Cardiovascular Diseases ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; Neoplasm Proteins ; Stromal Interaction Molecule 1

Objective: To develop an effective preparation method to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of real-time PCR in detection of BK virus's (BKV's) load in urine samples. Methods: A total of 24 samples documented as positive probes in primary detection were enrolled in this study. The candidate samples were prepared by 4 different approaches: unprocessed urine, BKV's DNA extracted from urine, 1:10 diluted urine, and 1:100 diluted urine; and then they were subjected to real-time PCR examination to obtain the viral load. The data obtained were analyzed by SPSS 11.0. Results: The four different preparation processes for urinary specimens had significant impact on detection results of real-time PCR. Three samples were negative in the unprocessed urine group and 66.7% of its samples had the lowest viral loads compared with the other three groups. Two samples in the 1:100 diluted urine group were negative and 79.2% of its samples had the highest viral loads, but its median load was similar to that of the 1:10 group. Viral gene was detected in all samples in the DNA extraction group and 1:10 diluted urine group, but the loss of the target gene was more severe in the DNA extraction group. Conclusion: The 1:10 diluted urine is better for real-time PCR detection of BKV's load, as it lose less viral gene and is more efficient, easy to perform and economical.

A thermostable DNA ligase gene was identified, and the biochemical and enzymatic properties of the ligase were characterized from JP2 strain which was enriched from geothermally active sites in Papua New Guinea. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences showed much high identities compared with that of archeabacterium species Sulfolobus solfataricus and Sulfolobus shibatae,especially in the six conserved motif sequences, which are known to be closely related to the key function of ligase. Recombinant JP2 ligase showed high activity in nick-joining reaction. It was the most active when Mn2+ present as divalent metal cofactor rather than Mg2+ and Ca2+ etc.. Assay of thermostability over a range of temperatures showed that at 50～80℃ the enzyme displayed relative high activity. Further thermostability experiment indicated that the activity of JP2 ligase could last for a long time at 80℃ and 85℃,however, at 90℃ and 95℃, it became unstable quickly. An investigation on the acquired thermotolerance of recombinant JP2 ligase was done by applying a chaperonin known as TF55 in thermophile on JP2 ligase reaction. Result showed that TF55 could not help in improving thermostability of ligase at 85℃. The possible reason might be that at 85℃ in vitro, the chaperonin itself was denatured.

Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Diabetes Complications ; prevention & control ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; blood ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Dinoprost ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress

Child ; Child Health Services ; trends ; Delivery of Health Care ; organization & administration ; Education, Medical ; Hospitals, Pediatric ; economics ; organization & administration ; Humans ; Pediatrics ; trends ; Specialization ; Urban Population

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of rehabilitation time on the motor function and activities of daily living (ADL) of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.Methods76 patients were randomly divided into the early rehabilitation group (40 cases) and late rehabilitation group (36 cases). The patients of two groups were treated with Bobaths method. The starting times of rehabilitation were 48 h～7 d (early rehabilitation group) and 3～4 weeks (late rehabilitation group) after onset. The therapeutic effect was assessed with Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment Scale (FMA), modified Barthel index (MBI) and neurological deficit evaluation (ND).ResultsThe scores of the FMA, MBI and ND were not different between two groups before treatment. After one month treatment, the scores of patients in two groups improved significantly, but the early rehabilitation group had a greater improvement compared with the late rehabilitation group. Conclusion Early rehabilitation and late rehabilitation can also facilitate the motor function and ADL of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage recovery, and the therapeutic effect of early rehabilitation is better than late rehabilitation significantly.

Hypoxia-inducible factor(HIF) plays a key role in the adaptation of tumour cells under hypoxic circumstance,there are some advances in the literatures regarding HIF as an important target for anticancer agents and gene therapy.In this review,the molecular mechanism and clinical significance of compounds targeting on hypoxia- inducing factor was summarized.

