Objective　To observe the germicidal efficacy and stability of the telephone disinfection mat that based on mic-capsule of 2% po tentiated glutaraldehyde in laboratory. Methods　The experiment was carried out according to the criteira of disinfection microbiology in labora tory issued by the Ministry of Health of the country in 1999. Results　 The bactericidal efficiency reached 99.99% for Escherichia coli,St aphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans when soaked in 2% potentiated glu taraldehyde for 3 to 5 min and the HBsAg can be destroyed when soaked for 10 min. Conclusion　The JM-high efficiency telephone disinfection mat is of good bactericidal and stable.

Objective To study the potential role of PKC inhibitor Rottlerin in the treatment of asthma. Methods Balb/c mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin(OVA) protein to construct murine experimental model of asthma. Then the mice were treated by means of injection of Rottlerin or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) into the abdominal cavity. Changes of the total serum IgE, pulmonary eosinophils, cytokines and pulmonary inflammation were investigated. Results Injection of Rottlerin at the dose 0.3 mg/kg into the murine abdominal cavity could inhibit the infiltration of pulmonary eosinophils and pulmonary inflammation and significantly decrease the production of total serum IgE and Th 2 cytokines as well. Conclusion Rottlerin can inhibit murine experimental asthma.

Research on novel pullulanase has major significance on the domestic industrialization of pullulanase and the breakdown of foreign monopoly. A thermophilic bacteria LM 18-11 producing thermostable pullulanase was isolated from Lunma hot springs of Yunnan province. It was identified as Anoxybacillus sp. by 16S rDNA phylogenetic analysis. Full-length pullulanase gene was cloned from Anoxybacillus sp. LM18-11. The optimum temperature of the pullulanase was between 55 and 60 degrees C with a half-life as long as 48 h at 60 degrees C; and its optimum pH was between 5.6 and 6.4. V(max) and K(m) of the pullulanase was measured as 750 U/mg and 1.47 mg/mL, which is the highest specific activity reported so far. The pullulanase crystals structure showed a typical alpha-amylase family structure. The N-terminal has a special substrate binding domain. Activity and substrate binding were decreased when the domain was deleted, the V(max) and K(m) were 324 U/mg and 1.95 mg/mL, respectively. The pullulanase was highly heterologous expressed in Bacillus subtilis by P43 promoter. The extracellular enzyme activity was 42 U/mL, which increased more than 40 times compared to the initial strain. This pullulanase has good application prospects.
Anoxybacillus ; classification ; enzymology ; China ; Glycoside Hydrolases ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; genetics ; Temperature

Objective To investigate early renal damage of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and the risk factors related to their renal function. Methods CHB patients who visited the second people’s hospital but did not receive systemic treatment were enrolled in our study. Those who visited for general check-up with no hepatic findings during the same period were selected as control group. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of all the participants were estimated by simplified MDRD equation and CKD-EPI equation (designated as M-eGFR and C-eGFR respectively). Influence factors of eGFR were statistically analyzed. Results In the total 528 cases in CHB group, 88 (16.67%) and 62 (11.74%) suffered declined M-eGFR and C-eGFR respectively. By contrast, 10 (8.77%) and 6 (5.26%) cases in the total 114 cases in control group present declined M-eGFR and C-eGFR ac?cordingly. Percentages of renal function impairment, estimated by both M-eGFR and C-eGFR, were higher in the CHB group than those in control group. The difference was statistically significant (χ2=4.518, P<0.05;χ2=4.156, P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that age, HBsAg and body mass index (BMI) were risk factors of M-eGFR while age, HBsAg, gender and serum albumin were risk factors of C-eGFR. On the other hand, HBV-DNA and HBeAg were not risk factors for M-eGFR or C-eGFR. Conclusion HBV infection can lead to early renal damage. Age and HBsAg are main risk factors of renal function impairment. Therefore, renal function should be scrutinized in CHB patients.

Aim To investigate the changes of plasticity and distribution in the lungs of asthmatic guinea pigs.Methods Guinea pigs were divided into asthma group and control group.Immunohistochemistry was used in this study to observe the changes of ERK1/2 and Elk phosphoryiation in the lungs of guinea pigs.Results There were significant changes in distribution of EPK1/2 and Elk in the lungs of asthma group.The positive cells were detected on the walls of respiratory bronchioles and alveolar ducts,especially on the smooth muscle layer and basement membrane.In addition,the numbers of positive cell were clearly increased in asthma group(P< 0.01). Conclusion There is close relationship between the EPK1/2 and Elk phosphoryiation and attack of asthma.It may be a reason for persistence and progress of asthma.

Objective To observe the photochemical effect of methylene blue (MB) on the inactivation of E. coli in blood and on biological functions of blood cells. Methods The blood was treated with 15 ?mol/L MB, 40 000 Lux halogen lamp irradiation and 0.35 mmol/l rutin for 10～40 min. The photochemical effect of MB on the inactivation of E.coli in blood was observed. The changes of biologic functions of blood cells were measured by means of RBC membrane binding to poly L lysine, reaction promoted by ATP enzyme and neutrophil phagocytosis tests. Results After treatment for 40 min, the E.coli count in blood decreased by 5 log units. The value of T/E of MB and irradiation of halogen lamp was higher than 1. No obvious changes of the morphology of blood cell were found. The negative electrical charges on membrane of RBC decreased by 11.23%～25.49%. After treatment of the blood for 20～30 min, the activity of Na + K +ATP enzyme of RBC membrane increased by 7.60%～20.07%. When the blood had been treated for 10～20 min, the positive rate of neutrophil phagocytosis enhanced by 9.00%. Conclusion MB photochemical treatment can effectively inactivate E. coli in blood. Under morphology specific condition of effectively inactivated blood bacteria, the shapes and functions of blood cells are not altered, but the RBC adhesion may increase by about 11.23%～25.49%.

AIM:To explore the effects of confluent endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) derived from young and aged rats on the phenotype conversion, proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells ( SMCs) .METH-ODS:Mononuclear cells were obtained from the bone marrow of young (1~2 month old) and aged (19 to 26 month old) Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured with medium DMEM/F12 ( containing 15% fetal bovine serum, endothelial cell growth supplements (ECGs) 100 g/L, 1 ×105 units/L of penicillin and streptomycin, respectively).EPCs were characterized as double positive for DiI-Ac-LDL uptake and lectin binding.Abdominal aorta was obtained from 1 to 2 month old Sprague-Dawley rats.Vascular SMCs were cultured by tissue explant method and identified byα-SM-actin immunofluorescence.In transwell co-culture system, the confluent EPCs located in the upper chamber and SMCs were seeded on the lower cham-ber.The experiments were divided into passage 3 SMCs group (P3), passage 4 SMCs group (P4), passage 4 SMCs co-culture with EPCs derived from young rats group (P4YE) and passage 4 SMCs co-culture with EPCs derived from aged rats group (P4AE).The protein expression ofα-SM-actin and osteopontin was detected by Western blotting.[3H]-TdR incor-poration assay was used to determine the proliferation.SMC migration was analyzed by scratch wound healing assay.RE-SULTS:Compared with P3 group,α-SM-actin expression in P4 group significantly decreased and osteopontin protein ex-pression obviously increased, whereas no significant change was found in P4YE group.Compared with P4 group, confluent EPCs derived from young and aged rats both markedly increased α-SM-actin and decreased osteopontin expression in P4 SMCs.Compared with aged rat-derived EPCs, young rat-derived EPCs were more effectively to induce a delayed SMC phe-notype transition (from contractile phenotype to a synthetic phenotype), and to inhibit SMC proliferation and migration. CONCLUSION:Co-culture of confluent EPC induces a delayed vascular SMC phenotype transition and inhibits SMCs pro-liferation and migration.Young rat derived EPCs are more effective to induce a delayed vascular SMC phenotype transition and has stronger inhibitory effects on SMCs proliferation and migration compared with that derived from aged rats.

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Objective　To ascertain the natural infection rate of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome virus (HFRSV) among its hosts and the type of the natural foci for providing some baseline data for the immigrant health and epidemic prevention of the Three-Gorge region. Methods　Epidemiological survey on the field was performed including epidemiological data collection, ecology of rodents and pathogen detection. HFRS virus antigen of hosts were detected by the direct immunofluorescent assay (DIFA) technique and determination of HFRSV-RNA by ISH were carried out from HFRSV-Ag-positive animals. Results　HFRSV-Ag-positive animals were found in 5 migration areas ie Baitao Town of Fuling Section, Wansheng Village of Fengjie County and Dachang Town of Wushan County. The positive hosts were as follows, Rattus Norvegicus, Apodemus agrarius, Anourusurex squamipes, Mus musculus and Rattus flavipectus. The positive rate of HFRSV in the mice of 5 migration areas were 19.4%, 17.0%, 14.0%, 13.7%, and 8.5% respectively. The results showed that the lung tissues of some hosts in all five migration areas were HFRSV-RNA-positive. Baitao Town and Peishi Town were attributed to mixture type epidemic areas while. Kangle Town, Wansheng Village and Dachang Town were domestic rats type epidemic areas. Conclusion　This study shows that the five migration areas are natural epidemic foci of HFRS. It is predicted that maximum risk of HFRS breakout or epidemic may take place after the completion of the San Xia Reservoir(the Three-Gorges Reservoir), which results from rodent moving toward higher land. Therefore, deratization and preventive measures for rat are important in migration areas.

OBJECTIVEIt has been known that glial line-cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has the nutritional and protective effect in motor neurons. In this experiment, we investigated the character of GDNF mRNA expression in a facial nerve-striking model; combined with other scholars' experimental results; and analyzed what role GDNF plays in the regeneration process of injured motor nerves.

METHODSWe established a striking model in rabbit facial nerves with a striking gun with the striking velocity of 10 m/s and the total striking energy of 7.5 J. Then we detected the GDNF mRNA expression in facial neurons and axons with in situ hybridization on days 3, 7, 14 and 21 after striking. We counted the expression numbers of facial neurons and, compared with normal facial neurons and peripheral facial nerves.

RESULTSWe detected GDNF mRNA expression in the facial neurons from day 3 to day 21 after the facial nerve injured by striking. The peak of GDNF mRNA expression appeared on the 7th day, and then the expression number of facial neurons decreased gradually. A high level expression was also detected on day 21. GDNF mRNA expression was not detected neither in Schwann cells nor in normal facial neurons from the 3rd day to the 21st day.

CONCLUSIONGDNF is a kind of neurotrophic growing factor (NGF) that could be activated by injury. The character of GDNF mRNA expression was accordant to the process of nerve regeneration. These results showed that GDNF plays a very important role in the regeneration of injured motor nerves.

Animals ; Facial Nerve ; metabolism ; Facial Nerve Injuries ; metabolism ; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; In Situ Hybridization ; Male ; Motor Cortex ; metabolism ; physiology ; Nerve Growth Factors ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Nerve Regeneration ; Neuronal Plasticity ; physiology ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Pons ; cytology ; metabolism ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rabbits