Biomedical subjects

X Hao

Publications and source records attributed to X Hao.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Abnormal changes of plasma acute phase proteins in schizophrenia and the relation between schizophrenia and haptoglobin (Hp) gene.

In this study we focused on detecting schizophrenia related changes of plasma proteins using proteomic technology and examining the relation between schizophrenia and haptoglobin (Hp) genotype. We investigated plasma proteins from schizophrenic subjects (n = 42) and healthy controls (n = 46) by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) in combination with mass spectrometry. To further reveal the genetic relationship between acute phase proteins (APPs) and schizophrenia disease, we tested Hp alpha1/Hp alpha2 (Hp 1/2) polymorphism and two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of Hp, rs2070937 and rs5473, for associations with schizophrenia in the Chinese Han population. With the relatively high number of samples for 2-DE work, we found that four proteins in the family of positive APPs were all up-regulated in patients. In genetic association study, we found significant associations existing between schizophrenia and Hp polymorphisms, Hp 1/2 and rs2070937 variants. Schizophrenia is accompanied by both an altered expression of Hp protein and a different genotype distribution of Hp gene, demonstrating that Hp is associated with schizophrenia. The results from proteomic and genomic aspects both indicate that acute phase reaction is likely to be an aetiological agent in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, but not just an accompanying symptom. The positive APPs are schizophrenic related proteins, with the highly concordant results on four positive APPs.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗

PubMed2005

Antagonism of the renin-angiotensin system can counteract cardiac angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor gene therapy and myocardial angiogenesis in the normal heart.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition or angiotensin II antagonism can counteract cardiac human vascular endothelial growth factor-A165 (phVEGF-A165) induced angiogenesis. METHODS: Mice were given a single intramyocardial injection of phVEGF-A165. Either enalapril or candesartan was given subcutaneously for 10 consecutive days. Hearts were harvested and capillary count was performed by immunohistochemistry. With similar design, groups of mice were sacrificed after 24 h for the determination of tissue expression of phVEGF-A protein, mRNA expression of mouse VEGF-A, and VEGF receptors 1 and 2, after pEGFP-Luc transfection for luciferase expression. RESULTS: Increased myocardial capillary density (P < .02) induced by phVEGF-A165 was counteracted by both enalapril (P < .07) and candesartan (P < .02) and then did not differ from control values. We found that phVEGF-A165 induced myocardial hVEGF-A expression (110 +/- 15 pg/heart, P < .0001). Both enalapril and candesartan decreased (P < .01) expression of hVEGF-A to a level not different from control values. Although phVEGF-A165 upregulated (P < .0001) mVEGFR-2, addition of candesartan downregulated endogenous mVEGF-A (P < .0001) and mVEGFR-2 (P < .0001) below the level in normal myocardium. Enalapril or candesartan did not effect luciferase expression. CONCLUSIONS: Enalapril and candesartan both specifically inhibit phVEGF-A165 induced myocardial angiogenesis in the normal heart. The mechanism of inhibition is a combination of inhibition of cardiac hVEGF-A expression and of decreased endogenous expression of the mVEGF ligand and receptor system.

Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers↗

PubMed2004

Angiogenic effects of dual gene transfer of bFGF and PDGF-BB after myocardial infarction.

Therapeutic effects of combination of angiogenic growth factors for the treatment of ischemia after myocardial infarction are largely unknown. Plasmids expressing basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) or their combination with a 1:1 mass ratio were injected into hearts with 7-day-old myocardial infarction. Hearts were harvested after 1 and 4 weeks after gene transfer. The major findings in this chronic myocardial infarction model were that bFGF, PDGF-BB and their combination all had a more pronounced angiogenic effect on the arteriolar than the capillary level. bFGF stimulated both capillary and arteriolar growth while PDGF-BB preferentially stimulated arterioles. The combination increased the amount of both capillaries and arterioles and in addition gave rise to stable capillaries compared to single factor transfer but did not further enhance angiogenesis. No cardiovascular side effects were observed after gene transfer.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Simvastatin enhances myocardial angiogenesis induced by vascular endothelial growth factor gene transfer.

Statins have cardioprotective roles. We explored the cardiac angiogenic effects of simvastatin in combination with transient overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Compared with normal mice, 1-year-old ApoE(-/-) mice fed on a high-fat diet (HFD) had about 30% less myocardial capillary (P < 0.001) and arteriolar (P < 0.03) densities, associated with decreased VEGF (55%), VEGFR-1 (56%) and VEGFR-2 (78%) mRNA expressions and myocardial endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) production (58%). By contrast, angiopoietin-1 and angiopoietin-2 mRNA expressions were increased (500% P < 0.02, and 400% P < 0.01, respectively) in the ApoE(-/-) hearts. No change was observed in Tie-2 gene expression. Phosphorylation of antiapoptotic Akt was lower and proapoptotic p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) was higher in the ApoE(-/-) mice compared with controls. Intramyocardial VEGF gene transfer increased capillary and arteriolar densities in the ApoE(-/-) mice, and simvastatin treatment further enhanced capillary density (P < 0.03) to a level similar to that of normal mice. Simvastatin did not change the lipid profile but blocked p38 MAPK phosphorylation in the ApoE(-/-) myocardium. Concurrent with these changes, there were increased levels of expression of mVEGF (P < 0.04) and VEGFR-2 (P < 0.03) mRNAs and increased production of eNOS (P < 0.05) in the ApoE(-/-) mice, while no changes were detected in the angiopoietin system. Thus, increased myocardial angiogenesis in the ApoE(-/-) mice following transient overexpression of VEGF is further increased by additional simvastatin treatment. These effects occurred concurrently with simvastatin-induced stimulation of the VEGF system, increased eNOS production and reduction in p38 MAPK phosphorylation.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

A further simplification of the revised physical adsorption (RPA) model.

We present a further simplification of the essentially parameter-free revised physical adsorption model (K. Agashe, J.R. Regalbuto, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 185 (1997) 174) in this paper. It has been discovered that a physical adsorption model describing the uptake of various metal complexes from aqueous solutions onto oxide surfaces can most accurately simulate experimental data when the model contains only a coulombic energy term, and not a solvation energy term. The results of the simulation for cobalt/silica, chloroplatinic acid (CPA)/alumina, and tetraamonium platinate (TAP)/alumina and silica are presented here. A reasonable justification for the omission of this term is that solvation effects are negligible when adsorbing metal complexes retain one or more hydration sheaths.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

[Clinical significance of MDR gene expression in malignant pleural effusion and ascites and solid tumors].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the guiding significance of multidrug resistance (MDR) gene expression for monitoring the clinical effectiveness of chemotherapy upon cancer, and to analyze the MDR1 and glutnthione-s-transferase(GST-pi) mRNA expression rates in primary breast cancer, and their correlation with the clinical outcome and prognosis. METHODS: The mRNA expression levels of MDR1 in 16 cases with malignant pleural effusion and ascites and 102 cases of solid tumors were measured using semiquantitative RT-PCR assay. The MDR1 and GST-pi mRNA expression rates in 84 cases of breast cancer, out of the 102 cases of solid tumors, were also studied in the same way. RESULTS: (1) An average coincidence rate of 84.5% was found between the mRNA expression level of MDR1 and the clinical response to chemotherapy in the 16 cases with malignant pleural effusion and ascites and 18 cases of solid tumors. (2) The positive rate of MDR1 mRNA expression in primary breast cancer tissue was 79.7%, with the medium and high levels as high as 33.3%, while the positive rate of GST-pi mRNA expression was 33.3%, with the medium and high expression levels being as low as 4.8%. There was a highly significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). The positive rates of MDR1 mRNA in the group having received chemotherapy before surgery and the group not receiving chemotherapy before surgery were 87.8% and 68.6% respectively, showing a lymph nodes and in the group without metastases in axillary lymph nodes were 89.1% and 68.4% respectively, indicating a significant difference (P < 0.05). The positive rates of GST-pi mRNA in the group suffering distant metastases and the group not suffering distant metastases were 71.4% and 20.6% respectively, showing a significant difference (P < 0.05). The GST-pi mRNA expression rates in the estrogen receptor (ER)- and progesterone receptor (PR)-positive groups were higher than those in the ER- and PR-negative groups, indicating a significant difference (P < 0.05) . CONCLUSION: The mRNA expression level of MDR1 has a relatively high correlation with the clinical response to chemotherapy, and thus can be used to monitor the effectiveness of chemotherapy. MDR1 is the main drug resistance mechanism in breast cancer. Chemotherapy before surgery induces MDR1 mRNA expression. MDR1 e xpression and GST-pi mRNA expression serve as a significant prognostic indicator for breast cancer, thus having guiding significance for assessing prognosis.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed2001

Model-based evaluation of two BNR processes--UCT and A2N.

The activity of denitrifying P-accumulating bacteria (DPB) has been verified to exist in most WWTPs with biological nutrient removal (BNR). The modified UCT process has a high content of DPB. A new BNR process with a two-sludge system named A2N was especially developed to exploit denitrifying dephosphatation. With the identical inflow and effluent standards, an existing full-scale UCT-type WWTP and a designed A2N process were evaluated by simulation. The used model is based on the Delft metabolical model for bio-P removal and ASM2d model for COD and N removal. Both processes accommodate denitrifying dephosphatation, but the A2N process has a more stable performance in N removal. Although excess sludge is increased by 6%, the A2N process leads to savings of 35, 85 and 30% in aeration energy, mixed liquor internal recirculation and land occupation respectively, as compared to the UCT process. Low temperature has a negative effect on growth of poly-P bacteria, which becomes to especially appear in the A2N process.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2001

Neuroprotective effects in gerbils of spiramine T from Spiraea japonica var. acuta.

The neuroprotective effects of spiramine T, an atisine-type diterpenoid alkaloid isolated from the Chinese herbal medicine Spiraea japonica var. acuta (Rosaceaee), on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury produced by 10-min bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries followed by 5-day reperfusion in gerbils were investigated. Intravenous spiramine T (0.38, 0.75, and 1.5 mg.kg-1) markedly reduced the stroke index, enhanced the recovery of EEG amplitude during reperfusion and decreased the concentrations of cortex calcium and LPO in a dose-dependent manner. However, no significant effects on water and sodium contents were observed. These results suggested that spiramine T exhibited protective effects on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in gerbils, and its mechanism might be related to reducing calcium accumulation and lipid peroxidation. This is the first report on spiramine T as a natural product with neuroprotective effects.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Segmenting high-frequency intracardiac ultrasound images of myocardium into infarcted, ischemic, and normal regions.

Segmenting abnormal from normal myocardium using high-frequency intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) images presents new challenges for image processing. Gray-level intensity and texture features of ICE images of myocardium with the same structural/perfusion properties differ. This significant limitation conflicts with the fundamental assumption on which existing segmentation techniques are based. This paper describes a new seeded region growing method to overcome the limitations of the existing segmentation techniques. Three criteria are used for region growing control: 1) Each pixel is merged into the globally closest region in the multifeature space. 2) "Geographic similarity" is introduced to overcome the problem that myocardial tissue, despite having the same property (i.e., perfusion status), may be segmented into several different regions using existing segmentation methods. 3) "Equal opportunity competence" criterion is employed making results independent of processing order. This novel segmentation method is applied to in vivo intracardiac ultrasound images using pathology as the reference method for the ground truth. The corresponding results demonstrate that this method is reliable and effective.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2001

Contribution of P-bacteria in biological nutrient removal processes to overall effects on the environment.

P-bacteria can combine denitrification and P-uptake. This category of P-bacteria is abbreviated DPB. Use of DPB in BNR processes, instead of obligate aerobic PAOs, reduces oxygen consumption. Moreover, less COD is needed for the nitrogen removal. Non-required COD can be removed by presettling and used for methanation. This leads to a lower sludge production. As a result, CO2 emissions are reduced owing to less net energy consumption. Simulation for a planned WWTP with the BCFS process indicates that DPB can save 53-59% of required COD. The optimal ratios of COD/N and COD/P for simultaneous N and P removal are determined to be 3.9-4.5 and 32.2-35.2 at 12-20 degrees C. 80-95% of particulate COD can be removed from the influent, thereby CH4 production is increased by 154-271%, and the total volume of reactors can be reduced by about 50% compared to a minimised process design. Less net energy consumption over the whole WWTP contributes to a net reduction of the total CO2 emissions up to 16-21%. The energy production from CH4 is excessive enough to balance the energy consumption from aeration, dewatering and incineration. It is concluded that contribution of P-bacteria to saving COD has overall positive effects on the environment.

Bacteria↗

PubMed2001

Experimental study of the morphology of cerebral bridging vein.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the morphological properties of pig cerebral bridging vein. METHODS: The morphology and fibre arrangement of 15 cerebral bridging veins obtained from 7 Danish Yorkshire landrace pigs were observed. RESULTS: There was a narrow region at the junction of the cerebral bridging veins and superior sagittal sinus termed "outflow cuff segment". The diameter and length of outflow cuff segment were much smaller and the thickness was higher than those of the cerebral bridging veins ( P < 0.01), and circumferential collagen fibres were most dense in the outflow cuff segment. The opening angle of the outflow cuff segment and the cerebral bridging veins were 115 +/- 4 degrees and 120 +/- 4 degrees ( P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There were differences in fibre arrangement and morphological properties between the outflow cuff segment and the cerebral bridging vein, just like a resistance valve, the outflow cuff segment may play an important role in stabilizing cerebral venous outflow and regulating intracranial pressure.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Effects of pre-exposure to ultraviolet-B radiation on responses of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. New Yorker) to ozone in ambient and elevated carbon dioxide.

Patterns of environmental change in the biosphere include concurrent and sequential combinations of increasing ultraviolet (UV-B) and ozone (O(3)) at increasing carbon dioxide (CO(2)) levels; long-term changes are resulting mainly from stratospheric O(3) depletion, greater tropospheric O(3) photochemical synthesis, and increasing CO(2) emissions. Effects of selected combinations were evaluated in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. New Yorker) seedlings using sequential exposures to enhanced UV-B radiation and O(3) in differential CO(2) concentrations. Ambient (7.2 kJ m(-2 )day(-1)) or enhanced (13.1 kJ m(-2) day(-1)) UV-B fluences and ambient (380 microl l(-1)) or elevated (600 microl l(-1)) CO(2) were imposed for 19 days before exposure to 3-day simulated O(3) episodes with peak concentrations of 0.00, 0.08, 0.16 or 0.24 microl l(-1) O(3) in ambient or elevated CO(2). CO(2) enrichment increased dry mass, leaf area, specific leaf weight, chlorophyll concentration and UV-absorbing compounds per unit leaf area. Exposure to enhanced UV-B increased leaf chlorophyll and UV-absorbing compounds but decreased leaf area and root/shoot ratio. O(3) exposure generally inhibited growth and leaf photosynthesis and did not affect UV-absorbing compounds. The highest dose of O(3) eliminated the stimulating effect of CO(2) enrichment after ambient UV-B pre-exposure on leaf photosynthesis. Pre-exposure to enhanced UV-B mitigated O(3) damage to leaf photosynthesis at elevated CO(2).

Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects of the diterpene spiramine Q from Spiraea japonica var. incisa.

Spiramine Q, a diterpene, was isolated from a Chinese herbal plant Spiraea japonica var. incisa Yu. Born's and Wan HY's methods were used to investigate effects of spiramine Q on rabbit platelet aggregation and serotonin release, respectively. Its antithrombotic effect in mice was also evaluated by Myers' method. Spiramine Q selectively inhibited arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation in vitro or ex vivo, and decreased serotonin secretion from rabbit platelets. Spiramine Q (5 mg/kg) decreased the mouse mortality caused by injection of 80 mg/kg arachidonic acid in the tail vein. The results suggested that spiramine Q showed potent antiplatelet and antithrombotic activites.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Poly

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Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Maturational differences in soluble guanylate cyclase activity in ovine carotid and cerebral arteries.

Basal cGMP concentrations are greater in immature than in mature cranial arteries, which may help explain why cerebrovascular resistance is lower in neonates than in adults. The present studies explore the hypothesis that this difference derives from age-related differences in soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) activity. Maturation depressed (p < 0.01) maximal sGC activity (pmol cGMP/mg/min) in both carotid (from 11.10 +/- 0.50 to 3.60 +/- 0.20) and cerebral (from 3.10 +/- 0.31 to 1.45 +/- 0.08) arteries. Western blot analysis of relative sGC abundance (relative to sGC expression in adult kidney) found that sGC abundance was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in newborn carotid (0.38 +/- 0.04) and cerebral arteries (0.37 +/- 0.06) than in adult arteries (0.25 +/- 0.05 and 0.17 +/- 0.03, respectively). Basal Km values in carotid and cerebral arteries did not differ significantly between newborns (3- to 7-d old) and adults. Activation of sGC with nitrosylated heme significantly reduced Km values 3- to 5-fold in both types of artery and in both age groups. Within artery type, maturation had no significant effect on activated Km. Between artery types, activated Km values were greater (p < 0.05) in cerebral (200 +/- 40 microM) than in carotid (80 +/- 10 microM) arteries. Together, these data suggest that variations in sGC substrate affinity contribute to observed differences in sGC activity between artery types but not those between age groups. In contrast, variations in enzyme abundance, and possibly also enzyme-specific activity, appear responsible for differences in sGC activity associated with both age and artery type.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

[Study on the relationships between leptin levels and weights of mothers and infants and the relationships of cord serum leptin to C-peptide, insulin and insulin like growth factor-II].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationships between serum leptin levels and maternal weights in late pregnancy and cord blood leptin levels to birth-weights, C-peptide, insulin and insulin like growth factor (IGF-II). METHODS: Fifty normal pregnant women at 37-38 weeks and their newborns were studied, and 29 non-pregnant women were set as control. Venous blood was taken from women and from the cord at delivery. Blood leptin and cord blood C-peptide, insulin, and IGF-II were measured by radio-immunoassay. RESULTS: The average leptin level in maternal sera was (13.62 +/- 3.68) micrograms/L, significantly higher than that in the control (6.60 +/- 3.04) micrograms/L and that in cord blood (8.05 +/- 4.61) micrograms/L. Maternal leptin levels were significantly correlated with maternal weights and body mass index (BMI. r = 0.33, 0.35, P < 0.05), but not with infant birth-weights (r = 0.10, P > 0.05). Cord blood leptin levels were significantly correlated with birth-weights and BMI (r = 0.54, 0.49, P < 0.001) but have no correlation with maternal leptin levels (r = 0.19, P > 0.05). Significant difference of the cord leptin levels was not seen between the males and females. The cord blood C-peptide was (0.86 +/- 0.35) microgram/L, insulin (8.49 +/- 4.76) mU/L and IGF-II (0.218 +/- 0.076) microgram/T. Cord leptin levels were correlated with C-peptide levels (r = 0.37, P < 0.05), but not with insulin and IGF-II levels (r = 0.19, -0.14, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal leptin levels in late pregnancy were significantly higher than those in normal non-pregnant women and positively correlated with maternal weights and BMI. Cord blood leptin levels were positively correlated with birth-weights and BMI of the newborns. The leptin levels of cord blood were correlated with those of C-peptide but not insulin and IGF-II.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

[The superficial vein, cutaneous nerve and its nutrient vessels in the forearm: anatomic study and the clinical implication].

OBJECTIVE: To provide an anatomic basis for designing the flap pedicled with neurocutaneous nutrient vessels, and for further understanding of this flap and its relations with other local venous flaps. METHODS: Microanatomy and red-and-blue latex injection transparency method were applied to study 1. The medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve (MACN), the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LACN) and their nutrient vessels; 2. The relationship between the basilic vein and MACN and its nutrient vessels; and 3. The relationship between the cephalic vein and LACN and its nutrient vessels. RESULTS: MACN is vascularized by paraneural vessels and LACN is by both paraneural vessels and the long artery. MACN is accompanied by its paraneural vessels and the basilic vein, so do LACN by its nutrient vessels and the cephalic vein. The distance range from the cutaneous nerve to its accompanying superficial vein is less than 1 cm, to its paraneural vessels is less than 0.4 cm; and the distance range from the paraneural vessel to the superficial vein is about 0.3-1.2 cm. CONCLUSIONS: A flap pedicled with cutaneous nutrient vessels could be designed along a superficial vein. The type of flap might be different because of the different neurocutaneous blood supply. Some locally transferred venous flap might be a flap pedicled with neurocutaneous nutrient vessels.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

[Anatomical study and clinical application of a leg flap pedicle-included with cutaneous nerve and its concomitant vessels].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the blood supply patterns and the clinical liability of a leg flap pedicle-included with cutaneous nerve and its concomitant vessels. METHODS: Fresh cadaver legs with thirty-two in infants and two in adults were anatomically examined after the intravenous injection of the red Chlorinated Poly Vingl Choride (CPVC). Five patients with the soft tissue defects were selected for the treatment with the flap pedicle-included with the cutaneous nerve and its concomitant vessels. RESULTS: Four main cutaneous nerves were found in the leg after they perforated the deep fascia out. They were companioned with their concomitant vessels with different blood-supply pateeerns, which the upper part of the leg was in an axial pattern and the lower part was in a "chain-type anastomosing" pattern. Following the above-mentioned findings, five cases were successfully treated with this led flap. CONCLUSIONS: The leg flap should be designed along the cutaneous nerve and its concomitant vessels. When the flap is applied in the area of blood supply with "chain-type anastomosing" pattern, the deep fascia should also be included in the flap.

Adult↗