The present study consisted of the assay of the POA activity (SGPT. SGOT and SMAO) in 20 cases of cirrhosis of liver. Similar study was also done in CCl4 rabbit model Pathological examination was carried out for the animal livers.By comparing the clinical observations of patients with the results of experimental animal we could see that the estimation of POA activity might reflect the degree of liver cell degeneration, necrosis and fibrosis of cirrhotic patients, and they could also be used as a biochemical index for evaluation of the therapeutic effect. It was considered further that the prognosis of cirrhosis could be predicted if serum aldolase isoenzyme A (and/ or serum AFP level) activity was estimated in addition.

Mesorhizobium huakuii strain 7653R,isolated from nodules of A.sinicus L,contains two indige-nous plasmids,p7653Ra and p7653Rb,the latter being the symbiotic plasmid.We eliminated the plasmids via Tn5-sacB insertion and obtained its symbiotic plasmid-cured derivative 7653RD.Then,we transferred the symbiotic plasmid pJB5JI of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv.Viciae T83K3 into 7653R and 7653RD.The pot plant test showed an increase in competitive ability and symbiotic nitrogen fixation of transconjugant 7653R-197(pJB5JI) compared to 7653R.pJB5JI could not restore the ability of 7653RD to nodulate Astra-galus sinicus.7653RD(pJB5JI) could form ineffective nodules on peas,implying that the symbiotic plasmid pJB5JI could express its function at the chromosomal background of Mesorhizobium huakuii 7653R.We checked the stability of plasmid in transconjugants under free-living and during symbiosis.The results indi-cated pJB5JI could not be detected in some nodule isolates.We amplified kan resistance gene from all transconjugants and nodule isolates which suggested that pJB5JI might fully or partially integrated into the chromosome of recipients.

Purpose To evaluate the feasibility of magnetic resonance T2 values in diagnosing hepatic fibrosis (HF).Materials and M1etdheds The models of HF were induced in rats by repetitive dosing of carbon tetrachloride.The stage of hepatic fibrosis (S),grade of inflammation (G) and degree of fatty liver (F) for the HF model animals and their normal controls were evaluated by pathology.The relationship between T2 values and liver fibrosis was analyzed by using multiple echo gradient spin echo sequences.Results According to the stage of hepatic fibrosis,the HF model rats were staged into S1-S4.The grade of inflammation of the HF model rats was G0 or G1,and the degree of fatty liver was F3 or F4,both of which had no statistical differences among the HF model rats at different fibrosis stages (P＞0.05).The T2 values for all rats including normal control rats in the stage of liver fibrosis from S0 to S4 were (38.27±1.45) ms,(42.08±2.63) ms,(45.93±3.61) ms,(50.23 ± 2.23) ms and (57.79± 5.40) ms,respectively,with a significant difference (F=31.903,P＜0.01).Except the T2 values had no significant difference between the S0 and S 1 stages (P＞0.05),the pairwise comparisons of the T2 values between the rest stages were statistically significant (P＜0.01).The T2 values were positively correlated with the stages of hepatic fibrosis (rs=0.921,P＜0.01).Conclusion The T2 value can quantitatively reflect the degree of hepatic fibrosis.

Objective To explore the value of the 64-slice spiral CT angiography(SCTA)in diagnosis of aortic disease.Methods 32 cases with aortic diseases confirmed by operation underwent 64-slice spiral CT enhanced scan,raw data were dealed with multiplanar reformation(MPR),curved plannar reformation(CPR),maximum intensity projection(MIP),volume rendering(VR)and advantage vessel analysis(AVA).Results The aortic disease in 32 cases included aortic dissection in 16 cases,pseudoaneurysm in 7 cases,true aneurysm in 4 cases,narrowing of the aortic arch in 3 cases and amputation of aortic arch in 2 cases.The endometrial break and mural thrombus better showed with MPR and the detecting rat of intimal flake and the initial break was 81%(13/16),while for the periphery thrombosis in 7 cases with pseudoaneurysm,the detecting rate was 100%(7/7).The showing rate for displaying the whole with CR was 100%(32/32).In showing calcification and accurate of vessels with MIP,the detecting rate was 84%(27/32).The showing rate of the extent of the disease and the relationship between peripheral vascular was 100%(32/32).AVA was of significance in the measurement of vascular diameter and vascular cross-sectional area,the showing rate was 44%(14/32).Conclusion 64-slice spiral CT angiography is of significance in diagnosing aortic diseases.

Objective To detect the influence of marOR mutations on antibiotic resistance in Shigella spp. Methods The marOR gene with four-base deletion was amplified by overlap PCR, then inserted in a T-vector and transformed into DH5α. The clone of marOR gene with four-base deletion and three point mutations was prepared from the strain having these mutations. Electrophoresis and sequencing were preformed to certify the correction of the cloned genes. Drug susceptibility tests were preformed for the strains harbouring the different clones [DH5α, DH5α (T), DH5α (marOR), DH5α (marOR-CATT), DH5α(marOR-CATT + 3m)]. Results Compared with the control strain (DH5α-T), the antibiotic resistances of marOR with four-base deletion [DH5α (marOR-CATT)] were higher to streptomycin, tobramycin, cefazolin and cefalexin, and the antibiotic resistances of marOR with four-base deletion and three point mutations [DH5α (marOR-CATT + 3m)] were higher to streptomycin and to tetracycline. The antibiotic resistances of DH5α (marOR-CATT) and DH5α (marOR-CATT +3m) to streptomycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, cefazolin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin were higher than DH5α (marOR). The diameters of the antibiotics except the trimethoprim between DH5α (marOR-CATT) and DH5α (marORCATT +3m) had not significant disparity. Conclusion The four-base deletion in 1376-1379 sites of the marOR gene increased the resistance of Shigella spp to some antibiotics. The point mutations in 1411, 1417,1435 sites of the marOR gene have little influence on the antibiotic resistance of Shigella spp.

