A highly sensitive electrochemical deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA) biosensor based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWNT)/Ag-TiO_2 composite film was developed. The solution containing Ag-TiO_2-MWNT composite was casted on the carbon paste electrode surface to form a robust film, which combine the advantages of the good biocompatibility of Ag-TiO_2 naocomposite and the fine conductivity, as well as the large active surface area of carbon nanotubes. The composite could greatly improve the immobilization capacity of the probe DNA. The morphologies and electrochemistry of the nanocomposite film were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry, respectively. DNA hybridization events were monitored by a label-free method of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. This label-free electrochemical impedance DNA biosensor showed high sensitivity and selectivity for phosphinothricin acetyltransferase gene sequence assay. The multicomponents films also displayed a high stability during repeated regeneration and hybridization process.

(1)H-NMR and (13)C-NMR assignments of 12-oleanene-3,11-dione (compound 1) were completely described for the first time through conventional 1D NMR and 2D shift-correlated NMR experiments using (1)H-(1)HCOSY, HMQC, HMBC techniques. Based on its NMR data, the assignments of 28-hydroxyolean-12-ene-3,11-dione (compound 2) were partially revised.
Euonymus ; metabolism ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Conformation ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; analysis ; chemistry

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of balance acupuncture predominantly by puncturing Jiaji points (EX-B2) from C4 to T1and from T12 to L1in treating hemiplegic balance disturbance after cerebral stroke. Method A total of 180 hemiplegia patients were randomized into 3 groups, 60 cases in balance acupuncture group, 60 cases in ordinary acupuncture group, and 60 cases in basic control group. After 1-month treatment and 3 months after the treatment, the motor function (Fugl-Meyer Assessment, FMA), balance function (Berg Balance Scale, BBS; Timed Up and Go Test, TUGT), and activities of daily living (ADL) (Barthel Index, BI) were observed.Result After 1-month treatment and 3 months after the treatment, limb function, balance ability and ADL were significantly different from those before the treatment in balance acupuncture group (P<0.01); after 1-month treatment, limb function in balance acupuncture group was significantly different from that in basic control group (P<0.05), and the differences were more statistically significant in comparing the rest indexes between the two groups (P<0.01); there were significant differences between ordinary acupuncture group and basic control group (P<0.05). Three months after the treatment, there was a significant difference in comparing balance function between balance acupuncture group and basic control group (P<0.05), and the differences were more statistically significant in comparing the rest indexes between the two groups (P<0.01), there was no significant difference in comparing balance function between ordinary acupuncture group and basic control group (P>0.05).Conclusion In combination with basic treatment, balance acupuncture works better than ordinary acupuncture and basic control in improving limb function, ADL and balance function of hemiplegia patients.

BACKGROUNDDipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-4) inhibitors are now used to improve postprandial glycemic control in type 2 diabetes. However, their effects on hepatic glucose production (HGP) in obesity are not clear. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that gluconeogenesis and HGP can be modulated by DPP-4 inhibitors in obesity.

METHODSSprague Dawley male rats were divided into four groups, each on a different diet: general rat chow, n = 10 (G); G + sitagliptin, n = 10; high fat chow (obesity), n = 10 (55% fat calories, HFO); HFO + sitagliptin, n = 10. After 10 weeks, the rats were fasted overnight and glucose metabolism was determined using 3-(3)H-glucose and (14)C-glycerol as tracers.

RESULTSGlycerol rate of appearance (P < 0.00001), plasma glycerol (P < 0.05) and free fatty acid (FFA) (P < 0.05) concentrations, and HGP (P < 0.05) were decreased in HFO + sitagliptin group compared with HFO group, but there was no significant difference between G and G + sitagliptin groups (P > 0.05). Gluconeogenesis in HFO group was five times of that in G rats (P < 0.01), but was significantly declined in HFO + sitagliptin group (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONSGluconeogenesis and HGP were inhibited by sitagliptin in high fat-induced obese rats due to decreased glycerol availability, which was a result of reduced glycerol release from adipose tissues. The finding suggests that sitagliptin is potentially useful for controlling fasting glucose in obesity, thereby delaying or preventing the development of diabetes.

Animals ; Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Obesity ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Pyrazines ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sitagliptin Phosphate ; Triazoles ; therapeutic use

In order to fabricate the HLA-DQA1 genotyping chip and develop an integrated, parallel technical platform to type HLA system, a pair of primers and a set of probes were designed according to the sequences of HLA-DQA1 exon 2, where the polymorphism is concentrated. The oligonucleotide chip was made with the methods developed in our laboratory. The target DNA was asymmetrically amplified with the labeled sense primer. The signals were scanned and analyzed after the hybridization between microarray and PCR product. The allele types of the samples were identified. The result was verified by the standard DNA and DNA sequencing. The results showed that the genotyping was successfully carried out in 50 standard DNA samples and 50 clinical samples. Among them, results of the 50 standard DNA samples matched their templates. In the other 50 samples, results of the randomly selected 10 matched their sequencing results except that two of them got the incompletely result. In reproducible tests, the signal reappear rate was 95%. It is concluded that HLA-DQA1 genotyping by using our array system is simple and convenient with satisfied accuracy and reproducibility.
Genotype ; HLA-DQ Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; HLA-DQ alpha-Chains ; Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Oligonucleotide Probes ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo identify the antimicrobial resistance of commercial lactic acid bacteria present in microbial foods and drug additives by analyzing their isolated strains used for fermentation and probiotics.

METHODSAntimicrobial susceptibility of 41 screened isolates was tested with disc diffusion and E-test methods after species-level identification. Resistant strains were selected and examined for the presence of resistance genes by PCR.

RESULTSDistribution of resistance was found in different species. All isolates were susceptible to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cephalothin, and imipenem. In addition, isolates resistant to vancomycin, rifampicin, streptomycin, bacitracin, and erythromycin were detected, although the incidence of resistance to these antibiotics was relatively low. In contrast, most strains were resistant to ciprofloxacin, amikacin, trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole, and gentamycin. The genes msrC, vanX, and dfrA were detected in strains of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactococcus lactis.

CONCLUSIONAntibiotic resistance is present in different species of probiotic strains, which poses a threat to food safety. Evaluation of the safety of lactic acid bacteria for human consumption should be guided by established criteria, guidelines and regulations.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Cultured Milk Products ; microbiology ; Dairy Products ; Drug Contamination ; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial ; Food Microbiology ; Humans ; Lactobacillaceae ; drug effects ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; Probiotics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of galectin-1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC) and its clinical significance.

METHODSDetection of the mRNA and protein expression of galectin-1 in the in vitro cellular carcinogenesis model of OSCC, OSCC cell lines and tissue specimens from 30 primary OSCC patients were performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

RESULTSThe value of galectin-1 mRNA and protein level in human immortalized oral epithelia cell (HIOEC) cell was 0.071 ± 0.023, 0.118 ± 0.046, Compared with the HIOEC, galectin-1 mRNA level and protein expression were increased significantly in all the cell lines (0.141 ± 0.049, 0.504 ± 0.33) (P < 0.01). The levels of mRNA and protein expression of galectin-1 were significantly higher in the cancerous tissue (0.059 ± 0.034, 1.5 ± 0.68) than in the normal adjacent tissues (0.029 ± 0.012, 0.4 ± 0.56) (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of galectin-1 gene up-regulated in carcinogenesis process of OSCC significantly may be related to the tumorigenesis and development of OSCC, which illustrates its potential clinical application as tumor marker for early diagnosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Transformed ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Female ; Galectin 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mouth Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical characteristics of severely and critically ill children with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection.

METHODClinical data of 150 cases with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection confirmed with the use of a real-time polymerase-chain-reaction assay on nasopharyngeal swab specimens were analyzed.

RESULTAmong 150 severely and critically ill children with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, 103 were male, 47 were female; the median age was 5 years, 81(55%) were 5 years of age or older; 21 (14%) had underlying chronic diseases. The most common presenting symptoms were fever (95%), cough (89%), vomiting (23%), wheezing (19%), abdominal pain (16%), lethargy (7%), seizures (6%), myalgia (6%), and diarrhea (6%). The common laboratory abnormalities were increased or decreased white blood cells counts (40%), elevated of CRP (33%), LDH (29%), CK (25%) and AST (19%). Clinical complications included pneumonia (65%), encephalopathy (12%), myocarditis (5%), encephalitis (1%) and myositis (1%). All patients had received antibiotics before admission or on admission; 73% of patients had received oseltamivir treatment, 23% of patients had received corticosteroids; 32 (21%) were admitted to an ICU, 13 patients were intubated and mechanically ventilated. Fourteen patients with dyspnea who were irresponsive to the treatment experienced bronchoalveolar lavage with flexible bronchoscopy, and the branching bronchial casts were removed in 5 patients. Totally 145 (97%) patients were discharged, five (3%) died, three previously healthy patients died from severe encephalopathy, one patient died from ARDS, one previously healthy patient died from secondary fungal meningitis.

CONCLUSIONSeverely and critically ill children with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection may occur mainly in older children without underlying chronic disease. The clinical spectrum and laboratory abnormality of the patients can have a wide range. Neurologic complications may be common and severe encephalopathy can lead to death in previously healthy children. Early use of bronchoalveolar lavage with flexible bronchoscopy may reduce death associated with pulmonary complications.

Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Critical Care ; Critical Illness ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; Influenza, Human ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Male

BACKGROUNDStaphylococcus aureus is one of the predominant causes of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), but limited data were available regarding the characterization of S. aureus from SSTIs patients in Jiangsu Province in China. We aimed to investigate the molecular epidemiology of S. aureus among SSTIs patients in two hospitals of Jiangsu Province.

METHODSSixty-two patients with SSTIs from two Chinese hospitals in Jiangsu Province were enrolled in this study, and 62 S. aureus isolates were collected from February 2014 to January 2015. S. aureus isolates were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, toxin gene detection, and molecular typing with sequence type, Staphylococcus protein A gene type, accessory gene regulator (agr) group, and Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec t ype.

RESULTSSixteen (25.8%) methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates were detected, and there was no isolate found resistant to vancomycin, teicoplanin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and linezolid. The sei was the toxin gene most frequently found, and no lukS/F-PV-positive isolates were detected among the SSTIs' patients. Molecular analysis revealed that ST398 (10/62, 16.1%; 2 MRSA and 8 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus) to be the dominant clone, followed by ST5 (8/62, 12.9%) and ST7 (8/62, 12.9%).

CONCLUSIONSThe livestock ST398 was the most common clone among patients with S. aureus SSTIs in Jiangsu Province, China. Surveillance and further studies on the important livestock ST398 clone in human infections are necessarily requested.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Female ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Infant ; Linezolid ; pharmacology ; Male ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects ; isolation & purification ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Soft Tissue Infections ; microbiology ; Staphylococcal Infections ; microbiology ; Staphylococcal Skin Infections ; microbiology ; Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects ; isolation & purification ; Teicoplanin ; pharmacology ; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination ; pharmacology ; Vancomycin ; pharmacology ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Leptospirosis ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rain ; Time Factors ; Young Adult