Dengue virus (DENV) is a re-emerging disease transmitted by the Aedes mosquitoes and has become a major public health problem in southern China. Currently, no antiviral drug or effective vaccine exist to control this disease. The chimeric DENV structural protein vaccine cannot elicit balanced levels of protective immunity to each of the four viral serotypes; therefore, non-structural protein components may be required to construct an effective DENV vaccine. The Dengue virus non-structural 1 (DENV NS1) protein plays a critical role in viral pathogenesis and protective immunity. Therefore, immunity to Dengue 1-4 NS1 subtypes may be crucial for the prevention of severe disease. This review attempts to provide an overview about the structure and function of DENV NS1.
Animals ; Dengue ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Dengue Vaccines ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; Dengue Virus ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology

Aluminum Compounds ; toxicity ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cerebral Cortex ; cytology ; drug effects ; Chlorides ; toxicity ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Neurons ; cytology ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective · To investigate the expression of the regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) and calcineurin A (CnA) in tissues of in-stent restenosis after intervention of arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO), and to explore the relationship between their expression levels and the occurance of in-stent restenosis. Methods · Superficial femoral arterial tissues were collected from 15 ASO patients undergoing lower extremity amputation for in-stent restenosis in Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from September 2013 to June 2016. H-E staining and Masson staining were performed on the stenosis tissues, as well as on the proximal and distal tissues, and the morphological changes of these tissues were observed under optical microscope. Western blotting was used to detect the protein levels of RCAN1, CnA and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The distribution of RCAN1 and CnA proteins was observed by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence methods. In addition, co-immunoprecipitation was used to validate the protein-protein interaction between RCAN1 and CnA in vascular tissues. Results · The expression of RCAN1 in the distal tissues was significantly elevated compared with the proximal tissues and the stenosis tissues (P<0.05). The expression of RCAN1 in the proximal tissues was higher than that in the stenosis tissues (P <0.05). The expression of CnA and PCNA in the stenosis tissues was significantly elevated compared with the proximal tissues and the distal tissues (P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analyses showed that RCAN1 and CN proteins were mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of vascular smooth muscle cells. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis showed there is protein-protein interaction between RCAN1 and CnA in arterial tissues. Conclusion · The low expression of RCAN1 and the high expression of CnA are probably related to the occurrence of in-stent restenosis.

To confirm the etiology of a dead case for a 6 year-old female Ailurus fulgens,one strain of the predominant bacteria from pathologic tissues(heart,liver,spleen,lung and other samples) of the dead Ailurus fulgens were examined and isolated.The isolate was named R1 and no other bacteria were isolated.The bacterial etiological examination(morphological characteristics,biochemical characteristics and 16S rDNA gene detection)of R1 showed that it was identifed as K.peneumoniae.Artificial infection to mice about R1 was also conducted in this study.R1 had strong pathogenicity to mice and the LD50 is 6.5 × 104 CFU/mL.Moreover,the clinical and pathological features of the dead mice were consistent with that of the Ailurus fulgens.To find effective therapeutic drugs of curing other Ailurus fulgens,antibiotic sensitivity test of R1 was conducted,and the results revealed that R1 was highly sensitive to cefotaxime et al,moderately sensitive to amikacin and resistant to penicillin.These data showed that K.peneumoniae was bacterial pathogen leading to death of the Ailurus fulgens and it had strong resistance to penicillins,macrolides and virginiamycin and it had broad drug resistance spectrum.However,R1 is sensitive to cephalosporins and aminoglycoside antibiotics.

ObjectiveTo investigate the necessary of letting the intelligent knee joint be adaptive to the road terrain and the key technology of knee moment control method. MethodsBased on data from gait analysis and the dynamic model of lower limb,the knee moments while people walking on the path of different terrain were obtained. Terrain identification method was based on the features of electromyography(EMG) signals of the thigh,and the EMG of some muscles was detected. The methods were applied to an intelligent trans-femoral prosthesis developed for tests in the laboratory.ResultsConsiderable variation of the knee moments appeared when people walking on the path of different terrain,as well as that of the features of EMG of some muscles.ConclusionIt is necessary to make the intelligent knee joint be adaptive to the road terrain,and it is possible to be achieved with satisfied motion of the leg and the trajectory of ankle joint by the intelligent transfemoral prosthesis being studied which can identify the features of EMG signals.

Codon ; Dengue Virus ; chemistry ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Genes, Viral ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Viral Structural Proteins ; genetics

Alphavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; Chikungunya virus ; Humans

Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) is a semiquantitative analysis based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR). It possesses many advantages such as high efficiency, simple operation, low cost and has been wildly applied in researches of diseases associated with copy number variation, point mutation and methylation. Recently, MLPA is combined with DNA chip to become a real high-throughput method and get great improvement in reliability. Here, the progresses of methods and application of MLPA, as well as its limitations are reviewed.
DNA Methylation ; DNA Probes ; analysis ; genetics ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; instrumentation ; methods ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Objective To evaluate the utility of short tau inversion recovery (STIR) sequence in the diagnosis of hippocampal sclerosis ( HS).Methods Twenty-one patients with medial temporal lobe epilepsy without neoplasm lesions or injuries by conventional MRI sequence including T1WI,T2WI and FLAIR were included in this study.STIR imaging in axial,coronal and sagittal sequences was performed on these patients. Diagnosis of HS was based on the findings of hippocampal atrophy,alteration signal,disturbed internal structure and enlargement of the inferior horn. The findings shown on conventional MRI were compared with those on STIR sequence. Furthermore,the correlation of radiologic and histological findings was investigated in 6 patients operated for refractory seizures. Results On conventional MRI sequence,14 patients (66.7％) were confirmed with unilateral HS and 4 patients were suspected with unilateral HS. In contrast,all these 18 patients (85.7％) were confirmed with unilateral HS by STIR.Particularly,STIR sequence delineated the internal structure of hippocampus more clearly than conventional MRI sequences did. C shaped contour in subiculum-CA1-CA2 was revealed in normal hippocampus on STIR sequence and disappeared in HS,correlated to the pathology finding of loss of neuron in CA1 in resected tissues in 6 operated patients.The patients with HS also showed areas of hypodensity in CA4 on STIR,in accordance with pathologic findings of gliosis in this area in the 6 operated patients.Conclusion STIR sequence could depict the internal anatomical structure of hippocampus with high resolution superior to conventional MRI sequences,and can be of great value in the diagnosis of HS.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the confusing factors and clinical and audiological characteristics in infants failed in hearing screening.

METHODSBetween August 2004 and January 2006, 166 infants (315 ears) with detailed birth record and hearing screening record were reviewed in the study. The age of this series ranged from 2 to 6 months. They were born in maternal and child health hospitals (MCH) in Guangzhou city and surrounding areas, and had hearing screened by otoacoustic emissions (OAE). However, they failed in the first and second hearing screening. The birth history, high-risk factors of hearing-impaired during newborn period and pregnancy history of subjects were fully detailed. Subjects were classified according to the age: 2 to 3 months old infants were considered as group 1, while 4 to 6 months old infants were considered as group 2. Auditory brainstem response (ABR), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and acoustic immittance measurement were examined. Subjects with abnormal hearing-evaluation were retested during the following one to three months (before 6-month-old). The ABR results, DPOAE results and tympanic cavity pressure and static compliance value were compared between the two tests and then diagnosis was made.

RESULTS(1) Among the 166 cases, 34 (20.5%) cases were once suffered from hypercholesterolemia of newborn, and 10 cases (6.0%) had asphyxia and hypoxia history. (2) The proportion of presenting type B tympanogram in group 2 was higher than that of group 1 (chi2 = 26.22, P < 0.01). (3) The proportion of normal ABR in group 2 (37.2%) was significantly higher than that of in group 1 (23.4%, chi2 = 0.527, P < 0.05). Fifty-six percent of infants accepted twice ABR test had improving ABR results during the second test. (4) The proportion of normal DOPAE in group 2 (39.7%) was slightly lower than that of in group 1 (42.2%, chi2 = 0.14, P > 0.05). Among the infants who accepted twice DPOAE test, 32.0% had improving results in the second test. (5) Four cases (4 ears ) were diagnosed as auditory neuropathy.

CONCLUSIONSMiddle ear function and development of auditory system in infants may be confusing factors in hearing screening. The results of hearing screening should be interpreted appropriately.