In pursuit of leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor-5 regulation and function in the uterus.
Leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor (LGR)-5 is a recently identified marker of stem cells in adult intestinal epithelium and hair follicles. Because of this characteristic, we studied the status of Lgr5 expression in the mouse uterus under various conditions. Lgr5 is highly expressed in the uterine epithelium of immature mice and is dramatically down-regulated after the mice resume estrous cycles. Surprisingly, whereas its expression is up-regulated in uteri of ovariectomized mice, the expression is down-regulated by estrogen and progesterone via their cognate nuclear receptors, estrogen receptor-alpha and progesterone receptor, respectively. Using a mouse endometrial cancer model, we also found that Lgr5 is highly expressed in the epithelium during the initial stages of tumorigenesis but is remarkably down-regulated in fully developed tumors. Lgr5 is a downstream target of Wnt signaling in the intestine. Genetic evidence shows that either excessive or absence of Wnt signaling dampens Lgr5 expression in the uterus. Collectively, our results show that Lgr5 expression in the mouse uterine epithelium is unique and dynamically regulated under various physiological and pathological states of the uterus, suggesting that this orphan receptor has important functions in uterine biology. However, identifying definitive uterine function of LGR5 will require further investigation using conditional deletion of uterine Lgr5 because systemic deletion of this gene is neonatally lethal.

title: Cannabinoid/Endocannabinoid signaling impact on early pregnancy events.
abstract: It has been known for decades that marijuana and its major psychoactive component Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) alter both male and female reproductive functions in humans and laboratory animals. The discovery of cannabinoid-like molecules (endocannabinoids), anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonylglycerol (2AG), as well as G-protein-coupled cannabinoid/endocannabinoid receptors CB₁ and CB₂, created an opportunity to study the adverse and beneficial effects of cannabinoids/endocannabinoids on fertility using molecular, physiological and genetic approaches. In fact, studies to explore the significance of cannabinoid/endocannabinoid signaling in reproduction have revealed some intriguing physiological roles in early pregnant events. This review summarizes some aspects of these signaling molecules in preimplantation and implantation biology utilizing genetically engineered mouse models.

title: Preparation and evaluation of Zr-beta-FeOOH for efficient arsenic removal.
abstract: A Zr-beta-FeOOH adsorbent for both As(V) and As(III) removal was prepared by a chemical co-precipitation method. Compared with beta-FeOOH, the addition of Zr enhanced the adsorption capacities for As(V) and As(III), especially As(III). The maximum adsorption capacities for As(III) and As(V) were 120 and 60 mg/g respectively at pH 7.0, much higher than for many reported adsorbents. The adsorption data accorded with Freundlich isotherms. At neutral pH, for As(V), adsorption equilibrium was approached after 3 hr, while for As(III), adsorption equilibrium was approached after 5 hr. Kinetic data fitted well to the pseudo second-order reaction model. As(V) elimination was favored at acidic pH, whereas the adsorption of As(III) by Zr-beta-FeOOH was found to be effective over a wide pH range of 4-10. Competitive anions hindered the adsorption according to the sequence: phosphate > silicate > bicarbonate > sulfate > nitrate, while Ca2+ and Mg2+ increased the removal of As(III) and As(V) slightly. The high adsorption capability and good performance in other aspects make Zr-beta-FeOOH a potentially attractive adsorbent for the removal of both As(III) and As(V) from water.

title: Palladium-catalyzed C-N cross coupling of sulfinamides and aryl halides.
abstract: The palladium-catalyzed C-N cross coupling of sulfinamides and aryl halides is reported. In the presence of Pd(2)(dba)(3), tBuXPhos, NaOH, and a small amount of water, the C-N cross coupling of chiral tert-butanesulfinamide and aryl halides was accomplished to give N-aryl tert-butanesulfinamide without racemization, and the coupling of racemic p-toluenesulfinamide smoothly afforded N-aryl p-toluenesulfinamides. 2-Bromopyridine was also suitable for the coupling. Addition of a small amount of water to the catalytic system was of importance to obtain high yields.

