TDP-4-ketohexulose reductase, encoded by dnmV, is important in daunorubicin biosynthesis. To obtain a daunorubicin block mutant, double cross-over plasmid pYG817 was constructed by inserting apramycin resistant gene and amplified dnmV together with upstream dnmU into vector pUC18. dnmV was successfully disrupted after transformation of daunorubicin-producing strain SIPI-1482 by pYG817. Daunorubicin was absent from metabolites of the resulting transformant, and its biosynthesis can be reconstituted by introducing dnmV expression plasmid into the disruptant, although the yield is lower than wild-type SIPI-1482, according to HPLC analysis. This mutant can be a good candidate for production of anthracycline such as epi-daunorubicin by introducing exogenous gene into the host.

A novel gene,located between dnrX and drrB in the genome of daunorubicin-producing strain Streptomyces coeruleorubidus SIPI-1482,was cloned and named as dauW.The full sequence of dauW was submitted to GenBank(Accession No.EF523565).Blast result indicated that it showed high homology with dnrW in GenBank.The exact function of dauW is as yet unknown despite the possibility that it might belong to a family of FAD-dependent oxidoreductases on the basis of conserved domain analysis.dauW was cloned into expression plasmids pET-28a(+)and pET-32a(+),respectively,and was successfully expressed in E.coli DE3 after induction with IPTG.The preliminary results of the expression of dauW suggested that it might be involved in the self resistance in Streptomyces coeruleorubidus due to the increased resistance to daunorubicin in the E.coli host.

TTI gene coding for Tsetse thrombin inhibitor was modified with E.coli bias codon and expressed in Escherichia coli with high efficiency.Recombinant protein was purified to more than 98% purity.Assay for enzyme activity determination was set up.The result showed that the fusion protein exhibited inhibiting activity for thrombin.Inhibitory rate of purified TTI was 73% when concentration of thrombin and substrate was 10U/ml and 250?mol/L respectively.Inhibition pattern was determined as competitive with Ki at 35?mol/L.

Abstract: Objective　To analyze the epidemic characteristics of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Nanping City, Fujian province and to provide the basis for formulating effective prevention and control measures as well as evaluating the efficacy of prevention and treatment. Methods　Descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze the incidence data of HFMD in Nanping City from 2012 to 2021. Results　A total of 49 231 cases of HFMD were reported in Nanping City from 2012 to 2021. The incidence fluctuated greatly over the 10-year period, ranging from 76.10/100 000 to 308.93/100 000, with an average incidence of 184.99/100 000 per year. The overall incidence and the number of cases showed a fluctuating downward trend over time, but the incidence was high in the next year, and there were statistically significant differences in the incidence rates between different years(χ2=8 169.176, P<0.001). There were significant regional differences in the incidence, the top three average annual incidence rates were: Guanze County (370.76/100 000), Zhenghe County (295.31/100 000) and Wuyishan City (250.31/100 000). There were two peaks of HFMD incidence each year, with the first occurring in May and June and the second occurring in September and October. The incidence rate was higher among males (215.86/100 000) than females (152.93/100 000), and males were more susceptible than females (RR=1.412, 95%CI=1.387-1.438). The cases were mainly aged 0-4 years, accounting for 86.25% (42 461/49 231) of all cases, and the incidence rate gradually decreased with increasing age (χ2trend=570,105.801, P<0.001). The majority of cases (85.22%, 41 953/49 231) occurred in children living in scattered areas, followed by children in kindergartens (12.39%, 6 101/49 231). The etiological results showed a total of 3 476 laboratory-confirmed cases, and the proportion of three (classes) of enterovirus positivity varied each year, with different pathogen compositions showing statistical significance (χ2=584.613, P<0.001). In addition to the years 2015-2017, during which Cox A16 and EV71 were the dominant strains, other years were dominated by other enteroviruses, with EV71 being the main type in severe and fatal cases of HFMD in Nanping City. Conclusion　Nanping City should strengthen health education for children living in the diaspora and in day-care centers, enhance surveillance of epidemics and pathogenology, improve vaccination rates against EV71, focus on the detection and typing of other enteroviruses, and implement effective prevention and control measures for HFMD.

Background/Aims: Fatty liver disease is defined as a cluster of diseases with heterogeneous etiologies, and its definition continues to evolve. The novel conceptional criteria for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) were proposed in 2020 to avoid the exclusion of a certain subpopulation, but their evaluations have been limited. We aimed to examine and compare the clinical as well as histologic features of MAFLD versus nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with biopsy-proven hepatic steatosis. Methods: From January 2009 to December 2019, 175 patients with histology-proven hepatic steatosis and 10 with cryptogenic cirrhosis who were treated at National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, were enrolled. Patients were classified into different groups according to the diagnostic criteria of MAFLD and NAFLD. The clinical and histologic features were then analyzed and compared. Results: In total, 76 patients (41.1%) were diagnosed with both MAFLD and NAFLD, 81 patients (43.8%) were diagnosed with MAFLD alone, nine patients (4.9%) were diagnosed with NAFLD alone, and 19 patients (10.3%) were diagnosed with neither. Those with MAFLD alone exhibited a higher degree of disease severity regarding histology and laboratory data than those with NAFLD alone. Advanced fibrosis was associated with the presences of hepatitis B virus infection and metabolic diseases. Conclusions The novel diagnostic criteria for MAFLD include an additional 38.9% of patients with hepatic steatosis and can better help identify those with a high degree of disease severity for early intervention than can the previous NAFLD criteria.

Background/Aims: Fatty liver disease is defined as a cluster of diseases with heterogeneous etiologies, and its definition continues to evolve. The novel conceptional criteria for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) were proposed in 2020 to avoid the exclusion of a certain subpopulation, but their evaluations have been limited. We aimed to examine and compare the clinical as well as histologic features of MAFLD versus nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with biopsy-proven hepatic steatosis. Methods: From January 2009 to December 2019, 175 patients with histology-proven hepatic steatosis and 10 with cryptogenic cirrhosis who were treated at National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, were enrolled. Patients were classified into different groups according to the diagnostic criteria of MAFLD and NAFLD. The clinical and histologic features were then analyzed and compared. Results: In total, 76 patients (41.1%) were diagnosed with both MAFLD and NAFLD, 81 patients (43.8%) were diagnosed with MAFLD alone, nine patients (4.9%) were diagnosed with NAFLD alone, and 19 patients (10.3%) were diagnosed with neither. Those with MAFLD alone exhibited a higher degree of disease severity regarding histology and laboratory data than those with NAFLD alone. Advanced fibrosis was associated with the presences of hepatitis B virus infection and metabolic diseases. Conclusions The novel diagnostic criteria for MAFLD include an additional 38.9% of patients with hepatic steatosis and can better help identify those with a high degree of disease severity for early intervention than can the previous NAFLD criteria.

OBJECTIVETo observe therapeutic effect of thread embedding therapy on chronic gastritis.

METHODSSeventy cases of chronic gastritis were randomly divided into the treatment group (n = 36) treated by thread embedding therapy and the control group (n = 34) by acupuncture. Weishu (BL 21), Zhongwan (CV 12) and Zusanli (ST 36) were selected as main points. And plasma contents of cAMP, cGMP, gastrin and substance P were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 88.89% in the treatment group and 76.47% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05); there were significant differences before and after treatment in plasma contents of cAMP, cGMP, gastrin and substance P in the two groups (P < 0.01), and the changes of these indexes in the treatment group were significantly superior to the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThread embedding therapy has a definite therapeutic effect on chronic gastritis and it can adjust nucleotides, gastrin and substance P to improve the functions of the nerve-endocrine-immunity network.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Gastritis ; therapy ; Gastrointestinal Hormones ; Humans ; Nucleotides

