Simultaneous Construct Surface Microstructural and Internal Network-Like Conductive Pathways of Poly(l-lactic acid)/Carbon Nanomaterials Composite Foams

The poly(l -lactic acid) (PLLA)/carbon nanomaterials composite foams with hierarchical surface microstructural and internal conductive pathways are successfully prepared by a simple crystallization-assisted rapid phase separation (CARPS). The dimension and morphology of carbon nanomaterials can induce different crystallization forms to construct the hierarchical surface microstructure, and they are distributed on the phase interface of solvent and non-solvent to form conductive pathways. It is found that the heterogeneous nucleation of nanomaterials promotes a significant increase in crystallinity, and a stacked granular structure formed on the surface promotes the increase of the water contact angle to 148.7°. Foams with interconnecting pore structures contribute to the formation of 85.3% porosity and 12.33 g g⁻¹ oil absorption. Carbon nanomaterials are distributed on the pore walls of the porous foam, which converts the foam from an insulating material to a conducting polymer. Furthermore, the uniform distribution of nanomaterials significantly affects the thermal stability of the PLLA. In belief, the multifunctional biodegradable foam, prepared by a CARPS method, makes it promising for industrial production and has potential applications in electrical conductivity, oil-water separation, and many other fields.     

Phase Behaviors of Charged Macromolecules in Aqueous Solutions

Compared to the charge–charge interaction, the role of the dipole-dipole interaction has long been ignored in the phase behaviors of charged macromolecules in solutions. Charged macromolecules in solutions exhibit rich phase behaviors due to their complexity and they have been studied extensively. Phase separation can happen for charged macromolecules in the presence of monovalent salt, multivalent salt, and oppositely charged polymers, surfactants, etc., and for more advanced charged macromolecules such as polyzwitterions and polyampholytes, the phase diagram is even richer. In this perspective, the unacknowledged role of dipole-dipole interaction in the phase behaviors of charged macromolecular solutions will be introduced. Dipolar polymers can form complex, self-regulating structures which can be employed in various fields from drug-delivery systems to next-generation polymers. More importantly, it will shed light on how some of the life's basic and coherent structures such as biomolecular condensates and membrane-less organelles are assembled and built by charged biomacromolecules such as DNA, RNA, and proteins.     

人原发性肝细胞癌核基质蛋白的研究

目的比较正常肝与原发性肝细胞癌（ＨＣＣ）核基质蛋白的异同,观察是否有ＨＣＣ特异性核基质蛋白的存在。方法用双向电泳方法比较了３例正常肝和８例ＨＣＣ核基质蛋白成分。结果正常肝和ＨＣＣ的核基质蛋白组成极为相似,但在ＨＣＣ中发现至少有４个ＨＣＣ的特异性核基质蛋白。其中以分子量为６２０００、等电点为５．３的蛋白最具代表性,它存在于所研究的８例ＨＣＣ中。其余３个ＨＣＣ特异性蛋白亦存在于大多数ＨＣＣ中。３例正常肝组织中未见有这４个ＨＣＣ特异性核基质蛋白。结论ＨＣＣ确实有ＨＣＣ特异性核基质蛋白的存在,它的发现可能会为ＨＣＣ的发生、发展、发病机理的研究提供一个新途径。     

Phenotypic correction of Fanconi anemia in human hematopoietic cells with a recombinant adeno-associated virus vector.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a recessive inherited disease characterized by defective DNA repair. FA cells are hypersensitive to DNA cross-linking agents that cause chromosomal instability and cell death. FA is manifested clinically by progressive pancytopenia, variable physical anomalies, and predisposition to malignancy. Four complementation groups have been identified, termed A, B, C, and D. The gene for the FA complementation group C, FACC, has been cloned. Expression of the FACC cDNA corrects the phenotypic defect of FA(C) cells, resulting in normalized cell growth in the presence of DNA cross-linking agents such as mitomycin C (MMC). Gene transfer of the FACC gene should provide a survival advantage to transduced hematopoietic cells, suggesting that FA might be an ideal candidate for gene therapy. We demonstrated efficient transduction, expression, and phenotypic correction in lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from FA (C) patients using a recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector containing the FACC gene. Molecular characterization of the transduced FACC gene showed an intact unrearranged proviral genome with expression sufficient to normalize cell growth, cell cycle kinetics and chromosomal breakage in the presence of MMC. These observations were extended by testing rAAV transduction in hematopoietic progenitor cells. Peripheral blood CD34+ cells isolated from a FA (C) patient and transduced with rAAV/FACC virus yielded 5-10-fold more progenitor colonies than mock-infected cells, consistent with genetic "rescue" of corrected cells. This is the first demonstration of rAAV gene correction in primary human hematopoietic progenitor cells and has important implications for gene therapy of hematopoietic disorders, specifically FA.     

Detection of allelic loss within the β1-interferon gene in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia using differential PCR

Summary Deletion of the short arm of chromosome 9p involving the 1-interferon (IFN) gene has been implicated in the process of malignant transformation in lymphomas and acute lymphoblastic leukemias. Since cytogenetic analysis is frequently unsuccessful in clinical samples, we used a recently described differential PCR technique to detect losses within the 1-IFN gene in 86 acute leukemias. Using differential PCR, no 1-IFN deletion was detected in 44 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and eight control samples. However, five of 42 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) probes (12%) exhibited loss of the 1-IFN gene (three common ALL, two T-ALL). Cytogenetic analysis was performed independently in three of these five cases and revealed abnormalities of chromosome 9p in two samples. Two of five T-ALL cases exhibited a loss within the 1-IFN gene, compared with 3/29 c-ALLs, suggesting a predominance of IFN gene loss in T-ALLs. These data indicate that PCR can be used for rapid detection of gene dosage phenomena in clinical leukemia samples.     

Release of [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine from the intermediate area of rat thoracic spinal cord is modulated by presynaptic autoreceptors

Serotonin (5-HT) nerve terminals innervate sympathetic preganglionic neurons of the intermediolateral cell column (IML); however, neither the depolarization-induced release of 5-HT nor the presence of presynaptic modulatory autoreceptors have been directly studied in this system. We used in vitro superfusion of the microdissected intermediate area (including the intermediolateral cell column, intercalated nucleus, and central autonomic nucleus) of the rat thoracic spinal cord to measure basal and stimulated release of preloaded [³H]5-HT. Elevated K⁺ evoked a concentration- and Ca²⁺ dependent release of [³H]5-HT. Exogenous 5-HT and the 5-HT_1B agonist, CGS-12066B, both decreased the K⁺-stimulated release of [³H]5-HT. A 5-HT_1B antagonist (methiothepin) blocked the 5-HT- and the CGS-12066B-induced inhibition of K⁺-evoked release of [³H]5-HT. A 5-HT_1A antagonist (NAN-190) did not alter the inhibitory actions of exogenous 5-HT. Moreover, a 5-HT_1A agonist (8-OH-DPAT), a 5-HT_2A/2C agonist [(+/-)-DOI hydrochloride], and a 5-HT₃ agonist (2-methyl-5-HT) did not alter the K⁺ evoked release of [³H]5-HT. These data demonstrate that 5-HT is released from the intermediate area of the rat thoracic spinal cord. The 5-HT receptor subtype involved in the inhibition of the evoked release of [³H]5-HT is of the 5-HT_1B subtype. These findings may help clarify the complex role of 5-HT in spinal regulation of the sympathetic nervous system. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc

1 This article is US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

     

1993年汕头口岸入出境人员HBV感染情况分析

本文作者对汕头卫生检疫局1993年从19129名入出境人员疾病监测体检中发现的1809名HBsAg阳性者进行HBV标志物(抗-HBs、HBeAg、抗-HBe、抗-HBc)测定结果的分析,提出今后继续加强开展乙型肝炎“二对半”检测,做好乙型肝炎预防工作的意见。     

Selective incorporation of111In-labeled PHOTOFRIN™ by glioma tissuein vivo

The use of PHOTOFRIN for photodynamic therapy of human gliomas has been studied by i.v. administration and laser photosensitization. Defining the uptake of PHOTOFRIN in the patient's tumor in comparison with the surrounding normal brain tissue is highly desirable for patient selection and study ofin vivo kinetics. We utilized a non-invasive approach to the detection of PHOTOFRIN uptake in brain tumors with¹¹¹In-oxine radiolabeled PHOTOFRIN and external imaging and quantitation using a gamma camera. Biodistribution of¹¹¹In-labeled PHOTOFRIN in 13 organs was determined in four dogs and 15 mice with gliomas.^99mTc-DTPA was used as a control for nonspecific uptake. The greatest concentration of¹¹¹In-PHOTOFRIN in the brain tumor occurred at 24 hours post i.v. administration. The brain tumor PHOTOFRIN uptake was seven times greater than that of normal brain. The decreased blood background at 72 hours made this the optimum time for imaging. Specific tumor tissue uptake of¹¹¹In-PHOTOFRIN occurred, well beyond that resulting from blood-brain-barrier (BBB) breakdown.