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ZNF804A rs1344706 has been identified as one of the risk genes for schizophrenia. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this association are unknown. Given that ZNF804A upregulates the expression of COMT, we hypothesized that ZNF804A may influence brain activity by interacting with COMT. Here, we genotyped ZNF804A rs1344706 and COMT rs4680 in 218 healthy Chinese participants. Amplitudes of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFFs) were applied to analyze the main and interaction effects of ZNF804A rs1344706 and COMT rs4680. The ALFFs of the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex showed a significant ZNF804A rs1344706 × COMT rs4680 interaction, manifesting as a U-shaped modulation, presumably by dopamine signaling. Significant main effects were also found. These findings suggest that ZNF804A affects the resting-state functional activation by interacting with COMT, and may improve our understanding of the neurobiological effects of ZNF804A and its association with schizophrenia.
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Objective To investigate the expression and significance of E-cadherin and β-catenin in type Ⅰ endometrial carcinoma.Methods The expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin were detected by immunohistochemistry in 60 patients with type Ⅰ endometrial carcinoma and 10 normal endometrial tissues.The patients were followed-up postoperatively for the survival rate.Results Expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin in 10 normal endometrial tissues was all high expression,while those of both abnormal expression in type Ⅰ endometrial carcinoma with expression rates with 60.0 ％ (36/60) and 55.0 ％ (33/60),respectively,which were difference compared with both in normal endometrial tissues (P ＜ 0.05).The expression rates were markedly decreased in carcinoma with lymph node metastasis than those without lymph node metastasis.The proportions of abnormal expressions of E-cadherin and β-catenin were positively correlated with tumor grade and myometrial invasion in type Ⅰ endometrial carcinoma (P ＜ 0.05).The postoperative two-year survival rate in the patients with abnormal expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin were much lower than those with normal expression (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Abnormal high expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin may play important roles on generation and metastasis in type Ⅰ endometrial carcinoma.Both of them may be promising method for predicting invasion and metastasis and can be prognostic predictors in type Ⅰ endometrial carcinoma.
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[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To investigate the antipyretic effect of patchouli oil on lipopolysaccharide ( LPS)-induced fe-ver in rabbits.METHODS:Male rabbits (n=42) were randomly divided into 7 groups according to their body weight and basal body temperature, including control group, model group, western medical positive group, traditional Chinese medical positive group, and high, middle and low doses (2%, 1%and 0.5%) of patchouli oil groups.Subsequently, except the controls, the rabbits were injected with LPS at a dose of 1 mL/kg (2 mg/L) through marginal ear vein to establish rabbit fever model and the rabbits in control group received the same volume of NS.The rabbits in control group and model group were injected with 0.5%Tween-80 0.5 h late, and the rabbits in the other groups were treated with correspoonding drugs. The effect of patchouli oil on the body temperature was observed, and the levels of interleukin-1β( IL-1β) and tumor nec-rosis factor-α(TNF-α) in the serum, and prostaglandin E2(PGE2) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the hypothalamus were measured by radioimmunoassay.RESULTS: The body temperature and the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, cAMP and PGE2 in model group were significant higher than those in control group.Patchouli oil notably inhibited the body temperature in the febrile rabbits.From 1.5 h to 5.5 h after administration, the body temperatures were increased by (1.06 ±1.55), (1.62 ±1.36), (1.38 ±1.22), (0.98 ±0.98) and (0.48 ±0.95) ℃in high patchouli oil group, re-spectively.From 3.5 to 5.5 h after administration, the body temperatures were elevated by ( 1.47 ±0.73 ) , ( 1.15 ± 0.68) and (0.63 ±0.54) ℃ in middle patchouli oil group, respectively.A tendency of downregulation of the elevated body temperatures was observed at every time point after administration in low patchouli oil group.Patchouli oil significantly decreased the levels of TNF-αin the serum and cAMP content in the hypothalamus, and attenuated the elevated tendency of the IL-1βlevel in the serum and PGE2 level in the hypothalamus.CONCLUSION:Patchouli oil evidently has antipyretic effect on LPS-induced fever in the rabbits.The antipyretic mechanism might be related to the inhibition of TNF-αlevel in serum and cAMP content in the hypothalamus.
