Snake antivenomimmunoglobulins are considered to be the most efficient drugs in snake envenomings. Most snake antivenomimmunoglobulins all over the world are still prepared by fragmentation of polyclonal antibodies isolated from hyper-immunized horse serum till now. In this review, we retrospect the history of snake antivenomimmunoglobulins, analysis the present situation and pay the close attention on the key technological links in the process of research and manufacturing, such as properties of IgG and its fragments, selection and preparation of immunogen, optimization of immunization schedule and protein isolation and purification, which can be available for the reference in the research and development of snake antivenom.
Animals ; Antivenins ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; pharmacology ; Snake Bites ; drug therapy ; Snakes

Infant, Newborn ; Female ; Humans ; Amniotic Fluid ; Perinatal Death ; Pneumonia, Aspiration/etiology* ; Arteries

Objective To investigate the expression and the effects of X-chromosome linked inhibi- tor of apoptosis (XIAP) associated factor 1 (XAF1) on apoptosis and cell proliferation in SMMC7721 hepatocellur carcinoma (HCC) cell line.Methods The expression of XAF1 mRNA and protein in hu- man SMMC7721 cell line were detected by semi-quantitative,RT-PCR and Western blot.Plasmid con- structs expressing sense and antisense XAF1 were generated and transfected into SMMC7721 cell line to establish stable transfectants.Cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by MTT,flow cytometry and TUNEL.Results XAF1 mRNA and protein were detectable in SMMC7721 cell line but lower than that in normal liver cell.Stable expression of XAF1 significantly inhibited cell proliferation and increased spontaneous apoptosis in SMMC7721 cell (P＜0.05).Over-expression of XAF1 in stable transfactants increased the sensitivity of SMMC7721 cell to chemotherapeutic drugs such as 5-fluorouracial and hydroxycamptothecin.Conclusions Over-expression of XAF1 induces apoptosis and inhibits SMMC7721 cell growth.XAF1 may be a promising candidate for HCC gene therapy.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness and left ventricular geometry in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).Methods:Two hundred and twenty-one OSAS patients were enrolled consecutively from the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from January to December 2019. According to left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and relative wall thickness (RWT), OSAS patients were divided into 4 groups based on the left ventricular geometry: 110 with normal geometry (NG group), 56 with concentric remodeling (CR group), 32 with concentric hypertrophy (CH group), and 23 with eccentric hypertrophy (EH group). The patients were examineel by echocardiography, the left ventricular end diastolic diameter, LVMI, interventricular septal thickness, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, left ventricle ejcetion fraction, E/A were collected. Age, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), apnea hypopnea index (AHI), nocturnal lowest oxygen saturation (Lowest-SaO 2), nocturnal mean oxygen saturation (Mean-SaO 2), the percentage of the time that oxygen desaturation below 90%(T90), oxygen desaturation index(ODI), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), EAT thickness and the echocardiography parameters were compared among the four groups. The relationships between EAT thickness and the above-mentioned parameters and left ventricular geometry were analyzed by univariate and multivariate linear regressions. Results:①The higher EAT thickness was found in the CH group [(0.50±0.09)cm] and EH group [(0.46±0.07)cm] compared with the NG group [(0.33±0.11)cm] and CR group [(0.36±0.15)cm] (all P<0.05). In addition, age, SBP, DBP, AHI, ODI, T90, LVMI, RWT and E/A ratio were all significantly different among the groups (all P<0.05). ②Univariate linear regression analysis showed that EAT thickness was positively correlated with age, SBP, DBP, AHI, TG, TC and LVMI, RWT, left ventricular geometry, and negatively correlated with Mean-SaO 2 and Lowest-SaO 2. ③Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that EAT thickness was independently correlated with AHI, TG, TC and left ventricular geometry. Conclusions:EAT is independently related to abnormal left ventricular geometry, suggesting that EAT may be involved in the process of left ventricular remodeling.

Objective To develop a candidate reference method for the determination of sodium in serum by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method (ICP-MS). Methods Aluminum, as internal standard of sodium, was added into serum samples and sodium standard solutions by gravimetric analysis. The samples were digested by HNO3 and diluted, and its 23Na/27Al isotope ratios were obtained by ICP-MS. The sodium concentrations were calculated with the standard curve method in serum. Results The analytical recoveries of sodium were 100.67% and 100.15% respectively, and the precisions were 0.08% and 0.04% respectively for 2 different serum samples. The results of measuring sodium in serum of Standard Reference Material (SRM) gave the coefficients of variation (CVs) of 0.18% and 0.22% for 2 levels of standard reference material(SRM) 909b and 0.41%, 0.41% and 0.66% for 3 levels of SRM 956b. The relative deviations between the results and median of the certified value were 0.17% and 0.14% for 909b and -0.09%, -1.05%, -0.48% for 956b respectively. Conclusions The ICP-MS and aluminum internal standard method is proved to be not only precise and accurate, but also quick and convenient for measuring sodium in serum. It is promising to be a candidate reference method for determination of sodium in serum.

