The etiological agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was identified as a new coronavirus, termed SARS-CoV. Establishment of an efficient and sensitive diagnostic system of SARS-CoV genetic materials is crucial for SARS control. In this study, we quantified SARS-CoV mRNAs in both infected cell culture lysate and in supernatant by using Real-time quantitative revere transcription-PCR based on EvaGreen鈩?dye and Taqman-MGB probes. For extensive evaluation of sensitivities and specificities, 13 pairs of primers and 4 probes were designed based on different genes of SARS-CoV. Glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was selected as the internal control gene. Results showed that S-gene-specific PCR was the most sensitive for detection, but because of its sequence variability in the different viral strains, primers and a probe based on the N gene were suitable substitutions. Meanwhile, we found the mRNA concentrations in cell culture lysates were much higher than in cell supernatant and facilited more sensitive detection of the SARS-CoV.

Objective To research the fibrosis characteristics of Atrial Fibrillation(AF) patients under microscope and its effect to post-operative sinus conversion of Radiofrequency ablation treatment.Methods Based on Lefi Atrial Dimension (LAD).Left atrial appendage tissue samples of 60 AF patients who received bipolar radiofrequency ablation treatment during open heart surgery between July and December 2011,were divided into 4 groups:group a (LAD≤50 mm),group b (50 mm ＜ LAD≤60 mm),group c (60 mm＜ LAD ≤70 mm),group d (LAD ＞ 70 mm),15 patients in each group.The levels of atrial muscle fibrosis and cell size differences are compared for colored slides of samples.Research are done for the difference of sinus rhythm restoration rate among the 4 groups based on ECG records at immediate,leaving hospital,and 3,6,12 months postoperative are collected for all groups.Results Differences of CVF and atrial muscle cell size measured under microscope are statistically meaningful(P ＜ 0.001).Sinus rhythm restoration rate differences at 6 month(P =0.039) and 12 month (P =0.037) post-operative are statistically meaningful.Further,immediate,leaving hospital,and 3,6,12 months postoperative sinus rhythm restoration rates are 93.3％,93.3％,93.3％,100％,100％ for group a,80.0％,73.3％,80.0％,80.0％,80.0％ for group b,66.7％,66.7％,66.7％,73.3％,66.7％ for goup c,and 53.3％,53.3％,53.3％,60.0％,60.0％ for group d respectively.Conclusion For rheumatic heart valve diseases patients who at 6 and 12 month post-operative,the greater the LAD,the higher the atrial fibrosis level,the greater the cell size,the lower the sinus rhythm restoration rate is.

Objective To evaluate the changes of the waveform of the photopic negative response in flash-electroretinogram, visual acuity and central retinal thickness in the treatment of intravitreal injections of bevacizumub. Design Retrospective self-comparative case series. Partidpants 8 subjects (9 eyes) with exudative age-related macular degeneration and 3 subjects (3eyes) with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Method Evaluation protocol included examinations of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy study visual acu-ity, visual field, intraocular pressure, fundus fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography and flash-electroretinogram. Intravit-real injections of bevacizumab, 1.25 mg (0.05ml), were given under an operating microscope and aseptic conditions. All the subjects were followed-up one month later. Main outcome Measure The amplitudes of PhNR, visual acuity and central retinal thickness. Re-sult At 1 months, the mean amplitudes of PhNR and mean visual acuity in all cases had no obvious change (n=12, P>0.05).The central retinal thickness reduced obviously (n=12, P<0.05), but it was neither significantly correlated with PhNR (r=0.294, P=0.145) nor with visual acuity(r=-0.358, P=0.073). Conclusion The single intravitreal injection of bevacizumab is showed promising in absorption of in-traretinal edema and subretinal fluid in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, but the changes of visual function (including PhNR) might need further investigation. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2009, 18: 243-246)

