Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ascites ; pathology ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Child ; Cytodiagnosis ; methods ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell ; pathology ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; pathology ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; pathology ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pleural Effusion ; pathology ; Young Adult

Objective To survey and analyze characteristics of brucellosis epidemic in Weinan city of Shaanxi province for the purpose of setting up prevention and control measures for the disease. Methods According to "The Executing Plan for the Work of Surveying Brucellosis Disease in Shaanxi Province", 35 villages(towns) of designated monitoring locations and 24 villages (towns) of randomized monitoring locations in five countries of Weinan were chosen to survey brucellosis disease. The five countries were Chengcheng, Dali, Heyang, Tongguan and Hancheng. High risk populations with a history of contacting livestock and livestock products aged between 7 and 60 underwent clinical and serology examination[rose bengal plate agglutination test(RBPT) and standard tube agglutination test(SAT)]. All manipulation methods and judging standards were in accord with the "Diagnostic Standard for Brucellosis" (WS 269-2007). Results In the designated monitoring location, a total of 8664 people at high risk were investigated, among whom 1407 people were tested by RBPT test and 27 people were positive,the positive rate was 1.92%(27/1407); 27 people were tested by SAT test and 27 people were positive, the positive rate was 100% (27/27); 25 people were diagnosed and the diagnosis rate was 92.59%(25/27). In the randomized monitoring location, a total of 3464 people at high risk were investigated, among whom 411 people were tested by RBPT test and 3 people were positive, the positive rate was 0.73%(3/411 ), 3 people were tested by SAT test which were all positive and made a definite diagnosis. Twenty-eight new cases were made a definite diagnosis and its incidence was 2.06 in a hundred thousand(28/1 361 618). Conclusions The infection of human brucellosis in Weinan city stays at higher level. The governments should increase input for the monitoring,investigating and disinfecting to prevent the disease from increasing and outspreading.

A simple and sensitive Reverse Transcription Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) method was established to provide a new alternative for clinical diagnosis of Avian influenza A H5N1 virus. The method employed a set of six specially designed primers that recognized eight distinct sequences of the target for amplification of nucleic acid under isothermal conditions. In current study, fifty-one experimentally infected animal specimens and viral cultures that had been tested were analyzed by RT-LAMP for NA gene and HA gene, respectively. The amplification process of LAMP was monitored in real-time by the addition of SYBR Green dye. Meanwhile, the result showed high correlation between nested PCR and RT-LAMP. The specificity of the RT-LAMP assay was confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion analysis and sequencing of the amplified product. When the sensitivity of this assay was tested by serial 10-fold dilutions of RNA molecules from specimens, it was found that the RT-LAMP method achieved theoretically a sensitivity of 10 RNA molecules. Thus, we concluded that the RT-LAMP assay has potential usefulness for rapid detection of the Avian influenza A H5N1 virus.
Animals ; Birds ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza in Birds ; diagnosis ; virology ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo determine the effect of butylphthalide on the expressions of protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and P53 in the brain tissue of rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODSSixty male adult rats were randomly divided into AD model group, butylphthalide group and control group (n = 20). AD models were established by injecting beta-amyloid protein 1-42 into the hippocampus of rats. Sixty days later, the learning and memory abilities of the rats were evaluated using Y-maze test, and the expressions of PDI and P53 in the brain tissue of the rats were measured by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the rats in AD model group exhibited significantly reduced learning and memory abilities, lowered expressions of PDI in the hippocampus and increased expression of P53 in the cortex (P > 0.01). In comparison with the model group, the rats in the butylphthalide group showed significantly increased PDI-positive cells in the hippocampus and decreased expression of P53 in the cortex (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONButylphthalide improves the learning and memory abilities of rats with experimental AD, the mechanism of which may involve inhibition of P53 expression and enhancement of PDI expression in the brain tissues.

Alzheimer Disease ; physiopathology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Benzofurans ; pharmacology ; Brain ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Learning ; drug effects ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Protein Disulfide-Isomerases ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo determine the expression of S100-beta protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in hippocampal astrocytes of rats with Alzheimer disease (AD) model rats, and observe the effect of butylphthalide on their expression.

METHODSSixty male adult rats were randomized equally into model group, butylphthalide group, and control group, and in the former two groups, AD models were established by injecting beta-amyloid protein 1-40 into the hippocampus. Sixty days later, the rats were sacrificed and the bilateral hippocampuses were taken for immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe number of cells positive for S100 and GFAP in the hippocampus in butylphthalide group were significantly higher than that in the control group (P/0.01), but lower than that in the model group (P/0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of S100 protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein increased significantly in the hippocampal astrocytes of rats with AD, and butylphthalide can inhibit the increase of their expression.

Alzheimer Disease ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; Animals ; Benzofurans ; pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factors ; metabolism ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Peptide Fragments ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo determine the effect of butylphthalide on the expressions of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and extra-cellular signal regulated kinases (ERKs) in the brain tissue of rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODSSixty male adult rats were randomly divided to AD model group, butylphthalide group, and control group (n=20). AD models were established by injecting beta-amyloid protein 1-42 into the hippocampus of rats. Sixty days later, the learning and memory abilities of the rats were evaluated using Y-maze test, and the expressions of p38 and ERKs in the brain tissue of the rats were measured by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Compared with the control group, the rats in AD model group exhibited significantly reduced learning and memory abilities, increased expressions of P38 in the hippocampus and lowered expression of ERK in the cortex (P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, the rats in the butylphthalide group showed significantly decreased P38-positive cells in the hippocampus and increased expression of ERK in the cortex (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSButylphthalide improves the learning and memory abilities of rats with experimental AD, the mechanism of which may involve inhibition of P38 expression and enhancement of ERK expression in the brain tissues.