[Objective]To investigate the micro-structural alterations within whole brain white matter(WM) in cough syrup abuse addiction patients containing codeine,and to explore the correlation between aberrant WH and abuse time of cough medicine abuse patients.[Methods]Thirty cough syrup abuse addiction patients containing codeine and 30 controls participated in the study. Structural changes in FA and(mean diffusivity)MD were examined in cough syrup abuse addiction patients containing codeine which derived from DTI tractography. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to compare the mean FA value and duration of cough syrup abuse addiction in patients.[Results]Cough syrup abuse addiction patients containing codeine had lower FA value in bilateral anterior limb of internal capsule(ALIC)and higher MD in the bilateral hippocampus and insula,right anterior cingulate cortex(ACC)and superior temporal gyrus,compared to the controls. Cough syrup abuse addiction group also had positive correlation between mean FAvalues and duration of cough syrup abuse addiction in patients.[Conclusion]Micro-structural alterations within whole brain white matter(WM)are found in cough syrup abuse addiction patients containing codeine. This disturbance progresses as duration increases of cough syrup abuse addiction in patients.

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect of adenovirus-mediated VEGF-siRNA on transplanted osteo- sarcoma in nude mice.Methods: VEGF-siRNA gene was cloned into the genome of replication-deficient adenovirus to construct Ad-VEGF-siRNA;the latter was then used to infect osteosarcoma MG63 cell line in vitro;and the expression of VEGF gene was detected by RT-PCR.Osteosarcoma transplantation model was established in nude mice;VEGF expression in tumor tissue was analyzed and the inhibitory effect on tumor growth and lung metastasis were also observed.Results: The recombinant adenovirus vector Ad-VEGF-siRNA was successfully constructed.In vivo and in vitro experiment both showed that Ad-VEGF-siRNA significantly downregulated VEGF expression in MG63 cells and transplanted tumor tissue. It was found that Ad-VEGF-siRNA significantly inhibited transplanted osteosarcoma growth(P

Objective To investigate the presence of occult brain tissue damage in patients with relapsing neuromyelitis optica(RNMO)and its possible mechanism by using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).Methods DTI scans were performed in 16 patients with RNMO and 16 sex-and age-matched healthy controls.Histogram analysis of mean diffusivity (MD)and fractional anisotropy (FA)was performed in brain tissue (BT),white matter (WM)and gray matter (GM)to detect the presence of occult brain tissue damage in RNMO patients.Region of interest(ROI )analysis of MD and FA was also performed in 6 dedicated regions with or without direct connection with spinal cord or optic nerve to determine the relationship between occult brain tissue damage and the damage of spinal cord and optic nerve.Results Patients with RNMO had a significantly higher average MD of the BT[RNMO(0.95?0.02)? 10~(-3)mm~2/s,controls (0.91?0.03)?10~(-3)mm~2/s,t = 3.940,P

Objective:To investigate the effects of oxymatrine(OM)on the apoptosis of human hepatoma HepG2 cells and its possible mechanisms.Methods:HepG2 cells were treated with different concentrations of OM.The proliferation inhibition was measured by MTT assay and the apoptosis of HepG2 cells were examined by Hochest staining method.Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis rate.The expression of caspase-3,Bcl-2,Bcl-x_L and Bax proteins was assayed by Western blotting assay.Results:OM inhibited HepG2 cells growth in a time-and dose-dependent manner.After treatment with OM for 24 hours,some cells appeared typical apoptotic characteristics and the apoptosis rate was increased. Treatment with OM also increased caspase-3 activity and Bax expression in HepG2 cells,and decreased the expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x_L.Conclusion:OM can induce HepG2 cell apoptosis,which may be related to the down-regulation of PI3K/Akt signal pathway,suppression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x_L activity,and activation of caspase-3.

ObjecfiveTo investigate clinical features and imaging manifestation in patients with posterior reversible eneephalopathy syndrome (PRES) to improve its recognition.MethodsSix patients with PRES were enrolled,four women with history of end-stage renal disease,kidney transplantation,eclampsia,or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and two men with history of chemotherapy or hypertension.All of them underwent multi-serial MR imaging (T1 WI,T2 WI,FLAIR) and post-contrast T1 WI.Three cases also underwent CT scan and gadolinium enhancement. ResultsAll the six cases of PRES had different inducing causes such as acute hypertension,preeclampsia or eclampsia, taking immunosuppressive agents or steroids.and their clinical symptoms were characterized by sudden occurrence of headache,eclampsia or seizure of epilepsy,altered melltal status,visual disturbances.Clinical symptoms were died out in about one week after prompt and appropriate treatments for high blood pressure.or removal of precipitating factors,or treatment for epileptic seizures or status epilepticus.MRI and CT scanning demonstrated multifocal subcortical white lesions in bilateral parieto-occipital lobes (six cases), bilateralfrontal lobes (two cases),bilateral post temporal lobes (two cases) and left cerebellum (one cases).and cortical involvement (two cases).All lesions appeared unenhanced with gadolinium enhancement. FoHow-up by MRI showed decreased abnormal signs and small infarct foci were left in the cortex-subeortex of one case.ConclusionsPRES is a clinico-neuroradiologieal transient condition, usually benign and reversible in nature.Completely clinical and radiographic recovery Can be achieved with prompt antihypertensive treatment or removal of precipitating factors and supportive care,but delayed diagnosis and therapy Can result in cerebral infarct with neurological sequelae.