anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in patients with lymphoma.Methods Thirty-two adult patients with nonHodgkin' s lymphoma who received chemotherapy including anthracyclin were studied.After anthracyclin reached the cumulative doses of 200 and 400 mg/m-2,the changes in plasma BNP and echocardiography indices were investigated.Results After the cumulative anthracyclin reached doses of 200 and 400 mg/m2,serum BNP were respectively (292±7) ng/ml and (387±4) ng/ml,and were significantly increased when compared to the untreated (134±6) ng/ml (P ＜ 0.05).The parameter of diastolic functions ratio of peak early to peak late low velocity (E/A ratio)were 1.14±0.37 and 0.90±0.06,both showing significant decreases compared to the control (1.33±0.27) (P ＜ 0.05).In contrast,systolic function parameters left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) remained unchanged (P ＞ 0.05).After the cumulative anthracyclin reached 200 and 400 mg/m2,significant negative correlations were observed between the plasma BNP and the E/A ratio (r =-0.689,P=0.042; r=-0.557,P =0.006),but no associations between EF and FS were found (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Plasma BNP concentration appears to be a sensitive parameter for the early assessment of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity.

The immunopathogenosis of chronic hepatitis B is complex. The host immune response plays an important role in determining the turnover of chronic hepatitis B, which is impacted by HBV, host immune system and liver microenvironment. In clinical practice, interferin-α (IFN-α) which has both anti-virus and immuno-regulatary effect wins the advantage over nucleoside analogue. During treatment with INF-α, quantitative HBsAg can predict therapy early which can make physicians modulate individual therapy strategy and achieve better curative effect. To better understand the anti-HBV immune responses to chronic hepatitis B, scientists hope to explore more effective and potential immunotherapeutic strategies against this disease.

Objective To investigate the role of ribosomal protein S7(rpS7) in the defense of Anopheles dirus against infection. Methods rpS7 was amplified from Anopheles dirus hemocytes with degenerated primers designed according to the conservative region of S7, rpS7 was then cloned using T/A cloning kit and the inserted fragment was sequenced. The difference of the transcript abundance of rpS7 from Anopheles dirus hemocyte among non-blood-fed (N), normal-blood-fed (B) and Plasmodium yoelii infected groups (I) was also analyzed by RT-PCR and gel scanning system at d1, d2, d3, d4, d7 and d11 after blood feeding. Results There is no significant difference of rpS7 signal between the three groups. Conclusion Anopheles dirus S7 can be used as an internal control to study the role of Anopheles dirus related immune factors in Plasmodium infection.

Objective To serially examine virus carrying condition of clinical specimens collected from SARS patients, in order to evaluate the dynamic changes of virus in the bady and its clinical significance. Methods A total of 494 samples, including plasma, urine, feces, sputum and throat swab, obtained from 84 cases of clinically diagnesed SARS patients at different time-points were examined for the study. Nested RT-PCR was employed for the detection of SARS-CoV using 2 pairs of primers targeting P and N region of the viral genome. The amplified viral genomic fragments were confirmed by DNA sequence analysis. Results Specific bands for SARS-CoV were amplified from various specimens of some SARS patients. Highest positive rate was found in sputum compared with the others. However, simultaneous examination of more than two specimens increased detectable rate of the virus. Moreover, dynamic examination revealed that the highest positive rate occurred in the 2nd week after the onset of the disease and next to the highest during the 3rd to 4th week. However, dynamic detectable rates for different specimens were not identical. Conclusion Nested RT-PCR is a practicable method for the detection of SARS-CoV and helpful for the early diagnosis or confirmation of the disease. Dynamic examinations for SARS-CoV by combined employment of the N and P primers and by involving multiple specimens may significantly increase the positive detectable rate, therefore would be helpful in diagnosis and eratuation of therapeutic effect of SARS.

Objective To investigate forkhead/winged helix transcription factor (FoxP3) expression in peripheral blood and liver-infiltrating lymphocytes (LIL) of patients with hepatitis B. Methods Flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and real-time RT-PCR were employed for Fox P3 analysis of blood or live tissue obtained from patients with acute hepatitis B (AHB), chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic severe hepatitis B (CSHB), as well as health controls. Results Fox P3 mRNA and protein expressions were specifically identified in CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. The level of Fox P3 mRNA in CD4+ T cells was identical with that in CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell in peripheral blood. In CSHB patients a significant increase of Fox P3 mRNA expression was found in peripheral blood. The mean relative FoxP3 mRNA levels of CD4+ T cells in CSHB patients, AHB patients, CHB patients, and healthy controls were 0.199?0.174, 0.053?0.017, 0.059?0.053, and 0.056?0.021, respectively (CSHB group vs. other groups, P all