Alzheimer Disease ; enzymology ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Animals ; Benzofurans ; pharmacology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; drug effects ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of indwelling the anterior urethral stent in the treatment of anterior urethral stricture.

METHODSWe included 38 patients with anterior urethral stricture in the treatment group, and another 38 in the control, the former treated by indwelling the anterior urethral stent, and the latter by urethral dilatation. Then we analyzed the clinical results by comparing the Qmax, urinary hesitancy and numbers of urethral dilations between the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with the controls, the patients of the treatment group showed an obvious increase in Qmax, a significant decrease in the number of urethral dilatations, and a marked improvement of the quality of life. Six months after the stent removal, there were significantly more patients with Qmax > 15 ml/s in the treatment group than in the control (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIndwelling the anterior urethral stent is a desirable option for the treatment of anterior urethral stricture, which is simple, safe, effective and reliable, and can be applied to general clinical practice.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome ; Urethra ; surgery ; Urethral Stricture ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of abdominal acupuncture for cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type.

METHODSThirty cases of cervical vertigo, in which the color ultrasonography indicated vertebral arterial blood insufficiency, were treated with abdominal acupuncture therapy. The points were Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Xiawan (CV 10), Shangqu (KI 17) and Huaroumen (ST 24). The treatment was given once every day and five continuous treatments made one session. Separately, before treatment and in the 1st and 5th treatments, the cervical vertigo symptom and functional assessment scales were adopted for scoring. Simultaneously, the color ultrasonography was applied to observe the blood flow changes of the bilateral cervical arteries.

RESULTSExcept the score for headache in the 1st treatment, the scores in cervical vertigo and function assessment scale in the 1st and 5th treatments were all improved significantly in 30 patients as compared with those before treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). In the 1st and 5th treatments, on the affected side, the vertebral artery diameter, mean velocity and blood flow per minute were all improved significantly as compared with those before treatment (all P < 0.01). In one session treatment, the total effective rate was 100.0% (30/30) and the curative rate was 60.0% (18/30).

CONCLUSIONAbdominal acupuncture therapy not only relieves the clinical symptoms, but also improves vertebral arterial blood supply for the patients of cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type.

Abdomen ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Regional Blood Flow ; Spondylosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebral Artery ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo establish a cell model of secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) co-controlled by HCV 5'NCR and NS3 serine protease in an effort to develop new antiviral agents.

METHODSThe fragments of HCV 5'NCR and NS3/4A-SEAP were amplified by PCR. They were fused into pBluescript SK+ to generate 5'NCR-NS3/4A-SEAP chimeric plasmid. The resulting chimeric gene was subcloned into HindIII/Bsu36 I site of pSEAP2-Control (a SEAP eukaryotic expression plasmid), to generate pNCR-NS3/4A-SEAP, in which the SEAP was fused in-frame to the downstream of NS4A/4B cleavage site. The SEAP activity in the culture media of transiently transfected cells was monitored quantitatively. The regulatory effect of HCV 5'NCR and NS3 serine protease on SEAP expression was measured by treatment of transfected cells with antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ASODN) against HCV 5'NCR and TPCK, a irreversible serine protease inhibitor.

RESULTSThe SEAP activity in the culture media reached 80801+/-4794 RLU, and was significantly inhibited by 5 micromol/L, 10 micromol/L of ASODN (t=4.315, p<0.01; t=6.985, p<0.001) and 100 micromol/L of TPCK (t=6.949, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONA cell model of SEAP co-controlled by HCV 5'NCR and NS3 serine protease has been successfully established. This might promote the screening of anti-viral drugs

Alkaline Phosphatase ; secretion ; Antiviral Agents ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatocytes ; enzymology ; virology ; Humans ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Serine Endopeptidases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVESTo study the relationship between quasispecies of hepatitis B virus and the clinical manifestations of their infection, and to find the answer of why different quasispecies of HBV with the same genotype can induce different clinical situations.

METHODSSixty serum samples, in all of which HBVs of genotype B exist, taken from 32 chronic asymptomatic carriers and 28 severe chronic hepatitis patients, were collected to detect quasispecies of HBV DNA by melt curve approach. Then the relationship between quasispecies of HBV of the same genotype and the clinical situation of their infection was studied by comparing the wave crests of the two sample groups.

RESULTSThe data of the 60 serum samples of HBV of genotype B detected by melt curve showed that HBV DNA in severe chronic hepatitis patients had more wave crests than that in chronic asymptomatic carriers (P < 0.05), suggesting that HBV in severe chronic hepatitis patients had more quasispecies than in the chronic asymptomatic carriers.

CONCLUSIONThe numbers of quasispecies of HBV correlate with the clinical situations of their infection. In the patients infected by HBV of the same genotype, those who have more HBV quasispecies would have more severe clinical manifestations.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus ; classification ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged