italic>Mycobacterium tuberculosis, responsible for tuberculosis (TB), remains a major health problem worldwide and is one of the infectious diseases causing increased morbidity and mortality worldwide. Biotin, namely vitamin H, is an important cofactor necessary for fatty acid biosynthesis, gluconeogenesis and amino acid metabolism in organisms including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Due to its inability to ingestion biotin from outside, Mycobacterium tuberculosis can only obtain biotin through biotin biosynthesis. Different from the classical BioC-BioH, BioI-BioW and non-classical BioZ pathways, Mycobacterium tuberculosis synthesized biotin by "BioC-BioH(2)" pathway in the early stage. This review focuses on the unique biotin synthesis pathway of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its key genes, especially the response of this pathway and biotin-dependent carboxylase to tuberculosis first-and second-line drugs, as well as inhibitors and natural products targeting biotin synthesis.

Objective To assess the feasibility of heterogeneous acellular dermal matrix(ADM)seeded with adipose derived stem cells(ADSC)for urethroplasty in a rabbit model.Methods ADSC were isolated from a rabbit and expanded in vitro,then identified by flow cytometry.We seeded ADSC onto the ADM and made it into tissue-engineered urethra.12 male rabbits were removed 1 cm urethra and divided into experiment group and control group.There were 6 rabbits in each group.Reconstructed urethra with tissueengineered urethra was used in experiment group,while unseeded ADM were used in control group.Urethrography was performed at 6 months after surgery.The animals were scarified at 3 and 6 months after surgery and the repaired urethra were harvested.H&E staining and immunohistochemical staining were performed with cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and smooth muscle desmin makers.Results The morphology of isolated ADSC was with long spindle cross-links,and had multicentral growth.Flow cytometry showed that the ADSC expressed CD166,CD105,CD90 and CD44,but not expressed CD45 and CD13.The cells could growth well on the ADM and showed good biocompatibility with it.All animals could void normally,urethrography showed there was no significant stenosis.3 months after surgery,the experiment group appeared regenerated smooth muscle but not in the control group,both groups did not regenerate urothelium.At 6 months urothelium and smooth muscle cells could be observed in the experiment group,but only the smooth muscle was evident in the control group.Conclusions By applying tissue engineering methods,we can seed the ADSC onto the heterogeneous ADM and make it into tissue-engineered urethra,which can help improve the reconstructive effect of urethra.

Objective To find the relationship between mutation of gamma 2 subunit of the gamma-aminobatyric acid type A receptor(GABRG2) and generalized epilepsy with febrile seizure plus(GEFS+).Methods Probands of 10 families with GEFS+ were selected,the GABRG2 gene were sequenced.Results We found a single nucleotide polymorphism site,and did not find the reported mutations.Conclusion GABRG2 mutation is not common in Hans of northern China.

Repetitive(repetitive extragenic palindromic,REP,and enterobaterial repetitive intergenic consensus,ERIC) sequences in conjunction with polymerase chain reaction technique(REP and ERIC PCR) were used to fingerprint the genomes of 27 isolates of indigenous soybean rhizobia from Xinjiang.The indigenous soybean rhizobia in Xinjiang can be clustered into relative genetic similarities of approximately 0.5,of which one group mainly includes all slow-growing rhizobia,another mainly includes all fast-growing stains. REP and ERIC PCR analysis demonstrate a substantial genetic variability within members of Xinjiang indigenous soybean rhizobial populations, which reveals that genetic similarities have certain geographical correlation, and isolates from the same site have relative higher similarities.The results show that REP and ERIC PCR analysis give effective means in genetic diversity and population structure analysis of soybean rhizobia.

Aim To observe the protective effects of two flavone morphons on hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R) injury in myocardial cells and explore the mechanisms.Methods The hypoxia/reoxygenation injury model of cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes was developed. The cell morphology,the spontaneous beating,the survival rate,the content of LDH,NOS,T-SOD,MDA and the activity of Na+,K+-ATP,Ca2+,Mg2+-ATP enzyme were determined in the cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes injuried by H/R.Results Compared with the model,preconditioning by two flavone morphons enhanced the spontaneous beating and the survival rate. Meanwhile,it increased the activity of T-SOD,Na+,K+-ATP,Ca2+,Mg2+-ATP enzyme and decreased the release of LDH,NOS,MDA(P

Animal models with kidney disease are generally divided into two types. One belongs to the models which imitate human kidney disease by the artificial operations, such as anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody nephritis, Heymann nephritis, anti-Thyl. 1 antibody nephritis, BSA nephritis and puromycin nephropathy. The other one pertains to the models which make themselves kidney disease, and appear the pathological characteristics naturally as like as human, such as HIGA mice with IgA nephropathy and NZB/WF1 and MRL/1pr mice with lupus nephritis. In addition,the transgenic animal models with kidney disease can also be established by the modern molecular biologic techniques including gene knockout and siRNA transfection. As for the studies related with kidney disease in pharmacodynamics and pharmacology of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), it is important to understand deeply the features of each animal model with kidney disease, and select accurately the proper models according to the different experimental objectives, and then, build the special models provided with the combination of disease with syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Therefore,it is the developmental direction for the further study to establish animal models with kidney disease, which should possess the characteristics of syndrome in TCM.
Animals ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; etiology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; etiology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Streptozocin

Objective To determine the safety of the fetal olfactory ensheathing cell(OEC) transplantation in patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) by examination of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods A prospective clinical study involving 16 patients with chronic SCI was designed to investigate the feasibility and biological safety of the fetal OEC transplantation in treatment of SCI. The olfactory bulbs from the 3-4-month-old aborted human fetuses following the strict ethical guidelines were harvested and trypsinized down to single fetal OEC. These cells were then cultured for 12-17 days and were prepared for a clinical use. From November 2001 to December 2002, 16 patients with chronic SCI were randomly enrolled. The patients suffered from SCI for 1.5-8 years (average 4.3 years) after the injury. The suspension (50 μl) containing about 1×106 fetal OECs was transplanted by an injection into the patients' spinal cords above and below the injury site. All the patients were assessed before the transplantation and were followed up with MRI for 29-42 months (average 38 mon) after the transplantation. Results No cell-related adverse effects were observed in any patient during the follow-up period. The follow-up with MRI did not reveal any development of optic glial tumor, tumor-like mass, new hemorrhage, edema, expanding cyst, new cyst formation, infection or disruption of the neural structure in the transplant site of all the patients. Conclusion This is the first clinical study demonstrating the long-term safety of the OEC therapy for SCI. The results indicate that our protocol is feasible and safe in treatment of patients with chronic SCI within 38 months after the injury. Although the size of the samples for our study was not big enough, the positive results of the study have encouraged us to make a further research in this field.

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus(GEFS+ ). Methods The data of one family with GEFS+ were retrospectively analyzed by studying clinical manifestations, physical examinations, electroencephalogram(EEG), 24 hours dynamic EEG monitoring, et al. Some of the patients were examined by CT. Results Ⅳ 12, her chief complaints when admitted to hospital were frequent spasm for 3 days. She began to appear febrile seizures (FS) from 8 months after birth, and frequent generalized tonic - clonic FS appeared during that time. There were 36 people in 5 generations of the family including 14 patients (8 males and 6 females) ,aged from 4 years and 5 months to 82 years. FS presented in 8 cases (Ⅱ 2, Ⅲ1, Ⅲ4, Ⅲ6, Ⅳ1, Ⅳ11, Ⅳ17, Ⅴ2),febrile seizures plus(FS +) in 4 cases ( Ⅳ2, Ⅳ12, Ⅳ13, Ⅳ14), ES + and absence seizures in 1 case ( Ⅴ1 ), uncertain type in 1 case (Ⅰ2). The results of EEG indicated that 12 cases were normal and 4 cases with FS+ and 1 case with absence seizures had epileptic discharges. Apart form Ⅳ13, Ⅳ14 who were treated with magnesium valproate, the dosage for the other patients decreased, or medicine terminated or without medicine, and all the patients had no recurrence of seizures. The intelligence, movement development and neurological examinations of the family were all normal. Head CT scan of 3 cases were normal. Conclusions GEFS+ is autosomal dominant inheritance disease with conspicuous genetic heterogeneity and phenotypic heterogeneity. The apprehension of GEFS+ plays an important role in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of epilepsy in childhood.

Research on the association between maternal periodontal disease and the risk of preeclampsia has generated inconsistent results. This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between maternal periodontal disease and the risk of preeclampsia. A literature search of PubMed and Embase was performed to identify relevant papers published before March 2013. Only observational studies that assessed maternal periodontal disease and the risk of preeclampsia were selected. Patients' periodontal status was examined at different time points during pregnancy or after delivery (at 14-32 weeks of gestation, within 48 h prior to or within 5 days after delivery). Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for cases and controls. Cases were defined as women with concurrent hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation. Eleven studies involving 1118 women with preeclampsia and 2798 women without preeclampsia were identified and analyzed. Women with periodontal disease before 32 weeks of gestation had a 3.69-fold higher risk of developing preeclampsia than their counterparts without periodontal disease (OR=3.69; 95% CI=2.58-5.27). Periodontal disease within 48 h prior to delivery was associated with a 2.68-fold higher risk of preeclampsia (OR=2.68; 95% CI=1.39-5.18). Pregnant women with periodontal disease within 5 days after delivery had a 2.22-fold higher risk of preeclampsia than women without periodontal disease (OR=2.22; 95% CI=1.16-4.27). In conclusion, this meta-analysis suggests that maternal periodontal disease is an independent predictor of preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between the polymorphisms of single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) in rs2240424, rs2057951, rs2240427 and rs714909 loci in the PATZ1 gene and azoospermia.

METHODSThe allele and genotype frequencies of the four SNPs were investigated in 180 patients with azoospermia and 190 normal men as controls by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. The allele and genotype frequencies of the four SNPs were investigated in 180 patients with azoospermia and 190 normal men as controls by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis.

RESULTSThe frequencies of allele C (35.0% vs. 27.6%, P=0.031) and individuals with allele C (TC+CC) (57.8% vs. 46.3%, P=0.027) at the rs2057951 locus in azoospermic patients were significantly higher than that in normal men. There was a significant difference in distribution of haplotypes of the four SNPs between the two groups (P=0.01). Hapoltypes ACAC (11.1% vs. 6.6%, P=0.029) and ACGC (11.2% vs. 5.2%, P=0.003) increased significantly in azoospermic patients compared with controls.

CONCLUSIONThe allele C of rs2057951 locus and haplotypes ACAC and ACGC of the four SNPs in PTAZ1 gene increased the susceptibility to azoospermia, suggesting that PATZ1gene may be associated with azoospermia.

Alleles ; Azoospermia ; genetics ; Gene Frequency ; genetics ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors ; genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics