Objective To discover the main factors influencing the hospitalization expenses incurred by cases of community acquired pneumonia(CAP). Methods The hospitalization expenses incurred by 362 cases of CAP treated by the Department of Respiratory Medicine of the authors hospital from 1999 to 2000 as well as the composition of the expenses, the expenses for testing pathogens and the use of antibiotics were analyzed retrospectively. And the influencing factors of the hospitalization expenses were studied by means of stepwise regression. Results The average CAP hospitalization expenses were 9 253 yuan, with the expenses for medicine accounting for 51.4%. Among the antibiotics used, ? lactam was most frequently used. Next came quinolone and macrolides. The expenses for testing CAP pathogens were high while the positive rate was low. The major factors influencing CAP hospitalization expenses were respectively length of stay, time of intravenous drip of antibiotics during hospitalization, incidence or no incidence of heavy pneumonia, and the number of basal disease entities(P

ObjectiveTo study the cloning and sequencing of mature fragment of human bone morphogenetic protein-4 gene. Methods The template DNA was obtained from the human osteosarcoma cell line U2OS. By using RT- PCR method, the cDNA coding for the mature fragment of BMP-4 was amplified, cloned into the vector pUC19, and sequenced by Sanger Dideoxy-mediated Chain Termination method. Results The mature fragment of BMP4 cDNA was obtained by RT-PCR and determined by sequencing. Through the computer search on Genebank, the analysis showed that the homology of nucleotides and amino acids between cDNA of rhBMP4 mature fragment of this study and the published sequence was 99％. Sequence analysis showed that there were two differences, one was at base 1154 (201): G→C, which had no influence on the corresponding amino acids (Val). Another was at basel222 (269):C→T, the mutation at the base 1222 had the change of Ala to Val. Conclusion The mature fragment of BMP4 gene has been cloned. The results will be of great significance in treatment of skeletal injuries and diseases.

AIM: To investigate the effect of phellodendron and three kinds of its main components, which have asuppressive effect on the immune system, on the membrane fluidity of normal murine splenocytes. METHODS: The fluidity ofmembrane lipid regions of splenocytes was determined by the fluorescence polarization technique using 1, 6 - diphenyl - 1, 3, 5- heatriene (DPH) as a fluorescence probe. RESULTS: The results showed that the water extract of phellodendron and one of itsmain components (palmatine) increased the cell membrane fluidity in the inactive state, but the other two components, berberineand jatrorrhizine, decreased the cell membrane fluidity. After activated by ConA, all of them can decrease the cell membrane flu-idity. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that their immunosuppressive function might be due to decreasing the cell membranefluidity.

AIM:To investigate the effect of berberine on IL-1 or tumour necrosis factor (TNF) induced polymorphonuclear leucocyte(PMN)-endothelium adhesion and adhesion molecules.METHODS:Based on the model of human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC), this study adopted Rose Bengal Stain, cell ELISA, immunocyto-chemical techniques to investigate the effect of berberine on PMN-endothelium adhesion and the expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs).RESULTS:Berberine inhibited IL-1, TNF-induced HUVEC adhesion for PMN when pretreated HUVEC and antagonised IL-1, TNF-induced upregulation of ICAM-1 on HUVEC. Meanwhile, TNF-stimulated PMN adhesion for HUVEC and CD18 upexpression on PMN was diminished in the presence of berberine.CONCLUSION: Inhibite PMN-endothelium adhesion by downregulating the CAMs expression to inhibite PMN migration across endothelium is one of the mechanisms of antiinflammation of berberine.

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of forced expiratory volume in six seconds(FEV6) as an alternative for forced vital capacity(FVC)and the fixed eat-off points for FEV1/FEV6 in the diagnostic screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods From August 2007 to December 2008,a total of 1210 spirometric examinations in were analyzed,FEV6 was measured on volume-time curves.The correlation between FEV1/FVC and FEV1/FEV6 was evaluated by the Kendall correlation test.Considering FEV1/FVC

Objective To investigate the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) by recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) transducing the hNGF gene, and construct and produce the vector of hNGF recombinant AAV. Methods The resulting gene of hNGF was inserted into the KpnⅠ-BamHⅠ site of vector plasmid pSSHG-Neo to construct the vector of hNGF recombinant AAV. The recombinant AAV viral stock was packaged. Renal embryo 293 cell was co-transfected with the rAAV vector of plasmid pSSHG/hNGF, packaging plasmid pAAV/Ad and helper adenovirus pasmid pFG140 instead of adenovirus by calcium phosphate precipitation. Results The recombinant viral stock vector of plasmid pSSHG/hNGF was constructed successfully. The results of dot blot showed that we had obtained the rAAV stocks of high titre 1.46?10 12 PFU?mL -1. Conclusion We prepared the viral stock of rAAV-hNGF that can serve as the experimental study of gene therapy of SCI.

Objective To study the prokaryotic expression of fusion gene A?-HBcAg and analyze the immunoreactivity and immunogenicity of expression protein. Methods Recombinant plasmid pBV220/A?-HBcAg was transformed into E.coli DH5?, and expressed by temperature inducing. The bacteria were split by ultrasonic wave. The expression of the fusion protein was studied by SDS-PAGE and Coomassie brilliant blue staining. The immunoreactivity of the fusion protein was determined using ELISA. After immunized intraperitoneally with the fusion protein, 5 Balb/c mice's sera titers of anti- A? and anti-HBc were evaluated by ELISA. Results Fusion protein was in sediment of the split bacteria as inclusion bodies and its expression level was 5% of the total sediment protein. The fusion protein had both immunoreactivity of A? and HBcAg. The titers of anti-A? and anti-HBc were very low after 3 times of immunization. After immunization for 5 times, the titers reached 1∶800 and 1∶3 200 for anti-A? and anti-HBc, respectively. Conclusion Recombinant gene A?-HBcAg can be expressed in E.coli DH5? and the expression protein has certain immunoreactivity and immunogenicity. It indicates that further work should be done to enhance the expression level of fusion gene A?-HBcAg and improve the immunogenicity of the fusion protein.

Objective To prepare a hybridoma secreting stab le monoclonal antibodies against ?-amyloid peptide (A? 1-42) with high titer. Methods By genetic engineering technology, A ? gene was recombined with the MIR of HBcAg to get the A? and HBcAg fusi on protein. Spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with A? and HBcAg f usion protein were fused with mouse myeloma cells SP2/0. Results Two strains of hybridomas (1H 7 and 1F 3) secreting stable monoclonal antibodies raised against A? 1-42 were ob tained. The subtypes of A? 1-42 antibodies were IgG 3. C onclusion The A? 1-42 monoclonal antibodies obtained have high titers and specificity.

Objective To construct and expr es s a recombinant plasmid of nonstructural protein NS3-NS4 of hepatitis C virus ( HCV), and to identify the antigenicity of the expressed protein. Methods A gene region encompassing the nonstructural protei n NS3-NS4 of HCV was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from the pUC1 9/HCV template. The recombinant expression plasmid containing the pBV220/NS3-NS 4 sequence was constructed, and the nonfused NS3-NS4 recombinant protein was ex pressed in E.coli DH5? efficiently. The recombinant protein was det ected by SDS-PAGE and ELISA. Results We successfully constructed and expressed the recom binant plasmid in prokaryote. Its antigenicity was detected with 50 standard ser a. Compared with the second-generation diagnostic Kit, the total detection rate was 96%. Conclusion The whole NS3-NS4 protein, a region of dominant immunogenicity, should be the effective component of the HCV diagnostic Kit and provide the clue for developing HCV DNA vaccine.