BACKGROUND:Alginate-chitosan microcapsule can improve the mechanical property of sodium alginate hydrogels. How to obtain the ideal sodium alginate-chitosan microcapsule and the prospect for application of the microcapsule system is the key to this study.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the preparation method and formation mechanism of alginate-chitosan microcapsules, to analyze several important factors affecting the strength of the microcapsule membrane, and to explore the prospects of alginate-chitosan microcapsules in immobilized celltechnology, in tissue engineering and as a drug carrier.
METHODS:The first author searched PubMed, Elsevier ScienceDirect, CNKI and Wanfang database (1987/2013) to retrieve literatures about the preparation method, formation mechanism and application prospect of alginate-chitosan microcapsules.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Sodium alginate hydrogels have many advantages in drug release and tissue engineering, but its application is limited by gel dissolution phenomena and deficiencies in its mechanical properties. Chitosan-alginate microcapsules make up for the deficiency of sodium alginate hydrogels by electrostatic interactions to form polyelectrolyte complexes. By control ing the nature of the chitosan solution--the molecular weight of chitosan, pH and concentration of chitosan solution, we can prepare the microcapsules with high film strength. Alginate-chitosan microcapsules have shown broad application prospects in immobilization technology, drug release and tissue engineering.

Objective To construct the recombinant plasmid pYES6-S and express and purify spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome(SANS)coronavirus in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Methods DNA fragments of SANS coronavirus were obtained by reverse transeription.Four over- lapped fragments of spike protein genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR)and ligated into an integral spike protein gene by restriction enzyme digestion.The spike protein gene recombined with pYES6 and cloned into E.coll.The recombinant plasmid pYES6-S was induced and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae(INVScl)by galactose.Results The recombinant plasmid pYES6-S was confirmed that inserted fragment was right in length,direction and base matching by restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing.The purified protein encoded by the whole spike protein gene was about Mr 110?10~3 identified by electrophoresis.Conclusion The whole spike protein gene of SARS coronavirus is cloned into E.coli and the protein is expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae successful ly.which can be helpful in SARS vaccine research.

To study the chemical constituents from the the deep-sea fungus Alternaria sp. F49. Seven compounds were isolated from the EtOAc extract by using silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, ODS and HPLC methods. Based on the spectroscopic analysis, their structures were identified as (8R)-5-O-methyl-orcinotriol (1), orcinotriol (2), α-acetylorcinol (3), 3'-hydroxyalternariol 5-O-methyl ether (4), altenusiol (5), altenusin (6), and 5'-methoxy-6-methyl-biphenyl-3,4,3'-triol (7). (8R)-5-O-Methyl-orcinotriol (1) is a new phenolic compound which has never been reported in the literature. Compounds 4-7 showed strong DPPH free radical scavenging activity; whereas compounds 1-7 showed strong ABTS free radical scavenging activity.

Hemorrhage of the basal ganglia is common in hypertensive patients, and most of the cases are spon- taneous unilateral hemorrhage. Traumatic basal ganglia hemorrhage is uncommon, while bilateral hemorrhage of the basal ganglia after trauma is an extremely rare entity. This report described a rare case of bilateral hemorrhage of the basal ganglia after head trauma. We also analyzed the mechanisms and reviewed relative literatures.
Basal Ganglia Hemorrhage ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth (PB) are associated with newborn mortality and diseases in adulthood.We explored factors related to LBW and PB by conducting a population-based case-control study from January 2011 to December 2013 in Wuhan,China.A total of 337 LBW newborn babies,472 PB babies,and 708 babies with normal birth weights and born from term pregnancies were included in this study.Information of newborns and their parents was collected by trained investigators using questionnaires and referring to medical records.Univariate and logistic regression analyses with the stepwise selection method were used to determine the associations of related factors with LBW and PB.Results showed that maternal hypertension (OR=6.78,95％ CI:2.27-20.29,P=0.001),maternal high-risk pregnancy (OR=1.53,95％ CI:1.06-2.21,P=0.022),and maternal fruit intake ≥300 g per day during the first trimester (OR=1.70,95％ CI:1.17-2.45,P=0.005) were associated with LBW.BMI ≥24 kg/m2 of mother prior to delivery (OR=0.48,95％ CI:0.32-0.74,P=0.001) and gestation ≥37 weeks (OR=0.01,95％ CI:0.00-0.02,P＜0.034) were protective factors for LBW.Maternal hypertension (OR=3.36,95％ CI:1.26-8.98,P=0.016),maternal high-risk pregnancy (OR=4.38,95％ CI:3.26-5.88,P＜0.001),maternal meal intake of only twice per day (OR=1.88,95％ CI:1.10-3.20,P=0.021),and mother liking food with lots of aginomoto and salt (OR=1.60,95％ CI:1.02-2.51,P=0.040) were risk factors for PB.BMI ≥24 kg/m2 of mother prior to delivery (OR=0.66,95％ CI:0.47-0.93,P=0.018),distance of house from road ≥36 meters (OR=0.72,95％ CI:0.53-0.97,P=0.028),and living in rural area (OR=0.60,95％ CI:0.37-0.99,P=0.047) were protective factors for PB.Our study demonstrated some risk factors and protective factors for LBW and PB,and provided valuable information for the prevention of the conditions among newborns.

The purposes of the present study were to investigate the inhibitory effect of quercetin (QUE) preconditioning on endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) inducer tunicamycin (TM)-induced apoptosis in RAW264.7 macrophages and the underlying molecular mechanisms. RAW264.7 cells were pretreated with different concentrations (20, 40, and 80 μmol/L) of QUE for 30 min and then treated with TM (5 mg/L) for 12 h. Cell viability and apoptosis were determined using MTT assay and Annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection kit, respectively. The nuclear translocation of activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) in cells was detected by immunofluorescence analysis and Western blot. Protein and mRNA expressions of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and Bcl-2 were examined by Western blot and real-time PCR, respectively. The results showed that TM reduced cell viability and induced apoptosis in RAW264.7 macrophages. The cytotoxic effects of TM were significantly inhibited by QUE pretreatment at the concentrations of 40 and 80 μmol/L. Interestingly, we found that QUE also significantly suppressed the TM-induced translocation of ATF6, an ERS sensor, from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. In addition, exposure of RAW264.7 macrophages to TM resulted in a significant increase of the expression of CHOP, a transcription factor regulated by ATF6 under conditions of ERS, as well as a decrease of Bcl-2 at transcript and protein levels. QUE blocked these effects in a dose-dependent manner. These data indicate that QUE can protect RAW264.7 cells from TM-induced apoptosis and that the mechanism at least partially involves its ability to inhibit the ATF6-CHOP signaling pathway.
Activating Transcription Factor 6 ; metabolism ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Survival ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; Macrophages ; cytology ; drug effects ; Mice ; Quercetin ; pharmacology ; Transcription Factor CHOP ; metabolism ; Tunicamycin ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDMany studies have examined gender related differences in the presenting symptoms, management and prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Much data are available from industrialized countries, in which ACS is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, but relatively little information has been obtained from China, where an epidemic of cardiovascular disease is starting to emerge. The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in clinical practice in a national Chinese sample.

METHODSA total of 12 medical teaching hospitals participated in CRACE. Data collection began in 2001 and continued until 2004, 1301 patients with ACS were enrolled into the study. We compared the clinical demographics, different therapies and outcomes in hospitals between female and male patients with ACS.

