The structural protein VP6 of rotavirus form the middle layer of the triple-layered viral capsid, playing a key role in the organization of the virion. The gene of structural protein 6 of rotavirus strain TB-Chen isolated from a clinic sample was amplified using PCR from the reverse transcription product of RV genome RNA, using pET as expression vector, a recombinant plasmid pET-VP6 containing coding sequence of VP6 protein was constructed. The results showed that the VP6 was highly efficiently expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) cells which were transformed with the recombinant plasmid pET-VP6.The expressed VP6 protein possessed 27.4% of total cells protein, with an approximately 45kDa of molecular weight, and could be recognized by guinea pig anti-SA11 antibody on Western blot. The results obtained provide important basis for further study on structure and function of the VP6 protein.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are believed to play a major role in viral clearance and disease pathogenesis during HBV infection. To clarify the differences in host immune responses between self-limited and chronic HBV infections, we constructed three HLA-A*0201/HBV tetramers with immunodominant epitopes of core18-27, polymerase 575-583 and envelope 335-343, and analyzed the HBV-specific CTLs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients infected with HBV. The frequencies and expansion ability of HBV-specific CD8(+) T cells in most self-limited HBV infected individuals were higher than those in chronic HBV-infected patients. HBV-specific CD8(+) T cells could be induced by in vitro peptide stimulation from chronic patients with a low level of serum HBV-DNA but not from those with a high level of serum HBV-DNA. In chronic infection, no significant correlation was found either between the frequencies of HBV-specific CD8(+) T cells and the viral load, or between the frequencies and the levels of alanine transaminase. Our results suggested that the frequencies of HBV-specific CTLs are not the main determinant of immune-mediated protection in chronic HBV infection and immunotherapeutic approaches should be aimed at not only boosting a HBV-specific CD8(+) T response but also improving its function.

(3S)-Linalool synthase (LIS) is a key enzyme involved in the monoterpene biosynthetic pathway. Based on our previous transcriptome study, the expression level of LIS gene was exceedingly related to glycyrrhizic acid (GA) biosynthesis. Therefore, we used hairy root culturing to further investigate the effect of LIS on the GA biosynthesis. A LIS gene (GenBank accession number: MZ169552) was cloned from Glycyrrhiza uralensis. The plant binary overexpression vector pCA-LIS was constructed by gene fusion. G. uralensis hairy roots overexpressing LIS were induced by the Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC15834. The expression levels of LIS were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and the contents of GA in hairy root lines were determined by UPLC. It was found that in the hairy root lines overexpressing LIS, the expression levels of LIS were significantly higher than that in the wild type, while the contents of GA were remarkably lower than those in the wild type and negative control. These findings indicate that the expression level of LIS is negatively correlated with the accumulation of GA. In this study, LIS was cloned from G. uralensis for the first time and the negative regulatory effect of LIS on GA biosynthesis was confirmed by reverse genetics. This work provides support for further improvement of the molecular regulatory network of GA biosynthesis in G. uralensis.

Objective To evaluate the stability and biodistribution of a novel SPECT-MRI bi-functional agem 99Tcm-Gd-DTPA-DG in tumor-bearing nude mice. Methods DTPA-DG was synthesized and then conjugated with Gd2O3 to generate Gd-DTPA-DG. The tumor-bearing nude mice were scanned by MRI to evaluate the tumor targeting ability of Gd-DTPA-DG. The orthogonal experiment was applied to optimize pH value of reaction medium and reaction temperature. The radiolabeling efficiency was measured by thin layer chromatography. The distribution of 99Tcm-Gd-DTPA-DG in nude mice was evaluated by scintigrapy in vivo. The % ID/g was measured at different time after intravenous injection of 99Tcm-Gd-DTPA-DG. Results The tumor was significantly enhanced by Gd-DTPA-DG with MRI. The radiochemical purity of 99Tcm-Gd-DTPADG was about 98.5% and remained 96.2% at room temperature for 6 h. The tumor was well visualized by 99TcmGd-DTPA-DG SPECT at 2 h after injection. The tumor uptake was (1.48 ±0.12) %ID/g, and the rumor to muscle radioactivity ratio was 2.91. Conclusions MRI contrast of Gd-DTPA-DG may enhance tumor detection. 99Tcm-labeled Gd-DTPA-DG may be useful for tumor imaging and might have a potential role as a SPECT-MRI bi-functional agent.

