In order to investigate the transmission risk of H5N1 avian influenza viruses (AIV) from sewage in Changsha poultry markets, the evolution relationship and molecular characteristics of non-structural (NS) genes of H5N1 AIV from sewage were analyzed. Nine H5N1 AIV environmental sewage specimens were collected from Changsha poultry markets. The NS genes were amplifyed by PCR and then sequenced with TA cloning. Amino acid(aa) sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree analysis were conducted by Lasergene and Mega5 software. Eight NS genes TA cloning were constructed successfully. Phylogenetic tree indicated that they were belonged to the allele A subgroup. Aa homology analysis showed 90.1% 92.5% identity in NS1 proteins and 91.0% - 92.6% identity in NS2 proteins compared with reference viruses of the allele A (A/chicken/ Hubei/ w h/ 1999). The homologies of the amino sequences of NS1 and NS2 in this study were 93.8%-100.0% and 98.4%-100.0%, respectively. The C terminal of all eight H5N1 NS1 proteins from sewage in poultry markets carried a ESEV of PL motif and the 92 amino acids were E, furthermore, the 80 to 84aa were missed which were the characteristics of highly pathogenic AIV. The NS genes of H5N1 AIV from sewage in poultry markets have molecular characteristics of highly pathogenic and have the potential risk of H5N1 virus spreading.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza in Birds ; transmission ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Poultry ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid ; Sewage ; virology ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics

Objective To investigate the role of pituitary tumor transforming gene 1 (PTTG1) in the growth and invasion of human glioma cell line by introduction of exogenous microRNA to silence PTTG 1 gene expression. Methods Two double-stranded DNA pcDNA6.2-GW/EmGFP-miR vectors (MIR-1, MIR-2) targeting human PTTG1 mRNA and a negative control plasmid (Neg) were constructed, and were transfected into human U251 cells with high metastatic potentials. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to quantify the mRNA and protein levels of PTTG1, respectively. Proliferation and invasiveness of transfected U251 cells were analyzed by MTT assay and Matrigel invasion assay. Results After transfection, Expression of PTTG1 mR.NA was inbibited significantly with inhibitory rates of 87.6% in MIR-2 group, and the protein levels were significantly lower than those of the other groups. There was significant difference in cellular growth rate among the 3 groups. The growth inhibiting rates in the MIR-2 group are 10.7%-34.7%. The migrating number of U251 cells transfected with MIR-2 with relative percentage (12.3±1.0)% was also significantly decreased as compared the Neg group (24.7±1.4)% and Mock group (24.0±2.0)%. Conclusion Introduction of exogenous miRNA to U251 cell line by transfection of MIR-2 can effectively reduce the PTTG1 expression, which can significantly inhibit the proliferation and decrease the invasiveness of glioma cells.

BACKGROUNDRapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) may be a risk factor for cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, little is known regarding the relation between the severity of RBD and the different domains of cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was: (1) to investigate the domains of cognitive impairment in patients with PD and RBD, and (2) to explore risk factors for PD-mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) and the relationship between RBD severity and impairment in different cognitive domains in PD.

METHODSThe participants were grouped as follows: PD without RBD (PD-RBD; n = 42), PD with RBD (PD + RBD; n = 32), idiopathic RBD (iRBD; n = 15), and healthy controls (HCs; n = 36). All participants completed a battery of neuropsychological assessment of attention and working memory, executive function, language, memory, and visuospatial function. The information of basic demographics, diseases and medication history, and motor and nonmotor manifestations was obtained and compared between PD-RBD and PD + RBD groups. Particular attention was paid to the severity of RBD assessed by the RBD Questionnaire-Hong Kong (RBDQ-HK) and the RBD Screening Questionnaire (RBDSQ), then we further examined associations between the severity of RBD symptoms and cognitive levels via correlation analysis.