Veregen™ and Fulyzaq are the first two botanical drug products that were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market in the US in recent years. Additional herbal medicines, including Compound Danshen Dripping Pills, Fuzheng Huayu Tablets, Xuezhikang Capsule, Guizhi Fuling Capsule, Kanglaite Capsule and Kanglaite Injection, have filed the investigational new drug (IND) application to the FDA and are in phase II or phase III clinical development. In order to gain better understanding of the process of botanical drug approval in the US, this article examines the aforementioned drugs by looking at their composition, indication, prior clinical experience and clinical development process, and summarizes key features that enabled IND filing and marketing approval by the FDA.
China ; Drug Approval ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Nonprescription Drugs ; therapeutic use ; United States ; United States Food and Drug Administration

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical characteristics, pathological and biological behaviors of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) originated from oral submucous fibrosis (OSF).

METHODSA total of 528 patients with OSCC treated at Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University from 2002 to 2010 were divided into two groups, OSCC originated from OSF and OSCC not originated from OSF. The clinical data regarding age, gender, location, pathological type, metastasis and recurrence rate of these patients were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSThe mean age of the group of OSCC originated from OSF (45.8 years) was younger than that of the group of OSCC not originated from OSF (55.9 years). The male female ratio of the group of OSCC originated from OSF (32.3:1) was higher than that of the group of OSCC not originated from OSF (2.3:1). The metastasis and recurrence rate of the group of OSCC originated from OSF (13.5%, 39.1%) was higher than that of the group of OSCC not originated from OSF (7.6%, 27.8%.).

CONCLUSIONSOSCC originated from OSF occurs at younger age and more in male, and is clinically more invasive and metastatic.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Neoplasms ; pathology ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Oral Submucous Fibrosis ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Factors ; Young Adult

Objective To study the risk factors on anemia among elderly women in rural areas of Xiuning county, Anhui province, China. Methods Xiuning county was selected as working field and elderly women aged 50-75y were selected as subjects. Finger hemoglobin (Hb) was measured and basic health survey was face-to-face interviewed. 220 elderly women with anemia entered into the ease group; and matched by age, another 220 women with normal Hb concentration entered the control group. Survey on diet, questionnaire regarding health and lifestyle and related blood indexes were studied and tested. Results When comparing the data from both case and control groups, weight was (49.4±7.3) kg vs. (52.5±8.4) kg (t= 3.97,P<0.01 ), waist circumference was (75.8±7.8) cm vs. (79.1±9.3) cm (t=3.85,P<0.01), BMI was (21.8±2.6) kg/m2 vs. ( 22.9±3.2) kg/m2 (t = 3.775, P< 0.01 ), respectively. The total protein was ( 76.4± 5.0) g/L vs. (78.4±5.6)g/L (t=3.83 ,P<0.01 ), albumin was (45.7±3.1 ) g/L vs. (47.3±2.9)g/L (t=5.24, P<0.01 ), serum iron was ( 10.3±4.1 ) μmol/L vs. ( 12.7±4.6) μmol/L (t=5.48, P<0.01 ), and saturation of transferrin was ( 19.0±7.6)% vs. (23.1±9.1 )% (t=4.90, P<0.01 ), respectively. Results from multifactor conditioned logistic regression analysis showed that the odd ratios (OR) for anemia with staple food, BMI and vitamin A were 1.54, 1.89, 1.69, and the OR for anemia with BMI, staple food, animal food, carbohydrate and vitamin A were 2.0, 1.6, 1.6, 1.4, 1.6, with their confidence intervals (CI) as 1.3-2.9, 1.1-2.3,1.0-2.3,1.0-2.1, 1.1-2.4, respectively. Conclusion The quality of diet, health status and related blood indexes on anemia among elderly women were lower than that in control group. Lower BMI, less staple food and animal food, less carbohydrate and vitamin A intake appeared to be risk factors of anemia.