To generate an epitope-mutated foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) as a marker vaccine, the infectious clone pAsia 1-FMDV containing the complete genomic cDNA of Asia 1 type FMDV was used as backbone, the residues at positions 27 and 31 in the 3D gene were mutated (H27Y and N31R). The resulting plasmid pAsia 1-FMDV-3DM encoding a mutated epitope was transfected into BHK-21 cells and the recombinant virus rAsia 1-3DM was rescued. The recombinant virus showed similar biological characteristics comparable with the parental virus. In serological neutralization test the antisera against recombine virus have a good reactivity with parental virus. The antisera against the mutant virus were shown to be reactive with the mutated epitope but not the wild-type one. The results indicated that the two virus strains could be distinguished by western blotting using synthetic peptides. This epitope-mutated FMDV strain will be evaluated as a potential marker vaccine against FMDV infections.
Animals ; Cell Line ; DNA, Complementary ; Epitopes ; genetics ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus ; genetics ; Immune Sera ; Neutralization Tests ; Transfection

Objective To examine whether the marginal division of the striatum(MrD)is involved in the associative learning and memory function of human brain with the help of functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)technique.Methods Sixteen right-handed normal volunteers participated in a test of paired-word associative learning and memory,while the fMRI data were recorded.Control tasks were performed for the block-design.Statistcs parameter mapping 99 was used to analyze the data and to obtain the activated brain regions.Results When the threshold was set as P＜0.005.using a one-sample T-test,the left occipital lobe and the superior and middle gyrus of the left frontal lobe were activated remarkably during the encoding process of the paired-word associative learning and memory task,with the maximum intensity T value being 13.87 and 9.36.respectively.The left MrD was also obviously activated during this stage(T value was 5.46).But during the retrieval process,the left parietal lobe was prominently activated(T value was 8.73).Conclusion The resuhs of this study reveal that the subcortical structures such as MrD as well as the cerebral cortex are involved in the associative learning and memory of paired-word in human brain.

Objective To investigate the neural representations of long-term digital memory in human brain by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique. Methods 22 right-handed normal volunteers were recruited to participate in a test of long-term digital memory while the fMRI data were recorded. Control tasks were performed for the block-design. SPM 99 was used to analyze the data and to obtain the activated brain regions.Numbers of activated voxels were used to calculate lateralization index (LI). Results When the threshold was set as P＜0. 0001 ,using a one-sample t -test,the middle gyrus of the left frontal lobe(t=9.68) and the right cerebellum ( t = 9.85 ) were activated remarkably during the memory task. The subcortical structures including the thalamus (t=6.72) and the caudate (t=6.58) were also obviously activated during the memory task. LI of the numbers of activated voxels was 0.51. Conclusions The subcortical structures and the cerebellum as well as the cerebral cortex are collaborative to contribute to long-term digital memory function in human brain. The results also reveal that the functional areas of long-term digital memory in human brain are localized with the functional lateralization in the left hemisphere.

BACKGROUND: How to effectively and rapidly induce the osteogenic differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells is the focus of the current stem cell research. Increasing evidence has demonstrated some growth factors, such as bone morphogenetic protein-2, have important effects on the transdifferentiation of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels into osteoblasts in vitro. However, widespread use of growth factors is limited because of high cost. Insulin is widely used in the cell culture and induction, but there is no report about the effect of insulin on the osteogenic differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of insulin on osteogenic differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels and to explore the feasibility of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in the treatment of diabetic delayed fracture healing. METHODS:The passage 3 human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were inoculated in two flasks, denoted as experimental group and control group. The insulin (10-7mmol/L) was added to the experimental group but not to the control group. The proliferative capacity of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels was evaluated by cell count kit-8 and alkaline phosphatase activity. The osteogenic differentiation capacity of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells was evaluated by measuring the protein and mRNA expressions of type I colagen as well as osteocalcin mRNA level. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After 1-2 weeks of induction, compared with the control group, insulin could significantly increase the number of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in the experimental group, the activity of alkaline phosphatase and expressions of type I collagen osteocalcin mRNA (P< 0.05). These data indicate that insulin can promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells.

BACKGROUND:Buprenorphine transdermal patches have the characteristics of stable blood concentration, long duration of analgesia, respiratory depression and less side effects, which have been widely used in the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain. OBJECTIVE:To observe the clinical outcome of preoperative analgesia by buprenorphine transdermal patches for pain management after posterior lumbar surgery. METHODS: Eighty patients scheduled for posterior lumbar decompression and interbody fusion under general anesthesia were enroled, 45 males and 35 females, aged 42-71 years, who were randomly divided into two groups, 40 cases in each group: experimental group and control group. In the experimental group, buprenorphine transdermal patches were given 2 days prior to the internal fixation, and intravenous injection of parecoxib was given for postoperative pain management. In the control group, placebo patches were given prior to the internal fixation, and self-control vein analgesia pump and intravenous injection of parecoxib were given for postoperative pain management. Visual analog scale scores were recorded at 6, 12, 24, 48 hours after surgery as wel as doses of tramadol hydrochloride and pethidine hydrochloride used postoperatively and side effects. The patient's satisfaction, drainage and blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein level at 48 hours postoperatively were detected and recorded in the two groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There was no significant difference between these two groups in visual analog scale scores, dosage of tramadol hydrochloride and pethidine hydrochloride used postoperatively, postoperative drainage amount, leukocyte count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level (P > 0.05). Postoperative incidence of nausea, vomiting and delirium was lower in the experimental group than the control group (P < 0.05), but the patient's satisfaction in the experimental group was better than that in the control group (P< 0.05). These findings indicate that buprenorphine transdermal patches have better preemptive analgesia for posterior lumbar surgery, with less adverse effects and better patient's satisfaction.