RESULTSCompared to PD-RBD subjects, PD + RBD patients were more likely to have olfactory dysfunction and their Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores were higher (P < 0.05). During neuropsychological testing, PD + RBD patients performed worse than PD-RBD patients, including delayed memory function, especially. The MCI rates were 33%, 63%, 33%, and 8% for PD-RBD, PD + RBD, iRBD, and HC groups, respectively. RBD was an important factor for the PD-MCI variance (odds ratio = 5.204, P = 0.018). During correlation analysis, higher RBDSQ and RBDQ-HK scores were significantly associated with poorer performance on the Trail Making Test-B (errors) and Auditory Verbal Learning Test (delayed recall) and higher RBD-HK scores were also associated with Rey-Osterrieth complex figure (copy) results.

CONCLUSIONSWhen PD-RBD and PD + RBD patients have equivalent motor symptoms, PD + RBD patients still have more olfactory dysfunction and worse daytime somnolence. RBD is an important risk factor for MCI, including delayed memory. Deficits in executive function, verbal delayed memory, and visuospatial function were consistently associated with more severe RBD symptoms.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cognitive Dysfunction ; etiology ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Middle Aged ; Parkinson Disease ; complications ; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder ; complications

OBJECTIVEThe Ala499Val (C > T) and Lys939Gln (A > C) of the XPC gene are two potentially functional nonsynonymous polymorphisms, which affect the rate of DNA repair and might change XPC production and activity. This study aimed to explore the distribution of these two polymorphisms in the Chinese Han population and their relationship with male infertility.

METHODSWe genotyped the two polymorphisms of the XPC gene by the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method in 318 infertile patients and 228 fertile male controls, detected the frequency of the alleles, and analyzed both the individual and the joint contribution of the two polymorphisms to male infertility.

RESULTSFor the Ala499Val (C > T) polymorphism, the frequencies of the CC, CT, and TT genotypes were significantly different in distribution between the patients and the controls (P = 0.020). Males with the TT genotype had a lower risk of male infertility than those with the CC genotype (adjusted OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.23-0.88), and even lower than those with both CC and CT genotypes (adjusted OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.22-0.71). The Lys939Gln (A > C) polymorphism was not related with male infertility. The combined genotype analysis showed that the individuals with 1-4 risk alleles had a significantly higher risk of male infertility (adjusted OR = 2.75, 95% CI = 1.50-5.04) than those with 0 risk allele.

CONCLUSIONThe Ala499Val (C > T) polymorphism of the XPC gene is correlated with male infertility and may be a potential genetic risk factor for male infertility in the Chinese Han population.

Adult ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; DNA Repair ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUNDIt is well known that increased cumulative ventricular pacing proportion (CumVP%) is one of the most important causes for adverse cardiovascular events. Therefore, how to reduce CumVP% has been a treatment issue in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different pacing algorithms on CumVP% in patients with pacemakers.

METHODSPacemakers with three pacing algorithms, i.e., conventional dual chamber rate adaptive pacing (DDDR), search atrioventricular conduction plus (SAV+) and managed ventricular pacing (MVP), were implanted in 42 patients including 41 with bradycardia arrhythmias and one with ventricular tachycardia. Pacemakers were programmed to work in conventional DDDR, SAV+ and MVP during the follow-up periods of the first, the second and the third month. In each pacing algorithm, the time percentages of four pacing and sense status including atrial sense-ventricular sense (AS-VS), atrial sense-ventricular pacing (AS-VP), atrial pacing-ventricular sense (AP-VS) and atrial pacing-ventricular pacing (AP-VP) were calculated. Cumulative ventricular pacing proportions were compared in the three pacing algorithms in the first, the second and the third month postoperatively.

RESULTSIn the DDDR algorithm AS-VS, AS-VP, AP-VS and AP-VP were 2.4%, 52.3%, 2.5% and 42.8% respectively, while in SAV+ they were 19.3%, 34.9%, 33.9% and 12.0%, in MVP they were 38.9%, 13.2%, 41.6% and 6.4%. In the above the DDDR, SAV+ and MVP algorithms, cumulative ventricular pacing proportions were 95.1%, 46.9% and 19.6%, respectively (P < 0.05) and the percentages of CumVP% < 40% in patients were 0, 23.8% and 95.2.0% (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCompared with the conventional DDDR algorithm, both SAV+ and MVP significantly reduced the CumVP%, especially the MVP algorithm. Patients may benefit from MVP algorithm due to reduced CumVP%.