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Chronic constipation is a highly debilitating condition, affecting a significant proportion of the commu-nity. Rhei Radix et Rhizoma (rhubarb) is one of the important herbal drugs used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for treating constipation which includes four groups of main active components such as free anthraquinone, conjunc-tive anthraquinone, rhubarb tannin, and rhubarb polysaccharides. However, which one is response for the laxative effect of rhubarb is unknown. Therefore, we proposed a strategy for the effect-guided quality control of TCM based on disease. The effective material for laxative effect of rhubarb was firstly screened based on the constipation model. And different production locations were investigated. Then, the processing was optimized to set up a quality control of rhubarb. It was found that the bioactive component was the conjunctive anthraquinone for the laxative effect. And the raw herb from Liangshan had the best quality compared with those from Pingwu and Beichuan in Sichuan Prov-ince, China. The extraction ethanol volumes to substrate ratio of 10.34, extraction time of 24.25 min and extraction number of 4 were the best conditions for the extraction of conjunctive anthraquinone. Under the optimized condi-tions, the maximum production was 5.455 mg·g-1. This extraction procedure was used as quality control of rhubarb in the treatment of constipation.
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In order to improve the resolution, contrast and frame rate of ultrasound imaging, it is necessary to design an adaptive beamforming method for plane wave ultrasound imaging. An optimized minimum variance algorithm that suits plane wave ultrasound imaging was proposed, based on the traditional minimum variance algorithm that combines with the subband beamforming as well as the forward-backward spatial smoothing method in the frequency domain. To verify the effectiveness of the improved algorithm, the matlab software was used. Simulation results showed that full width at half maximum and peak side-lobe level of Optimized MV, Conventional MV, DAS boxcar, and Linear scan methods were 0.08, 0.36, 0.92, 1.42 dB, and -41.1, - 37.3, -16.9, - 34.1 dB, respectively. The improved algorithm can significantly improve the image resolution and contrast, particularly applicable to plane wave ultrasound imaging, compared with the conventional minimum variance algorithm and traditional delay-and-sum method.
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Algorithms , Contrast Media , Image Enhancement , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Methods , Microbubbles , Phantoms, Imaging , Ultrasonography , MethodsABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) on cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5)-ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM)-P53 signal transduction pathway in rat hippocampal neurons subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) injury.MethodsHippocampal neurons of newborn Wistar rats ( ＜ 48 h) were cultured for 7 days in vitro.The primary cultured neurons were randomly divided into 4 groups with 10 wells in each group:control group (group C),OGD (group D),OGD + hemin (HO-1 inducer) group (group D + H ) and OGD + hemin + zinc protoporphyrin ( HO-1 inhibitor) group ( group D + H + T).For OGD experiments,cultures were washed three times in a glucose-free balanced salt solution (BSS).They were then placed in deoxygenated glucose-free medium and sealed under 95％ N2-5％ CO2 in an anaerobic chamber equilibrated to 37°C and 100％ humidity for 45 min.OGD was terminated by replacement of stored medium and by returning the cultures to a standard incubator maintained at 37 ℃ in 95％ air-5％ CO2.The OGD model was established after the neurons were preconditioned with hemin 10 μmol/L for 24 h in group D + H.The OGD model was established after the neurons were preconditioned with hemin 10 μmol/L and zinc protoporphyrin 10 μmol/L for 24 h in group D + H + T.After 24 h of culture,the neuronal viability,apoptosis rate,and expression of HO-1 mRNA and protein,and CDK5,ATM and P53 protein were detected.ResultsCompared with group C,the expression of HO-1 mRNA,and HO-1,CDK5,ATM and P53 protein was up-regulated,the neuronal viability was significantly decreased,and the apoptosis rate was significantly increased in group D (P ＜ 0.01 ).Compared with group D,the expression of HO-1 mRNA and protein was up-regulated,the expression of CDK5,ATM and P53 protein was down-regulated,the neuronal viability was significantly increased,and the apoptosis rate was significanlly decreased in group D + H ( P ＜ 0.01 ).Compared with group D + H,the expression of HO-1 mRNA and protein was down-regulated,the expression of CDK5,ATM and P53 protein was up-regulated,the neuronal viability was significantly decreased,and the apoptosis rate was significantly increased in group D + H + T ( P ＜ 0.01 ).ConclusionHO-1 can inhibit neuronal apoptosis through blocking CDK5-ATM-P53 signal transduction pathway in rat hippocampal neurons subjected to OGD injury.
