The vasa vasorum of carotid artery plaque is a novel marker of accurately evaluating the vulnerability of carotid artery plaque, which was associated with symptomatic cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease. The pr...The vasa vasorum of carotid artery plaque is a novel marker of accurately evaluating the vulnerability of carotid artery plaque, which was associated with symptomatic cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease. The presence of ultrasound contrast agents in carotid artery plaque represents the presence of the vasa vasorum in carotid artery plaque because the ultrasoundcontrast agents are strict intravascular tracers. Therefore, contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS) is a novel and safe imaging modality for evaluating the vasa vasorum in carotid artery plaque. However, there are some issues that needs to be assessed to embody fully the clinical utility of the vasa vasorum in carotid artery plaque with CEUS.展开更多
Aim： To detect the expression of VASA in human ejaculated spermatozoa, and to compare the expression of VASA between normozoospermic men and patients with oligozoospermia. Methods： Ejaculated spermatozoa were collec...Aim： To detect the expression of VASA in human ejaculated spermatozoa, and to compare the expression of VASA between normozoospermic men and patients with oligozoospermia. Methods： Ejaculated spermatozoa were collected from normozoospermic men and patients with oligozoospermia by masturbation, and subsequently segregated through a discontinuous gradient of Percoll to obtain the spermatozoa. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT- PCR）, quantitative RT-PCR （QRT-PCR）, immunoflurescence and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of VASA in mRNA and protein levels. Results： VASA mRNA was expressed in the ejaculated spermatozoa. QRT-PCR analysis showed that VASA mRNA level was approximately 5-fold higher in normozoospermic men than that in oligozoospermic men. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting analysis showed that VASA protein was located on the cytoplasmic membrane of heads and tails of spermatozoa, and its expression was significantly decreased in oligozoospermic men, which is similar to the result of QRT-PCR. Conclusion： The expression of VASA mRNA and protein was significantly decreased in the sperm of oligozoospermic men, which suggested the lower expression of the VASA gene might be associated with pathogenesis in some subtypes of male infertility and VASA could be used as a molecular marker for the diagnosis of male infertility.展开更多
RNA helicases of the DEAD-box and related families are involved in various cellular processes including DNA replication, DNA repair, and RNA processing. However, the function of DEAD-box proteins in aquaculture specie...RNA helicases of the DEAD-box and related families are involved in various cellular processes including DNA replication, DNA repair, and RNA processing. However, the function of DEAD-box proteins in aquaculture species is poorly understood at molecular level. We obtained the full-length cDNA sequences of two genes encoding helicase-related proteins, Fc-vasa and Fc-PL10a, from the testes of Chinese shrimp, Fenneropenaeus chinensis. The two predicted amino acid sequences contain all the conserved motifs characterized by the DEAD-box family and several RGG repeats in the N-terminal regions. Homology and phylogenetic analyses indicate that they belong to the vasa and PLIO subfamilies. The three-dimensional structures of the two proteins were predicted with a homology modeling approach. Both core proteins consist of two tandem RecA-like domains similar to those of the DEAD-box RNA helicase. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） and real-time PCR we found that Fc-vasa was expressed specifically in the adult gonads. Transcription decreased in the ovary but increased in the testis during gonadal development. Fc-PL10a expression was widely distributed in the tissues we examined. Using in situ hybridization, we demonstrated that the Fc-vasa transcript is localized to the cytoplasm of the spermatogonia and oocytes. Thus, our results suggest that Fc-wasa plays an important role in germ-line development, and has utility as a germ cell lineage marker which will help to generate new insight into the origin and differentiation of germ cells as well as the regulation of reproduction in F. chinensis.展开更多
Velamentous insertion of the umbilical cord corresponds to the insertion of the cord directly on amniotic membranes. It is a rare situation whose frequency varies from 0.5% to 1.69% of single pregnancies. It must be d...Velamentous insertion of the umbilical cord corresponds to the insertion of the cord directly on amniotic membranes. It is a rare situation whose frequency varies from 0.5% to 1.69% of single pregnancies. It must be diagnosed during the morphological ultrasound of the 2nd trimester, actively looking for the association with a vasa previa, due to the risk of fetal haemorrhagic threat. We report an antenatal diagnosis of velamentous cord insertion and its management with literature review.展开更多
文摘The vasa vasorum of carotid artery plaque is a novel marker of accurately evaluating the vulnerability of carotid artery plaque, which was associated with symptomatic cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease. The presence of ultrasound contrast agents in carotid artery plaque represents the presence of the vasa vasorum in carotid artery plaque because the ultrasoundcontrast agents are strict intravascular tracers. Therefore, contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS) is a novel and safe imaging modality for evaluating the vasa vasorum in carotid artery plaque. However, there are some issues that needs to be assessed to embody fully the clinical utility of the vasa vasorum in carotid artery plaque with CEUS.
基金We would like to thank Mr Jian-Rong Zhang, Mr Li-Bing Zhang and Dr Zhen-Dong Yu for technical assistance. This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 30500543）, Ministry of Education ＂985 project＂ （No. 985-2-054-29）, and Shenzhen Foundation of Science ＆ Technology （JH200505270413B）.
文摘Aim： To detect the expression of VASA in human ejaculated spermatozoa, and to compare the expression of VASA between normozoospermic men and patients with oligozoospermia. Methods： Ejaculated spermatozoa were collected from normozoospermic men and patients with oligozoospermia by masturbation, and subsequently segregated through a discontinuous gradient of Percoll to obtain the spermatozoa. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT- PCR）, quantitative RT-PCR （QRT-PCR）, immunoflurescence and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of VASA in mRNA and protein levels. Results： VASA mRNA was expressed in the ejaculated spermatozoa. QRT-PCR analysis showed that VASA mRNA level was approximately 5-fold higher in normozoospermic men than that in oligozoospermic men. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting analysis showed that VASA protein was located on the cytoplasmic membrane of heads and tails of spermatozoa, and its expression was significantly decreased in oligozoospermic men, which is similar to the result of QRT-PCR. Conclusion： The expression of VASA mRNA and protein was significantly decreased in the sperm of oligozoospermic men, which suggested the lower expression of the VASA gene might be associated with pathogenesis in some subtypes of male infertility and VASA could be used as a molecular marker for the diagnosis of male infertility.
基金Supported by the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education,China (No. 200804230015)the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Program) (No. 2006AA10A401)
文摘RNA helicases of the DEAD-box and related families are involved in various cellular processes including DNA replication, DNA repair, and RNA processing. However, the function of DEAD-box proteins in aquaculture species is poorly understood at molecular level. We obtained the full-length cDNA sequences of two genes encoding helicase-related proteins, Fc-vasa and Fc-PL10a, from the testes of Chinese shrimp, Fenneropenaeus chinensis. The two predicted amino acid sequences contain all the conserved motifs characterized by the DEAD-box family and several RGG repeats in the N-terminal regions. Homology and phylogenetic analyses indicate that they belong to the vasa and PLIO subfamilies. The three-dimensional structures of the two proteins were predicted with a homology modeling approach. Both core proteins consist of two tandem RecA-like domains similar to those of the DEAD-box RNA helicase. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） and real-time PCR we found that Fc-vasa was expressed specifically in the adult gonads. Transcription decreased in the ovary but increased in the testis during gonadal development. Fc-PL10a expression was widely distributed in the tissues we examined. Using in situ hybridization, we demonstrated that the Fc-vasa transcript is localized to the cytoplasm of the spermatogonia and oocytes. Thus, our results suggest that Fc-wasa plays an important role in germ-line development, and has utility as a germ cell lineage marker which will help to generate new insight into the origin and differentiation of germ cells as well as the regulation of reproduction in F. chinensis.
文摘Velamentous insertion of the umbilical cord corresponds to the insertion of the cord directly on amniotic membranes. It is a rare situation whose frequency varies from 0.5% to 1.69% of single pregnancies. It must be diagnosed during the morphological ultrasound of the 2nd trimester, actively looking for the association with a vasa previa, due to the risk of fetal haemorrhagic threat. We report an antenatal diagnosis of velamentous cord insertion and its management with literature review.
文摘研究利用中华鳖为研究模型进行爬行类生殖细胞发育分化成熟等生物学研究,克隆了中华鳖vasa基因的c DNA序列,全长3865 bp,包括5′端非编码区90 bp,3′端非编码区1699 bp,开放阅读框长2076 bp,共编码691个氨基酸。中华鳖Vasa氨基酸序列包含DEAD-box家族蛋白8个保守保守功能域,在N末端有4个RGG重复序列和2个GG富集区,与小鼠Vasa蛋白的同源性较高(72%)。荧光定量PCR的结果表明,中华鳖vasa m RNA主要精巢和卵巢中表达,其他体组织中均难检测到表达。卵巢冰冻切片原位杂交结果显示:中华鳖vasa m RNA在生殖细胞中特异表达;在卵子发生过程中的不同发育期卵母细胞中呈现动态的变化。即vasa m RNA在初级卵母细胞及生长期卵母细胞中表达最强,且均匀分布在细胞质中,随着卵母细胞的逐渐增大,信号逐渐减弱,直至在成熟的卵母细胞中几乎检测不到表达信号,说明vasa可能在中华鳖早期卵母细胞发育中起重要作用。同时,vasa基因可作为中华鳖生殖细胞分子标记物,根据其m RNA的表达水平来鉴别不同发育时期的卵母细胞。研究结果为进一步开展中华鳖胚胎生殖细胞发育及配子生成,特别是研究中华鳖,乃至爬行类原始生殖细胞(Primordial Germ Cells,PGCs)的起源、迁移、分化等研究奠定了基础。