RESULTSPatients had an average age of 63.13 years (ranging from 27 to 93 years) and 318 female and 983 male subjects were enrolled. Female subjects were older than male patients (67.23 years vs 61.80 years, P < 0.0001). The incidence of angina, heart failure, diabetes mellitus and hypertension in the female group was higher than in male group (73.6% vs 62.3%, P < 0.0001; 8.2% vs 5.7%, P = 0.031; 30.8% vs 18.6%, P < 0.0001 and 66.4% vs 56.8%, P = 0.001 respectively), but the incidence of smoking was less in the female group than in the male group (6.6% vs 66.2%, P < 0.0001). More male patients presented with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) compared with female patients (48.5% vs 39%, P = 0.002). With the exception of beta-blocker administration, no differences were found among medications including aspirin, ACEI, lipid lowering agents and low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) between female and male patients presenting with ACS in hospitals. Compared with male patients with non-ST-segment elevation (NSTE) ACS, female subjects were more prone to receive beta-blockers (75.1% vs 63.4%, P = 0.001). Among STEMI and NSTE-ACS patients, fewer female subjects received reperfusion therapy compared with male subjects (37.1% vs 26.8%, P = 0.013 for STEMI; 53.6% vs 37.2 %, P < 0.0001 for NSTE-ACS). Recurrent angina was more often seen in the female group of patients with the whole spectrum of ACS (25% vs 14.5%, P = 0.005 for STEMI; 29.4% vs 20.2%, P = 0.001 for NSTE-ACS) as was true for patients with congestive heart failure. There was no significant difference in in-hospital death rates between the two groups with ACS (5.6% vs 7.1%, P = 0.2 for STEMI, and 2.1% vs 1.4%, P = 0.738 for NSTE-ACS).

CONCLUSIONSFemale patients with ACS were older than male subjects and thus more often had concomitant diseases but less often had a history of smoking. They less often received reperfusion therapies and more often had higher in-hospital recurrent angina. However, there was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between the female and male patients.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Coronary Disease ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; epidemiology ; Registries ; Sex Characteristics

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect and safety of entecavir and adefovir in the treatment of lamivudine-resistant HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B.

METHODSSixty-five patients with lamivudine-resistant HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B were randomly divided into two groups. The entecavir treatment group included 33 patients, who were administrated entecavir 1.0 mg/d. The adefovir treatment group included 32 patients, who were administrated adefovir dipivoxil 10 mg/d. Changes in serum HBV DNA, liver functions, phosphocreatine kinase, creatinine and adverse reaction were dynamically monitored.

RESULTSAt the end of the 12th, 24th, 48th week of treatment, the rates of serum ALT normalization of the entecavir treatment group were higher than that of the adefovir treatment group, but there wasn't statistically difference between two groups until the end of the 48 th week of treatment (P > 0.05). The rate of sera to turn negative for HBV DNA of the entecavir treatment group was significantly higher than that of the adefovir treatment group at the end of the 12th week. Moreover, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONBoth entecavir and adefovir dipivoxil might have a good response to lamivudine-resistant HBeAg-negative chronical hepatitis B. Entecavir could achieve better therapeutic effects.

Adenine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; Female ; Guanine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; analysis ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Organophosphonates ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDUsing hepatitis B virus e antigen (HBeAg) gene to construct the DNA-binding domain vector, which can express HBeAg in yeast cell, and can be used in yeast double hybrid as "bait plasmid" to look for the gene from the cDNA library, which expresses the protein that can interact with HBeAg.

METHODSPCR was performed to amplify the HBeAg gene from a sera of hepatitis B patient. The product of the amplification was inserted into T-vector and was verified by sequencing. Then it was inserted into the "bait" plasmid pGBKT7 after the digestion with the restricted endonuclease of EcoR I and Sal I. The plasmid was transformed into the yeast cell. PCR was used to verify whether the plasmid was transformed into yeast. The HBeAg protein expressed in the cell was confirmed by Western blot. Using nutrition selection assay to verify the constructed plasmid alone could not activate the reporter gene in the yeast cell.

RESULTSSequenced and digested by two endonucleases, the recombined vectors pGBKT7-eAg produced anticipated fragment. PCR verified that there was HBeAg fragment in the yeast. Having assayed by Western blotting, it was shown that the yeast cell transformed with pGBKT7-eAg vector had positive signal which could not be seen in the control. Tested by the nutrition selection assay, the recombined vectors pGBKT7-eAg could not activate LacZ reporter gene in the yeast.

CONCLUSIONDNA-binding domain plasmid was successfully constructed and could express HBeAg proteins in the yeast cell but could not activate transcription of LacZ reporter gene alone. The recombined plasmid can be used in yeast double hybrid.

Genetic Vectors ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Two-Hybrid System Techniques ; Yeasts ; genetics

Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; surgery ; Cryosurgery ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumothorax, Artificial