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Objective To explore the value of peak systolic displacement of mitral annulus in evaluating left ventricular systolic function by speckle tracking imaging(STI).Methods The study population consisted of 96 subjects. The apical four-chamber view and two-chamber view were obtained and the systolic displacements of mitral annulus were measured at lateral, spetum, anterior and inferior mitral annulus (MADlat, MADsep, MADant, MADinf).The systolic displacements of mitral annulus midpoint (MADmid) and its ratio to the length of left ventricle at end-diastole(MADmid%) were calculated.Left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) was measured by three-dimensional echocardiography.The correlation of these displacements parameter with LVEF was analyzed.Results ① There was no significant difference among MADsep, MADlat, MADant, MADinf and MADmid(P>0.05).②There was significant correlation between LVEF and these parameters (P <0.01) ,and MADmid and MADmid% showed an excellent correlation with LVEF (r = 0.87 and 0.89 respectively, P<0.01).③The cut-off value of MADmid for LVEF>50% was 8.9 mm with a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 80% while the cut off value of MADmid% for LVEF>50% was 10.9% with a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 85%.Conclusions Displacement of mitral annulus by STI showed an excellent correlation with LVEF, and it may be a new promising method for routine evaluation of left ventricular systolic function with its high feasibility, simplicity and accuracy.
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Objective To compare different delayed scanning methods in multi-slice spiral CT angiography (MSCTA)in diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). Methods Sixty patients with suspected PE were divided into three groups (A, B and C). MSCT with same Iodine concentration, injection rate, contrast medium but different delayed scanning methods was performed after injection of contrast medium. Patients in group A were examined with fixed time method (15 s), in group B with small dose-density curve method, while in group C with contrast medium track and triggering technoligy. The number, position and the shapes of emboli were evaluated with MIP, MPR and VR. Results The successful examination rate of group A was 55.00% (11/20), while of group B and C was both 100%. The coincidence rate of MSCTA compared with DSA in each group was 96.04% (291/303). Conclusion The best delayed scanning method in MSCTA for diagnosis of pulmonary embolism is contrast medium tracking and triggering technology.
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Objective To investigate the major types and clinical manifestations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)mutations in Chinese patients with Leber′s hereditary optic neuropathy(LHON). Methods A total of 119 patients with bilateral optic neuropathy from 117 pedigrees, including 37 with determinate diagnosis of LHON(group A) and 82 with suspected LHON(group B),were tested for mtDNA mutations by using single-strand conformational polymorphism, mutation-specific primer polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. Pertinent clinical data and history of the patients with the 11778 mutation were collected. Results Nucleotide positions(np)11778 mutation and np 14484 mutation was found in 33 (89.2%) and 3 (8.1%) patients respectively in group A, while np 11778 mutation was obtained in 26 (31.7%)in group B. No 3460 mutation was found in group A or B. The clinical manifestations of 59 patients with np 11778 mutation were as follows: acute or chronic visual loss,no ophthalmalgia, the age of onset of 10-25, and either a central or paracentral scotoma in perimetry. The visual recovery rate was 8.6%～11.6%. Conclusion Chinese patients with LHON have a very high incidence of np 11778 mutation and the clinical manifestations of the patients with np 11778 mutation are similar to those of Caucasian patients.