Action Potentials ; drug effects ; physiology ; Animals ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Heart Ventricles ; drug effects ; Papillary Muscles ; drug effects ; physiology ; Progesterone ; pharmacology

To unveil genetic variations between the predominant soybean mosaic virus (SMV) strains in China and in the USA, as well as to reveal the potential relevance between the similarity of gene sequences and the virulence of the viruses, we isolated and sequenced the coat protein (CP) gene of Chinese SMV strain SC7 by RT-PCR and compared the SC7 sequence with those of SMV strains from the USA. Analysis is showed that the CP gene of SC7 was 795 nucleotides in length and encoded 265 in amino acids'. The CP gene of SC7 and those of the strains from the USA exhibited 4%-5% nucleotide diversity and 1%-2% diversity amino acids. The conserved amino-acid sequence associated with aphid spread in the USA strains was DAG, and corresponded to DAD in SC7. The virulence of SC7 was greater than that of the SMV strains from the USA. Nevertheless, no clear relationships between sequence similarity of the CP genes from different strains and their virulence on differential hosts were found.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Capsid Proteins ; genetics ; China ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mosaic Viruses ; Soybeans ; virology ; United States

OBJECTIVETo observe the correlation between constitution of yin deficiency syndrome (YDS) and polymorphism of HLA-DQA1/treatment response of Peg-lFNalpha therapy in HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and to explore constitution of Chinese medicine (CM) in response of interferon therapy.

METHODSTotally 120 HBeAg positive CHB patients who were treated with Peg-IFNalpha were enrolled, and assigned to YDS group (59 cases) and non-YDS group (61 cases) according to classification of CM constitutions. All patients were subcutaneously injected with Peg-IFNalpha-2b (1.0 microg/kg body weight) or Peg-IFNalpha-2a (180 microg), once per week. Effective efficacy was primarily judged when complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) was obtained at month 6. Those with CR or PR completed 1 year therapeutic course. HLA-DQA1 gene types were detected by polymerase chain reaction sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP). The distribution difference of CM constitutions in patients with CR or PR and their inter-group HLA-DQA1 allele frequency were compared.

RESULTSDifferent treatment responses of Peg-IFNalpha were observed in CHB patients of two different CM constitutions. The ratio of CR + PR was 61.0% (36/59) in YDS group, obviously lower than that in NYDS group [78.7% (48/61), P < 0. 05]. Patients with CR had a lower allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0501 than those with no-response [14.8% (8/54) vs. 30.6% (22/72)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Patients with CR had a higher allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0601 than those with no-response [18.5% (10/54) vs. 5.6% (4/72)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0301 was lower in YDS group than in non-YDS group [2. 5% (3/118) vs. 9.8% (12/122)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0501 was higher in YDS group than in non-YDS group [33.9% (40/118) vs. 18.9% (23/122)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Yet statistical significance was lost after adjustment (Pc > 0.05 for both).

CONCLUSIONSBoth constitutions of CM and HLA-DQA1 gene polymorphism af- fect HBeAg positive CHB patients' response to Peg-INFalpha. Constitutions of YDS and HLA-DQA1 * 0501 was not favorable to response, their association needed to be further studied.

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Gene Frequency ; HLA-DQ alpha-Chains ; genetics ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Remission Induction ; Yin Deficiency ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect and impact of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) and 120-W thulium: YAG vapoenucleation of the prostate (ThuVEP) on erectile function in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 93 cases of symptomatic BPH treated by HoLEP or 120 W ThuVEP. We made comparisons between the two groups of patients in the baseline and postoperative clinical and surgical indexes as well as their IPSS, quality of life (QOL), maximum flow rate (Qmax), postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), and IIEF-EF scores before surgery and during the 12-month follow-up.

RESULTSThuVEP, in comparison with HoLEP, achieved a significantly shorter operation time ([57.6 +/- 12. 8] vs. [70.4 +/- 21.8] min, P = 0.001) and a higher laser efficiency ([0.71 +/- 0.18] vs. [0.62 +/- 0.19] g/min, P = 0. 021). At 1, 6, or 12 months of follow-up, no significant differences were observed in IPSS, OOL, Omax, and PVR between the two groups (P > 0.05). Both the HoLEP and ThuVEP groups showed low incidences of complications and remarkably improved IIEF-EF scores at 12 months postoperatively, but with no significant differences (both P > 0.05). However, in those with relatively normal erectile functions before operation, the mean IIEF-EF score was reduced from 22.8 +/- 2.2 preoperatively to 21.0 +/- 2.7 after HoLEP, (P = 0.036).

CONCLUSIONBoth HoLEP and 120W ThuVEP are effective and safe in the treatment of BPH. Compared with HoLEP, 120 W ThuVEP has even a higher laser efficiency. However, neither can significantly improve erectile function, and HoLEP may have a short-term negative impact on the relatively normal erectile function of the patient.