BACKGROUND: Previous studies found that C57BL/6 mouse was susceptible to atherosclerosis, while BALB/c mouse was resistant to atherosclerosis. The stenosis of the culprit vessel and the severity of myocardial infarction were correlated to the levels of OX40L expression. Whether OX40L has differential expression between C57BL/6 and BALB/c mouse was not identified.OBJECTIVE: To observe the differential expression of OX40L mRNA and protein in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mouse.METHODS: Total RNA and protein were extracted by Trizol and RIPA Buffer from heart, brain, kidney, skeletal muscle and spleen tissues of C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. RT-PCR and Western Blot were used to detect OX40L mRNA and protein expression in heart, brain, kidney, spleen and skeletal muscle of two kinds of mice. The differential expression of OX40L mRNA and protein between C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice was observed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: RT-PCR results showed that the mRNA expression level of OX40L in heart of C57BL/6 mice mouse was significantly higher than BALB/c mice (P ＜ 0.05); the mRNA expression level of OX40L in spleen of BALB/c mice was significantly higher than C57BL/6 mice (P ＜ 0.05). There were no significant differences in the brain, kidney and skeletal muscle between these two strains. The results of Western Blot showed that the protein expression level of OX40L in heart, brain and kidney of C57BL/6 mice were significantly higher than BALB/c mice (P ＜ 0.05). There were no significant differences in skeletal muscle and spleen between these two strains. The OX40L mRNA transcription level in heart was higher in C57BL/6 mouse than BALB/c mouse, while the expression in spleen was lower than the latter. The OX40L protein levels in C57BL/6 mouse heart, brainand kidney were higher than BALB/c mouse. The differences of OX40L expression between the two strains of mice indicated that OX40L may promote to C57BL/6 mouse susceptible to atherosclerosis.

A novel targeting drug carrier (FA-BO-PAMAM) based on the PAMAM G5 dendrimer modified with borneol (BO) and folic acid (FA) molecules on the periphery and doxorubicin (DOX) loaded in the interior was designed and prepared to achieve the purposes of enhancing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) transportation and improving the drug accumulation in the glioma cells. 1H NMR was used to confirm the synthesis of FA-BO-PAMAM; its morphology and mean size were analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Based on the HBMEC and C6 cells, cytotoxicity assay, transport across the BBB, cellular uptake and anti-tumor activity in vitro were investigated to evaluate the properties of nanocarriers in vitro. The results showed that the nanocarrier of FA-BO-PAMAM was successfully synthesized, which was spherical in morphology with the average size of (22.28 ± 0.42) nm, and zeta potential of (7.6 ± 0.89) mV. Cytotoxicity and transport across the BBB assay showed that BO-modified conjugates decreased the cytotoxicity of PAMAM against both HBMEC and C6 cells and exhibited higher BBB transportation ability than BO-unmodified conjugates; moreover, modification with FA increased the total uptake of DOX by C6 cells and enhanced the cytotoxicity of DOX-polymer against C6 cells. Therefore, FA-BO-PAMAM is a promising nanodrug delivery system in employing PAMAM as a drug carrier and treatment for brain glioma.

Objective To analyze the prognosis and risk factors for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody?associated vasculitis (AAV) patients on maintaining dialysis. Methods AAV patients on maintaining peritoneal dialysis (PD) or hemodialysis (HD) in First Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University from June 2007 to June 2015 were included, and were followed up until death, kidney transplant, changed dialysis modalities or January 31, 2016. Patients were divided into PD group and HD group for comparison. Their survival rates and risk factors were analyzed by Kaplan?Meier analysis and COX regression model respectively. Results A total of 123 cases were chosen, with a median duration of dialysis for 854 (388, 1573) days, and with 88 cases (71.5%) on HD and 35 cases (28.5%) on PD. Fifty?two patients (42.3%) were more than 65 years old. At the median follow?up time of 36 months, 39 patients (31.7%) died. The main causes of death were cardiovascular events (30.8%) and infection (23.1%). COX regression analysis showed that patients older than 65 years old (HR=3.289, P=0.001), with cardiovascular disease (HR=3.241, P=0.003) and interstitial pneumonia (HR=2.173, P=0.048) at the dialysis onset were independent risk factors affecting survival. Conclusions Factors including age (older than 65 years), pre?dialysis cardiovascular disease and interstitial pneumonia were independent risk factors affecting survival of AAV patients on maintaining dialysis, then infections and cardiovascular events were the main causes of death.

Objective:To explore the effect of family history of cancer on clinical features and prognostic factors in nasopharyngeal car-cinoma (NPC) patients. Methods:The clinical data of 89 NPC patients with a family history of cancer and 388 NPC patients without a family history of cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed to identify possi-ble prognostic factors. Results:The clinical characteristics of NPC patients with and without family history of cancer were compared. The gender, age, TNM stage, pathological type, and hemoglobin radiotherapy concentration before treatment did not significantly dif-fer between the two groups (P>0.05). NPC patients with a family history of cancer had better 3-year overall survival than those with-out family history of cancer (91.6%vs. 85.5%), but no statistically significant difference was observed (P=0.211). Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that T, N, and TNM stages were the important prognosis factors affecting 3-year overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) of NPC (P<0.05). However, neither family history of cancer nor family history of NPC in 3-year OS, PFS, LRFS, and DMFS was significant in NPC patients (P>0.05). Conclusion:NPC patients with family history of cancer had better 3-year OS than those without family history of cancer, but no statistically significant observation was found. Large T stage or high lymph node stage contributed to poor survival of NPC. Family history of cancer had no significant in-fluence on the survival of NPC patients.

Objective To clarify the inhibitory effect of low molecular weight chitosan(LMCTS)on hepatic fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 )in the rats, and to investigate its effect on the expression of Toll-like receptor-4(TLR4 )and to lay the foundation for the development of the clinical candidate drug of liver fibrosis. Methods 72 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank control group, CCl4 group (model group), glycyrrhizinate (DG)group,50,100 and 150 mg·kg-1 LMCTS groups (low,middle and high doses of LMCTS groups).In addition to blank control group,the rats in the remaining groups were given 40% CCl4-vegetable oil (1.75 mL·kg-1 ),2 times per week for 8 weeks,by intraperitoneal injection to establish the model of rat hepatic fibrosis.And the rats in blank control group were injected with the same amount of 100% vegetable oil agent. From the ninth week, the rats in DG and LMCTS groups were given DG and LMCTS by intragastric administration, 1 time/week for 4 weeks. Then all rats were sacrificed, the activities of serum glutamic acid aminotransferase (ALT),aspartate aminotransferase (AST)and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)were detected with ELISA kit;the pathological changes in liver tissue were observed under light microscope, and the TLR4 expressions were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting method. Results The serum ALT, AST and ALP activities in middle and high doses of LMCTS groups were lower than those in model group (P<0.05).The serum ALT activity in middle dose of LMCTS group was lower than that in low dose of LMCTS group (P<0.05),but the activities of AST and ALP had no statistically significant change(P>0.05).There were statistically significant differences in the serum ALT, AST and ALP activities between high dose of LMCTS group and middle dose of LMCTS group (P<0.05).There were obvious hepatocyte steatosis,inflammatory cell infiltration,collagen fiber hyperplasia and hepatic lobule damage in the rats in model group.However,all the changes in liver tissue of the rats in LMCTS group were significantly reduced, especially in high dose group. The results of RT-PCR and Western blotting method showed that the expression of TLR4 was declined in LMCTS groups compared with model group (P<0.05,P<0.01),especially in high dose of LMCTS group,and there were statistically significant differences between different doses of LMCTS groups (P<0.05).Conclusion High dose of LMCTS can decrease the serum transaminase activity of liver fibrosis rats and improve liver function,and this process may be related to declining the expression of TLR4 .

In order to explore the role of acetylcholine in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), the changes in the concentration of acetylcholine (Ach) in the striatum, the apoptosis of substantia nigra cells, the ultrastructure and the changes of Nissl cells in rats during the morbidity of PD, and the corresponding behaviors in rats with PD were observed. Rat PD model was established by using the modified Thomas method. Eighty-one rats were randomly divided into normal control, sham operation and PD groups and their behavior features were observed at post-operative day (POD) 7, 14 and 21 as three subgroups (n=9 each). The concentration of Ach in the striatum was determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography. The apoptosis of substantia nigra cells was assayed by using TUNEL method. The ultrastructural changes in the substantia nigra were observed under the electron microscopy, and the survival of neurons in the substantia nigra area was examined by using Nissl staining. In PD group at POD 7 to 21, the damage in the substantia nigra area was gradually aggravated, the concentration of Ach, apoptosis rate and turns of rotation were gradually increased, and the number of Nissl cells was gradually reduced over the time as compared with the normal control and sham operation groups (all P<0.05). It was concluded that there exist dynamic changes in Ach concentration, ethology and apoptosis of the substantia nigra cells during the morbidity of PD, suggesting the contribution of apoptosis to the morbidity of PD, and critical role of Ach in the pathogenesis of PD.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of a modified hand-assited laparoscopic splenectomy (HALS) plus pericardial devascularization for the treatment of cirrhotic portal hypertension.MethodsFrom March 2009 to Dec 2011,modified hand-assited laparoscopic splenectomy plus pericardial devascularization was performed on 47 patients with portal hypertension and liver cirrhosis.We performed HALS first, thenconvertedtototallylarparocopicpericardialdevascularizationduring operation.ResultsAll patients received modified HALS plus pericardial devascularization without convertion to open surgery,the mean operative time was ( 154 ± 32) min,the mean intraoperative blood loss was ( 115 ±73) ml,and the mean postoperative hospitalization was (9.2 ± 1.6) days.The perioperative complications included plural effusion in 3 cases,ascites in 4 cases,pancreatic leakage in 1 case and wound dehiscence in 1case. Therewasnoperioperativemortality.ConclusionsModifiedHALSpluspericardial devascularization is a relatively safe and effective procedure in the treatment of portal hypertension due to liver cirrhosis,it has the advantage of hand-assisted and totally laparoscopic procedures.