The paper introduced standard approaches on collection of parasite samples and preservation of specimens.The collection of parasite samples included the procedures of collecting parasite samples from field or ento-surface of patient′s body infected with parasites,such as helminth,protozoan,and insect,so that the entire samples were able to be kept originally.The preservation of specimens included the procedures of fixing and preserving different stages and different hosted organs of parasites,so that whole specimens could be preserved in a long term.

Objective To improve the recognition and diagnosis of pulmonary Lophomonas blattarum infection. Methods Two cases of bronchopulmonary Lophomonas blattanan diagnosed in this hospital were reported. The clinical features of 13 cases in the literature during the period of 1993 to 2006,1 case with sinus infection and 12 cases with bronchopulmonary infection, were also analyzed. Results For the 2 cases diagnosed in this hospital, severe asthma and bronchiectasis withprolonged infection were the underlying diseases, respectively. The diagnosis of these 2 cases and the 13 cases reported in the literature were all confirmed by the presence of parasites in airway samples. The most common symptoms included fever (64.3% ), cough and expectoration (71.4%). Fifty percent of the patients showed increased eosinophils in peripheral blood. Chest radiograph and CT scan showed changes similar to pneumonia(83.3%). Chronic cases were manifested with asthma attack, branchiectasis or lung abscess. Smear preparations of sputum or specimen by bronchoscopy were direct methods for diagnosis. Conclusion Pulmonary Lophonomas blattarum infection is an emerging infectious disease caused by protozoon of hypermastigote parasitized in the bronchus or the lung. Epidemiological characteristics including host, route of transmission and susceptible population of Lophomonas blattarum infection are not fully understood. The optimal treatment also needs further investigation.

In this study,adults of Armillifer agkistrodontis (A.agkistrodontis) were collected from Agkistrodon acutus,and then the eggs were separated to feed mice.In the next step,when the infection model was established,blood serum of infected mice were collected after 1,2 and 3 weeks,respectively.Furthermore,ELISA and dot- ELISA were used to detect the dynamic change of specific antibodies and circulating antigens respectively.The specific antibodies increased from 8th week,reached the top at 12th week,decreased from 16th week,and then maintain at the same level constantly.Meanwhile,the specific antibodies were typed.It is evident that IgM antibody appeared first.However,it was substitute by IgG1 after 16 weeks.Moreover,the circulating antigens have been detected in the 1st week by dot-ELISA.Then,the dilution between 1:8 to 1:128were founded in 3rd week.The highest dilution with 1:256 appeared at 8th week,maintained before 11th week and then decreased gradually,which might provide a significant clinical implication for early diagnosis of circulating antigens.

Objective To analyses the magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)findings of different clinical patterns of neurosyphilis(NS).Methods Clinical records and MRI of 26 patients with NS were retrospectively studied.Results Abnormal MRI was found in 17 patients of 26 patients with NS.In 7 patients were with meningo-vascular syphilis,the MRI commonly showed multiple cerebral ischemia focus and cerebral infarction focus,very few similar to those of encephalitis;Six patients had general paresis,who presented cerebral MRI abnormalities of frontal and temporal atrophy,and few simultaneously with cerebral ischemia focus,granular apendymitis and hippocampus sclerosis;Three patients had syphilitic myelitis,their MRI showed mild tumefaction with multiple ischemic focus all the way through lower cervical spinal cord to lower thoracic spinal cord:One patient was with tabes dorsalis,whose cerebral MRI showed ischemic locus.Another 9 patients had normal MRI,of whom 4 patients with meningitis NS and 5 with tabes dorsalis.Conclusion The MRI of neurosyphilis has diverse presentations,and clinicians should pay much attention to it.

OBJECTIVETo construct the recombinant plasmid containing human microdystrophin cDNA, and study the microdystrophin expression in vivo and in vitro.

METHODSMicrodystrophin cDNA was obtained from recombinant plasmid pBSK-MICRO digested with restrictive endonuclease Not I, the product was inserted into plasmid pVAX1, resulting in pAMICDYS. And then 3T3 cells were transfected with pAMICDYS. Forty-eight hours after transfection, the expression of the microdystrophin was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunocytochemistry. Finally, TA muscles of mdx mice were injected with the recombinant plasmid pAMICDYS through i.m. and the pathological change of TA was evaluated by histology, and the expression of microdystrophin in mdx TA was detected by immunohistochemical analysis.

RESULTSThe recombinant plasmid containing human microdystrophin cDNA was constructed successfully. The recombinant plasmid was proved to be able to express microdystrophin protein both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, treatment of the TA of mdx mice with the recombinant plasmid could decrease the number of centrally nucleated myofibers.

CONCLUSIONRecombinant plasmid containing the microdystrophin gene was constructed successfully, and it could express microdystrophin protein both in vivo and in vitro. It provides basis for further study on microdystrophin as a target gene to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) by electrotransfer, i.v, arterial injection and combining with other exogenous gene to enhance microdystrophin expression.

Animals ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA Restriction Enzymes ; metabolism ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; metabolism ; DNA, Recombinant ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dystrophin ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Engineering ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; genetics ; metabolism ; therapy ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transfection