Aged ; Algorithms ; Cardiac Pacing, Artificial ; methods ; Electrophysiology ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pacemaker, Artificial

OBJECTIVETo analyse CT and high resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) diagnostic value and morphologic manifestation in coal miner's pneumoconiosis with pleural pathological changes.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-one cases of coal miner patients with pneumoconiosis (0(+) type: 14 cases, type I: 46 cases, type II: 58 cases, type III: 13 cases) and 20 normal people as control group were first examined by routine CT scan at 4 fixed slices, followed by HRCT examination at the region of interest (ROI). Meanwhile, all of them had high-kV chest radiography.

RESULTSAccording to the national standard of the People's Republic of China in the diagnosis of coal miner's pneumoconiosis with pleural plaque, 68 cases of pleural disease making up 51.91% (68/131) were found (type I accounted for 17.65%, type II 63.24%, type III 19.12%). The morphologic manifestation of pleural pathology by HRCT could be classified into four types: (1) nodular type: 73.38%, (2) flat type: 18.71%, (3) irregular type: 7.91%, (4) mixed type. The pleural pathological changes were found in thoracic wall pleura (65.02%), surface of mediastinum (22.16%), and pericardium (12.80%), but not found in the top of lung and costo-phrenic angles. The thickness of pleura was often about 5 approximately 10 mm (88.17%).

CONCLUSIONPleural pathological changes were not seldom seen in coal miner's pneumoconiosis. HRCT is a reliable examination method aiding routine CT to show pleural pathological changes, thus it has a great diagnostic and practical value. It is necessary to make a further comparison study between pathology and imagology.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pleura ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Pleural Diseases ; diagnosis ; Pneumoconiosis ; diagnosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

The objective was designed to assess the clinical efficiency of preventing febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTR) with transfusion of leukocyte-depleted RBC and platelet concentrates. One hundred patients with cirrhosis of liver, gastric ulcer and cancer were selected to receive RBC concentrates with leukocyte filtration. Another group of 50 patients with liver necrosis, gastric ulcer and cancer were selected to receive non-filtered RBC concentrates. Two hundred and forty patients with acute or chronic leukemia, aplastic anemia, multiple myeloma, thrombocytopenia purpura, diabetes mellitus, cirrhosis of liver, upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, severe hepatitis, burn and cancer post radioactive or chemical treatment were divided into two group with 120 patients in each one and selected randomly to receive platelet concentrates. The incidence rates of FNHTR in all patients were investigated. Results showed that there was no FNHTR in 100 transfusions with leukocyte-depleted RBC concentrates. Eight out of 50 patients with non-filtrated RBC concentrates showed FNHTR. The incidence of FNHTR was sixteen (16%) in non-filtrated transfusion. Twenty-five and 7 patients manifested FNHTR respectively in non-filtrated or filtrated platelets transfusions. The incidence of FNHTR was 20.83% and 5.83% respectively in non-filtrated or filtrated platelet transfusion. It is concluded that leukocyte-depleted RBC and platelet concentrates reduces FNH TR in blood transfusion.
Adult ; Blood Component Removal ; Female ; Fever ; prevention & control ; Filtration ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Transfusion Reaction

AIMTo assess the possible role of genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair gene XRCC1 (X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1) during spermatogenesis by investigating the associations of one promoter polymorphism (T-77C) and two exonic polymorphisms (Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln) in XRCC1 gene with risk of idiopathic azoospermia in a Chinese population.

METHODSThe genotype and allele frequencies of three observed polymorphisms were examined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism based on a Chinese population consisting of 171 idiopathic azoospermia subjects and 247 normal-spermatogenesis controls.

RESULTSIn our study, all the observed genotype frequencies were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The 399A (GA+AA) allele frequency for idiopathic azoospermia subjects and controls was 0.216 and 0.269, respectively. Compared with GG genotype, the AA genotype of Arg399Gln showed a significant association with a decreased risk of idiopathic azoospermia (odds ratio = 0.315; 95% confidence interval = 0.12-0.86). However, no significant differences were found between the cases and controls for T-77C and Arg194Trp polymorphisms. The major haplotypes of XRCC1 gene were TCG, TTG and TCA, whereas no haplotypes appeared to be significantly associated with idiopathic azoospermia based on the cutoff of P < 0.05.

CONCLUSIONIn a selected Chinese population, AA genotype of Arg399Gln appears to contribute to a decreased risk of idiopathic azoospermia, while we have not any evidence of involvement of XRCC1 T-77C and Arg194Trp polymorphisms in idiopathic azoospermia.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; Azoospermia ; ethnology ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; genetics ; Risk Factors ; Spermatogenesis ; genetics ; X-ray Repair Cross Complementing Protein 1

This work was performed to determine the role of delta-opioid receptor (DOR) in protection against acute ischemia/reperfusion injury. Transient (1 h) focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). DOR agonist TAN-67 (30 nmol, 60 nmol, 200 nmol), DOR antagonist naltrindole (20 nmol, 50 nmol, 100 nmol) or artificial cerebral spinal fluid (aCSF) was injected respectively into the lateral cerebroventricle of the rat 30 min before the induction of brain ischemia. Neurological deficits were assessed by the five-grade system (Longa's methods). The brain infarct was measured by cresyl violet (CV) staining and infarct volume was analyzed by an image processing and analysis system. The expression of DOR was detected by Western blot. The results showed that 60 nmol TAN-67 significantly reduced the infarct volume (P<0.05), attenuated neurological deficits (P<0.05) and tended to increase the expression of about 60 kDa DOR protein (P>0.05), while 100 nmol naltrindole aggravated ischemic damage and decreased about 60 kDa DOR protein expression (P<0.05). These results suggest that DOR activation protects the brain against acute ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat.
Animals ; Brain ; pathology ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Injections, Intraventricular ; Naltrexone ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Quinolines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Opioid, delta ; agonists ; Reperfusion Injury

OBJECTIVETo study the diagnostic value of CT/HRCT for the coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) with large opacities.

METHODSSixty-two patients with CWP were examined with both chest radiograph and CT/HRCT scan. Comparison was done.

RESULTSLarge opacities were found in 19 patients in the chest radiograph of 62 patients with CWP. The detection rate was 30.6%. Thirty large opacities were found using chest radiograph. Forty-three patients with large opacities were found using the CT/HRCT. The detection rate was 69.4%. One hundred and twenty-three large opacities were found using CT/HRCT. Ninety-three more large opacities were found by CT/HRCT than by chest radiograph. The total detection rate of large opacities by CT was 4.1 times than by chest radiograph. Both differences were statistically significant (chi2 = 18.58, P < 0.01). CT/HRCT found all patients with large opacities detected in the chest radiograph. Seventeen patients with Stage III large opacities (>or= 1.0 cm x 2.0 cm) were found by the chest radiograph. The detection rate was 27.4% (17/62). Twenty-seven large opacities were found using chest radiograph. Thirty-four patients with Stage III large opacities were found using the CT/HRCT. The detection rate was 54.8%. The found Stage III large opacities added up to 67. The found Stage III large opacities by CT/HRCT were 40 more than using chest radiograph. Both differences were statistically significant (chi2 = 9.63, P < 0.01). CT/HRCT was reliable to show the morphology, the inside structure, the tiny lesion and the special location of the large opacities of CWP. It could provide more important information for differential diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONCT/HRCT is significantly better than the chest radiograph in the diagnosis of complicated CWP. It can find the large opacities that the chest radiograph can not. It has a great diagnostic and practical value as an assistant examination method. CT/HRCT could be considered as the reference and evidence for staging progression in diagnosis of pneumoconiosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anthracosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods