Trichinella spiralis nudix hydrolase (TsNd) gene encoding a 46 kDa protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and the potential of recombinant TsNd protein (rTsNd) as an antigen for the serodiagnosis of trichinellosis was investigated by ELISA and compared with those of ELISA with T. spiralis muscle larval excretory–secretory (ES) antigens. The sensitivity of both ELISA was 100% (30/30), for the detection of anti-Trichinella IgG antibodies in sera of the experimentally infected mice, and the specificity of rTsNd-ELISA and ES-ELISA was 100% (54/54) and 98% (53/54), respectively (P>0.05). Serum anti-Trichinella antibodies were firstly detected by rTsNd-ELISA at 14 days post infection (dpi), then continued to increase with a detection rate of 100% at 36 dpi. The anti-Trichinella antibody levels at different times after infection were statistically different (P<0.05). The results showed that the rTsNd might be a potential candidate antigen for specific serodiagnosis of trichinellosis. But, it needs to be further evaluated with sera of the patients with trichinellosis and other helminthiasis.

OBJECTIVETo explore the operative skills and effect of unilateral pedicle screw combined with contralateral percutaneous transfacet screws fixation in treating degenerative low lumbar disease.

METHODSFrom January 2009 to December 2011,22 patients with degenerative low lumbar disease were treated with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion, during the operations, unilateral pedicle screw and contralateral percutaneous transfacet screw fixation were performed. There were 16 males and 6 females, aged from 32 to 71 years old with an average of (51.1 ± 10.6) years, including single segment in 20 cases and two segments in 2 cases. Clinical effects were evaluated according to visual analogue score (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI).

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 1 to 2.5 years with an average of 18 months. One case complicated with leakage of cerebrospinal fluid after operation and 1 case with lower limb pain of decompression-side on the 3rd day after operation. Twenty-two patients got bony fusion. There were no instability and evidence of instrument failure during follow-up. The VAS and ODI score decreased from preoperative 8.24 ± 0.72, 36.72 ± 6.84 respectively to 3.18 ± 0.66, 4.36 ± 1.12 at the final follow-up (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONUnilateral pedicle screw combined with contralateral percutaneous transfacet screw fixation is safe and feasible surgical technique in treating low lumbar degenerative disease. It has advantages of little trauma, rigid fixation, high fusion rate, and less complication. etc.

Adult ; Aged ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedicle Screws ; Spinal Fusion ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical characteristics of hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure patients with familial aggregation.

METHODS275 patients with hepatitis B virus--related acute-on-chronic liver failure were investigated. The patients were divided into familial aggregation and non-familial aggregation group basis on their epidemiological features. Clinical data and biochemical indicators between the two groups were analyzed statistically.

RESULTS93 of 275 patients (33.82%) case were family aggregation. There was no significant difference compared with chronic hepatitis B patients (38.3%). The mean age of the two groups was 45.98 and 43.61 years old, respectively (P > 0.05). The rates of liver cirrhosis in family aggregation group were significant higher than non-familial aggregation group (73.91% vs 58.24%, p < 0.05). Serum total (TBil) and prothrombin activities (PTA) were no significant difference between the two groups, but ALT level in familial aggregation group was much higher (407.80 U/L vs 256.45 U/L, P 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFamilial aggregation were not related to acute-on-chronic liver failure in chronic HBV hepatitis patients. But the rate of liver cirrhosis were higher in patients with familial aggregation.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; End Stage Liver Disease ; etiology ; genetics ; Family ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as seed cells for the repair of tendon defect.

METHODSThe MSCs were isolated, amplified and identified by detection of surface protein CD44 mRNA. A 3 cm long defect was made in the Achilles tendon of the rabbit. The rabbits were divided into experimental (E) and control (C) groups. The autologous MSCs were implanted into a collagen-polyglycolic acid (PGA) scaffold to form a tissue-engineered tendon, which was then transplanted to bridge the defect in the E group, while only collagen-PGA was transplanted to bridge the defect in the C group. The transplanted tendon was observed grossly and microscopically at 4, 8, 12 weeks after operation.