Introduction:The 2010 targets of the China Hepatitis B Prevention Programme were a prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) less than 1.0% for children less than five years old and less than 6.0% for the total population. This survey assessed the prevalence of Hepatitis B infection in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China in 2009–2010.Methods:Multistage sampling was used with 2372 subjects among 17 selected villages. Blood specimen collection and testing by enzyme-linked immunosorbnet assay (ELISA) were completed using the following markers for hepatitis infection: HBsAg and antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs); hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe); and hepatitis B core antibody (total anti-HBc). The data were analysed with Epi Info, version 3.3.2.Results:The prevalence of HBsAg was 2.4% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.8–3.0; Adjusted Prevalence [AP] 2.9%); anti-HBs prevalence was 51.1% (95% CI: 49.1–53.1; AP 49.2%) and total anti-HBc prevalence was 41.7% (95% CI: 39.8–43.7; AP 45.5%). The prevalence of HBsAg and total anti-HBc positivity increased from young to older age groups, yet the prevalence of anti-HBs positivity decreased from young to older age groups (P< 0.001 for all). There was no difference in the prevalences of HBsAg and anti-HBs among females and males (P= 0.108 and 0.089), but females had a higher prevalence than males for total anti-HBc positivity (P< 0.001). Discussion: This survey showed that in 2010 the prevalence of HBsAg among children aged less than five years was lower than the national target of 1.0% and that the prevalence of HBsAg for the total population was lower than the national target of 6.0%.

Abstract: Objective　To analyze the detection of SARS‑CoV‑2 in household environment and public place environment of Huangpu District, and describe the feature of SARS‑CoV‑2 contamination in the environment exposure to the infected cases, so as to support the control strategies such as disinfection and health communication. Methods　The results of RT-PCR test for the environmental samples exposure to the cases infected by SARS‑CoV‑2 during February 1 to March 31 2022 in Huangpu District of Shanghai were collected as the research data. Pearson χ2 was used to test the significance of the differences between positive rates of SARS‑CoV‑2 contamination. Results　From February 1 to March 31, household environment samples had a higher positive rate (6.47%, 234/3 618) of SARS‑CoV‑2 contamination while the public place samples had a lower one (1.22%, 47/3 582) in Huangpu District of Shanghai (χ2=141.908, P<0.01). Among the household buildings, the lane houses of old style representing poorer living condition had the highest positive rates (8.31%, 96/1 155) of SARS‑CoV‑2 contamination while the apartments representing better living condition had the lowest (3.59%, 22/612) (F=5.25，P<0.05). Among the samples from household environment, samples regarding sewerage had the highest positive rates (13.30%,58/436) of SARS‑CoV‑2 contamination, while samples regarding the tool of cooking and sweeping had the lowest (3.10%,17/548) (F=9.84，P<0.01). Among the samples from public place environment, samples regarding entertainment tools had the highest positive rates (13.33%, 2/15) of SARS‑CoV‑2 contamination, while samples regarding the tool of cooking and sweeping had the lowest (0.62%, 4/646) (F=4.22，P<0.01). Conclusion　In the environment exposure to the SARS‑CoV‑2 infected cases, the disinfection, ventilation and cleaning should be intensified strictly. SARS‑CoV‑2's surviving in sewage environment should be evaluation dynamically. More health communication should be pushed to people of poorer living condition.