BACKGROUND: Drug use is the most significant risk factor for viral hepatitis B and C infection. Female drug users present different drug-using characteristics from the other sex. And what about the influence of these characteristics on hepatitis B and C virus(HBV and HCV) double infection?OBJECTIVE:To explore the relationship of characteristics of drug using in female drug users on the incidence of HBV and HCV double infection.DESIGN: It is a cross section investigation of female drug users in January 2002.SETTING: A laboratory separtment, an epidemiological department in a university and a drug dependency treatment unit.PARTICIPANTS: A total of 320 female drug users who were in Baimalongdrug dependency treatment unit in Zhuzhou city were recruited in this study.METHODS: The drug-using characteristics were investigated through a questionnaire and the surface antigen of HBV(HBsAg) and antibody against HCV(anti-HCV)in serum were checked with ELISA.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relationship between HBV and HCV infection and injection of drug, injecting career and abstaining history.RESULTS:The incidence of HBV and HCV double infection in the 320 female drug users was 9. 37%. All of those with double infection were injection drug users, which was different from non-injection drug users(x2 = 6. 276,P ＜ 0. 05 ) . Longer career of drug-using meant higher possibility of double infection. The incidence of double infection (10. 3% ) in those of 5 - 10 years of drug-using career was higher than that (4.5%) of 1 - 5 years of drug-using career (x2 = 8. 344, P ＜ 0.05) . And that in those experienced more than 4times of abstaining was also higher than that less than in those experienced 3times (x2 =9. 418, P ＜ 0. 05) . Long career of drug using and repeated abstention abstaining were factors that leaded to HBV and HCV double infection (OR = 1. 923, 1. 597, 95% CI = 0. 964 - 3. 838, 0. 962 -2. 652).CONCLUSION: Injection drug use is the predominant factor that causes double infection of HBV and HCV and long career of drug using and rising in the number of times of abstaining also increase the double infection.

BACKGRUND:The high prevalence of hepatitis B virus(HBV) is related with the sexual characteristics in drug abusers.How about the relationship between prevalence of HBV/hepatitis C virus(HCV) co infection and the sexual characteristics in drug abusers? OBJECTIVE:To investigate the relationship between sexual characteristics and HBV/HCV co infection in drug abusers. DESIGN:A cross sectional survey taking the drug abuser as the subjects. SETTING:A department of clinical laboratory of a municipal hospital,an epidemiological department of the college of public health of a university,a professional drug abuser treatment center. PARTICIPANTS:Totally 452 male and 320 female drug abusers were randomly selected from the Changsha Xinkaipu Drug Abusers Treatment Center and Zhuzhou Baimalong Female Drug Abusers Treatment Center as the subjects from 1st to 31st January 2001. INTERVENTIONS:A self designed questionnaire was used to investigate the sexual characteristics of drug abusers.HBV surface antigen and HCV antibody were detected in the serums of the participants with ELISA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:The relationship between HBV/HCV co infection and the sexual behavior, numbers of sexual partners,and the usage of condom in drug abusers. RESULTS:The total prevalence of HBV/HCV co infection in drug abusers was 21.24% ; the prevalence of HBV/HCV co infection in male drug abusers was 29.6% ),which was significantly higher than that in females(9.4% )(χ 2=46.016,P< 0.01).There was no significant difference in the prevalence of HBV/HCV co infection between male and female drug abuser whether they had or had not sexual behaviors(χ 2=3.775,P >0.05).The prevalence of HBV/HCV co infection was in an ascending tendency with the increase of sexual partner(χ 2=9.846,P< 0.05).The using frequency of condom was significantly higher in females than in males(U=14.80,P< 0.01). CONCLUSION:There is no correlation between sexual experience and prevalence of HBV/HCV co infection;male drug abusers have higher prevalence of co infection than females;the number of sexual partners is correlated with the prevalence of HBV/HCV co infection,the more sexual partners,the higher prevalence is.The protective effect of condom is greater in female drug abusers than in males.