Epilepsy is a kind of brain dysfunction syndrome caused by so many reasons instead of a certain disease. Abnormal neuron discharge can cause epilepsy. Idiopathic epilepsy refers to epilepsy or epilepsy syndrome without any latent reasons but inherited trait. Idiopathic epilepsy is confirmed as an ion channelopathy at present. The first genemutation was found in idiopathic epilepsy in 1995, and a lot of genes coding either voltage-gated or ligand-gated ion channels have been found since then. In the present review, some new advances in research on ion channels dysfunction in idiopathic epilepsy are summarized.

Objective To clone and characterize a RRas-like gene from Trichomonas vaginalis for studying cellular signal transduction pathways in the organism. Methods A cDNA clone, which showed homology with RRas proteins of human being, was isolated and sequenced from a cDNA expression library of T. vaginalis. The genomic DNA corresponding to the cDNA sequence was amplified using PCR technique and sequenced. Sequence analysis was per-formed using BLASTP, RPS-BLAST and ClustalW programs. Phylogenetic tree was constructed and bootstrapped with 1 050 replicates using the software MEGA3. Results The cDNA sequence showed a length of 705 bp with an open reading frame of 615 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence from the open reading frame possesses 205 residuals. Sequencing of the PCR product of genomic DNA revealed that the genomic DNA sequence encompassing the putative 5′-ATG and 3′-stop codons was identical to the cDNA sequence. Sequence analysis demonstrated that this gene was most homologous to the RRas members of Homo sapiens and Mus musculus (both having 51% identity and 70% similarity), and the amino acid sequence contains highly conserved GTP-binding domains and a fully conserved effector domain of human RRas member. Phylogenetic analysis showed that TvRRas clustered with RAS oncoprotein branch and RRAS branch of human. Conclusion The encoding protein probably belongs to a RRas family of T. vaginalis.

Objective:To study the morphological characteristics of the mental canal and its relation to the mandibular canal and incisor nerve canal.Methods:The anterior parts of the mandibular canal, the mental canal and the origin of the incisor nerve canal were dissected and measured directly on 13 cases of Chinese wet mandible specimens fixed with formalin. The mandibular canal, the mental canal and the incisor nerve canal of another 21 sides of decalcified mandibles were dissected and measured. Results:The anterior terminal part of the mandibular canal divided into mental canal and incisor nerve canal. Most of the mental canal bended backward, upward and outward then opened to the mental foramen. Mental canal's length was (5.61?1.07) mm averagely and its diameter (2.53? 0.47) mm. The horizontal distance from the anterior border of mental foramen to the anterior end of mandibular canal was (2.82?1.29) mm. The vertical distance from the inferior border of mental foramen to the superior border of mandibular canal was (3.83?1.43) mm. The angle between mental canal and mandibular canal was (63.57?13.71)?. Mental canal contained mental nerve and mental blood vessels. Conclusions:The anterior end of mandibular canal extends and becomes mental canal then opens to the mental foramen.

objective To investigate the tissue localization of CD4+T cells producing IL-17,namely Th17 cells.in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),as well as its relationship with the activity of lupus.Methods By using H&E staining.double-label immunofluorescence.immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy.the localization of Th17 cells was carried out in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).affected tissue of skin and lung obtained from 4 patients with active SLE and 2 normal human controls.Flow cytometry.reverse transcription PCR.ELISA were used to detect the proportion of Th17 cells in PBMCs,the mRNA expression of interleukin-17(IL-17)A and IL-17 F,and serum level of interleukin 17,respectively,in 50 consecutive adult patients with SLE and 15 normal human controls.Results Th17 cells were detected in PBMCs of patients with active SLE.and the fuorescence intensity of IL-17 was significantly higher in patients with active SLE than in normal human controls(127.6±20.5 vs 40.6±11.1,P＜0.001).Infiltrates of Th17 cells were noted in both skin and lung tissues of patients with active SLE.but not in those of normal human controls.The proportion of Th17 cells in PBMCs was increased in patients with active SLE.and the proportion positively correlated with SLE disease activity index(SLEDAI) (r=0.725,P＜0.01).Further more.a significant increase was observed in the mRNA expression of IL-17 A and IL-17 F and serum level of IL-17 in patients with active SLE compared with normal human controls.The amount of Th17 cells was positively correlated with the development of vasculitis.and it experienced a decrease with the remission of SLE.Conclusions A proliferation of Th17 cells is noted in patients with active SLE.which seems to closely correlated with the activity of SLE and may take part in the development of vasculitis in SLE.

Objective Apoptosis or programmed cell death(PCD) has been studied extensively in multicellular organisms,however,very little is known about the molecular mechanisms by which apoptosis occurs in unicellular protozoan parasites.The aim of this study is to characterize the apoptosis or PCD of Trichomonas vaginalis induced by metronidazole (MTZ).Methods T. Vaginalis strain cultures were treated with various concentrations of MTZ and the number of viable cells were determined at different time intervals.The genomic DNA of MTZ treated T. Vaginalis was extracted and DNA fragmentation was analyzed.TUNEL assay was carried out to detect the endonuclease activity in T. Vaginalis after MTZ treatment.Flow cytometric analysis was used to analyse the phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure of T. Vaginalis.Results Metronidazole (MTZ) induced an apoptotic-like cell death in T. Vaginalis.This apoptotic-like cell death was demonstrated by cell shrinkage,phosphatidylserine exposure,and nuclear chromatin condensation.However, no oligonucleosmal DNA laddering was detected.Conclusion The regulatory pathway of apoptotic cell death in T. Vaginalis may be different from multicellular organisms.The determination of protozoan apoptotic pathways leading to cell death might ultimately allow the identification of new therapeutic targets.

Objective:To investigate the impact of the CD4+CD25nt/hiCD127lo regulatory T cell subset frequency on the immune status and disease progression of Chinese HIV-1 infected individuals.Methods:83 untreated HIV-infected individuals and 312 healthy control individuals of four distinct age groups were enrolled in the research. The CD4+ T cell absolute counts, phenotypes and frequency determination of CD4+CD25nt/hiCD127lo Regulatory T cell subsets was performed on freshly obtained whole blood samples by 3-color immune staining flow cytometry. The HIV-1 specific cellular immune function was test at single cell level by ELISpot. The corresponding plasma viral load was determined by NASBA.Results:The frequency of peripheral CD4+CD25nt/hiCD127lo regulatory T cells of HIV infected individuals in distinct disease progression status was dissimilar in China , and significantly increased in contrast to the healthy controls(P