Cytokines and the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
Z P Li
Publications and source records attributed to Z P Li.
Redistribution index and relative binding intensity of heavy metals in salt-amended soils.
Redistribution processes of heavy metals and their binding intensity in salt-amended arid-zone soils were analyzed under saturated, field capacity and wetting-drying cycle moisture regimes. Two newly developed parameters, redistribution index and reduced partitioning parameter, were used to depict the removal/attainment of metal-amended soils from/to the fractional distribution pattern in the native soils and the relative binding intensity of metals in the amended soils, respectively. Metal-amended soils, in forms of salts approached the fractional distribution pattern in the non-amended soils with time. The rates at which the metal-amended arid-zone soils approached the fractional distribution pattern characteristic of the native soil were affected by the nature and loading levels of the metals, soil properties and time. Metals in amended soils at low loading levels approach the fractional distribution pattern characteristic of non-amended soil more rapidly than at high loading levels. The sequences of approach by various metals to the fractional distribution pattern in the native soil are as follows: Cd > Cu > Ni, Zn > Cr. Moisture regime, however, did not considerably affect the metal-amended soils' overall rates of approach to the fractional distribution pattern prevailing in the non-amended soils. The binding intensity of metals in soils was affected by the nature of metal, loading level, soil properties and time. In both non-amended and amended soils, Cr had highest binding intensity, Cd lowest and Cu, Ni and Zn intermediate. The binding intensity decreased with the loading level of the metals and increased with time. The redistribution index and reduced partitioning index can quantitatively and effectively depict the kinetics of redistribution processes of metals and their relatively binding intensity in waste-amended soils.
Desert Climate↗
Reduced length of stay by implementation of a clinical pathway for bariatric surgery in an academic health care center.
Bariatric surgery is being performed in increasing numbers in an era when reimbursements are being reduced. Academic health centers bear the responsibility for training surgeons to perform these operations yet must keep costs to a minimum and retain high quality. The UCLA Bariatric Surgery Program developed a clinical pathway for the pre- and postoperative management for gastric bypass patients to achieve these goals. Medical records for 182 consecutive gastric bypass patients were retrospectively reviewed before implementation of the pathway (Group I) during the fiscal year of 1998/1999. Data on average length of stay, average intensive care unit length of stay, average standard variable cost, percentage readmission rate, and percentage return to the operating room were collected. This information was compared with the data collected prospectively from 182 patients after implementation of the pathway in July of 1999 (Group II) during the fiscal year of 1999/2000. Hospital cost per admission was reduced by 40 per cent in Group II compared with Group I (P < 0.02). The average length of stay was reduced from 4.05 days in Group I to 3.17 days in Group II (P < 0.033). Overall readmission rate was decreased from 4.2 per cent in Group I to 3.2 per cent in Group II (P < 0.05). There were no differences in morbidities between both groups. The pathway reduced costs by reducing the hospital length of stay, intensive care unit utilization, and readmission rates. Quality was maintained as evidenced by a similar pattern of postoperative morbidities yet readmission rates were reduced. Our results indicate that implementation of a clinical pathway for bariatric surgery reduces cost and improves quality of care in an academic institution.
Academic Medical Centers↗
[Studies on chemical constituents from the flower of Albizzia julibrissin Durazz].
OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents in the flower of Albizzia julibrissin. METHOD: Chromatographic and spectroscopic analyses were used to isolate and elucidate the chemical constituents in the plant. RESULT: Two compounds were isolated from the petroleum ether and ethyl acetate fractions of the flower and identified as tetracosanoic acid and quercitrin. CONCLUSION: These two compounds were obtained from the plant for the first time.
Albizzia↗
Imaging diagnosis of abdominal and pelvic sarcomas.
Sarcomas of the abdomen and pelvis are rare malignant mesenchymal neoplasms that often remain undiagnosed until they attain large size. Complete tumour resection is associated with improved patient survival. Detection and delineation of the tumour, its extent and its relationship with surrounding tissues are important for surgical planning. Radiography, barium studies, and intravenous urography are of limited value in the imaging diagnosis of abdominal and pelvic sarcomas. Ultrasound is sensitive for detecting neoplasms larger than 6 cm. Computed tomography is useful for detection, defining extent, and predicting resectability of the primary tumour, evaluation of response to treatment, and detecting recurrence and metastasis. Sarcomas are predominantly large, poorly demarcated, heterogeneous masses of muscle density with haemorrhage or necrosis.
Abdominal Neoplasms↗
Diversity of cDNAs encoding phospholipase A2 from Agkistrodon halys pallas venom, and its expression in E. coli.
As a step toward understanding the structure and function of phospholipase A2(PLA2), we isolated several novel cDNAs encoding Agkistrodon halys Pallas PLA2 isoenzymes including B-PLA2, Asn49-PLA2, A-PLA2, A'-PLA2 and BA1-PLA2 by polymerase chain reaction with oligonucleotide primers corresponding to the N- and C-terminus of these enzymes. The amino acid sequences of A-PLA2 deduced from cDNA are consistent with that isolated from venom except for four residues. Asn49-PLA2 and B-PLA2 are highly similar (> 95%), but the critical residue Asp49 in the active centre of B-PLA2 is replaced by Asn49 in Asn49-PLA2. The N-terminal residues (1-24) of BA1-PLA2 shows high similarity to that of B-PLA2 which has strong ability to hemolyze erythrocytes, while its C-terminal residues (72-125) are the same as that of A-PLA2 which can inhibit platelet aggregation. The successful cloning of these isoenzymes not only provide excellent native material to study the structure-function relationship of PLA2s, but also to disclose the genesis of structural diversity of PLA2s, namely DNA modification and gene rearrangement. The cloned cDNA for A-PLA2 has been expressed in E. coli. By Q-Sepharose column chromatography, denaturation-renaturation and FPLC, we obtained the active recombinant protein with the initiator Met. This is the first report of the production of an active recombinant PLA2 with the initiator Met.
Agkistrodon↗
Computed tomography of abdominal neurogenic tumours.
Abdominal and pelvic neurogenic tumours are uncommon neoplasms in adults apart from those tumours found in patients with neurofibromatosis. Malignant degeneration occurs in 2.4-29% of neurofibromatosis. Biopsy of neurofibromas can be complicated by sensorimotor nerve deficit. Distinction of malignancy by imaging may circumvent biopsies of asymptomatic benign neurogenic tumours. Benign neurogenic neoplasm is suspected on CT scan if the tumour is in the region of known nerve ganglia or pathway, and is well demarcated, solid, homogeneous, hypodense relative to muscle, and enhances with contrast material. Malignant neurogenic tumours are often large, irregular, infiltrative, and necrotic with heterogeneous contrast enhancement. Computed tomography is valuable in distinguishing malignant from benign neurogenic neoplasms, predicting resectability, detecting distant metastases, and evaluating response to treatment.
Abdominal Neoplasms↗
Expression of exogenous NF-IL6 induces apoptosis in Sp2/0-Ag14 myeloma cells.
NF-IL6 (or C/EBP beta) is a multifunctional transcription factor of the C/EBP family. To study the effects of exogenous expression of NF-IL6 on the growth of cells of hematopoietic tumors, we infected SP2/0-Ag14 myeloma cells with pLXSN recombinant retrovirus harboring the NF-IL6 cDNA. We found that the transfected cells revealed changes typical of the apoptosis and finally died. The expression of NF-IL6 protein was shown by a "supershift" assay in the NF-IL6-transfected cells. In controls, where cells were infected by the retroviral vector with a mutant NF-IL6 coding region as well as the vector without insert, no sign for expression of NF-IL6 and apoptosis was observed. Therefore, our work shows that the apoptosis of this myeloma cell line was induced by the exogenous NF-IL6 expression. This is significantly different from the apparent effects of NF-IL6 in leukemia cells and in fibroblasts. These facts indicate that NF-IL6 exerts different functions in different cell types. We discuss possible mechanisms for the NF-IL6-induced apoptosis.
Animals↗
Lymphangioma: imaging diagnosis.
Lymphangiomas are congenital malformations of the lymphatics that are curable by extirpation. Accurate delineation of lesion extension is important for pre-operative diagnosis, surgical planning, and assessing recurrence. The radiologic findings were retrospectively evaluated to determine the imaging appearance of these benign tumours. The plain radiographs, barium meal, ultrasound, CT, and MR images of 18 patients with one or more pathologically proved lymphangiomas were reviewed. Plain radiography and barium study showed masses displacing adjacent organs. Ultrasound examination showed uni- or multilocular cystic masses with smooth, thin or irregular, thick walls. Enhancement of the cyst wall was variable on CT and MR studies. The CT density of the fluid ranged from -4 to 34 HU depending on the lipid content and the presence of haemorrhage. The cysts were isointense to muscle on T1-weighted and hyperintense to fat on T2-weighted MR images. The MR imaging delineated the tumour lesion extension more clearly than ultrasound and CT scans. Ultrasound, CT, and MR imaging are valuable for evaluating lymphangiomas. Magnetic resonance imaging allows accurate determination of lesion extension.
Adult↗
A new genetically engineered vaccine for animal growth promotion.
The chemically synthesized somatostatin (ss) gene was fused in phase with the 3'-end of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) gene. The fusion gene HBs/ss was then recombined into the genome of vaccinia virus. This recombinant virus (vv-HBs/ss) can express hybrid HBsAg/ss particles which present as determinants on their surfaces, thereby bearing a good immunogenicity. This new strategical vaccine of ss can elicit the production of antibody capable of neutralizing ss in the plasma, and consequently enhance the growth of animals.
Animals↗
The cardiac Na+-Ca2+ exchanger binds to the cytoskeletal protein ankyrin.
Na+-Ca2+ exchange is the major pathway of Ca2+ efflux during excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac muscle. The Na+-Ca2+ exchanger is present in cardiac transverse tubules with an apparent high density (Frank, J.S., Mottino, G., Reid, D., Molday, R. S., and Philipson, K.D. (1992) J. Cell Biol. 117, 337-345). The mechanism for this localization is unknown but may involve interactions with the cytoskeleton. In the present study, we examined the interaction of the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger with the cytoskeletal protein ankyrin. On immunoblots of isolated canine cardiac sarcolemma, an antibody raised against purified rabbit red blood cell-ankyrin (RBC-ankyrin) recognized a 220-kDa protein, which is the same size as RBC-ankyrin. Alkaline extraction of sarcolemma removed this protein. The Na+-Ca2+ exchange protein, purified from recombinant baculovirus-infected insect cells, bound 125I-labeled-RBC-ankyrin with a KD of 42 +/- 3 nm. 125I-RBC-ankyrin was co-precipitated by antibodies to the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger after preincubation with solubilized cardiac sarcolemma. Myocardial ankyrin could be localized to both surface and T-tubular sarcolemma by immunofluorescence techniques. These results demonstrate that the cardiac Na+-Ca2+ exchanger binds ankyrin with high affinity. This interaction may be important for localizing the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger to specific domains of the sarcolemma.
Animals↗
Possibility of targeting treatment for ischemic heart disease with liposome (II).
Studies on the isolated rat heart perfusion model have proved that perfusion with high Ca2+ (4.5 mmol/L), high K+ (8.7 mmol/L) or free radical generating system (FRGS) significantly increases myocardial uptake of liposomes. Intravenous injection of liposomes covalently combined with antibody of rat myocardial cells obviously elevates the target action of liposomes to myocardium. Liposome-carried SOD for treatment of rat myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury is much more effective than simple SOD. The results evidence that the liposome as drug carrier for treatment of ischemic heart diseases shows a broad prospect for its clinical use.
Animals↗
The properties of an HBV surface antigen protein carrying the binding site for the receptor of hepatocytes--its formation of surface antigen particles and secretion from discrete cell lines.
A human hepatitis B virus (HBV) gene, which encodes the major surface antigen protein (S protein) carrying the hepatocyte receptor-binding site, was constructed with site-directed mutagenesis and in vitro recombination. When expressed in monkey kidney cell line COS-M6, this gene product (S309 protein) formed surface antigen (HBsAg) particles and secreted from the cells. It was stable within the cells and in the culture medium and could be immunoprecipitated with antisera directed against plasma-derived HBsAg or synthetic preS1 polypeptide. Isopycnic CsCl gradient centrifugation showed that the density of S309 protein particles (1.25 g/ml) was slightly higher than that of S protein particles. The S309 protein was readily secretable from hepatoma cell lines, and the amount secreted was comparable to that of the S protein. By contrast, only about 10% of the S309 protein was secreted from COS-M6 cells, and its appearance in culture medium was delayed. The efficiency of the secretion of the S309 protein can be improved when it is coexpressed with the S protein.
Animals↗
Possibility of targeting treatment for ischemic heart disease with liposome (I).
This paper reports the basic research on the possibility of using targeting treatment for ischemic heart disease with liposome as drug carrier. Studies have been performed on isolated rat cardiomyocytes, or isolated perfused rat and rabbit hearts. Results show that cardiomyocytes may interact with liposome through fusion, endocytosis, adsorption and molecular exchange of phospholipid. Forms of cellular uptake of liposome depend chiefly on the physicochemical properties of liposomes. Anoxia changes the pattern of liposome uptake by cardiomyocytes and increases uptake of liposomes. Uptake of liposomes, especially of positively charged liposomes by ischemic myocardium is significantly increased. The quantity of increase of liposome uptake is in the following order: ischemia-reperfusion area > peripheral area of the infarct > non-ischemic area > infarcted area. The above results indicate that liposome as drug carrier might promote the delivery of drug into ischemic myocardium and cardiomyocytes.
Animals↗
Functional organization of enhancer (ENII) of hepatitis B virus.
A new enhancer ENII, located in the X open reading frame and immediately upstream of the core gene promoter, has recently been identified in the genome of hepatitis B virus. We have studied the functional constituents of this new enhancer in different cell lines. ENII can be divided into two functional elements, A and B, corresponding to two major binding sequences for nuclear protein factors. Element A alone gave very low activity; however, it was a modulatory element important for cell-type specificity. Element B was shown to be the basic functional element of ENII, which retained about 70% of the enhancer activity of the complete ENII in HepG2 cells. Element B can be further dissected into three subunits, B1, B2, and B3, which act synergistically. A 52-bp sequence is identified as the core sequences of element B. A model for the mechanism of ENII function is proposed.
Base Sequence↗
Therapeutic coagulation induced in cavernous hemangioma by use of percutaneous copper needles.
Fifty-two patients with cavernous hemangiomas were therapeutically coagulated by use of percutaneous copper needles. Of the 52 patients, 32 had cavernous hemangiomas of the face and neck and 20 had cavernous hemangiomas of the trunk and extremities. All have gained effective treatment. Through in vitro tests, animal experiments, and clinical studies, I have confirmed that copper needles produce coagulation and destruction of cavernous hemangiomas. The mechanism, indications, technique, prevention and treatment of complications, and an analysis of copper concentrations in the patients' blood are discussed. My conclusion is that this is a simple, safe, and effective treatment for cavernous hemangiomas.
Animals↗
[Effect of endothelin on isolated myocytes from rat heart].
The mechanism of endothelin (ET) action on isolated myocytes of rat heart was investigated. Administration of 10(-9)-10(-7) mol/L ET caused dose-dependently severe contracture of myocytes, increase in cytosolic lactate dehydrogenase leakage and increase of cellular total calcium. ET also enhanced 45Ca2+ influx in myocytes, that could be antagonized by calcium channel blocker verapamil. Incubation of Fura-2 -preloaded myocytes with ET would induce a significant increase of cytosolic free Ca2+, and this effect of ET could also be partly antagonized by verapamil. These results suggest that ET enhances Ca2+ influx in myocytes mainly through voltage-dependent calcium channel, by which ET exerts its biological action.
Animals↗
A cDNA clone with anti-oncogene activity.
A cDNA clone, p14-6, which has an anti-oncogene activity on the v-Ki-Ras oncogene-transformed malignant cell line DT, was found. This clone was recovered from the revertant R14 cells, which had been isolated by transfections of DT cells with a normal human fibroblast cDNA library cloned in pcD2, an Okayama-Berg vector. When transfected into DT cells, p14-6 clone gave rise to phenotypical flat reversion in 5-15% of DT transfectant colonies. The p14-6-transfected flat cell line, RR, was proven to be a true revertant with significantly reduced malignancy by in vitro and in vivo malignancy tests. All other clones recovered from R14 cells were unable to cause this reversion. Molecular hybridizations showed that the p14-6 was inserted into RR genome as tandem repeats, and no structural change was found in the v-Ki-Ras oncogene in RR genome. These facts suggest that the anti-oncogene activity of the p14-6 clone on the DT cells may be exerted through expression of the cDNA contained in this clone.
Animals↗