This study was aimed to explore the features of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) structures in Shigella by using bioinformatics. We used bioinformatics methods, including BLAST, alignment and RNA structure prediction, to analyze the CRISPR structures of Shigella genomes. The results showed that the CRISPRs existed in the four groups of Shigella, and the flanking sequences of upstream CRISPRs could be classified into the same group with those of the downstream. We also found some relatively conserved palindromic motifs in the leader sequences. Repeat sequences had the same group with corresponding flanking sequences, and could be classified into two different types by their RNA secondary structures, which contain "stem" and "ring". Some spacers were found to homologize with part sequences of plasmids or phages. The study indicated that there were correlations between repeat sequences and flanking sequences, and the repeats might act as a kind of recognition mechanism to mediate the interaction between foreign genetic elements and Cas proteins.
Base Sequence ; Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats ; Computational Biology ; Genome, Bacterial ; Plasmids ; Shigella ; genetics

Objective This study was carried out to compare chnical efficiency of methylprednisolone (MP) and dexamethasone (Dex) and their effects on Th cytokines in asthmatic children.Methods A total of 39 children with moderate and severe asthma at acute exacerbation were randomly divided into two groups, one (A) with MP 1 -2 mg/kg (n=21) and the other (B) with Dex 0.25 -0.75 mg/kg (n= 18),every 12 -24 h by intravenous drip.Scores of respiratory effort and peak expiratory flow rate prior to and three days after treatment in the asthmatic children aged over five years were evaluated,respectively,as well as the time of wheezing vanishing after treatment.Serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-4 were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) prior to and three days after treatment,respectively.Results There was statistically significant difference in the time of wheezing vanishing between groups A and B (P = 0.042).Three days after treatment,PEER was significantly higher in group A than that in group B (P = 0.025).No statistically significant difference in serum IL-2 and IL-4,as well as ratio of IL-2/IL-4,was found in group B prior to and three days after treatment (P>0.05).Statistically significant difference in serum IL-2 was not observed in group B prior to and three day after treatment (P>0.05),and serum IL-4 decreased significantly (P=0.001) and ratio of serum IL-2/IL-4 (P=0.027) increased significantly three days after treatment than those prior to treatment.No significant correlation between respiratory-effort scores and ratio of serum IL-2/IL-4 prior to treatment was found (P=0.613).Conclusions Up-regulation of IL-2,or inhibition of release of IL-4,probably is not the main anti-inflammatory mechanism of dexamethasone.Methylprednisolone has little effect on serum IL-2,but can effectively reduce serum IL-4, thus increasing the ratio of serum IL-2/IL-4 and counterbalancing function of the Thl/Th2 cells.

24 patients with chronic hepatitis B were treated with interleukin-2 activated human peripheral blood lymphocytes (IAPBL). 23 patients served as control. The results showed that HBeAg disappeared in 54.2% of IAPBL group, in comparison with 17.4% of the controls (P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the characteristic of integrons and the relationship between integrons and antimicrobial resistance in Shigella spp.

METHODSNinety Shigella strains (83 S. flexneri and 7 S. sonnei) were isolated from the stools of patients in China. Susceptibility to 8 antimicrobials was tested for all isolated strains. PCR, RFLP and sequencing analysis of integrons were applied to all of them.

RESULTSHigh prevalence of multi-drug resistance (95.6%) was identified. Of the isolates 79 (87.8%) carried integrase genes of class 1 integron (3.3%), class 2 integron (10.0%) or both (74.4%). No intI3 was detected in the tested isolates. The prevalence of intI2 was significantly higher in isolates with multi-drug resistance to at least 3 antibiotics than that in isolates with resistance to 2 and less antibiotics (P<0.05). Gene cassettes dfrA17-aadA5, dfrA12-orfF-aadA2 of class 1 integron and dfrA1-sat1-aadA1 of class 2 integron were identified.

CONCLUSIONThe class 2 integron may play a role in the emergence of multi-drug resistance in Shigella spp.

Base Sequence ; China ; DNA Primers ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Integrons ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Shigella ; drug effects ; genetics

In this paper are proposed four heartbeat models which correspond to two different positions of the ectopic pacemaker and two coupling styles of the sinus and ectopic pacemakers. The models computed are based on the modified Ikeda phase resetting model. Most of the heartbeat modes are periodic; they exhibit "Arnold's tongue" structure in parameter plane of perturbing frequency and strength. When the ectopic pacemaker is located in the ventricle, there are bistable dynamic modes. The abnormal hearbeat rhythms of bigeminy and trigeminy in clinical medicine have been observed when coupling strength is weaker in odd resetting or refractory time is longer in even resetting.
Cardiac Pacing, Artificial ; methods ; Computer Simulation ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate ; physiology ; Humans ; Models, Cardiovascular ; Sinoatrial Node ; physiology