Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; toxicity ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; drug therapy ; Female ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Silymarin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVEEvaluating the accuracy and safety as well as the equivalence compared with the control kit of RIDA QUICK Norovirus detection kit(R-Biopharm, Germany).

METHODSBased on the results of commercially available IDEA Norovirus detection kit (ELISA), the sensitivity and specificity and accuracy of RIDA QUICK Norovirus detection kit (immunochromatographic assay) were evaluated.

RESULTSThe sensitivity and specificity of RIDA QUICK Norovirus detection kit were 98.4% and 92.4%, and the accuracy was 97.6% compared with the control kit.

CONCLUSIONRIDA QUICK Norovirus detection kit has good sensitivity and specificity for the detection of norovirus antigens.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Humans ; Immunochromatography ; methods ; Norovirus ; isolation & purification ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The Wnt signaling pathway is thought to be functionally conserved in vertebrates and invertebrates and plays an important role during the embryonic and postembryonic development. Recent studies indicated that this pathway may be also involved in the controlled proliferation and migration of some kinds of fibroblasts during the wound healing process. To verify this assumption in vitro, we chose Rat-1, a kind of rat fibroblasts to investigate the regulation of Wnt signaling pathway to the growth and changes of several phenotypes of this kind of cells. Full length Wnt-3a cDNA was inserted in pcDNA 3.1 vector to construct the Wnt-3a mammalian expression vector, which was stably transfected into Rat-1 cells, and then to establish a cell model in which Wnt signaling pathway was constantly activated. When Wnt signaling pathway was activated constantly, Rat-1 cells exhibited morphological changes: grew more densely as a monolayer, adopted an elongated and refractile appearance, forming cord-like bundles lined up in a uniform direction. The results of MTT assay and FCM analysis indicated that more Rat-1/Wnt-3a cells entered into G(2) phase and the proliferation rate of the Rat-1/ Wnt-3a cells increased significantly compared to the non-transfected cells. Though the migration of Rat-1/Wnt-3a cells increased slightly by the method of Transwell migration assay, there was no statistic significance compared to the non-transfected cells. The result of in vitro scrape wound healing assay showed that for Rat-1/Wnt-3a cells the time course of wound healing decreased significantly. It is therefore concluded that the activation of Wnt signaling pathway can regulate some of the phenotypes of Rat-1 cells, facilitate cell proliferation and promote the scrape wound healing in vitro.

OBJECTIVETo establish rabbit model of scoliosis induced with stable asymmetric lumbar loads.

METHODSScoliosis was induced in 10 two-month-old New Zealand rabbits using 316L stainless steel springs placed between the unilateral transverse processes of L2 and L5. Serial radiographs were documented before and at 1, 4, 8, 9 and 12 weeks after the operation. At weeks, the rabbits were randomly divided into SR group (n=5) with the spring removed and SK group (n=5) without spring removal.

RESULTSAll the rabbits survived the experiment with Cobb angle all greater than 10 degree at the end of the experiment. Significant changes were found in the Cobb angles and kyphotic angles at 1, 4 and 8 weeks after the operation (P<0.05). At 8 weeks, the Cobb angle, the kyphotic angle and the length of the spring were similar between SR and SK groups (P>0.05), and in the 4 weeks following spring removal in SR group, the Cobb angle and the kyphosis decreased significantly compared with those in SK group (P<0.05). Micro-CT showed that the BV/TV of the concave side was greater than that of the convex side. The length of the spring did not show obvious changes during the experiment (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAsymmetric lumbar loading is a convenient, time-saving, and highly reproducible approach for establishing rabbit models of scoliosis.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Rabbits ; Scoliosis ; physiopathology ; Spine ; pathology

BACKGROUNDTo investigate the epidemiological characteristics of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in men attending a sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic in Hangzhou area.

METHODSThe enrolled individuals were men aged 18-70 years attending the STD clinic. Penile swabs were assessed for HPV DNA using polymerase chain reaction with the consensus primers MY09/11. The HPV genotypes of positive PCR products were determined by restriction fragment length polymorphisms and direct sequence analysis.

RESULTSOf 375 swabs collected, 305 (81.3%) yielded sufficient DNA for the subsequent HPV analysis. Among the 305 subjects, the prevalence of HPV was 13.8%. Low risk HPV types were found in 8.5% (26/305) of the enrolled individuals, high risk types were found in 4.3% (13/305) of the enrolled individuals, and multiple types were found in 1.0% (3/305) of participants. The prevalence of HPV infection was higher in participants from urban area than in those from rural area (P<0.05). The prevalence was also higher in those who had received less years of education (P<0.05) and those who had more sex partners (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONHPV infection among men at high risk is not uncommon. The detection rate of HPV DNA was significantly related to some sociodemographic factors, such as residence, educational level and the number of sex partners.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alphapapillomavirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Capsid Proteins ; genetics ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oncogene Proteins, Viral ; genetics ; Outpatients ; statistics & numerical data ; Papillomavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; virology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; China ; Consensus ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; metabolism ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDAmong patients with advanced multivessel coronary disease, left ventricular (LV) function is widely variable, and clinical and angiographic correlates of ventricular dysfunction remain to be defined.

METHODSAmong 73 339 patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization at a single center in China, patients with left ventriculographic assessment were identified with three-vessel coronary disease with or without left main involvement. Clinical and angiographic characteristics were examined among patients with normal or varying extent of LV dysfunction, and predictors of LV impairment (ejection fraction (EF): < 25%, 25% - 40% or > 40%) were determined.

RESULTSAmong 11 950 patients identified with three-vessel coronary disease, the sample distribution of LVEF was > 40%, n = 10 776; 25% - 40%, n = 948; < 25%, n = 226. Patients with reduced LV function (< 40%) more commonly were male and had a history of myocardial infarction (MI), diabetes or unstable angina. Hypertension was more frequent in those with LVEF ≥ 40%. In a multivariate Logistic regression analysis, prior MI (odds ratio (OR), 3.37; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.96 - 3.84) was most predictive of LVEF < 40%, followed by male gender, diabetes, and presentation with unstable angina. For LVEF < 25%, only prior MI was identified as a significant correlate of severe LV dysfunction (OR 4.06, 95%CI 3.06 - 5.39). Following exclusion of patients with previous MI (n = 7416), male gender and diabetes were predictive of LVEF < 40%, yet presentation with unstable angina was the only factor significantly associated with LVEF < 25%.

CONCLUSIONAmong individuals identified with three-vessel coronary disease with or without left main involvement, previous MI was the most significant risk factor of LV dysfunction.

Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Disease ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; pathology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the genetic differences of Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot) Sta56 gene between Shandong isolates and other strains deposited in GenBank.

METHODSPCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) were used to amplify the complete sequence of Ot-Sta56 gene. RFLP profiles of Ot were predicted by a computer program according to their complete sequences of Ot-Sta56 gene. PCR amplicon from XDM2 strain was sequenced and analyzed by Clustal X (1.8) and PHYLIP software.

RESULTSThe complete sequences (about 1.6 kbp) of Ot-Sta56 gene were amplified from B16 strain (isolated from patients), FXS2 strain (isolated from A. agrarius) and XDM2 strain. Four species of restriction endonucleases (Hha I, Hinf I, Hae III, Pst I) were used to digest the PCR amplicons from the 3 isolates. When comparing with the RFLP profiles of prototype Ot, the RFLP profiles of PCR amplicons from the 3 isolates were similar to those of Japan Kawasaki strain, but were quite different from the international reference strains Gilliam, Karp, Kato. Results from DNA sequence analysis showed that the complete sequence of Ot-Sta56 gene homology to Japan Kawasaki strain of XDM2 strain was 97%, and deduced amino acid sequence was 92%.

CONCLUSIONData from the complete sequence of Sta56 gene indicated that the genotypes of Ot isolates in Shandong province were similar, but with distinction from the Kawasaki strain.

Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis ; Antigens, Bacterial ; genetics ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; Bacterial Typing Techniques ; classification ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; Genes, Bacterial ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression level of HB-1 gene in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and the significance of HB-1 gene in monitoring of minimal residual disease (MRD).

METHODSThe method of real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR (Taqman probe) was established to detect the expression levels of HB-1 gene; then the sensitivity, specificity and repeatability of this assay were evaluated and verified. The HB-1 gene expression levels in bone marrow of 183 cases of ALL, 70 cases of acute myeloid leukemias (AML), 52 cases of non-malignant hematologic diseases and 24 healthy hematopoietic stem cell donors were detected. The correlation of HB-1 level with diagnosis and relapse was analyzed by detecting bone marrow samples of 33 B-ALL.

RESULTSThe sensitivity of this assay reached the 10level. The coefficient of variation for inter-batch and inter-tube of HB-1 were 6.79% and 4.80%, respectively. It was found that HB-1 gene specifically expressed in acute B lymphoblastic leukemia. The median expression levels of HB-1 gene in newly diagnosed and relapsed B-ALL patients were statistically significantly higher than those in ALL in complete remission(CR), newly diagnosed T-ALL, newly diagnosed AML, non-malignant hematologic diseases, and healthy hematopoietic stem cell donors(33.0% vs 0.68%, 0.07%, 0.02%, 0.58% and 0, respectively) (P<0.01). No statistical differences were found between newly diagnosed T-ALL, newly diagnosed AML, non-malignant hematologic diseases and healthy donors (P>0.05). The expression level of HB-1 gene declined sharply when B-ALL patients reached complete remission (0-7.99%, with median level 0.68%), but increased when relapsed (7.69%, 8.08% and 484.0% in 3 relapsed samples), which was in accordance with results of flow cytometry.

CONCLUSIONHB-1 gene specifically expressed in acute B lymphoblastic leukemia cells. The established real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR assay shows good sensitivity, specificity and repeatability, thus, can be used as a biological marker in the clinical detection, monitoring MRD and predicting of early relapse for B-ALL patients.

OBJECTIVETo study the value of hsCRP and Alb in evaluating the prognosis of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS126 SLE patients from January 2011 to January 2016 were enrolled in this study, and their clinical data were collected, including SLEDAI, hsCRP and Alb and complications. The correlation between hsCRP/Alb ratio and SLEDAI after treatment was analyzed. All patients were followed up after discharge, and the prognosis-related factors were analyzed.

RESULTSAfter treatment, hsCRP/Alb ratio of patients with SLEDAI 10-14 score was significantly higher than that of 5-9 and 0-4 score(P<0.05). hsCRP/Alb ratio was positively correlated with infection (r=0.574), renal damage (r=0.499) and cardiac injury (r=0.516) (P<0.05), while it demonstrated no correlation with blood system damage, CNS damage and lung injury(P>0.05). after treatment SLEDAI ≥10 score, hsCRP/Alb≥0.05 mg/g and complications significantly correlated with prognosis of patients(P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONhsCRP/Alb correlates with the prognosis of patients with SLE at a certam level.