RESULTSThe cultured MSCs exhibited positive staining of CD44 on 11 days after in vitro culture. A tendon-like tissue could be discerned at the operation site in the E group 4 weeks after operation. Tendon-like cells similar to normal tendon tissue, being axially arranged in collagen matching the mechanical direction, with uniform morphology could be seen in E group 12 weeks after operation. The newly regenerated tissue in C group adhered to the adjacent tissue and was smaller than that in E group. The collagen fibers in the regenerated tissue were loose with reticular and filiform structure, and the cells were arranged disorderly 12 weeks after the transplantation.

CONCLUSIONIt is feasible to repair the tendon defect with autologous MSCs as seed cells.

Achilles Tendon ; injuries ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cells, Cultured ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Rabbits ; Tendon Injuries ; surgery ; Tissue Engineering ; methods

Human-animal parasitic diseases caused by medical helminths are hazardous to human health. Genetic polymorphism studies on medical helminth populations can not only understand the biological characteristics and genetic structure of their populations, but also help reveal how they adapt to their parasitic environment, thus contributing to deepen our understanding of the epidemiological patterns of parasitic diseases and improve our understanding of accurate prevention and control of parasitic diseases. With the development of molecular biology, molecular markers such as DNA barcodes, simple sequence repeats, and single nucleotide polymorphism markers have been widely used to study the genetic relationships among parasite populations and individuals, and to reveal the genetic variation of parasite populations and the evolution of species origins. In this paper, we systematically review the application of three molecular markers commonly used in the study of genetic polymorphism in medical helminths, with a view to laying the foundation for related research.

Objeetive To study the public health emergent events(PHEE)in Fujian province，from 2004 to 2007.Methods Descriptive and analytic methods were Used to analyze the PHEE in Fujian province aecording to the internet.based surveillance reports.Results From 2004 to 2007.there were 304 emergency events being surveyed.Of all the events，there were 7(2.30％)belonged to serious-degree of grade II，57(18.75％)to gradeⅢand 240(78.95％)t0 gradeⅣ，but with no grade I.Results showed that the attack rate in affected population WaS 25.82‰.the mortality rate was 0.08‰and the fatalky rate Was 0.32％.The numbers of emergency events decreased 2.82％on average.each year.A total number of 169(55.60％)events occurred in schools with 71(23.36％)in the countryside.Numbers due to infectious disease-born Was 233(76.64％)including avian flu，cholera and dengue fever were predominant pathogens of the grade II and grade emergency events.57(18.75％)of the events was due to food poisoning.The epi.garph showed that there were two peaks.I.e.in Mar-Apr and Sep.contributed 43.1％to the total number of events.Conclusion Emergency events showed a stable decrease in FujJan province with communicable disease and food poisoning the two major sources and more commonly seen in schools and countryside.We suggest that the government and community pay more attention to the emergency events of avian flu,cholera and dengue fever.

AIMTo investigate the changes of the spermatozoa ultrastructures before and after renal transplantation in uremic patients.

METHODSThe sperm of five uremic patients before and after transplantation and four healthy volunteers were collected and examined by scanning electron microscopy.

RESULTSAbnormal spermatozoa were found in patients pre-transplantation; abnormalities included deletion of the acrosome, absence of the postacrosomal and postnuclear ring, dumbbell-like changes of the head, tail curling, and absence of the mitochondrial sheath in the mid-segment. After renal transplantation, most of the spermatozoa became normal.

CONCLUSIONThere are many abnormalities with regard to the appearance and structure of the head, acrosome, mitochondria and tail of the spermatozoa in uremic patients. The majority of the spermatozoa returned to normal after renal transplantation, but a few still presented some abnormalities possibly relating to the administration of immunosuppressants.

Acrosome ; pathology ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; complications ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Renal Dialysis ; Sperm Head ; pathology ; Sperm Tail ; pathology ; Spermatozoa ; pathology ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo study the histopathologic changes of primary brain stem injury and to investigate their significance in the diagnosis of primary brain stem injury.