Aged ; Holmium ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Lasers, Solid-State ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penile Erection ; Prostatectomy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; surgery ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Thulium ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Treatment Outcome ; Urine

Objective To establish the in vivo models of adriamycin(ADR)-induced cardiotoxicity in rabbits, investigate the protective effect of oxymatrine (OMT) on ADR-induced cardiotoxicity, and explore the possible mechanism. Methods Twenty-six rabbits were randomly divided into ADR group (n=8, 2 mg/kg ADR), OMT group (n=5, 10 mg/kg OMT), ADR + OMT group (n=8, 10 mg/kg OMT was injected 30 min before ADR injection) and saline group (n=5, same quantity of normal saline), and rabbits in each group were infused with medicine or normal saline through ear marginal vein once a week for 8 weeks. The apoptosis of myocardial cells was detected by TUNEL methods, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was determined. Results After treatment, the body weight of ADR group was significantly lower than that of the other groups(P < 0.05), the activity of SOD and GSH-Px significantly decreased and the apoptosis index (AI) was significantly higher than that of the other groups(P <0.01). There were similar while minor changes in ADR + OMT group. There was no significant adverse effects in OMT group. Conclusion OMT protects heart from adriamycin-induced injury in rabbits, which may relate to the decrease in level of antioxidant and apoptosis of myocardial cells.

Inflammation plays an essential role in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. Our study was aimed to investigate whether salvianolate, a novel water-soluble phenolic compound of Danshen, alleviates atherosclerosis via regulating the inflammation in rats. High fat diet feeding plus vitamin D3 injection was used to induce atherosclerosis in rats. Salvianolate (60, 120 or 240 mg/kg) or placebo was given to atherosclerotic rats. The plasma lipids, interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C reactive protein (CRP) were measured by ELISA. CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells were determined by flow cytometry. Histological changes were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The results showed that the levels of plasma IL-6 and CRP were elevated in the rats fed on high fat diet, and the histological analysis demonstrated the successful establishment of atherosclerosis models. Treatment with salvianolate alleviated the atherosclerotic process and decreased the levels of plasma IL-6 and CRP. Also the number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells was increased in salvianolate-treated rats. It was concluded that salvianolate could treat atherosclerosis via modulating the inflammation at cytokine and cell levels.

0.05); serum HBsAb levels of pregnant mice and neonatal mice in group with CpG-1826 (20 ?g)+hepatitis B vaccine significantly higher than those in group with CpG-1826 (10 ?g, 40 ?g)+ hepatitis B vaccine,hepatitis B vaccine and control respectively(P0.05).Conclusions Combination injection of CpG-1826 20 ?g and hepatitis B vaccine can markedly increase serum antibody levels of pregnant mice and neonatal mice, but don′t affect the survival quantity, the growth and development of neonatal mice.CpG-1826 is an ideal immune adjuvant for neonates with immature immune system during pregnancy.

Objective To investigate the characteristic of ?-amyloid precursor protein (A?) processing in activated platelet in AD.Methods Thirty-six sporadic AD patients and 30 control subjects were included in this study.Blood was collected from the subjects to separate platelets.After treated by thrombin,the soluble amyloid precursor protein (APP) level in the snpernatants of platelets from 36 were analyzed by means of western blot with a specific antibody recognizing soluble APP.Meanwhile A? level was measured by radioimmunoassay.Results After treated with thrombin,the level of soluble APP in the supernatants of platelets in patients with AD decreased by 31.0% (P

This study is to establish an UPLC fingerprint of Resina Draconis from different manufacturers, which can provide a comprehensive evaluation for its quality control. The analysis was performed on a Phenomenex Kinetex 2.6 μ C18 100A column by agradientelution program with acetonitrile-water as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.7 mL x min(-1). The column temperature was 40 degrees C and the detection wavelengthwas 280 nm. The fingerprints of 18 batches of Draconis Resina were further evaluated by chemometrics methods including similarity analysis (SA), hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). As a result, there were 15 common peaks, 13 of which had been identified by LC-Q-TOF MS, and the similarity degrees of 15 batches of the samples was more than 0.9, and the samples were divided into 4 clusters by their quality difference. The method is reproducible, simple and reliablethat it can be used for quality control and evaluation of Resina Draconis from different manufacturers.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Dracaena ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Principal Component Analysis ; Quality Control

Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of CT angiography(CTA)in the diagnosis of arterioportal shunts(APS)associated with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods One hundred and twenty-seven consecutive HCC patients accepted both dynamic enhancement CT and DSA examinations.The interval between CT and DSA exam was from 3 to 15 days.Based on transverse CT images in hepatic artery phase,CTA was performed for all the patients.By contrast with DSA results,the capabilities of transverse CT and transverse images combined with CTA in APS diagnosis were analyzed. Results In all 127 HCC cases,52 cases with APS were confirmed by DSA(40.94%),33 with central type of APS and 19 with peripheral type.Diagnostic sensitivity of APS based on transverse CT and combined CTA with transverse CT images were both 94.23%(49/52).However,specificity was 84.00%(63/75) and 97.33%(73/75),respectively,accuracy was 88.19%(112/127)and 96.06%(122/127),the predictive value of positive cases was 80.33%(49/61)and 96.08%(49/51),and the predictive value of negative cases was 95.45%(63/66)and 96.05%(73/76).Combined with CTA,false positive cases of 4 central type of APS and 6 peripheral type of APS were excluded which were demonstrated by transverse CT images.By contrast with DSA,the coincidence rate of the type of APS diagnosed by transverse images combined with CTA was 88.46%(46/52),including 90.91%(30/33)of central type of APS and 84.21%(16/19)of peripheral type.The supplying arteries of central type of APS were intuitively displayed by CTA in 23 cases,19 from proper hepatic artery and 4 from gastro-duodenal artery.Conclusion CTA techniques based on the dynamic enhancement CT exams could effectively promote the specificity and the accuracy of APS diagnosis.