Monte Carlo and lattice-dynamics studies of the thermal and elastic properties of a rigid-ion model of sodium chloride.
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Journal Article↗
Biomedical subjects
Z Gong
Publications and source records attributed to Z Gong.
Coagulation and cytokine profile after major hepatobiliary surgery in Chinese patients.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hypercoagulability and increased circulating cytokine levels have been separately reported after surgical operations. We investigated whether the cytokine level and postoperative coagulation profile would change similarly in Chinese patients undergoing major hepatobiliary surgery. METHODOLOGY: Serial serum levels of IL-6, IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha were measured by colorimetric ELISA. Serial coagulation profile was measured by thrombelastography. Hemoglobin and white cell counts were also measured serially. RESULTS: Only mild hypercoagulability was found at the 12th and 144th hours, evidenced by shortening of r-time and k-time on thrombelastography (P < 0.05). IL-6 and IL-1 beta levels were significantly raised from the 12th hour (P < 0.01) while TNF-alpha level was unchanged. From the 3rd hour to the 48th hour, there was negative correlation between IL-6 levels and various thrombelastographic parameters such as coagulation index (r = -0.777, P < 0.001); k-time (r = 0.478, P < 0.05); maximum amplitude (r = -0.688, P < 0.01) and angle (r = -0.665, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We observed a much milder degree of hypercoagulability in Chinese patients after major hepatobiliary surgery as compared to those reported in other operations in non-Chinese patients. Unlike in sepsis where a close link between increased cytokine levels and hypercoagulability has been reported, increase in IL-6 was associated with less hypercoagulability in Chinese patients after major hepatobiliary surgery.
Adult↗
Development of an all-fish gene cassette for gene transfer in aquaculture.
To develop an all-fish gene cassette suitable for gene transfer in aquaculture, the antifreeze protein (AFP) gene promoter from the ocean pout (Macrozoarces americanus) was analyzed for its ability to direct exogenous gene expression both in vitro and in vivo. The ocean pout AFP (opAFP) gene promoter fused to the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) was functionally analyzed in two fish cell lines and in Japanese medaka embryos. The opAFP gene promoter was active in these systems, as demonstrated by the transient expression of CAT activity. These results suggest that the opAFP gene promoter is useful for many other gene transfer experiments. To facilitate use of the opAFP gene promoter as a common and versatile vehicle for fish gene transfers, an expression vector, opAFP-V, was constructed by linking the 2.1-kb opAFP gene promoter, the 63-bp opAFP gene 5' untranslated sequence, and the 1.2-kb opAFP gene 3' sequence by two unique restriction sites, Bg/II and HpaI, respectively. Thus, genes of interest can be inserted into either the Bg/II site or the HpaI site depending on the length of their 5' untranslated sequence. The complete DNA sequence of opAFP-V was determined to facilitate future detailed analysis of integration and expression of the transgene.
Animals↗
Isolation and characterization of somatolactin genes from two cold water marine teleosts, lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) and halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus).
Somatolactin (SL) is a newly discovered pituitary hormone structurally related to both growth hormone and prolactin. We isolated the SL gene from two cold water marine teleosts, lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) and halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus). The SL genes for lumpfish were isolated from a complementary DNA (cDNA) library by random gene tagging and sequencing. Two full-size clones of 1.2 (lfSL-6) and 1.6 (lfSL-9) kilobases (kb) were characterized. The SL genes for halibut were identified from its cDNA library using lumpfish SL gene as a probe. Two full-size SL clones of 1.1 and 1.6 kb were identified in halibut. All these clones encoded full-size SL (229 amino acids for lumpfish SL, 230 amino acids for halibut SL), including 7 cysteines and two and three potential glycosylation sites in halibut and lumpfish, respectively. The differences in length of these clones are attributed to their differences in 3' untranslated sequences. Although the halibut SL genes contain the consesus polyadenylation signal AATAAA, the lumpfish SL gene has the ATTAAA sequence in the larger clone (lfSL-9). None of the consensus or the alternative polyadenylation signals were found in the shorter clone (lfSL-6). Protein homology and DNA sequence alignments of SL genes from all five known marine fishes suggest that the SL gene sequence is highly conserved.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Decreases in brain glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) are associated with increased serum corticosterone following inhalation exposure to toluene.
Toluene and other neurotoxicants can cause both increases and decreases in the concentration of GFAP in the brain. While increased GFAP concentration is widely regarded as evidence for reactive gliosis, toxicant-induced decreases in GFAP have received less attention. In order to identify conditions under which inhalation exposure to toluene results in decreased GFAP concentration, rats were subjected to repeated inhalation of toluene for up to 7 days. Adult male F344 rats received inhalation exposure to air or to 1000 ppm toluene, 6 hr/day, for 3 or 7 days. This toluene exposure replicated the previously-observed decreases in GFAP in the thalamus. Serum Corticosterone was significantly elevated in the same rats that exhibited decreases in brain GFAP concentration. These results show that decreases in brain GFAP might be a consequence of disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and/or hormonal homeostasis. Changes in GFAP and in Cort were not accompanied by a change in body weight. More research is needed to firmly establish cause and effect between increased serum glucocorticoid levels and GFAP decreases following toluene inhalation and to determine whether these decreases indicate toxicity or adaptive changes.
Adrenal Glands↗