Child ; Humans ; Male ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; diagnosis ; drug therapy

Objective To investigate the Wallerian degeneration of neural fiber tract in medulla and bilateral middle cerebellar peduncle following pontine infarction and to explore its impacts on neurological recovery.Methods Fourteen patients with a recent unilateral pontine infarct underwent the diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)and evaluations with the NIH stroke scale(NIHSS),the Fugl-Meyer motor scale(FM), ataxia rating scale(ARS)and the Barthel index(BI)at the first week(W1),the fourth(W4)and twelfth week(W12)respectively.Mean diffusivity(MD)and fractional anisotropy(FA)were measured at pons, medulla and middle cerebellar peduncle.Fourteenth age and gender matched volunteers underwent a DTI were studied as controls.Results Compared with the matched regions in controls,the FA values of infarct side medulla and bilateral middle cerebellar peduncle in patients significantly decreased at W1,W4 and W12(on the infarct side of medulla:W1:0.43?0.01;W4:0.37?0.02;W12:0.30?0.02;on the infarct side of middle cerebellar peduncle:W1:0.50?0.01;W4:0.43?0.02;W12:0.35?0.04;on the opposite side of middle cerebellar peduncle infarction:W1:0.54?0.02;W4:0.52?0.03;W12:0.47?0.04,t values are 1.92 to 28.56,P0.05 respectively).The absolute value of percent reduction of FA in infarct side medulla and bilateral middle cerebellar peduncle was correlated negatively to the absolute value of percent change of NIHSS and BI score(P

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of gemcitabine in enhancing the radiosensitivity of hepatoma cell line HepG2 and explore its mechanisms.

METHODSClonogenic survival assay is employed to calculate the ratios of L-Q model radiation biology parameters and radiosensitization after different doses of irradiation. Flow cytometry was used to detect the changes in HepG2 cell cycle and apoptosis rate after gemcitabine treatment and radiation exposure.

RESULTSThe survival fraction at 2 Gy of HepG2 cells treated with gemcitabine was significantly lower, and the value of alpha was significantly higher than those of untreated cells. GEM treatment increased the percentage of radiation-induced G0/G1 phase cells and cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONGemcitabine can significantly enhance the radiosensitivity of HepG2 cells by enhancing radiation-induced cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and cell apoptosis.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; drug effects ; Deoxycytidine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Radiation Tolerance ; drug effects ; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) rs2736098 and rs2736100 and the susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSThis case-control study design included 1300 diagnosed HCC patients with HBsAg positive and 1344 HBsAg positive people as control-group.rs2736098 and rs2736100 on TERT were selected as research sites, whose polymorphisms were detected by TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. The OR values (95%CI) were calculated by logistic regression to compare the correlation between different genotype and susceptibility to HCC.

RESULTSThe distribution frequencies of three genotypes as GG, AG and AA on rs2736098 were separately 39.3% (500/1273), 44.2% (563/1273) and 16.5% (210/1273) in case group; while respectively 39.6% (526/1328), 45.5% (604/1328) and 14.9% (198/1328) in control group. The distribution frequencies of three genotypes as AA, AC and CC on rs2736100 were separately 33.7% (428/1269), 49.9% (633/1269) and 16.4% (208/1269) in case group; while respectively 34.0% (449/1322), 49.2% (651/1322) and 16.8% (222/1322) in control group. The multi-variates logistic regression analysis showed that there was no significant difference between rs2736098 mutated A carriers and genotype GG carriers in the susceptibility to HCC after adjusting by age, sex, smoking and drinking factors (rs2736098, AA + AG vs GG: adjusted OR = 1.00 (95%CI: 0.86 - 1.18)); and there was no significant different between rs2736100 mutated C carriers and genotype AA carriers in the susceptibility to HCC either (AC + CC vs AA: adjusted OR = 1.03 (95%CI: 0.87 - 1.22)).

CONCLUSIONThe polymorphisms of rs2736098 and rs2736100 on TERT may not play a landmark role in susceptibility to HCC among Chinese population.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Risk Factors ; Telomerase ; genetics