Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of cognitive impairment in older people. With the aging of society is more and more serious, AD caused great burden to patients and society. A β is a classical biomarker of AD, which has been widely used in clinical diagnosis of AD patients. Compared with positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), near infrared fluorescence imaging has many advantages including highly sensitive, non-invasive, safety and inexpensive. Therefore, many research groups have focused on developing the molecular probes of near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging. In this article, we will review the progress of the probes of NIRF.
Alzheimer Disease ; diagnosis ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; analysis ; Fluorescence ; Fluorescent Dyes ; Humans ; Molecular Probes ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii, an opportunistic pathogenic protozoan, is widely distributed worldwide and can cause zoonoses, which is a serious threat to human health. Nowadays, the relationship between T. gondii infection and neuropsychiatric diseases has attracted researchers' attention increasingly. T. gondii infection is related to the pathogenesis of many neuropsychiatric diseases by affecting the nervous system, such as schizophrenia, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and so on. This review will focus on the relationship between T. gondii infection and neuropsychiatric diseases and summarizes the possible mechanisms of disorders resulting from T. gondii infection． It is expected that the study on the related pathogenic mechanism of T. gondii will lead to new therapeutic directions and feasible solution for the clinical treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases caused by T. gondii infection.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the absorption mechanism of genistein self-microemulsifying system in rat intestines.

METHODThe concentrations of phenol red and genistein by in situ perfusion in rats were determined by UV and HPLC, respectively. The effects of drug concentrations, pH, various intestinal segments and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitor verapamil on the absorption had been studied.

RESULTThe absorption rate constant (Ka) of genistein had no significant difference at concentrations of 0.05-0.5 mg x mL(-1) and pH of 5.4-7.8 in perfusion. It was Ka of jejunum > ileum > duodenum > colon. The absorption of genistein in jejunum had significant difference (P < 0.05) compared with other parts of intestines. Ka was increased obviously when verapamil was coper-fused with genistein (P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONThe absorption of genistein self-microemulsifying system is a first order process with passive diffusion mechanism related to P-gp efflux. It can be absorbed at all segments of rat intestine, and the jejunum is the best absorption segment, pH had no special effect on the absorption of genistein self-microemulsifying system in rat intestine.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family B ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Emulsions ; Genistein ; analysis ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Intestinal Absorption ; drug effects ; Intestines ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Organ Specificity ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Temperature ; Verapamil ; pharmacology

·AIM:To present a case of late onset bilateral keratectasis after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for myopia with rigid gas-permeable contact lenses with a brief review of literature on this subject.·METHODS:A 27-year-old woman underwent bilateral uneventful LASIK for moderate myopia. Preoperative cycloplegic refractions were -5.50/-0.50×50° right eye (OD) and - 4.50/-1.00×15° left eye (OS).Corneal pachymetry was 526μm OD and 541μm OS, Preoperative corneal topography was normal and did not reveal any keratoconus or forme fruste keratoconus.Following the creation of flaps with 160μm plates,ablations of 102μm OD and 86μm OS were performed,estimated to leave residual stromal beds of 264μm OD and 295μm OS.·RESULTS:Twenty-nine months postoperatively,the patient developed bilateral inferior keratectasia of -12.50/-4.00×160° OD and -6.00/- 4.25×125° OS.Visual acuity was reduced in both eyes;the central cornea had steepened; and pachymetry showed central corneal thinning.Keratectasia was diagnosed,and rigid contact lenses were fitted.Three years later,the patient achieved satisfactory visual acuity and all-day lens wear with minimal complications.·CONCLUSION:Late keratectasia may follow LASIK for low to moderate myopia despite a thorough preoperative work-up.Rigid contact lenses can offer a safe,reversible option for improving visual acuity in such patients by delaying or avoiding the need for intracorneal ring segments implanting or penetrating keratoplasty.

The NSP2 gene of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)S1 strain was partly amplified and cloned into a prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-6P-1 and a fusion protein GST-tNSP2 with molecular weight of 50 kDa was expressed in E.coli. The purified GST-tNSP2 protein showed a strong reaction with the PRRSV-positive sera in Western blot assay. Balb/c mice were immunized with the purified protein, and the splenocytes of the immunized mice were fused with murine myeloma cells SP2/0. After subcloning by 3 times, two hybridoma clones which produced McAbs steadily were screened by ELISA, named 3H3 and 2B5. They all reacted strongly with the PRRSV S1 infected Marc-145 cells in IFA, but not with the PRRSV SY0608 strain. Both of the McAbs belong to IgG1 isotype, and their light chains belong ? type. The expressed GST-tNSP2 protein and McAbs could be used for identification of PRRSV isolates and functional analysis of NSP2.

The type of basic media and the contents of plant growth substances were investigated by orthogonal design experiment,and also the effects of different culture conditions on the growth of suspension cells and the accumulation of total flavonoids in Eucommia ulmoides were studied.The results showed that B5 medium supplemented with 0.5mg/L NAA,0.6mg/L 6-BA and 30g/L sucrose,at initial pH 5.0～5.5,20g(FW)/L inoculation quantity and 110 r/min of rotation speed was a preferable culture conditions for E.ulmoides suspension cells growth and flavonoids synthesis.The results of metabolic kinetics analysis for E.ulmoides cell suspension culture showed that the logistic and Luedeking-Piret equations can be used for describing the kinetics of cell growth,sucrose consumption and flavonoids production during the process.The maximum specific growth rate(?m),the actual growth yield based on sucrose(YG) and maintenance coefficient(m) were 0.417/d,0.619g/g and 0.0206g/(g?d-1) respectively.All these outcomes could give a basis for establishing the suspension cell culture of E.ulmoides and production of the natural active components in large-scale.

Background Oxidative stress is thought to be responsible to diabetes-complicated cataract.Our previous study demonstrated that as an iron chelator,deferiprone can protect lens from oxidative damage.Objective This further study aimed to investigate the role of deferiprone on the formation of diabetic-complicated cataract.Methods Forty 6-week-old Wistar rats were included in the study and randomized into 4 groups.Eight of them were used as the normal control group.Diabetes mellitus animal models were established in 22 rats by the carbonhydratediet and fat diet and the intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg/kg streptozocin (STZ).The deferiprone of 50 mg and 100 mg were intragastrically given in 8 model rats respectively after 3 days once a day for 8 weeks.The opacification of lenses was examined under the slit lamp weekly after treatment.The animals were sacrificed and the lenses were obtained at the eighth week of deferiprone injection.The concentrations of water-soluble protein ( WSP),urine-soluble protein (USP) and alkali-soluble protein (ASP) in rat lens suspension were detected by Bradford method.The super oxide dimutese (SOD),malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) were determined spectrometically using xanthine oxidase,thiobarbituric acid,dithio bis-nitrobenzoic acid.Results No evidently differences were found in the content of the WSP,USP and ASP among the these groups( F=1.73,0.18,0.09,P＞0.05).The contents of MDA in 50 mg deferiprone group and 100 mg deferiprone group were ( 1.05 ± 0.10 ) mmol/g and ( 1.05 ± 0.22 ) mmol/g respectively,showing a significant decline in comparison with diabetic model group (P＜0.05).The SOD and GSH contents in lens were (321.29±16.57) U/mg,(322.07±22.16) U/mg and (7.83±0.65 ) mg/g,(7.70±0.77 ) mg/g respectively in 50 mg deferiprone group and 100 mg deferiprone group and were considerably elevated in comparison with ( 298.70± 14.69 ) U/mg and ( 5.47 ± 1.01 ) mg/g of diabetic model groups ( P＜0.05 ).No significant differences were found in the indexes mentioned above between 50 mg and 100 mg deferiprone groups(P＞0.05).Conclusions Deferiprone can reduce oxidative stress and improve the energy metabolism of the lens in diabetic rats.

Objective To explore the iodine nutrition level of people, prevalence of iodine deficiency disorders and the thyroid function of women of childbearing age in pasturing areas of Tibet. Methods Thirty families were selected respectively in pastoral Dangxiong county and agricultural Qushui county of Lhasa in 2009,drinking water and edible salt samples were collected to test iodine content; at least 50 people from each crowd of the following populations including children aged 8 - 10, women of childbearing age of 18 - 49 old and male adults aged 18 - 60 were randomly sampled and to measure their urinary iodine content and for thyroid palpation. Direct titrimetric method was used to test salt iodine(GB/T 13025.7-1999); As3+-Ce4+ oxidation reduction process to test water iodine (GB/T 5750.1-2006); As3+-Ce4+ catalytic spectrophotometry using ammonium persulfate digestion to test urine iodine(WS/T 107-2006), and goiter examination was based on Diagnostic and Classificatory Criteria of Endemic Goiter (WS 276-2007). Results The median of water iodine was 1.3 μg/L in pasturing area and 0.7 μg/L in agricultural areas, there was no statistical significant difference between them(Z =- 1.809, P ＞ 0.05).There was no iodized salt used in pastoral people, but iodized salt coverage rate was 90.0％(27/30) in agricultural residents. The median of urinary iodine among people of pasturing areas was 50.2 μg/L, lower than that of agricultural areas( 193.2 μg/L, Z =- 10.48, P ＜ 0.01 ). However, the goiter rate in pasturing area[1.0％(1/100)]was significantly lower than that of agricultural areas[18.0％(18/100) , x2 =16.8, P ＜ 0.01]. Serum level of FT4 and TT4 in pastoral population[(14.0 ± 2.0)pmol/L, (85.6 ± 17.5)nmol/L] was significantly lower than that of agricultural areas[(16.2 ± 6.3)pmol/L, (95.4 ± 21.1)nmoL/L, t =- 2.06, - 2.20, all P ＜ 0.05]. The thyroid dysfunction rate[5.9％ (2/34)]and subclinical hypothyroidism rate[2.9％ (1/34)]in pastoral population was significantly lower than that of agricultural areas[25.5％(12/47), 21.3％(10/47), x2 =5.328, 5.651, all P ＜ 0.05]. Conclusions Pastoral areas of iodine intake is significantly lower than the agricultural areas, urinary iodine levels reflect a serious iodine deficiency in pastoral people, but the blood biochemical and urinary iodine and goiter rate does not match,and shows hidden iodine hunger, which does not constitute a goiter epidemic.

This study aimed to construct recombinant adenovirus expressing Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) against nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The C-terminal region fragment of the ebna1 gene of Epstein-Barr virus was amplified from the standard strain B95-8 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The gene fragment was inserted into the pDC316 shuttle plasmid using the EcoRI and BgIII restriction enzyme sites. The pDC316-ebna1 shuttle plasmid and pBHG helper plasmid were cotransfected into HEK293 cells after sequencing. The soluble protein was extracted from HEK293 cells, which caused apparent cytopathic effects. The transcription and expression of the ebna1 gene were confirmed using flow cytometry and Western blotting. rAd-ebna1 titers were measured by the TCID50. rAd-ebna1 was injected into BALB/c mice at a dose of 2 x 10(8) VP per mouse, EBNA1 epitope-specific responses were measured at 1st, 2nd, 4th and 8th weeks post-immunization. The target fragment of ebna1 (939 bp) was obtained by PCR, and was in consensus with the sequence from the standard strain B95-8. Cytopathic effects were observed after the pDC316-ebna1 shuttle plasmid and pBHG helper plasmid were cotransfected into HEK293 cells. rAd-ebna1 was successfully recombined in HEK293 cells. EBNA1 protein was detected in HEK293 cells, rAd-ebna1 titers reached 10(8) TCID50/mL. Specific responses to CD4+ epitopes of EBNA1 were detected in the immunized mice. In conclusion, rAd-ebna1 was successfully constructed and induced specific responses to CD4+ epitopes of EBNA1 in immunized mice.
Adenoviridae ; genetics ; immunology ; Animals ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; virology ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; immunology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Viral Proteins ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology

The government of the Song Dynasty paid high attention to develop the science of acupuncture and moxibustion, improved the position of acupuncture and moxibustion, specially made collation and systematization on ancient books of acupuncture and moxibustion, compiled monograph of acupuncture and moxibustion, set up acupuncture and moxibustion program and founded acupuncture bronze statue, launched experiment teaching and so on, which made acupuncture and moxibustion spread and be populated, accelerating the development and advancement of acupuncture and moxibustion sciences.
Acupuncture ; history ; China ; History, Medieval ; Moxibustion ; history