As an important kind of plant secondary metabolites and widely distributed in the plant kingdom, triter-penoid saponins have a variety of biological activities. The constitution and content of triterpenoid saponin are deter-mined by some key enzymes and their expressing level in triterpenoid saponins biosynthesis pathway. So, it is very important to illuminate the molecular mechanism of triterpenoid saponins biosynthetic pathway. In recent years, illu-mination of the entire biosynthetic pathway especially the confirmation and cloning of the key enzymes, such as squa-lene synthase, squalene epoxidase, cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and UDP-glycosyltransferase, had become one of the hot spots by many scholars. In this paper, the entire biosynthetic pathway and some kinds of key enzymes in-volved in the synthesis of carbon skeleton, and its oxidation, and glycation were reviewed for further demonstrating the biosynthetic pathway of triterpenoid saponins and providing a theoretical basis for artificial biosynthesis.

AIM: To optimize the extraction and purification of water-soluble active ingredient of Ferula sinkiangensis.METHODS: First,the comprehensive scoring system was set up to reflect the change of the extraction rate and ferulic acid coutent.in combination with the uniform design.RESULTS: The optimized extracting process was as follows: adding 8 times water and extracting twice,every time lasting 2.5 h.The optimized centrifugation purificating process consisted of: concentration ratio (1 ∶ 3),35 minutes centrifugal time,4 000 r/min rotation speed.The optimized ZTC1 + l-Ⅱ clarificant purification process was as follows: concentration ratio was 1 ∶ 22,the content of pacificator was 22% ,purification time was 1 h.CONCLUSION: The optimized extraction is available,reasonable,and reproducible.The results of pharmacodynamic test show that centrifugation is suitable to the purification of extract liquid.

Objective:To investigate the effects of survivin antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) on expression of survivin and ACC-M cell apoptosis. Methods: A phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) of specific target survivin was designed and synthesized and then transferred to ACC-M cell line by lipofectin. At the same time blank control group, sense oligonucleotide (SODN) group were set up for comparison. MTT assay was used to detect cytotoxicity. Apoptosis was observed by flow cytometry. Survivin expression was determined by RT-PCR and Western-Blotting. Results: Compared with control group and SOND group, in ASODN groups, the expression of survivin mRNA and protein were obviously weak, apoptosis rate apparently increased, cells growth was inhibited. There was no obviously difference in SODN and control groups.Conclusion:ASODN can down-regulate the expression of survivin gene in ACC-M cell line specifically. It plays an important role in inducing tumor apoptosis and suppressing cell proliferation.

Objective　To explore the relationship between hemolymph phenol oxidase and the melanization of Plasmodium yoelii oocysts in Anopheles dirus. Methods　An Anopheles dirus-Plasmodium yoelii system was used Anopheles dirus were divided into 3 groups, that is, non-blood-fedding (N), normal-blood-fedding (B) and infected-blood-fedding (I). The activities of MPO and o-DPO in hemolymph from 3 groups were determined with native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and density scanning at 5, 7, 11 and 15 d after blood feeding. Results　Both MPO and o-DPO activity were significantly higher in group I than group N and B (P<0.05). But with the melanization of Plasmodium yoelii oocysts, both MPO and o-DPO activity in group I were decreased in comparison with group N, especially on the 15 th day after infected-blood feeding. MPO and o-DPO activity in group B were significantly stronger than those of group N. Conclusion　Blood feeding and infection of Plasmodium yoelii both can activate the cascade. The heamolymph phenol oxidase may play an important role in the melanization of Plasmodium yoelii oocysts in Anopheles dirus.

Objective To analyze the relationship between the TEP1 gene of Anopheles stephensi and melanotic encapsulation of Plasmodium yoelii induced by anti-malaria drug nitroquine. Methods Haemolymph samples from three groups of An. stephensi fed with sucrose solution, Plasmodium-infected blood and nitroquine, respectively, were collected at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th day after drug adminstration. Degenerate primers were designed according to the conserved amino acid sequence within TEPs of the mosquitoes. Fluorescent quantitation PCR was used to detect the variation of TEP1 gene transcript induced by nitroquine. The melanization of oocysts was observed by light microcopy. Results TEP1 gene was cloned, the predicted amino acid residues harbored a highly conserved canonical thioester motif GCGEQ. The fluorescent quantitation PCR revealed that nitroquine induced an up-regulation of TEP1 activity. The transcription of TEP1 gene in nitroquine treated group (2.423) was significantly higher than that of the infected blood-fed group(1.036) at the 3rd day after nitroquine treatment (P