METHODSSixty-five autopsy cases died of primary brain stem injury and other diseases were enrolled into this study. The cases were subdivided into brain stem injury group (n = 25) and control group (including 20 cases died of cardiovascular disease and 20 cases died of non-cardiovascular diseases). The brain stem tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and silver impregnation techniques. Immunohisto chemical study for glial fibrillary acidic protein, neurofilament, amyloid-beta and myelin basic protein was carried out. The widest cross diameters of 10 axons highlighted by immunostaining were measured in each low power field (x 100) through light miscroscopy in all the cases studied.

RESULTSIn comparing with that of the control group, there were differences in the degree of contusion lesion, reactive astrocytosis, edema and pathologic changes of neuronal cells present in the brain stem injury group and was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The axons locating in the brain stem injury group showed a distinctive histology by the appearance of significantly larger diameters (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPrimary brain stem injury demonstrates certain distinctive histopathologic changes and measurement of axonal diameters provides an additional quantitative index useful in autopsy diagnosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; metabolism ; Axons ; metabolism ; pathology ; Brain Injuries ; metabolism ; pathology ; Brain Stem ; injuries ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelin Basic Protein ; metabolism ; Neurofilament Proteins ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo understand the HA1 genetic variation characterization of influenza virus subtype H3N2 circulated from 2001 to 2006 in Liaoning local area.

METHODSViral RNA was extracted and transcribed into cDNA by reverse transcriptase and amplified by PCR. The product of PCR was purified by QIAgen purification kits,and sequenced by ABI 3100avant. The sequence data were analyzed phylogenetically by Sequence software with epidemic records. Finally, the phylogenetic trees were drawn according to deduced amino acid sequences of influenza virus H3N2 from 2000 to 2006 in the NCBI database.

RESULTSThe seven HA1domain sequences of H3N2 influenza viruses circulated from 2001 to 2006 in Liaoning local area had been analyzed. Compared with WHO 2004-2006 H3N2 vaccine A/California/7/2004, 12 bases had changed, 4 positions had amino acid substitution in 62 * > E, 182 T > 1,224 S > A,225 C > Y. 224 and 225 are RBS (Receptor binding site). The homology is lower than 98%. Phylogenetic tree showed Liaoning H3N2 2006 strains and Zhejiang 2005 strains were similar to WHO Northern hemisphere winter 2006-2007 Vaccine A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2)-like virus and grouped together to form an independent cluster even though several bases were still different.

CONCLUSIONThe HA1 domain of HA gene of influenza viruses (H3N2) isolated from 2001-2006 in Liaoning local area showed base mutation, amino acid sequence difference compared to A/California/7/2004 (2005-2006 vaccine), suggesting it might be the main cause leading to the spread of influenza. The sequence analysis showed Liaoning 2006 H3N2 strains were similar to those from Southern area which suggested that further surveullance should be conducted to monitor the virus mutation in circulation.

Cell Line ; China ; epidemiology ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus ; chemistry ; genetics ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Phylogeny ; Population Surveillance ; Protein Structure, Tertiary

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the long-term results of repair of burn hands with large sheet of split-thickness autoskin grafting with the preservation of denatured dermis.

METHODSOne hundred and fifty-two hands in 86 burn patients with deep partial thickness and full thickness burn were enrolled in the study. The burned hands were treated by tangential excision and grafted with large sheet of split-thickness autoskin with the preservation of denatured dermis. The patients were followed-up from 3 months to 3 years. The skin color, elasticity, degree of contracture and the functional grading of the operated hands were observed.

RESULTSGood function was found in one hundred and forty-one out of the 152 burn hands (92.8%). For the rest 11 hands, pigmentation was found in 4, poor appearance in 4, and 3 hands with both poor appearance and function.

CONCLUSIONLarge sheet of split-thickness autoskin grafting with the preservation of denatured dermis could be an optimal choice for the management of hands with deep partial thickness burn, and it could restore the appearance and function of the hands satisfactorily.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Burns ; surgery ; Child ; Dermis ; surgery ; transplantation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand Injuries ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; Wound Healing