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively good outcomes of TBM cases were documented in this Hong Kong study with a case-fatality ratio of 15.7% (26/166) up to 3 years. Early recognition, diagnosis and administration of effective treatment regimens were probably the most important factors in reducing mortality and morbidity.
Adolescent↗
Microtubule-associated protein tau is a substrate of ATP/Mg(2+)-dependent proteasome protease system.
Deposition of hyperphosphorylated microtubule-associated protein tau is a recognized pathological process in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain, however, the mechanism leading to tau accumulation is still not understood. In the present study, we found that different forms of tau, including phosphorylated tau (PHF-1) and non-phosphorylated tau (Tau-1) as well as total tau (Tau-5) in rat brain cortex extract, were degraded when it was co-incubated with ATP and MgCl(2) at 33 degrees C in vitro, and non-phosphorylated tau at Tau-1 epitope was more accessible to the ATP/Mg(2+)-depended proteolysis. With the increase of ATP and MgCl(2) concentration from 5 mM to 20 mM, increased degradation of tau was observed. ATP/Mg(2+)-induced degradation of tau was blocked by lactacystin, a specific proteasome inhibitor and was enhanced by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), a commonly used in vitro proteasome activator, and polyubiquitinated tau with high molecular weight was detected in the presence of lactacystin. Hyperphosphorylated tau isolated from AD brain (AD p-tau) was also partially degraded when it was incubated with rat brain cortex extract in the present of ATP/Mg(2+), and the degradation of AD p-tau was also enhanced by SDS and was inhibited by lactacystin. This study has demonstrated that tau, both phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated, is a substrate of ATP/Mg(2+)-depended proteasome. To our knowledge, this is the first report providing direct evidence that tau is degraded by 26S proteasome in an ubiquitin- and ATP-dependent manner.
Adenosine Triphosphate↗
Soyfood consumption and risk of glycosuria: a cross-sectional study within the Shanghai Women's Health Study.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between soyfood intake and risk of glycosuria. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among participants of the Shanghai Women's Health Study, a population-based cohort study of women aged 40-70 y. Information on usual intake of soyfoods was obtained at baseline survey through an in-person interview using a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Included in this study were 39,385 cohort members screened for diabetes at the baseline survey and free of previously diagnosed diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases, and cancer. There were 323 women who tested positive for urine glucose. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were employed to measure the association between soyfood intake and glycosuria using unconditional logistic regression. SETTING: Urban communities of Shanghai, China. RESULTS: Overall, soyfood intake was not related to the risk of glycosuria. Among postmenopausal women, however, intake of tofu and other soy products was inversely associated with risk of glycosuria after adjustment for potential confounders. The ORs across quintiles of intake were 1.0, 0.75 (95% CI=0.47-1.20), 0.79 (95% CI=0.51-1.25), 0.53 (95% CI=0.32-0.88), and 0.51 (95% CI=0.26-0.98; P for trend=0.05). Further analyses showed that the inverse association was primarily confined to postmenopausal women with a body mass index (BMI) of <25 kg/m2. The adjusted OR comparing the extreme quintiles was 0.36 (95% CI=0.13-0.97; P for trend=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Soyfoods may play a role in the development of glycosuria, an important indicator of diabetes, among postmenopausal women with a low BMI.
Adult↗
Clinical features of hereditary spinocerebellar ataxia diagnosed by molecular genetic analysis.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency and clinical features of different types of hereditary spinocerebellar ataxia in Hong Kong. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using a questionnaire and clinical examination, with the majority of the information retrospectively collected. SETTING: Three regional hospitals, Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: All patients with spinocerebellar ataxia that was confirmed by molecular genetic tests between January 2001 and October 2003. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: History, latest physical examination results, clinical investigation results, and genetic profiles. RESULTS: A total of 16 Chinese patients had received diagnoses of spinocerebellar ataxia. These patients had spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (n=3), spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (Machado-Joseph disease; n=12), and dentatorubro-pallidoluysian atrophy (n=1). The most common manifestation was ataxia (15/16), followed by pyramidal signs (12/16). Other features such as bulbar dysfunction, ophthalmoplegia, neuropathy, and cognitive impairment were present but variable. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestations of different types of spinocerebellar ataxia overlap, and genetic study is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. The frequency of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 is greater than that of other types among these Chinese patients. The age of onset of this type may correlate inversely with the number of CAG repeats.
Adult↗
Inhibition of nicotine-DNA adduct formation in mice by six dietary constituents.
Nicotine [3-(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)-pyridine] is a major alkaloid in tobacco products and has proven to be a potential genotoxic compound. Many natural dietary products can suppress the DNA adduction, and hence act as inhibitors of cancer. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of curcumin, garlic squeeze, grapeseed extract, tea polyphenols, vitamin C, and vitamin E on nicotine-DNA adduction in vivo using an ultrasensitive method of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The results demonstrated that all the dietary constituents induced marked dose-dependent decrease in nicotine-DNA adducts as compared with the control. The reduction rate reached about 50% for all agents, except garlic squeeze (40%), even at its highest dose level. Amongst the six agents, grapeseed extract exhibited the strongest inhibition to the DNA adduct formation. Therefore, we may arrive at a point that these dietary constituents are beneficial to prevent the harmful adduct formation, and thus to block the potential carcinogenesis induced by nicotine.
Animals↗
Kennedy's disease.
Kennedy's disease is an X-linked, neurodegenerative disorder, characterised by lower motor neuron syndrome. This report gives the clinical details of six male patients with Kennedy's disease diagnosed at Princess Margaret Hospital. Three were initially diagnosed with other neurological diseases, with the diagnosis of Kennedy's disease made after genetic testing. This hereditary disease should be considered in male patients with muscle weakness, particularly those with a presentation suggesting atypical motor neuron disease.