title: Endocannabinoid signaling directs differentiation of trophoblast cell lineages and placentation
abstract: In most mammals, placentation is critical for fetal development and pregnancy success. Exposure to marijuana during pregnancy has adverse effects, but whether the placenta is a target of cannabinoid/endocannabinoid signaling is not known. Using mice as a model system, we found that the endocannabinoid system is present in the ectoplacental cone and spongiotrophoblast cells. We also observed that aberrant endocannabinoid signaling confers premature trophoblast stem cell differentiation, and defective trophoblast development and invasion. These defects are reflected in retarded fetal development and compromised pregnancy outcome. Because the endocannabinoid system is conserved in mice and humans, our study suggests that endocannabinoid signaling is critical to placentation and pregnancy success in humans and implicates its potential significance in stem cell biology.

title: [Isolation of a metsulfuron-methyl-resistant bacteria and cloning and expression of the acetohydroxyacid synthase genes ilvlH].
abstract: Acetohydroxyacid synthase (EC 4.1.3.18) is the enzyme that catalyses the first step in the synthesis of the branched-chain amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine in plant, fungi and bacteria, and also is target of the sulfonylurea, imidazolinone, triazolopyrimidine and other acetohydroxyacid synthase inhibitor herbicides.



The purpose of this study is to get the resistant gene, prepare a functional bacteria with acetohydroxyacid synthase, and investigate the relationship between the mutation sites of the acetohydroxyacid synthase and the herbicides-resistant.



A metsulfuron-methyl-resistant bacterium Lm10 was isolated from metsulfuron-methyl contaminated soil. Acetohydroxyacid synthase genes ilvIH was amplified from the genome DNA of strains Lm10 by PCR. The ilvI and ilvH were cloned into the bacterial expression vector pET29a(+) respectively.



Strain Lm10 was identified preliminarily as Pseudomonas sp.. It can endure 14000 micromol/L metsulfuron-methyl and showed cross resistance to diffenent acetohydroxyacid synthase inhibitor herbicids, such as chlorsulfuron, imazethapyr, flumetsulam and penoxsulam. The alignment result of the ilvIH amino acid sequence showed that ilvI of strains Lm10 differed from that of strain KT2440 by 6 sites, While the ilvH of the two strains were the same. The gene ilvI and ilvH were functional expressed in the Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3) respectively. The expressed production pET-I displayed acetohydroxyacid synthase activity and showed resistance to high concentration of metsulfuron-methyl.



The ilvI displayed acetohydroxyacid synthase activity. The 6 different sites in ilvI of strains Lml0 probably led to herbicids resistance.

title: Interruption of nuclear localization of ATBF1 during the histopathologic progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: The AT-motif binding factor 1 (ATBF1) gene is frequently altered at the genetic level in several types of cancer, but its protein expression and subcellular localization have not been well studied in human cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs).



ATBF1 expression and localization were examined in 5 cell lines and 197 clinical specimens of HNSCC, and correlated with pathologic and clinical characteristics.



ATBF1 was predominantly localized in the nucleus of hyperplastic squamous epithelium. Whereas nuclear ATBF1 dramatically decreased in invasive tumors (p = .0012), cytoplasmic ATBF1 levels progressively increased from dysplasia to invasive tumors (p < .0001), and the increase correlated with poor survival. Reduced nuclear ATBF1 level was also detected in HNSCC cell lines.



Nuclear localization of ATBF1 is frequently interrupted in HNSCC, and the interruption is significantly associated with the progression of HNSCC. The cytoplasmic ATBF1 level could be useful for predicting patient survival.

title: Design of fluorescent self-assembled multilayers and interfacial sensing for organophosphorus pesticides.
abstract: This paper details the fabrication of indole (ID) self-assembled multilayers (SAMs) and fluorescence interfacial sensing for organophosphorus (OP) pesticides. Quartz/APES/AuNP/L-Cys/ID film was constructed on L-cysteine modified Quartz/APES/AuNP surface via electrostatic attraction between ID and L-cysteine. Cyclic voltammetry indicates that ID is immobilized successfully on the gold surface. Fluorescence of the Quartz/APES/AuNP/L-Cys/ID film shows sensitive response toward OPs. The fluorescent sensing conditions of the SAMs are optimized that allow linear fluorescence response for methylparathion and monocrotophos over 5.97 x 10(-7) to 3.51 x 10(-6)gL(-1) and 3.98 x 10(-6) to 3.47 x 10(-5)gL(-1), with detection limit of 6.1 x 10(-8)gL(-1) and 3.28 x 10(-6)gL(-1), respectively. Compared to bulk phase detection, interfacial fluorescence sensing based on the SAMs technology shows higher sensitivity by at least 2 order of magnitude.

title: Poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized devices for electric field gradient focusing.
abstract: Electric field gradient focusing (EFGF) is an equilibrium gradient focusing technique that depends on an electric field gradient and a hydrodynamic counterflow to focus, concentrate, and separate charged analytes. In this work, EFGF devices were fabricated from poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-functionalized acrylic plastic. The separation channel was formed in an ionically conductive and protein-resistant PEG-functionalized hydrogel, which was cast in a changing cross-sectional cavity in the plastic device. A linear electric field gradient was obtained by applying a voltage lengthwise across the shaped hydrogel. Standard proteins were used as analytes to demonstrate the performance of these EFGF devices. With an increase in counterflow rate or decrease in applied voltage, analyte bands broadened, but resolution increased in agreement with theory. To reduce analyte band dispersion and improve focusing performance, a protein-compatible PEG-functionalized monolith was incorporated in the EFGF channel. Compared with focusing in an open channel, protein bands in the monolith-filled EFGF channel were significantly narrower.

title: Expression of uncoupling protein 3 is upregulated in skeletal muscle during sepsis.
abstract: Uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) is a member of the mitochondrial transporter superfamily that is expressed primarily in skeletal muscle. UCP3 is upregulated in various conditions characterized by skeletal muscle atrophy, including hyperthyroidism, fasting, denervation, diabetes, cancer, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and treatment with glucocorticoids (GCs). The influence of sepsis, another condition characterized by muscle cachexia, on UCP3 expression and activity is not known. We examined UCP3 gene and protein expression in skeletal muscles from rats after cecal ligation and puncture and from sham-operated control rats. Sepsis resulted in a two- to threefold increase in both mRNA and protein levels of UCP3 in skeletal muscle. Treatment of rats with the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU-38486 prevented the sepsis-induced increase in gene and protein expression of UCP3. The UCP3 mRNA and protein levels were increased 2.4- to 3.6-fold when incubated muscles from normal rats were treated with dexamethasone (DEX) and/or free fatty acids (FFA) ex vivo. In addition, UCP3 mRNA and protein levels were significantly increased in normal rat muscles in vivo with treatment of either DEX or FFA. The results suggest that sepsis upregulates the gene and protein expression of UCP3 in skeletal muscle, which may at least in part be mediated by GCs and FFA.

title: Tuning exchange bias in core/shell FeO/Fe3O4 nanoparticles.
abstract: Monodisperse 35 nm FeO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and oxidized in a dry air atmosphere into core/shell FeO/Fe(3)O(4) NPs with both FeO core and Fe(3)O(4) shell dimensions controlled by reaction temperature and time. Temperature-dependent magnetic properties were studied on FeO/Fe(3)O(4) NPs obtained from the FeO NPs oxidized at 60 and 100 °C for 30 min. A large exchange bias (shift in the hysteresis loop) was observed in these core/shell NPs. The relative dimensions of the core and shell determine not only the coercivity and exchange field but also the dominant reversal mechanism of the ferrimagnetic Fe(3)O(4) component. This is the first time demonstration of tuning exchange bias and of controlling asymmetric magnetization reversal in FeO/Fe(3)O(4) NPs with antiferromagnetic core and ferrimagnetic shell.