Adult↗
Electrochemical behavior of Au colloidal electrode through layer-by-layer self-assembly.
Electrodes formed by Au colloidal nanoparticles have been obtained by layer-by-layer self-assembly using 1,6-hexanedithiol as cross-linkers. Cyclic voltammograms show that the peak-to-peak separation decreases as the number of Au colloidal layers increases. After seven layers of Au colloidal particles have been deposited, the multilayer electrodes have the electrochemical properties of metallic Au and show ideal microelectrode behavior. An equivalent circuit for the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was established to model the working electrode. It is evident that by increasing the layer number of Au colloidals, the interfacial electron transfer is promoted, implying the electron-transfer process changes from a kinetically limited process to a diffusionally limited process.
Colloids↗
The effect of the water content of acetonitrile on the electrochemistry of ferrocenyl thiol self-assembled monolayers.
A novel kind of ethylene-ferrocenyl dodecyl thiol bearing an electron-withdrawing pyridium group (FcCH=CH-Py(CH2)10SH) was synthesized and mixed with HOOCC(10)SH on an Au electrode to form mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) in ethanol solution. The influence of the water content of acetonitrile on the electrochemistry of the SAMs was studied by cyclic voltammetry and ac voltammetry measurement. The results showed that the current decreased and the oxidation potential of the ferrocene group shifted negatively with increasing water content of acetonitrile.
Journal Article↗
Epidemiological study of multiple sclerosis in Hong Kong Chinese: questionnaire survey.
OBJECTIVE: To study the epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in Hong Kong Chinese. DESIGN: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey. SETTING: Neurology and paediatric neurology departments in Hong Kong from January through June 1999. PARTICIPANTS: All confirmed multiple sclerosis patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic data, investigation results, Kurtzke's Expanded Disability Status Scale during the last follow-up visit, number of relapses between 1997 and 1998, and treatments used/currently in use. RESULTS: Fifty-three Chinese multiple sclerosis patients were identified. The prevalence was thus estimated to be 0.77 per 100,000 population. This low prevalence was also noted in other multiple sclerosis studies from South-East Asia (range, 0.8-4 per 100,000 population). The female to male ratio among the Chinese multiple sclerosis sufferers was 9.6:1, a figure somewhat higher than that reported in the other studies from South-East Asia (range, 3.2-6.6:1). The Chinese multiple sclerosis patients in this study also had a high spinal cord involvement (66%) and a low presence of cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal banding (40%). These findings were different from those in Caucasian multiple sclerosis patients. CONCLUSION: Multiple sclerosis in Hong Kong Chinese has a low prevalence, a high female to male ratio, and a low cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal banding presence.
Adult↗
IL-17 and IFN-gamma mRNA expression is increased in the brain and systemically after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion in the rat.
Brain ischemia is characterized by local inflammation reflected by accumulation of inflammatory cells and a multitude of mediators. Among them, cytokines and chemokines may influence the inflammatory cascade that follows cerebral ischemia. Here we report on brain hemispheric and systemic increase of pro-inflammatory IL-17 and IFN-gamma, the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10, and the chemokines IP-10, IL-8 and MIP-2, 1 h to 6 days after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO). IL-17 and IFN-gamma mRNA levels were elevated in the ischemic hemispheres of pMCAO-operated rats compared with corresponding hemispheres of sham-operated rats. Levels were slightly elevated at 1 h, and peaked at 6 days after pMCAO. IL-8 and MIP-2 levels in the ischemic hemispheres peaked at 24 h, whereas IP-10 showed a biphasic profile with two peaks at 6 h and 6 days after pMCAO. IL-4 peaked in the ischemic hemispheres at 6 h, when IL-10 levels were lower than in sham-operated rats, and IL-10 levels peaked at 2 days after pMCAO. Systemically, the numbers of IL-17 and IFN-gamma mRNA expressing blood mononuclear cells were elevated already at 1 h after pMCAO, preceding the changes in the ischemic hemispheres. Altered levels of IL-17 and IFN-gamma after pMCAO may affect outcome of brain ischemia.
Animals↗
CD28-B7 costimulation: a critical role for initiation and development of experimental autoimmune neuritis in C57BL/6 mice.
CD28 provides a critical costimulatory signal for antigen-specific T cell activation. Because CD28 is an important factor in the development of autoimmune diseases, we investigated its role in T cell-mediated experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN), an animal model of Guillain-Barré syndrome in humans. CD28-deficient mutant (CD28-/-) C57BL/6 mice and corresponding wild-type mice were immunized with P0 peptide 180-199, a purified component of peripheral nerve myelin, and Freund's complete adjuvant. As a result, all wild-type mice developed severe EAN, in contrast, none of the CD28-/- mice manifested clinical signs of disease. Additionally, CD28-/- mice had fewer IL-12 producing cells in sciatic nerve sections and fewer IFN-gamma secreting splenic cells than wild-type mice on day 24 post immunization, i.e., at the peak of clinical EAN. At that time point, CD28-/- mice had milder infiltration of such inflammatory cells as macrophages, CD4+ T cells and monocytes into sciatic nerve tissues and less demyelination than wild-type mice. Moreover, the CD28-deficiency led to reduced production of specific anti-P0 peptide 180-199 antibodies compared with wild-type mice. Evidently, CD28 is required for interaction with B7 to regulate the activation of T and B cells that initiates development of EAN.
Animals↗